"Engine 2" Diet Buddies?

Last week I started the "Engine 2" 28-day diet. I lost a pound which is very, very good for me because it is so tough for me to lose weight. A pound a month is good for me.

Engine 2 refers to a firehouse in Austin,TX where all the firemen follow a pure vegan or near-vegan diet. They do not do it for religious reasons. They do it for health.

The diet is a challenge and I do not deny it probably is too tough for many folks. I love it because there is no calorie or points counting or serving measuring or serving weighing. The one thing you do is cut out all animal products including meat, poultry, fish and dairy--all dairy.

This is the same diet that Bill Clinton went on to lose weight for Chelsey's wedding. The doctors who have done the research that form the basis of this diet were on Larry King a couple of weeks ago and explained their reasons for advocating such a strict program. I bought their books and the Engine 2 book (by Rip Esselstyn.)

Is anyone here following this diet or would you be interested? It would be fantastic if some of you would join me in this adventure. I hope some of you will.

Just checking back. I have completed three weeks on the Engine 2 plan and have lost one and a half pounds, amazingly good for me. Rip Esselstyn explains that early weight loss will not be as fast and dramatic as in some other diets because you do not lose water weight. The weight you lose is fat, so that will take a couple of weeks to notice.

The incredible thing, though, is that Hubby has stuck with the plan in spite of early griping because he was raised on a meat and potatoes regime and it has been a true challenge for him to give up his beloved steaks and ice cream. I'm really surprised he was willing to give this plan a shot.

We have both discovered food we really enjoy at the Whole Foods Market buffet.

The best thing for me I have noticed in just three weeks is that my blood pressure is reaching normal levels now. My dream is to get off the blood pressure medicine I have taken for five years.

The book I am following for this plan is "The Engine 2 Diet: The Texas Firefighter's 28-Day Save-Your-Life Plan that Lowers Cholesterol and Burns Away the Pounds" by Rip Esselstyn, Wellness Central, 2009, 273 pages; $24.99.

I paid less at Amazon.com. This book is also currently on shelves at Barnes and Noble diet section.

Other very good books written with far greater detail on this subject can be found by Dr. Dean Ornish, T. Colin Campbell and Dr. Caldwell B. Esseltstyn (Rip's father.) I'll gladly write out the names of those books if anybody asks.

I'm still hoping someone here will try this out along with me, but even if no one does, I will check in from time-to-time and let you know my progress...if nobody minds.

hmmm thanks for your story

Thanks for reading my posts. I really don't think many folks will want to try this rather strict diet plan, but maybe sooner or later someone will decide to try it out...or not. I am finding it easier as I go along.

Just an update after a month of the Engine 2 diet. I have lost four pounds which is very, very good for me. However, Hubby told me last week he could not continue the diet without meat or fish once in awhile. He is eating fish about once a day, but sticking to plant-based foods the other meals.

I don't miss meat and fish, butter, cheese, eggs or milk. My big challenge is doing without oil. This diet is very low fat and the author uses salad dressings made without oil, but I just don't like dressings without some olive oil. So I use as little dressing as I can stand. Also, Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie and whipped cream is unthinkable. I won't miss the turkey.

Hubby saw on TV that someone saw Bill Clinton, who is on a similar diet because of his health, sneak a steak recently.:D

It would be nice if someone else here would try this plant-based diet with me, but it doesn't surprise me that no one wants to give it a shot. I know it seems very strict. Yet, many try other types of very restricted diets such as Atkins and similar kinds.

I'll check back in a month or two and let folks know how this is going. Some good things I have noticed is that I have more energy and fall asleep really fast at night. Even though I am 67, I still had trouble with my face breaking out, but it hasn't since I have been on thsi diet. That might be because it is such a low fat approach to eating...just a guess.