Steaming Veggies vs. Raw Veggies...Weight Loss for the Fat/Salt Addict

Hi there, Ladies,

Things have been going really well. I feel back on track and so grateful to be eating healthfully and exercising again. All of the cooked high fat high salt food (pizza, eggrolls) snowballed. I couldn't stop. I couldn't stop gaining weight. I couldn't stop craving them. So i contacted Carlene of www.carlenejones.com. Carlene lost 140 lbs on a high raw diet and now helps other obese food addicts lose weight, but more importantly, create a plan of eating that they can live with long term.

I began steaming vegetables yesterday and found i really enjoyed it. Steaming, I believe, maintains some of the nutrients and enzymes, so that is good. But more importantly for me, it allows me to eat veggies without alot of fatty salty sauces or dressings.

I'm constantly reminded how several friends of mine lost over 100 lbs eating gourmet raw. I ate ALOT of gourmet raw when i initially lost my first 140 lbs. All I can say is - there came a point when i no longer ate it in moderation as i did at the raw retreat. It started becoming a problem when i began working in a raw cafe...the ability to constantly snack there. And then it became a huge problem, gaining 20+ lbs regularly on raw gourmet binges that i couldn't control. The salt and the fat just CALL to me.

Recently with Cliff, we tried all gourmet raw. I ate in moderation. I felt happy. But i didn't lose weight. Either did he.

What i like about Carlene's program is that it's not one-size-fits-all. We are all individuals with so many complex needs, so many complex issues that each of us must find our way and find out what works best for us. The people who happily eat gourmet in moderation aren't foodaholics like i am. I wish i weren't. But i am.

So, for today, i'm back to lean eating. The cravings have stopped. I'm happy as a clam. And i know this is the right direction for me. I feel it in my bones. And i see it on the scale.

The fact that i'm killing enzymes and eating 'dead' food don't really mean much to me. Steamed veggies and homemade fat free veggie soups with no fat and no salt never killed ANYONE. Victoria Boutenko eats steamed veggies. She realized they were healthier than 1lb of cashews every night. Frederic Patenaude eats steamed veggies. Paul Nison drinks raw goats milk.

I'm still eating a high degree of raw: green smoothies, E3Live and lots of fruit. It's all good.

At the supermarket yesterday, the checker exclaimed, "You sure do eat lots of fruits and veggies!" I felt proud that mine was the only shopping cart with everything green and colorful. I shop only the store perimeters.

Below are the most recent correspondences from Carlene and me with the most recent first. We're corresponding 2x/daily instead of me inputting my food into www.fitday.com for right now. It's working well!

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Michelle,

Great job getting back in the zone! Can you see how the first day was such
a huge result of the high fat/high sodium you had been eating?

How nice that Cliff is walking with you that is great.

As for weighing in. You need to weigh in on Tuesdays and Fridays, the days
of our calls.

Have a great day.

Carlene

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Morning,

I'm glad the steamed veggies and soup are a part of my plan. I enjoyed
it!

I'm off for a one hour walk with cliff this morning.

And we're making green smoothies for breakfast.

Afterwards, my girlfriend and i are going out to lunch. i'll get a dry
veggie salad with lemon. boring and bland, but it's ok for today. i'm
not feeling deprived, but motivated to "repair" and "restore" myself.

I didn't weigh myself this morning. I'm a little nervous to weigh daily
because when i don't lose i get seriously discouraged. Perhaps it's
better to wait until Friday morning. ...

I'll email you later! Thank you for always getting back to me! I'm
enjoying keeping in touch like this 2x/day. It's helping me feel
seriously supported! I liked the journal thing in fitday.com, but i like
this better. That way, if things get bad, you'll know right away...and it
can't snowball too badly...

Thanks again, xoxo michelle

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Great day! Good job. Carlene

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Hi Carlene,

Good day! I had a one hour walk with Cliff today much later in the day.
It was too icy in the morning to walk to the market.

For breakfast i had green smoothie: [parsley, 1/2 banana, 3 golden
delicious apples]. enjoyable!

For lunch i decided to try out steamed veggies. I steamed 2 cups of
broccoli, 1/2 shallot, 2 cups of swiss chard and 1 tomato. No fat, no
salt. I was full at the end and satisfied. wow. That's a new thing for
my repertoire, loved it!

For snack i had 1 mango, and some herbal tea

Later I had 1 orange and 1/2 single serve watermelon.

For dinner, I made the blenderized veggie soup, no salt no fat. bland,
but hot and satisfying.

At my moms i had 2 apples. When i got home i had some more of the soup.

xoxoxo michelle joy