Novella's Success Story

Getting ready to pay for a cartful of groceries, Novella saw an article in First Magazine (June 2006) that said "You can drop 9 lbs this week!" "Yeah right," she said to herself. But then she noticed the small print - it was the Rice Diet Program in Durham, N.C. Novella had a lot of respect for Duke, where the program started out back in 1932, so did something she rarely does. She bought the magazine.

Once home, Novella read the article, checked out the website and told herself, "This is something I really think I can do." As a School Resource Officer in a local high school it takes a lot to keep up with 1,800 teenagers, and Novella's weight wasn't making it any easier. She began gaining weight when she joined the Sheriff's office nearly sixteen years ago - driving all day and eating fast food. Novella started the Rice Diet at 241 pounds.

Novella ordered the Rice Diet book right away. The day it arrived, June 12, 2006, she sat on her back porch, read it cover to cover, and began the Diet. Novella did not attend Rice House, but between the book and the forums Novella found the Rice Diet very easy to follow. "The simpler I keep it, the better chance I have to do it," says Novella. On the go all the time, Novella doesn't have the time to cook extravagant meals. She found the recipes could fit her lifestyle.

A few months later, in October, her second husband of 12 years left her. About that period she said, "How I was able to stick to my diet I will never know, but it was something that I could control and I did." Just two months later, Novella's job of nine years changed. She had to leave the school - her alma mater - that she loved for a different position, a change that sent Novella into a deep depression. Although this event caused Novella to steer away from the diet a bit, she is "learning to make the best of it now and [is] back on course."

During this period, only a few months into the Diet, Novella's colleagues - even the men - began noticing her weight loss: Novella had gone from a size 24 to a size 12. They all thought she had a gastric-bypass surgery since she lost weight so fast. Wherever she went she had to allot extra time because everyone wanted to know how she lost her weight and she had to brag about her "dieta." By mid-October Novella had lost 55 lbs, and by Christmas 66. Her doctor was ecstatic. All her friends were so proud of her and really encouraged her to continue the good work. Novella's students noticed her weight loss, too. Novella is proud to be a positive role model to young women struggling with weight issues and encourages them to try the Rice Diet.

To read more about Novella's story, and how the Rice Diet reunited her with a long-lost friend, click here.

Considerations for Alcohol Consumption

Health Issues

Alcohol can have a toxic effect on your intestinal tract by irritating the gut wall. This can cause inflammation, ulceration, and inhibit you from absorbing, storing, and metabolizing the nutrients that you need for your body to be healthy.

Furthermore, those who drink alcohol produce more triglycerides from their liver that circulate in the blood. High blood triglycerides, along with other risk factors, may increase the chance of developing heart disease.

Drinking Mindfully

Now that you have been forewarned of the negative health effects that alcohol can inflict, the choice is now up to you. If you choose to incorporate alcohol into your diet, please do so mindfully. The more you drink, the less mindful you become of what you are eating AND drinking! Not only are you adding up the empty calories of the alcoholic beverage, but also those crackers, pieces of cheese, and beer nuts that seem to unknowingly slip into the picture as well. By limiting yourself to one or two drinks, the calories are generally more manageable.

Alcohol contains about 9 calories per gram. However, these calories do not provide any of the carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins or minerals needed to maintain body functions.

Check out more Tips and Resources.

Summertime Gazpacho Recipe

• 1 1/2 cups sliced fresh strawberries plus 1/2 cup diced
• 4 Roma tomatoes, 3 cut in half and 1 diced
• 1 cup diced watermelon
• 1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced, or 1 teaspoon jarred crushed garlic
• 1 cup low-sodium tomato or vegetable juice such as V8
• 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded, stemmed and diced
• 1 small zucchini, diced
• 3 tablespoons diced red onion
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 avocado, diced
• 4 tablespoons plain, no-fat yogurt

In a food processor or blender, combine sliced strawberries, halved tomatoes, 3/4 cup of the watermelon, vinegar, lime juice, oil, basil, parsley and garlic. Pulse off and on until ingredients make a thick liquid.

Pour liquid into a large bowl and mix in tomato juice, bell pepper, zucchini, onion, cayenne pepper and salt. Stir to combine. Add diced strawberry, tomato, avocado and remaining watermelon and stir gently. Divide soup equally among 4 soup bowls. Garnish with 1 tablespoon of yogurt for each serving.

Each serving (1 1/2 cups gazpacho, 1 tablespoon yogurt) contains approximately: 226 calories, 30% fat (8 g; <1 g saturated), 61% carbs (38 g), 9% protein (6 g), 131 mg calcium, 3 mg iron, 9 g fiber, 166 mg sodium.

Check out more Rice Diet Recipes .

Rice Diet Cookbook Available