FAQ
When you’re just starting out with Raw Till 4, things can get pretty daunting as you figure out what to what to eat, when to eat, what to mix, what not to mix, etc.
You’re not alone when it comes to being confused. It happens to everyone! So, to help calm your nerves and keep you on the straight and narrow, here’s some of the most common Raw Till 4 frequently asked questions and concerns.
All These Bananas! I’m so Constipated on Raw Till 4
You really have to like bananas if you want to live the lifestyle! The good news is your body will adjust and clear that colon right up for you if you keep eating lots of bananas and other raw fruit through the day. Honest! You just have to stick to your guns and you’ll find over time you’ll begin to CRAVE bananas.
I Like Raw Potatoes. Can I Eat them on Raw Till 4?
It’s best if you don’t eat potatoes raw. They contain Solanine, which is a glycoalkaloid poison. It’s not going to kill you, but it’s just better not to eat it. Also, raw potato don’t do much for your digestion. If you want you could substitute a raw potato for a raw sweet potato. They are delicious and nutritious.
Will Raw Till 4 Effect My Mood?
Yes! Eating a ton of fruit throughout the day, along with no chemicals, no caffeine and no processed sugars will make you very happy. Most people report that their mood increases greatly, as well as improved brain function / clarity of thought. Of course, you may experience some ups and downs too, given that your body is going through a big change and detox. You may see some skin issues from the detox.
How Many Calories on the Raw Till 4 Diet?
Please read our Raw Till 4 calorie count page.
I Am So Bloated Eating Raw Till 4, What Can I do?
Make sure you are drinking A LOT of water throughout the day. And make sure you get some exercise in, even if just a brisk walk for 30 minutes. That should get you feeling better in no time.
How Can I Get Enough Protein On Raw Till 4 Diet?
You only need to get 10% of your total daily calories in the form of protein. All plants, fruits, vegetables have protein. Some have quite a bit, % wise. For example, my favorite green, Spinach, has 2.6 grams of protein in 3 cups of spinach. I add that to a smoothie and you don’t even know you’re eating your veggies!
A lot of people love watermelon and eat a whole one as a meal. Guess what, 28 grams of protein in one medium sized watermelon. We tend to eat a lot of bananas, and each medium banana contains 1.3 grams of protein.
So don’t stress about not eating enough protein. You will have no trouble getting the correct amount on a daily basis.
I Thought High Carb Diets Like Raw Till 4 Cause Weight Gain?
It sure can! But it is only temporary. Your body will become used to the extra calories and adjust it’s metabolism to process this new caloric intake. As Jon Fergus stated so well, “short term weight gain on this lifestyle is basically a healing process and a collection of bodily adjustments”
I don’t like XYZ. What can I substitute for XYZ on the Raw Till 4 Diet?
You have to suck it up buttercup. This lifestyle isn’t for picky eaters. But you can check our substitution page for some ideas.
i see on your plans that you dont include snacks. is that beause the 3 main meals will fill you up till the next meal? if you do get hungry inbetween meals, what do you suggest?
I personally don’t get hungry between meals most days, but you can certainly throw in some extra fruit during the day between meals!!! Remember, it’s not about restriction (as long as you are eating approved foods)! I just snack on an extra banana or a few dates if I get hungry during the day. Night time is no problem as I have a HUGE serving of rice, or corn pasta, or potatoes.
Dose the amount of calorie intake with rawtill4 included dinner? Or do u eat 2500+calls and dinner?
Your total intake should be 2500+, including the cooked meal!
Hi, I have IBS, will raw till 4 work for me as well?
Not only will it work for you, it will likely cure your IBS. I used to suffer from IBS…no more.
wow thats amazing, thanks for the info, freelee
Hi!I heard the Raw till 4 lifestyle helps with menstrual cycles? I have extremely long cycles and I was referred to go on this diet! Help!
In my opinion restricting fat was crucial. Try not to eat fat for 3 weeks and take just some nuts on the 4th week. I used to take pills to control my period and now it is just regular and it doesnt hurt or last long.
Hi! I am very interested in this way of living and have been following Freelee. I do have a concern though and was hoping you could help me. I have fructose malabsorption so am not sure how my body would react to do much fruit. Any ideas or advice? Thanks!
If you’re not sure how your body would react, then you should give it a try and see how it reacts! Good luck.
Hi! Is this diet safe for diabetics? I’ve been telling friends and family about this diet and this question comes up a lot. Thanks!
Hi, I had a relapse and ate fish. How long will it take for my body to detox?
Don’t stress over it. just move on and get back on track. At least you didn’t eat a big hunk of steak.
hi i have just started following this food plan having been vegan and sometimes raw over the past year. Im lovng the dates but should u limit how many u eat of them and may e not every day eat them as they are so high in calories???
as long as you’re getting at least 2500 calories of clean food a day, I say eat what you like!
I really dont want to put on weight, should i limit them? Im wanting to lose just 4 pounds
Hey, I weigh 210lbs for 5’4-5’5, and i’ve really been thinking about doing this diet, i was wondering if fruits like raspberries, blueberries,etc… are also ok to eat because in most recipes i see they’re not included. And i was wondering what kind of recipes are good to take to school for lunch ??
all fruits are okay, but things like raspberries and blueberries don’t have a lot of calories to get your intake up to the levels required on raw till 4. So you’ll see a lot of bananas and dates because they are more calorie dense. You would have to eat a dumptruck of blueberries to get enough calories in a day! but by all means, add those fruits into your diet!
How many carbs in grams should I aim to eat a day? (Im 51kg and 164 cm) because at the moment I’m logging it in to cronometer and its nearly 600 grams! i heard in one of durianriders videos it should be 10g/kg of body weight, it that true?
if you strive for 2500 calories on Raw Till 4, you should be in the 560 grams of carbs per day area, based on 90% carb intake.
hi, I work overnight how can I incorporate the RT4 since my schedule is 12 am till 8am .. I really want to do this .. how will I do this?
What if you suffer from high blood sugar I take medformin my question is will this way of eating help me or should I look into another eating plan. I am 60 years-old and have recently stop eating meat and dairy but I am not really losing any weight I seem to be gaining . I really want to lose weight and have more energy. but I am concern about my blood sugar I’ll take any help I can get.
you should consult your doctor, or a nutritional specialist for advice on this.
Hi Freelee,
Thank you for saving my life. I love being on this lifestyle and not even thinking about going back. The thought of animal cruelty to me breaks my soul. I don’t understand how people can do this. I was a vegetarian for many years and just switched to raw till 4 last November. I did post on your facebook how you have helped change my life around from disease and depression. Please if you can look it up. I promise it’s worth it. Thank you.
A question: I love sushi as you do and every time I eat it The taste of nori doesn’t agree with me until one day I was going t make it at home when I noticed the nori packaging claiming that there are traces of fish or shellfish in it!!!
I haven’t eaten them since. Could you give me your feedback on that? Thanks ahead. Stay strong on the movement.
Ps.: I found some restaurants serve suchi wrapped with soy wrappers and even found them for sale fr home use. What d you think?
Hi! I’ve been living on raw till 4 for a couple of weeks now and I really love it.
But I just started a new job and I work from 3pm till 9pm now. Question is can I still eat my cooked vegan meal late at night when I come home or would that have any negative effects if I eat to late at night? And I don’t really get a break either, so I was kind of wondering what to do. 🙂
I’m hoping someone else might chime in here, as I don’t have the answer for this one!
Hey!
I’ve been eating quite late at night because of my job too, and I feel great so far. I wake up with bags of energy in the morning before my alarm has even gone off. I guess you’ll have to give it a try and see what works for you?
I’ve only been doing it for about a month or so though.
Hope this helps.
hi. what happens to the body and metabolism if one day you decide to stop pursuing this lifestyle??
Interesting question. I don’t know the answer to that but I would guess the outcome would depend on whether you go back to an unhealthy SAD diet or moved on to a fully raw healthy diet.
Hi, I’m 16 and I have found that when I eat anything sugary or a lot of carbs that I start to breakout…Will RawTill4 make my face breakout a lot? Or is this just part of the process for my body to clean out its colon? Dairy has never been the problem for my skin I’m pretty good about what I eat. I have completely eliminated soda and pretty much all sugar from my diet, I don’t eat processed foods, I’m just worried about my acne getting really bad if I try this program.
You may need to consult a nutritionist or doctor as this is beyond my knowledge.
Hi Freelee,
How long does it take for your digestion to regulate on an average? I’ve been on the lifestyle fr a few monthes and my digestion is slower and gasy and my poop is pasty!! I’ve been smashing down 2500 to 2800 cal Mostley fruit and following the food combo chart and all your advise on your book. What am I doing wrong? I’m feeling defeated and don’t know who to turn to. I have gained some weight and I don’t exercise much because of spinal injuries that are holding me back. I’m hoping after surgery I’m able to. Is there something I should be adjusting? Please help. Thanks.
hi, can i eat spaghetti squash, grilled vegetables, or butternut squash before 4 pm? Also can I have coconut shreds on my sweet potatoes if sugar is not good after 4? thanks!
The guidelines for raw till 4 say to eat your last meal (dinner) as a cooked meal. So eating squash, grilled veggies etc before 4 pm would not be recommended. However if you want to occasionally you could certainly do so, but don’t eat raw after those cooked foods!
Is there any research about the raw till 4 diet? And can I please get a source? It’s for school.
Hi Sara,
I’m not aware of any studies on Raw Till 4.
Hi. I’m new to this and was wondering what time do we stop eating our cooked-high carb foods? Also, is organic air-popped popcorn ok to have after 4pm?? Please help!
Maybe try eating a larger meal at dinner if you’re still wanting to eat all night? Popcorn should be fine if you’re not adding salt or butter!
Can I still have coffee with Truvia in it??
Well, coffee is not recommened in the raw till 4 guidelines, but I’ll be honest…shhh…..I am sipping my coffee as I type this. I don’t add anything to it, and I honestly don’t know what trulia is, so I can’t comment on that.
Is this diet safe for pregnant ladies?
I really don’t know. You’d best consult with your physician or nutritionist before starting something like raw till 4.
My friend is battling anorexia and is on your diet. I don’t think that she is eating the right amount of foods. Could you supply a diet plan with enough calories so that it is possible to gain weight as she just seems to be losing it. Also should she be exercising?
google raw till 4 meal plan and you will get a 7 day food and exercise planner from Freelee the banana girl’s (the creator of raw till 4) site.
I’m really struggling to eat big portions. I can only eat 2 bananas per meal and About 1 of 2 dates. Than I’m stuffed.
I barely reach 900 calories à day so I’m nog getting enough protein, vitamins etc. And I’m still bloated as f*ck. Hooray for raw till 4. Going back to eating normal sadly. I was really looking forward to à freelee the bananagirl tummy
Well, then, sounds like you tried this for a day, maybe two? Freelee didn’t get that stomach overnight! Oh, and she doesn’t sit on the couch all day making excuses. She eats clean AND exercises, quite a bit. Good luck with the “normal” eating.
Hello,
I’m too thin, I’d like to gain weight.. Do you think raw till for is for me? Thanks
Hi Rose, I have no idea whether it’s for you or not, but you can certainly give it a try.
Hi! I have been vegan for around a month now, and i love it! but i was wondering how long will it take on this diet for results to start showing? i am following the guide (eating only raw fruits and veggies until 4, then carbing up on healthy sources) and iv been doing this for round a week now, but i was wondering when the results will start showing? (this is coming from a person who was previously slim but with non-needed belly fat)Thank you!!!! =)
Hi Matthew. It’s early days yet. Give it some time and stay active!
Hi, been on raw to four 6 days, drinking 3 liters of water, exercising but I am quite constipated. Will this resolve with time?
Yes, it should definitely resolve within a week or two. If not, you’ll want to investigate what food is causing the problem.
Hi there,
I’m absolutely loving Raw till 4! I started feeling amazing right away, which stupidly made me think it might not be working as I’d read all about how you might feel a bit crap for a while etc.
But anyway, what I’m wondering is the cronometer keep telling me that I’m eating too much Vitamin A, mostly coming from spinach and brocoli. Can this be right? I never thought I’d be ODing on vitamin A from veggies alone, but I do have a lot to learn. If someone could fill me in on what I’m doing wrong that would be great. 🙂
Kate
I wouldn’t worry about overdosing on Vitamin A! You can’t!
You can overdose on Vitamin A. It can cause kidney disease that is fatal in extreme cases. Please slow down and do at least rudimentary research before giving any advice other than “ask your doctor. “
You CAN NOT overdose on Vitamin A, or any other vitamin, eating raw fruits and vegetables. The only way possible to overdose on any vitamin is to take massive amounts of man made supplements (or large amounts of polar bear liver, apparently ( in my limited research)). I’m pretty sure most vegans will not accidentally eat too much polar bear liver, and there is no need to waste money on useless man made synthetic vitamin supplements when eating a high fruit and vegetable diet (except for responsible usage of a quality B12 supplement). Thank you for your concern, but please do at least some rudimentary research before giving us YOUR advice. 🙂
Hello from Slovenia! 🙂
I’ve been a vegan (801010) for a year nw and I have decided that I’ll give it a try with raw till four. Today is my 4th day and I have a problem. I don’t know what’s causing it, but I feel like I’m high aaaaall the time and my level of concentration is really low. Is it maybe sugar and my body is not use to it in these amounts? I don’t wanna give up after 4 days…
I would be so grateful if you reply and help me 🙂
I really have no idea. Do you keep a daily food journal of EVERYTHING you eat in a day? If not I’d start immediately, so you can see if you’re getting enough calories in a day.
I am having trouble with the date smoothie, I love dates but the smoothie is way too sweet for me. Any tips?
Hi Gabbie, thanks for stopping by. Those dates are crazy sweet! I have cut back on the frequency of date smoothies because of that.
Hi Gabbie! Maybe if you added some greens into your date smoothie, like spinach, it might make it bit less sweet.
I work nights so how would you recommend I follow this diet on nights I work?
Hi Leslie, I’m not sure how best to tackle the night shifts on raw till 4. I’m hoping someone else will chime in with their plan.
Hi
I have been Vegetarian for 23 years, Vegan for 1 year and 5 months and now Raw till 4 for a week..I love it BUT my eyes feel tired all the time, I have a lot of energy and am needing less sleep thank usual any one else experience this?
also anyone in South West UK?
hey- i’ve been rt4 for about 5 weeks now and one thing i’m really struggling with is no bread! i was wondering if there are any good bread substitutes…? thanks
No.
Hey,
I’m interested in the lifestyle, mainly because of weightloss issues. I’ve been vegan for the past 5 years almost, but still I hesitate to start Raw till 4. That is because I live in Germany and we just don’t have as many fresh fruit. It’s ok in Summer and Autumn, but as for the rest of the year, all the fruit is imported from Spain or other warm countries – which means that they are harvested before they are ripe, then riping on the journey, or sometimes being stored for weeks on end. They just don’t have as much nutritional value as fresh fruit. I also try to live conscious of the environment and imported food certainly does not help the planet. Do you have any recommendations, tips or know a website of someone who lives in a colder country and has been able to follow this lifestyle?
Thanks in advance,
Lulu
I have been on raw till 4 for about a week and since I started I have been getting a lot of headaches. Any ideas as to why?
Could be detox effect?
Hey i work 8 hours shifts and dont really have time for snacks, i finish everynight at 11 o’clock does it matter what time you have dinner?
don’t sweat the little things. eat when you are done work.
Is it ok if I have mono meals of like 15 dates cuz I am obsessed with them and is it ok if I eat like as many as I want of just dates or do I have to make sure to eat a bunch of different fruit. I’m also obsessed with bananas btw but I just want to know if this is ok
I’m just starting my rt4 life. I don’t think I am eating enough of the right foods. when you first started did you have to train yourself to eat so much fruit and veggies? is there a calories calculator that I can download? Does putting it all in a smoothie help? could your u tell me any starting tips you have? thanks.
I cover all that stuff throughout the blog, including the calorie/nutrient tracker at cronometer.com….and yes smoothies are vital for me
Hi! Any Info on Raw till 4 and Diabetes???
I don’t know anything about living raw till 4 with diabetes, unfortunately. You should discuss it with a medical/nutritional professional before trying raw till 4.
Can you have coconut oil on this diet?
I imagine you already know the answer to your question, but just in case, NO! You shouldn’t be eating any kind of oils if you are doing raw till 4 diet.
After Ramadan, when should I start raw till 4 and can I do tapout xt along with that. Also how do I get my periods back, I haven’t had them for 5 months due to binge eating and bulimia. Thank you very much. I am 15 years old.
I had 7 months without my period, I am almost sure it was due to calorie restriction, binging and all that… my period came back regularly when i started eating better.. no calorie restriction, keeping the fat low during the first 3 weeks of the month and taking some nuts or almonds on the 4th week. My periods are regular, they dont last long and they dont hurt.
can I eat raisins and dried fruits as snacks?
I am wondering how many fat grams per day to stay under? The list said less than 10%, but 10% of what?
5 – 10% of your total daily calories.
Hi, our whole family has been on this diet for a few months including my 4 yr old son. However we made a modification and eat cooked food for lunch and raw dinner. It’s mainly because my son goes to preschool and does not eat any raw foods for lunch. We eat the raw dinner atleast 5-6 hrs after the cooked lunch. Is there any downside to doing that? Typically how many hours should we wait after a cooked meal before we eat raw foods. Please note our cooked meal is high carb and zero added fat. We all feel great btw on this lifestyle except my belly has started to get bigger. Is this temporary and will get better over time? Thanks!
I’ve just started the raw till 4 lifestyle about 2 weeks ago after being totally blown away and inspired bu you! But my biggest problem so far is getting in all this food and liquid through the day without feeling totally fit to burst. How do you eat such a high volume of food which stretches your stomach and then have a tiny tummy!?? I come from an ED background and having such a full stomach can prove hard at times! Please advise just to help encourage x
Hey
I am also inspired and into the raw until 4 eating plan
and have a question.
Can I eat rawfood porridge for breakfest,
which consists of water, Oats, a lot of seeds, dates and apples,
which is soaked in water the whole night and then eaten
without being cooked?
Thanks for the inspiration and reply. 🙂
Kind regards Roberto
no bread, but arent tortillas allowed. I see her eat a pizza. Also should you cut out any refined flour (white pasta..?) what about white rice and added sugar to saladdressings etc?
Hey,
Can anyone provide some tips to manage a rawtill4 diet when you are working fulltime. Do you carry all the fruit with you to the work place? Or do you carry a few mugs/bottles of smoothies to work?
The reason I am asking is that currently I have been doing well with rawtill4 diet since the last couple months since I am now a fulltime student (I don’t have to go to work everyday, just attend lectures a couple times a week). But I am soon going to start working fulltime and do not want to fall back on my previous diet. I don’t know how I am going to carry all these bananas and apples and other fruits everyday to work?
Any tips from people who are managing rawtill4 even at the workplace would be helpful.
Thanks
Sunil