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.  

3 Ways to Stop Eating Junk Regularly

We're constantly bombarded with unhealthy foods everyday.  Cupcakes tempt us in the lunch line; cookies are always available with coffee; and co-workers consistantly bring in junk food to share.    

Because we're constantly assaulted with disease promoting foods, it's essential you learn how to set yourself up for success in these situations... how to increase your chances of choosing the healthiest foods in your house, your office etc.  

And trust me, I know this can be difficult.  In my studio apartment, I literally sleep in my kitchen.  My bed is 5ft from the fridge!

If I want any chance of eating a healthy, plant-based diet on a daily basis, I have to set my environment up in a way that promotes eating optimally... I have to sanitize it!

When you sanitize your environment, or clean it up, you no longer have to rely on will-power to try and eat healthy.  Which is awesome because will-power doesn't work!  

It's only a matter of time until the free cookies in the break room start calling your name, or the ice-cream in the fridge.  Our bodies are specifically designed to seek out these foods.  We naturally desire calorie dense foods like cookies, ice-cream and fatty foods.  

When we were gatherers and hunters, our existence was dependent upon eating foods high in calories.  If we didn't, we could die.  The problem now is that we're no longer struggling to find food and get enough calories.  However, that mechanism still exists within us.  

In order to beat will-power, you have to set-up your environment in a way that you don't have to worry about it.  

Warning!  You aren't going to want to do this!   These steps can be difficult -- especially cleaning out your kitchen -- but they are essential if you really want to start to make a change to your diet.  It makes eating well so much easier!     

Here's 3 Essential Steps for Sanitizing Your Environment

1.  Get troublesome foods out of your kitchen, and stocked with delicious, plant foods instead.

Get the foods you shouldn't be eating on a daily basis out of your daily living environments.  This means treats as well as the other foods I suggest you don't eat: refined foods (sugar, oil and white flour products) and dairy.  (Click here to watch the Take Control Tuesday episode 'Food Guidelines: What to Eat, What to Avoid').

At the same time, you need to make sure your kitchen (and office!) is stocked with delicious plant-based meals and foods.  An abundance of fresh fruit, veggies, pre-made salad dressing, hummus, boxed soups, frozen dinners, sweet potatoes and the list goes on!  

This way when you're hungry, the only option you have is to eat something delicious and nutritious!  If you get hungry and healthy options aren't available, you're going to eat something you shouldn't!

2.  Save treats for special occasions, outside the house.  

Eating a healthy plant-based diet doesn't mean you can't ever eat dessert or a treat again.  However, it's essential you decipher between a treat and daily fare.  Cookies, potato chips, cake, chocolate etc. are not foods to be eaten daily or even weekly.  

Treats are foods to be eaten only for special occasions... your birthday or traveling abroad for example, outside the house.  Otherwise, they're no longer treats because you're eating them regularly.

To piggy back on rule #1, if there's left-over treats from a birthday cake for example, don't bring them into your house!  Kindly decline or give it someone else.  If you bring it home, you will eat it!

3.  Buy foods you aren't tempted by, when serving/buying foods for others.

Although you may be striving towards eating a plant-based diet, your spouse, children, parents etc. may not be on the same page.  You'll probably have to prepare food for them that isn't ideal for you.

When this is the case, buy foods you won't be tempted by.  This way, even if something isn't good for you, you're less likely to eat it.  Don't buy them your favorite dessert for example.  You'll drool over it and are more likely to cave in and eat it.  Instead, whip up something that doesn't appeal to you at all.

Although these changes may be difficult for some, they really go a long way.  Forget will power and change your environment instead.  You can do it!  Please let me know how it goes!

Take Control Now

What's one food you can't (and shouldn't) keep in your kitchen because you'll always eat it?  Are you ready to kick that food out of your kitchen for good?  

Answer in the comments section below.  

How to Saute without Oil

Sautéing without oil is easier than you'd imagine.  You can create wonderful flavors while skipping 100s of unnecessary calories and fat.  Here's how.

Instructions:

1. Put any pan (non-stick, stainless steel, cast iron etc.) on medium-high heat.  
2. Add chopped onion and stir with a spatula.  Stir frequently.  
3. Once the bottom of the pan begins to brown, add 1-2 tablespoons of water or veggie broth.  Continue to stir the onion around.  The liquid will remove 'the brown' from the pan and give your food added flavor.
4. Repeat as many times as necessary until the onion is translucent.  Then, you're done!

Helpful tips and tricks

• Don't saute chopped garlic on its own.  It will burn!  Add chopped garlic to the onion and other veggies once they've been cooking to avoid burning.
• Celery, carrots and mushrooms also sauté well as the 'base' veggie.
• More water/liquid will equal a softer, 'steamed' flavor.
• Less liquid will create a crunchier, sweeter flavor.  You have to keep a closer eye on the pan and constantly stir.  Otherwise, it will burn with less liquid.
• Sometimes you won't need any liquid, especially if using a non-stick pan.
• Use fresh and dried herbs and spices to add flavor to your dish instead of oils.  

Why Shouldn't You Use Oil?  

Here's a recap from last week's episode '5 Reasons Why Oil is NOT a Health Food.'

1. Oil is low in nutritional value (1).
2. Oil damages your endothelial cells.
3. Cholesterol levels can be lowered quicker by eliminating oil and saturated fats together.
4. Oil is the most calorie dense food on the plant -- it's difficult to maintain a healthy weight when oil is a regular part of the diet.
5. Heart disease has been reversed with a plant-based, oil-free diet (2).

Take Control Now

What and when will you sauté without oil this week?  What are your thoughts about sautéing without oil?

Click 'comments' and type your answers below this article.  

Sources:

1.  USDA Nutrient Database. Olive Oil. Agricultural Research Services.   2.  Esselstyn, CB.  Resolving the Coronary Artery Epidemic Through Plant-Based Nutrition. Preventive Cardiology 2001; 4: 171-177.

3 Quick + Easy Ways to Make Oatmeal

Breakfast is really the most important meal of the day.  But many of us skip it because we don’t make the time to prepare and eat it.

Oats can be a quick and easy breakfast.  It takes me 5 minutes to prepare it every morning.  While they're cooking, I brush my teeth, wash my face and begin getting ready for my day.  

If you really struggle getting out the door on time in the morning, you can also prepare oats the night before.  Just reheat in the morning or, let them soak with plant-milk over night and eat them cold.  

And oats are an awesome food to eat for breakfast!  One cup has 8g of fiber, 307 calories, 10.6g of protein, 42mg of calcium, 293 mg of potassium, 26mcg of folate and 0 cholesterol (1).  Not to mention all of the high nutritional value from the added fruits and or nuts that normally accompany them.  

Oatmeal is really filling and 2/3 C easily keeps me filled for 3-4 hours.  Other breakfast foods such as eggs and bacon are loaded with fat, cholesterol, zero fiber and less bulk so you could end up eating more calories and become hungrier sooner, further increasing the amount of calories you could eat in day.

No thank you!

Here are 3 quick and simple ways to prepare oatmeal.  
 

 Take Control Now!

If you enjoy oatmeal, which of these 3 options would you prefer?  Or, is there another way you enjoy preparing oatmeal you'd like to share?

Type your answer in the comments section below.  

How to Achieve Accelerated Weight Loss

Today is New Year’s Eve and the number one New Year’s Resolution made by Americans?  You guessed it, losing weight.   

Now I know you’ve tried to lose weight before and you get tired of trying diets that don’t work.  And maybe you’ve even lost all hope.  But I want you to know something... you are not a failure and you CAN do this.  

And it’s going to be easier and more delicious than you’d imagine.  

So what do you have to do to lose weight without restricting or depriving yourself?  And more importantly, how do you stay motivated to keep it up?  Well, I’m about to tell you exactly that. 

Watch this week's episode of Take Control Tuesdays below and find out how.

This is where your journey begins.  Do not expect to start doing this perfectly tomorrow, especially if this is the first time you are hearing this information.

You have be gentle on yourself.  Accept that you may not do this perfectly right away.  And if you fall off the horse so to stay, don’t just quit and start eating hot dogs and ice-cream again.  It is okay, just get back on your horse start eating well again.

And get help!  Research shows that people who get support get greater results.    That’s one reason why I’m here.  To help you!  So stay connected with the TrishaMandes.com community in the comments section below; schedule a personal session with me once a month; or join your local vegetarian network for monthly potlucks with like-minded eaters.  

When you sign up to be on my listserv, you receive a three page resource guide filled with the best books, movies and recipe websites for beginning a whole-foods, plant-based diet.  Get that resource guide and use it.  

One book I’ll highly recommend right now is, The McDougall Program for Maximum Weight Loss by Dr. John McDougall.  It also includes recipes.  

And stay tuned, because this week I’ll be sending out a special video with my goals for the new year which also includes a way for you to get at least one FREE personal session with me.  

Part of making a change is taking action.  And part of taking action is commenting on my Take Control Now question in the comments section below.  

And as always, if you like this video, please share it with your friends and family.  Tell them to sign-up for FREE tips at TrishaMandes.com, and like my page on facebook.

Take Control Now!

What is your healthy New Year's Resolution?  What support will you take to help you achieve that goal?