From Living to Eat to Eating to Live

So I wouldn't say my husband and I were struggling with our weight.  There really was no struggle, because we didn't care all that much. We were living to eat.  It was the fun part of the day. 

Then right before the holidays he starts talking about a friend who lost 40 lbs on some diet,  Dr. Furhman's Eat to Live.  I'd heard of it but never actually knew exactly what it was.  Well maybe I did, but when I read about it, I thought no one in this house is going to be able to do that...next!

Two weeks before Christmas, (did I mention it was right before the holidays?) he reads Eat to Live: The Amazing Nutrient Rich Program for Fast and Sustained Weight Loss and says he is going to do it.  I say but you don't actually eat anything on the diet.  Greens (1lb raw) (1lb cooked), Beans (1 cup), and Whole Grains (1 cup)....No Meat, No Dairy, No Oil, No Salt, No Sugar, No Caffeine.  His family and friends used to joke that his Native American name would be: He who eats no beans.  At our wedding, our best man even mentioned that he didn't like beans in his wedding toast.

So then I say, I don't know how to cook this way.  Cooking this way takes time, it takes preparation, it takes planning ahead.  I'm not soaking beans overnight between making dinner for the kids and stir frying tofu and spinach in water.  It is too hard!!  Unfazed, he starts eating salad for every meal and not eating meat.  For two weeks, right through Christmas and New Years, he drops cheese and sugar and everything else we live to eat, in addition to a little over ten pounds.

So what did I do next?

I went and bought some dried beans.

Fast forward six weeks....we've lost 37 lbs.  His Native American name is now: He who loses weight fast. 25 pounds to my 12 to be exact.  Has it been easy?  Nope.  But we've made it four weeks and we aren't stopping yet.

When we started I looked for recipes, cheats, tips, anything to make it easier and I didn't find much so I started keeping track of our revised recipes. I will try to post as much as I can here.  For starters here is the first week's grocery list.

Grocery List Week One

Asparagus
Blackberries
Broccoli
Baby Carrots
Carrot Chips
Celery
Granny Smith Apples
Green Bell Pepper
Green Zucchini
Baby Arugula Salad
Baby Spinach
Limes
Loose Beets
Meyer Lemons
Mini Seedless Cucumber Pack
Kale
Portabella Mushroom Caps
Rainbow Pepper Pack
Romaine Hearts
Cherry Tomato Mix
Scallions
Shallots
Shiitake Mushrooms
Strawberries
Yellow Bananas, Bunch
Yellow Zucchini
Frozen Spinach (x4)

Raw Almonds, Family-Size Tub
Raw Cashews, Family-Size Tub
Shelled, Raw Sunflower Seeds
Olive Oil Cooking Spray (sometimes you just need it)
Dried Black Beans
Dried Brown Lentils
Dried Chick Peas
Dried Pinto Beans
Dried Red Lentils
Edamame Soybeans in Pods

Lightlife Organic Soy Tempeh
Extra Firm Tofu
Unsweetened no sugar/additives added Soy Milk
Balsamic Vinegar
Bragg Liquid Aminos All Purpose Seasoning from Soy Proteins (16oz) (might not be allowed but required for salt lovers)
Bragg Organic Raw Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar (16oz)
Red Wine Vinegar
Fresh Raw Peeled Garlic
Chives
Cilantro
Lemongrass
Cumin
Curry Powder
Coriander
Garlic Powder
Marjoram
Marsala
Onion Powder
Turmeric
Bulgur Wheat
Brown Rice
Quinoa