Note From Carlene Jones...

Hello dear folks,

Today was a work day and what a work day it was. 10 hours on my feet of banana 'whip' insanity...so busy! I'm exhausted!

FOOD/ACTIVITY

40 minute walk, much uphill this morning.

3 peaches for pre-breakfast on my way to work.

2 supersize green smoothies with spirulina (bananas, collards, spirulina) for breakfast.

for midmorning, i was hungry. couldn't wait 3 hours in between, was hungry. 1 salt free chopped salad with assorted veggies (zucchini, garlic, red onion, mushroom, red pepper, carrot, tomato) with a dehydrated veggie 'steak' chopped in it (cashew, apple, red pepper, zucchini, carrot, beet).

hungry again around noon. i had 2 small banana whips. one with cacao and mesquite. one with cacao and yacon powder. wow, yum.

about 3:30, i remember i had a 'sandwhich' of 2 peices raw bread with southwestern cashew spread on it and at least 1 cup of shredded veggies on top (zucchini, red onion, tomato, carrot), delish.

making mock toona later began snacking on it, tasting, uy.

1 raw "fish sticks" - a dehydrated snack of 1 slice raw bread with a garlicy fishy (seaweed) spread on top with 'tartar' sauce (raw pickles), delish.

thirsty, 2 coconut water

2 tiny cacao bars, 1/2 oz each

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Completely exhausted.

Another shot above for possible use for headshot. We'd need to crop it. The sun was so strong i'm squinting, but it's....okay, kind of nice. The wrap looks pretty. We shall see which i chose! When they are cropped and blown up, i don't know which one will look best. Stay tuned!

I'm off tomorrow, thank GOD!!! 4 days of working on my feet 9-10 hour days, plus a walk in the morning, plus salt and nut overload, i pretty much feel like shit!

DISCOURAGED
I think my brand of 'moderating' is definitely NOT WORKING.

I ate nuts and salt to my hearts content for the entire first year i worked at Arnolds Way...and made NO PROGRESS in losing weight.

The last 4 days were MUCH more controlled than my first year at arnolds way, but...all in all, i don't really think they were THAT much better, really, and I DON'T think there is hope for this course.

I felt HOPEFUL for the FIRST TIME in a LONG time with 80-10-10. So, i had a binge every once in a while. At least i was doing fabulously as long as i was on it. This way, feeling and looking bloated, feeling and looking heavier....doesn't really FEEL GOOD. It all might has TASTED GOOD...but so does all of the fruit. And with fruit i don't lose control. And with the fruit, i look GOOD, lose weight. Nuts and salt are my nemesis.

If i could JUST have gourmet a few times a week.... ???

Anyway, striking any kind of a balance feels impossible.

Is all...or nothing...the only way for me?

HOPEFUL...CARLENES NEW PROGRAM MAY BE JUST WHAT I NEED!!!
I'm looking into http://www.carlenejones.com/ new program of moderation. Not sure if it's on her website, but it's all the rage in her latest emails. I can stay 100% raw, i'll eat high fruit and low fat, but also add in some nuts and salt, all while continuing to exercise and lose weight. Sounds like EXACTLY what i need.

Here is a note from carlene in response to my note to her, which is below it.

Hi Michele,

You can be 100% raw that's fine, but the first two weeks we work on finding the right maintenance diet, so in actuality you could gain weight as we add some of the higher sodium/fats back into your diet to hit the 1800 calorie mark. In the end it would be good to be able to live with a little higher fat in your diet so you didn't feel so deprived and were still able to lose weight.

The six weeks are all about finding balance, tweaking, and coming to terms with what you can and cannot do for the rest of your life to not just lose, but to maintain the weight.

All this deprivation and binging we have all been doing for years is just not getting anyone to their goals and living the life they want. We will work hard on finding balance.

You may find some of the opening assignments not too relevant because you have been raw so long, but if you look at them as a means to delve deeper into old behaviors you may draw some things from them. After the first two weeks we will be talking a lot about habits, how to live more balanced, and how to handle emotional
eating.

I think it will be a great program for anyone! You just have to have patience at the very beginning as most of the people who are joining are going to start part-raw and you must be able to listen to me talk about some SAD food.

It will be great to have you.

Carlene, carlene@rawfoodbootcamp.com

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Hi Carlene,

I received your email advertising a new 6 week moderation program. This sounds exciting and just what i need.

Since i've been 100% raw for the last 2.5 years (and lost 175 lbs), I'm just concerned that in the first weeks, we are expected to eat cooked. If i sign up for this
program, can i stay raw the entire time?

I have another 50-100 lbs to lose and would like to learn how to eat more balanced raw. I can do 80-10-10 perfectly - or binge on raw gourmet perfectly, but i can't seem to find a balance that works for me!

I'd love to be able to have some enjoyment (going out perhaps to a raw restaurant for a meal) (or eating a slice of raw bread with nut spread every once in a while).....while
maintaining a high fruit low fat low salt diet....and still lose weight.

When i first turned raw, i could eat up to 5 or 6 gourmet meals a week AND lose tons of weight. 2.5 years into raw, that has DEFINITELY changed. The only way recently that i've been able to lose has been on the 80-10-10 program, no salt, hardly any fat.

Do you think this program seems like a good fit for me? I really want to continue
to lose...while also including some enjoyment...but not having it be so excessive it turns into a binge and the accompanying weight gain. I'd like to learn how to control
myself...still enjoy myself from time and time...and continue to lose.

Thanks, Carlene,
Michelle

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Um, this sounds like JUST WHAT I NEED. A real opportunity to find balance. Anyone else want to join me in the 6 week program? If you're interested, i'll email you the note advertising the 6 week online moderation class. Email me and i'll forward it.

More tomorrow.

LOVE,
xoxo michelle joy