weight

[BeachGirl]

Hello everybody! I was wondering if anyone has become too thin after beginning macrobiotics ..or what you can possibly eat to keep weight on... ?

I have always eaten a very healthy, vegetarian diet but have been gradually transitioning for a little over two months now...and my weight has gone from about 118 to 106 (I'm about 5'7"), and everywhere I go, my relatives and friends keep telling me that I look sick and too skinny, and keep saying that I need to see a nutritionist or go to the hospital! I don't know what to do- they are driving me CRAZY! I've tried explaining the whole philosophy to people, but they just think i'm a complete nut and they say that I "must be anorexic". My mom keeps pestering me about gaining weight before I go away to college- she is actually the only reason that I've stepped on a scale, because I think that they are pointless. My mental state is so much better and clearer since I have been eating this way, and I love it- the only thing that is holding me back is all of the people who keep starting arguments about what I eat & say that I don't eat anything that has any "substance." I don't want to sacrifice my happiness and start eating processed junk in an attempt to gain weight just to make everyone else happy! (I did this for a couple days and felt miserable). Do any of the more experienced people here have any advice??! That would be great!

Also...does anyone have any tips on maintaining a macrobiotic diet and living on campus in college? it's going to be hard!!!

[shb]

Hello!

gaining weight

[mike chen]

the previous response to julie about oatmeal is especially worthwhile - no one in your family could possibly be averse to oatmeal! at summer camp, we serve it in the morning primarily for the kids, but the adults leave the pot scraped clean!! w/a little dried fruit seeds nuts or just gomashio and a drop or two of tamari . . .

(mb theory states that an individual will readily throw off excess once the diet is simplified. your family presumably is not aware of this. who is your counselor in virginia? whom are you studying with?)

[Johnnyzen]

Originally Posted by BeachGirl

Hello everybody! I was wondering if anyone has become too thin after beginning macrobiotics ..or what you can possibly eat to keep weight on... ?

I have always eaten a very healthy, vegetarian diet but have been gradually transitioning for a little over two months now...and my weight has gone from about 118 to 106 (I'm about 5'7"), and everywhere I go, my relatives and friends keep telling me that I look sick and too skinny, and keep saying that I need to see a nutritionist or go to the hospital! I don't know what to do- they are driving me CRAZY! I've tried explaining the whole philosophy to people, but they just think i'm a complete nut and they say that I "must be anorexic". My mom keeps pestering me about gaining weight before I go away to college- she is actually the only reason that I've stepped on a scale, because I think that they are pointless. My mental state is so much better and clearer since I have been eating this way, and I love it- the only thing that is holding me back is all of the people who keep starting arguments about what I eat & say that I don't eat anything that has any "substance." I don't want to sacrifice my happiness and start eating processed junk in an attempt to gain weight just to make everyone else happy! (I did this for a couple days and felt miserable). Do any of the more experienced people here have any advice??! That would be great!

Also...does anyone have any tips on maintaining a macrobiotic diet and living on campus in college? it's going to be hard!!!

Well, you seem a bit thin,. Just increase your portions of grains. Most in America have the opposite problem!

You can also incorporate more seeds and a few toasted nuts as well. good oils on occasion are ok as well.

[Nancy]

Folks,

Just a note. If you don't want the previous posters entire message appearing again in your own post, just highlight with your mouse and delete it with your delete key. If you want to keep a few of the words of the previous poster to respond to, keep only those words and delete the rest.

In response to Beach Girl, whose friends and family say she is looking too thin. Weight is entirely for the individual to decide. People have such issues with weight. It makes others so nervous. Does anyone tell super models they are too thin, even when they are actually unhealthy, bulimic, and anorexic? In Beach Girl's case, she sounds quite healthy, enjoying her macro transition, and enjoying further mental clarity.

It is easy to gain weight if you want to. Less exercise, more food. Brown rice will pack it on. Brown rice sushi. Brown rice balls. Oatmeal is one of the fattier grains and will leave one satisfied for hours after eating. Unyeasted breads, sourdough. Stir frys with oil. Tempura. Larger portions. Calista Flockhart does not pay much attention to those who say she is too thin. She starred several years in a popular TV series, is globally -- politically and socially active, and now lives happily with Harrison Ford. She is not psychologically unwell with anorexia/bulimia.

For most of us, who are not 18, we don't want to gain weight. We want to do the opposite. Thus, smaller portions, less grains, less bread, less fats and oils. Lots of great exercise, walking being one of the best and easiest on the body and heart. Recent studies say brisk walking 3X a week, protects women from breast cancer. Swinging of the arms helps clear discharges in the upper chest area, blood, and lungs. Walking massages and oxygenates the organs and bathes our cells with oxygenated blood, which protects against cell mutations.

Nancy

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[Johnnyzen]

Nancy, to lose weight you do NOT need to eat less grains, as long as the grains you eat are whole grains. The thinnest people on the planet eat primarily grains. Are you caught up in the Atkins fad? Macrobiotics recommends at least 50 percent whole grains in the diet. Many of our health problems stem from the fact that we no longer have a staple WHOLE grain. Processed grains contribute to diabetes, etc. Stay thin; eat brown rice!!!

[Nancy]

Johnnyzen,

You are unusually aggressive about a simple suggestion to reduce the amount of grains in order to lose weight. This is certainly not an outlandish suggestion. Why would you mention Atkins to me? Isn't that an extreme response?

Men's and women's bodies are different. Unfortunately, there are a lot of overwieght macro women, and emaciated macro men. To lose weight one can eat 30% grains temporarily. One can also lose weight quite healthfully on a #7 diet, which is all whole grains. I am a big advocate of the health promoting aspects of grain based eating. You might want to reconsider your reactions to others and take the needed steps to maintain better balance.

Nancy

[Johnnyzen]

My only point was that reducing grains does not help with weight loss. The thinnest people in the world eat tons of grains. Who are the fat macro ladies you know? I never knew a woman who followed that diet that was fat if they follow it correctly.

John McDoughall advocates a high starch diet, very low fat. I see no advantage to cutting out whole grains. You even went on to say that regimen 7 can help you get lean, which is ALL grains!

[Nancy]

Yes, Johnny,

Some aspects of macro living are that it is about responsible
choices, freedom from restriction, independence and independent thinking. Kristina Turner recommends in her highly popular book,
"The Self Healing Cookbook" under Slim Rhythms to follow these
ratios for weight reduction, 30% grains, 50% veggies, 5-10%
soup, 5-10% beans, fish & sea vegetables, 5-10% other. I
have personally found her book to be a great resource and
aid to macrobiotic living. This is an extra light diet.

I will let the readers decide for themselves if there is too much
fat among macro women. As far as their practice goes, no one
knows but themselves, or for that matter anything about the way
another eats. Anyone, whether eating macrobiotic food or not,
in correct ratios or not, can gain weight if portions are too large
compared to caloric need or energy expended. Anyone with low
activity and high food intake gains weight. The thinnest people
in the world eat grains and work strenuously for their livelihood.

McDougall is right on. He also has wise things to say about
osteoporosis. The #7 is a great healthy way to lose weight,
improve health, cleanse the blood, and give the organs a well
needed rest, all grains.

Nancy

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[Johnnyzen]

Yes, McDoughall supports macrobiotics, except when it comes to nightshades, which he thinks are ok. His diet is for people who are mainstream Americans, not interested in teh return of the staple whole grain as our promary food.

My point is that even with moderate exercise, a heavy starch low fat diet cannot lead to obesity. McDoughall himslef is very lean. I don't think he is particularly athletic.

There are many myths floating around, mostly started by the high protein people, that carbs makd you fat. Any good macro diet is high UNREFINED carb. If followed correctly, you cannot get fat on it. As far as over-eating, macros food tends to not be addictive and thus most do not over-eat. I know nobody who has an addiction to rice and vegetables.

As soon as we let processed foods creep in the diet, even in moderation, problems with obesity arise. My guess is that macro women who are fat tend to allow these foods, and are liberal about macrobiotics. I could be wrong.

Show me the fat macro women! If they are fat, they are cheating!!!!

I would liket to hear from women who followed this diet religiously and got fat.

[Iloveshoyu]

Show me the fat macro women! If they are fat, they are cheating!!!!

I would liket to hear from women who followed this diet religiously and got fat.[/quote]

Jonny:

Macrobiotics is not about perfection. If someone is cheating it means that they are out of balance. For women, it is usually from too much salt and grain(which is abundant in Macrobiotics and it is easy to get carried away with). Internally, women are more yang so we have a low tollerence for yang. Men can handle more grain, salt, bread, etc. bc/ they are biologically more yin. I can name more than a few Macrobiotic women, teachers even, on the East coast and West who have or have had problems with weight, including myself. For some women, (usually very yang ones) if they are having too much grain and salt and heavy foods (lots of stews, kimpira, peanutbutter, bread) and less veg. it is going to make one gain weight. It is as simple as that. I was only able to loose weight after I had my kids. Having children also takes out past excess such as meat, eggs, tuna etc. which is what many of our bodies are made up of (before we became Macro). Hope I am not getting to complicated on you. To recap: for some women, extreme yang= gain and hold weight.

You may want to consider doing a little studying with other Macrobiotic people. When you see these things in action they make much more sense.

shoyu

[Johnnyzen]

Yes, a fat macro woman is out of balance. that means they are not eating according to Macrobiotic principles.I agree.

According to Dr. McDoughall, who is not totally Macro, you cdan eat a high starch diet and stay lean. I still say that the thinnest women in the world eat primarily grains and vegetables. Peasant people from all cultures ate more grains than vegetables, as it was cheaper and grains stored longer. They were not fat like Americans!

You are probably right that women should eat slightly more yin foods than men.

The reason Atkins works for many people is that it gets them off of refined carbs and fat. I still believe that anybody can be lean on a primarily brown rice diet, NOT white rice and white bread.