Success Story with before and after pictures - FrozenVeg

[healthtrekker]

You rock!

[PamCinNV]

Frozenveg, I have to thank you for your story. There is so much information at this website that I did not know about the Maximum Weight Loss program until I read your testimony in an e-mail from Dr. McDougall. I have been eating a plant-based diet for six months and have lost 25 lbs, but had hit a plateau over the past two months and was getting frustrated because I still have twenty-five more to lose. So, after reading about you, I immediately ordered the MWL book and started making fabulous recipes. Anyway, the plateau is over as I have lost five pounds since Thursday and I have you to thank for that. You are an inspiration!

Pam

[donitatravis101]

You were very inspiring Frozenveg. You made us realized that nothing is impossible if we have great courage and self discipline. I am starting off to my diet and with your words I am much willing to take all the risks to be able to achieve healthy lifestyle.
Give us more updates and keep us inspire all the time.
Blessings!

[dfurbee]

Frozenveg, WOW is all I can say! You have inspired me to start and continue until I am much lighter! I too have tried the gamut of diets, only to gain the lost weight and much more back. My husband and son are avid 'animal' eaters I prefer not to eat animal products, and have recently stopped with the cheese (my weakness) and do not miss it. I will continue to use this board during my journey. Thanks so much for being in the right place at the right time

[frozenveg]

Frozenveg, WOW is all I can say! You have inspired me to start and continue until I am much lighter! I too have tried the gamut of diets, only to gain the lost weight and much more back. My husband and son are avid 'animal' eaters I prefer not to eat animal products, and have recently stopped with the cheese (my weakness) and do not miss it. I will continue to use this board during my journey. Thanks so much for being in the right place at the right time

Wow, thank you! I'm glad if I can be of help; that's why I told my story. I am still in disbelief that I've done it! I still look in the mirror and wonder who that is! You can do this and achieve not just lost weight, but amazing energy and health too. Running up the stairs at work is one of my new favorite things! Every time I remember that I'm 62, I am also surprised. Two years ago, I seriously felt like I was waiting around until I died. And since my dad and his mom both lived to be 90, I was afraid I had a long miserable 30 years ahead of me. Now I know that even if I don't live that long, I will at least have a lighter casket for those left behind to carry!

[flowerblue]

You look great! your story makes me work harder at me goals.

[tamcam]

Frozen Veg,

Thank you for sharing your story. Mine is similar. I lost quite a bit of weight on Weight Watchers. But I have since stopped counting points and have put 4 lbs back. I know its not a lot, but it creeps up and I want to lose those couple lbs before its 30! So I'm terrified to try this program without counting points or calories. And after reading your story I feel inspired and confident that this program will work. I am a runner, running half marathons and will run my first marathon in March. But although it is important to exercise, food is what changes my weight. I have been running for 19 years and my body is used to it. I turned forty over the summer and it seems to get harder the older I get!

I went vegan about 3 years ago, after first reading about Dr.M and then went on to read more and more books about veganism. So this diet fits right in with my lifestyle!

Thank you again for inspiring me. And by the way, you look FANTASTIC!

[frozenveg]

Thanks, Flowerblue and TamCam! Wow, Tamcam, you have certainly got the right attitude about keeping the weight off and exercising! I wish I had found this way of life when I was 40! (And thank you--blushing--I DO love how fantastic I look now...!!)

The way to get over the fear of not counting points and so on is to realize the principles of calorie density. Here's a link to where nutritionist Jeff Novick explains it:
viewtopic.php?t=6032

This is an excerpt:

These are averages

Fresh Veggies are around 100 cal/lb
Fresh Fruits around 250-300 cal/lb
Starchy Veggies/Intact Whole Grains around 450-500 cal/lb
Legumes around 550-600 cal/lb
Processed Grains (even if their Whole grain) around 1200-1500 cal/lb
Nuts/Seeds around 2800 cal/lb
Oils around 4000 cal/lb

What they found is if the calorie density of the food is below 400 calories per pound, not matter how much they eat, they all lost weight.

Between 600-800 calories per pound, with some moderate exercise, they all lost weight.

Between 800-1200 calories per pound, people gained weight, except for those with very high activity levels

Over 1200 calories per pound, everyone gained weight.

It took me a while to make sense of that, but here it is. He is talking about the fact that, in general, individuals eat the same weight of food per day, even if it's very different food from day to day. So let's say that I eat about 3 1/2 pounds of food a day, and that makes me satisfied. 3 1/2 pounds of just fresh veggies would give me about 350 calories--not enough to live on! And 3 1/2 pounds of whole-grain bready things would give me 5,250 calories, guaranteeing that I will get tubby again in no time! So if we eat the recommended things--intact whole grain (brown rice), starchy vegetables (potatoes, corn, carrots), legumes, veggie and fruits--we can consume our usual, satisfying weight of food, and are very unlikely to consume more calories than our body can deal with. No measuring. No points. No particular tracking. It is very liberating!!

I do watch closely when it comes to the bread things (ooh, that 1500 calories a pound!), which I love, but I am so free with the brown rice and potatoes and veggies, because I know I will be full long before I'm in trouble!

[tamcam]

Frozen veg,

I just looked that link up. Thank you! It is great info. And makes sense! I really want to get away from being a prisoner of constantly counting and worrying about what I eat! I love that if you just eat healthy fruits, veg and grains you can still enjoy yourself and not feel deprived!Being vegan still means watching what I eat, especially because there are so many yummy treats out there!

Tamcam

[israelIma]

Just read your success story. I am inspired! While my weight has not gone as high as yours was, we share many things. Until I started the McDougall plan (again) almost two months ago, I could barely walk because of severe arthritis. Today my legs have almost no pain. I read all of the books you mention, was the same kind of vegetarian you were throughout most of my life, and am the same age you are.

Because you mention the maximum weight loss program, I am going to check it out. I have not lost much weight in two months on the program, so I believe I need to do something more.

Thank you for the inspiration!

[israelIma]

Just read your success story. I am inspired! While my weight has not gone as high as yours was, we share many things. Until I started the McDougall plan (again) almost two months ago, I could barely walk because of severe arthritis. Today my legs have almost no pain. I read all of the books you mention, was the same kind of vegetarian you were throughout most of my life, and am the same age you are.

Because you mention the maximum weight loss program, I am going to check it out. I have not lost much weight in two months on the program, so I believe I need to do something more.

Thank you for the inspiration!

[frozenveg]

Just read your success story. I am inspired! While my weight has not gone as high as yours was, we share many things. Until I started the McDougall plan (again) almost two months ago, I could barely walk because of severe arthritis. Today my legs have almost no pain. I read all of the books you mention, was the same kind of vegetarian you were throughout most of my life, and am the same age you are.

Because you mention the maximum weight loss program, I am going to check it out. I have not lost much weight in two months on the program, so I believe I need to do something more.

Thank you for the inspiration!

IsrealIma, I think you can achieve a lot with the Maximum Weight Loss program! I know I gravitated towards it when i read the principles, because I knew instintively that I could really overdo it and stuff myself with whole grain breads, making creamy sauces with tofu, and so on. I had tried for so long to lose weight and the MWL held the key for me. I try to stick to it as much as possible now, as well. Even when I have a bit of a treat for the holidays, it is with a single slice of whole-grain bread or a dab of creamy sacue, and hten it's right back to MWL once again, next meal. I'm so aware of how I feel now and how the food makes me feel. It's amazing!