The KInd Life Community Forum

After 3 months of 75% macro-25% vegan, I can safely say I'm seeing results. I had been flirting with vegetarianism since August 2009. My last meat meal was in October 2009, an Oktoberfest meal that included pork schnitzel -- when I think of cooking meat now, I get sort of disgusted and horrified. I've been dairy-free since January 2010. I went on a cheese and butter binge shortly before that to clear out my fridge, which makes me laugh now, since I didn't want any of it to go to waste. Now I wish I had just given it away!

Onto results:

1) SKIN: A co-worker asked if I just got a facial recently, and I told her no, it's just what I'm eating! This wasn't without a major detox period however. At week 8, I broke out horribly -- it was one of the worst acne flare-ups I'd ever experienced. I told myself to just weather the detox. Another strange detox symptom was insomnia, at around the same time as the acne. It was very hard for me to sleep, even though I had very little caffeine. Regardless, my skin looks great, I'm glowing and I really think it's because I gae up dairy. I used to be a cheese, ice-cream, anything-creamy addict.

2) COGNITIVE: My sense of alertness and clear-headedness is vastly improved. I no longer get bad crashes in the afternoons. I feel conscious, even, clear-headed for most of the day. When I get tired, it feels part of my natural cycle and I will nap lightly -- nothing like the major sugar crashes I used to get.

3) SUGAR: I no longer crave it. I actually actively avoid it. It tastes too strong for me now, and when I accidentally eat something with processed sugar, I immediately want it out of my body!

4) PALETTE: My taste buds have become very aware of extreme salt and extreme sweet. When I have an excess of those things, my palette tells me to go for balanced tastes when I cook.

I am so happy I've found The Kind Diet!

I didn't gain weight at all. I've definitely lost weight, but since I don't weigh myself (don't have a scale or access to one too often), I go by how my jeans fit and how I feel. The jeans fit looser, and I feel great!

I was mindful not to binge on sugary food. As soon as I cut out the cheese, butter and dairy, I noticed a definite shift in my body. I'm getting natural fats through nuts, tahini, avocados -- but by no means do I have those things in excess.

I've recently stopped eating chocolate too, unless it's non-dairy chocolate.

Hi ladies! I have been reading the 'Hip Chic's Guide to Microbiotics', I highly recommend you read it before you go on a rice fast. I feel like its very important to understand the meaning behind it and what to expect first and foremost.
From what I understand it is not about losing weight, its about the balance in Yin and Yang and opening your senses.
If you are doing it just to purely lose weight then I think you may be totally missing the point and could seriously run into some problems. I read a blog about a girl awhile back that approached the fast in the same way, to lose weight. She had be vegan already for awhile and still faced problems with the fast because she went about it the wrong way. I am not saying this is the case for everyone.
Also, I think it's important to remember that losing weight takes time and patients. I think of all the years I have been putting bad things into my body and I highly anticipate that cleansing it may take time. Eating superhero should help you get there while losing weight and nourishing your body.
I wish you all the best of luck. I would love to hear how how it goes ;)

Abigail,

I remember reading that in Hip Chick's Guide too. Taking the brown rice fast is about presence of mind and cleansing yourself from the inside out. I read in Sanae Suzuki's new cookbook ("Love, Sanae") why brown rice is so amazing -- as a grain, it contains both yin and yang forces, a union of heaven and earth and it's able to replicate itself thousands of times over. It's a microcosm of the universe in a sense, and that's why it's so powerful for our bodies.

Losing weight is one nice result of going macro. But remember too that this is a transformation of mind and spirit, not just your body.

Butterflylamer,
Well put! That was exactly the point I was trying to make. I believe that transformation of the mind is the most powerful tool we have.
I am going to have to pick up Sanae Suzuki's new cookbook. Did you like it? I feel like you can never have to much information.