Can the Fat

My "power salad" and food log journal.

Fifteen days ago I halfway began a modified diet of The Engine 2 Diet.  I say halfway because I've had several interruptions, a wedding and a few slip ups.  Due to a suspected wheat intolerance, I have modified the diet to also remove wheat and am trying to remove "my best friend" corn.  Many studies have shown that a diet low in saturated fats helps reduce inflammation that can aggravate or cause disease.  My hope is to slowly add back "suspected offenders" separately to see if one or the other causes problems.

The Engine 2 Diet authored by Rip Esselstyn is a plant based diet, different from a vegan diet in that no prepared "boxed" vegan concoctions are allowed or any oils.  Last week, I attended a free seminar by Rip Esselstyn, promoting his healthy eating book, hosted by Whole Foods Grocery.  It was very informative and eyeopening.  Yesterday, a group of 65 motivated people attended the first weekly meeting for those that have signed up for the 28-day challenge to follow the Engine 2 Diet. 

There are 2 ways to start the diet, hog wild or step by step.  It is recommended for most to go step by step.  It's very hard to eliminate EVERYTHING from your diet, rearrange your entire pantry, and stick with it all in one day. 

Rip at book signing after his seminar (wearing KALE shirt).

The book is very entertaining and informative, and was brought about after firefighter Rip challenged his firehouse to eat a plant based for 28 days and remarkable results soon followed.  Tasty meals were prepared (recipes are in the book and on the website) in order to get the guys to stick with it.  My favorite recipe is a dessert of course, and is in the book - a date, nut, and fruit dish.

Exercise is part of his diet and seminar!

Rip is now retired from firefighting but remarked he is saving lives now in another way.  He is a triathlete entering into over 1,000 competitions and was a #2 ranked swimmer at one time.  He has been eating a plant based diet since 1987, due to his fathers influence.  His father is a doctor that studied Heart Disease more than any other doctor on the planet and concluded it is totally preventable with plant based eating.

Some statistics that were presented during Rips seminar:

1) #1 source of calories for kids is POP and FRUIT JUICE.
2) The standard American Diet is 12% plants and of that, 6% is FRENCH FRIES.
3) #1 killer is Heart Disease (which is totally preventable by changing what you eat).
4) #2 killer is Cancer (The China Study directly relates this to western diets of saturated fats).
5) There are 54,000 mammals on earth and humans are the only mammal that drink another mammals milk.
6) Dairy products are basically congealed or liquid meat.  Calcium comes from the earth not a cow.
7) Green leafy vegetables are the best protein calorie for calorie.
8) All oils have the most concentrated calories of any food.  120 from oil, more than white sugar or flour.
9) Oils are "empty" calories containing no nutrition, vitamins, or minerals.
10)  Plants have all the fat you need.
11) Chicken has just as much animal protein as Red Meat which clogs your arteries.
12) Fish is a muscle and has animal cholesterol, animal protein, and waters are sadly polluted.
13) 95% of Diabetes is Type 2 which is PREVENTABLE.

What I have discovered in beginning this journey is that entire rows in the grocery store can be forgotten forever.  If you eat plant based you go down the produce isle, canned isle, and health food section.  Gone are the soda, cracker, chip, dairy, meat, and frozen food isles.  I am shocked at the rows and rows of packaged foods that contain all sorts of additives.  I found a jar of "natural" peanut butter that had the most unnatural list of junk.  If it's processed it's out - no white bread or white rice.
 
HOW TO BEGIN:

When SUGAR is the first ingredient this is a bad thing!

Open your kitchen cabinet and start label reading.  It is even hard to find a can of beans without salt, pork, or sugar (not to mention other horrors) as ingredients.  If you don't understand the word, something like methodestrose sucrantanse, then it can't be good!  The most shocking item I ever purchased and actually felt kinda sick while eating it, was a frozen Valentine decorated Ice Cream Cake.  There must have been 200 ingredients listed!

To get started with the Engine 2 Diet,
swap out one category of food for something more healthy - like Milk - many choices exist - Soy, Almond (my favorite), Coconut, and Rice. You may not be drinking a big old full glass of any of the substitutes but I cook exclusively using Almond milk and use on cereal with complete success.   Another option would be to STOP eating fried everything, just STOP.  Each week you can make a change for your health!

I would love to hear your favorite substitute or if you are participating in the E 2 Diet.  Please leave a comment!

-Rebecca