Forums: September 2011 Kickstart Forum: [Sticky] Send us your Success Stories!
Created on: 09/07/11 12:09 PM Views: 6904 Replies: 34
veggiemama Joined: 09/05/11 Posts: 7	RE: Send us your Success Stories! Posted Friday, September 23, 2011 at 12:17 PM My husband and I started eating a plant-based diet roughly a month ago, about a week before this kickstart actually started. I think I've had pretty impressive results: 15 pound weight loss, better energy and focus, cooking again regularly and feeling challenged to find and create new (to us) and interesting meals. But I am really posting to share my husband's success. We have tried plans of "moderation" in the past, to try to eat healthier and lose weight. He has really not been able to keep it up without any "slips" for more than a week or two, and those "slips" have usually quickly led to falling back into old habits. This new way of eating for us seems to be working. He says he doesn't really even feel tempted. And I have to imagine some of that is attributable to the changes he's seeing. He's lost an AMAZING 30 pounds since we started this. I didn't even think something like that was possible! He's the lightest he's been since I met him 13 years ago when we were in college. He's down to 195 and says he hasn't weighed under 200 since high school. And he feels great, too! And neither of us has been hungry.
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marge Joined: 09/08/10 Location: Seattle Posts: 211	RE: Send us your Success Stories! Posted Friday, September 23, 2011 at 3:01 PM @veggiemama good for both of you!!!!
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idealady Joined: 01/04/11 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 27	RE: Send us your Success Stories! Posted Sunday, September 25, 2011 at 1:26 AM This is my third or fourth challenge, and each time, I find I can keep a vegan diet a little longer, though still not for 21 days. I have a severe tree nut allergy (anaphylaxis) so I cannot rely on almond, cashew, walnut, pecan, etc. for more variety in protein. For eight days, I cooked and ate vegan, and enjoyed what I was eating. However, I need more variety for protein and have been married to an omnivore for almost 40 years now. Eating different meals was hard. For the rest of the challenge, I was able to eat vegan for breakfast and lunch every day, but reverted to omnivore pattern (though with more vegetables and fruits) for dinnertimes. I discovered several terrific recipes from nutritionMD.org too, and I will definitely use them throughout the year. Thank you for this opportunity, and I will definitely join you again in the future for kickstarts. The health benefits of a more heavily plant-based diet are worth the additional effort. Irene in Greater Boston
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lbhall Joined: 09/25/11 Posts: 1	RE: Send us your Success Stories! Posted Sunday, September 25, 2011 at 6:58 PM Our family did it! I was worried that it would be hard, that the recipes would not be tasty or filling, or that my kids would put up too much fuss. But we succeeded. My husband and I were vegan for 21 days! One of my teens was mostly vegan and occasionally ate vegetarian - and she is a big meat fan (or was). Our son (16) loved the food, but says he will eat more meat now. I think it was a great experience for the whole family. My husband and I plan to continue. There was only 1 recipe that we did not care for (the corn muffin), everything else was awesome. I surely hope the celebrity tips and resources will be available to us.
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anszy Joined: 09/26/11 Posts: 4	RE: Send us your Success Stories! Posted Monday, September 26, 2011 at 11:23 PM So, I've not been perfect. But, I do have more energy, and my doctor took me off bp medication I'd been on for 7 years (very low dose). Hubby also likes having all the veggies in the house. I plan to continue eating/cooking this way.
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anszy Joined: 09/26/11 Posts: 4	RE: Send us your Success Stories! Posted Monday, September 26, 2011 at 11:23 PM oops
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anszy Joined: 09/26/11 Posts: 4	RE: Send us your Success Stories! Posted Monday, September 26, 2011 at 11:23 PM oops
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anszy Joined: 09/26/11 Posts: 4	RE: Send us your Success Stories! Posted Monday, September 26, 2011 at 11:23 PM oops
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babybarber Joined: 09/27/11 Posts: 1	RE: Send us your Success Stories! Posted Tuesday, September 27, 2011 at 11:19 AM First of all, I would like to thank you for this program. After years of gaining weight due to many issues (having four children, overeating, stress and my own fault), I am getting back on track. In twelve years, I gained an astounding 75 lbs. I used to eat very healthy, used to exercise and used to be a size 4. I've tried over the years to diet but nothing seemed to stick (except the food). Finally, I just came to the realization that permanent results come from permanent changes - no "diet" is going to work. The food that I was eating was absolute junk and I could not go on the way that I was. It wasn't fair to me, it wasn't fair to my family. During this 21 day program, I lost 30 lbs. I am off to a great start, I love the food that I am eating and can't imagine going back to how I ate before. I have more energy, more self confidence, and just plain feel great! I never realized how absolutely delicious almond milk is. I also bought a juicer and have gotten not only my kids on board to eating healthier, but my husband as well (and this guy is the kind that would eat steak on a stick, wrapped in bacon, smothered in sauce). He also has been meat free for over three weeks now and has dropped 15 lbs. We are slowly making the switch with our children and they are having fun making veggie juices. This program has been phenomenal and inspirational! (Add to the fact that the pants that I am wearing are loose - these pants I could not even pull up in August!) TYTYTY!!
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marge Joined: 09/08/10 Location: Seattle Posts: 211	RE: Send us your Success Stories! Posted Tuesday, September 27, 2011 at 11:35 AM @babybarber yeah!!!!
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C2C Joined: 09/29/11 Posts: 1	RE: Send us your Success Stories! Posted Thursday, September 29, 2011 at 3:50 PM Just got blood test results taken on day 15 of the diet and my cholesterol has dropped by over 50 points!
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marge Joined: 09/08/10 Location: Seattle Posts: 211	RE: Send us your Success Stories! Posted Friday, September 30, 2011 at 10:55 AM @C2C bravo!!!!
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colbyfromage Joined: 10/02/11 Posts: 1	RE: Send us your Success Stories! Posted Sunday, October 2, 2011 at 2:48 PM I didn't find this kickstart until just a week ago, but after watching Forks over Knives we were ready to go vegan... or at least try it. I have a family of six and all of my children as well as my husband are going for it. There was some moaning at first, but we're pretty sold. We feel better, we're thinner, and it feels like the right thing to do. One thing of note that has been exceptionally unexpected... one of my daughters who is 11 has been very difficult to live with for about 3 years. We had begun to suspect she might need to be medicated for bipolar mood swings, and her focus at school was terrible, despite all of our constant efforts to help her. After one week of vegan diet, suddenly the sweet, sunshiney little girl I had known for her first 8 years of life was back. Not a single tantrum, she's happy almost all the time, and her grades in school went from Cs and Ds to As. Obviously she has a food allergy, or the standard western diet is just horrible. Or maybe both. I think we're sold on veganism, though. My husband and I plan on staying this way, and likely our children will too.
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kiwi Joined: 01/03/11 Location: New Zealand Posts: 405	RE: Send us your Success Stories! Posted Monday, October 3, 2011 at 2:45 AM colbyfromage wrote: One thing of note that has been exceptionally unexpected... one of my daughters who is 11 has been very difficult to live with for about 3 years. We had begun to suspect she might need to be medicated for bipolar mood swings, and her focus at school was terrible, despite all of our constant efforts to help her. After one week of vegan diet, suddenly the sweet, sunshiney little girl I had known for her first 8 years of life was back. Not a single tantrum, she's happy almost all the time, and her grades in school went from Cs and Ds to As. Obviously she has a food allergy, or the standard western diet is just horrible. Or maybe both. I think we're sold on veganism, though. My husband and I plan on staying this way, and likely our children will too. I would agree that your daughter definately was reacting to something she was eating but it may not have been food as I define it but something in the processing of food. I am so pleased you found out before medicating her. If you look around (probably google) there is evidence about food colorings and changes in childrens behavior. I have also watched a TV show about a school that took away all processed foods so what food was available was chemical / food coloring free. They have seen marked improvement in the childrens behavior overall as well as their improved learning. It makes me wonder how many children have been diagnosed wrongly and are being medicated that only needed a change in diet. Not the parents fault as they go by the advice of health professionals - most who dont look at diet as a cause of behaviour problems. Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food - Hippocrates.
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kiwi Joined: 01/03/11 Location: New Zealand Posts: 405	RE: Send us your Success Stories! Posted Monday, October 3, 2011 at 3:12 AM To all who have posted here - A BIG congratulations. Your stories are inspiring. Whether you choose to continue as vegan or not, I believe you will all continue to eat healthier and be healthier. We have all learned in our journey that we have to do this for ourselves as no one can do this for us. There are no magic pills and potions or magic 'diets'. Sometimes motivation can lag or we may start to forget why we are doing this. At those times, it is stories like these that help me. Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food - Hippocrates.
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