Join me as I blog my way through Dr. Furhman’s Eat to Live plan (again)! My goal is to reach my ideal weight by doing the aggressive 6 week Eat to Live plan by Dr. Fuhrman until I reach that magic number! I will be posting what I eat each and every day (or as close as I can get) with pics! If you are currently on the plan we would love to hear from you–please comment and post pics below!
WHAT I ATE ON DAY 3:
BREAKFAST: Already had a repeat, the Banana Blossom that I created on Day 1 was the first thing on my mind when I woke up today!
LUNCH (see pic above): Here’s one of my favorite Eat to Live standbys that I started making during Week 2 of my Becoming Nutritarian series! This time instead of red lentils, I made this hearty stew with green lentils. Just “saute” diced carrots, celery and onions in reduced sodium veggie stock. Add 3 cups of dry green lentils (tip: dry lentils do not need to soak prior to cooking with them!), cover with water and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce heat to medium and begin finely dicing your Crimini or Portabella mushrooms. Add the mushrooms and reduce heat again to low. Allow to cook to desired doneness on low heat. I made mine into a stew-like consistency (with less water).
I also had a mixed baby greens salad with cucumbers, red onion, 1/4th avocado, grape tomatoes, 1/2 ounce raw sunflower seeds and sliced strawberries; dressed with balsamic vinegar.
Since I was feeling particularly hungry this meal, I also had raw cauliflower with 2 tbsp. hummus.
DINNER: I started with my main course (which is the SALAD of course!), with mixed baby greens, 1/2 cup garbanzo beans, 1 small clementine orange, diced red onions, 1/4 Hass avocado, grape tomatoes and a sprinkling of dry roasted pistachio nuts (Dr. Fuhrman advises to only eat your nuts and seeds raw, but Trader Joe’s doesn’t have the raw variety, so I’m bending the rules a bit–but I compensate by eating less of them!); dressed with balsamic vinegar.
The second part of my dinner was this super-easy wrap made with 1 tbsp hummus, 1 Trader Joe’s flax seed and wheat tortilla and 1/4th Hass avocado. Spread and roll and you’re good to go! I also had my leftover tofu, broccoli and mushrooms I had from dinner on Day 2.
“Dessert” (Dr. Fuhrman advises to end your meal with fruit so you feel more satisfied) were 3 more clementine oranges!
Check out what I ate on Day 1!
Check out what I ate on Day 2!
Hello Kristen,
I’m so grateful for this website and all the work you’ve put into it…it’s beautiful and informative.
My problem is I won’t stick with anything that takes too much prep (I know….if you want it bad enough you’ll put in the effort). But I need to at least start as easy as possible.
Can you list one day of eating in its easiest/simplest form? I’m going to start everyday with the ETL green smoothie, I’m perfectly happy eating the same thing everyday..
Thank you again so much for all you’ve done…I’m so inspired xoxoox
Hi Jennifer!
So happy you found the site and you’re finding it helpful!!
Here is a very simple, doable menu: BK: green smoothie or 1/2 cup rolled oats with nut-or-soy-milk and berries; LN: giant salad with 1/2 cup beans, cruciferous veggie (like cabbage or broccoli), red peppers, tomatoes, fresh onion, with balsamic vinegar–low sodium veggie soup–fresh fruit for dessert; DN: 1 cup green veggies steamed, tofu or another 1/2 cup beans, 1/2 cup whole grain (potatoes, rice, quinoa) if you had rolled oats for breakfast, if not, you can have 1 cup of whole grains; salad with raw nuts and the same toppings as your lunch salad, fresh fruit for dessert.
Hope this helps simplify it for you, but I highly recommend making your own soup for the week so you can keep out the salt and oil.
Can’t wait for you to start!
xo, Kristen
I have been doing ETL for the past few weeks and it’s too much food. If I tried to have a bean soup with my lunch salad, I was stuffed. Usually with a lunch salad containing beans I don’t have room for fruit afterwards. Its impossible for me to eat a salad and a cooked dish at dinner. So I just have a cooked dish with beans and veggies and maybe a grain if I haven’t had it earlier. Does anyone else have trouble eating enough?
So wonderful to meet you Dianna!
You are not alone! I hear this from newcomers all the time! Everyone comes into this plan with different levels of appetite!
If you can’t eat it all, it’s okay! As you get more entrenched in this way of life you’ll have days or meals where you can eat more. The most important thing you can do right now is to listen to your body.
I recently saw Dr. Fuhrman at his Newport Beach Culinary Getaway, and he said that there are days he eats only one meal and other days where he’s far hungrier. Depending on what he’s doing (e.g. playing tennis, working out versus not). He said our bodies direct us to within 5 calories of what our body needs for the day–so you know you best!
So happy you’ve started!!
xo, Kristen
Hi Kristen ! Thank you for the impetus to start eating more healthily – although I haven’t eaten meat or fish for maybe 25 yrs….but I love cheese and eggs! So I started and completed the 7 day salad cleanse and it was easy thanks to the tahini and houmous I drizzled over my salads! Then I was invited out to eat so many times and last week I was back on the cheese! indian food! cake! salty crisps and biscuits!! The 6 pounds I lost has appeared again!!! Arghh! But I shall persevere and from tomorrow I shall make sure I have wonderfully , huge, tasty salads once more! Can I have an occasional egg? There was no mention of them in your blog?? My fridge is full of a colourful array of vegs just waiting to be chopped!! Hurrah! Many thanks for your recipes and encouragement Caroline x
So nice to meet you Caroline!
Big WOOP WOOP for having such success on the salad cleanse!
The plain truth is those extra-yummy foods have sugar, fat and salt and those all make us want to eat more of them–it’s literally human nature!
I completely understand the restrict-binge cycle, I’m recovering from food addiction and binge eating myself.
One tool that has really helped me is the printable calendar in this post. It turns the emphasis on what you’re doing right even when you fall short of eating on-plan. And it really helps to cultivate consistency in your healthy eating, so be sure to give it a try!
A big reason I did the 6 week Aggressive Weight Loss plan was to see what my life would feel like after detoxing from salt, sugar and processed fats (like oil). For a disordered eater like me I found the food-fixation freedom I had been searching for!
Yes, you can absolutely have an egg, and Dr. Fuhrman allows for limited animal products on his plan. I follow a vegan-nutritarian protocol. I definitely recommend reading his book “Eat to Live” to better understand the range of plans under the nutritarian umbrella!
xo, Kristen
I’ve just discovered Nutritarianism and am finding your blog really inspiring! I’ll keep you posted!
So wonderful to hear that Hannah!
xo, Kristen
Kristen, thank you so much for posting this information, this will be the first diet my husband has ever been on, so it won’t be easy for him. I have been on Dr. Fhurman’s diet in the past, the diet seems very restrictive to me, at least until you get the hang of it and find your favorite allowable foods. But it has been awhile, and I have forgotten what I learned,
With your help we are looking for success, thank you once again.
I’m honored to be a resource for you and your husband as you embark on this new journey together!
Wishing you all the best and sending lots of support and love!
xo, Kristen
I just found your site after already embracing Dr Fuhlmans guidelines, I have danced with WFPB for some years now but never have I experienced improved health physically and mentally. I have had the same problem with too much food, and wasn’t getting the initial weight loss until i realised i was eating too many white potatoes (air fried/baked) so after two months in not being over strict I’ve started to embrace the protocol more and more and simply do not feel like i want to eat like i did previously (i used to be a big cheese fan) I wanted to ask you about Iodine, I’ve been using seaweed in soap and salads of late but haven’t found much about this important nutrient in the various WFPB guidelines – maybe i have searched enough?
Hi Simon, So happy you made your way to the site and that you’re finding it helpful on your journey. Dr. Greger does recommend supplementing iodine–his recommendation is: IODINE: 150 mcg daily.
I have an article on supplementation on then utilitarian lifestyle here: Nutritarian Vitamin & Supplement Guide
Hi I am almost 4 years out from gastric bypass and I still need to lose about 30-50 more pounds. The problem I’m having is getting enough in per meal to sustain me until the next meal. If I eat the salas there’s no room for anything else. Should I eat more often or just tough it out. I know a lot of it is toxic hunger but I do find myself hungry every 4-5 hours. I try to stretch it to 6 but thats a little rough.
Hi Krystal, The higher nutrient foods should be what you fill up on although I am not a medical professional and don’t have any specific knowledge about gastric bypass.
But in general, you want your body to get nutrients. Especially if you’re dealing with toxic hunger the more nutrient-dense your meals the more supportive they will be on a cellular level. If you have weight to lose don’t worry about not eating enough. Gradually you’ll be able to eat more.
But again I would speak to your doctor about these concerns directly because I am a lay person.
Hello! I also have just started to follow the EFL path. However, I struggle to understand what nutrients I may be deficient in. Do you take any supplements since you don’t do animal products? Any insight would be so helpful!
Hi Danielle, I have an in-depth article about supplementing here: Nutritarian Vitamin & Supplement Guide