Diana Stobo shares her own story of illness and her “moment of truth” when at 247 pounds with twins, she was so sick and tired she no longer recognized herself. She developed a list of No’s and placed them prominently on her refrigerator – No Sugar, No Wheat, No Dairy, No Alcohol, No Caffeine, No Meat –this became her motto, her philosophy and her life. Her weight dropped drastically, her illnesses vanished, her health and quality of life soared and she became more vital and younger looking. Diana is living proof that eating LIVE brings you a life of health, vibrance and beauty.
Her new motto” Strive for LIVE!” has become a national health campaign. Diana’s mission is to see a whole country full of healthy happy people.
1. Congratulations on the transformation. How did you change your eating habits? Was it an instant change or did you gradually introduce the raw foods into your system?
Changing the way you live, is usually a culmination of events, information and strategies. Then, in an instant, you realize it is time to implement all that information and just go for it. It's like with any change in life, first you are shocked, there is an adjustment period and then you begin to enjoy the newness. The transformation was noticeable quickly,I lost a bunch of weight, had more energy, looked younger, and had an overall sense of wellness. Then over time, with consistency I just got better and better. I began transforming to what I assume is my natural body weight, my energy is very even, my moods are balanced and I feel wonderful all the time. Any health issues I may have had are gone. I believe that consistency is essential to long term success.
2. Your chef training really came in handy for your new raw food diet. How can non-culinary professionals make instant changes if they are pressed for time and must shop at their local grocery store?
I think my chef training was a deterrent to my healthy transformation. My creativity was complex and detailed. I had to relearn to simplify. I teach simple and healthy cuisine. The advantage of an un-trained cook is that simplicity is their friend. Breaking it down to one philosophy- less is more. Think in terms of basics. Get Naked Fast has a pantry section that tells you exactly what to have on hand, why you should stock certain items and how to use them. With simple guidelines, a non-culinary professional will find ease in their “Naked Lifestyle”
3. What were the first changes you noticed after the new food choices you were making?
Health: My health improved vastly, and surprisingly very quick as I weaned myself off of medications. Every day I experience that feeling when you wake up in the morning and you are so happy to be alive.
Vibrance:There was a new found vitality I had not experience in a long time. Many people say that they didn’t realize they felt bad until they experienced feeling good. The difference is astounding.
Beauty: I had instant energy, lost excess weight , my skin cleared up and the overall youthful glow that I had previously lost, came back. It is beauty from the inside out.
4. How did you get your husband and kids to support you in how you were relating to food?
They recognized the change in me and wanted to be part of feeling good. As I experimented with my health, they had to shift their diets. We used to buy 2 gallons of milk a week and now we have a half gallon of coconut milk, 2 quarts of Kefir and Fresh Almond milk in our refrigerator. We were once a sandwich eating family with Lunch meats and such. We now use corn chips with hummus or make spelt wraps with avocados and veggies. They have become aware of the foods that may taste good but don’t benefit the body. I get a lot less push back on our food choices as they grow into healthy young adults.
5. How did you develop your recipes? Was there a method to it?
I literally have over 1,000 recipes on file that I have created over the last few years. Some are good ideas with a “not so good” outcome, others are mediocre ideas with great outcomes. I have always been experimental and creative, but once I create a formula that works, I begin to adjust and maneuver to create more diversity in great dishes. For example in Get Naked Fast, I have a butternut squash soup that is simple and delicious. It is a five ingredient meal that can be slightly tweaked to be a "cream of anything soup" (dairy free of course) by simply swapping out the squash for another vegetable and adding some spices that compliment.
6. What are your next plans in bringing the raw food eating style to the public?
The Live Food movement is on the rise. People discovering the great benefits to eating raw in their overall health and realizing that what we have been doing in the past isn’t working. I am at the forefront of this Lifestyle movement, and will be speaking, coaching, writing and presenting to all who wish to learn. Of course Media and the Internet are my friends and I count on it’s power to spread the word. But, ultimately it is the demand of the people and their desire to take their lives into their own hands that will catapult our lifestyles to the next level of health and wellness. The supply will meet the demand, if the public truly wants to get healthy, an it is my hope that soon we will have “Naked” Choices in every supermarket, school, and restaurant in the nation.
7. What is a basic grocery list for people to start with?
If I say a few items like vegetables, fruits, nuts,etc... People will panic...huh? What do I eat? That's not enough for me. So, I will send you directly to my book Get Naked Fast that literally has a list of things to have on hand for a "Naked Lifestyle".
I want to ease people into understanding the change is gradual but simple. My book holds your hand through the process, with no judgement- it has been dubbed, the best transition book on the market
8. How did your doctor respond to your health as you got better?
I became my own doctor. Remember the old saying “If it's not broke- don't fix it”? Well, I guess I don’t feel broken any more. I haven’t seen a medical doctor in 10 years, and if my body feels out of balance, I first look at “food as my medicine” and try to re balance. I respect modern medicine, and believe that it is essential for many things, but right now, I don’t need it.
9. How can raw food recipes be adapted for people who enjoy particular cuisine such as Asian or Mexican dishes?
Funny you should ask that, one of my favorite raw food dishes is "green papaya salad" which is Thai, I can eat a big plate of that. Papaya has amazing healing properties with great digestive balancing enzymes. Some fresh herbs add medicinal properties as well as great tastes. And for Mexican pico de gallo with some fresh corn, add some guacamole, place it over a romaine crown and eat it up. Not a complicated meal that tastes great. In GNF, I have many Mexican and Asian dish options, with quinoa, a high protein grain, or lentils, an equally protein balanced legume. When you are getting Naked their are fabulous choices for great tastes.
10. What's next for you in 2011?
My second book "Naked Bliss" has just launched and is available in Costco in the Bay area as well as (Amazon, Barnes and Noble and my website www.dianastobo.com). My goal this year is to have my both books take off nationwide. My first book "get Naked fast is out on VOOK which offers a video enhanced version of the book, you can read and see video's on how to make certain recipes. That is available for download through iTunes, ebook, and purchased as an application for your iPad or iPhone. I will be visiting the Big apple, Seattle, San Diegoand a few more larger cities to promote both books and visiting some producers about a possible show where I can help people on a greater scale. I will be coaching, speaking, and presenting nationwide, targeting large corporations to get the work force healthier and increasing raw awareness and how it benefits health, vibrance and beauty.
I have two books up my sleeve for 2011- I'm always eager to give people more fun, ease and opportunity to find comfort in their body "Naked"
To connect with Diana go to:
Website: www.DianaStobo.com
Facebook: http://bit.ly/bJU4bv
Twitter: twitter.com/dianastobolive
Videos: www.youtube.com/dianastobolive
Linked-in: http://bit.ly/dAMtJ9
Diana's Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/AwcJ
