Europeans

[joecaracappa]

What is it about europeans that compels them to say whatever is on their minds? Uncensored! When I saw my dear friend Yasmin last November she walked up to me, poked her finger several times into my belly and said "When I saw you two years ago you were heavy but you are a lot worse now Joey, much worse!"

On returning to Belgium she started researching various weight loss plans, most of which involved buying some pill or book but there were a few interesting ideas in the articles/sales pitches. One such piece suggested postponing breakfast (smoothies) until later in the day and ceasing any food intake after dinner. Your body then grazes on your belly fat and continues to do so until you injest at around noon. I'm not suggesting anything here, I know many of us are on meds and need to eat in the mornings and this eating patern may not work. But is was pretty mucn an LDL eating plan otherwise.

Then I saw ths documentry "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead" (Netflix). This got me on a juicing program (70% Veggie 30% fruit) and no animal based foods for 60 days and then when I return to food I can chew, it will be 90 days of veggies and fruits and then I can reintroduce meat into my diet once or twice a week. So thats my plan at the moment. I am going to blow the dust off my LDL recipe cards and get this done once and for all!

Joe

[Zesti]

Hi Joe,
I have been doing 12/12..keeping it all LDL and am having wonderful results. I do drink coffee upon waking as my breakfast,
Large protein and veggies at lunch, soup or salad for dinner or both. If I want potatoes. I will add butter beans to my soups or make the BB patties. I'll have popcorn later in the evening. Trying to NOT eat anything after 9pm now. Eventually, 9pm will be 8, then 7pm. If and when I crave sweets, I just eat fruit or have a fruit smoothie. I never was a breakfast eater and I tried to get in the habit, but it was to much of a chore! Now, no guilt..Break-Fast is my lunch..I am not on any meds.
You can do this. And what's great about LDL, is once you get it down, it easily becomes a WOE and not another "diet"..I am done with dieting and the dieters mentality of starving myself thin.
As Roger says now "It's not the calories. It's the ingredients"!! love it.
Zesti

[joecaracappa]

Hi Mary:

My doctor wants to see me a week from Friday and will do blood tests at that time and I'm sure he will also reduce or eliminate my blood pressure meds as well......today is day 26.

Joe

[Zesti]

Joe,
Before I knew of LDL I too saw the movie. It inspired me to start making smoothies. I lasted a week. I so admire your resolve! But, just that week made a big difference in the way I felt, inside and out and the way I began to think about eating healthy foods. I then stumbled upon LDL. It was an easy transition for me and I could still have my smoothies! I never get tired of smoothies!
You are doing FANTASIC and I know the up coming doctor's appointment will be nothing but good news for you..
Do you have a favorite smoothie concoction you could share...
Soon, my garden will be in all it's glory and is the time I smoothie the most!
God Bless..
Zesti

[omalani]

I have got myself back to that craving mode, by trying to make cakes and breads with LDL ingredients. It's like I want to make a legal processed food. Joe you really hit the nail on the head, it drives up my carbs and the cravings come back. It also has an emotional pull, because it's an attempt to go back to the old WOE and not pay the price. Those occasional foods start creeping back till they are not so occasional. When I get angry, like I did today I need to step back take a deep breath and stay on plan. I am also going to quit snacking between meals. It is time for me to break free from the bondage of processed foods and eat it the way God made it in simple healthful recipes. Life is good, and LDL is putting the life back in to me.

[Zesti]

Joe,
I read " Smoothie Disaster in Van Nuys" so funny. And, it got me to thinking about getting back to juicing.
Since I DO want to get 20 servings of veggies in and I already have a vita mix so it makes it so easy to do So, I try my very best to ALWAYS remember to keep the lid on..lol...
I am getting in the habit of having "my green thing" everyday. I don't even sweeten it with fruit anymore. I will still have a fruit smoothie when I want. I am buying organic veggies, so there isn't much prep work and am finding I am spending less money to be healthier. Can't beat that! so, Thank You!
I used to buy bread from Manatowoc Bakery in Wisconsin when we lived there. They had the best Flax seed breads, all organic, no preservatives This is one of the reasons they don't ship a lot of their goods. When they do, it comes to the grocer frozen. But, I still buy that when I can find it. I do have a source here to buy from so it's a treat. It's very dense, but that is how I like my breads anyhow. But, I haven't had cravings for breads or grains much since my LDL WOE. I still use my corn thins for sandwiches.
Manatowoc breads are much like the Ezekiel Breads, also very dense. They both were doing the "NO GLUTEN" way before it was ever "a thing".
I am staying tuned in to hear of your progress. Your weight loss is fantastic. It's like having a brand new slate to start with. If you don't put the bad stuff in, then you won't want the bad stuff. That's pretty simple..
I started eating grass fed beef now and find that's the way to go for me. I really only eat beef when I crave it and that's not to often and well worth the price of it because it so good.
Zesti

[joecaracappa]

Three more days of the juicing fast and on to the plant based diet (LDL sans meat) for the next 90 days. I weigh in at the doctor's next Friday........I estimate at least 70 lbs lost in 60 days.....wow, what a journey!

[omalani]

I bought a naked smoothie to take to a mother's day tea with my 2nd grade granddaughter. Her mom is in Alaska. It was to enable me to forego the cookies and punch. It worked like a charm, I wasn't hungry and no cravings. I feel like a burden has been lifted from me. My temporary divorce hearing was yesterday, he gets to stay in the house while we work things out and I pay the mortgage, while he pays the rest of the bills. After I get back from Alaska, I will stay with friends or family till I get the house sold. Everything is going smoothly and there is a good chance my daughter will be in housing when we get there. The 10 day trip to Anchorage will be a good time to do the juice thing. I am excited.

[Zesti]

Omi, Naked bottles fit in a cooler just like a can of soda. But it's a better choice. They have flavors that don't have any fruit in them too, just veggies. I once found one with spinach and lemon juice. Now, I don't count lemon juice as a fruit! It was just so refreshing.

Joe, AND what an AWESOME journey it has been. I absolutely love the way you are looking at it.
I forget sometimes to look at each day like that. You go MF you go!
Zesti