Meet our Herbie of the Week: Sunny!
I topped out at 201 lbs. in 2012, was on 2 blood pressure meds, cholesterol medication, and was having signs of early cardiac problems.
I found PCRM online and signed up for their newsletter. I got a newsletter for the 21-Day Kickstart and tried it (a couple of years before), but never quite managed to stick to it. I began to have heart palpitations, breathlessness, high blood pressure (167/102), and no energy. Another invitation to retake the 21-Day Kickstart, starting January 1, 2013 came by email, and I decided it just might be time to do something about my health.
It took me almost two and a half years, but I never had to count calories or follow some silly diet. I still follow the program and my weight loss has just about stopped--I guess my body knows what I should weigh. I now weigh between 120-125, with scads more energy than I've had for decades (I'm 61 now, and more active than I was at 31!).
I have a handful of Miniature Horses, a part-time job that keeps me on my feet, a 1500 sf organic vegetable garden, and a feral cat colony that I manage (along with my own cats & dog).
The only thing I can tell people, is not to expect weight to disappear overnight. It didn't show up overnight, after all, and aging includes a slowing metabolism. It's not as quick as it was when I was younger, but eating whole-foods, plant-based is easy for me. The recipes in the Happy Herbivore cookbooks help more than I can say (I've had to make some changes, as my husband and daughter have Celiac, so we have a gluten-free household (except I do cheat and bring 7-grain English muffins in for my breakfasts. (I prepare them in a certain spot we call my Contamination Corner, and they don't put ANYTHING in that area.)
My SIL is adamantly meat-and-potatoes, but even he has discovered that at least some of the vegan meals are pretty durn good! (I also regularly use several of Dr. Neal Barnard's cookbooks, a couple of Dr McDougall's, and Forks Over Knives recipes. BTW: From you, I got a cheese sauce recipe that ROCKS!)
Thank you so much Sunny for sharing your plant-based journey with us!
