Posted by JenStar on August 12, 2004, at 15:28:16
In reply to Re: would like support for losing weight!, posted by Cass on August 11, 2004, at 22:15:26
Cass, much congrats on your success! I'm very impressed. You're doing great.
Thanks for sharing your tips. I admire your personal resolve for giving up meat products.
Sometimes I feel that if I were a stronger person, I would be a vegetarian. I've read the book Fast Food Nation and learned more about slaughterhouses than I had ever wanted to know. I love little animals and it make me sad to think that we (I) force creatures to suffer for our (my) food and clothing & stuff.
But I'm weak -- so weak! -- and I love my meat, and I find it easy to put it out of my mind and rationalize it. And then I decide: I guess I don't mind too much about animals suffering. Then I have to try to hide the disgust I feel for myself at having made this decision.
aarrrggghh! Sorry for blabbing all that out. That's not even one of my "real" problems...
In any case, thanks again for sharing your story. You are very motivational! Keep up the good work! :)
JenStar
> Our culture doesn't really support weight loss. Have you seen "Supersize Me?" Everywhere we go, there are fattening, unhealthful foods at the tips of our fingers. They are so convenient and addictive, but they make us fat and sick, and then we have to buy medicines to treat the illnesses created by our poor eating habits.
>
> I've lost about 40 pounds in the last 11 months. The way it happened was sort of a personal eating evolution. I went through a real lifestyle change. I became a vegan for ethical reasons a few years ago, (although I really couldn't cut out all dairy, so it's more accurate to call myself a vegetarian), but I still wasn't eating healthful foods, so I wasn't losing much weight. Then I started learning more about how to eat healthfully as a vegetarian. I cut out almost all processed foods and focused on a plant based diet. I eat about 80% of my plant-based foods raw for the nutrition and enzymes. I supplement my diet with 4 oz of wheatgrass juice every day. Wheatgrass juice is loaded with all the known vitamins and most minerals. I also drink a natural probiotic beverage which supplies B vitamins and friendly bacteria. Of course, I went through caffeine and sugar withdrawls and physical detox which was a little rough. I back slid sometimes too. It's not easy giving up old eating habits. It didn't happen overnight, but I was inspired because the weight started coming off, and I was getting healthier. I still wasn't exercising though, and so I started doing gentle, low impact exercises almost every day. After that the weight just fell off. It was very natural. No suffering involved.
> I used to take ADs and antianixiety drugs. I don't any more. A lot of physical health problems cleared up, and I'm optimistic some of my others will improve too. The changes I made in my lifestyle are drastic, but they've been worth it.
>
> Good luck in whatever course of action you take.
>
poster:JenStar
thread:376296
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20040811/msgs/376929.html