Why would anyone consider a vegan diet?
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| Me and my beautiful family 2016. |
Well, I can't speak for everyone, but I can tell you why I chose a plant-based diet...I was fat. Not the fattest I'd ever been; a series of diet programs and varied exercise regimens kept me on that roller coaster that we've all become so familiar with.
I'd been as big as 171lbs at one time -- and believe me, on a 5' 0" frame that is a TON of weight! -- and as small as 142lbs during one brutal go-round with LA Weight Loss. But I never came near my goal weight of 120lbs - not even close!
Worse than that, I was exhibiting symptoms of pre-diabetes, such as:
1. Unusual thirst
2. Excessive urination
3. Intense hunger
4. Obesity especially abdominal obesity
5. Blurred vision
6. Fatigue
7. Recurring infections or very slow healing of wounds.
Staying fit and trim used to be so easy for me! What had happened?? Well, whatever it was, it had "happened" to my husband and my daughter as well, so I went searching for answers. What I found, was a soft-spoken, non-judgmental doctor by the name of Neal Barnard who took the time to explain in plain language how our bodies respond to certain foods - and what we could do to change that.
Click here to watch one of Dr. Barnard's videos on the addictive properties of certain foods.
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| Jim and I in 2010 |
It was exciting, but scary - much scarier than I care to admit! Could I? Dare I? Me - the provider of all-that-is-good-and-edible in our household - steer this family towards (gulp) VEGANISM?? I thought I had better get Dr. Barnard's book first and read just a bit more... so I did.
After reading Dr. Neal Barnard's Program for Reversing Diabetes, I knew in my heart that THIS was what I had been waiting for. This man was telling me in no uncertain terms that I had the power to cure myself and my family. To give back that youthful vigor that my husband and I used to share, to give my adult daughter the tools for a long and healthy life -- ME -- I could do that! But first I had to break it to them...
They were actually pretty calm about the whole thing - oh sure, there was some bargaining and more than a bit of trepidation on their part, but I think we were all at the same point in our lives - tired of being fat, and tired of being tired.
In the first 30 days of our new diet (small D because it's a lifestyle change, not some fad Diet), Jim lost 20lbs and Meaghan lost 10, I also lost 10lbs. We didn't starve, we didn't work out like mad dogs. We ate like crazy! Pasta, Bread, Refried Beans, Rice, and fresh or frozen veggies and fruit at the center of each meal and snack. It was delicious and it was EASY!
I hope you'll give it a try. In a mere 3 weeks you and your family will notice such amazing changes in their weight, stamina, skin tone and overall mood that you'll wonder why it took you so long to discover this diet!
You CAN do this.