I know this is a testimonie and success story board, and mine is a round about one. I'm back to low fat vegan starch based diet. I've been vegan for a long time now - ethical reasons inspired me and health benefits pushed me to continue. I've always been extremly healthy with the exception of extra weight.
I found McDougall several years ago and followed it well and lost some weight. I started learning more about health and theories in general and I was excited by all of it - Raw, macrobiotic (vegan style), juicing, and just about every vegan diet inbetween.
I have to say I've tried lots of things, I have a deep love for green juice now and I enjoy making some raw things too, but at the end of the day I haven't lost any weight that has stayed off like I did when I was eating this way.
What I think is even cooler though, is that with everything I've dabbled in, including what is vegan on the Taco Bell menu I didn't ever gain any of my lost McDougall weight back. I don't know what that means exactly but I thought it was cool.
I'm not in school becomming a health coach. I chose a school that isn't just vegan because it was a good online school, but I definately want to finish up and get my Plant Based Nutrition Certificate at Cornell to compliment the education I'm getting now. The school I'm with now (IIN) talks a lot about bio-individuality and how we all have different needs which I understand to a point, for example wheat makes me really gassy so I tend to avoid it, but when they have speakers from Adkins and Weston A Price I have a hard time listening.
I also have a coworker that has lost well over 100 pounds eating this way and he is inspiring me to return to this lifestyle of eating.
The success for me that I'm feeling right now is that I feel like I've REALLY done my research. I know Dr. McDougall did it all already, but sometimes we just have to find things out for ourselves. I have to say I'm happy to be back. I love to eat mashed potatoes until I'm full and know there was lots of nutrition.
I'm also feeling success for plant based diets in general. It is great to see things getting more publicised. I'm excited to move forward with my own health and be able to help others.