What an Engine 2 Challenge Did for Me
Hey, you! If I could tap you on the shoulder, I would, and then I’d give you a little nudge to try the Engine 2 28 Day Challenge.
Back in the day, I was motivated to “try this diet,” because I wanted to see what the “hype was all about.” It was September, 2009. I did my Challenge all by myself. It was me and my copy of Rip’s first book, THE ENGINE 2 DIET. I had earmarked pages with recipes I thought I might like to try. I was deeply concerned that I would be cooking without olive oil, which had run through my veins since birth. But, I was ready to give the Challenge a try. I figured that if an author could name a recipe after his son, he had to be a pretty good guy…I am referring to Kole’s Cauliflower Soup, one of my favorite recipes.
I jumped into the deep end of the Engine 2 pool, and was all about following Rip’s plan to the letter “T.” At first, it seemed like a challenge because I had to re-orient my entire way of shopping and even socializing. On each day of the plan, I created a list of foods to eat for day 29. Because in my heart of hearts, I thought that when day 29 rolled around, I’d be ready to return to the standard American diet (SAD). The list was growing, but then, day 10 happened.
On the tenth day of the plan, I woke up, and hopped out of bed after the best night’s sleep I had ever had as an adult. Really. And, I thought to myself, “I slept like a baby, and I feel great.” I didn’t need to be Sherlock Holmes to figure out that following a plant-strong diet was the best thing I could ever do for myself. And since that day, I have never looked back. I’ve lost gobs of weight, and have a cholesterol of 153.
I’ve been to fancy weddings, traveled to the mountains of Honduras, summer vacations and enjoyed fine dining experiences with friends, and I do it all plant-strong. The challenge has turned itself into the best way for me to make this plan work in all situations. And whether I am brown-bagging it, or heading to my favorite eatery in Chinatown, Engine 2 has provided me with the tools to make this a doable way of life and not a diet.
Thinking about a Challenge?
Let me make this easy for you with these five “quick tips.”
-Head to your local Whole Foods Market® (WFM) to gather information about that store’s challenge. If you do not live near a WFM, go to our website www.Engine2diet.com. Gather as much information as you can.
-Get a copy of THE ENGINE 2 DIET. Many local libraries also carry the book, so, there is another resource for you. Buy some Post-it® notes, because you will want to note and dog-ear many pages.
-Clean out your cabinets and get rid of any processed foods you might have in your house. Just throw them out.
-Keep a food journal. It doesn’t have to be fancy, you just need a place to jot down what you eat. The journal becomes a resource/reference for you, and it allows you to identify trouble spots, etc.
-Go to YOU TUBE and watch videos that feature Rip. You will gain a sincere interpretation for what it means to be Plant-strong. It isn’t a diet. It really is a new way to embrace good health for the rest of your life.
Let me say that you may run into skeptics. I was once a serious “dieter,” and could lose and gain weight easily. There may be people waiting for you in the wings. And it isn’t that they want you to fail, it’s that they want you to be part of their own unhealthy eating. But, that won’t be the case this time.
Keep us posted on your plans and progress.
My copy of THE ENGINE 2 DIET is tattered and worn, but my own motivation comes from Rip’s inscription in my book that reads: YOU. CAN. DO. THIS.
And, I know you can, too!
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