To my surprise, these posts about my experience with Dr. Fuhrman’s Eat To Live plan have been getting a lot of page views. It’s a bit of a double-edged sword for me. Although it’s great to have the traffic on my blog, after writing the February update, I kind of regretted volunteering to provide monthly reports of my success in keeping off the weight I lost per my New Year’s Resolution post. It wasn’t a particularly pleasant experience to report that, while on vacation, not only had I regained 4 of the 14.5 pounds I had lost, but that I hadn’t done much since then to take it back off.
As the calendar flipped from March to April, I knew it was time to write the next update. I really didn’t want to. I thought no one would notice if I just stopped stop writing them and I would be off the hook from committing to this exercise every month. That’s when I analyzed the page views, as well as the search requests, and realized I have quite a following on this topic. Maybe some of you out there have tried Dr. Fuhrman’s eating plan yourselves and want to see what kind of results others are getting. Or maybe some of you are researching what programs you want to try – or avoid!
I actually felt a bit energized by the interest this series of posts is generating. So I decided to change what I perceived as a somewhat dreaded task into an opportunity – not just to help or inform others, but to reflect a bit on my attitudes toward food, weight and health. So with a pep in my step, I jumped on the scale (which I hadn’t done in 3 weeks) and BOOM – up another 2 pounds!
Ideal Weight Calculation
According to the multiple studies Dr. Fuhrman cites in his book, lean people live longer. He believes that optimal weight occurs at least 10 percent below the average body-weight charts, and that current body weight charts place the public at risk by reinforcing an unhealthy over-weight standard. Based on this, he thinks about 85% of Americans are overweight, not the 70% other health experts cite.
So how does Dr. Fuhrman calculate optimal weight? For women, his formula allows 95 pounds for the first five feet of height plus four pounds for every inch thereafter. As the average American woman in 5 feet 4 inches tall, her ideal weight would be 111 pounds. For men, the formula allows 105 pounds for the first five feet of height plus five pounds for every inch thereafter. Assuming the average American man is 5 feet 10 inches tall, his optimal weight is 155 pounds.
If I followed Dr. Fuhrman’s formula and got my weight down to his “optimal” number, it would put me at the weight I was as a senior in high school when I wore size 0 – 2 jeans. It was the thinnest I had ever been in my life. Maintaining that weight was difficult and I eventually couldn’t keep it there anymore.
I know there are people out there who can effortlessly maintain a slender figure. A perfect example is my best friend from college. All of the women in her family are tall and thin. I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy as I watched her, year after year, survive on a diet of mac-n-cheese, bagels and coffee and never gain an ounce. Even 2 pregnancies and multiple stressful jobs later, I think she actually weighs less than she did in college!
So yes, I know there are people who can be ultra-thin for life. I’m just not one of them.
Idealistic vs. Realistic
What’s interesting to me is that I actually started having (or noticing for the first time) health problems when my weight was at that very low point. And I kept my weight near that low point for over 10 years. But it was during those 10 years of being thin that my health started to decline, even though I was a vegetarian and felt I was eating much better than the average bear (see this post). Of course, as I later discovered, it wasn’t my weight, but rather my food choices that created the conditions for poor health to start taking root.
It’s interesting that my health started improving once I gained 10 pounds, which according to Dr. Fuhrman’s calculation would put me on a path to health risks. To be fair, the focus of Dr. Fuhrman’s Eat To Live book is that true health results from a combination of consuming high nutrient-dense foods, exercising, and maintaining ideal weight. And my health improved when I over-hauled my diet. I’ll just have to respectfully disagree with him on the “optimal” weight calculation part.
So what do I use to determine my ideal weight? I use the BMI calculator on the Self.com Nutrition Data website. Just plug in your sex, age, height, weight and activity level, and it displays your current BMI, ideal BMI range, and ideal weight range. I know there is controversy about using BMI as a health gauge, but it’s ranges seem to fall into the typical recommended weight ranges, so I don’t see a significant difference.
According to this calculator, my ideal weight range spans 40 pounds. Based on my weight loss/gain/maintenance experiences over the years, here is what I found is realistic for me:
- If my weight is in the bottom third of that range, my skinny jeans fit and I look forward to shopping for bathing suits. However, it limits my social life. Going out for so much as dinner and a beer can start the weight gain again. And because I can’t maintain that weight, I feel like a failure. I simply can’t consider anything that makes me feel bad about myself as “ideal”, so I’m letting go of that life-long “goal weight” because it’s not realistic for me. (BTW – my “optimal” weight per Dr. Fuhrman’s calculation is at the very bottom of this range.)
- If my weight is in the middle third of that range, I feel the best because my energy is high, I’m comfortable in my clothes, and I can enjoy a normal social life without feeling like a wet blanket because of excessive dietary restrictions. I need to periodically check myself to make sure I’m not falling back into bad habits, but this is something I can and should do. Therefore, this is the weight range that I feel is realistic, healthy and ideal for me.
- If my weight gets into the upper third of that weight range, my clothes get tight and some won’t even fit. This makes me feel uncomfortable physically. My energy level declines and I stop going to the gym or otherwise being active. My blood pressure goes up. My normal blood pressure is 100/60 but it goes up to 120/70 when my weight is in this upper third range. If my weight increased beyond this range, I’m pretty sure my BP would hit an unhealthy number and that would scare me. Anything that makes me feel uncomfortable, sluggish, or borderline scared is not desirable or ideal. So even though the BMI calculator says this is part of my ideal weight range, it’s not ideal for me.
I assume that most people who are reading these posts are either working on losing weight themselves or investigating the possibility. When trying to determine what your goal weight should be, my best advice is to “know thyself.” I really don’t think this is a one-size-fits-all scenario. I have many friends who are the same height and age group as me, but none of us have the same number (or range) for what we consider our ideal weight. Take time to figure out what will result permanently in the healthiest and happiest version of you. If you are being truly honest with yourself and realistic, it won’t include pizza and beer every night!
Re-visiting Dr. Fuhrman’s Eat To Live Plan
I will admit that during March, I deviated from Dr. Fuhrman’s plan a lot. There was something about going on vacation and eating “bad” things that kicked my sweet/fat/cheese/bread/pasta/brownie tooth into high gear. Dr. Fuhrman explains in his book why we are addicted to these types of food. As much as I like to think I’m not susceptible to food addiction, I am. Apparently, most of us are.
Everyone’s heard that the older you are, the harder it is to lose weight. A friend quipped that it was like jackhammering cement off her thighs. And based on my own experience in the past, I found the same thing. That is until I came across Dr. Fuhrman’s Eat To Live plan. It was almost as easy for me to lose weight on his plan as it was back in high school.
Keeping it off is the hard part!
What I like about Dr. Fuhrman’s plan is that there really isn’t a different weight loss or maintenance plan. As long as you make the effort to change your habits and eat nutrient-dense foods the rest of your life, he says your body will find its ideal weight on its own. Who knows – maybe if I stick to his plan long enough, my weight will naturally fall to that “optimal” point of Dr. Fuhrman’s. I’ve made many changes to my diet over the years and the Eat To Live plan isn’t a far stretch for me. I just need to commit to going the last nine yards.
Had I not gone on vacation and re-ignited my sweet tooth, I probably would have stuck with the plan and not gained back 6 pounds. But is it realistic to shy away from vacations or social gatherings just because temptation could be lurking around the corner? Of course not.
Change is hard. And if I hadn’t committed to writing these updates and putting myself out there publicly, I would have just done as I did in the past – avoid the scale, slowly slip back into my old eating habits, and slowly gain the weight back.
So even though it’s embarrassing for me to put all of this in writing, it encourages accountability and seeing things through on my part. Gaining the 6 pounds put me right on the edge between my “middle third”/ideal weight range, and the “upper third”/uncomfortable range. So it looks like I caught the problem in time and will get back to business.
My Request to Readers of this Series of Posts
I would like this series to contain more specific information that is helpful to regular readers. If you could give me feedback on issues you would like me to discuss, I would be most appreciative. Please put your questions or thoughts in the Comments section below. Just use initials if you don’t want to include your name. Or you can send me a private email through the Contact Me box in the right-hand column. I hope to hear from you!
cheri says
Hi Amy, great post, up until 10 years ago I never worried about my weight. Now what I do when I start having trouble with my clothes is cut out most carbs and sweets. Apparently now that I’m older I have a real sweet tooth. But I am a also a big snacker, so little bits of food (healthy) is good for me. Thanks for sharing!
Amy says
Thanks, Cheri. I found that my carb tooth got worse than my sweet tooth. I found snacking helps me, too — as long as I don’t over do it, which ends up being a bit of a challenge!
Lorraine says
My Carb tooth grew to a mouthful. I can pass a sweet up but give me bread, crackers and lots of salty chips… sign
Lorraine recently posted…Eat To Live vs. Eat Fat Get Thin 2017 Q1 Report
Amy says
I’m the same way – can pass up sweets but the bread and pasta is hardest for me. But the more I move away from bad carbs, the better I feel. It takes time to get used to a new way of eating, so hang in there!
Tonga says
Hi Amy,
I recently started following your blog because of your ETL reports but I have saved your website to my home screen to easily check in to receive new recipes. I would like to hear more, if you’re willing to share, about past health conditions and what type of eating/diet you followed to improve your health. Please do continue with the recipes because I’m not a natural cook and require step by step instructions but if there’s anyway you could dedicate one post a month to a strict phase ETL recipe or one that could fit into the Life plan. Lastly, I’d like to hear about your exercise routine(s) and what works best for you when it comes to diet and exercise.
Amy says
Hi Tonga: Thank you very much for your feedback and for reading my blog. I will definitely incorporate your suggestions into the next (April) ETL report. I think I’ll also start tagging recipes as ETL friendly so they will be easily searchable on the site. In the meantime, you can check the vegan category of my recipes as they are ETL friendly (less the oil). Regarding exercise, my favorite type is walking. Because the weather was so bad this year, I joined a gym (Planet Fitness – it’s only $10 per month) to use the treadmill. I try to exercise 30 – 60 minutes at least 3 times per week, but the goal is 5 days per week. Thanks again for your feedback!
Lorraine says
HI
I am new to your site; I liked your post. It was realistic
I started the ETL in March and have had good success with staying on plan (95%) of the time.
I feel lousy when I revert back to SAD
I was looking to understand the ideal weight chart and liked your linked site.
Thanks again
Amy says
Hi Lorraine – so glad you are finding my site helpful! Don’t feel bad about falling off the wagon – happens to all of us. The more you stick with the program, the better you’ll feel. And then you’ll realize how bad you feel eating low quality foods on the SAD diet. Hang in there – you can do it!