3 months into this - some feedback?

[Anjana]

hi guys,
I thought I'd bring an update on my diet so far in case anyone is interested and I might have some more questions as always.
I've been on this for about 3 months now and I managed to stick to it more or less. I had some trouble over christmas and new year but nothing too bad. I'm still not able to do all the juicing so I try to eat fruit as frequently as possible. Regarding my skin everything stays clear apart from tiny little somethings every now and then. I strongly suspect it really is because of the food I eat, because when I follow the diet like real strict I have absolutely clear skin. As soon as I start messing about I get something...but it's really really hard to tell because I started this diet at the same time when I came of tane (roaccutane) and it's very common for tane to keep you clear for some months after you stopped it. I mean of course I'm hoping to stay clear happily ever after but I'm realistic about that. We'll see. But with tane once running through your veins you can't really trust your skin no more.
But I got another friend, called cellulite and that's the main reason why I'm still in this. I desperately want to get rid of it but so far I couldn't see a difference...I mean I had this for years so I give it 2 years or longer to go away again. Although I don't think I'll be doing this diet in two years time.

No when it comes to munch food, I'm still a bit in trouble about that cause when I start I can't stop. What do you guys say to a choloate with 70% cocoa content? How much of that can one eat a day to still feel on the save side? I mean I really can't measure it on my skin my skin is tane-protected to the most. But I'm never sure how much munch food I can have and still work on a cellulite-free life.
What are some "save" munchfoods? What do I do if one night I went out for pizza with friends? I mean I know I probably shouldn't but it's real hard to socialise sometimes and you just HAVE to eat a pizza at that specific day...do you know what I mean? And I don't want to live a pizza-free life either....but how can I make up for a pizzasin?
What do I do if I eat a normal dinner one night like pasta or whatever....can I sort that out next day somehow? I mean I'm realtively fine if it gives me a pimple but I don't want to setback my cellulite-progress forever.....(if there is any)

And what do you guys say to different oils? I'm changing oils all the time like I'm having some walnut oil with my fruit in the morning and then maybe some pumpkin oil with fruit in the afternoon....over my avo-salad I take olive oil....do you think that 's fine? I heard that it's a good thing to change oils...
And then there is dried fruit....dried fruit is like munchfood to me it's so hard to resist...don't they have appetite enhancers in them also??? They sure feel like it.....and I've started to drink coffee again....do you think that's real real bad for cellulite? I'm having like one nespresso one in the morning, gets me going, and then one in the evening after my meal but it's coffein free cause I found I can sleep better then.
But hey guys telling a 19 year old student to please stop drinking coffee is like telling a cat to stop sleeping all day, it's in my nature!

Ummmm what else...oh right I got those damned dark circles under my eyes since going on tane (yea it's all tane's fault grrrrrrrr)...nah really, I never had them before. And they won't go away. I'm kinda hoping this diet might improve them but it doesn't look like it. I'll probably go have my kidney, my liver, my whatever checked and my iron levels also to see if anything's wrong. Do you guys have any ideas what could cause them? I really do sleep enough. I don't party all night. I sure eat healthy. I don't do drugs. I don't have severe mental problems or dramas going on in my life. I'm not sitting in a dark corner all day or hide myself away from bright daylight. Why do I have them? And is there anything I could add to my diet or improve to make them go away? You're probably going to tell me that iron levels have nothing to do with it as mineral absorbation rate is adaptable right?

And what is it that makes your skin soft from this diet? People keep saying that on here...but as I've been on tane my skin is drier than it was before. It's back to normal now actually except for my hands.....they are always real dry and I have a great time putting lotion on them.
Is it the oil or the avocados? The egg yolks?
I have between 3-4 egg yolks a day if I don't have fish. I can't really go up to more I can't afford that and I can only remain this diet as long as it doesn't draw the anger of my beloved mumma on me.... (she doesn't like whole egg cartons vanishing in a day)
Most of the time when I have fish I have raw tuna (not from the tin) but sometimes I would have salmon like you can buy it in the supermarkets....I think it's salted slightly and yea...I mean it's kinda raw but probably not what I should be eating? It's just cheaper you know....do you think it makes any sense at all to have that or can I as well ditch it all together when the only thing there is is salmon like that?

I know salt is a nono but what about some herbs like parsil or stuff...do you put that in the munchfood section? (like some goat munching on parsil in delight yea sure)

All in all I just found that it's not in my mental power to follow this diet 100% strict so yea, I need some munchfood but I'm so unsure what to have all the time. Oh and one last question. Tane had its go on my hair. I got a lot of hair so you can't really see it but it has become thinner....is there anything I could add or do to improve my hair texture?
And yea right, my eyesight has become worse since (yea you guessed it) tane, will that improve on this diet what do you think? I didn't notice anything so far but some people claim it on here.....I was told to eat carrots all day when it comes to eyesight but carrots aren't really welcomed here are they....

Anyway, that was it I hope I don't get on anyone's nerves too much and it would be fantastic if you (anyone?) takes the time to answer my silly questions. hope everyone is well!

[RRM]

hi guys,
I thought I'd bring an update on my diet so far in case anyone is interested

We are always very much interested in updates!
Thank you very much for taking the trouble to inform us.

when I follow the diet like real strict I have absolutely clear skin.

Ah, thats great to hear!

it's very common for tane to keep you clear for some months after you stopped it. I mean of course I'm hoping to stay clear happily ever after but I'm realistic about that. We'll see.

Yes, you will. And yes, you will see.

I got another friend, called cellulite and that's the main reason why I'm still in this. I desperately want to get rid of it but so far I couldn't see a difference...

A few months is certainly not enough, indeed.
Its a very different skin condition than acne. With cellulite, the skin more or less 'adapts' to the cellulite in that cell renewal takes place in the shape of the cellulite that is there, so that it takes complete skin renewal while not retaining water to eventually get rid of the cellulite.

I don't think I'll be doing this diet in two years time.

Why not?

when it comes to munch food, I'm still a bit in trouble about that cause when I start I can't stop.

Yes, thats normal. Its because of the addictive nature. We all are somewhat addicted to the beta-carbolines and opioid peptides it contains.

What do you guys say to a choloate with 70% cocoa content?

Its not about the cocoa content, but about the protein content.
The less protein and the more fat, the better.
Its impossible to tell how much bad protein your skin tolerates without keeping the cellulite though. Thats individually different, because it depends on how effecient your body eliminates the dirty protein, and how much of it ends up in the skin.

I'm never sure how much munch food I can have and still work on a cellulite-free life.

Yes, thats another big difference between acne and cellulite. With acne you can instantly see what the effects of foods are. With cellulite, you cannot. You just need to hope that your regimen is strict enough to eliminate the cellulite, which you will only know after about a year!

What are some "save" munchfoods?

There are no safe munch foods. Munch foods by definition are unsafe, but whether they actually are bad for your skin is individually different...

What do I do if one night I went out for pizza with friends? I mean I know I probably shouldn't but it's real hard to socialise sometimes and you just HAVE to eat a pizza at that specific day...do you know what I mean?

I know what you mean.
For your friends its confusing; does she eat pizza, or not? Is she still doing this crazy diet, or not? Thats the hard thing about consuming munch foods. If you dont eat them at all, its much more easy.
For me its easy; by now all my friends simply know I dont eat pizza, so nobody will ask me that. They just get me some sashimi (many Japanese restaurants here, luckily)

how can I make up for a pizzasin?

You cannot.
All you can do is drink a lot of water, hoping that the bad proteins and salt get 'washed away' as soon as possible.

What do I do if I eat a normal dinner one night like pasta or whatever....can I sort that out next day somehow?

Nope.
But these places usually have salads as well...

I mean I'm realtively fine if it gives me a pimple but I don't want to setback my cellulite-progress forever.....(if there is any)

It is a setback for your cellulite, inevitably. Every time you consume munch food it is more or less a setback.

And what do you guys say to different oils? I'm changing oils all the time like I'm having some walnut oil with my fruit in the morning and then maybe some pumpkin oil with fruit in the afternoon....over my avo-salad I take olive oil....do you think that 's fine?

Sure.

I heard that it's a good thing to change oils...

If you would consume an oil (like linseed oil) containing too high levels of linolenic acid (an omega 3 fat), yes, than it would be better to alternate this oil with other oils, but no worries regarding the oils you take.

And then there is dried fruit....dried fruit is like munchfood to me it's so hard to resist...don't they have appetite enhancers in them also??? They sure feel like it.....

If they are really sun-dried, they dont have appetite enhancers, but you may just love the effect of the sugar they contain (stimulating serotonin uptake in the brain).
If they are not sundried, they are just a little bit bad.

and I've started to drink coffee again....do you think that's real real bad for cellulite?

Yes, coffee makes you retain water as well, but its not that bad.

one in the evening after my meal but it's coffein free

that doesnt make any difference, as its not about the caffein.

I got those damned dark circles under my eyes since going on tane (yea it's all tane's fault grrrrrrrr)...nah really, I never had them before. And they won't go away. .... Do you guys have any ideas what could cause them?

viewtopic.php?t=45

You're probably going to tell me that iron levels have nothing to do with it as mineral absorbation rate is adaptable right?

Ha, ha, yes, you are right.

And what is it that makes your skin soft from this diet? People keep saying that on here...but as I've been on tane my skin is drier than it was before. It's back to normal now actually except for my hands.....they are always real dry and I have a great time putting lotion on them.
Is it the oil or the avocados? The egg yolks?

Its no particular food, its about not retaining too much water.
http://www.freeacnebook.com/01-10.htm#09
And, yes, accutane speeds up skin cell renewal so much that there are not enough young skin cells left so that your skin will be rough and dry. With time your skin will recover. Once your skin has recovered, it will gradually get softer and softer, because of the diet (please read that chapter of the book).

I can only remain this diet as long as it doesn't draw the anger of my beloved mumma on me.... (she doesn't like whole egg cartons vanishing in a day)

Ah, I understand...

sometimes I would have salmon like you can buy it in the supermarkets....I think it's salted slightly and yea...I mean it's kinda raw but probably not what I should be eating?

It may have been frozen priorly, but maybe not. It probably has not been salted luckily. (you can ask, as some people are on salt-free diets for medical reasons)

It's just cheaper you know....do you think it makes any sense at all to have that

Yes, if you dont mind the taste, you perfectly can. Personally, I dont like the taste of supermarket salmon, but of course that depends on the origin of the salmon. Here, the salmon of the local fishmonger tastes great whereas the salmon from the supermarket tastes awful to me.
Your supermarket salmon may be perfectly fine.

I know salt is a nono but what about some herbs like parsil or stuff...do you put that in the munchfood section?

If they are herb-mixes, yes, they are munch food, as then they usually contain 'appetite enhancers' and salt as well, so you should only use pure herbs, as chives for example.

Tane had its go on my hair. I got a lot of hair so you can't really see it but it has become thinner....is there anything I could add or do to improve my hair texture?

Your mum wount like this, but yes, you need a lot of yolks, as they contain the fat and vitamins your hair needs.

And yea right, my eyesight has become worse since (yea you guessed it) tane, will that improve on this diet what do you think? I didn't notice anything so far but some people claim it on here.....I was told to eat carrots all day when it comes to eyesight but carrots aren't really welcomed here are they....

You can eat raw carrots, no problem. Tomatoes are good as well.
You just have to hope that your eyes will recover from the accutane...

Anyway, that was it I hope I don't get on anyone's nerves too much and it would be fantastic if you (anyone?) takes the time to answer my silly questions.

They are not silly at all.
This board is here for Q and A's regarding the diet, so you make perfect use of it!

[Oscar]

Good to see things are going well.

Regarding eyesight: aside from dietary influence there is also stress and tension which can worsen the eyes. Blurry view is a feedback signal of the body telling you you're doing something wrong.

Make sure you always relax your eyes and neck, move your eyes and head continuously (even if only a tiny bit) to scan your surroundings (or the object you want to see), and keep blinking (not excessively, just normal).

Don't strain to see something if it's not clear, don't stare and fixate on one point.

Know that eyesight fluctuates naturally. No reason to worry. It also varies with the amount of light, so you see clearer with more light and less clear when it's darker.

Hope this helps.

[Anjana]

hi RRM,
thanks so much for answering so quick I really appreciate that you (and oscar also) take the time to do that...

Well why will I not be doing this diet in 2 years time? I just think it will become impossible because I'm goin abroad in like 5 months and I'll be living with a hostfamily....so this hostfamily will think people from switzerland are reeeeeeally strange... . Nah I mean I just can't expect them to get fruit and stuff for me although I wouldn't have to pay for my food but that is to say people who eat like normal human beings do not have to pay for their food. people like me who decided to go on a rather strange diet are kindly advised to buy their own food.....which will take 80% of my salary away. I see it coming.

Hopefully I'll be able to do it again (in case I have to quit it) when I'm back home and studying at university for 3-4 years. At least I'm one of those people who, even when they temporarily come off it, never forget the possibility of doing it.

Yea well I just noticed that chocolate with a high cocoa content also has much less protein...like 8g for a 100g chocolate...so I could eat the whole chocolate in a day actually....(I don't do that though)...15g of bad protein a day is the limit isn't it?

You know, RRM, I'm always worried when you talk about not retaining any water because I think that's pretty hard to control.
So you are retaining water if you eat processed, high-protein food all day. But when you stop doing that and switch to fruit and co. you also can't just sit there for 4h and not eat anything and then eat a fruitsalad right? You have to continuously eat.....that's such a challenge for me. What else makes my body retain water? I drink like 3l of plain tab water a day, do you think that helps it in any way or is that rather bad? I mean it's funny I'm trying to get water out and at the same time I drink like a camel....
What I'm trying to say...if I for example eat like the diet suggests but not very much or not very frequently...does that make me retain a lot of water? Because sometimes I've run out of fruit and co. or I'm at a place where I don't have access to all that..so I'm more likely to starve myself for a while than go on eating bread or things like that...because I think to myself before I eat bad stuff I better eat nothing at all...I'm pretty good at starving you know so it's no problem for me at all. But I'm avoiding that of course if I can...it's just that I'm never sure if such starve-days actually are a great setback for cellulite or if they just let me loose more weight?

Hehe sorry for my complex sentences without no end....
But hey, to get this straight, everything exept for: tomatoes, cucumbers, avocados, any kind of fruit, dried fruit, oils, raw fish and egg yolks...is considered as munch food?
I'm kinda unsure because you don't said anything against carrots? Vegis are munch food aren't they?

Ah I think you misunderstood my supermarket-salmon, I'm not even talking about the one you get handed out by someone, I'm talking about salmon nicely sliced and wrapped up....and it often says it's salted and got some oil on it or so...sometimes even sugar...but I've no idea if it has been frozen or not...

Yea well you know I think my eyesight was part of the price I paid for clear skin. It's real hard if you start to think about it....kinda rosacea, dark circles, thin hair, and effects on your eyesight...but I still think it's better than acne!

Alright, thank you guys so much.....one last thing do you always have like the same thing over and over again? Because that's what I have I have fruit with oil during the day and my avo-tom-cuc-salad in the evening with fish or egg yolks. And I'm starting to get bored.

[RRM]

At least I'm one of those people who, even when they temporarily come off it, never forget the possibility of doing it.

Ah, yes, thats essential; that you have a choice; thats this 'safety net' will be there to catch you when you need it.

15g of bad protein a day is the limit isn't it?

Thats just a general guideline. Whether the 0g or 15g dirty protein is okay for you is individually different. Your skin is unique, and so is your tolerance for bad proteins and salt.
The 15 g rule actually more applies to cellulite and overweight than to acne, as with acne you need to establish your own level, as that is possible due to the direct effects of diet on acne (with cellulite and overweight its impossible to establish such a direct relationship)

you also can't just sit there for 4h and not eat anything and then eat a fruitsalad right?

4 hours, no, but 2 hours, yes, if you had a salad big enough so that its energy lasts for 2 hours. With the avocado-tomato-cucumber-oo salad thats possible, but not with the more sugary fruits, as their sugars are utilized more rapidly.

I drink like 3l of plain tab water a day, do you think that helps it in any way or is that rather bad?

If you can drink water, you can drink juice. Juice is not just mainly water, but also supplies you with energy so that you have to eat less.
With this diet you dont need to drink water, as this diet already supplies you with that.

if I for example eat like the diet suggests but not very much or not very frequently...does that make me retain a lot of water?

Ha, ha, yes, cooked foods make you retain water.
A lot?
Not as much as a solely cooked foods diet.

I'm more likely to starve myself for a while than go on eating bread or things like that...because I think to myself before I eat bad stuff I better eat nothing at all...

Thats not good.
If you are somewhere where its impossible to find any foods that are part of the diet, you can drink sirup with water, for example. Or canned juice. Or you can take dextrose or something similar. You can take some butter with sugar, stuff like that.

I'm never sure if such starve-days actually are a great setback for cellulite or if they just let me loose more weight?

You shouldnt do that anyway. Your health is more important, and starving yourself is totally unnecessary as you can always get a hold of something very sugary or fat.

I'm kinda unsure because you don't said anything against carrots? Vegis are munch food aren't they?

Carrots are an exception, as they are not that hard to digest.

I'm talking about salmon nicely sliced and wrapped up....

I know, but they are not the same in every supermarket.

do you always have like the same thing over and over again? Because that's what I have I have fruit with oil during the day and my avo-tom-cuc-salad in the evening with fish or egg yolks. And I'm starting to get bored.

I know. It was the same for me in the beginning, but after a while you start to appreciate those foods more and more (if you go 100% strict, that is), and now anything else is simply not good enough. Not even close.

[Oscar]

I think the "getting bored" feeling might also have something to do with the still addicted body craving addictive substances.

[Anjana]

do you think? yea well you know I was just kinda wondering if you people try different recipes all the time or not.....maybe I really should try the 100% way as long as I can....how on earth can you stand that, RRM? are you human?

[Oscar]

After being 100% for a while that need for all kinds of different recipes more or less disappears. Of course there can still be little experiments, but the "need" is felt much less.

And you're right...RRM isn't human, he's a cyborg

[avalon]

Oscar wrote:

And you're right...RRM isn't human, he's a cyborg

That explains all the Oil in the Diet

[Oscar]

LOL

[Anjana]

a cyborg. (as if a swiss person would know what that is but it likes oil, alright, I'll offer some oil if ever I get attacked by one)

so where do you people fit in all the egg yolks? I always have them over my salad, only 4 or so anyway but I find it hard to still like the salad like that because if you then add olive oil and vinegar also you have your salad swimming in a sea of sauce and it's not exactly nice.

do you eat your 10 yolks just like that like foxes do?

[rischott]

2 bananas + 4 egg yolks = naptime

[Anjana]

what you do a sort of mash? is that good??

[Oscar]

I usually eat them plain, and/or one over my fish.

[avalon]

Anjana, yes they are quite good mixed in with banana. A little strange looking as you get a yellow-type mush, but yummy. I tried it over my salad for a while and as you say, it may be a bit soupy. So I agree with Oscar, sometimes over my sashimi, alone, or I use it for dipping. But I think my favorite is over Buffalo Tartar. If you don't have breakout problems with rice or potatoes, it's great over these.