Eat To Live

So as many of you know, Pete and I have decided to try a new way of living. I am not going to call it a diet, but rather a wellness plan. Pete and I haven't been happy with our weight and decided to do something about it. It may be a little drastic for some, but Eat To Live was a book that really led us to believe in a new way of looking at food. For the first 6 weeks, we will be eating purely vegan with no added oils, sugars, or salt.

What does this leave us to eat? Fruits, veggies, beans, and a bit of starch basically. We are supposed to consume at least 4 servings of fruit a day, and a POUND of raw veggies. That's a lot of food, let alone just veggies. The really hard part for me is in the past if I have eaten veggies, it has always been with a dip or something to kind of hide the pure veggie taste. With this diet, I'm teaching my body to enjoy the flavors that nature has provided us.

The hardest thing for me in the first weeks has been the lack of sugar. Sure, I get all the delicious fruit I could possibly want, but I miss cookies, and ice cream, and oh...I am drooling as I type. But I know once the 6 weeks are up and my body hasn't had that added sugar in it, my cravings will start to decrease.

At this point, I am considering staying vegan (or as close to it as my body allows) even after the first 6 weeks are up. Pete on the other hand...he's gonna want some meat. Which, after the initial 6 weeks, he will be allowed in moderation. That's really the whole idea of this plan, moderation. Take in natures bounty, and the rest enjoy in moderation. Also, it really does try to get rid of the oil which seems to consume the American diet. I myself have been known to add oil to my veggies, pasta, anything really! You forget how many calories are in each teaspoon! It really does add up!

Currently I have about 2 pounds of tomatoes roasting in the oven waiting to make a vegan cream of tomato soup and my house just smells amazing!

Please stop by and visit again as I post recipes, talk about the struggles (but also the rewards), and feel free to leave suggestions or recipes for Pete and I to enjoy!