How Faith Lost 20 lbs. in 7 weeks

I got an exciting email last week from a new friend. Faith Clemente, mother of two, is part of the TrishaMandes.com community.  She wrote to tell me that she lost 20 lbs in less than seven weeks and dropped three pant sizes!  All without calorie counting or portion control.  Yeah Faith!  

How did Faith do this?  She simply took advantage of the FREE resource guide she received for signing up for email updates on www.TrishaMandes.com.  Then, she read the books, watched the movies, used the recipes and voila!  When you dive into the diet and completely go for it, you can expect to lose 1-3 lbs. each week, just like Faith.

Below is the email Faith sent me describing her experience.  It is a beautiful and inspirational story.

Trisha, 

I hope you are loving your time abroad! Thank you for continuing your support and "Take Control Tuesdays" while you are a away. 

I started my WFPB lifestyle on January 19, 2014 cold turkey. Almost 2 months into it, I have gone down 3 pant sizes. I no longer weigh myself on a regular basis although I did today to let you know I have lost 20 lbs! I am loving it.

My palate has changed to what I believe to be more refined. Food pops in my mouth whether it be earthy (I love mushrooms), buttery (cashew salad dressing) tangy, sweet, bold, etc. Everything tastes amazing. I feel great, I am looking great, my skin has a glow to it, people are starting to notice my weight loss, my house smells like a produce department (that might sound weird but I have noticed it no longer has a slight smell of cooked meat and oil), I have energy after every meal instead of feeling sluggish, and my goal is to live to be at least 100 vibrant and happy! 

My husband has been wonderful through my lifestyle change as well. He is super supportive, eats what I cook, and has even come up with a few recipes himself that follow the WFPB guidelines. On days when he wants something for lunch that we don't have in the house he chooses a healthier option than a fast food cheeseburger. In fact he just discovered he loves sushi. 

I still have lots to learn and a ton of "re-teaching" myself about nutrition.  After looking at your recommended reading list I have read Dr. McDougall's book about weight loss, Dr. Fuhrman's Eat to Live, and the Forks Over Knives book after rewatching the film on netflix.

My husband and I watched it almost 2 years ago and even went out and bought the Forks over Knives cookbook. I didn't make a single recipe out of it until last fall when I had my vegan sister and brother-in-law over for dinner. The recipes in those four books have been my food bible. They have helped me with the basics of cooking this way and understanding why meat, dairy and oils are not good for you foods. I have just ordered 4 new cookbooks for WFPB eating! I can't wait to dive into those!

I have also learned that the vegan diet isn't as great as I assumed it was. There is so much processed food and chemicals that go along with that diet. Have you ever read the ingredients on fake cheese? Gross! Earth Balance, Vegenaise, Tofutii... I don't even know how to spell them they are so fake LOL.

My next step is to start exercising on a regular basis. It is difficult to find time when I have 2 boys under the age of 3. It's not impossible but difficult.  

I've said it before and will many times more; thank you Trisha for your passion and inspiration to help people live longer healthier lives. If it wasn't for you I would never have picked up my first book to learn the benefits of living whole food and plant based. 

- Faith C., 29 yeas old, Legal Secretary, Newberg, OR, Mother of two

I'd like to thank Faith for sharing her story with us.   She is an inspiration and is doing an amazing job!  We will keep in touch with Faith and let you know how she progresses.

Take Control Now

Would you 'jump right in' to a plant-based diet like Faith, or would you take smaller, more transitional steps?

Answer in the comments section below.