Today I began a one-week experiment to see if there is truly a fast healthy weight loss method? Yes, there’s fast – and yes, there’s healthy – but can we combine the two? I don’t know. But I am committing one week to the Eat To Live diet by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. Dr. Fuhrman asks for a six week commitment but I don’t believe that’s wise for me at this time. Instead I am choosing the period of one week — because anybody can follow a diet for one week, right? If I make a promise to myself it’s very important that I keep it. Therefore, I don’t want to make a six week’s commitment and then change my mind simply because I don’t believe the program is working for me.
A healthy weight loss program is more important to me than a fast one. I’ve examined several healthy eating plans – Fuhrman, Ornish, McDougall, Young, Pritikin – and they’re all about how to lose weight without dieting. By focusing on whole foods, as opposed to refined ones, the weight should fall off without hunger or struggle. We’ll see …
Why Am I Trying This Quick Weight Loss Program?
My health is good:
I feel good, both mentally and physically …
I usually have a great deal of energy …
I’ve gotten rid of my insomnia (hallelujah!) …
As far as I know I have no ailments …
On the other hand, I definitely have some noticeable health issues:
First and foremost, I definitely need to lose about 30 pounds – 40 would be better.
Many doctors and researchers say that gaining weight and our waist and tummy[which is where I have gained weight] is the most dangerous spot. Dr. Fuhrman says that a thickening waste is the size of excessive insulin production. That’s me. Which means that if he is right I am at risk of contracting diabetes. Definitely not good.
I have noticed that my nose is frequently red. According to some of the books I have read this as a side of allergies.
I cough a great deal — much more than I think I should.
Sometimes [not all of the time] I can be out of breath from simply walking up the stairs. Since I have never saw smoke it can’t be smokers cough or out of breath from this.
What Do I Eat On The Eat To Live Diet?
The eat to live diet is about focusing on whole foods rather than processed ones, as mentioned above. That means apples, instead of apple juice or whole grains rather than crackers. What I can eat is:
Vegetables …
Fruits …
Beans …
I have no problem with any of these foods. Still, there are some adjustments I’m going to have to make:
Obstacles To My Low Calorie Diet Plan
First of all comes my very worst health habit! Every morning for, literally, decades, I have begun the day by getting in my car and going and getting a drink. I used to drink Dr Pepper every morning but in the last year or so I have been drinking a frozen cappuccino. This is a ritual and a very important ritual to me. I am going to have trouble giving up both the drink and the ritual. I started this morning with my normal frozen cappuccino – but I will not have another one for six more days until I evaluate this program and its effect on me.
Another change: I have been following Dr. Robert Young’s guidelines — sort of — as laid out in The pH Miracle. I can’t 
truly stick with his diet because it is mostly based on green vegetables that are then blended so that I would just drink green drinks, and nothing else, for a couple of weeks. I like greens like lettuce, spinach and watercress – but I want to eat them, not drink them.
Nevertheless, I have been following a lot of his recommendations and one of those is that we not eat fruit except for lemons, limes and grapefruit. I really love fruit, especially cherries and bananas, so it will be a change to eat them freely again. The Eat To Live diet requires a minimum of four fruits per day. I don’t object at all to eating fruit but that is one of the reasons I’m not going to commit to this diet for more than one we. I’m not sure what eating fruit will do for my body.
Another change will be around the subject of oil. Dr. Young and many other doctors strongly recommend so-called "healthy" oils like olive oil. I love and adore olive oil. Dr. Fuhrman however forbids any oil at all. This will be quite a change. In fact, I’m not at all sure what to put on my salads?
My Daily Report …
Today went just fine. I really gobbled down the fruit because I haven’t had much in quite some time and it’s really delicious. I had an apple, grapes, cherries and a banana. Yum
My fast healthy weight loss diet, Day 1, was a success – after I drank my frozen cappuccino. :-)
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