Morbidly Obese to
Fit and Healthy with
Raw Food and Exercise

Here is My Weight Loss Story

I have spent most of my life morbidly obese. Yes there were thin times, but to be that way required either no food, drugs, or a combination of barely any food and too much exercise. At 15 years old I weighed 185 pounds. I'm only 5'1", so you can imagine how I looked. Through drugs and walking 8 miles three days a week and not eating, I dropped 60 pounds between my softmore and junior year in high school. Through marriage and children I somehow kept my weight fluctuating between 140 and 160, still pretty heavy for a small woman. After the divorce, or actually right when I decided it was time for a divorce, I was able to drop down to 115 thanks to drugs, half a tuna sandwich a day, and a lot of dancing. Not something you can really keep up. And I couldn't. It was back to fighting off 160, then 190 pounds. I did it one more time, in my early 30's. I cut all fat out of my diet and basically lived on home made bread, no sugar, no eggs, no oil. I got back down to 140 with a lot of exercise and kept it off for about a year when all of a sudden I started breaking out in huge dry spots. Knowing lack of fat was the problem, I ate cheese, had a gallbladder attack, started having hot flashes, and gained over 100 pounds within a year. More weight was to come as the years progressed. My top weight was 264 pounds. For fifteen years, I tried every diet out there, I exercised my heart out, and all that would ever happen was I would lose about 10 pounds of water, then slowly gain more weight as I increased my exercise. There was one short spurt of starvation in all that where I lost 50 pounds, but you know how that goes, as soon as I started eating normal it all came back.

In May of 2005, I was sitting at home contemplating the probability that I would never lose the weight and be morbidly obese the rest of my life. I was depressed, actually shocked at the revelation that nothing would help. My mind wandered around bariatric surgery. My interest grew in the final fix of gastric bypass surgery. Luckily, I saw a news article around that time that said people on raw vegan diets are thin but their bones are strong. I hadn't heard of any such diet, but my curiosity was peaked. Then I saw the movie AFTER SUNSET with Woody Harrelson. In the behind the scenes footage, Woody was talking about his Raw Food diet. His raw food chef was getting people to try smoothies. It was then I started my research and began this miraculous journey.

I won't lie and say there hasn't been times when eating only raw food was hard. Cravings happen as they do on any diet. There are mornings I wake up and don't want to exercise. But I steadily lose half a pound a day. Some days I don't lose anything. I have even gained half a pound a few days, but on average I can count on that 1/2 pound everyday. That is an average of 15 pounds a month, 180 pounds a year. Talk about fast weight loss. That alone keeps me motivated.

I eat more food now than I have at any time in my life. I never worry if it's too much, or too little. I eat until I'm full and whenever I am hungry or just feel like it. I think nothing of sitting down and eating four oranges one right after the other, or a whole pound of grapes. My salad can fill a two-quart bowl, what do I care. As long as I eat raw fruits and vegetables with some added nuts and seeds, I will reach my optimal weight. No doubts no worries. That's what raw food can do for you.

And when you are done losing weight, and you are no longer suffer from morbid obesity, you won't have to worry about gaining it back because raw food gets to you. You come alive with energy, see possibilities that had been out of focus for so long. You will change how you view food, naturally. And if by chance you don't maintain a raw food lifestyle after you lose the weight and you gain some back, all won't be lost. You will always have raw to fall back on.

I feel as though a fairy godmother has tapped me on the head with her magic wand and said: "Okay, its time. You can be thin and healthy." I watch TV or the news and see how many diet pills and bariatric surgeons are out there trying to snare us, the morbidly obese, into risking our lives for their unproven techniques. We all know the only safe way to lose weight is through diet and exercise. And now, I'm telling you, there is a diet out there that works.

I have started a website, RawFoodBootCamp.com, for us, the morbidly obese, to support one another in a journey to health. I beg you, if you are contemplating bariatric surgery, or gastric bypass surgery for fast weight loss, please give raw food a try before you risk your life for something you can achieve on your own in the same amount of time.

Morbid obesity does not have to plague us any longer. Give raw food a try and maybe together we can show the world that bariatric surgery is not the only hope for the morbidly obese. Gastric bypass surgery can kill you. Eating raw foods will make you healthy. Both offer fast weight loss. Both will let you post before and after pictures. One offers a life-time of malnutrition, the other offers abundance, joy, energy, and a glow of well-being so strong everyone will ask how. Choose wisely. I know I did, and I beat obesity, once and for all.

Click here to read my journal as I lost the weight in 2005

Raw Food Boot Camp

Raw Food Boot Camp has helped many women obese and overweight to lose large amounts of weight in a short period of time with 100% raw or high raw eating program. Click here to learn more.

Fresh From the Raw Food Boot Camp Blog!

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Sign up to get the blog emailed to you. I'll update it once or twice a week depending on how many exciting things happen. This is where you will find out about new programs, special offers, when B&A's are added and when members hit milestones. I will be phasing out the newsletter, so make sure to sign up for this so you don't miss out.

Last Four blog additions:
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  Finding Your Perfect Diet
  I have pushed the Finding Your Perfect Diet out to a start date of July 1st. So if you, or anyone you know, is interested in doing this with us, please have them contact me at Carlene@RawFoodBootCamp.com. It is a great program, and while not raw based, it is health based. Those who have done this in the past loved it. We will work not just on maintaining and losing weight, but on decreasing symptoms from diseases such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, diabetes, blood pressure, heart disease, and rheumatoid arthritis. This program is about change, big change, but also about sustainability. In the end, everyone will leave with a diet that works for them long-term, because they will do it. Check out the details and sign up today at Finding Your Perfect Diet. Everyone is welcome, regardless of your BMI.
  
  
  Instead of offering a coupon, I lowered the price for everyone to $124 for a six week program.
  
  
  Helping Overweight Children
  I only heard from four women in my call to work on a guide for parents with overweight children. A couple are old-timers with RFBC like KK and Ana, that I am looking forward to working with again. This has nothing to do with RFBC, so even if you have been a member and left (yes, you), I would love your help. I will not try and talk you back to camp. This is not about you changing, it is about us changing the lives of children. There were articles out this week (see below) that said 30% of American children are in the obese category!!! We can't let that happen. Please email me at Carlene@HelpingOverweightChildren.com. The only requirement is that you were an overweight or obese child or teen yourself and you are willing to share what you learned and felt with parents to help them help their overweight child. Read more about what I'm doing at www.HelpingOverweightChildren.com
  
  
  Obesity Declared a Disease
  This week, the American Medical Association declared obesity a disease. I am very conflicted about this. On the pro side, the articles I've read said it will allow insurance to cover the cost for the obese in seeking help from nutritionists and fitness trainers to battle obesity, which is great. This is usually only covered if obesity is a factor in another disease such as diabetes. But, what concerns me is now, drugs and surgery will become, if they aren't already, the cure for obesity. And that scares me. It terrifies me that children are being okayed for weight loss surgery, and that on TV weight loss surgery is promoted as an easy fix with payment plans. I know obesity is hard, I know dieting and daily exercise are hard, but I want more for us as a community than a surgeon's knife or a pharma's drugs. We as a society, have to take back food as something that nourishes and energizes our bodies, we have to go back to whole food and get rid of all the packaged crap and fast food living we are doing. We have to find safe places for ourselves and our children to be active, away from TVs and texting. We have the ability to be healthy, if only we would do it! Obesity is not okay! 30% of our children being obese, is not a medical condition!
  
  
  Laurie's 79 lbs Gone in 5 Month's Before and Afters
  Laurie has 2 months to lose 21 lbs and she wins our 100 lbs in 7 Months Challenge. Check out her journey on her blog at www.rfbclaurie.blogspot.com She is enjoying every bit of this. And just look, the fat suit is melting away. Way to go, Laurie! She also was one of the winners of our 33 lbs in 3 month's challenge. So recently, with earning her 75 lbs gone chip and winning the mini 33 lb challenge, she earned 7 free weeks of camp. That actually takes her out to a day or two before the 100 lb challenge end date where she will win her $500 and another chance to earn up to 6 months of free camp. Pretty cool!!
  
  
  I know, her 69 lb gone photos are in the post below. I was behind on photos when I posted that. 
  
  
  
  Siska's Amazing New Before and Afters
  Okay, Siska has not lost the most weight of these next before and afters, but the change in her body is so dramatic, that I had to show them first. Yes, she has been doing our diet, but the rest of this transformation is because of how much she has transformed her life. Every weekend she is out hiking or training her dogs or kayaking. Last week she was doing dock diving training with her dogs. She is always on the go. I am just so proud of her. This is one case where I am totally convinced muscle weighs more than fat because she looks like she lost over 75 lbs, not 46.2.
  
  
  
  Indigo is Tucking In her Shirt
  I was blown away by Indigo's newest before and afters with 54.7 lbs gone. She is only 15 lbs away from her goal weight, and wow, does she look good.
  
  
  
  VeggieLover's Newest B&As - What Belly?
  I love VeggieLover's newest Before and Afters. She has lost 52.6 lbs. Check out her belly. I mean, really, wow, what a difference. She is not one of our fastest losers, but she defines perseverance. I am so proud of her.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Go to www.RawFoodBootCamp.com/MembershipSummary.php to see all of our other great B&As!
  
  
  JOIN RFBC TODAY!
  Make sure you have listened to our free Introduction to Raw Food Boot Camp audios first.
  If you have any questions or concerns, email me at Carlene@RawFootBootCamp.com



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  Finding Your Perfect Diet
  This program starts on June 16th. It is a six week program and won't be offered again until this one finishes. It is $149 for the six weeks, but if you are one of the first ten to use the coupon code PERFECT you will receive $25 off the membership fee. To learn more about this program, click here. No photos or weigh ins are required. This program is all about discovery and is personalized for your nutritional, lifestyle, and food preference needs. It is not a raw food based program. All, regardless of BMI are welcome to join.
  Ruths hits 102 lbs Gone in 7 Months
  Ruths is a no-photo option member of RFBC, so no before and afters. I however get scale photos and other proof that she's lost the weight, so no fear, she did this and she did it well. She told us that when she saw the 180 lbs on her scale, it didn't hit her. It was when she weighed in with her group and wrote 102 lbs gone that she freaked! And then broke down and cried. This is a huge accomplishment and we are all very proud of her.
  MelodyJo hits 110 lbs Gone
  As you may remember, MelodyJo won the 100 lbs in 7 months in February. As with most who win that challenge, she settled into more of a maintenance mode than losing mode. But this month, she has decided it's time for her to finish this up. So she dropped another ten pounds and is headed for goal. Here are her new before and afters with 110 lbs gone.
  
  Ronda Wins our May Biggest Loser Challenge
  Ronda lost 12.8 lbs in May, making her our biggest loser. She has lost 67.4 lbs so far at RFBC. The other day when she walked into her gym, the trainer opened the door for her and said: You're looking fit and fine! How cool is that. But as you can see in her latest before and afters, he was right. I wish you could see her face. In her start photos she looks her age, in her 40's. In her latest photos she looks like she's in her 20's. You've got to love raw food!
  
  Kmik's latest Before and Afters with 71 lbs Gone,
  she is now at 77 lbs gone
  Kmik hit Onederland (199 lbs) and it threw her a little, which happens more than you might imagine, but she's back on track and is still very much in the running to win the 100 lbs in 7 months challenge in August.
  
  Otavia's 69 lbs Gone Before and Afters,
  she is now at 71 lbs gone
  Otavia is in our Maintenance in Training program. She has decided to use a transitional diet to finish off her last ten pounds as she gets ready for a lifetime of maintenance. She says it's hard to look in the mirror and feel and look so good after so many years, that the motivation to get the last ten off just isn't as strong as the desire to figure out the rest of her life. This happens to everyone as they get so close to their goal weight. She is handling it well, and looking great as she does.
  
  Laurie's 65.8 lbs Gone Before and Afters,
  she is now at 69 lbs gone
  Laurie was in tears the other day as she went clothes shopping in her own closet and found clothes she hasn't been able to wear in 14 years. When her mom saw her the other day, she told her it was like watching a butterfly emerge from its cocoon. I loved that metaphor. Laurie is also doing the 100 lbs in 7 months challenge.
  
  MsT 56 lbs Gone Before and After
  MsT is at 140 lbs as of today. She has been very consistent in her program and her loss. With her BMI at 25.7, she'll be in our next Maintenance in Training program which will start in 3 weeks.
  
  DarkBlonde's 48 lbs Gone Before and Afters
  DarkBlonde has been at camp before with about the same loss as she is experiencing now. The difference is, as she approached these big numbers last time, she grew antsy to be done and quit. This time, the opposite is happening, as she loses more and more weight, her determination and drive seem to grow. I am very proud of her how she has fought through some tough urges to run. She now seems to be at peace with the process and is even enjoying the walking!
  
  Plumera's 40 lbs Gone Before and Afters
  Plumera has fought giving up some of her old favorite foods, or namely high calorie coffee type of drinks. But when she saw these latest BMIs she realized that , looking this good was much sweeter than any two minute drink.
  
  
  
  A New Program at RFBC
  Maintenance in Training
  Five weeks ago, we started our first Maintenance in Training Program. There are twelve members in it, including Jess who won our 100 lbs in 7 months challenge a year and a half ago. In August she'll be having a new baby, so she came to do this with us so she could ensure she wouldn't gain too much weight during the pregnancy. Mother and baby are doing well. Teleo and Gorgo who hit goal about a year ago, came back for it as well to help them fine tune their maintenance diets. Overall, the program has been a great success. Although, while it was designed to be a six week program, I have decided to make it an 8 week program. We spend a lot of time delving into the truth about remaining fat brain behaviors, the truth about the foods everyone thinks they will eat when they are in maintenance, and the final fears of being thin. I've learned a lot, and as I read the discussion by these amazing women who have lost so much weight, it is apparent that this transition time between almost at goal and goal is critical for making the jump from loser to maintainer. It has been very exciting.
  When our next one begins in three weeks, there are already five more members who qualify. With so many people close to goal there is a lot of excitement at camp. Figure they all started with us at a BMI of 33 or more. I just have to say it. RFBC is a good place to be!
  
  
  
  
• Go to www.RawFoodBootCamp.com/MembershipSummary.php to see all of our other great B&As!



• 
  
  Otavia's 50 lbs Gone B&As
  She's now at 53 lbs gone & in Onederland!
  
  
  
  WrknMaof3's 47 lbs Gone B&As
  50 lbs Gone in 9 Weeks!
  This past week, WrknMaof3 hit 50 lbs gone and earned 2 free weeks of RFBC!
  She earned another free week of camp for being our biggest pound loser in February.
  She lost 16 lbs in one month, and none of that was water weight! Woo Hoo!
  This weekend she will start her blog for the 100 lbs in 7 Month Challenge.
  
  
  
  MsT's 30 lbs Gone B&As
  MsT Won our February Biggest % loser contest and earned another free week of camp.
  That's 3 free weeks of camp for her in February. One for 25 lbs gone, one for a 5K and now for being our biggest % loser.
  
  
  
  Secret's 33lbs Gone B&A
  Secret also earned a free week of camp recently for hitting her 25lbs gone mark.
  
  
  
  Other Big Losers at RFBC
  
  
  Randolba left ThreesVille for TwoTown forever!
  
  
  
  The following earned their 25 lbs gone chip recently and a free week of RFBC:
  Rosie
  LNT
  Randolba
  Tatiana
  VeggieLover
  
  
  The following earned their 50 lbs gone chip recently and two free weeks of RFBC:
  
  Otavia
  Ruths
  Wrknmaof3
  
  
  New Start on Monday the 11th for those with a BMI over 35
  JOIN RFBC TODAY!
  Make sure you have listened to our free Introduction to Raw Food Boot Camp audios first.
  If you have any questions or concerns, email me at Carlene@RawFootBootCamp.com
  
  
  
  
  New Challenges at RFBC!
  In an effort to reignite some of our bigger losers to finish up and get to goal. I offered a second chance challenge at camp. In it, those doing our fast weight loss diet were offered 13 weeks to lose 33 lbs with the reward of 4 free weeks of camp and the ability to earn another 4 weeks when that was done. It is the same as our 50 lb challenge for newbies, but less since there won't be the original big water loss.
  
  
  20 members contacted me!! 20! I expected 5.
  
  
  
  Wow, March is going to be one power filled month at RFBC.
  
  
  New 100 lbs in 7 Month Challenger Blogs Starting this Month
  WrkngMaof3, Kmik, and Laurie will all start their blogs and show their faces this month as they officially become part of our 100 lbs in 7 Months Challengers. They each have a great start and winning attitude. I am so excited to have them join us and become part of our 100 lb Club come this summer.



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  Shanni's New Before and Afters with 81.6 lbs Gone
  
  Shanni Before and Afters 5.5 Months 81.6 lbs Gone
  Start Date: Aug 27 Start Wt: 341.2 After Photo Date: Feb 18th Photo Wt: 261.2 lbs 
  
  
  Ginger, Ruth and Otavia hit 50 lbs gone in the past two weeks!
  Ruth and Ginger are both no photo members, so sorry, no B&As they still won 2 weeks for free camp though!
  We love having them at camp and are very proud of them. Ginger lost her 50 lbs in 13 weeks. Ruth lost hers in 4 months.
  Otavia's new B&As are due this weekend so watch for them next week.
  
  
  Ronda lost 30.6 lbs in her first 5 weeks of RFBC!
  
  
  
  Kmik's 4 Weeks & 28.5 lbs Gone B&A
  
  LaurieB's 4 Weeks and 27.7 lbs Gone Before and After!
  
  
  
  Other Big Losers at RFBC
  Otavia entered Onederland (199 lbs) with 48 lbs gone. She told us she hasn't been under 200 lbs since her daughter was born, 24 years ago!
  Laurie entered TwoTown (299 lbs) with 27 lbs gone.
  Otavia hit 50 lbs gone and earned 2 free weeks of camp. Next time, we'll have her new B&As
  WrknMaof3 hit 45 lbs gone today. New photos coming soon!
  
  
  The following earned their 25 lbs gone chip recently and a free week of RFBC:
  Kmik
  LaurieB
  Ronda
  Secret
  DarkBlonde
  MsT
  LNT
  
  
  New Start on Monday the 24th for those with a BMI over 35
  JOIN RFBC TODAY!
  Make sure you have listened to our free Introduction to Raw Food Boot Camp audios first.
  If you have any questions or concerns, email me at Carlene@RawFootBootCamp.com