EAT TO LIVE - any followers

dyannajoy

Hello, I have been away from here for some time now. And while I have not gained weight, I have not lost either. Still trying to figure out what is right FOR ME. My husband bought Joel Furhmans Eat To Live books about a year and a half ago after hearing him on tv. He has been trying ever since to get me to try it with him. I FINALLY said yes. So this is day 4 now. And I would love to hear from others who have are eating this way and especially those of you successful with it. Thanks!

DreaMuffin

i LOVE Dr Joel Fuhrman. His appearance on Dr Oz(not a fan of Dr Oz btw lol) is what got me started on this journey. In a year I've lost 91 lbs. I've had my ups and downs for sure, and I don't follow his diet to the "T" but I definitely do my best to make sure that veggies are 80% of my diet.

My first few days were really difficult. The want for bread and refined over processed foods eventually went away. I'm very much in control of my cravings now which was not something I could say last year. I'm on MFP now as I still have a ways to go to achieve my ideal weight goal, but he was definitely the factor that catapulted me to this point.

Good luck with it!!! and please feel free to add me!

healthysince2013

I am about on day four too! So far I am loving it!

mistiaudam

I finished my first week on Monday. Lost 10.4 pounds and 6.5", but this week I haven't lost anything yet. I know it was water weight, but I want to see those results. I admit I won't be following the plan to the fullest next week cause we will be on vacation. I have to say, I'm looking forward to all of the good food I've been missing. In moderation of course! Any ideas on week 2 help?

Lisaget2awesome

I tried it and it was ok, but I started to get muscle cramps because I believe my body was not getting enough of what it needed. It was a lot of food to eat and I ate as much as I could. I tried it twice and had the same result. So I am not doing it anymore. I do try my best to get a lot of fruit and veggies in.

jennhls

I am almost at my year mark. I didn't have a lot to lose but nothing seemed to be working even though I was exercising regularly. I gave the ETL diet a try because I saw it on dr oz. I was really sceptical but the book won me over. I have not regretted a moment of my decision. I was able to lose 20 pounds quite easily. I followed the diet strictly for several months. Now that I have hit my goal weight I take days off here and there and most days I don't follow it perfectly. But the weight stays off. I am a marathon runner and this diet gives me plenty of energy. I watch my calories on here to make sure I am eating enough and I don't seem to have problems. This diet has helped me conquer my food addictions and I owe a lot to it.

iarelarry

I don't always live to eat, but when i do i make sure to:

iwannabe140

OMG larelarry, that doughnut or bagel concoction looks disgusting. What is that?!?!?

I've been doing ETL for a week (with a couple of minor cheats -- feta on my salad once or twice). Maybe that is something that would have looked good to me a week ago? Feeling great. I'm doing it primarily to clean up my diet, get rid of the addictions, be healthy, but loving the weight loss results. Down 7.5 pounds and it's day 6 today.

auntieloop

I just started it this week. I have not been 100%, but still very close. Unfortunately, I have been steadily gaining. I'm not sure why other than eating too many nuts? I haven't been tracking my calories or following the menus laid out in the book. What I have been doing is mixing and matching the meals based upon what I have in the house after spending almost $200 to stock up on fresh fruits and vegetables at Costco, Trader Joe's and my supermarket. We have already gone through a lot of the produce we bought. I had a lot of soup from day one and have had that the past few nights for dinner and the pita for lunch. I love the smoothies and so does my son, who is following a modified version. My son has lost 3 pounds so far and has not suffered any energy loss.

Has anyone bought a membership on his website? Bought the cooking DVD?

SpazzyMal

There's an ETL group on here to join.

I'm not specifically ETL myself, but I do have the book. I had too hard a time eating enough veggies when I tried it out. It's possible I just tried it at the wrong time and wasn't ready for it and I may try it again later — if what I'm currently doing instead ever stops working for me. Right now I'm doing Dr. McDougall's "Starch Solution" diet and I love it so far.

I consider all whole foods, plant-based, low fat type diets (such as those touted by Fuhrman, McDougall, Esselstyn, Campbell, Ornish, etc) to be different flavors of the same basic theme, just tweaked a little differently for different tastes, and I'm a huge fan of starches so Starch Solution seems to be easiest for me out of the variants I've tried so far. All the same — I consider us diet brethren!

I've been steadily losing about half a pound a day since I just started my diet. It will probably taper off in a bit, but I am so full and satisfied so I am exceptionally happy right now. It feels like it's finally "just clicked".

I'd love more friends who are following similar diets, if you (or anyone else similar) is wanting a new friend. =D

susanswan

I don't always live to eat, but when i do i make sure to:

I think a couple of years ago I'd have pulled up a chair, but after 2 years of ETL 80 ish% following sometimes more and now maybe less, I can NOT eat greasy food like that! It isn't that I'm too "good" for that, it is that all I taste is grease and salt! I don't like it anymore! Even oil and vinegar salad dressing is too much sometimes! Unfortunately sugar is still awfully attractive to me. I have a ways to go. Animal products make me feel tired, sluggish, give me joint pain, and my eyes are very dried up in the morning when I wake up. Not to mention my face and hands are swollen and I feel like crap! My body wants em to eat to live! Thank you body! = D I'm so happy I was given the ability to be able to change and recognize it as a good thing for my over all health!

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BellehavenfarmDawn

I have been on ETL since March and love it! I was a junk food veg and now I am a Greenie! I stumble daily and I learn from each and every one! I love Dr. Fs site and have found a number of discussions in the Forums that really keep me motivated! Like The Healing Garden...we support each other unconditionally. One woman has lost 120 lbs! With 20 more to go.

I also frequent fatfreevegan.com for excellent pro ETL recipes. And the Yahoo Group ETL is especially helpful with food and recipe questions.

If I feel at all weak, I watch anyone of a number of vegan documentaries on Netflix to boost me back up! I want to eat well but I also do not want to harm animals for food.

Real Life Saving Successes:
I am down 2 sizes, with that nasty mid section shrinking daily
I halved my BP med
I dropped pain meds for arthritis
I dropped Nexium for GERD
I never have stomach aches after eating...previously this was common
I left behind cravings for diet soda, bread, processed food, oily stuff, salty stuff. I took on a challenge a week from December to March.
I attended a picnic at my uncles last week and NONE of the crappy food called to me! YEAH! I ate my healthy greens and veg burger!
My complexion has really changed for the better and the puffiness under my eyes has disappeared.
BTW, I am 61, ride my horse every day, hike with my dog. In 2000 I had what I now know was a preventable heart attack. I was 48. Because of the scar tissue, I probably will need an implanted defibrillator in case I have tachycardia.

I hope my experience will encourage you to study all the mentioned books and documentaries, drop your trigger foods and get on with life! For me, Dr. F's background and nutritional expertise is 100% reliable. Finally I have a clear path forward. His Eat for Health lays out three plans to get you closer to Eat For Life. I am never "perfect" but I am always improving.

With much love,
Dawn

BellehavenfarmDawn

Other active groups on MFP that are of interest:

Happy Herbivores
Eat To Live
Forks Over Knives
Susan Swans Blog is really good too. any blogs by ETL folks would make an interesting read. I follow several journals on Dr. F's Forums.

They all have excellent resource sections. Education is critical.

In the interest of NOT triggering anyone's trigger foods, I would encourage you to post photos of healthy food.
Just to be thoughtful to others. In March that donut photo would have definitely got me thinking about bingeing. Now I find it repulsive, like a platter of pig slop!

Dawn

BellehavenfarmDawn

I just started it this week. I have not been 100%, but still very close. Unfortunately, I have been steadily gaining. I'm not sure why other than eating too many nuts? I haven't been tracking my calories or following the menus laid out in the book. What I have been doing is mixing and matching the meals based upon what I have in the house after spending almost $200 to stock up on fresh fruits and vegetables at Costco, Trader Joe's and my supermarket. We have already gone through a lot of the produce we bought. I had a lot of soup from day one and have had that the past few nights for dinner and the pita for lunch. I love the smoothies and so does my son, who is following a modified version. My son has lost 3 pounds so far and has not suffered any energy loss.

Has anyone bought a membership on his website? Bought the cooking DVD?

I have a membership that gives me access to the teleconferences, but not ask the doctor. I am purchasing the 10 DVD set for Immersion for $99 as it was recommended by a number of online friends. I just flood myself with the info daily!

so happy you are turning your son on to good eating. My grown kids were raised healthy vegetarians and now they are healthy vegans as it my grand daughter! No one has trigger foods, cravings or food addictions! it stopped with me.

I,did read one Heads Up from Chef AJ who tried to eat everything she put in her morning smoothie.,She couldn't eat it all. that was why her calories were high. Once corrected ... eliminating the smoothie....she lost her final 30 lbs. I only have a Brazil nut (selenium) and a couple walnuts (Omega 3) for nuts, but always add a T of seeds to salad or anything raw to assure I,get all the nutrients.

I keep starches to 0-1 servings because I find them to be trigger foods for me. McDonagal would send me to the moon!

With summer I enjoy large mixed green salads with some additional veg and a homemade dressing or watered down hummus for ALL meals! If you had showed me a video of this in March, I would have said that just won't happen! the focus on greens seems to diminish cravings and retrain my taste buds. Perhaps because it is so much Fiber? I really try to chew chew chew!

I,routinely spend $50-70 per week at the local organic farm where I try to get most of my produce. Then Trader Joes, then Whole Foods as my last resort store! Rancho Gordo sends me heirloom beans every three months now that I have a pressure cooker.....that I LUV second only to my Vita Mix!

I keep avocados to a minimum too, like one quarter is a serving. although we don't count calories, you may just want to check,them here on MFP. Maybe that will give you some insight?

Dawn

auntieloop

Is anyone concerned with the high amount of carbs and fat on this diet? I thought this was supposed to be low-fat, but with all the nuts and nut butters added to the recipes, I find that my fat count is higher than normal. Of course, I'm not eating all the processed fat-free junk. Did anyone have any problems with initial weight gain? I'm still trying to figure this out. I can't afford to follow it as laid out in the suggested menus. I'm thinking about trying the website. Anyone have any luck with that?

auntieloop

Thanks for the advice. I didn't see this before my last post. I need to change my settings so newest posts are first.

Kevertje

I have just started a few days ago, I'm now on day 4. I tried it before, but fell off the wagon. Now I'm really sick of my migraines and sugar & fat binges, so I'm hoping ETL can help with that. So far so good: the meals are really filling and most of the time I'm full for hours and don't have any cravings. The first few days I was really tired in the afternoons, but today I had more energy. I do seem to have a hard time -when I track the calories- to get to the amount of calories MFP says I should eat. Does anyone recognize that?

lovesretirement

Sav