What's your favorite diet?

[DynamicBalance]

I just published a new article about how to heal tooth decay with nutrition. It contains an overview of Weston A. Price's research, and much more. Check it out!

Laurel Blair, NTP
www.dynamicbalancenutrition.com

[Wendiki]

I'll just jump right in here to state that the last encyclopedic reply seems excessively long and off topic at times. I've come to the knowledge that eating a plant-based diet is perfect for me, and there is growing evidence to support this diet as excellent for optimal health (which includes a healthy weight) at all stages of life.

My research shows that a high percentage of both plant-based eaters and meat-eaters are deficient in vitamin B-12, which is easily resolved with a sublingual B-12 vitamin pill.

Honestly, I know people who have 5 shelves of vitamins, potions and healing powders and herbs for everything under the sun, and spend each waking moment determining proper food combinations, foods for their blood type, what's good, what's bad... It's enough to make your head spin! Who has the time for that?

I don't even try to convince the world that my way of eating is right, but I like to share if asked - and many people ask, because I'm living proof that it works. Same for my circle of friends; we're healthy and happy and of normal weight. The original question is about weight loss. I don't see how eating cod liver oil to heal tooth decay has any relevance here.

~Wendy

[Barry]

Thanks everybody for your replies. Indeed the discussion has gotten somewhat off-topic, but I think it has been quite interesting and informative.

Clearly we are not going to agree what is the diet for optimal health as there are countless "experts" each proclaiming their diet is what is best. Besides that fact the nobody agrees, I imagine that there really is no "best" answer. I'll go further and say that there probably isn't a single best diet for a particular person, let alone all the variations from person to person.

Let's refocus this discussion back to weight loss diets (before hostilities break out ). I'll include in that diets that may not be configured for optimal long term health, but non-the-less are effective shedding pounds in the shortish term. Got that? Let's put aside everything else for the moment other than the effectiveness of losing weight.

I'm surprised no one has chimed in about the HCG diet yet. I'm sure some of you have tried it. What's your experience of being on it? Was it unpleasant? Could you still work? Did you feel unhealthy? Has most of the weight stayed off after you came off of it onto some maintenance plan? Same goes of any other weight-loss diet.

[Quintessence]

Barry, I did the HCG diet for 30 days, before reading the Eat to Live book of Joel Fuhrman, M.D., and becoming convinced I should follow that plan instead of doing a phase 2 of the HCG. Fuhrman has a rather critical view of HCG, as you can imagine, highlighted by the fact that there is very little fruit in the HCG diet. The HCG diet was effective, and while hard, it was not impossible. I was quite low energy on occasion, being 6'2 and over 200 lbs., 500 calories is quite a restriction. While I lost 25 lbs. in 30 days, I found it difficult to keep off, but with consistent effort I have kept off 15 lbs. Frankly, I think if I was consistent in staying with no alcohol, I could have kept off more, but I like beer, and that is a problem with any diet. If you are serious about weight loss, alcohol should be off limits. When you are on a maintenance mode, a moderate amount once a week or so is OK. That sucks, but it is a factor for us folks over a certain age especially.

I think if you are serious about doing a weight loss program you can stick with, I would read Eat to Live and try it. It's not a diet, and having tried several, I agree diets don't work. HCG is a diet, and while you could do it and have success, I would do Fuhrman's plan with no alcohol for 6 weeks and I bet you would lose 20 lbs or more and not be hungry. In fact, I would make that bet, that you lose 20 lbs. 20 in 45 days that you can keep off, is better than 25 in 30 that you can't, IMHO.

It would be cool to see you as a test case on here where we could all enjoy your reporting.

~Jon

Thanks everybody for your replies. Indeed the discussion has gotten somewhat off-topic, but I think it has been quite interesting and informative.

Clearly we are not going to agree what is the diet for optimal health as there are countless "experts" each proclaiming their diet is what is best. Besides that fact the nobody agrees, I imagine that there really is no "best" answer. I'll go further and say that there probably isn't a single best diet for a particular person, let alone all the variations from person to person.

Let's refocus this discussion back to weight loss diets (before hostilities break out ). I'll include in that diets that may not be configured for optimal long term health, but non-the-less are effective shedding pounds in the shortish term. Got that? Let's put aside everything else for the moment other than the effectiveness of losing weight.

I'm surprised no one has chimed in about the HCG diet yet. I'm sure some of you have tried it. What's your experience of being on it? Was it unpleasant? Could you still work? Did you feel unhealthy? Has most of the weight stayed off after you came off of it onto some maintenance plan? Same goes of any other weight-loss diet.

[kamal]

According to the first ever study of thousands of people on a vegan/plant-based diet, only those on a vegan diet had the ideal body mass index/weight without even really trying. source: https://nutritionfacts.org/videos/th...egans-studied/ (Dr. Greger's site is like the wikipedia for nutrition research. "Dr. Greger scours the world of nutrition-related research, as published in scientific journals, and brings that information to you in short, easy to understand video segments. [They] also provide links to the original journal articles whenever possible so that you can source the information directly, if you so desire." original source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2671114/ (no login or registration required to view the data).

I realize your immediate, short-term goal is weightloss. But I do not think this goal should be treated as mutually exclusive to others. e.g. health. But you definitely do not have to worry about kwashiorkor, which contrary to prior claims, is "a form of malnutrition that occurs when there is not enough protein in the diet."

I would also urge you to consider how diet affects the rest of the world. We have one planet with limited resources. This is where our children, nieces, nephews and grandkids will spend their lives. What we choose to eat does make a difference, a huge difference considering that citizens of countries like China and India are becoming more affluent and adopting a more western lifestyle, including diet. Again, contrary to prior statements, an animal agriculture based diet is unsustainable. Source 2, source 3.

Peace be with you all,

Kamal

[Wendiki]

I agree, Kamal, and that's the beauty of plant-based eating. It's easy AND it's healthy. I don't have to sacrifice my health for fad and very often unhealthy weight loss diets.

So I lost the weight by eating lots of nature's bounty, and now I keep it off by doing the same. I never sacrifice, I'm NEVER hungry, I enjoy a great variety of foods, and I get to enjoy sweets and treats when I wish.

There's real satisfaction in having others try this and experiencing similar success. Very gratifying, indeed!

~Wendy

[Barry]

Wendy,

Did you follow a particular plan besides just vegetarian?

Barry

I agree, Kamal, and that's the beauty of plant-based eating. It's easy AND it's healthy. I don't have to sacrifice my health for fad and very often unhealthy weight loss diets.

So I lost the weight by eating lots of nature's bounty, and now I keep it off by doing the same. I never sacrifice, I'm NEVER hungry, I enjoy a great variety of foods, and I get to enjoy sweets and treats when I wish.

There's real satisfaction in having others try this and experiencing similar success. Very gratifying, indeed!

~Wendy

[Quintessence]

I forgot to mention, Chapter 8 of Eat to Live is entitled "Your Plan for Substantial Weight Reduction", in which Fuhrman details a 6 week plan to follow rigorously. It should accomplish a loss of 20 lbs. or more. It involves eating raw and steamed vegetables -- as much as you can eat, 4 servings of fruit, and a cup of beans, daily. No oils, dairy, meat, caffeine, or alcohol. He reports people losing as much as a pound per day on the diet, which is what you could expect doing the HCG diet, but this is sooooooo much healthier.

Jon

Barry, I did the HCG diet for 30 days, before reading the Eat to Live book of Joel Fuhrman, M.D., and becoming convinced I should follow that plan instead of doing a phase 2 of the HCG. Fuhrman has a rather critical view of HCG, as you can imagine, highlighted by the fact that there is very little fruit in the HCG diet. The HCG diet was effective, and while hard, it was not impossible. I was quite low energy on occasion, being 6'2 and over 200 lbs., 500 calories is quite a restriction. While I lost 25 lbs. in 30 days, I found it difficult to keep off, but with consistent effort I have kept off 15 lbs. Frankly, I think if I was consistent in staying with no alcohol, I could have kept off more, but I like beer, and that is a problem with any diet. If you are serious about weight loss, alcohol should be off limits. When you are on a maintenance mode, a moderate amount once a week or so is OK. That sucks, but it is a factor for us folks over a certain age especially.

I think if you are serious about doing a weight loss program you can stick with, I would read Eat to Live and try it. It's not a diet, and having tried several, I agree diets don't work. HCG is a diet, and while you could do it and have success, I would do Fuhrman's plan with no alcohol for 6 weeks and I bet you would lose 20 lbs or more and not be hungry. In fact, I would make that bet, that you lose 20 lbs. 20 in 45 days that you can keep off, is better than 25 in 30 that you can't, IMHO.

It would be cool to see you as a test case on here where we could all enjoy your reporting.

~Jon

[Wendiki]

Hi Barry,

No, I don't follow a particular plan. I must admit, once I made the decision, I went to the library and brought home a 3-foot stack of books on vegan and plant-based eating. I devoured all information I could get my hands on through books, DVD's (borrowed and through Netflix), YouTube videos, and of course, making new friends and trying absolutely delicious and wonderful new foods at the twice-monthly potlucks here in Santa Rosa.

I, like may others, had the misconception that vegan food would be gray and brown and taste like cardboard. Wow, how wrong I was. Beautiful colors, a variety of textures and tastes, and it continues to be a veritable feast.

I'm not an advocate of following any one particular diet plan, and choose to gather, filter and use information from a wide variety of sources. I definitely steer clear of plans that seem extreme and/or use lots of strange/expensive/hard-to-find ingredients. Again, I like to keep things simple, and I want nothing to do with counting calories or carbs or anything else.

Having said that, I would highly recommend the following books and DVD for anyone interested in exploring a plant-based diet: "The Veganist," by Kathy Freston. She's all about "leaning into" this lifestyle, advocating progress, not perfection. Next, I'd recommend "The 30-Day Vegan Challenge" by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau. Again, no-nonsense, very gentle, very do-able.

Last, I'd most highly recommend viewing "Forks Over Knives" available on DVD as well as Netflix streaming. Some people are afraid this film may contain graphic images of inhumane treatment of animals, but it doesn't at all, not even a second; strictly focuses on the positive health aspects of eating plants, and does so in a very encouraging, uplifting and most interesting manner! I haven't met a single meat-eater who hasn't walked away positively changed, even in a small way, after viewing this excellent and informative film.

Good luck, and let me know if you'd like more information on attending any of the fun, non-judgmental and fabulous potlucks here in Santa Rosa. All are welcome, and you don't have to be vegetarian or vegan to attend. We have one this Friday and would love to meet you!

~Wendy

[Alkaline Al]

ALKALINE AL


For the first thirty years of my life I was living in darkness. In infancy my mother died. My father was alcoholic.An abused and dysfunctional childhood, learning disabilities and ongoing seasonal sickness were compromising my future. As a young adult, alcohol, drugs, desperation and anger kept me in a permanent state of frustration, resentment and confusion.In 1967, at age 31, I turned about and decided to become a spiritual aspirant ~°~


Gifted with ‘free_will’ we as humans have the ability to rise above our animal instincts and carnal desires.Not wanting to kill and eat any sentient beings, I became vegetarian: 100%. No meat, fish, eggs or poultry. It was a moral decision that had nothing to do with my health -__-


Sadly, during the first ten years I was a chain-smoking; cooked-foods, baked-flaked, roasted-toasted, dried-fried, cakes-cookies, bread, chips, pasta, ice cream, cheese-pizza-tarian. At that time I was meditating two to four hours a day and my job involved distance driving. Due to the lack of exercise and my high calorie, mostly processed, comfort foods diet, I had very little reserve energy =_= I was approaching 40 and the spare tire around my belly was a silent alarm, screaming at me; Hey pAL !_! You need to give your precious body more time and attention “°_°” Those days vegetarian leadership was difficult to find, so I had to become my own health, fitness and postural recovery coach. Lethargy, ill health and my aching back were demanding that I become a decisive student of the obvious @_@


Age 41, ‘I’ stopped smoking cigarettes forever -,- started practicing Hatha yoga daily, and began exercising more often (* √*)


Age 42, I discovered Nutritional Alkalizing. The next step to an alkaline diet was a relatively easy one for me to make. Already vegetarian, all I had to do was eliminate alcohol, caffeine, sugar and all gluten grain. The results were quite dramatic and easy enough to validate. At age 54, common sense, vanity and ongoing congestion insisted that I eliminate dairy products and become vegan -__-


Age 50, I started working out. I teach yoga at my local gym in exchange for use of their facility. Three to five days a week I go through the weight resistance machines or occasionally I’ll lift weights or climb the stair master. I am 6’-2” 155 lb, small boned person in a tall man’s body.I do not have the genes for bodybuilding but I do enjoy the reserves of energy I receive from working out, dancing, gardening, hiking and riding my bike. Resting pulse, <(52_55)>


One cannot practice yoga with food in their stomach. So, I began fasting until after the evening class. As an early riser, I was surprised to learn that I was full of light, life and energy all day. Then I began fasting every day, until sometime -.- past high noon (-^-)


Generally after working out I munch on whole, raw fruit; all afternoon, as much as I desire, organic fruit, any kind from anywhere. I stop eating fruit an hour or two before my evening meal, which consists of a large green leafy, sprouts and raw vegetable salad. I include one cooked food with this meal, such as; legumes, millet, quinoa, teff, raw tempeh or tofu, sometimes soup, most often, lightly steamed greens or a vegetable -__- (Sometimes 100% raw) ~_~


I’ve eliminated all gluten grains from my diet and I do not eat super foods like green powders, hemp, TSP textured-soy or whey proteins, etc. I do not take multi-vitamins. I get ample B-12 and minerals from fortified nutritional yeast, seaweeds and my home garden. Natural oils found in avocados, greens, olives, raw-nuts and seeds are an important part of my diet. I cook with coconut oil and use organic olive oil in salad dressing -__-


Since 1967, I have been eating organic Tempe, Tofu or Miso from two to four times a week with absolutely NO negative side effects. However, I completely avoid all bottled or canned; ‘non-dairy’ nut, seed, grain, and soy milks including all of the other processed, pasteurized or packaged ‘fast-food’ byproducts. Now at Age 75, I am healthier, stronger and as vital as I’ve ever been.I’m not always 100% anything, therefore every day I must re-define the edges of my mental, physical and spiritual limitations. I find that daily meditation; Alkalizing, Exercise and Yoga, ‘YEA’ works the best for me. (*¿*)
Your pAL, (° √°) [email protected]

[Glia]

Alton Brown, the Good Eats guy, has lost 50 pounds over the past year. His diet plan is the subject of an episode cleverly entitled "Live and Let Diet" recently posted on Hulu.

Another documented diet adventure available online is Fat Head. While this is not a long-term diet by any means, it might be interesting to try for 3-4 weeks to see if the general idea works for your physiology.
https://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/F...?trkid=2361637

Alkaline Al is on the right track with the alkalizing approach.

For me, cutting way back on carbs (either complex or simple) and dairy of any type sure helped me have more energy and sleep better. Everyone's body and needs are different, as this thread has made clear!

I find that daily meditation; Alkalizing, Exercise and Yoga, ‘YEA’ works the best for me.

[Barry]

Thanks again for everybody's input on their favorite diet.

After much consideration (well reading this great thread, at least) we've decide to use the Eat to Live plan of Joel Fuhrman (I hope Laurel will forgive us )

I've been a fan of low-carb diets, but the last time it didn't work so well, and strangely enough, I find that I am more resistant to giving up fruit than meat at the moment.
I might even get around to blogging on how it goes.
Anybody want to join us?

[kamal]

I think it would be awesome if you blogged about your experience. If you are looking for a place to start with recipes and the like, please check out the following meetup: https://www.meetup.com/northbay-vegan/events/59212352/

I know you will be successful in this new adventure but all the best, just the same. :)

Here is a breakfast idea to get you started (actually what my wife and I have for breakfast pretty much daily, except for some weekends).

Super Hero Breakfast.

Ingredients: a bunch of kale, an orange, half a banana, 1/4 pear, one carrot, handful of seeds, and (frozen) berries (strawberries, blackberries, rasberries and blueberries). Change ingredients/quantities to fit your taste. Typically, you want more veggies (quantity-wise) than fruit.

Add them to a high-powered blender (like a Vitamix) carafe with some water and blend on high for 30-45secs. Enjoy a tasty breakfast rich in protein, anti-oxidants, phyto-nutrients, vitamins, fiber and minerals with very low fat (only the good kind and mostly from the seeds), ZERO cholesterol.

We prepare the ingredients over the weekend (washing kale, carrots, peeling oranges) and juice them every morning for a healthy breakfast to kickstart our day.

Kamal

[Quintessence]

No surprise, I think that's a great decision, Barry! Anecdotally, I heard reported recently that over 50% of heathcare costs can be attributed to consumption of sugar and animal products.

I look forward to your posts about your experiences.

Thanks again for everybody's input on their favorite diet.

After much consideration (well reading this great thread, at least) we've decide to use the Eat to Live plan of Joel Fuhrman (I hope Laurel will forgive us )

I've been a fan of low-carb diets, but the last time it didn't work so well, and strangely enough, I find that I am more resistant to giving up fruit than meat at the moment.
I might even get around to blogging on how it goes.
Anybody want to join us?

[Barry]

I've lost about 7 lbs so far and I haven't been going too crazy! I still haven't gotten used to almond milk instead of my my beloved half&half in my coffee (I know, I should just quit coffee altogether...) Aside from that, skipping meat and dairy hasn't been too hard.

No surprise, I think that's a great decision, Barry! Anecdotally, I heard reported recently that over 50% of heathcare costs can be attributed to consumption of sugar and animal products.

I look forward to your posts about your experiences.

[Bird Watcher]

The jury is out on coffee. Actually, the latest reports say that some coffee (2 cups/day) is ok and potentially health-supporting. So why give up the coffee? It's an industry that we can support via fair trade. (Hi, Taylor Maid Farms!)

I've lost about 7 lbs so far and I haven't been going too crazy! I still haven't gotten used to almond milk instead of my my beloved half&half in my coffee (I know, I should just quit coffee altogether...) Aside from that, skipping meat and dairy hasn't been too hard.

[Glia]

Be careful about the carbs in almond milk. most is sweetened and even w/o sweetening, the almonds have a high carb level on their own.

We have found Silk and Wildwood organic non-dairy creamers to be reasonable replacements for dairy half & half. They do have soybean oil in them, so that may be a concern.

It would be nice if someone would come up with a hemp milk creamer that did the job!

I've lost about 7 lbs so far and I haven't been going too crazy! I still haven't gotten used to almond milk instead of my my beloved half&half in my coffee (I know, I should just quit coffee altogether...) Aside from that, skipping meat and dairy hasn't been too hard.

[Quintessence]

I have my Silk Pure Almond in front of me. 60% of the calories of 1% milk. Og Saturated fat and no Cholesterol, vs. 1.5g and 10 mg for the 1% milk. Not sure what carbs you are talking about. No one on a weight plan would buy the sweetened stuff.

Be careful about the carbs in almond milk. most is sweetened and even w/o sweetening, the almonds have a high carb level on their own.

We have found Silk and Wildwood organic non-dairy creamers to be reasonable replacements for dairy half & half. They do have soybean oil in them, so that may be a concern.

It would be nice if someone would come up with a hemp milk creamer that did the job!

[Glia]

With almond and hemp milks, sweetened (usually with cane sugar) is the default format. If you want to skip the added carbs, you need to specifically get the "unsweetened" type. Just giving a heads up on that.

It has carbs, right? And simple carbs at that, especially if it has been sweetened with cane sugar. If one is trying to do a low/no carbohydrate diet, these non-dairy milks can be a suprise source of carbs, especially if you're putting it in your coffee and not measuring out how much you're consuming per day. Using them as a creamer can really add up as far as carb intake. Again, it is something of a stealth carb and calorie source.

Bottom line: always read the label.

Any of the non-dairy milks are better than any dairy products IMO, with the possible exception of raw goat milk products from a goat that you personally know. And does anybody seriously use skim (1% fat) cow milk as a coffee creamer? Blechhhhh.

I have my Silk Pure Almond in front of me. 60% of the calories of 1% milk. Og Saturated fat and no Cholesterol, vs. 1.5g and 10 mg for the 1% milk. Not sure what carbs you are talking about. No one on a weight plan would buy the sweetened stuff.

[Quintessence]

Yeah, my son uses skim milk in his coffee, I don't get it, but people do that. As far as low or no-carb diet, I don't get that either, isn't that kind of diet disproven as far as being smart or effective? There are only 3 sources of calories -- fat, protein, and carbohydrates. Generally, you get a lot of fat with high protein, and that leaves low-fat protein sources (plants!) that have a modicum of carbs, to get protein. But carbs make the world go around, so to speak. Certainly you don't want to get your calories from fat, and protein comes with carbs. Just stay away from starch and simple carbs, but the more complex ones are the basis of a smart diet.

[meherc]

Ice cream and whiskey.

[BobHeisler]

I don't believe in diets. I think they create pent-up demand in people, leading to an endless cycle of dieting and binging (and I'm not referring to search engines!). I've never had a weight problem, but if I ever put on a few extra pounds I just consciously thought about eating just a little bit less for a while and a week or two later the extra pounds were gone. Millions of people have spent billions of dollars on diets that don't work and ended up even worse off. My philosophy is to eat the things I enjoy within reason without over-indulging in anything. I think if someone wants to lose weight, all they need to do is reduce their portions by 20-25 % or so and make exercise a part of their routine. I think exercising makes the goal easier to achieve.

[alanora]

I just read your request Barry and am thrilled with your success. My favorite diet was the one espoused in the movie "Defending Your Life" where you could eat whatever you want but they gave you no time and whipped you on to the next event. Blessings, Mindy

[Philip Tymon]

Exercise. And lots of it.

[bill shearer]

Eat all the fresh veggies, fruits and whole grains you want. Have anything else you want to eat, but not when your hungry and in small amounts.
Cheers, Dodie

[jbox]

Eat all the fresh veggies, fruits and whole grains you want. Have anything else you want to eat, but not when your hungry and in small amounts.
Cheers, Dodie

Well, when I'm hungry, I like to quote Steve Miller and say, " GIVE ME A CHEESEBURGER''. And, by the way, put some fresh veggies on that, lettuce, tomato, and pepperoncini. Oh yeah !!

[gracy27]

I play with body metabolism. When my weight goes higher, i will switch to HCG diet and when it comes metabolism rate, i switch to Keto diet. Also, i involve in many weight loss campaigns in India. I help doctors in preparing diet charts for their patients by taking their age, weight and their requirement. If you have any questions regarding diet and weight loss, you are free to ask anything. Also, i have decided to provide 100% free service to this forum :)

[gracy27]

It's getting to be that time of year to start thinking about dropping some of that winter padding and get ready for spring and summer (and in my case, a wedding!)

The first time a tried the Atkins diet I managed to drop 30 lbs! It totally changed my life! However when I tried it again, or the related South Beach diet, I was less successful.

What I liked about it is that I could eat as much as I wanted. I've always had a preference for protein rather than sugar (Blood Type 0) so the restricted food choices worked for me. The food choices can also be rather expensive, especially if you try to do it using primarily organic sources.

The HCG very low calorie protocol diet, for example, is all the rage now and I've seen people lose significant weight using it. However, injections and diet drops are unappealing as well as low energy while your starving yourself.

I'd love to hear primarily first-person accounts of what diets have worked for you!

Let me explain you one of my client story. Then you will come to know whats my Favorite diet.

One of my client weights 240 pounds and her height is 5'6''. In India 120lbs is quite common for 5.6. So, our goal is to bring her 120lbs in 6 months. We began our 1st module with HCG very low calorie diet. We skipped Phase 3. Since, we can take more than 1800 calories in this phase. We continued with Phase1, Phase2 and Phase4 for 6 months without Cheat meal day.
Finally our client came to 120lbs in 6 months with uneven body shape.

In module 2, we started Keto diet with 2 Hours exercise. Keto diet has to be done to built muscle.. Its just 4 weeks schedule. With in 4 weeks, her body was fully transformed.

[Goat Rock Ukulele]

Anyone ever tried this greatly lectin reduced diet? That's a weird one. But some things are interesting in that eating brown rice as a staple actually lowers the blood level of certain minerals as compaired to eating white rice as a staple.

[Barry]

It's getting to be that time of year to start thinking about dropping some of that winter padding and get ready for spring and summer ...

It's that time of year! Time to diet, that is...

Thanks to the recommendations earlier on this thread, I tried the Eat To Life diet by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. It's a common sense diet based on the simple idea of getting the most nutrition from the least calories (nutrient density). Turns out greens are off the chart when measured that way, and other veggies are very high, too! I lost 10-20 lbs when I first tried it in 2012, and I just lost another (actually the same) 20lbs over the last few months.

This time I made it simpler and got myself a Vitamix and lived on mostly green smoothies! Luckily I'm fine eating (in this case drinking) the same thing day after day as long as it tastes good and is satisfying, which they are (if you include protein powder). I found it really easy and I was never hungry! Plus it had me eating a raw vegan diet which I felt good about. There are lots of recipes in the book if you need some variety.

I want to thank "gracy27" for bringing this timely thread back to life. I also want to point out that she is based in India and says she is a nutritionist and runs a clinic there. Normally I don't welcome out of the area participants, especially with service to sell, but so far she has provided good info without marketing, and I appreciate that.