Hi ladies! Can't tell you ALL how wonderful it was to open this thread and read your July updates! It sounds like you're doing superbly on your plant based McDougall path!!!!
It's SO interesting reading about your latest experiences, observations and interactions with others!! I've been inspired by your stories on how to 'nudge' others gently (or not so gently LOL!) to find their way. Your comments were truthful and thoughtful and helped arm me with some new reparte to try. Oy, the questions I also get asked on a regular basis. 'No, I do not plan on becoming protein deficient, sigh'! My standard reply is "Type this into your phone notepad: Watch Forks Over Knives on Netflix and google Dr. mcDougall". Nuff said. For all the hype of 'vegan being the NEW thing for 2017’ (apparently) I'm still the only WFPB person I know in real life.
My journey so far has been amazing. I feel super healthy, am way lighter (55lbs vanished) and an energizer bunny. The best part of all for me is being able to calm my life-long fear/struggle with food. I do NOT weigh, measure or count calories. Do you find the need? I know some people worry about calculating the marcros? It's a freedom I never ever expected to enjoy so much! I walk and cycle now just because I really truly LOVE it - breathing in the O2 - watching my body get light and strong - so surprised there was a muscle hiding under a bodypart!
No fitbit required. Just calm happiness. The smartest thing I ever did BY FAR was put that heinous scale in the frickin' closet! I realize now that we don't need scales living a whole food vegan life. That said, I was ever so curious to just see how much I'd lost at my half year point. It was nice to celebrate the number, do a happy dance, then bury the scale back in the closet where it belongs!
So - am curious of your experiences with friends and family. Do you have hubands/partners who are also on the journey with you? Have you had difficulty with compliments? Or lost friends? I have a sis in law who is extremely unhappy with my changes, since they've altered our relationship which was all about eating out/entertainment starring bad food choices. To boot, she's also an RN and does not think this plan is sound in the least. Everything she believes is completely anti-McDougall. It's no surprise she is addicted to alcohol, on many meds (because apparently her Dr. Is God) and is pre-diabetic. Perhaps she'll slowly come around when she sees this is right for me. Unfortunately, I knew this plan would isolate a few people from my life. And, I'm okay with that. My husband has been so wonderful - curious always as to what I'm eating or trying, but not changing anytime soon. Am careful not to push and instead 'invite' him to try something a little different or unusual. It's always surprising when he will read labels of something he bought and shake his head saying he wasn't aware and will read the package next time. Little things are rubbing off and that is my quiet intention. One day I caught him watching the CowSpiracy documentary all on his own. I smiled but did not mention it. Baby steps.
I think we'll always stuggle a little (well alot) with eating out until it becomes a normal thing on the menu. I love the idea of carrying a portable mini pressure cooker! You remind me of Joe Cross with his juicer in the back of his SUV across the country! I feel in my heart we are just a few years away from the world finding out the truth. Like the tobacco industry's secrets - slowly revealed as people started to understand how completely misled they were. We'll be able to say... 'Oh, we've known for years'. We'll be gurus. And we'll be healthy.
Thanks again for sharing. And letting me rant a little here... It's very good for the soul!
Franci