My whole family has finally decided to take the plunge and follow Dr. Fuhrman’s “Eat to Live” diet. I have done it before off and on, but wasn’t fully committed yet. Since I will be blogging all about our Nutritarian diet, I hope that will help me stay on track!

We waited until after we had gotten back from our Disney Trip to go all in. Although, I have to say, I’m really impressed at Disney World and the many vegetarian options they are starting to serve every where. I had a DELICIOUS vegan meat loaf at the Liberty Inn at Magic Kingdom.

Since, I had already been eating mostly nutritarian before we left for our trip, I was glad to at least have healthier options.

How is a Nutritarian diet different from a Vegan diet?

So what is a nutritarian diet & how is it different from just being vegan?  A nutritarian eats a plant-based diet made up of primarily vegetables, fruit, beans, nuts, & seeds.  You can still be vegan and not eat healthy – Oreos are vegan for crying out loud!  The difference between a vegan and a nutritarian is a nutritarian eats for health.  AND a nutritarian CAN eat a small amount of meat each week.  This is PERFECT for those of us who are afraid of going cold-turkey without meat, but want a way to transition away from a meat centered diet to a plant-centered diet.

Being able to eat meat on occasion (5-7 ounces a week), you can use small amounts to flavor dishes.  Meat becomes the condiment rather than the main entree, as Dr. Fuhrman says. I use 8 ounces of organic lean ground turkey to flavor my Taco Beans & Greens soup. It’s a very small amount of meat per serving (less than 1 ounce) but adds some flavor.

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Want to learn more about being nutritarian?  Then read ANY one of Dr. Fuhrman’s books. They are ALL great, but the “Eat to Live” book is probably a good starting point.

If you’ve already read Eat to Live, but want more suggested books, check out SHOP MY LIBRARY.

So if you are looking to become a nutritarian, the first week is probably the hardest.  Maybe 2 weeks if you have been eating very unhealthy.  You body is going to go through withdrawal and “toxic hunger” as Dr. Furhman describes in his books.  It might make you tired, shaky, irritable, or think you are hungry.  You will probably have a headache at some point.

Back on the Nutritarian Diet Wagon

I wanted to get back on the nutritarian wagon for a few reasons.  First of all, I just didn’t feel good the past few months and I was feeling down.  I couldn’t really put my finger on it and I really had no reason to feel that way, but I was starting to get a little depressed.  I didn’t want to work out and I just wanted to eat junk food.  Which only made me feel worse.

I had been trying to lose weight the old fashioned way and it wasn’t really working.  I’d lose a few pounds (which would take weeks) and then have 1 or 2 not as great eating days and gain it all back.  Ug.  Why is it so hard to lose weight and so easy to gain it?!  Because dieting doesn’t work.

I remembered that I had a Dr. Fuhrman book, The End of Dieting, on my iPad that I hadn’t read.  I’ve read all the others, so I thought I would give it a read.  I was immediately reminded of why “nutritarianism” is the way to go.  

The Nutritarian diet is based on Science.  

Everything is based around science, fact, and research studies that are in peer-reviewed journals.  Studies that have been going on for decades.  Not a couple years and not paid for with lobbyist money and the beef/dairy/sugar/processed food industry.

I read the whole book in about 2 days and decided I was going to do this for real this time and I was going to learn how to make easy recipes that even my kids were going to like.  

It’s even more important to me because my father passed away from Alzheimer’s.  Which is on the rise in America.  Gee, I wonder why? Could it have something to do with all the meat, cheese, & processed food we eat?

I had tried a Nutritarian diet about 5 years ago and was able to commit for about 3 months. I felt & looked great! There were even people asking what I was doing because my skin & hair looked so awesome!

But I didn’t learn enough about how to meal prep & cook simple meals so I wasn’t able to sustain it. I also think I have failed in the past because I was trying to be perfect.  I’m not going to try to be perfect this time and beat myself up.  The goal is to make this a lifestyle change, not a temporary one, so I’m looking long term, not short term.

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Most common diseases are completely preventable with a Nutritarian Diet

All the diseases people die from in old age (and younger) – cancer, heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimers, dementia, stroke – are all PREVENTABLE diseases.  But the food and drug industries don’t want you to know that.  Because they have billons to lose.

When most people get into their 60’s it is common place for them to be put on high blood pressure & cholesterol lowering drugs.  Yet, these drugs come with awful side effects and there are studies showing it doesn’t prolong life.  Then what good are they?

But what if you ate a diet that guaranteed you would never have to be on toxic drugs and you could live in to your old age without fear of forgetting everything and everyone you know?  What if you didn’t get colds or have to worry about the flu?

That is what you get on a nutritarian diet.  Your are flooding your body at every meal with vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals that you need to fight off cancer, heart disease, diabetes and more.  Nobody is talking about this in mainstream media, but they SHOULD.  I think it’s a crime that this information is basically being withheld.  Shame.  We could rid our countries and the world from these diseases with only what we eat.

Related Reading – 6 Reasons why you should become a Nutritarian

This Eat to Live Quick and Easy Cookbook is my FAVORITE and has BEAUTIFUL pictures in it!

Our Nutritarian fridge looks so beautiful!

Nutritarian Diet Food Journal Week 1

Day 1:  164 pounds to start

• Breakfast – Coffee with a little unsweetened almond milk (I wasn’t hungry since we had just gotten back from a trip to Disney world and I’d eaten so much!!)
• Lunch – Grazed on some fruits and nuts…still not hungry yet….  
• Dinner – Black eye peas, steamed cabbage, chocolate cherry cookies

I prepped a lot of food this day. Since we had been on vacation our fridge & pantry was pretty empty so it made it easy to start fresh with good food!

I cut and washed lots of fruit (cantaloupe, honey dew, papaya, berries, kiwi) and made a huge pot of black eye peas and turkey bacon. I also cut up some red, orange, and green peppers to add to salads.

Click here for the Black Eyed Peas recipe & 4 other Easy Family Friendly Nutritarian Recipes!

Day 2:  Feeling good! 

I woke up energized and ready to go for my day.  Maybe this will be easier than I thought.  Last time I did this I had a headache for 3 days. 

• Breakfast – Large bowl of fruit – sliced banana, kiwi, papaya, cantaloupe, honeydew, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries. Coffee w/ unsweetened almond milk. I LOVE all the colors of the fruits together – it’s really beautiful!
• Lunch – Large Spring Mix Salad with Red Pepper & Farro Salad as a topping. The Red Pepper & Farro salad is not vegan – it does contain buttermilk & whey in the seasoning, but I love it because it makes a nice topping. I add black beans, avocado, and fresh cilantro to the Red Pepper and Farro mixture after it is cooked.  Then I put about a 1/8 of the mixture over greens.  Sprinkle with a fat free balsamic vinaigrette (Maple Grove has a good one that is approved by Dr. Fuhrman). YUM! I also added mushrooms & pine nuts to my salad today.
• Dinner –  Leftover black eye peas and large serving of broccoli.

Day 3: I haven’t been hungry yet!

• Breakfast – Whole grain pancakes with LOTS of blueberries. Coffee with unsweetened almond milk.
• Lunch – Spinach salad with the Red Pepper and Farro topping, black beans, grape tomatoes, avocado, sun-dried tomatoes (NOT in oil), black olives, sunflower seeds, & Maple Grove Fat Free Balsamic Vinaigrette.
• Dinner – Tofu Marinara Fingers, Steamed Corn & peppers, Fudgy Black Bean Brownie.

I had my first headache tonight! I think it’s because I didn’t eat enough fruit today. Had to take some Advil and go to bed.

Day 4: Headache gone!  Yay! 

• Breakfast – Large bowl of fruit – Kiwi, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, cantaloupe, honeydew, papaya, banana slices. 1/2 tablespoon ground flax seed sprinkled on top.
• Lunch – Large Salad with the Red Pepper Farro, corn, black beans, 1/4 avocado, sunflower seeds, grape tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, baby carrots, & Fat free Balsamic Vinaigrette.
• Snack – Crispy Italian Kale Chips – delicious!
• Dinner – Pita Pizza – Whole grain Pita Bread w/ low sodium pizza sauce, chopped spinach, chopped red, orange, & bell peppers, mushrooms, chopped onion, black olives, pineapple. Topped with non-dairy cheese and some ground oregano & basil.

I had a little heartburn before dinner and not sure why. Was fine after I ate.

Day 5: No heartburn today

• Breakfast – Bowl of fruit – kiwi, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, cantaloupe, honeydew, papaya, & ground flax seed.
• Lunch – Amy’s Low Sodium Vegetable Lentil Soup.
• Snack – We went to the movies today and I’m a popcorn addict so I came prepared. I brought fat free popcorn, grapes, & waters and put them in ziplock bags to take with us. I have a large purse :-)…..
• Dinner – Lentil “Meatloaf”, Steamed Cabbage, Chocolate Cherry Cookies.

Day 6: Nutritarian diet going strong!

• Breakfast – Fruit Bowl – pineapple, kiwi, dark cherries (Oh so good!), blueberries, raspberries, blackberries.
• Lunch – I got really busy today and forgot to eat. I wasn’t hungry, but I did get pretty cranky before dinner so I snacked on some Kale Chips….
• Dinner – Spaghetti Marinara – made with SOYBEAN PASTA (found at Aldi!) and low sodium marinara sauce. I also added chunks of Zucchini and chopped spinach to the sauce. Family favorite! Fudgy Black Bean Brownie for dessert!

Day 7: I have much more energy on the Nutritarian diet

Going to start running again today – I had taken 3 weeks off for the Christmas holidays & our Disney Trip.

• Breakfast – Avocado Toast – 1 slice Ezekiel Sesame Bread & 1/2 an Avocado smeared on top. So simple & so good! Had a medium size bowl of fruit – Blackberries, raspberries, pineapple, kiwi, & ground flax seed.
• Lunch – Mixed greens & Spinach salad with red & orange peppers, red pepper farro topping, black beans, corn, sunflower seeds, grape tomatoes, & fat free balsamic vinaigrette.
• Dinner – Taco Bean Soup – turned out soooo good even my husband raved about it and he doesn’t get excited about beans like I do. 🙂

Ending weight after 1 week of Nutritarian diet – 157.3 pounds – 6.7 pounds lost and wasn’t hungry!!! YAY! I haven’t been able to lose that much weight in such a short time without feeling starved or exercising like crazy everyday.

I have so much more energy & the “brain fog” has lifted – I can think so much more clearly!

Related Reading: Nutritarian Quick Start Guide: Eat More, Lose Weight, & Prevent Disease

Nutritarian Diet Family Affair

I’m so glad my whole family is committed to this – especially my husband. He had been considering a Keto diet, but that can be very dangerous to your kidneys and is not a disease preventing, health promoting diet. Plus, once you stop Keto then what? You just gain all the wait back when you go back to eating the “SAD” Standard American Diet. My tip if you have a reluctant spouse? Have them read “Eat to Live”….that’s all it took for mine.

My kids have been really good about this mostly and I cleaned out the pantry so that they can snack on healthy fruits, nuts, & veggies. Mason, my oldest needed to lose weight (the pediatrician has been telling us for a couple years his weight is high) and he was even starting to be teased by his friends :-(. Hayden, our youngest already loved veggies so it’s been pretty easy for him although he was mad I threw away all the Belvita breakfast bars…

We haven’t gotten them to eat a salad yet, but honestly we haven’t tried. That will be the next step. Mostly, I’ve tried to make some simple nutritarian recipes and new versions of their favorites. For example, Hayden loves peanut butter and jelly. Instead, now we use natural peanut butter without added oils/salt and I either use sliced bananas or smushed berries as the “jelly”. He loves it! My kids also like the Fruit & Greens Smoothie.

Continue following my nutritarian journey – Check out what I ate on Week 2!