Reading Dr Joel Fuhrman's book Eat to Live is so reassuring.
In the first place his diet makes perfect sense to me, its what I was always imagined I'd design for myself but I worried it might be unhealthy. Dr Fuhrman is a scientist who understands anatomy and physiology so he can explain scientifically, in ways that I just have to trust, why a vegan, low fat, high nutrition diet is healthy and safe.
Dr Joel Fuhrman also reassured me that my goal weight of 121 lbs is fine. Its not too low, not unrealistic. In fact he suggests 95 lbs for a 5' person and another 4 lbs per inch taller, unless they are muscular and then their weight should be higher because muscle weighs more than fat. So my goal weight is even a little bit too high! That's super fantastic reassuring, because that means as I become successful at eating healthfully, with high nutrition and low calories, his optimum diet, then I could even get down to a lower weight and still know I am healthy.
Its weird living in America nowdays. Living in London in the 1990s was more similar to living in America back in the 1970s. In the 70s we had one idea of what was slim and attractive and it was much skinnier than what is considered slim and attractive nowdays.
I've recently seen 3 women who are lovely, not too slim at all, who deliberately tried to gain weight with diet and medication because people told them they were too slim. Then when they got up to a "healthy" weight they looked too plump to me. It wasn't that way in the 70s, it really wasn't. It's completely confused me how some lovely slim girls think they are too skinny nowdays. I just don't get it.
I don't mean to discount anorexia, either. I personally know the woman who made medical records for getting down to the lowest weight without dieing. She's a surgeon now and has to perform surgery standing on a footstool because she stunted her growth through malnutrition. So yes anorexia is a serious issue.
But the girls who are gaining weight just to look "normal" -- that is ridiculous too. Dr Fuhrman suggests a man should be able to pinch no more than 1/2" fat at his naval, and a woman no more than 1" fat at her naval. So I'm going to stand with Dr Fuhrman on this issue, a person who is 5' tall and 95 lbs is fine, good health.
5'1" - 99 lbs
5'2" - 103 lbs
5'3" - 107 lbs
5'4" - 111 lbs
5'5" - 115 lbs
5'6" - 119 lbs
5'7" - 123 lbs
5'8" - 127 lbs
5'9" - 131 lbs
6' - 135 lbs
So I highly recommend Dr Fuhrman's six week holiday challenge and even though I'm not following it perfectly yet, I'm preparing myself with groceries, knowledge, and just getting myself in the right frame of mind. I'm gentle with myself, so I'm ok with not being perfect, and knowing I'll improve. New goal based on wellness test is 118-121 < stay in that range.
In the first place his diet makes perfect sense to me, its what I was always imagined I'd design for myself but I worried it might be unhealthy. Dr Fuhrman is a scientist who understands anatomy and physiology so he can explain scientifically, in ways that I just have to trust, why a vegan, low fat, high nutrition diet is healthy and safe.
Dr Joel Fuhrman also reassured me that my goal weight of 121 lbs is fine. Its not too low, not unrealistic. In fact he suggests 95 lbs for a 5' person and another 4 lbs per inch taller, unless they are muscular and then their weight should be higher because muscle weighs more than fat. So my goal weight is even a little bit too high! That's super fantastic reassuring, because that means as I become successful at eating healthfully, with high nutrition and low calories, his optimum diet, then I could even get down to a lower weight and still know I am healthy.
Its weird living in America nowdays. Living in London in the 1990s was more similar to living in America back in the 1970s. In the 70s we had one idea of what was slim and attractive and it was much skinnier than what is considered slim and attractive nowdays.
I've recently seen 3 women who are lovely, not too slim at all, who deliberately tried to gain weight with diet and medication because people told them they were too slim. Then when they got up to a "healthy" weight they looked too plump to me. It wasn't that way in the 70s, it really wasn't. It's completely confused me how some lovely slim girls think they are too skinny nowdays. I just don't get it.
I don't mean to discount anorexia, either. I personally know the woman who made medical records for getting down to the lowest weight without dieing. She's a surgeon now and has to perform surgery standing on a footstool because she stunted her growth through malnutrition. So yes anorexia is a serious issue.
But the girls who are gaining weight just to look "normal" -- that is ridiculous too. Dr Fuhrman suggests a man should be able to pinch no more than 1/2" fat at his naval, and a woman no more than 1" fat at her naval. So I'm going to stand with Dr Fuhrman on this issue, a person who is 5' tall and 95 lbs is fine, good health.
5'2" - 103 lbs
5'3" - 107 lbs
5'4" - 111 lbs
5'5" - 115 lbs
5'6" - 119 lbs
5'7" - 123 lbs
5'8" - 127 lbs
5'9" - 131 lbs
6' - 135 lbs
So I highly recommend Dr Fuhrman's six week holiday challenge and even though I'm not following it perfectly yet, I'm preparing myself with groceries, knowledge, and just getting myself in the right frame of mind. I'm gentle with myself, so I'm ok with not being perfect, and knowing I'll improve. New goal based on wellness test is 118-121 < stay in that range.
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