Hello Out There!

I've been gone so long, I hope you haven't forgotten me!

Since going "vegan" in March, I've been doing tons & tons of research, reading everything I can get my hands on regarding a plant-based diet, watching documentaries, experimenting with recipes, etc. etc. It's been all consuming, honestly, but I've enjoyed every minute of it.

I still have a lot to learn, but so far what I've realized is this: You can be a fat, unhealthy vegan. You can fill your body with processed non-meat garbage the same as your omnivore friends.  There is an abundance of vegan junk food out there, and while consuming it may be ethically good for the animals and the planet overall, it's not necessarily good for you.


Being a lapsed vegetarian, I thought I knew what I was doing and hopped on the vegan bandwagon with both feet.  I gathered up faux sour cream, mozzarella "cheese," vegan burgers and sausage like it was going out of style. I was ever so proud of myself for making this change in my diet/lifestyle, and I felt really good both physically and emotionally.  However, my new eating plan did nothing to make the scale move.  So I went back to logging my food into Weight Watchers, counting food POINTS and earning extra by walking.  Still no loss, and I was beginning to feel deprived and frustrated.  Though WW is an awesome program and I recommend it whole heartedly, I do not think it's a good option for vegans.  Yes, they do promote vegetable consumption and that's awesome, but they also have that dairy requirement and very few of their recipes (and none of their own foods) are veg-friendly.  I have some other issues but for now I'm going to leave it at that, at least until I show some success with another eating plan.

So, after countless hours in front of the tv watching documentaries, browsing websites and downloading books onto my Kindle, I have come to the conclusion that for a plant-based weight loss program, Dr. John McDougall has the right program for me.  His plan consists of unlimited veggies, whole foods, good starches, and a generous amount of fruit.  What he doesn't allow is fat, oil, animal products of any kind, and processed food is seriously discouraged.  This sounds strict, I know, but I'm going to give it a go and see what happens. Honestly, I started the "diet" yesterday and have already lost half a pound. 

Now, you all know me. There are a couple of things I really enjoy that I'm not willing to give up: coffee and my beloved chardonnay. I'm hoping I can still achieve success with these small "cheats." We shall see.

Thanks for bearing with me as I muddle through this stuff, would love to hear input from you all, especially if you're, or ever have been,  a McDougaller.

Have a Beautiful Day,

Rapunzel