Anyone subscribing to the "Eat to Live" lifestyle?

[rbmrtn]

Difficult to what the right approach since both seem to have documented results. I still think for weight loss, much of it is about calorie intake. I've tried both, lost weight on veggie/carbs/chicken+fish style, gained on the atkins/protein/fat/ style. Fat grams are more calorie dense than veggies. I'm still looking for the "right" answer.

BTW, if you google "eat to live pdf" you can find a pdf copy of this book.

 

[In-control]

I constantly remember his saying- eat GOMBS - Greens/Onions/Mushrooms/Beans/Berries and Seeds. I actually follow the Sonoma Diet plan as I find these low/no fat programs impossible to follow and frustratingly not satisfying. The Sonoma Diet is much more realistic for me and i can stick to it. I lost 30lbs on it and am @ my goal weight and have no meds @ 50.

I also pay for their online service and a coach. Which is very helpful.

Good luck and eat well!

 

[Sue]

DH and I have been eating a plant-based low-fat no-meat no-dairy diet for a year or so. Our motivation was wanting the best quality of life when we were older. Neither one of us wanted to have a chronic disease and all the associated complications after retiring. DH lost 25 lbs. After about 6 weeks or so, we were surprised to find that we had lost the desire for any greasy-cheesy-meaty food. If you add enough spices, not hot peppers but spices like oregano, thyme, basil etc, the food is quite good. The one time we tried cheating with a scoop of preminum ice cream, my stomach started hurting and DH got heartburn. Never did that again. I enjoy smelling the neighbor's grill meat, but I have no desire to eat it.

The other surprise was how much better we felt after about two months. We felt so much better that there was no incentive to go back to way which we used to eat (which was pretty healthy). My dermititis almost completely cleared up. I never get those huge red welts when bitten by a mosquito. Neither of us has had any reason to go to the doctor since starting the ditet, so we haven't had any blood tests yet.

There are a number of different plant based diets. Caldwell Essylsten"s "plant perfect" diet is the strictest because it is designed to reverse heart disease. His son, Rip Essylsten, Engine-2 diet is a plant-strong diet which is designed for preventing heart disease. Neil Barnard had a plant-based diet for reversing type 2 diabetes. The OP has already talked about the Eat to Live diet. There are books and websites for each diet. Read the book 'The China Study" or watch the "Forks over Knives" video.

Plants contain protein. All livinig organisms have protein because protein is essential for life. Horeses, cows, elephants, beef cattle etc all eat a plant-based diet and aren't protein deficient. You won't be protein-deficient either. Neither of us have noticed any decrease in our endurance or strength when hiking or climbing mountains since starting the diet.

 

[twolfy]

OP here. Thanks to everyone so far for your comments. It has been a great discussion. Obviously there is no right eating style that works for everyone. There are strong views for all the different variations of diets or eating lifestyles if you prefer out there, along with some supporting evidence behind them. You would think by this day and age we would know very conclusively what is best to eat but information gets squewed due to lobbying efforts, misrepresentation and the true root of all of evil; money.
I will cut back on my animal protein, and incease my fruit and vegetables greatly and see how tht works for me. I will give it some time and redjust as necessary. I will continue to read, with an open mind, new nutritional information as it comes along. Thanks again for all the great stories and comments and good health to all of you.
Twolfy

 

[Helen]

Thanks for starting this thread, twolfy. I just did a search on the "China Study" to see if there was a thread on it. I am reading it now.

I haven't eaten red meat or poultry since 1976. Initially I didn't eat seafood but started after 8 years of being vegetarian.

I am going to try the vegan/plant based diet for a while. I like to play with my diet periodically and see if I can feel any changes. Also, my total cholestrol is around 280 (down from 311) and I am curious if going vegan will bring it down.

It is amazing that after all these years doctors & scientists don't seem to know a thing about what makes for a healthy diet.

 

[Richard4444]

Yes, GF and I have been subscribing to his plan for ~ 3 years. As in a post I've made in another thread recently, total chol went from 220 to 156 within 4 months w/o meds, etc., etc. Once one sees the results, it's hard to get off this train Choices ...Choices

 

[Stanley]

One thing I noticed when discussing the food we eat is that all of the people who have had great success improving their health have several things in common:

1. They eat real food. Processed foods are eliminated or greatly reduced. Man made digestible products are out.

2. The 'bad' carbs are eliminated or reduced - sugar, highly refined flours, etc. Yes, even whole grain flour if it is highly processed into ultra fine dusty stuff.

3. They don't worry about calories and don't count calories. They don't have to.

4. If they eat fat, they eat natural fats - olive oil, nut oils, saturated fats in real food, etc.

5. Modest or no alcohol intake.

6. They don't eat 'diet' foods manufactured to exploit the diet trends. Low fat cheeses, low carb chocolate bars, veggie hot dogs, etc. (See #1)

7. They exercise.

8. They pick a plan for eating that works for them whether it is low-carb, low-fat, vegan, the caveman diet, or cooking out of their grandmother's cookbook.

Feel free to disagree or add something I may not have noticed.

 

[braumeister]

1. They eat real food. Processed foods are eliminated or greatly reduced. Man made digestible products are out.

Good summary. As someone else said, stick with the outer perimeter of the supermarket, where all the real foods are, and avoid the inner aisles full of boxes.

 

[HFWR]

One thing I noticed when discussing the food we eat is that all of the people who have had great success improving their health have several things in common:

1. They eat real food. Processed foods are eliminated or greatly reduced. Man made digestible products are out.

2. The 'bad' carbs are eliminated or reduced - sugar, highly refined flours, etc. Yes, even whole grain flour if it is highly processed into ultra fine dusty stuff.

3. They don't worry about calories and don't count calories. They don't have to.

4. If they eat fat, they eat natural fats - olive oil, nut oils, saturated fats in real food, etc.

5. Modest or no alcohol intake.

6. They don't eat 'diet' foods manufactured to exploit the diet trends. Low fat cheeses, low carb chocolate bars, veggie hot dogs, etc. (See #1)

7. They exercise.

8. They pick a plan for eating that works for them whether it is low-carb, low-fat, vegan, the caveman diet, or cooking out of their grandmother's cookbook.

Feel free to disagree or add something I may not have noticed.

Granted "whole grain" products have more micro nutrients and fiber than "white" bread, etc., but complex carbs are just simple sugars chained together, and are basically seen that way by the body...

 

[Gatordoc50]

I've been trying different diets due to acid reflux and a friend recommended the "Wheat Belly Diet". it's basically lean meats and vegetables with a few servings of fruit per day, healthy nuts, and of course eliminating wheat. Wheat is replaced with almond flour and a few other wheat free flours. I'm losing a few pounds per week but more importantly, my acid reflux and heartburn has diminished. Oh, and since bud light is rice brewed, it's ok on this diet. Looking forward to dieting heavily this weekend.

 

[GolfingDuo]

My take

Here is my take. There have been so many studies say wine is bad. Wine is good. Meat is bad, and good. Vitamins are good, and they are bad.

Here I say just eat what you want. Anything and everything in moderation. If you refuse yourself something you like you only punish your body. So really don't eat 20 twinkies a day, but an occasional cup cake is fine. Eating ribeye is awesome but too much is bad. If you eat a hero sandwich, Italian Sandwich, sub, hoagie, torpedo, baguette or grinder eat it slowly and by the time you get towards the end you will find you are getting full. Then just eat what stuffing is left and leave some of the bread. It will save you some calories.

 

[grasshopper]

Here is my take. There have been so many studies say wine is bad. Wine is good. Meat is bad, and good. Vitamins are good, and they are bad.

Here I say just eat what you want. Anything and everything in moderation. If you refuse yourself something you like you only punish your body. So really don't eat 20 twinkies a day, but an occasional cup cake is fine. Eating ribeye is awesome but too much is bad. If you eat a hero sandwich, Italian Sandwich, sub, hoagie, torpedo, baguette or grinder eat it slowly and by the time you get towards the end you will find you are getting full. Then just eat what stuffing is left and leave some of the bread. It will save you some calories.

What about if I want to have say a Po'Boy?

 

[GolfingDuo]

What about if I want to have say a Po'Boy?

You would be a poor boy. They cost an arm and a leg.

 

[twolfy]

Still working throughthis new eating style and so far so good. Eating lots more fruits and veggies and have cut back on dairy and meat. Havent eliminated them but very little. Something I did notice though was that every night where I ate a very large salad with various greens (kale, spinach, romaine and spring greens along with red peppers, brocolli, nuts, and apples that I was never hungry after dinner and not really even hungry the next morning.this was just a salad only for dinner, nothing else. Now tonight we were finishing up some items still in the frig so had left over pork loin with potatoes and a big serving of brocolli,and peppers. After a couple of hours I'm now hungry. I didnt over eat but had what I felt was enough, so I really think the volume of the other dinners helped with me being full longer due to the volume as well as maybe that there were no simple carbs like there were in tonights dinner with the white potatoes. Anyway, already have lost a few pounds and will be sticking pretty strongly to this new way of eating for me and my wife. Time for an apple!
Twolfy