Cheryl's Story

Although I have always struggled to maintain my weight I experienced a steady gain of forty pounds during the last seven years.  I quit smoking, moved, and went through menopause.  About six years ago, I decided to become a vegetarian and assumed I would lose the twenty pounds gained during smoking cessation as a side benefit.  Within a year my cholesterol rose forty points to 200.  I was told to “watch my diet." I knew I was eating more dairy and eggs than usual.  So, I made the decision to become vegan.   At that stage I was still using a lot of processed transition foods and was happily discovering all of the bakeries and pizza places that accommodated vegans.  My weight continued to fluctuate between 172 and 183 pounds, depending on the current trial and tribulations in my life.  Although it would be a few years before I read The Pleasure Trap and Eat to Live, I now understand how much I am affected by food addiction and toxic hunger.

I have been a dental hygienist for thirty seven years and have watched my patients grow fatter and unhealthier for decades.  I often have the opportunity to have nutritional discussions and patients are interested.  The way I look and the choices I make affect my credibility and effectiveness professionally.

Nothing compares to the motivation I experienced when I welcomed my first grandchild, a boy. I was sick of the way I looked, the way I felt, and the way my body moved. And I was deeply unhappy about my inability to change so far. Every morning I woke up regretting what I ate the night before.  I was sick of myself vowing to do better and always falling short.  After Ben was born I signed on with a personal trainer to keep trying.   By the fall I learned a lot about exercise, but I was back to 179 pounds after our September vacation. I was visiting a friend on Thanksgiving who recently lost a lot of weight and she told me about Eat To Live.  I almost dismissed it because it is not exclusively vegan.  I am so grateful I kept a corner of my mind open.  I went online and saw the Holiday Challenge and jumped in.  We also attended the Princeton Seminar which helped tremendously.

Today I weigh 155 pounds. This lifestyle works so well for me.  I love the food, recipes, books, and website.  My partner has lost forty pounds and is off his blood pressure medication.  My mother and adult children call me with cooking and shopping questions.  My one year old grandson has green shakes from Grandma every day.  He loves the soups, bean burgers, and cookies from my Eat To Live recipes.  I look forward to learning more and getting healthier.

It is wonderful to feel so energetic and have plans for the future that make me smile.
Thank you for the work you are doing and I hope to make a contribution by educating others.