Saturday, April 24, 2010

Well, the blitz worked! A CONTEST IS ANNOUNCED

I am down 5 pounds this week and broke through the "barrier" into the 150's and now into size 10's.

My plan on the ship is to follow my Garden of Eden Vegan diet while on board --we have a 6 day crossing where I will plan to do sacred or spiritual work so my mind will be in a good place for healthy eating.

Basically it will be fruit for breakfast with oatmeal or potato.
For lunch and dinner: salad (with balsamic - I just packed my own blend of balsamic/raspberry/lemon), some sort of potato, and lots of veggies, either steamed or grilled.

If there is Indian food on the ship, I may treat myself to a meal or too, but there is too much oil for me even in the vegan Indian dishes.

While in port -- I enjoy tapas restaurants -- so I will sample and if it has cheese -- the world will still revolve.

Let's see what happens to this old body as I take my Garden of Eden Vegan lifestyle on tour for 3 weeks. I can remember in "the old days" when I would have my plate of traif (bacon), eggs, bread, and whatever else looked good, in front of me, and I would spot a lean and trim woman with a bowl of fruit and................... I FELT SORRY FOR HER or I THOUGHT SHE WAS SHOWING OFF HER WILLPOWER.

Oy -- my how things have changed. (laughing at myself)

I will award a prize for the person who comes closest to guessing my pounds gained or lost.

Shall we bet?

The winner gets a raw food meal specially prepared by me.
If you live far away - I will send you a subscription to either: Bark or Spirituality and Health....your choice (even if you live close, you can opt for the magazine.)

Email your guesses to me at NatureRabbi@gmail.com.

Answers will indicate:
a) stayed the same
b) pounds gained in 3 weeks (remember I love champagne and martinis)
c) pounds lost in 3 weeks (and yet, I have developed a love for veggies.)

Oh, the suspense.

No comments:

Post a Comment

The Story Behind the Garden of Eden Vegan Blog

For those of you who knew me prior to December 30, 2009, I was a veteran of the fast food culinary institute. My son, when he lived with me would ask if I had ordered the "Shabbat pizza" yet as the sun was setting Friday nights.



My idea of a good meal was a McFish sandwich, fries with extra salt, and a medium diet coke.



Everything was better covered in a rich creamy sauce and the idea of a naked baked potato was as foreign to me as walking naked in Manhattan.



In June of 2009 I decided to formally become a vegetarian. Although I had dabbled with this, it was not until I read Skinny Bitch that the gauntlet was thrown.



Now being a vegetarian does not sign you up for good health. I was proof of that. Chubby when I started, I indulged in pizza, french fries, cheese, cheese, butter, cheese, pizza......and became very over weight, tipping the Toledos at 200 pounds at 5'4". And taking an assortment of meds for cholesterol and GERD and who knows what else.



As the decade was waning, and with my 60th birthday approaching in the year 2010, there was a perfect storm that snapped my beak and got me in gear. The same friend who gave me Skinny Bitch, turned me on to the John McDougall website. At the same time, there was a Grand Round lecture at the hospital where I work on the book Eat to Live, and at the same time, I was tired of how I looked and felt and needed to make a change.



I regret that I did not start this blog when I changed my lifestyle, but it is better late than never.



My weight is down about 35 pounds, my size has gone from a tight 16 to a loose 12. And I am on no meds, although my vegetarian doctor and I will review my blood work within this month to see if I need anything (like b12) boosted.



I began as a Vegan Minus. Or what I call a Garden of Eden Vegan.



As you know, a Vegan eats no animals nor animal products - none. But then I subtracted oil, sugar, and processed foods.

That is a big subtraction -- but it is this subtraction that helped with weight loss, lack of cravings, increased energy, health, and vibrancy.



Now I am dabbling in raw foods and have signed up to learn with Russell James (google him).



I like the taste and health aspect of raw foods, but worry about the increased calories. So I will (hopefully) use the raw creations as a supplement to my Gan (Hebrew for Garden -- I am in a Hebrew mood today) Eden Vegan lifestyle.



My doctor said that I should write a book about this since most of her patients need it. I said, "Who, or how many, would want to do this?" We shall see. It has been easy (no cravings) and exciting as life and energy unfold before me, just as it was meant to be. (It didn't unfold over a fried fish sandwich, extra tarter sauce.)



Join me or not. Walk with me the whole journey, day trips, part of it, or not. This is my 60th year -- buckle up life, here I come.