A little concerned about someone special...

[lighthouse25]

...me.

I've been worried about myself because I’m overweight. I have basically been overweight all of my life, since childhood is the furthest back that I can remember. I weight 238 lbs now and I am 5'6 1/2 inches tall. I need to lose at least 90 pounds. Here is what my typical day is like for me since starting the macrobiotic program four days ago:

I wake up at about 7:00 am and speed walk very quickly and I come home and lift light-weights (total workout time 1 hour each day)

I work as a secretary and some days it is fast passed and some times slow depending on the 8 hour day.

I don’t take any medications (prescriptions from doctors) at all.

I don’t any fried foods (except four days ago on the macrobiotic program with only one teaspoon of sesame oil everyday or ever other day only). However in the past I was a vegetarian for 3 years eating allot of cheese, eggs, and fried foods.

In April & May of 2003 I lost twenty pounds (41 inches) going vegan (which is no dairy products meat, fish, poultry, etc.). The program I was on was a high carbohydrate diet low-fat diet. It worked for a while but now did not it seems like I’ve hit a major plateau and I was wondering if it was something I’m doing wrong.

I stumbled across the book the “Macrobiotic Way” (I read the whole book) and I must admit that I feel really good only being on the program in just four days. But I’m just curious about the portion sizes. I would like to lose weight as I mentioned earlier. I would really appreciate any assistance that anyone would have to give me to shed these unwanted pounds. I got some advise earlier about a book to pick up for weight-loss on the macrobiotic program, but however I ordered it and it take a few weeks to be delivered to me, what should I do in the meantime as a vegan on this particular program?

[mike chen]

there's absolutely nothing wrong with a plateau. plateaus are rather easy-going - by definition - no big ups and downs! i would advise to enjoy what's available. 20# is a hefty start. no need to change the dj.

now, if you want some heavy-duty ideas for your (say) diet structure over the next 6 months/year, you can come to summer camp (in the tahoe national forest 3-1/2hours northeast of sacramento at 5400') in july. we'll have 150 macrobiotic campers with some neat personal ideas to offer on how they handled their own situations!

you can call 800-232-2372 and speak to carl for more information.

[Bruce Paine]

Don't just take mike's word for it, lighthouse25.

Summer Camp at French Meadows is a blast.

Whether it's attending outdoor lectures, playing volleyball, doing do-in, making mochi and seitan, baking bread on a woodstove, swimming in a cool and pristine nearby stream, singing and jamming with other campers at a nighttime campfire, you are sure to have a great time and make a lot of friends from all over the world and maybe from your neighborhood, as well.

I attended the Camp in 1982 and 1983.

Here's a site to check out to familiarize yourself with it more:

( http://gomf.macrobiotic.net/gomfcamp/fmsc/index.html )

See if you can find mike chen in the photos.

Thank you, very much.

Bruce Paine