I seem to have started eating for the holidays sometime back in September. Though I had spent much of the early part of the year watching what I ate, exercising regularly, and losing around 25 pounds, a sinus infection in late August coupled with a quick trip to Portland (vegan Mecca) threw me off balance. Maybe I thought I needed comfort food, maybe I was just looking for an excuse. Whatever. Today I sit here having regained 5 of those hard-lost pounds and, even more troubling, a couple of food addictions I thought I’d put behind me–sugar and its partner in crime, flour. Both drive me crazy with cravings but make me feel bloated, lethargic, and queasy when I give in to them; of course, by the time the cravings hit again, I’ve managed to forget the effects indulging will have on me, so the cycle repeats.
I know from experience that the only way for me to get control over my eating is the tough love approach. Like any addiction, a compulsive desire to eat sugar and starch won’t go away if I string it along with small doses. For me it’s all or nothing. But just as important as getting rid of the anti-nutrients (which is what I consider sugar and flour to be) is filling my body with nutritious plant foods. I’m talking vegetables, beans, and fruit. A few raw nuts. A couple servings of whole grains. Simple whole foods.
Changing What You Crave
I know that at this time of year, a lot of people are taking stock of their health and committing (or recommitting) to healthy eating plans. Some are doing cleanses or detoxes, which, for the record, I don’t believe in. I think that you should start in the way you hope to continue, and short-term, stringent detoxes, which often are downright dangerous, don’t do the body any long-term good or lead to healthy eating practices. My goals are to make vegetables the center of my diet, loosen the grip that sugary foods have on me, and change my habits so that I’m not reaching for a gooey granola bar or bowl of vegan ice cream every night after dinner. I know from experience that with time and effort I can change what I crave. It’s been a long time since I’ve really craved a big honkin’ salad, but I will get back there!
This is not about weight loss, though I could stand to lose quite a few pounds and expect that I will. It’s about eating the way I know is healthiest for me. It’s about feeling better, more energetic, more focused, more alive.
I would love for you to join me on this journey, even if you just try it for a week or two. But I have to point out that I have absolutely no nutritional training (B.A. in English, M.A. in English, and 1/2 of a Ph.D. in–you guessed it–English). If you have health issues and decide to follow my plan, please okay it with your doctor or at least let her know so she can monitor your need for medication. If you’re coming to this from the Standard American Diet and are taking medication for blood pressure, cholesterol, or high blood sugar, your need for it may decrease after you start eating this way, so get check-ups at regular intervals.
Keep It Simple, Soups and Salads
I have a tendency to make things overly complex, so while I was figuring out exactly what my healthy meal plan would be and what I wanted to say to you about it, I kept telling myself, “Keep It Simple, Soups and Salads.” Abbreviated, that’s KISSAS, which I shortened to KISSS because, well, think about it.
My plan looks a lot like Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s Eat to Live 6-Week plan, and I’ve adopted his mantra, “The salad is the Main Dish,” though I often stretch my definition of salads to include cooked ones. I’m a little less rigid about amounts and tend to eat more grains and starchy vegetables and fewer nuts and seeds than he advocates, but overall, if you’re strictly following the 6-week plan, you’re basically doing what I’m doing. I also tend to view salt as a necessary evil–a little bit helps me enjoy my meals so much more than without it, helping me stick to my vegetable-centric diet–though hard-core ETLers would tell me (and you) to cut it out.
I concentrate on soups and stews, in addition to the salads, because it’s possible to pack a lot of vegetables into a soup, eliminating the need for vegetable side dishes. When the soup contains plenty of veggies, all I need to add is a starter salad and perhaps a serving of whole grain or potato to have a filling dinner.
So Here are the Details
(Click “Print” to print this section.)
Do Eat
- at least 4 fruits per day
- At least 1 huge and 1 regular salad per day (containing fresh greens such as lettuce, spinach, kale, cabbage)
- As many cooked, non-starchy vegetables as you can (broccoli, cauliflower, eggplant, onions, carrots, kale, peppers, zucchini, etc.)
- At least one cup of cooked beans/legumes/lentils
- 1-2 tablespoons of raw nuts or seeds (try to have walnuts and ground flax seeds dailyâgood sprinkled on salad)
- About 1 cup of cooked whole grains or potato
Don’t Eat
- Meat (including poultry or fish), dairy, or eggs, of course!
- Oil, including olive and coconut oil and margarine
- Sugar, including agave nectar, maple syrup, Sucanat, date syrup, dried fruits (including dates)
- Flour or flour products (bread, pasta, etc.)
- Alcohol
Meal Plan
I find that getting into the habit of eating the same basic breakfast and lunch every day helps me stay on-track. Where I shake it up is at dinner because I’m one of those people who don’t like to eat the same thing two nights in a row. I tend to eat fruit for breakfast, but not everyone feels satisfied with that, so I’m including some other options.
Breakfast
- Fruit
- Or 1 bowl bean/veg soup plus fruit
- Or 1 cup cooked oatmeal plus fruit
- Or 1 serving Chickpea Omelets
- Or fruit or green smoothie
Lunch
- Mega-huge salad with beans and dressing (plus 1 tablespoon nuts if dressing is fat-free). Consider Taco Salad or Hummus Salad.
- Or bean and vegetable soup
- Or soup and salad
Dinner
- Starter salad
- Vegetable and bean soup or stew
- Whole grain, potato, sweet potato, or winter squash, if desired
Snacks
I try to stick to fruit for snacks, but I’ve listed some other options to include only if you don’t feel satisfied after eating your fruit. Eat your fruit first! After that, if you’re still hungry, have more of anything on the “Do Eat” list.
- Fruit, including frozen all-fruit desserts.
- Raw vegetables and fat-free or nut-based dressing, hummus, or baba ganoush
- Air-popped popcorn with nutritional yeast
- Roasted chickpeas, homemade potato chips, or kale chips
Soups and Stews for the Week
Having a nutritious meal already made can mean the difference between staying on-track and reaching for some processed junk. I usually start every week by making a big pot of my “Dirty Little Secret Soup,” which I keep on-hand for lunch when I don’t feel like a salad or for dinner when my family is eating something else. I always plan for at least 4 different dinners during the week and count on a combination of leftovers and the secret soup to feed us the other nights.
Here are my dinner soups and stews for this week:
- Spicy Collards and Black-eyed Pea Soup (for New Year’s Day) served over brown rice
- Eat the Rainbow Black Bean Soup with a sweet potato
- Ridiculously Easy Lentil Stew
- Curried Split-Pea Soup with Cauliflower (delicious served over a baked sweet potato)
For lots of choices for soups and stews, check my recipe index pages.
About the Salads
Eating a big enough salad is essential to both feeling full and taking in enough nutrients on this plan. When I talk about Mega-Huge, ginormous, or big honkin’salads, I mean a salad that fills a serving bowl. Start with greens–lettuce and spinach are my base–and add tomatoes, cucumbers, broccoli slaw (basically shredded broccoli stems, which you can make or buy), and any other vegetables you like. Toss it with an oil-free dressing (I have a new ranch dressing that I will be sharing soon), add a heaping serving of beans (hot or cold) or hummus and, if your dressing doesn’t contain nuts, a tablespoon of raw walnuts or other nuts. (Walnuts have the most Omega 3’s, so I tend to stick with them.) Add some ground flax seeds if your dressing doesn’t contain any. Even this small amount of nuts and seeds helps the absorption of nutrients, provides essential fatty acids, and makes us feel full longer.
My two favorite salads are Taco Salad (made with canned chili beans for the sake of time) and Hummus Salad. Other times I top my salad with my vegan buttermilk dressing along with chickpeas and slices of apple or pear. Don’t be afraid to get creative with your salads and your salad dressings. See this post for some tips on removing the oil from your favorite dressing recipes.
More Resources
If you decide to join me, I’m happy to answer any questions in the comments below. Feel free to post here or on my Facebook wall and tell me how you’re doing.
If you need more support, please join my Facebook Group or Eat-2-Live Yahoogroup, two great groups of people who love to share their knowledge and enthusiasm.
For much more nutritional information than I can supply, be sure to read Eat to Live.
For more recipes, be sure to check out my Eat to Live archives both here and on the website.
A few other sites that support this way of eating (though possibly more or less strict in some of the details) are
- The Engine 2 Diet
- Healthy Girl’s Kitchen
- Happy Healthy Long Life
- Chef AJ UNPROCESSED
- Dr. Fuhrman’s Holiday Challenge
- Dr. McDougall
- Forks Over Knives
- Vegan Hope
- 21-Day Vegan Kickstart
Fiona
December 31, 2011 at 6:11 pmI like your signature!
Gina
December 31, 2011 at 6:14 pmYup, I struggle to stick with E2L and plan on starting again tomorrow. Let’s do this! Thank you!
Lynn
December 31, 2011 at 6:22 pmGreat post, Susan. Count me in! I’ve been following Eat to Live since September and have lost 20 lbs. I discovered the plan from your site – it’s INCREDIBLY effective. Starting tomorrow I’m peeling off the last 15 lbs. Let’s do this!!
Lydia
December 31, 2011 at 6:28 pmI am sooo doing this!!
Nicole
December 31, 2011 at 6:33 pmGreat information and links, too! Two days ago I made your black-bean and pineapple stew – am loving it! I’ll be linking to it on my new blog!! Good luck with your plan.
Marissa C.
January 2, 2012 at 6:26 pmLOVE the black bean and pineapple combo. Every time I eat it I can’t believe I am not eating it at every meal. đ
Wendy
December 31, 2011 at 6:40 pmCount me in! I have wanted to change my eating lifestyle for a long time and I think 2012 is it!! I love your tips and recipes!
Wendy (healthy girl's kitchen)
December 31, 2011 at 6:44 pmLove it! Committing with you Susan. And many, many thanks for the shout out. Xoxo and a great new year for all!
Wendy (Healthy GIrl's Kitchen)
January 1, 2012 at 7:46 amOh Susan! You really got me going. Thanks!
http://healthygirlskitchen.blogspot.com/2012/01/plant-strong-vs-plant-perfect-welcome.html
Susan Voisin
January 1, 2012 at 1:07 pmWhat a wonderful post, Wendy! I admire you so much and thank you for all you do to support people in their quests for healthy eating!
Kaz
December 31, 2011 at 7:07 pmI may not be Vegan but love your recipes !
I too seem to have slipped off the healthy bandwagon and need to climb back on….the pounds seem to be gaining ground(darn them!!)
Look forward to seeing – and trying- some new recipes in the New Year.
Claire
December 31, 2011 at 7:27 pmI’m doing ETL too, I’m sure you’ll feel better in no time đ
I loved this post- especially the salad part, no one seems to understand when I say I eat monster salads. I may feel like a brontosaurus but it’s working like a charm!
All the best with your dietary changes & Happy New Year! xxx
Debbie
December 31, 2011 at 7:31 pmThis looks great and healthy. No diet is easy but at least the food will be great LOL.
Glad you are on Facebook too.
sheree
December 31, 2011 at 7:56 pmI just posted a big thank you on FB, but this post deserves another so THANK YOU!!!
aquamoonmaiden
December 31, 2011 at 8:03 pmI love this plan! One reason being that it’s pretty much the same plan I have been using for the past year and a half that helped me lose about 60 pounds. However, that being said, I have gained back quite a bit over the past six months. I blame the emotional toll my divorce took, coupled with relocating to a new state that I do not really care for. Those are excuses, though, and I take full responsibility, but I do intend to drop that weight again.
Susan, your incredible recipes helped me the first time and they will do so again. You have been an inspiration to me for quite a few years now, and I truly appreciate all that you do. May you, your family and all your wonderful readers have a most prosperous 2012. Cheers!
Andrea
December 31, 2011 at 8:11 pmYour post hit the nail on the head with me!! As I live in Australia, I noticed that some of your ingredients are different, i.e. collards. I think that when a recipe appeals to me, I’ll have to find an alternative. Also measurements …… so sometimes it might be a bit of a guessing game.
Watch this space…….wishing you a wonderful 2012, all the way from Western Australia.
Cheers – Andrea
Jude
December 31, 2011 at 8:13 pmSusan- Genius! I love soup this time of year and even find it hard to eat the one big salad I should. I’m in! I’m eating week old remnants of mix bean soup tonight. Hopefully it doesn’t hurt me đ
Debbie C
December 31, 2011 at 8:18 pmI’ve been working on developing a similar plan for the last week or so, I’m definitely in! I’m more of a McDougaller and my blood sugar can’t handle so much fruit, but your plan is definitely workable. Especially the “simple” part.
Sadie
December 31, 2011 at 8:28 pmI love you blog and your recipes! Our family has been vegetarian for 5 yrs. My husband and I have decided to commit to being vegan the year. This post is perfect for us. Count us in!! Thanks for the support.
Lily
December 31, 2011 at 8:28 pmI also have an awful sweet tooth. I am okay for a few weeks and then I go on a binge eating sugar every day. I am 68 yrs old a senior. I am going to review this Six Week eating plan and decide if I can do this. I have done so good in the past when I have been part of a group.
Nathalie
December 31, 2011 at 8:35 pmCount me in!
Shannon
December 31, 2011 at 8:38 pmI too have once again fallen to my addiction to sugar and carbs. A rough 2nd half to 2011 has led me astray (broken bones, death the family, etc., etc.). I know I need an intervention. I love ETL and have tried to follow his plan. Perhaps with your guidance, I too can break my addiction to the oh so yummy carb and sugar. I think giving up my agave nectar on my oatmeal may be one of the hardest things I will ever do. đ
Thanks for sharing, I’m right where you are.
My one new years resolution will be to learn how to mono-task, which truly goes against my nature.
Thanks again for this post. I’m loving the having a huge pot of soup for the week.
Happy new years!
Melody
December 31, 2011 at 8:55 pmThanks for the great post! I’ve been planning on cleaning up my diet for the new year and your plan outlines exactly what I want to do. It’s nice to know others will be doing the same. I really struggle with giving up sugar and will refer to your site for recipe inspiration.
Amy
December 31, 2011 at 9:04 pmI love this post – and need it. I’m making a list of both snack ideas and meal ideas to keep myself on track, but can always use more ideas and would love to see more of them here! Thanks for this post!
Michèle Yarmus
December 31, 2011 at 9:10 pmI am a fan. I should have written to you long ago to thank you for your wonderful recipes and your witty comments. I always mention your name and website to anyone interested in tasty and healthy nutrition. Your New Year post pushed me to finally write to you and express my thanks for the past and the future. I needed to read your post to motivate me to get back with the program: After reading the China Study I decided to change my diet to a plant-food diet. I expanded my knowledge to reading books by Drs McDougall and Esselstyn. I completed the certificate in plant-based nutrition from Cornell. I lost 25 pounds when I switched to “no added fat”. I can relate to your sugar and flour addiction. I have gained back 3 pounds lately and I know why…I need to remove the sugar and flour which have found their way back into my diet. I agree with you when you emphasize the need for salads and veggies and soups and a repetitive pattern for breakfast and lunch. It did work for me in the past. But based on Dr McDougall’s and Esselstyn’s research, unprocessed starch (i.e potatoes, sweet potatoes, rice,beans) needs to be part of our diet so that we don’t feel hungry. I lost weight when I stopped using olive oil,eating nuts and avocados and ate starch. Dr McDougall recommends only 2 fruit per day to lose weight because of the high sugar content of fruit . Have you listened to the debate between Dr McDougall and Dr Fuhrman (“the food fight of the century” on his website)? It would be great to read your comments about starch versus food density…
Happy and healthy New Year to you and your family . I wish you success in achieving your healthy nutritional goals and I know that your recipes and thoughtful comments will keep me on the right path. Michèle
MaryEllen
December 31, 2011 at 9:26 pmYES!! Love this post!! Thankyou… just what I need for January 1, 2012!
Cat
December 31, 2011 at 9:33 pmI started a vegan diet “cold tofurky” about 4 months ago for health reasons and my kidney function has improved dramatically since then (woohoo!). I am just getting to the point, though, that I’m running out of ideas for meals that sound inviting to me. I’m finding it difficult to crave a cold salad when it’s below freezing outside right now – unless maybe I could go out to eat every day! (Which isn’t in my budget… ) I don’t want to classify myself in that group of people who start something for the new year and don’t finish it. Since I’m already in this for the long haul, I need to learn to live with this on a daily basis. Looking forward to seeing your ideas and hearing your thoughts. Thanks for your blog and website – I’ve used many of your recipes already and have referred others to it who are trying to have a meatless meal at least once a week.
Tom
December 31, 2011 at 9:49 pmThank you for your blog. I discovered it through the E2L Yahoo group. I’m just starting the Six Week Holiday Challenge and you have given me a lot of great tips.
Keep up the good work.
Tom
Kris
December 31, 2011 at 10:00 pmI’ve had a vegetable craving for a week now, but with all the cookies laying about, they’ve been so much easier to eat! So I have a pot of your bean and veg soup on the stove right now. I cleared out little bits of frozen veg that weren’t enough to do much with, and it smells AMAZING!
It’s made a huge pot, though, so I think I’ll be freezing 2-cup portions to have at lunch.
Thanks so much!
Karen Harris
December 31, 2011 at 10:19 pmI’m a definite believer in ETL, but like some others, I need some support to keep the program up. I would love to see more posts like this one and will check out the 6 week group on the web site.
alicia
December 31, 2011 at 10:26 pmThank you for this post! it couldn’t have come at a more perfect time, i’ve veered from my usual vegan/veggie diet the past month and eaten way too many sweets and pasta dishes. I plan on getting back to the basics starting tomorrow. i’ve always loved ur blog/recipes (the mexican lasagna being one of my favs) and am excited for the upcoming posts on your process. Have a Happy and Healthy New Year
Suzi
December 31, 2011 at 10:26 pmI was planning to start E2L when I return from my holiday travels this week- it’s great to see you are starting too! I need to lose some baby weight, and end a recently acquired sugar addiction! It’s great to see ideas on your blog.
Lily
December 31, 2011 at 11:05 pmHappy New Year. This veggie eating plan could not have come at a better time. I love veggies, but yet I find myself craving the darn sugar which I think of in forms of cookies, cakes, and pies. They say you eat what you think of all the time. I am cleaning house and getting rid of my trigger foods. I am making myself a pot of your soup. I found me a healthy “eating plan” and walking buddy. Also looking forward to getting suppost from all that are going to make this committment along with you. Susan, thank you for your help and I am looking forward to using your recipes to stay on track! The best to you and your family in the coming New Year
Dhyan Atkinson
December 31, 2011 at 11:20 pmMe too, Susan! I was looking up more salad recipes just today so I don’t get into a green salad, “I’m only eating rabbit food” rut! Found a great grapefruit/fennel salad for tomorrow! I’d be happy to join you on a 6 week quest for health! I look forward to more posts! Happy New Year! Dhyan in Boulder, CO
Zoa
December 31, 2011 at 11:43 pmPlease *do* continue with this series! I’m doing something quite similar (ginormous salads and all but not following a set plan, even a rough one, at the moment), and look forward to your future posts. You are so right, sugar and simple starches are the push down that slippery slope…
Suzie Russell
December 31, 2011 at 11:43 pmI think you’re wonderful. I love your recipes – every single one I have tried over the last year has been fabulous. I am joining you in your cold-turkey sugar and flour addiction recovery. Soups rule!
Elisabetta
January 1, 2012 at 1:58 amCount me in, Susan! In this period I feel exactly the same, and it’s so reassuring I’m not the only one who exceed with sugar and carb… Thanks for sharing your thoughts. All the best for you and your family for 2012!
Annie
January 1, 2012 at 2:58 amJust looking at the remains of the Christmas/New Year festivities and thinking I really have to get a grip because some of those remains are hanging on to my hips right now! I have such a terrible bread addiction, and even though I eat a healthy vegan diet and work out at my gym regularly, the bread is doing me in. I swear it calls to me from the cupboards, and it’s made me gain close to 10lbs since around November. I over-eat it like mad when I start. I can’t even have rye crackers in the house – I will eat the whole box in one sitting if I put one in my mouth. If I didn’t work out I’d be even fatter, so I’m in! It’s nice to have the support. Here’s to 2012 – we can do it!!!
crabbylove
January 1, 2012 at 5:12 amSounds like a great plan to start the new year off right. We follow a modified version of Dr. Fuhrman’s plan, too. Thanks so much for your blog and recipes, they have helped so much!
Debbie
January 1, 2012 at 5:43 amAll I can say is thank you!!! My story sounds like yours-I started so well in October trying a plant based diet. It started as a 28 day experiment, however, I felt so much better that I decided to keep eating that way. I have definitely allowed sugar, flour and dairy to creep back in and am paying the price! I’ve been telling myself it’s time to get back on board and make the effort to eat right. So thank you, this is the jump start I needed!! I will be joining you on your journey!
Happy New Year, Susan!
Ilene
January 1, 2012 at 6:37 amGreat first post for the New Year! I will enjoy following your plan because I love salads, soups and veggies and am always on the lookout for new, interesting and easy recipes.
In your plan, why do you say the veggies should be cooked? I don’t even like cooked cauliflower, and much prefer all my veggies uncooked, except the eggplant and maybe zukes.
I have no doubt you will succeed, and thanks for taking the rest of us on this new, exciting and healthy trip with you!
Shirley Peter
January 1, 2012 at 7:07 amThanks, I am going to try this, with the exception of giving up olive oil.
gigi
January 1, 2012 at 7:23 amOK, I’m in! This is going to be a great way to start the year and to tackle those holiday pounds…ok, and a couple of “regular” pounds too! Good luck to everyone!