Brenda Workman has spent most of her life managing her weight. She dropped a few pounds by being disciplined, but put her weight back on the moment she couldn’t stand eating foods high in fat and sugar.
She worked for a weight loss organization and led classes for 27 years before quitting because she “felt like a hypocrite.” Workman says she herself couldn’t keep up with her program for more than eight weeks at a time, and she ended up going yo-yo on her diet.
Sweets were always the trigger for overeating.
“If my program said I could eat a donut and it counted as 12 points, I would eat the donut, but before the day was over, I got out of control. It’s like saying something to an alcoholic by giving them something in a glass, Workman, 63, of Princeton, West Virginia, told TODAY.com.
“I’m back to donuts, I need another donut. And maybe I ate four donuts before the day was over.”
At 5 feet tall and 1 inch tall, Workman’s BMI put him in the obese category. (Since she is still sensitive, she asked not to include maximum weight in this article.)
But what really started to worry her was her deteriorating health. She became lethargic and her joints ached. She had high cholesterol for about 25 years and was taking statins to control it.
In 2020, she was working in her garden when she felt dizzy. Workman checked her blood pressure just in case, and found it to be high. When her high readings persisted for days, she contacted her doctor. He immediately put her on medication to lower her blood pressure. Doctors also suggested switching to a plant-based diet.
Nearly three years after making the change, Workman says she has lost 60 pounds and no longer needs drugs to lower blood pressure and cholesterol.
“I cried because I thought I would never be off statin drugs for the rest of my life,” she recalls.
“As we get older, a lot of people think, ‘This is going to happen all the time, I’m just getting older, these chronic diseases are going to happen.’ I have to accept that. And Now, I am a firm believer that food really matters.”
Eating a nutritious plant-based diet may lower cardiovascular risk, lower cholesterol levels, and reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, and heart failure. Journal of American Heart Association study.
go vegan
Desperate to avoid heart disease, Workman was doing everything in his power to switch to a plant-based diet, but that was the first adjustment.
“I’m an Appalachian girl from West Virginia, so it was definitely a learning curve. say.
West Virginia has the highest rate of obesity in the United States, according to the WHO. Centers for Disease Control and PreventionIt is also one of the states with the highest mortality rates. Heart disease and DiabetesCDC data shows.
Workman went vegan and avoided not only meat, but all animal products such as cheese, eggs, and dairy. A well-planned vegan diet is “healthy, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits, including disease prevention.” Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Since that vitamin is only found in animals, vegans should consider a B12 supplement, nutritionists say.
About two weeks into her new diet, she found herself in a predicament. Workman had a terrible day and on her way home she stopped by Dairy Her Queen and she decided to stop by for a high fat, high sugar treat. She calls it “addiction.” But she was able to speak for herself.
“This is not a diet, it’s not weight loss. This is about your health right now and is that what you want to do? Do you want to go back to that food that brought you here?” I remember that
After that, the workman went straight home. Over time, the craving disappeared.
plant-based staple food
Workman says the key to switching to a plant-based diet is experimenting with recipes.
She didn’t like tofu at first, but tried different ways to cook it until she found a recipe she liked.
Breakfast can consist of cold cereal topped with oats or berries. She sometimes makes pumpkin muffins as a snack.
Every day, Workman eats a large salad with lots of vegetables and roasted potatoes, chickpeas, and all kinds of vegetables. “It’s just huge,” she says.
Brown rice with beans is a favorite meal. Toss that baby in, heat up the beans, and put some tomatoes and onions on top.
The more color and texture you have in your meal, the more satisfying it will be. Instead of sugar, sweeten your food with dates, raisins, fruit, or maple syrup.
Workman never skipped meats and cheeses, and was surprised to find that within weeks of switching to a plant-based diet, her previous cravings had disappeared.
“When I eat high-fiber foods, I usually don’t binge, so I feel very satisfied after each meal and don’t think about food until I’m hungry again,” she says.
“I now put only good things into my body all the time. And I think my body finally said, Thank God.”
