Disease Proof : Disease Proof : Health & Nutrition News & Commentary : Dr. Joel Fuhrman

Can you imagine losing 333 lbs? Scott realized that bariatric surgery was not a solution for him, and after much research, embraced Dr. Fuhrman’s nutrient rich eating-style. He has an incredible story of hope; especially for anyone caught in the dark pit of morbid obesity. Welcome to Disease Proof, Scott.   

Tell about yourself and the events that led up to getting your health back.

Starting in puberty, I put on weight. Even though I was a competitive swimmer, rode my bike everywhere, and played pickup games of football and baseball, I still packed on the pounds.

Eventually I got married and became a stay-at-home Dad, which was a privilege, but also very isolating and lonely.  My weight increased dramatically, yet I denied the seriousness of the problem. However, one day I woke up and admitted that I had fallen directly into a huge, black pit. In November of 2005, I weighed 501 pounds.

I was unable to walk more than a few feet. My knees, lower back and feet suffered greatly, causing my independence of movement to be completely gone. My wife, who is a nurse, had to help me shower, dress, walk, etc., and consequently, I had no self-esteem. She also noticed that I had developed serious sleep apnea.

I went to three, different surgeons for consultations regarding the possibility of bariatric surgery, but couldn't and wouldn't commit to it.  The surgeries seemed like handing my problems over to someone else to fix. This was my problem and I had to solve it, or else live with the negative consequences. I chose to solve it.   

I read books and contemplated ways to get out of my precarious situation. In my quest, I discovered Eat to Live and decided to commit to it, because it’s not a diet to get to a certain goal weight, but about learning to take care of one’s health for life. Dr. Fuhrman’s teachings dovetailed perfectly into my plans to totally restructure my life. I found peace in doing simple things like cooking, biking, taking care of myself, and taking care of my family. By February of 2009, I had lost 333 lbs and got my health and life back. 

How did you feel before starting ETL?

A better question would be, “How did I possibly survive?"

Life was intolerable. Weighing as much as I did, I couldn’t move without a lot of pain and exhaustion. I stepped outside my house, at the most, four to six times a year; and only then at the begging of my wife and daughter. I would sit on the stoop for fifteen minutes, and then the stares would begin; whether real or imagined, it was deep, unending uncertainty and sadness.

How do you feel now?

I have a life. Physically I feel great. My wife even admits that she can’t keep up with me now.  

However, I also feel angry at times due to the scorn and ridicule against fat people, and the false hope and lack of understanding the dieting industry throws at them. When I was morbidly obese, I felt worthless, unclean, stupid, unacceptable, and rejected. I was judged according to my size; therefore, it produced a lot of resentment.   

Now, when I look in the mirror, I only recognize my eyes and teeth.  When I’m in public places, I am no longer noticed, because now I fit in and look “normal.” This prejudice still makes me mad. My mind seems unable to embrace the lack of stares now, because psychologically, I still feel like I weigh 501 lbs.

Tell us how you got involved in cycling and how much you ride now.

When I was a kid, I loved to ride my bike. Then it all came to an abrupt halt on my 16^th birthday when driving became my “right of passage.” Consequently, my bike became a fading, dusty memory stored in back of the garage. 

To get my health back, I needed a way to exercise.  For me, biking made complete sense as it was a way to move around without further destroying what was left of my body. It also reconnected me with all the best parts of childhood; that sense of adventure and freedom.  It was, is, and always will be great for me. That first year I rode approximately 1,400 miles. Last year I rode 19,700 miles, and this year I’m shooting for 25,000.  Now, as a family, we do almost all errands via our bikes. Anywhere we used to go by car, we now take a bike. 

Do you have any success tip(s) that you’d like to share? 

• First and foremost, find a way back to believing in your true and honest self. However, the path must work for you. Take and borrow suggestions from others, but until it becomes 101% yours, it's not going to stick.

• Make a sacred pact to commit to this new lifestyle. Do it at any and all cost. This is the only way out.

 Congratulations Scott! We applaud you with a standing ovation! 

• Email This
• Print
• Comments (16)
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Eating for health is a mindset. We make firm choices based upon correct information that’s been proven to restore health to the body.

However, if food choices are determined by our circumstances or fluctuating emotions, we will suffer the consequences of decisions that will never lead to optimal health.  

When I first started the journey to get my health back, I was obese, unfit and didn’t feel well. It was an effort just to get out of bed in the mornings, let alone enthusiastically eat for health. I knew that if I was ever going to succeed, I had to have something simple and concrete to follow. 

After thoroughly studying Eat to Live, using a small font, I typed out the six week eating plan on page 179. I then printed off three copies, and laminated them at an office supply store. I kept one in my purse, one next to my bed, and one under a magnet on the refrigerator. The plan made all of my decisions. Period.

• Those first couple of weeks I didn’t feel like eating romaine lettuce, collard greens or brussel sprouts. I followed the plan.

• I was heavily addicted to salt, creamy cottage cheese, cheddar cheese, and crunchy peanut butter. I followed the plan. 

• I craved diet cola and diet pudding. I followed the plan.

• I was addicted to creamy ranch dressing. I followed the plan.

• My bedtime snack was always a large bowl of cereal and milk. I followed the plan.

• My son became seriously ill. I followed the plan.

• Life suddenly became an out-of-control roller coaster. I followed the plan.  

• He had to be transferred to another hospital in another state. I followed the plan.

• I had to find my way around in a new city. I followed the plan.

• I hit rock bottom with sadness and fear of the future. I followed the plan.  

• The hospital cafeteria food looked comforting and inviting. I followed the plan.

• The candy in the gift shop called out my name. I followed the plan. 

Three months later, back home, I got on the scales. Even though the picture on the left shows the strain of crisis on my face, I was forty pounds lighter; and more importantly, I was no longer addicted to toxic foods. I now craved fresh greens and fruits. Diet soda, diet desserts and salty foods tasted disgusting to me. I could walk for ½ hour every morning and evening, and feel great. My body was thoroughly refreshed after a good night’s sleep, and brain fog had completely disappeared.

The crisis eventually subsided. My body was well-nourished. I had newfound energy to try recipes. I had a bounce in my step to attempt challenging exercises. I knew I was well on the way to getting my health back. I was free.   

“Success or lack thereof is not based upon circumstances; therefore, excuses are irrelevant.”  Emily Boller

• Email This
• Print
• Comments (23)
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

For years, Terry, a former high school and college athlete, could “eat anything” and work it off with lots of exercise through sports.  However, in his late twenties, the weight began to pile on as his social eating and drinking increased, and his exercise decreased.  The once fit athlete ballooned into an obese and unhealthy, middle-aged guy who felt miserable. Thankfully, a mutual friend and vegan proponent, Heather Mills, posed a challenge to Terry to get his health back and introduced him to Dr. Fuhrman. The rest is history. He’s now more than half way through the challenge, and it has changed more than just his medical stats.  Welcome to Disease Proof, Terry.

Tell us about yourself and how you decided to take the plunge to get your health back?

For more than a decade I’ve been overweight and unhappy with how I’ve looked and felt. I’ve wanted to lose 75 lbs to get down to what I weighed when I played collegiate rugby. I grew up playing sports and ate lots of high fat food, but never had a potbelly until I was twenty-five; and even then, when rugby season would start, I could always run it off. However, by the time I was thirty I was a heavy drinker and hardly exercised anymore. My career as an advertising executive in Manhattan requires dining out with clients late into the night as a significant part of my job. There seemed to be no end to my disease promoting lifestyle. Two years ago, when I turned forty, I thought I was a hopeless case. I didn’t think I’d ever be fit, active or happy again like I was in my early twenties.

Heather posed a challenge for me to go vegan for six months to see what effect it would have on my weight, blood pressure and cholesterol. She wanted me to do it “right” so she introduced me to Dr. Fuhrman, who took the challenge a step further. He wanted me to focus on eating high nutrient vegetation for optimal health, and become a nutritarian for life.     

At first I thought Heather’s idea was crazy, because I loved meat and cheese; and it was even suggested that I give up alcohol! She offered to provide the food for six months and arrange monthly check-ups with Dr. Fuhrman if I would write a blog about the experience. After thinking about the challenge for many weeks, I decided to go for it. By this time, I had tipped the scales at 302 lbs [6’4”].  
   
I started the six month quest with 100% gusto on November 1, 2009; just as I was entering my favorite eating and drinking season of the year. A couple of days prior I had my first consultation with Dr. Fuhrman and he laid it on the line just like a coach would, and Eat to Live became the playbook.

How did you feel before committing to Eat to Live? 

I was tired all the time, and it was a struggle to perform even the simplest of tasks such as bending over to tie my shoes or climb a flight of stairs. However, even though I was obese, I didn’t look more than 50 lbs overweight and I lived a “normal” life. I could still fit in airplane seats and was never in want of a date; therefore, I ignored my extremely unhealthy body. I thought I ate relatively healthy and didn’t consider myself to be a junk food addict. For those rare times that I did look in the mirror and become shocked at my size, I would order a giant steak, creamed spinach, bottle of wine, and a few Scotches to make me happy again. 

I naively assumed that if I just cut back on food intake and exercised more that I could achieve my weight loss goal; however, Dr. Fuhrman quickly set me straight. I was surprised to learn that my steaks with creamed spinach and 12” subs were junk food; causing my cholesterol to be dangerously over 300! When Dr. Fuhrman stated, "We got you just in time," I knew it was not a hyperbole. My life was truly at risk. 

What's happened to your body so far?

By the eighth day of following Eat to Live, I had lost 12 lbs and within six weeks my cholesterol dropped an incredible 100 points! I’ve lost 41 lbs in the last 3½ months, and feel great and closer to “normal” again. My body is now conditioned to enjoy healthy food. I love this new way of eating! 

                 

 Are others noticing changes about you? 

Yes, someone recently commented, “I didn’t know you had a chin!” My girlfriend said that my skin looks healthier and more alive, and friends from years ago now see the same person they first met. However, the biggest change that others notice is my attitude. I was never without a drink and luscious spread of food, and now I’m surprising everyone. Many are encouraged and motivated because I’m the last person in the world they’d ever expect to see change eating and drinking habits. Now, the common response is, “If Terry can do it, I certainly can!”

Do you have any success tip(s) that you’d like to share with others in their journey to health?

• Yes, be selfish.  In my case, I love to write, and the prospect of documenting this journey through a blog seemed irresistible. I told everyone I met that I was going on this radical quest to lose 75 lbs., and that I would be writing about it daily. [It’s easy to set up a blog. If you tell everyone about it, and commit to writing about your journey, you are under pressure to stick with it!]

• Also I looked at the weight loss challenge as a sporting event. I’m competitive. I love to win. My ego was at stake because if I lost, I would not only be losing to myself, I would be losing to my doubters, and that got my competitive juices flowing!

Any final thoughts to share? 

• Just because you feel "fine" doesn’t mean your cholesterol is not life threatening.
• Just because you can still buy clothes “off the rack", or fit in an airplane seat, doesn’t mean you’re not dangerously obese.
• Just because people love you, doesn’t mean you should ignore poor health and not do something about it.

   

Almost daily I hear the words of Dr. Fuhrman echo in my head, "We got you just in time." 

Terry has 2 ½ months left of his six month quest to get his health back. I’ll check in with him on the victor’s platform in a few months! In the meantime, check out his blog.  [By the way, since eating out with clients is a big part of his career, he uses his blog to encourage others, like himself, who are committed to eating for health while living in a big city full of challenging temptations.]

Congratulations Terry ~ we are cheering for you! 

• Email This
• Print
• Comments (13)
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

• Do you enjoy eating a fresh mango or juicy slice of cantaloupe?
• Do you get excited over the taste of seasoned bok choy with roasted garlic and shiitake mushrooms simmered in carrot juice?
• Do you look forward to some steamed greens, zucchini, beets, and onions poured over a bowl of warm lentils, currants and sun dried tomatoes?
• Do you enjoy sweet peppers, red onions, sliced plantain, and shredded carrots in your salads?  Doesn’t a dressing made from blueberries, cashews and a little blueberry vinegar poured over sound good?

• When cherry tomatoes have ripened on the vine, do you pop the delicious  morsels into your mouth like you used to pop in junk food?  And, feel good that you enjoy the health giving sustenance from nature? 

If you don’t genuinely enjoy eating nutrient rich foods, it’s a telltale sign that you have not broken free from toxic food addiction.

If eating for health is a burden, but you force yourself to do it anyway to lose weight or survive; or because you know it’s better than the alternative of premature death, then you are still held captive to the standard American diet.  You are a food addict.  Most likely, when no one is around, or when the food is right there in your vicinity, you make excuses to yourself and eat toxic foods at almost every opportunity.

Many people have trouble breaking free.  For them they need a prolonged period of abstinence to conquer their perverted cravings for destructive food.  Like any drug addiction, in order to be free from food addiction and its all-consuming cravings, you have to abstain from the toxic American diet for a full 8 – 12 weeks, no matter what. 

If you do not strictly follow nutritarian eating for at least that amount of time, your taste buds will never adapt, and consequently you’ll never get to the point that you prefer eating natural, healthy food.   

You have to put in the time of abstinence up front to get the results.  If you’re always jumping back and forth due to toxic cravings, you won’t build the strength and sensitivity in the taste buds that make natural foods so delicious.

In other words, just do it!

You can’t live with one leg in nutritarian eating and one leg in standard American (self-destructive) eating.  It just won’t work, and you’ll miss the wonderful privilege of living in freedom from food addiction and enjoying optimal health.  Yes, there’s a seemingly sacrificial price to pay up front because cravings can be strong and withdrawal symptoms can be uncomfortable, but these disappear shortly and the results will pay you back a hundred fold for the rest of your life!  

• Email This
• Print
• Comments (23)
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

It’s time to check in with Stephanie as she continues the journey to get her health back. I’m also going to include an update on Carol, who committed to Dr. Fuhrman’s high nutrient eating-style this past July. Welcome back to Disease Proof ladies!

Stephanie hit a weight loss plateau, and is the first to admit that she was “testing her limits.” She learned a valuable lesson: one cannot mix nutrient dense foods and the standard American diet together and get results. She realized that old habits die hard, and that rationalizing poor food choices is unproductive to optimal health.  

Stephanie also realized that she LIKES feeling healthy and has been craving exercise for the first time in her life. She’s been feeling better about herself every month.

“My nursing classes started again in January, and for the first time as an adult, I’m able to fit into a [classroom] desk!  I've started wearing make-up because I’ve started caring about how I look again. I actually find pleasure in taking care of myself now.  This month I smiled at myself in the mirror ... SINCERELY ... I have never been able to look at myself without shame and disgust.”

Carol is thrilled to be down 88 lbs now since July. Her waist has decreased a total of eight inches so far, and she describes her size 20 pants as “roomy.” She can’t wait to get below 200 lbs next! 

Lately, she’s been noticing that her complexion is smoother from eating lots of high nutrient foods, and someone commented that she looks younger than her actual age. Her favorite smoothie is comprised of blueberries, strawberries, a banana, spinach and a teaspoon of cinnamon.  

Carol says she feels so GOOD, and is excited to be increasing in stamina each month. She’s even started using exercise equipment for workouts a couple times a week! 

Stephanie and Carol, we are cheering for both of you!

• Email This
• Print
• Comments (14)
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

On January 1^st, Laurie, a veteran member of the Member Center of DrFuhrman.com, crossed a milestone of being a nutritarian for five years. She’s still excited to be free from yo-yo dieting and Multiple Sclerosis flare-ups that plagued her life for years. Her enthusiasm for, and commitment to eating for health is evident to all as she inspires and encourages so many on the member center forums. Welcome to Disease Proof, Laurie! 

Tell us about yourself and the events that led up to getting your health back?

For years I was a yo-yo dieter. I would lose and regain the same weight over-and-over again; causing my physical and emotional health to suffer. I could never predict whether my clothes would fit or not.

At age 28 I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and life seemed still more precarious and confusing with the constant threat of a MS flare-up. Still, I didn’t look to healthy foods to help with the disease. Dieting for me was all about body size and appearance; plus, no doctor mentioned nutrition to me.

What’s happened to your body since you’ve committed to Dr. Fuhrman’s high nutrient diet-style?

I lost my excess weight in 2005, and I’ve stayed at 110 lbs (5’4”) ever since then. There will never be any more yo-yo dieting for me!

I’ve stabilized at this same weight for so long that I've forgotten what it feels like to be changing sizes all the time.  I feel like someone who has always been trim.  I'm so happy with the way I look and feel now.

My "good" cholesterol has increased from 40 to 52, total cholesterol has come down from above 150 to 130, my triglycerides fell from 152 to 47, and my blood pressure is now excellent.

I do have some permanent MS symptoms since I didn't start a healthy diet until my 40’s, but I no longer have flare-ups. I don’t experience the bizarre sensory symptoms (numbness and tingling) that I used to get on a regular basis.  I use an elliptical machine and do strength training on a consistent schedule, and no longer feel like a person with a disease.

My husband, who is also a committed nutritarian, told me during the darkest days of my worst MS flare-ups that he would be with me for the rest of our lives. Neither one of us knew at the time that we would become nutritarians together and lead such joyful lives. Truly, this lifestyle change has been the best thing we have ever done for ourselves, and we are immeasurably grateful to Dr. Fuhrman. He has given both of us the gift of good health.

Laurie, do you have any success tip(s) that you’d like to share with others?

I would recommend Dr. Fuhrman's Member Center to everyone. The recipes are scrumptious, and have enabled me to cheerfully leave behind pizza, ice cream, and other previously irresistible treats. The newsletters and teleconferences are essential, and the social interaction and support is priceless. We treasure the friends we have made on the Member Center of DrFuhrman.com and at Dr. Fuhrman's health getaway vacations.

 

Is there a final thought that you would like to share with anyone who is discouraged or has given up hope?

To anyone who is feeling hopeless I would say, "If I can do it, anyone can!" You cannot imagine how much I loved the taste of the foods that made me fat. It is astonishing how dramatically our tastes in food can change to enable us to truly enjoy eating for health.

Congratulations Laurie on such a great accomplishment! Your continual success is an inspiration to many.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments (26)
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Ronnie is an amazing example of the dramatic results that nutritarian eating can have on the body.  Not only did he lose over 140lbs in one year and get his precarious health restored, but is now completely off $600 a month of medications!  You will be astounded by his remarkable recovery. Welcome to Disease Proof, Ronnie.

Tell us about yourself and the events that led up to getting your health back?

In 2005 I had open heart bypass surgery, and two years later I had three stents put into an artery. Soon after being released from the second hospitalization, I was still experiencing chest pain.  I typed “reverse heart disease” into an on-line search engine and discovered the web site of Joel Fuhrman, M.D.

At that time I weighed over 300 lbs and couldn’t perform even the simplest of tasks without shortness of breath and chest pain. I was getting affairs in order for my impending death, including preparing my wife to take over our business.   

How did you feel before committing to nutritarian eating?

I was always hungry and I felt lethargic all the time. My brain seemed to be in a continual cloud of confusion, and every joint in my body ached.

What’s happened to your body and how do you feel now?

I committed to Dr. Fuhrman's high nutrient diet-style on July 10, 2008.  During the first seven months I lost 110 lbs.  By July 2009, I had arrived at my ideal weight; a total weight loss of 140 lbs! 

After a couple weeks of nutritarian eating I had renewed energy and hope. I gradually lost all aches and pains, and toxic hunger completely disappeared. Each morning I woke up with vitality for the day.

My chest pains have completely ceased. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, high triglycerides have all been reversed to a healthy range. With Dr. Fuhrman’s careful oversight through Ask the Doctor on the Member Center of DrFuhrman.com, I’ve been able to completely stop all medications. (Medications for blood pressure, high cholesterol, blood thinners and more.) As a result I’ve been able to save over $600.00 a month in out-of-pocket pharmaceutical expenses!    

Now I can:

•         do heavy weight strength training 4 x week
•         do interval cardio training
•         play tennis
•         ride a bike 

These are all activities I couldn’t even dream of doing two years ago! 

I’m no longer a patient that needs medications; I’m fit, healthy and well!

Ronnie, do you have any success tip(s) you’d like to share with others in their journey to health?

I highly recommend joining the Member Center of DrFuhrman.com. I couldn’t have done it without the lifesaving and valuable support from Dr. Fuhrman. He personally answered every question that I had along the way, and his continual guidance and oversight was always reassuring.

Also, don’t just read Dr. Fuhrman’s books, put them into practice!

Is there a final thought that you would like to share with anyone who is discouraged or has given up hope?

It’s always the darkest before the dawn. There is life in all of us if we will make the choice to live it! Nutritarian eating works! Don’t live your life always looking in the rearview mirror. Let the past be just that; the past. 

Our journey to optimal health is always in front of our eyes, and we sit at that intersection every new day. Go forward to freedom! Forget past failures and always keep your eyes on the prize of great health and vitality through excellent nutrition. 

I asked Ronnie’s wife, Peggy, if she had anything to add. She responded with the following note written directly to Dr. Fuhrman:

Dr. Fuhrman,

I want to add my note of appreciation to you for your hard work and devotion. I now have a new husband! 

Who can ever know how life can change? Over a year ago I was sure that Ronnie would not be with me much longer. Through his own doing, he was a prime candidate for a stroke or heart attack. Now, through his dedication and hard work, and the knowledge that you have given to him, he is not only (hopefully) going to live a long life, but he is living it to its fullest! His commitment to nutritarian eating is an inspiration to all of us.

None of this could have been possible without you.

Peggy 

                                *Ronnie weighed more, but 300 lbs was his scale's limit.

                                * He now wears a size smaller in pants (30) than he did in high school (31)!

                                *300mg of Avapro and 200mg of Toprol for high blood pressure

                                * 20 mg of Lipitor for high cholesterol

Congratulations Ronnie!

image credits: capturedimage.net

• Email This
• Print
• Comments (11)
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Stephanie began the journey to get her health back by following Dr. Fuhrman’s high nutrient diet-style on November 1, 2009. Now, two months later she is down twenty-seven pounds, has lost 6 inches off her waist, and is continuing to have more energy and stamina. If you are new to Disease Proof, click on the following links to read previous posts: Introducing Stephanie and Stephanie’s One Month Progress Update.

Stephanie, how do you feel now after two months of nutritarian eating?

I feel completely different as my energy and stamina are increasing everyday. I am also gaining confidence; therefore making it easier for me to be in public.

Have your cravings for eating between meals subsided?

YES!  Because I’ve learned to recognize true hunger, I know when I really need to eat and when I can hold off a while longer. Plus I’m now able to smell aromas that I've never smelled before!

How has the Member Center of DrFuhrman.com helped you?

The Member Center has been invaluable to me!  I make it a priority to be on the Member Center at least once a day to post my struggles and victories, and to encourage others.  I feel totally at ease there because I know the members are people who have experienced the same things I am going through. They have showered me with their friendship, encouragement, affirmation, and accountability; and given me hope for where I can end up! Plus, it’s been so encouraging to ask Dr. Fuhrman questions anytime, and he answers each one personally.  His straightforward answers have been so helpful to me. I appreciate his honesty and how he has helped me put my priorities in their right place. Hands down, I wouldn’t have made it through the past two months without the Member Center of DrFuhrman.com!

Have your children noticed a difference in you?

My 7-year-old said, “You look amazing! You are nicer and don’t yell as much.”

My 9-year-old said, “Your clothes are getting too big for you and things are fitting differently.” 

My 4-year-old said, “Your tummy isn’t as fat and your legs are getting ‘phinner.’ You are acting more better with us. I want to eat this way because it is ‘helffy!’”

My 7-year-old daughter, who is overweight, told me that she wants to copy everything that I do. All of my children are getting involved in planning meals, shopping and cooking with me. They are all super excited because we were given a gift to purchase a Vita Mix, and they can hardly contain themselves!

Do you have any success tip(s) that have helped you make it through the many temptations of the standard American diet; especially the last month of being inundated with holiday gatherings?

It has helped me to remember that much of the stuff I "think" I want to eat is really, really bad for me; and if I eat it, I’ll most likely end up back in the same place where I started. I NEVER want to be there again in my life.  I have also posted on the Member Center whenever I've had urges or cravings to eat unhealthy food (instead of eating it.) I’ve established this habit and it has been a tremendous tool to help me succeed.

Way to go Stephanie ~ keep up the great work! 

• Email This
• Print
• Comments (12)
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

This year is coming to a close in less than forty-eight hours.  For those of you who have been waiting for the infamous Times Square ball to drop to commit to getting your health back, the most exciting adventure of your life is about to begin! 

If you commit 100% to nutritarian eating as taught by Dr. Fuhrman in his books, newsletters, lectures, teleconferences, and articles, you will eventually live in freedom from toxic food addiction and get your health and life back.  Guaranteed. 

You must become a serious student and give it your all as if your very life depended on getting an ‘A’ in Overcoming Food Addiction; because without a doubt, it does!  (Note: 100% commitment does not mean that you will never stumble along the way.  However, it does mean that when slip-ups happen, you'll get up quickly, dust the dirt off, and keep running towards the goal of optimal health.) 

Excess weight will drop off, and medical stats will improve significantly as a by-product of replacing artificial and toxic substances with excellent nutrition.   

In 2010, don’t settle for anything less.

Go for it!  You can do it!

I wrote the following on July 9, 2008; the day before committing to nutritarian eating:

I feel sluggish most of the time with a cloud of malaise overshadowing my energy, even after a good night’s rest.  The bones and joints in my feet hurt.  My knees ache.  My feet, hands, and face are puffy. I’m bloated and my belly is extended.  I could pass for looking eight or nine months pregnant.  My lower back gets stiff and hurts after I sit for any length of time. I never have a break from this burden of obesity unless I lie down.  I carry it around day in and day out.  It is with me wherever I go.  The slow spiral into this dark abyss has arrived ever so slowly.  I am now bound and gagged in its prison cell.  Stuck.  It’s time to climb out and feel the sunshine on my face, and breathe fresh air again.  It’s time to live again. 

The following was written one year later; July 9, 2009:

Soon after a professional photo shoot (below) to document the one year anniversary of beginning my transformation, I celebrated by going on a bike ride.  Not using the best of caution, I zoomed down a hill on a gravel road.  My front tire lost control in the loose stones, and you can imagine what happened next. I ended up in another photo shoot, in a hospital radiation lab, lying flat on my back under an x-ray machine.  Although I was in excruciating pain and feeling miserable, I leapt with joy on the inside when I overheard the technician instruct his assistant to reposition my body because I was thin!  (Thankfully, I had no broken bones or serious injuries.)

"Thin." That’s spelled, "T-h-i-n." 

That four letter word was music to this woman's ears; the perfect ending to an adventuresome year of transformation!    

                     "What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?"    -Vincent  van Gogh

One year of nutritarian eating:

Let's hear from you.  Are you committing to nutritarian eating in 2010?  Dr. Fuhrman recommends making your intentions known to at least four people.  Here's a great place to start!

image credit:  digi-hound.com  

• Email This
• Print
• Comments (14)
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Are you stuck in the dieting rut that says, “I have to give up this or that; I can’t have this; I can’t have that?” or  “My New Year’s resolution will be to restrict calories to lose fifty pounds by summer.” 

If you are, you are one of millions held captive in the American dieting prison system.   

Nutritarin eating is about . . . . eating.

I can eat this. I can eat that.

It’s not about deprivation, because when the body gets the nutrients it so desperately needs, over time, the taste and desire for junk and unhealthy food choices naturally diminish.  Food preferences change and the body seeks out excellent nutrition instead.    

As we choose to eat foods that have high amounts of nutrients:  unlimited amounts of fresh vegetables and fruits, unlimited amounts of beans/ legumes, limited amounts of unsalted nuts, seeds and grains, a bit of fish and poultry (if desired); we no longer are controlled by unnatural cravings for junk. 

Just like the body doesn’t naturally crave nicotine unless it repeatedly smokes cigarettes; likewise, it doesn’t naturally desire artificial, processed food unless it is repeatedly fed the junk.  When you are healthy, you don’t want junk.

If you are overweight or obese, you got there by starving yourself from high nutrient, natural foods.  Most likely your body has been fed unhealthy, chemically sweetened and flavored processed foods.  Your body size is the by-product of being chronically deprived of excellent nutrition. 

You need a paradigm shift.  A permanently transformed body is the result of a changed mind.  Focus your thoughts on putting nutrient dense foods into your body.  Fill your nutritional needs. 

I challenge you this New Year to forget about the all-consuming drive to lose weight by deprivation (which, by the way, takes a lot of psychological effort to get psyched up for and is never permanent), and focus instead on putting lots of nutrient dense foods into your body.  Fill your nutritional needs and your body will naturally decrease its drive to overeat calories.  

Do you make the salad the main dish?; including lots of raw vegetables such as shredded cabbage, carrots, sweet peppers, tomatoes, and beets?  Are you using Dr. Fuhrman’s healthy salad dressing recipes?  Don’t forget the central core of nutritarianism is eating large raw salads; including greens such as lettuce, kale or spinach in a fruit smoothie once a day, if desired.  Without the salads, it's likely that you're not interpreting Dr. Fuhrman’s guidelines accurately.  

“By teaching you how to achieve superior health, your ideal weight will follow naturally.”  -Dr. Fuhrman

Let's dialogue.  Do you focus on deprivation, or do you focus on eating a sufficient amount of high nutrient vegetation to achieve optimal health?

Image credits:  corporatemonk.com; healnh.org; purpletrail.com

• Email This
• Print
• Comments (21)
• Trackbacks
• Share Link