I have been vegan for over 5 months now and I feel so much better. We have eliminated all products that come from animals. Now that my body is used to no dairy or meat, I want to focus on a healthy weight loss program.
I did a lot of research and found a doctor out of Santa Rosa who promotes weight loss by eating a plant based diet. The McDougall program promotes a vegetarian and vegan based eating plan that is low in fat and high in starches. With an emphasis on fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains and some protein sources like tofu, nuts and seeds, the McDougall Program’s primary intentions are to help you lose weight.
12 Day Diet Program Food Guidelines
DON’T EAT:
- Milk (for cereal or cooking)
- Milk (as beverage)
- Butter
- Cheese
- Cottage cheese
- Yogurt
- Sour cream
- Ice cream
- Eggs (in cooking)
- Eggs (for eating)
- Meat, poultry, fish
- Mayonnaise
- Vegetable oils (for pans)
- Vegetable oils (in recipes)
- White rice (refined)
- White flour (refined)
- Refined and sugar-coated cereals
- Coconut
- Coffee, decaffeinated coffee, and black teas
- Colas and un-colas
NOT ALLOWED ON THE TWELVE-DAY DIET, BUT ALLOWABLE OCCASIONALLY AFTERWARD:
These high-fat plant foods (high in natural vegetable oils) can be used occasionally and/or in small amounts after you have completed the twelve-day diet and regained your health and appearance.
- Soybeans
- Soybean derivatives (tofu, tempeh, miso, high-fat soy milk)
- Nuts and nut butters
- Seeds
- Olives
- Avocado
Foods you Should Eat:
- All whole grains and whole-grain cereals, such as brown rice, corn, oatmeal, barley, millet, and wheat berries; many packaged grain cereals, puffed grains, and other healthful cereals.
- Squashes, such as acorn, butternut, buttercup, pumpkin, and zucchini.
- Root vegetables, such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, and yams.
- Legumes, such as peas, split peas, black-eyed peas, string beans, and such beans as chick-peas, lentils, and adzuki, navy, pinto, and black beans.
- Green and yellow vegetables, such as collard greens, broccoli, kale, mustard greens, cabbage, various types of lettuce, and watercress; celery, cauliflower, carrots, and asparagus, and tomato.
- Fruit, such as apples, bananas, berries, grapefruit, oranges, peaches, and pears. (Limited to two servings per day.)
For most people, simple sugars, salt, and spices used sparingly at the table rather than in cooking.
Avoid the following:
- All red meat, including beef pork, and lamb. All are rich in fat, cholesterol, and other harmful constituents.
- All poultry and fish. Poultry has about the same amount of cholesterol as red meat, while fish varies, depending on the type. Some fish are higher in cholesterol than red meat, others lower.
- All dairy products, including milk, yogurt, and cheese. All are loaded with fat and cholesterol. Low-fat dairy products are not recommended because of potential health hazards, including allergies, childhood diabetes, arthritis, and lactose intolerance.
- All oil, including olive, safflower, peanut, and corn oil. Oil is simply a liquid form of fat.
- All eggs. Eggs are abundant in fat and cholesterol.
- Nuts, seeds, avocados, olives, and soybean products (including tofu, soy cheese, and soy milk). Soybean products are high in fat, unless they have been specially processed (low-fat varieties are also not recommended).
- All dried fruit and fruit juices
- All flour products, such as breads, bagels, and pretzels. The less a food is processed the better it is for weight loss. Flour products are composed of fragments of grain, or relatively small particles, which increase absorption and slow weight loss.
We will begin this new eating plan in a few weeks and I will post my results here on my blog.
