I remember how it felt when I was 40 pounds overweight after finishing breast cancer treatment.
Bald, scared...scarred up on both sides just waiting for the cancer my oncologist said could come back. I was eating what I thought was a healthy diet: low fat meats and cheese, lots of olive oil with my veggies and very little fruit because I thought it was too high in sugar. And carbs? No way!
My mindset was so negative: I felt helpless and hopeless to fight cancer recurrence and I cried a lot every day.
All of that changed when I watched the documentary, "Forks Over Knives" and I heard Dr. T. Colin Campbell, Professor of Nutritional Biochemistry at Cornell Medical School describing his 30-year research on animal proteins. He simply said, "In our research, we found that eating animal protein turns cancer cells on and not eating animal protein turns cancer cells off."
That was it! That was the answer for me. And everything changed when I adopted a whole food plant-based way of eating and all of sudden I found myself dropping the weight and finding my joy and along with it, my power.
When the weight started falling off I knew I was doing something right...and these are the same secrets I teach my clients:
Secret #1: I said good-bye to rigid meal plans
I found that rigid meal plans that rely on cooking many new recipes, or having specific ingredients when I didn't even know if I would like it just didn't work for me. I developed a flexible menu system that is way easier and less complicated.
Secret #2: I stopped being so gullible about product labels
Manufacturers love to hide ingredients in their products that will stop you from losing weight, preventing and reversing disease or adapting your taste buds to the natural food tastes. I learned how to be a label sleuth so every product I buy fits into my ultimate plan for health and effortless weight management.
Secret #3: I stopped listening to dieting hype about carbs
The hype in the diet industry right now wants you to avoid the very food group that makes you feel good and keeps you feeling satisfied in both mind and body...and that's carbohydrates. There's a scientific reason we love them. Once I learned the power of eating unrefined carbohydrates the right way as part of a whole food plant-based way of eating, every bite became a guilt-free pleasure!
Secret #4: I stopped "dieting" and counting calories forever
Most women are focused on "calories in-calories out" and have a "dieting" mentality that tells them to restrict eating, meals and portions while still eating the same calorie-dense foods. They feel terrible eating tiny meals that still are very high in calories and fat...and they feel guilty if they eat more. Once I understood and ate according to the laws of calorie density, I learned to trust my body's cues eating nutrient-dense foods with no restriction in delicious combinations and weight loss became a breeze!
Secret #5: I learned how my thoughts and feelings could be contributing to my cancer
When I felt sad, hopeless and helpless, I didn't understand how my old beliefs about myself, my diet and cancer recurrence could be self-fulfilling. Once I learned out how to turn those around, weight loss was a pleasure, my healing was inevitable and that veil of pessimism and brain fog lifted so my happiness and energy returned.
Once I saw the weight falling off, I knew I was doing something right because I was feeling better in mind and body than ever before. I began to feel as though I had a sense of power...that I was doing something important to prevent cancer recurrence. And I got more hopeful. And happier.
I took back my life. And that's what I want for you...for all of us!