- What you eat matters more than how much you eat, and why.
By Dr. James Carey, Ph.D. (computers)
Eight years ago, at age 50, I weighed 260 lbs at 5’9” tall. I decided to lose the excess weight. After a lot of research I went on a 1,500 calorie-a-day vegetarian diet, counted every calorie I ate, walked three to five miles a day, and at the end of 18 months I’d lost 20 lbs.
I was happy with myself, but I dreaded another 4-6 years on this boring “rabbit diet,” as I called it, if I was ever to get back to my ideal weight of 165 lbs.
At the end of that year my sister – already familiar with this – talked me into going to a hands-on Dr. Ann Wigmore Raw Living Foods Lifestyle training program. This program teaches that we should eat only organic, vegan, raw living foods. In other words, no animal products whatsoever, and only items grown organically, without chemical fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides. In addition, it recommends lots of fresh sprouts and other foods that, if planted in the ground, would grow (that’s why they’re called “living”).
Oh… and nothing is cooked.
Interesting, I thought, but I’m a tough guy that can live off the land if I need to, and I can tough anything out if it’ll make me stronger (or better looking).
So I went to Creative Health Institute in Union City, Michigan, USA. At the end of my first two weeks I’d lost 20 lbs. At the end the month I’d lost 30 lbs. All this without missing a meal, without counting a calorie, and eating all I wanted. The best part was, the food was delicious, filling and satisfying.
How could this be?
There were several reasons, but, first and foremost, I was toxic. Every time we eat non-organic, processed food full of chemicals and artificial preservatives we’re ingesting toxins.
Now the body is a marvelous, self-healing, self-cleaning machine. So we put a load of toxins into our body at breakfast, and the body goes to work processing and expelling them.
In the middle of this bodily, life-saving chore we eat a lunch consisting of more processed foods and toxins. Now the body is overloaded and can’t process the toxins out as fast as we’re putting them in.
So the body wraps fat molecules around the molecules of toxin and parks it somewhere for temporary safekeeping. Over time these fat molecules accumulate until we find ourselves overweight, even obese.
That’s what had happened to me. When I went on the vegetarian diet I was still eating foods raised with pesticides, fungicides and herbicides – all toxins. Plus, I was still eating a lot of foods high in animal fats, like cheese and milk.
Me at 260 lbs., December, 2000
When I went on Dr. Ann’s regime of raw, organic, living foods I greatly reduced the toxins I was putting into my body. Sure, I was still ingesting some toxins – even the air we breathe, anywhere on the planet, has a certain amount of toxins. But the quantity of toxins I was ingesting was so much lower that it significantly changed my life.
Our bodies never rest, never take a day off, never decide to be lazy for a day. When my body said, “Oh, look, no toxins to process in this meal,” it then went looking for the toxins it had been storing – safely – in my body fat.
Me at 170 lbs., August 2006, thanks to Dr. Ann’s detox lifestyle
My body took those fat-stored toxins, ripped off the fat molecules, discharged them, processed the toxins, and discharged them, too.
Voila, thirty pounds of fat gone in thirty days, without missing a meal or going hungry. All because of what I ate, not how much I ate.
In coming articles I’ll talk about digestive enzymes and stress, how and why they’re important to our health, and how the raw living foods vegan lifestyle interrelates with them.
Yours in Natural Good Health,
Jim Carey
Midville, Georgia, USA
Dr. Jim Carey, PhD, DD, has been a raw living foods advocate for six years, ever since the Dr. Ann Wigmore program changed his life. Dr.
Carey is currently doing an American television series about the raw vegan lifestyle. Episodes of his show can be seen at GrassyRoots.com.
He resides in rural Georgia, USA, where he loves to eat wild edibles, and travels extensively sharing the message of the raw living foods lifestyle. He can be contacted via email at editor@chiDiet.com.
May 29th, 2009 at 8:28 pm
[...] Read more here: The Challenge of Weight Loss, and Why [...]
November 13th, 2009 at 5:07 pm
Wow—these photos really say it all! You look so different and amazing after these years of raw food. I would have never guessed your age until you mentioned in this blog post. Well done! Let’s get that great message of raw food nutrition, detoxification, and loving ourselves out there!
Blessings!—Michael
January 4th, 2010 at 11:30 am
I so want this lifestyle but living in rural Nebraska there only a handful of organic veggies and fruit available for purchase. What do you suggest for people such as myself that do not the availability to organic produce to purchase? Feeling hopeless…Nancy
January 4th, 2010 at 12:00 pm
Like a monk once told me, Nancy: “I’m raw when possible, organic when practical, and I pray over the rest.”
- Jim
January 4th, 2010 at 1:40 pm
I had studied under Ann Wigmore in the late 70′s, early 80′s in southern California, and have continued pretty-much raw since then. Had some issues with protein, so added a about 3 oz wild salmon and/or venison about once every couple weeks (cooked) when my body says so. However, over the years the weight was creeping on.
I was in a car accident about 2 years ago. During the healing process, my Naturopath and Osteopath ran a huge battery of tests. Turns out, I am alergic to wheat, corn and oats (even raw sprouted). Cut them out of my diet. The weight fell off instantly (30 pounds within about a month). I eat plenty, and pay no attention to calories–never have.
Thank you for sharing your story; it provides an explanation I can share with others who ask about my weight loss as to why cutting out those three items caused me to lose weight, and why I had slowly gained weight over the years, and why organics and raw do the same.
p.s. you look radiantly awesome. You stand differently. Your attitude a presented in the photos has change. Thank you for speading the word.
January 4th, 2010 at 2:58 pm
Thank you for the kind words, Robina!
January 7th, 2010 at 12:00 pm
I am new at eating all raw food. I have purchased books and DVD’s on the subject to learn as much as I can. It has been 2 weeks and I have lost 10 pounds, I am very impressed. I have dieted off and on for MANY years (I am now 60), counting calories and trying different diets. The weight would come off so slowly I would once again give up. But with eating mostly raw (I know I need to eat all raw)I feel so much better and I am now hopeful I can lose the remaining 30 pounds. Thank you, Jim for being such an inspiration!!
January 7th, 2010 at 4:39 pm
Thank you for the kind words, Jan. You’re on your way! I’m 59, BTW.
March 15th, 2010 at 3:11 am
Dawn, you are absolutely correct, it shows that you’re an authority on the subject. I admire someone that takes the pride you have and with your projecton of information. oSo when i actually do sit down to read material, I appreciate well written and organized blogs like this one. I have it bookmarked and will be back. Thanks.
April 8th, 2010 at 1:20 pm
Yeah you’re right….While i have my reservations I agree with you
May 7th, 2010 at 4:25 am
Hi Webmaster, superb read! I hope you don’t care if I quote you on my website if I put an link back? Thanks
May 15th, 2010 at 3:47 pm
If youve ever searched for the best Weight loss programmes on-line, you in all probability know how much selective information is available out there. Regrettably, a lot of the info is fraudulent or even a complete lie and can keep you from losing weight no matter how hard you try!
May 24th, 2010 at 4:41 am
May 27th, 2010 at 6:57 am
I?ve discovered my success in my weight loss has been my overall food consumption. Eating correct portions of healthy organic foods has helped a tremendous amount since I already have an extremely good fat burning workout. I?ve also discovered the health food Mila (proprietary blend of Chia seeds). Stuff works wonders for your overall health.
May 29th, 2010 at 2:56 pm
Do you eat only every other day?