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"Eat to Live" - Starting today and have some questions.


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I am looking around for the dressings he lists in the book. Were you able to find them in the store or did you substitute some others found in your area?

 

How were you able to incorporate this into your family's meal plan? My four dc's don't need to lose and are extremely active. I am thinking of less snacks and more fruits, vegetables and nuts for snacks. Not sure about meal planning though.

 

Also, how did you consume your bean allotment? Did you cook up a bunch, freeze some, use garbanzos in the salad, etc.?

 

I would appreciate some guidance/support from anyone else eating this way. I need to lose about 50 pounds, but my ultimate goal is to become healthy again.

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There are others around here that have more expertise than I, but I'll tell you what's worked for me.

 

I am looking around for the dressings he lists in the book. Were you able to find them in the store or did you substitute some others found in your area?

 

I haven't been able to find any store bought dressings that work for me with this diet. I asked about fat free dressings on this board a little while ago and was given these suggestions that have helped: squeezed lemon or lime, salsa, and a little bit of avocado mixed with salsa.

 

How were you able to incorporate this into your family's meal plan? My four dc's don't need to lose and are extremely active. I am thinking of less snacks and more fruits, vegetables and nuts for snacks. Not sure about meal planning though.

 

My dc don't need to lose (really probably couldn't even afford to lose) and it would be laughable to think I could try to put everyone in this house on this diet. I mean we have a dairy cow, raise beef and lamb, and hunt. There would be a revolt, lol! So, here's what I do for meals. I make a huge salad and a huge side of vegetables along with our main dish and a starch like pasta or potatoes. I then skip the main dish and starch, filling my plate with the side vegetable and the salad with some beans thrown on top.

 

Also, I often serve beans as the main dish. My family is used to them and likes them. Dh and dc eat them over white rice (I haven't been able to get them to eat much brown rice) and I eat them plain.

 

Also, how did you consume your bean allotment? Did you cook up a bunch, freeze some, use garbanzos in the salad, etc.?

I cook up a lot of beans. My family consumes them before I have a chance to freeze them. :) Check out www.fatfreevegan.com for some good recipes. The Border Beans on that site are a staple around here. I also keep a lot of canned beans on hand.

 

I would appreciate some guidance/support from anyone else eating this way. I need to lose about 50 pounds, but my ultimate goal is to become healthy again.

You'll lose fast on this diet and you'll feel so much better (not at first, but after a week or so you will feel tons better). Just make sure you go easy on the nuts, seeds, and avocadoes for awhile. When I go on this diet I lose fast and even when I go off it the pounds don't come back. I think following it strictly at times has helped me develop new recipes and habits that stay with me even when I'm not following it strictly.

 

Best wishes in your endeavors!

Edited by Luann in ID
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I do a lot of what Luanne does. My family wouldn't eat this way for very long! But, what I've found is that if I make a huge salad or cut up veggies, they'll eat it! So, it's making them eat better.

 

Breakfasts - I still make eggs and oatmeal for the kids. I eat just the oatmeal with a little soy milk and flax seeds on top. I usually eat 2 - 3 servings of fruit with breakfast as well. Sometimes as a shake, sometimes just cut up.

 

For my lunches, I just make up a huge salad and throw on some nuts. If I'm cooking a veggie for the kids for lunch, I'll have some of those too. But, usually around here lunch is leftovers from the night before. So, the kids eat that.

 

Dinners - I do what Luanne does. I make our normal dinners for the family. I throw together a huge salad for me and throw on some beans. I'll eat the cooked veggies that I make for the family and skip our main dish usually. Some nights, however, I make something I can eat as a main dish - last night was a veggies soup. I cut up chicken for the kids to throw in theirs if they wanted. Most chose the chick peas instead! Or, I'll make a huge thing of lentils. Everyone in the family eats those!

 

I've found the beans the hardest to get in. So, I've been buying vegan bean soups from Trader Joes and eating those 3x/week for lunch or dinner. I do have a bunch of beans I cooked up in the freezer, so it's easy just to take a handful for my salad, or make a batch of humus.

 

Salad dressings - I found a vinegar from Trader Joe's - Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar - that isn't too sour on a salad. It's absolutely wonderful and refreshing as a dressing! I also use some of the fat free, sugar free prepared dressings from Trader Joe's for variety.

 

I've been eating this way for nearly two weeks. I am no longer hungry between meals. My meals are HUGE. I've lost 7 pounds (and I only have 10 to lose and I'm at my heavy time of month) and nearly 4 inches (and a size!). I cannot believe these results!! This morning, for the first time, I looked in the mirror before my shower and could SEE a difference in my body. I nearly cried! I've been trying for 1 1/2 years to get these last few pounds off and nothing was working!!!

 

I feel SO good. (Last week, I had a persistant headache for a few days - not sure what that was about!) Keep us updated on your progress!!!

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A couple more things I thought of.

 

I really disliked all the recipes I tried in his book and I'm not that picky. I heard the same from others, too. I really think www.fatfreevegan.com is a better bet for good recipes. It was helpful for me to find that out because if I had stuck to his recipes, I would have lost heart and given up.

 

Another thing--My teeth are really sensitive and my jaw gets tight. I cannot take the amount of chewing it would require to get all those greens in salad form. So, I make a lot of green smoothies (whole peeled orange, frozen banana, and kale or spinach with a little water).

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Thanks for the suggestions. I needed a run to Trader Joe's anyway so I will definitely get the things you suggested. I can see how you incorporate this into the family meal now without much added work. Thanks so much for the suggestions and I am really excited about changing my whole way of eating. I just desire to feel more energetic and be healthier. I can't wait!!

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I've found the beans the hardest to get in. So, I've been buying vegan bean soups from Trader Joes and eating those 3x/week for lunch or dinner. I do have a bunch of beans I cooked up in the freezer, so it's easy just to take a handful for my salad, or make a batch of humus.

 

 

Try making a very basic veggie soup and mixing them in. Black beans mixed with salsa and a handful of frozen corn is a good quick snack (I like Paul Newman's Pineapple salsa for this.) Also spicy vegan bean dishes are a great cure for the common bean. I've started craving beans. Strange! Yesterday I even started daydreaming about snow peas....

 

Salad dressings are a challenge. I have been allowing a few extra calories there. Did anyone else notice one of his salad dressing recipes is actually just raw applesauce? :001_huh:

 

Today I tossed a handful of raspberries in with 2 sections of orange (I ate the rest of it too) and one TBS of Ken's Steakhouse Lite Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette just to stretch it a little. It was good! I'm not a culinary genius, but I have a food processor and a little nerve. :D I'm determined to not get bored on this diet. It's too important.

 

I'm finding GREAT bean dishes in a cookbook called Vegan Planet. You can modify easily enough to use less olive oil (or steam rather than saute).

 

I should have taken measurements but didn't. I've lost just 6 lbs (Today is my tenth day.) and I am eating SO much. It takes me an hour to eat lunch! :tongue_smilie: I may add an extra meal when school starts to lessen the impact on our day if needed. (I'll eat my bean dish and fruit when the kids take a break for a snack.)

 

I did have a bit of a time last weekend though. No headaches, cravings etc but I felt just soooo emotional. Just on the verge of tears/not able to sleep horrid. I was detoxing maybe? I felt like a million bucks as soon as it was over. I love this diet!

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