Failure to Thrive

I started eating a 100%, low fat raw vegan diet on May 25,2009. That morning I weighed 130 lbs. I started this diet for several reasons. I wanted to get healthier. My favorite sport is long distance running and walking.

My 5k races had been getting slower and slower the past several months. After much research I felt that eating a raw vegan diet would enable me to run faster. Also due to a spinal cord injury I do not have full use of my arms. I thought eating like this my body could heal itself.

That morning I ran a 5k race in 29:54. My body fat was less than 10 per cent. On May 30, I ran a 5k race just under 37 minutes. I attributed this to my body detoxifying. On May 31 I weighed 124 lbs. On June 6 I ran a 5k race in 37:30 and weighed 122 lbs.

On June 7 I ran a 5k race in 37:00. On June 14 I ran a 5k race in 36:53 and weighed 119 lbs. On June 20 I ran a 5k race in 38:36 and weighed 115 lbs. On June 27 I ran a 5k race in 36:31 and weighed 115 lbs.

On July 2 I weighed 112 lbs. i had my body fat measured with electronic calipers. It was 5.5-6%. I took some measurements. They were: Waist-under 28 in. Hips-33-33 1/2 in. Calves-12 1/2-12 3/4 Thighs-17 1/2-17 3/4 Chest normal-34 in.My BMI was 18.1-18.2This is at a height of 68 in.

I know most of the weight loss was from excess sodium,some fat loss and a little muscle wasting. On July 4, I ran a 5k race in 35:01 and weighed 111 1/2 lbs. On July 21 I reached my lowest weight of under 108 lbs. My upper arms and forearms were just over 8 in. My thighs were 16 1/2-17in. My hips were 32in.. I looked like a walking skeleton.

One of the reasons I lost so much weight, was because I was not able to eat enough fruit in the beginning. I was satisfied with about half of my normal caloric intake in the beginning, due to my stomach not being stretched enough. When I was eating cooked food, I was eating 2000-2500 calories a day to maintain 130 lb. body weight. Since this article is getting rather lengthy, I ill continue it in part 2. See you then.