New to Wai diet, need motivation

[Pineapple]

Hello,

I recently turned 20. I never thought I would be 20 and still have acne as bad as mine. It has basically ruined my life...or at least taken much joy out that could have been. Anyway, I have tried raw foods before I even heard about wai's diet, but it didn't help my acne much at all. I ate salt and other things not allowed on the wai diet, so this time I'm hoping for real results. I've been on it for about 11 days. My birthday was in there somewhere and I had indian food, but other than that I've been 100% with zero munch foods. The indian food didn't seem to make me break out any worse than I already was. However, I seem to have no real improvement and it is deeply discouraging. I have suffered multiple disappointments in other diets and I do not want this to become another one of those times. I need to know if this WILL work. It is keeping me from being social and having fun. I also have trouble knowing what fruit to eat because it is difficult to find RIPE fruit all the time, but I'm doing my best. I feel tired all the time. I get plenty of sleep each night yet still feel like I need naps.

My main reason for doing this is not only to feel better about myself in social situations, but especially my marriage. My boyfriend and I plan on getting married in a few years after we graduate college and if I still have acne then, I don't know if I could go through with it. Any motivation, help/advice would be much appreciated.

Thank you.

[abicahsoul]

Hello pineapple, welcome. I am pretty new to Wai myself. Just a few months. I can give you some hope.
First I think the crew here will need to know more about what exactly you eat, how much, how often etc. To make sure there are no misunderstandings of the diet. Often the case is that people (including me ) misunderstands the diet in the beginning.
Then I think it is really important to understand that you cannot wash your face with normal tap water, or use any cleaners, face creams, body lotions, acne products, or soaps etc at all, cuz it will ruin everything.
Low mineral water (make sure it is low according to Wai) on a cotton pad, or a rosewater (with no other ingredients, make sure about that..dunno where you live, but if you go to an asian food market it can usually be found there), or some pressed cucumber juice/ slices of cucumbers can be used to wash face. If you feel yucky the first week or so you could I suppose pat your face gently with that stuff during the day a few times? (pat not rub)
Then if you feel stiff or dry in your skin you can use a small amount of oil where the dryness is. (It is possible that this should be skipped if you have really bad acne, I don't know about that.)
What oil? This is also important. There is a Wai list. Personally I'd say: Extra virgin coconut oil, which is pure unrefined coconut oil. I have noticed it has done a lot of good for my skin and it also works really well in the sun. However it is really important that you get extra virgin unrefined coconut oil. The pure stuff. Because from a lot of testimonies over at the acne board I've understood that the hydrogenated, or refined, or heat treated or whatever coconut oil is not good, and will also be comedonic (clog pores). Extra virgin coconut oil is also said to contain anti-bacterial/anti-microbial somethings.. which is good. Also it seems it is the best oil because it will not go rancid, and also when out in the sun, the one oil that stays stable the best and doesn't go bad.
Apart from really being a slave under Wai I really recommend the extra virgin coconut oil. But it is just my experience and from what I read about it.
I hope you will feel better about yourself. I can only give you the motivatioin that it has done that for me. Mostly also because my skin feels so wonderful, before it felt like it was stiff and dry and still produced a lot of oil and pimple, and I couldnt' understand it. It felt like a wore a stiff mask and most creams just made it irritateed. But now it feels great. So even if I now a few months later had a few small digressions from the diet, whenever a few pimples or sandy bumps appear it doesn't matter so much, because it still feels very good to be in my skin, and I know if I just go back to strict it will go away.
That's what I can share of my personal experiences and advice. I'm sure admin will soon be here and give you more advice.

[Pineapple]

Thank you. I'm home for the summer and my mom carries lots of coconut oil (she's a super health nut :]) and we might even have some extra virgin especially for cosmetic use. However, the only time I've ever gotten dry skin on my face is when I use BP, which I stopped using on this diet. I've never put oil on my face before and I would if I thought my face felt dry. Or should I use it anyway? I might try it today before I go out for a walk.

As for my diet, I have been trying to eat some fats with every meal like Wai says. For example, this morning I ate an orange then squeezed three more (the most I've had at one time on this diet) by hand and added 2 tablespoons of organic extra virgin olive oil, stirred, and drank. Later I plan on eating some avocados and bananas, because I can't eat avocados by themselves for some odd reason. I also might eat some tomatoes with more olive oil. One of my main concerns with this diet is candida. I have read many times that candida can cause acne, and that too much sugar makes candida worse. My mom thinks our family might suffer from candida. If so, this diet may be making it worse. I will stick at it just to be sure, and if it doesn't seem to be working in a month I might try adding in more fats somehow. However, it is not easy to eat fats without sugar because olive oil and avocado both taste very bad to me when eaten alone. I also don't have any nuts without the shell on them. My family eats raw organic nuts that have been soaked and dehydrated (to get rid of enzyme inhibitors), but nothing that comes in a shell. Mostly cashews, which some people say aren't really nuts at all, but I've stayed away from them and all other foods not on the sample diet. I also have been eating 2 fresh raw egg yolks (organic and local) some days, not every day. I'll try to make it every day.

As for washing my face, a few days in a row all I did was use reverse osmosis water (no minerals). I also drink this water, but I'm worried about mineral depletion in my body. Our house has a water softener so sometimes I have been rinsing off in the shower. I don't know if I can avoid that water touching me because I have to wash my hair, and it gets all over my body. Is it really that dangerous? How can one live their life avoiding the shower?

[abicahsoul]

Some say they get pains/gasses from eating avo and banana together.. Avo+egg yolk is an alternative.. mash avo and gently stir in egg yolk (only the yolk not the bag) with spoon - do not beat or whisk cuz it harms the cholesterol in the yolk. But ok, if you have no probs with tummy, just go ahead and try the avo+banana, I guess it's not that bad?

Extra virgin coconut oil is great.. also for taking as fat when needed with the fruit or jucie.. I find. Skip olive oil and use coconut oil?
It is also great for skin I find. I read that some people get really good effect on their general skin and their acne by using it. Try it.. on a piece of the face, or all over. You will see/feel for yourself. If you don't like to go around shiny, you can just do it for your evening regimen, before bed, and then wipe off excess with rose water in the morning..? That's an idea. But however... a thin layer before going out walking doesnt' sound bad either.

The candida issue I can't address. I don't know enough. However, I wonder if one should suspect that unless one have very specific symptoms? But I mean thats just my careful remark.. I don't know. I can only say I have only felt better on this diet, slept better, feel better, better stomach, etc.

If you are 100% the nuts are really raw it should be ok. If not, or if your acne doens't improve, cut them out and see what happens.

Nah, I think you can have the water touch you. I have.. but when I shower and it gets in my face, I just wipe off with rosewater after shower so as not to leave the tap water on the face.. I dunno.. but it seems it might make a small difference.. So no avoiding showers here.. I just meant.. try to refresh and clean your face only with low mineral water, rosewater, or cucumber juice..

Also I guess you have to see how you feel.. If you feel weak or bad, it means you need to eat a lot more often, small portions. But now I leave the floor to RRM & friends. Good luck.

[Oscar]

Can you list exactly what, how many/much, and when you eat everything on an average day? If you're tired, it probably means you're not eating (often) enough, which can also can induce acne.
You can also enter everything in the nutrient calculator: http://www.waiworld.com/waidiet/nut-calcsimple.html
If you get less than around 2000kcal per day, it's probably not enough.

[Pineapple]

Typical day:

2-4 Oranges/orange juice with either olive or coconut oil
a few kiwi and bananas
2 egg yolks
lots of water...

It doesn't seem like a lot, but I'm a very small person (less than 5' tall) and I find it difficult to eat more than that. I'm getting the hang of it though by eating more coconut oil. How can undereating cause breakouts? There are just no ends to the rules are there...how can anybody get it right?

[Oscar]

If your body needs energy and there isn't enough through eating, it will break down muscle mass. The resulting blood protein can aggravate acne. With just 2 egg yolks that might not be too likely though.
In any case, a 4'11" woman, age 25, weighing 92lbs (I had to guess there) with a sedentary lifestyle, needs at least 1650kcal per day. The more weight, the more active, the more energy is needed.
I put your diet in the calculator, and it's not even 1000kcal, so you really need to eat/drink more. The way to do it is to keep eating or drinking (not water but juice in this case) all day long. Basically 1 piece of fruit (apple, banana, orange, kiwi, etc) with a little oil per 30 mins. You're probably not used to eating this way, so it takes a bit of patience to 'train' your body. You should never be hungry (or tired). Good luck!

[RRM]

I never thought I would be 20 and still have acne as bad as mine.

That was exactly my thought when i was your age, as the Drs had told me that i would grow out over it.
Not.

It has basically ruined my life...

I have been there.

I have tried raw foods before I even heard about wai's diet, but it didn't help my acne much at all. I ate salt and other things not allowed on the wai diet,

Salt (and spices etc) definitely causes acne if your skin is susceptible to acne.

My birthday was in there somewhere and I had indian food

Thats day zero then.
Start counting from there (or from any time after that you ate something out of the diet)

I have suffered multiple disappointments in other diets and I do not want this to become another one of those times.

then stick to it 100%.

It is keeping me from being social and having fun.

Thats absolutely unnecessary.

I feel tired all the time. I get plenty of sleep each night yet still feel like I need naps.

thats a lack of energy.
mistake #1 on this diet.

One of my main concerns with this diet is candida.

Go to a MD and have yourself checked for candida.

...reverse osmosis water (no minerals). I also drink this water, but I'm worried about mineral depletion in my body.

Yes, its much better to drink juice instead.

I don't know if I can avoid that water touching me because I have to wash my hair, and it gets all over my body. Is it really that dangerous?

no, its not that dangerous.
Just make sure to prevent dehydration of the skin (dry skin),
by applying sufficient oil after showering.

There are just no ends to the rules are there...how can anybody get it right?

Thats easy; just stick to the rules.

[Pineapple]

Where does one get such a large amount of juice to drink all day? After squeezing three oranges by hand I have one medium/tall glass of juice. I can't afford to buy so much fruit and squeezing it all by hand takes a lot of energy as well. Blending/juicing can ruin the juice, right? Ether way, I don't own a juicer. I'm a poor college student. I think I might just have to eat more coconut oil for energy.

[Oscar]

Juicing is fine, and a simple juicer can be bought for under $20.

[Pineapple]

Worst breakout of my life

Either its the diet "working" or the coconut oil or the lack of facewash/acne cream that I'm used to. BP may be bad for you but its the only thing that has helped in the past. I'm still staying away from it. I just hope my skin clears soon. It is so embarrassing to go out.

[abicahsoul]

Poor you
Stay away from the coconut oil then for a while, if it makes you uncomfortable. But hang on with the rest. Eat more, and more frequently like RRM and Oscar said... You have been eating way too little and that may also cause acne, cuz it makes the body free some of its own proteins, which land in the blood stream, which will then affect the skin water pressure.
And to quote Hagrid: "Better in than out." All that has been clogged in the skin has to get out, so now it is pushing out all at once, no wonder it gets worse.
I dont' know what BP is.. but please try to stay away from it while you try this diet.

[Pineapple]

Thanks. I am going to avoid the coconut oil for now, at least on my face. I think I am eating more too. I can't always remember how much I eat but I never feel weak anymore. Lots of oranges, pineapple, kiwi, avocado, bananas, egg yolk, and coconut oil. And whatever else is lying around. Like I said before, I'm living with my parents this summer so I mostly rely on the fruit they buy. Sometimes it isn't enough so I go to the store myself. Guess its what I get for mooching. I still don't eat any nuts yet, but that might be a good thing because I tend to overeat them. That happened to me last time I went on a raw food diet.

[Iris]

I still don't eat any nuts yet, but that might be a good thing because I tend to overeat them. That happened to me last time I went on a raw food diet.

Where those nuts back then raw? (unshelled) Did you eat any raw animal food back then? And did you eat often (enough)?
Wen you make sure your blood sugar is up when eating nuts (or just eat some with some SUGAR RICH foods) and make sure they are RAW, you will be less likely to overeat them. But if you think/find you still can't stop eating them, I'd opt for avoiding them altogether

[Pineapple]

For the past week, my skin has looked very different, but not in a good way. I have tiny zits all over my face and more than usual breakouts on my neck and chest. My back is also breaking out. The pimples on my face are much smaller than some of them could be, but they are everywhere. Every pore on my forehead is clogged. It looks and feels like bumpy dry wall. Normally, if my skin was so broken out (which is never was because I would use prevention medication or a face mask), I would have used queen helene mint julep mask. This always worked for me or at least helped. It is such a pain NOT using any products and just water because my face doesn't seem to be healing or cleaning itself at all. It just gets oily. I am following the diet as strict as possible. No much food. Fats with every meal. Plenty of food and nutrients. 2 egg yolks a day. No exercising right after. No drinking tap water. Why is my face NOT healing? Why does it continue to get worse? People say that it might get worse before it gets better, but what if it never gets better? I've been trying to get a summer job but my confidence is severely lacking and I almost don't want a job anymore. Is it possible that this diet just doesn't work for me? I read many posts from other people and some seem to struggle as well and you never find out if it worked for them in the end. It makes me think this diet doesn't always work. Either that, or it doesn't work for the reasons people say it works, and my body is just going through some serious detox or something and it could take months or years to get clear.

Also, I've started using an infrared sauna to try and speed up the healing process. I don't know if it is working yet, but my chest seems a little better after 2 uses. Face still as bad as ever.