How to Go Raw for Weight Loss

A raw food diet is one in which you eat foods that are not heated above 42 degrees Celsius or 118 degrees Fahrenheit. In other words, you primarily eat raw fruits and vegetables along with some nuts and seeds. When eating raw, you do not have to eat 100 percent raw foods--many who follow the diet aim for 80 percent to 90 percent raw. Following a raw diet is a great way to lose weight, but you'll also notice other health benefits as well, such as lower cholesterol and blood pressure.

Instructions

• 1

  Decide how you want to start. One way to start the diet is to make an abrupt change in your life--simply wake up one morning and start eating primarily raw foods. This method can result in a rapid weight loss, primarily because your body is detoxing and getting rid of some water weight. Still, this can be quite encouraging, helping you to stick to the diet. The other way is to make a gradual change, starting by eating a few raw meals per week and increasing the number of raw meals as time passes. This will still result in weight loss, but it may be slower. However, it may be easier to sustain the diet long-term if you are gradually changing your habits.

• 2

  Purchase supplies to prepare raw foods. At the very least, it's essential to have a good set of sharp knives. However, you should also consider purchasing a blender for making smoothies. Other appliances you may want to consider are a juicer and a food dehydrator, which you can use to make crackers and bread substitutes. The key to losing weight on a raw diet is to be able to make a variety of different foods to keep yourself from getting bored.

• 3

  Discover raw food substitutes for your favorite foods. If there's a food you like, chances are there's a recipe that replicates it using raw foods. For example, you can find recipes for crepes or for chocolate cake. You'll be more likely to stick to the diet if you can still eat foods that you like.

• 4

  Monitor your weight-loss progress. It's likely that you'll notice weight loss right away. However, you should also be sure to track your progress. If you are not losing weight, look at the amount of calories you're eating. In general, a raw food diet should be naturally low in calories, but if you are eating a lot of nuts and seeds, you could be eating too many calories.