Natural Muscle Magazine (July ’09 Issue)
How I Lost 10 Lbs in 30 Days on The CRON Diet & Superfoods
Natural Muscle (NM): What is the CRON Diet? Sounds scientific!
Lucy Riascos (Sungoddess): It is the disciplined practice of calorie restriction with optimum nutrition. The basic philosophy is Eat Less, Live Healthier.
There is a considerable body of scientific evidence suggesting that reducing calorie intake by 20-50% below the recommended amount, while meeting nutritional needs, is the best thing we can do if rejuvenation, longevity, and weight loss are our goals.
The average CRON diet is certainly streets ahead of the standard diet: empty calories are low to non-existent, junk food doesn’t exist and red meat is a rarity. But if you want to meet all of your nutritional needs in the fewest calories possible, rule number one is to eat your food raw. Why? Because cooking makes 50-70% of protein in food non-bioavailable, it interferes with the body’s absorption of minerals, and destroys 70%-90% of water-soluble vitamins and phytonutrients and 100% of enzymes.
The reason calorie restriction works can be summed up in very simple terms: it is about giving your body what it needs and very little of anything else. This means that it has all the nutrients and co-factors necessary to maintain health, and as little as possible of the toxic wastes and by-products that destroy health. This is the very same reason the raw diet works so well – and it works even better if we combine it with key superfoods.
(NM): So how does someone get started on the CRON Diet?
(Sungoddess): The best way to get started is to ascertain the right number of calories for your build and activity level, and meet your nutritional needs with that number of calories. Secondly, supplement your diet with high-quality superfoods. A great guide is “Superfoods,” the book by nutritionist David Wolfe. Most importantly, cut your calories gradually, make sure you take it slowly. You want to release toxins into the bloodstream at a manageable rate. And get blood tests done to ascertain any deficiencies. You may even consider finding a suitably qualified nutritionist who can guide you. Your weight will naturally stabilize.
Say goodbye to…
• White flour, white sugar, white rice and all other refined (aka empty) carbs
• Processed foods of all kinds
• Fried foods
• Meat – especially processed
• Pasteurized dairy
• Coffee, alcohol and carbonated beverages
For real optimum nutrition, 80% of your food should consist of…
• Leafy greens
• Sprouts of all kinds
• Fresh, ripe, organic fruits – especially berries
• Sea vegetables
• Smoothies, and juices made from the above
• Moderate amount of healthy fats, oils, and nuts
(NM): What does your daily diet typically look like?
(Sungoddess): BREAKFAST
SunWarrior Antioxidant Berry Blast Smoothie
- 1/2 coconut (or 8 oz. of spring water)
- 2 scoops of Sunwarrior Protein (Vanilla)
- 1 tbsp of organic raw virgin Coconut Oil
- 1/2 cup of organic frozen raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries
- 4 ice cubes (optional)
LUNCH
Sunwarrior Ormus Greens cultivated from the highest quality volcanic mineral rich soil using a low temperature process (ingredients: probiotic cultered greens, alfalfa, barley, wheat, oat grass, peppermint, spinach, parsley, stevia and yucca).
SNACKS
Fresh green juice or a Sunwarrior protein smoothie
DINNER
Salad with a large selection of raw vegetables, greens, sprouts, and nuts. Dressing is made of raw apple cider vinegar, cold pressed virgin olive oil, fresh pressed garlic, herbs, and half a squeezed lemon, and sea salt to taste.
My diet is about 80% raw with occasional cooked vegetarian meals when my body craves it.
(NM): How did you hear about this interesting dietary plan?
(Sungoddess): My partner Nick “Natureboy” Stern is associated with a lot of the leading world authorities on health and nutrition, and is a leading longevity expert with over 30 years of experience in raw food and superfood nutrition. At 57 years young he looks better than men half his age. I had come to him for an effective yet healthy weight loss plan. He recommended supplementing my diet with the purest, most nutrient dense raw and living plant foods. I took his advice and found that I rarely felt hungry because the food I was consuming was so nutrient rich.
In addition to raw foods, I supplemented my diet with high quality superfoods like SunWarrior Protein made from raw sprouted whole grain brown rice which has a perfectly balanced amino acid profile. It’s also naturally rich in vitamins and minerals, and has high amounts of antioxidants. Just one scoop of the Vanilla contains 70 calories, 4 grams of carbs, and 0 grams of sugar. I use two scoops in my shakes for a substantial 30 grams of protein. I then used the Activated Barley, a great slow burning carbohydrate for energy and endurance for workouts. It’s also great for building the immune system, suppressing hunger, building white T-cells, and lowering cholesterol levels. And finally, I used the Ormus Greens for detoxification and cleansing. The combination of a raw food diet, a superior plant based protein, a low glycemic slow burning carb, and a natural cleanser is what ultimately led to me losing 10 pounds in 30 days and keeping it off.
Make sure to follow me on Twitter for the most cutting edge health information!
http://www.twitter.com/rawsungoddess
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