Wes,

> Regarding calories in the diet: while I believe raw calories are obviously
> superior to cooked calories, and are much more efficient and so forth, I
> still am getting a minimum of about 2,500 calories per day in my diet, and
> this is with normal eating patterns (no overeating).

I'd _really_ like to know how you manage this on a 100% raw diet! I went 100%
raw vegan for about 3 months (had been about 75% prior), and I literally ate
_all day_ long. Had fruit for breakfast and quite a large spinach/romaine
salad with all kinds of good stuff in it (beets, yams, squashes, tomatoes,
etc) and then a more "creative" raw dish for dinner based on things like
sprouted lentils, corn, asparagus, cabbage, etc.-- not necessarily together
;0)

I dehydrated various veges to make "chips" and snacked on those along with
soaked oat groats, raw/soaked nuts etc. throughout the day -- ALL DAY! I
basically ate constantly. And once I got home in the evening I practically
lived in the kitchen in order to have all of these things prepared.

Over a 3-month period I lost 10 pounds -- for some that might be considered a
plus, but for a 5'8" female who only weighed in at 115 to begin with it was
traumatic! I gave up on raw vegan and have added raw fish and eggs along with
cooked chicken (very low flame) and gained back to my 115. Sadly, I also
slipped back into my carb addiction and am working on that. But I am amazed
that you could eat 100% raw and still get that many calories daily. I couldn't
have done more that I did for those three months and I still wasted away.
Enlighten me!

smiles! Kelli