Weight Loss Stories

Carol Allen’s Story

Three years ago Carol weighed 347 pounds. She had been steadily gaining weight since her first child was born and nothing she tried worked. Carol confided that the guilt and shame that accompanied her obesity seemed overwhelming at times. The looks, stares, and reactions of people often indicated what they must be thinking: Why don’t you take care of yourself? Why aren’t you more disciplined?

Some people gave her all kinds of advice about what she should do to lose weight. And she did a lot of it. She tried everyone’s diet—all kinds of plans, programs, and products. And still the weight crept up. Air travel was embarrassing; she always had to get an extender belt. And she always had to check out chairs to make sure they would hold her. She couldn’t tie her shoes or lace her boots; her husband had to do that. And she was miserable in summer heat. The turning point came when her doctor wanted to put her on insulin resistant medication. That was the last thing she wanted to do. She was determined to find a way to lose weight and keep it off.

That’s when she found a low-glycemic diet similar to the diet plan in The Juice Lady’s Turbo Diet. It was a Canadian program (Sure Slim) that cut out the sugars and starches. She could eat a lot of vegetables, a little low-sugar fruit, lean protein, and a very small amount of starchy carbohydrate. It worked! She lost 150 pounds. One of her happiest days came when she sat down in her assigned seat on an airplane and didn’t need an extender belt. She was smiling from ear to ear all that flight.

But then she started adding in more starches and some sweets. She gained back 30 pounds, which was caused her many worried, sleepless nights. And just about the time she thought her prayers were going no further than the ceiling, she met nutritionist Cherie Calbom, M.S. who encouraged her to start juicing green vegetables. She went on a three-day juice fast and lost 6.2 pounds. That was encouraging. Strengthened with new zeal, she tried The Juice Lady’s Turbo Diet for ten days to see what would happen. She lost another 6 pounds. To date, Carol has lost 134 pounds. She still has more weight to lose, but this time she’s confident that she not only can reach her goal weight, but move steadily in the direction of a healthy lifestyle that will help her maintain her weight for life. She’s discovered that it isn’t just about being thin; it’s about being healthy and fit.

Carol’s life has changed dramatically since her dramatic weight loss. She said she now has freedom of movement. She can walk through a mall or large store and not have to search for a chair to sit down for a while before she can finish shopping. She has the joy of going to the closet knowing that everything she wants to wear will fit. It’s the knowledge of what will help her prevent illness and disease, however, that has empowered her to keep on this healthy path for life.

Dave's Story

Sometimes people say that they just don’t have time to juice. You should meet Dave. I have a friend who’s known as “Dave the ‘Raw Foods’ Trucker.” He’s lost a truckload of weight juicing. Dave was desperate to drop about half his weight and restore his health. Weighing in at 430 pounds, he’d been diagnosed with diabetes, colon cancer, and a kidney problem. To top that off, he faced losing his job because of his poor health. And he had no idea how he would earn a living if he lost his driving profession. To say the least, this made him anxious to find an answer that worked quickly.

When a friend introduced him to vegetable juicing, it made sense that this could change his life. Dave bought four juicers—two for his house and two for the truck—two so that he’d always have a backup in case one juicer broke down at home or on the road. He also bought the longest extension cord he could find. He’d plug in the cord in restrooms at truck stops and juice on picnic tables. He said this was not easy because he’d often draw a crowd of folks who were very curious about what he was doing. They’d ask lots of questions and slow him down as he tried to explain what he was up to. But Dave never gave up. He just kept juicing and drinking his hearty green juice combinations—on the road six days a week.

It paid off! Dave has lost well over 230 pounds. But that’s not all. He no longer has diabetes, colon cancer, or a kidney ailment. He has energy and vitality! He said he’s noticed emotional changes as well as physical, such as feeling more loving toward people.

Recently a friend told me she was standing near him at a raw foods lecture at Thrive Café—one of our local Seattle raw foods hang outs. “Dave was vibrating with energy,” she said. “It was like he had electricity pumping through his body.”

If Dave can juice on the road, living out of a truck most of the week, plugging in an extension cord in a restroom, and juicing on picnic tables, you can juice at home or at work.” No excuses anymore!