Today I ran across this passage I wanted to share with you.

The author talks about a time in his life when he was 40 pounds overweight:

My first thought was to lose weight. But there was something about the thought of having a primary goal of losing that did not work for me. I had never wanted to “lose” anything, or “lose” at anything before in my life. … I decided that while the extra weight was going to come off my body, it wasn’t mine to begin with. It was just an extra burden that I was carrying around that it was time to unload. I decided to develop a new relationship with my abdomen and say goodbye to the extra burden while welcoming all the exciting things that I was going to gain … I started saying no to all the foods that tasted good for 30 seconds but were bad for me. I got my “edge” by calling them liars when they would talk to me and tell me to eat them. I started making food and exercise choices that supported my ideal … lifestyle. I started focusing on all the things I was gaining, including more energy, feeling younger, being more active, sleeping better, breathing better, looking younger and healthier, and feeling like a kid again. … If I can do it, you can too.  (Page 53.)

(The bold emphasis at the end is mine.)

I like the way he framed it to himself not as LOSING weight, but in terms of all the things he GAINED.

This is the same thing I’ve been saying about the raw food diet.  It’s not what you can’t have, it’s not giving anything up, it’s not restricting yourself, it’s not confining you to “food prison.”  It’s all about what you’re ADDING to your diet — more fresh, whole fruits and vegetables.

And all of the benefits that come with it.

I had to write today because I’m really excited and can’t contain it any longer.

Dawn R. just wrote me email to say she’s lost nearly 7 pounds during her first 3 weeks with raw food. Congratulations, Dawn!

She posted the story to her web site. Check it out here:

http://www.probiotics-lovethatbug.com/raw-foods-diet.html

The best part is, she was able to achieve these results without drastic change. She’s been easing in with just one raw meal per day. (Now she sometimes has up to two raw meals in a day.)

OK, I have to admit… I’m just a little bit proud because she’s been using my Raw Food Diet Blueprint. The important thing is, she took ACTION and is making excellent progress each day.

Would you like to lose weight in a healthy and natural way? Check out her story to see how she did it. Then just do what she did!

It’s something to think about as the holiday feasting season approaches, along with the inevitable New Year’s resolutions to do something about it!

Now I’m off to write some holiday cards…

To your success!

P.S. While you’re at Dawn’s site, be sure to look for the cute little “bug” in the top-right corner and sign up for her probiotics e-zine. I signed up, and last week’s issue was FULL of interesting information.

And if you’re anything like me, traditionally it’s the time when you and your family make an exception and indulge to the point of “food coma.” Couple that with cold weather that’s perfect for hot, hearty meals…

Does all this spell disaster for your raw food diet?

Just today at the office, people brought in all kinds of leftovers from the weekend.  Chili, pumpkin pie, bagels, doughnuts. I have to admit, I did stare at the carrot cake with its creamy layers of frosting for more than a few seconds.

But I didn’t do it. I resisted the temptation.

Want to know my secret?

I just said “no.”

WHAT?! You don’t have the willpower of a stoic monk?

Okay now I’m kidding. Of course you don’t have the willpower of a monk, or special Jedi mind powers for that matter. And I didn’t just “say no.” Hey, we’re only human.

But here are 8 tips you CAN use to help make it through these tough times:

1. Fill up in the morning. Be sure you eat plenty of food in the morning to fill up. Not only is eating your large meals during the day better for you, this will help you be full and less likely to make impulse decisions with your stomach. Especially when coworkers are showering you with leftovers in the morning. For the same reasons, be sure to have a full meal at home before heading out to a party.
2. Keep healthy snacks on hand. Grab some fresh fruits and raw nuts to take with you in the morning and graze throughout the day. This will help keep you from getting too hungry. But don’t snack just for the sake of it–wait until you actually start to feel hungry.
3. Focus on variety. Make sure you’re eating a wide enough variety of raw foods. Often cravings can be a signal that your body is needing something. For example, now is not the time to try to micromanage your raw food diet and avoid fatty raw foods like avocados and nuts because you’re afraid of gaining weight. That will only backfire. Your body needs dietary fat, and depriving yourself of them will instigate intense cravings.
4. Head for the water. If you’re not quite hungry but start to feel the pangs of temptation coming on, try having a glass of water. It will help you feel fuller for the moment, and it certainly has fewer calories than a slice of cheesecake!
5. Treat yourself. If there’s a raw food restaurant near you, go ahead and treat yourself to a dessert there. It can be just what the doctor ordered, and will go a long way to helping you feel satiated. If there’s no such restaurant near you, browse your favorite raw food “cookbook” and choose a dessert that you will make for yourself over the weekend. The anticipation will carry you through for a while, and then you’ll actually get to make it and eat it! Just be sure to keep your promise to yourself.
6. What’s it mean? Sometimes this little mind trick works for me. I’ll think about what it would mean for my goals to indulge in the “no-no” item in front of me. For example, does it mean delaying reaching your target weight that much longer, fueling a disease or chronic ailment, or otherwise sidetracking your health? Often that thought’s enough of a shock to shake me out of the enemy’s cobra-like stare.
7. Keep a journal. Use a dedicated notebook to jot down what you eat throughout the day, along with the date and time. Also make note of any cravings or other feelings or emotional issues and when they occur. Keep it simple–we’re not talking measuring your portions, counting calories, or trading cards with points! Just write down what you’re eating, and do it for at least a week. The idea is to see if you can notice any patterns. Do your cravings occur at a certain time of the day? Or after eating/lacking a certain food or food group?
8. Forgive yourself. Sometimes the cravings will get the better of you. Hey, it happens–so don’t beat yourself up or become discouraged. Give yourself permission to be human. At the same time, respect yourself and see if you can step back and learn something from the experience that will help you next time. Review your goals and what they mean for you. And keep going! A little progress each day is all it takes.

Armed with these tips, you’ll stand a much better chance of making through the next month with your sanity intact.

How have you been dealing with the holiday time cravings so far this year?

Drop a quick comment below!

According to the article he:

• Lost almost 200 pounds
• Overcame type-2 diabetes
• Is enjoying the best health of his life

Check it out, it’s pretty interesting.

What do you think…  Did raw food really help him, or was it just a matter of leaving the junk food behind?

Comment below and tell me what you think!

She dropped from 300 pounds to 140 pounds over a span of just 2 years.

She also enjoys some great side-effects, like boosted energy, improved physical and mental health, better self esteem, and a new social life.

The raw food diet “transformed her life,” says the article.

It’s great to see the raw food diet get such mainstream publicity like this!

I do take issue with the arguments against the diet made by Andrea Giancoli, though. I will have to address those in a later post.