Note from Jane: This is the latest in a monthly series by Duffy, who went whole food, plant-based late in 2013 with the goal of losing over 200+ pounds. Duffy is doing an awesome job and has experienced significant successes. At the same time, she still struggles with a problem many food addicts have: indulging in high-calorie dense foods that feed cravings and slow weight loss or even cause weight gain. Duffy understands this issue well and is working hard to overcome it. I hope others struggling with similar food addictions can learn from her experience. To see previous posts, click Duffy Chronicles.

Dear friends,

As 2014 comes to a conclusion, I have been looking back on the year and asking myself whether I accomplished all that I wanted to with my New Year’s resolution to go whole food, plant-based. While I did not lose as much weight as I hoped at the outset of the year, I have lost 72 pounds since 2013 and have kept about 60 of that off. I also accomplished several things of great significance. For instance, I remember a time before I began this way of eating that I couldn’t walk the length of a high school and was in great pain when I tried to do so. I remember having near-constant back pain when I stood and not being able to bend over to reach the gas tank release button while sitting in the driver’s seat of my car. All of those issues resolved quickly when I changed my diet, lost a little weight, and started being able to move better. Perhaps the more significant outcome though is that for one full, entire year I kept a promise to myself. It’s the first time in my life I’ve ever kept a New Year’s resolution, and I am so proud of myself.

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Note from Jane: This is the latest in a monthly series by Duffy, who went whole food, plant-based late in 2013 with the goal of losing over 200+ pounds. To see previous posts, choose Duffy Chronicles from the Stories menu.

When Jane broached the subject of my writing a regular blog post on her website, I was hesitant. Even if I did it anonymously, I would be putting myself out there in a big way. And what if I failed? It wouldn’t be a private failure, but a public humiliation.

I have not failed… but I have not succeeded in all the ways that I want to yet, either.

To put first things first, I will state up front that I have kept my New Year’s resolution to stay 100% Whole Food Plant Based (WFPB), no oil.

I haven’t lost weight since summer, however. I had gotten to 72 lbs lost and then I bounced up to where I was only down 62 lbs and that is where I’ve stayed. I think it started with nuts (daily)… then came the bread and lemonade (daily). After that there was a time when I ate all three of an evening. (Note: While these are all plant foods, they are higher density plant foods that need to be eaten sparingly for weight loss.)

A few of weeks ago I reached a point of realization where I had driven to the store with the intent of buying the usual loaf of oil-free ciabatta bread, Simply brand raspberry lemonade, and oil-free roasted and salted cashews from the bulk section (talk about a daily calorie binge!) and it was raining so hard I didn’t want to get out of my car. So I sat there in the parking lot and thought about how badly I really wanted those things. Interestingly enough, I found that I wasn’t actually truly hungry at all, that I didn’t really want those things so much as I wanted to stuff down the emotion, and that I was basically on autopilot. I drove back home empty-handed, read for awhile and went to bed. My newfound abstinence lasted two days.

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