From: Gary L. Hawley (clients1.hawaii.rr.com)
Subject: Re: Look, ma, I'm losing weight!
Date: October 30, 1999 at 17:17:24 PST

In Reply to: Look, ma, I'm losing weight! posted by Beverly Kurtin on October 16, 1999 at 21:11:41:

This is not a personal note to anyone in particular, but I thought this might be the best place to post it. Basically, I find it very difficult to understand how people are unable to lose weight on a vegan diet - especially one like the Ornish diet. Regardless of the portions, if you are consuming 10% or less calories from fat, you can't possibly gain weight. I know quite a few people who are following the Ornish diet, and every single one has lost weight - including myself and my wife. I also know some people who claim to be following the Ornish diet but are not losing weight. They, however, finally admit that they cheat and eat regular foods from time to time...

I started on the Ornish diet (religiously) a little over 2 years ago because of CAD. I am 5' 11" and was 165 lbs when I started. Within a few months I had lost 20 lbs., and I was eating like a pig - more food than I had ever eaten before. As a matter of fact, I was losing too much weight and didn't feel good at all. I have now gained back 10 lbs. by eating constantly and feel much better. My wife also lost quite a bit of weight over the last 2 years, and she is eating everything under the sun.

I guess the bottom line for us is that we really didn't have the weight to lose, but we lost it anyway in the process of just following the diet. As far as portions are concerned, I eat until I am stuffed at every meal, and I can eat again within a few hours. Before the Ornish diet I was just the opposite - ate once a day, but pizza and junk like that, and I was rarely hungry.