Hi...I'm new to the forum and I have been cooking the macrobiotic way for only a few days now. Generally I cook the day's meal first thing in the morning so that I can carry on with my day as planned and not worry about what food or combination of foods to prepare for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I folllow the guidelines thoroughly (50-60% grains, 25-30% cooked vegetables, 5-10% beans and sea vegetables, 5-10% soups) and I count my caloric intake for the day, which is usually no more than 1000 calories. However, even under 1000 calories I find that the portions under this diet are quite large. For example, 50%=grains (say, brown rice), that's about 500 calories, roughly 3 cups of organic rice, with about 25%=200 calories worth of vegetables, say brocolli and cauliflower which amounts to roughly 8-9 cups cooked vegetables. Add 8 cups of broth (5 calories each)....that's a lot of food! Is that normal, or am I eating too much? Is there a caloric limit on this diet of which I am unaware? Any/all replies are highly appreciated! Thanks!

~Adina A. Abrahami