Why I chose to go Plant Based

~Endless Failure

After having weight problems for the majority of my teen years and adult life I had yet to find the solution. I have probably tried every diet known to man and a few of my own invention. All which resulted in temporary weight loss and weight gain after I had failed at yet another miracle diet. This went on for years.  So after tons of research I had decided that at that point surgery was the only option for me. It was my last resort. I had failed at every diet known to man. Surely I couldn't fail at surgery too. After talking to my ever supportive husband, he agreed that I should at least go and see the surgeon.

~Surgery

At that point I was beyond excited! I felt like at that point I finally had a solution to my weight problem. I was in so many ways relieved, I could see the light at the end of the tunnel. I had all my appointments booked for my pre-op requirements. I had my plan from the nutritionist. I was ready, really ready. Then a little thing called life happened. My husband got injured at work. It immediately put a stop to my surgery plans, because now he was the one that needed surgery. He had torn the connection between his kneecap and quad, a very rare injury for someone his age. If you know anything about those types of injuries you know they take time to recover, a lot of time.  So in between appointments, physical therapy and work I was back to searching for yet another weight loss solution that I could fail at.

~ Hippie Diet?

All I can say is thank goodness for dear friends! A dear friend who is really like an adopted mama encouraged me to try what she was doing for her health, a plant based diet. I'll be honest I thought it was a crazy way of eating. Mainly because I am a very picky eater. When I say very picky I mean it is easier to name the things I will eat as oppose to the things I won't eat. I know she knew I was really on the fence about the whole plant based eating. She sent me tons of information, answered questions gave me book recommendations the works so to speak. After more research than I have ever done for any time of weight loss program/diet/surgery.. I reluctantly said the words she had been dying to hear " Ok, I will give it a try." followed by " I'll give it 30 days." I'm sure she was squealing with joy.  She texted me and told me after 30 days you wont want to quit. I laughed.. because I just knew this "hippie" diet was going to fail like every other diet I had tried. 

~30 days for the win?

So I gave it 30 days, but let's be honest I wasn't really committed. Knowing what I know now. I'm shocked that I still saw some results. I only gave up meat and dairy. I was still drinking soda and eating processed food and lots of oil.  In the first 30 days my plantar facitits was completely healed, something that western medicine had failed to heal. The daily heel pain that I had been suffering for the past 3 years was gone. I lost inches, 14 to be exact.  I was amazed that potatoes and beans had helped me to get those results. The same starchy foods that I had been told by doctors and nutritionists were bad. I found myself confused how I could get those results when it went against everything I had been told by dozens of medical professionals.

~Do your research!

After reading books, watching documentaries and doing online research I gained a better understanding of what plant based eating was. More importantly how to go about it and make the best choices for me.

~Commitment

This way of eating isn't for everyone. It takes a ton of commitment, but it's a commitment that I'm willing to make. At times it isn't easy. I still make mistakes.. but this is a journey and I'm in it for the long haul.