No, I'm Not Money...Yet

Sometimes you start to believe the hype about yourself.

Just like in the movie "Swingers" where the hapless character played by Jon Favreau is told by Vince Vaughn how "money" he is, over and over, "You're money, baby! You're so money and you don' even know it!," all to boost his confidence, I too have had lots of people tell me how "money" I am - how great I am doing on this quest.

I've been enjoying my compliments too much, and I have started to believe the hype. In short, I mastered the art of going vegan, but I have NOT mastered the science of eating healthfully for rapid weight loss.

Well, a trip to Dr. Fuhrman today brought me back down to earth - not that I haven't been secretly thinking this past month how slow my progression has been.

Bottom line, I am half-way into my vegan quest, and I have lost half the amount of weight I wanted to. OK, yeah, that's pretty good. But, Dr. Fuhrman expected me to have lost much more by this point. And he is right.

But, you have to understand there are really two competing endeavors here. (1.) To go vegan for six months, and (2.) to lose 75 lbs. One does not necessarily lead to the other. Whereas cutting out the animal products brought my cholesterol down enormously, and certainly contributed to terrific weight loss, along with my exercises, it is time to really be smarter about my veganism. Not just being vegan, but being a healthy vegan.

I have been studiously eating vegan for three months as well as exercising regularly. I have lost 37 lbs, feel great, look thinner, look better, and feel healthier. But, I could have been dieting smarter, and eating more healthfully. Had I been as rigorous in Dr. Fuhrman's diet plan as I have been in avoiding animal products I could have been much closer to my goal by now.

Dr. Fuhrman thought I looked good, but when he weighed me he seemed unimpressed. Whereas when I brag about my 37 lbs to friends, colleagues, and strangers everyone readily chimes in, "You're so money!" Dr. Fuhrman's response? "You still have not comprehended my diet plan." Harsh? No, not really. He is like the coach - you can fake it for a few plays, and maybe the folks in the stands think you're doing a terrific job, but the coach sees, he knows: I've been running the wrong play. I have not been cheating mind you, but I have been focusing more on the absence of animal products and less on the nutrient dense food.

Basically, I am not eating as smart as I should because I rely too much on a vegan diet that is not being as helpful towards me losing weight. Too much bread, too much rice, too much salt.

When the doctor asked me about my typical diet the breakfast started out beautifully - oatmeal and raisins, then even before I could get to my salad for lunch I mentioned my handful of nuts. Nuts are good, right? He put his pen down like a disappointed teacher and said that either I have not read, or I have not comprehended his plan. I read his book, I really did, but, well, I sorta forgot some of it, and I just fell back on a couple of things: when I was my healthiest I ate alot of nuts in my 20's, and "THEY" say nuts are good for you, and "THEY" say you should have 5 smaller meals throughout the day. Nuts ARE good for you, but when you are trying to lose weight you should only have a few ounces of nuts with your meal because they are better for you than if eaten as a snack. Now, of course nuts in and of themselves, even as a snack, are not bad for you, but when you are on a strict weight loss regime they should not be eaten as often as I eat them. The doctor is adamant against snacking for snacking sake - rather eat only when hungry, and thinks that should be 3 times a day, unless you are a professional athlete and burn those calories quickly. He was mad that I snacked on nuts because I told him I do it for energy before the gym. He says that is a fallacy. Dr. Fuhrman is rather strict, but, he gets results and research bares out his philosophy.

Lastly, we both agreed that I could step up my work-outs.

So, for these remaining 3 months in order to lose the weight I want to (and to live healthier for the rest of my life) I am going to be even more militant on following Dr. Fuhrman's Eat to Live program - that means severely cut back on the things I love like bread, and rice, and salt, and oil (yes, even extra extra virgin is high in calories) and increase my legume intake. And, and, really push myself in the gym.

I actually do respond well to Dr. Fuhrman's displeasure, because he reminds me of an athletic coach pushing me harder.

When I did pat myself on the back a bit, he was quick to respond back, in effect saying, "You ain't money...yet." I said, Doc, me, a full-on carnivore with a love affair of the drink who whistled by gym's has totally changed my life around. I have been 100% vegan for the past 3 months, and I have totally given up alcohol, and I have lost 37 lbs! And people tell me I look great!" The doctor's retort? "Just because you don't do Heroin does not mean you can take up smoking." So, eating vegan is good, but eating smarter will make you healthier, disease free, and loose the weight precipitously.

Final comment: I want to be clear that the way I am eating is healthy, and, for example, a bowl of nuts is healthier than a candy bar 100 out of 100 times. But for my rapid weight loss goal, I need to become more strict and more focused on nutrient dense food.