Does anyone have an opinion on what Victoria Boutenko promotes versus her appearance?

I LOVE reading her books, and some of her speeches I've downloaded are downright inspirational...but then I'm torn. She's not what springs to mind when I think of a healthy woman. Frankly, IMO she appears rather overweight for someone who's been raw for over a decade. What is that about? Her recipes are pretty heavily based on oil/nuts for calories...

Then again Kim Snyder (one of my favorite raw bloggers) is all about the oils, nuts, and avocados yet she's very fit. Then again, she's also a yoga teacher...

What do you guys think?

I've wondered about that too and have realized that a healthy woman [or man] can look however is appropiate for that individual's experience.

The goal, for me, isn't to be skinny and/or ripped with muscles - not that that is going to happen in this life - but to feel healthy and if it is at all possible to radiate a glow that expresses my level of wholeness and health.

Peace,
Buzurg

There was some rather snippy debate exposing diverse opinions on this subject some months back:

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Enjoy!

wow, she had teeth implants? what the heck are they? lol

CJJ Wrote:
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> Does anyone have an opinion on what Victoria
> Boutenko promotes versus her appearance?
I believe it was Tonya Zavasta's Newsletter where I
read that Victoria Boutenko has never been able to break the
habit of eating late at night. Plus, I'm sure she doesn't exercise.
I'm glad I'm Perfect, aren't you?.....WY

Wheatgrass Yogi Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> CJJ Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Does anyone have an opinion on what Victoria
> > Boutenko promotes versus her appearance?
> I believe it was Tonya Zavasta's Newsletter where
> I
> read that Victoria Boutenko has never been able to
> break the
> habit of eating late at night. Plus, I'm sure she
> doesn't exercise.
> I'm glad I'm Perfect, aren't you?.....WY

I bet maybe she eats chocolate chip cookies and milk and takeaway sometimes as well. You can never really tell when there's lots of money involved.

People know from experience who looks good based on what they eat. If you don't know what a really good-looking person eats, politely ask them and I bet they'll eat a lot of salads and really good foods, avoiding the bad ones. Maybe not totally raw, some people don't need totally raw but some people desperately do.

Alternatively: and a very grim alternative... is that she has permanent metabolic syndrome from years of abuse in her youth, that's why she overeats now even if it is raw. That sounds really horrible and I feel really sorry for her and people like that if it's legitimate.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/06/2009 03:26AM by SuperInfinity.

I have met her and found her very dedicated to the raw food cause, but I know that many of her book recipes use things like braggs aminos, and nutritional yeast, as well as fresh raw saurkraut and things of that nature because of her eastern european decent. All things which tend to create alot of water retenntion and don't forget she was morbidly obese and may have excess skin around her mid area which she may or may not have had removed, and her dental implants may be because of a general impoverished condition of her country of origin. (Soviet I believe)I have done research on dentistry and I also recall that it is a better option than root canals in a book I read called Uninformed Consent.Suz

I have no opinion on this, but I'm glad to see that cool heads prevailed and that a sensible discussion has taken place. This is the kind of topic where someone could have easily lost control and ridiculed people for asking the question.

CJJ Wrote:
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> Then again Kim Snyder (one of my favorite raw
> bloggers) is all about the oils, nuts, and
> avocados yet she's very fit. Then again, she's
> also a yoga teacher...
>
> What do you guys think?

HAHAHAHAHAHAH !!! After looking at HER website, that's inspiration for ANYONE to go raw. LOLOLOL. Maybe I'LL look like that after I get myself straight on the RAW diet. And my name is Kimberly too !!! *giggle* (Hey, we can dream, can't we? *grin*)

*****************************
"Educate and inform the whole mass of the people... They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty."
—Thomas Jefferson

Ok, in all seriousness.... We have to remember that even the EDUCATORS of lifestyle and nutrition are human just like the rest of us. They have the same struggles and temptations as we do; and for each of us it is individual. I'm sure Mrs. Boutenko's health would be MUCH WORSE if she had not made drastic changes to her lifestyle. But of course she is still growing and learning and transforming just like the rest of us.

My mother is a pastor's wife and struggled with severe weight issues in her younger years. She was always vegetarian, but not a "healthy" vegetarian (high fat and dairy diet with lots of refined foods and sugars). They changed their lifestyle before we were born and raised us on totally vegan lifestyle. This, along with faithful exercise, transformed her a great deal - much weight-loss and great improvements in her health. Even though people who always knew her could/can SEE the dramatic differences, she still struggles with weight issues, and probably always will unless she recognizes the blessings of a raw diet.

For years, she hosted health lectures, cooking schools, and nutrition seminars, but she always felt inadequate because she has always been pleasantly plump - not obese, but definitely overweight - although extremely healthy and ruddy. She felt like the wrong example to be demonstrating to the public, but we who knew her, and others who shared same struggles, could identify with her journey and knew from where she had come. People never judged her physical appearance, but embraced her testimony and knowledge and grew from there on their own.

As a simple, average-looking, insignificant human being, I just want to make dramatic improvements to my health and life and just let my testimony be the message to share with others. We won't all be so blessed to end up looking like supermodels or the Kimberly Snyders, but we will EACH have our own testimony to share with others, especially those who knew us "before." =)

*****************************
"Educate and inform the whole mass of the people... They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty."
—Thomas Jefferson

plainlydressed,

I don't know you, but I sure like you--well said : )

ive read so many raw food books and follow so many guru sites ... i think you just need to take whats relevant for *you* from it all and forget about the hero worship

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist

Jgunn Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ive read so many raw food books and follow so many
> guru sites ... i think you just need to take whats
> relevant for *you* from it all and forget about
> the hero worship

Yeah. I've taken to taking down notes of important stuff in notebooks recently, almost like school. Then I can just look through notes to refresh what I know about things and get ideas without having to read the whole books again (although it might still be good to skim through them). This works for other subjects you're interested in as well.

It is a pleasure to read all the posts that this thread has produced, a lot of balanced people in process.

Peace,
Buzurg

CJJ:


<<I LOVE reading her books, and some of her speeches I've downloaded are downright inspirational...but then I'm torn. She's not what springs to mind when I think of a healthy woman. Frankly, IMO she appears rather overweight for someone who's been raw for over a decade.>>

Why do you say you are "torn"? I am not sure I understand your question.
Why would you be torn about someone else's appearance? If a psychologist or therapist had troubling mental problems of their own but did a superior job in
counseling me, I would not feel "torn". Their own problems are none of my business. Her appearance is only HER business. Why on earth would you make her appearance YOUR business? Don't you already have enough things in your own life to worry about?

i think when you put people on pedestals you force upon them your unrealistic ideals to live up to YOUR expectations i think it is more productive to work on yourself, look up to yourself, rather than turning your attention to gurus be your own guru .. be your own example of good health

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/07/2009 12:46AM by Jgunn.

"Fit" is apparently in the eye of the beholder. Personally I would not consider a woman of average height who weighing less than 150 pounds very "fit" or attractive. I realize I'm going against the propaganda that is forced our way on a daily basis, but don't we all to some extent?

I would guess that there are many raw food eaters that are not ready to be runway models but are living a healthy lifestyle. I think being healthy is more important.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/07/2009 03:12AM by EZ rider.

kleinphi --
Bless you; I like your mindset!

There are many of us-- in the raw movement even-- women who are not fat by any means, but we're built pretty solid and not skinny in the least. The waif mentality and runway model propaganda of the fashion/diet industry is demoralizing, but it's not impossible to break through it and find your own personal look, size, and style and be really happy. I've tried in the distant past to nearly starve myself in order to achieve the thin look, and I'll never do it again. I'll only fast occasionaly for health reasons, never to become a size 5.

Some raw foodists would consider me kind of big. I've worn size 10 stretch jeans and a size medium or small top for several years now, and I'm VERY happy with how I am. I wish for everyone-- small, medium, or large-- to be happy in their own skin. We're not all meant to be one size; that is not how the universe works, and it would be very boring, to boot!

Sharrhan:


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Thanks for all the responses!

la_veronique:

Quote

Why do you say you are "torn"? I am not sure I understand your question.

It's difficult to ascribe to someone's diet recommendations when they themselves don't look healthy. The raw foods group in my city has several raw folks, who at one point claim they were obese (like Victoria), who now look great (and no longer have to take insulin!). No, they're not runway model skinny, but they look healthy.

Victoria does not appear healthy to me (warning: personal opinion), especially for someone raw more than 10 years; thus I'm torn i.e. not sure what to believe (is she really raw? Underlying health problems? Too many nuts?).

What I do know: Raw food? Yes! Nuts, oils? I'm not so sure...

kwan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Some raw foodists would consider me kind of big.
> I've worn size 10 stretch jeans and a size medium
> or small top for several years now, and I'm VERY
> happy with how I am.

*LOL* I will sing from the rooftops when I can wear a size: 10 again !!! *giggle*

*****************************
"Educate and inform the whole mass of the people... They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty."
—Thomas Jefferson

CJJ Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thanks for all the responses!
>
> la_veronique: Why do you say you are "torn"? I am
> not sure I understand your question.
>
> It's difficult to ascribe to someone's diet
> recommendations when they themselves don't look
> healthy. The raw foods group in my city has
> several raw folks, who at one point claim they
> were obese (like Victoria), who now look great
> (and no longer have to take insulin!). No,
> they're not runway model skinny, but they look
> healthy.
>
> Victoria does not appear healthy to me (warning:
> personal opinion), especially for someone raw more
> than 10 years; thus I'm torn i.e. not sure what to
> believe (is she really raw? Underlying health
> problems? Too many nuts?).
>
> What I do know: Raw food? Yes! Nuts, oils? I'm
> not so sure...

Yeah exactly!!!! It's obviously all the nuts and (to a greater extent) oils and yeast and stuff that she's eating, but I don't believe for a second she is anywhere near 100% raw. I actually try and eat peanuts with the shells on now, they're still delicious... and a good back-up plan in case you need to eat a lot quickly (lest you be tempted by... god knows what...)

It's so nice to have so many intelligent and informed people around here, people who can actually think for themselves... a rare thing in this modern age it seems. I went over to the paleofood list recently and the place is full of pseudointellectuals and matter-of-fact type of people. It's very well documented at this stage that paleo-man was mainly frugivoral (just like every other ape, some over 90%)... the old "Man the Hunter" idea has given way to "Man the Hunted"... so I cannot understand why they're trying to insist ridiculous quantaties of meat every single day that are known to cause cancer and disease and their body will be so acidic their bones will fall apart without dairy or supplements... which would cause a furthur imbalance then and all lead to a miserable life and early death.

*shrugs* There's no helping some people... I didn't mention animal welfare to them because I knew they'd think: "he's only saying it because he's concerned about the animals, not for my health".... the thing I really dislike though is them hijacking what paleo-man allegedly ate and saying he was an incorrigible meat-eater. It could severely misinform well-meaning but naive or not-knowledgeable people out there.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/07/2009 05:22AM by SuperInfinity.

SuperInfinity,

What do you mean by, "I actually try and eat peanuts with the shells on now"? You don't mean the actual fibrous cross-hatched beige husks, do you?

Tamukha Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> SuperInfinity,
>
> What do you mean by, "I actually try and eat
> peanuts with the shells on now"? You don't mean
> the actual fibrous cross-hatched beige husks, do
> you?

Yep!!!!!

This is a very recent thing for me though and I've put it on hold before I find out for certain whether they spray pesticides etc. on them or something, I think they're fine to eat but I just want to be sure. I feel good after eating them and they taste quite good as well.

If you search for monkeys eating peanuts, that's how they ate them. That way they're PERFECTLY natural. It's a lot easier to just eat them than breaking the whole shell off don't you think? And it could be the reason why it's so easy to eat too many peanuts and get 800 calories very fast... they don't occur naturally like that. (I would also prefer to break open every other nut I ever eat so I don't overeat them as well).

SuperInfinity,

Maybe I'll try this myself, except that I too would wonder whether there isn't some nasty chemical on the husks. And you can't really wash them off, as they are porous. Hey, that means the peanuts are contaminated too. I've never seen organic in-husk peanuts. Something to look for . . .

id be a bit cautious about the toxic mold on the shells they are subceptibal to too

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist

Jodi,

Oh, right. Toxic mold. It's always something . . . I was thinking about the husks and decided my intestine probably couldn't take it. And I am not a nut-binger, so I think I'll just eat my 1 oz. of jungle peanuts once a week and let that be that.

why eat the husk
when the peanut is better?

husk isn't very tasty
and there are so many other good things to eat


CJJ

as far as being dismayed about Victoria's appearance and trying to decide whether or not to go raw based on her appearance, you said that you have heard of or known plenty of other raw foodists who DO look healthy. So... why don't you focus on THEM? while you are trying to make your decision?

One thing to note about the benefits of eating raw foods is that the body will do its absolute best to heal if given the chance but sometimes it isn't able to get a perfect 100% recovery because of previous damage. But if a person dosn't provide the oportunity for the body to heal then it probably won't. If Victoria hasn't yet gotten a total healing in every aspect of her body I bet her body tried and will keep trying.

>as far as being dismayed about Victoria's appearance and trying to decide whether or not to go raw based on her appearance, you said that you have heard of or known plenty of other raw foodists who DO look healthy. So... why don't you focus on THEM? while you are trying to make your decision?<

Good reasoning! I agree. Take a look at a random sampling of standard American diet nutritionists and dieticians, and then... compare them to a random sampling of 20 raw food leaders, writers and chefs, and voila!-- the difference is electricfying!

Sharrhan:


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