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One of the best things that the Internet has done for my work is given me instant access to my readers, and them to me. I get e-mail on a daily basis--the vast majority letting me know that the concept of fueling has given peace of mind as well as healthy bodies to many, many people. What could be more gratifying? With their permission, here I share some of my favorite letters of the past few years. I hope they inspire you as much as they did me.   Send your own letter

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Date: Mon, 4 Aug 2003 07:30:13 -0700 (PDT) From: Laurie T Subject: Bodyfueling To: rlandis@bodyfueling.com Dear Robyn: I have been "loosely" Bodyfueling for about 2 weeks. I wanted to tell you what a HUGE difference it made in my life...almost instantly. My family suffers from depression.  I didn't appear to have any symptoms until my son was born 3 years ago. Along with two other big lifestyle changes that happened at approximately the same time, this threw me into a bout of depression that I have fought since then.  I have had my medicine upped twice and still felt awful most of the time. Hence, hubby and son felt awful most of the time...never knowing when or what was going to blow.  I will admit that I was MEAN, because I was so unhappy.  I picked up your book at because I thought, if nothing else, if I started eating 'right' maybe I'd lose some 'weight' and that might make me feel better. I started fueling on a Thursday morning, by Friday night the difference was apparent to EVERYONE, including myself!  I had ENERGY, my clarity of thinking was back, and the cloud that had been hanging over my head was all but gone!!!  I have consulted with my Dr and we are tapering off my medicine...if all goes well (and I have no reason to think it won't) I will be OFF all medication by the end of the month!!! I have been walking, am sleeping better, and feel the energy in my body again!  I'm so amazed at the difference in my mind and thought process, and so are my friends and family. There have been a few setbacks...such as a cherry pie my hubby brought home...and within hours of having a piece (okay...a BIG piece!) I was feeling mean and depressed again...and realized that I, too, am on my way to being a 'Bodyfueling snob', and am loving every step of the way! I haven't lost any weight yet...but suddenly I don't care about that, it will happen...and the whole reason I picked up your book was to feel better again, and that has certainly happened! Thank you for giving me my life back!  Thank you for your common sense approach to nutrition and thank God for putting your book in my hands! Laurie T.

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From: NAME WITHHELD ON REQUEST To: "'rlandis@bodyfueling.com'" <rlandis@bodyfueling.com> Subject: Read your book... Dear Ms. Landis.  I've been prowling backpacking/mountaineering shops, and reading the UC Berkeley Wellness Letter for almost 20 yrs. to find what you put in your book, "how to eat better to get in better shape, and avoid getting fat." I have read that great Wellness Letter regularly for years.  I've got an extensive background in biology.  But, for some reason, I could never put it together. Your great book, "BodyFueling" did it.  The thing that floors me is I knew most of what you described.  I was missing a few key items, but most of it I knew. Unfortunately, I was also a victim of diet thinking.  That, I'm convinced,  was one of the key stumbling blocks for me.  Thanks again for exposing all the misinformation and distortions put out by the "diet industry".  In spite of my efforts, I fell for some of their worst distortions. It has worked for me.  A year ago, as the winter season ended, I weighed 168 lbs.  I could see, and pinch, the fat around my waist.  So I started cutting back on my eating (dieting !).  I lost lots of weight.  Too much, in fact.  I got down to 156 lbs.  I found when I hiked/hunted, or back packed all day, I got really tried.  Exhausted.  I wasn't eating for much of the day.  I'd often skip lunch, and never snacked unless I was really weak and literally starving. This last winter, I found your book.  I read it and found myself throwing out probably $60 worth of food. I normally exercise every winter to stay in shape.  I use a Nordic Trac Machine and record my performance.  By the end of the winter, I'm normally making 2 miles in 42 minutes while keeping my heart rate between 125 to142 bpm.  When I reach this point, I would feel pretty smug.  I would be ready for the great outdoors and the mountains when the snows would melt off. BodyFueling changed all that.  I got down to less than 36 minutes to reach 2 miles.  Every day, I would rarely take longer than 37 minutes.  My best times were 30 mins after a snack.  I'm sure you aren't surprised. My hiking abilities have improved to levels I have never seen.  I hiked a trail a week ago that starts at 6200 ft. and terminates at 9100 ft. in about 3 miles.  I did it in 3 hrs and 45 mins.  I hardly had to stop to even catch my breath.  I really stopped only to take a few pictures. I have never seen this level of ability.  I've run around in the mountains all my life.  But, at age 59, I'm doing better than ever.  As the summer hiking season starts, I weigh 166 lbs.  I don't care.  I don't have the body fat I had last winter.  What's more, I eat whenever I need to to, and I eat especially when on the trail.  My trail lunches are plain, whole wheat bagels, and my snacks are Health Valley, Fat Free, Granola Bars. They work amazingly well to fuel me all day. The only thing I've done differently is to follow the guidelines in your book.  Thanks, ever so much. Sincerely, NAME WITHHELD

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From: Trish C. To: "'rlandis@bodyfueling.com'" <rlandis@bodyfueling.com> Subject: Great Book! I haven't even gotten past the first two chapters, and I had to write and say "What an awesome book." I have been searching for something that would explain the science of eating in such a plain and simple way, and this book does just that. I thought you might find this little anecdote amusing.  Just last fall, after I purchased two foals, I begin poring through books on nutrition for young horses.  I had their hay analyzed for nutritional content, and even went to a horse nutritionist to make sure that their daily rations were completely balanced.  She provided printouts of all the requirements, exact portions and feeding times, and I am required to weigh them again every two months, so their rations can be readjusted to ensure their daily average grow rate is close to normal.  A horse that grows too fast or slow can develop skeletal or joint problems later in life, and I was doing my best to ensure they would be healthy and well looked after. The irony was, that after doing all this research on fueling my horses properly, I would then eat ice cream, chocolate and chips, skip meals, and feel terrible -- physically and emotionally.  I needed to do something, but the thought of another diet just put me right off. I was searching on the 'net for information on "healthy eating" and came across a book called "The Glucose Revolution," an informative guide to the glycemic index.  I thought it was a good book, but it just didn't answer all my questions.  Just last weekend, I was talking to my sister (a recovered bulemic), and I said, "I wish I could find a book that explained how to eat properly and the science behind it, you know, like I do for my horses." She then handed me a copy of "BodyFueling," which had been given to her by someone at the eating disorder clinic where she now lectures, and I cannot tell you how great the timing was on that. For years I have fought against "diet thinking," knowing that fads like low carb and high protein just couldn't be good for you, and watching the people I love torture their bodies for some short-term goal that would be lost as quickly as it was reached.  Like most people, I did understand the basics about what I should eat to stay healthy, but never really understood the science behind it.  I myself am a Weight Watchers lifetime member, because it was the only "program" that I felt came close to healthy eating. I just never liked the counting and journaling.  To me, it just re-emphasized the obsession with food.  I wanted to have a life, not a program. I haven't lost an ounce of fat -- yet -- but even in the last three days, fueling my body, instead of starving it, has made me feel great.   I am so excited about finally understanding the connection that I can barely contain myself.  I even recommended it to my counsellor (who I went to specifically to understand why "I sabotage every diet I ever go on." When I started talking about the book, she wanted to know if it would be suitable for a young client who was a suspected eating disorder case.  After reading just the first chapter, I said absolutely! BodyFueling -- finally something simple that makes sense. Trish :-)

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From: Katie McConnell To: "'rlandis@bodyfueling.com'" <rlandis@bodyfueling.com> Subject: a question about simple vs. complex carbohydrates and a big THANK YOU From: Katie McConnell First, I would like to thank you for your excellent book. Since reading it, and applying the principles in it, I have an ease with food that I have never experienced before as an adult. I am just thrilled and amazed by the fact that I eat and eat and eat, and the result is that I have lost fat. I know this because of the way I look, and the fact that I now buy clothes in a smaller size. I haven't weighed myself to confirm that - I just know it, and I am so happy to be freed from the neurotic obsession of the number on the scale. I really love eating this way. This is the way I wanted to eat when I first got interested in eating for health. Unfortunately, I read and followed the advice of many different diet books over the years, and I was left with no idea how to eat and a lot of mistaken ideas about food. I no longer lump foods into the categories of good food and bad food. I see it more in terms of its macronutrient components, and in terms of its value as fuel. And I no longer see myself as being good or bad because of what I eat. If I'm at a party and the food looks great, I just eat and enjoy, because I have good habits now when it comes to food, and one meal isn't going to wreck that. I first read Bodyfueling four months ago, and am now doing a leisurely second read-thru. I'll probably read it again after that. It is so well written and has so much good information and "food for thought." I have gotten so much help from that book, and I'm glad to have this opportunity to thank you. Your web page is a great supplement to the book. I love the Q&A. Your answer to the question on the glycemic index makes so much sense. And I just loved the excerpt from the debate between James MacDougall and Barry Sears. Wow! So here's my question. I hope you have time to answer. When looking at the breakdown of nutritional information on a food package, I wonder if it would be true to say that if you take the total carbohydrates and subtract the grams of fiber and sugar, what you are left with is the grams of complex carbohydrates? I've noticed that sometimes the label will say other carbohydrates, but it never says complex carbohydrates as the remainder from total - (fiber + sugar). Thanks for the great book (I haven't gotten around to reading Herbal Defense, which is a shame since I'm studying Traditional Chinese Medicine, but I will eventually) and web page. I really appreciate what you've done. Sincerely, Katie McConnell

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From: vanessam@shaw.wave.ca To: rlandis@bodyfueling.com Subject: Nuts for peanuts Hi Robin. First I want to tell you that your book BodyFueling saved my life. I was suffering from anorexia 2 years ago and was nearly dead when I found your book in a book store, brought it home and read that whole thing that very night. Not only did I read it that night, but I read it over and over and over until I was sure that I could eat again and I believed what I was reading. I am fully recovered now and I eat so much it is ridiculous! I am extremely athletic and have been maintaining my weight for 2 years. I look and feel better than I ever have and I apply every principle in your book to my life daily. My question for you is this. I have recently had an insane craving for peanut butter and I find that spread on a bagel with an apple, this is the best meal on earth! I have only 1 tbsp. of the stuff and I know that this will not kill me but at the same time, I do NOT want to see negative effects from this. My overall diet is normally about 10-15% fat and I average about 2200 calories a day roughly. What do you think of peanut butter and of eating it on a daily basis? Should I be concerned with the fat calories when my diet is so high in nutrients and low in fat to begin with? I appreciate your time, and thanks in advance. I am sure your books have helped a lot of people the way it helped me. Thanks ever so much. Vanessa MY RESPONSE: Dear Vanessa, First, CONGRATULATIONS. How uplifting and inspiring to hear that you were able to take this matter into your own hands and find healing. Whatever help a book may have been, you took the tools and applied them, and that took courage and determination. Secondly, thanks for writing to let me know about it. As you might imagine, letters like yours bring all the satisfaction and joy to my work. I cherish letters like yours. Third, go ahead and enjoy your peanut butter! The answer to "Should I be concerned with the fat calories when my diet is so high in nutrients and low in fat to begin with?" is NO! We need to relax and be flexible as well as to be conscious and purposeful about our eating overall. This is an issue of balance. I think our society's obsession with every gram of this or that is what leads to conditions like anorexia in the first place, at least in part. The fact that you are able to see that this one daily indulgence does not offset your many healthy choices and actions, to me, is a sign of true health--healthy attitude and healthy thinking, which is the natural environment for a healthy body. Being able to maintain that kind of perspective is a true achievement. (It's the polar opposite of anorexia!) I have loosened up quite a bit since writing BodyFueling, and I am stronger, fitter, and leaner than ever. I myself enjoy nut butters, and eat them often. Remember, some fats are healthy for us. In small to moderate amounts, consumption of the right fats actually enhances health. The problems are overconsumption of total fat, as well as use of "trans" fats and large amounts of saturated fat. You might want to check out the Q&A page of my web site; some answers posted to earlier questions discuss this further if you're interested. Look in the Q&A archives for the question "What's new since BodyFueling?" Also, pages 152-158 of my newer book, Herbal Defense, provide perspective and newer info on fat consumption beyond what was in BodyFueling. The only caveat I would make is that I personally always choose nut butters from organically grown nut--especially peanut butter, which you should be sure is at least aflotoxin tested. There is some concern about the presence of naturally-occurring toxic molds on peanuts (aflotoxins). The only caveat I would make is that my personal choice would be to find an organically grown peanut butter, or at least aflotoxin tested. There is some concern about the presence of naturally-occurring toxic molds on peanuts (aflotoxins). Lastly, would you mind if I posted your letter on my website at some future date? I won't without your permission, of course. Let me know what name or initials you would want included. Thanks again for writing, and I wish you the very best of health in reward for your efforts. Sincerely, Robyn Landis   Vanessa replied, X-From: vanessam@shaw.wave.ca To: Robyn Landis Subject: Re: Nuts for peanuts! Hello again! Thanks SO much for responding! I was not expecting to get a personal email from you and you made my day! You are such an inspiration to me and everything I have accomplished. It is an honor to be able to speak directly with you. Indeed I will continue to enjoy my PBJ sandwiches. Thanks for all of the valuable info and again, thanks for being so honest and informative. I would be honored to have my letter posted on your site. Maybe I can be an inspiration to someone out there who is suffering the way I did. Life is so short and there is so much living to do. Thanks to you, I am able to live again, and live better than before. Take care, and keep up the great work! Sincerely, Vanessa Pressacco PS. You can use my full name on your site if you wish. Whatever you decide is fine with me.

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From: Kathy Johnson To: rlandis@bodyfueling.com Subject: body fat Dear Robyn, This isn't really a question...OK, not at all. I just wanted to thank you for your life-changing book and for the hundreds of things that it taught me. I've been overweight all of my life but 2 years ago finally changed a lot of my eating habits and started slowly losing fat to the tune of 125 pounds over about 1 years. I've been "free" now for about 1-1/2 years. My big regret is that I didn't have your book back then. But that's the funny thing...I had it and didn't know it. I'm a diet book junkie. I buy everything (EVERYTHING) out there. In thrift stores, on-line, in book stores. I had about 60 different books filling my shelf--including yours. I remember reading yours, and thinking, well--that's interesting. But that's it. I was on a journey learning about nutrition and eating all through the months and I think I just wasn't ready for your book yet. I eventually started walking, then running. Gave up meat but not cheese and other animal products. Finally I found your book again and not having remembered reading it, re-read the whole thing. I was so excited my hands were shaking as I realized that I had finally found the key that was missing in my understanding of how to eat and how to lose fat and not muscle. I immediately threw out all of my diet books (and if you knew me you would realize what a scarry, terrifying, awful thing that was for me.) I felt like I had found the answer to healthy eating at last and I wasn't going to mess around with my body anymore. I worked hard for the muscles I have and I'm not going to give them up to Dr. Sears ever again!!!! I have to admit I was very frightened to do all of the things you suggested. Eating right every single day--fueling my body properly (I am a vegan now so some of my eating habits have changed further still) and not allowing myself to be hungry. Coupled with heavy training I was really puzzled (OK, MAD as sin) to see that the scale wouldn't budge even though I determined NOT to watch the scale anymore. It's my biggest weakness I know. Finally I have to laugh because out of frustration I got out my tape measure and measured my hips and waist to get the bad news...Turns out I have lost 1" of fat off of my waist and 1-1/2" off of my hips-in 5 WEEKS time! I couldn't be happier, no kidding. I'm trying hard to decide that it doesn't matter what the scale says. As long as my tape measure tells me I'm going back down in size that's all that matters. It's hard for that to get through to my brain though. I need to throw the stupid scale away and that's one of my future goals. I just wanted to thank you so much for all you've done for me. You've opened my eyes and I'm spreading the word every chance I get. My sister-in-law proudly told me yesterday that she's lost 7 pounds in the past 10 days and I thought I would choke. It's all a journey of learning though--and it's difficult for the normal person to wade through all of the printed lies out there. Your book is so easy to understand and so packed with facts that I felt I'd had a college education in nutrition! Thanks again Robyn -I can't tell you enough what it means to me. I feel your information has lifted a lifelong burden from my shoulders. Kathy Johnson

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From: Charlie Crawford To: rlandis@bodyfueling.com Subject: thanks and a question Dear Robyn, I've wanted to tell you for some time what a big effect Bodyfueling had on the way I eat and think about food. I discovered Bodyfueling three years ago waiting in the Point Defiance ferry line the weekend of the Strawberry festival. I was parked up the hill not quite to the Antique Sandwich Company and waiting in line behind Dick P. I commented on how great he was looking, and he told me about your book and how it had changed him. I am someone who was always gaining and then losing the same 25 lbs. I was not in a good place in my life about food or exercise, and besides, Dick can be a very persuasive guy. So I bought your book and I've been proselytizing it ever since. I also began to exercise much more regularly and over a year or so I lost 30 lbs and have kept it mostly off. I have gained 10 or so lbs back over the last year, but I have not experienced the anxiety about weight that I had previously. And I have gained the weight primarily because I have been less consistent in my eating and exercising. Mostly, though, this e-mail is just an enthusiastic thank you note. I have wanted to write you or speak to you for several years to thank you for the change your book made in my life. Thanks, Charlie Crawford

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Buy BodyFueling Now!
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Buy BodyFueling Now!
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