Q: So are you a vegetarian? Or maybe a vegan?
A: Umm... I'm not sure. Neither? A little bit of both? I call myself a "Complex Carbivore." The bulk of my diet consists of complex carbs. Other words for complex carbs include "starches" or "whole foods" or "plant-based foods" or "complete foods." To me they are all complex carbohydrates. And it's OK to eat meat and dairy sparingly... so not sure if that's OK with vegetarians and vegans.
Q: Are you nuts? I mean, are nuts OK to eat?
A: It's OK to eat a small handful of nuts each day (but stay away from peanuts). Nuts have good nutrients, but also a lot of fat. And yes, many people think I am nuts.
Q. Shouldn't you be eating good fats?
A: In my world, there is no such thing as "good fats" outside of the natural-occurring fats found in the CORE FOODS. Like McDougall says, "The fat you eat is the fat you wear." Even "good fats."
Q: Seriously, I need to eat meat sparingly?
A: YES. Anything with a mom or a face. Meats are too fatty and they have other components that make long-term weight control (and disease control) kind of difficult. And most importantly, a wise Physician once told me to eat meat sparingly. And I trust Him with my life.
Q. But don't I need to eat meat to get my protein?
A: No. Plant-based complex carbs provide more than enough protein for your daily needs. Even for bodybuilders.
Q: But what about those diets where they mainly eat meat? Don't those people lose weight?
A: Yes, they lose weight, mainly because eating so much meat makes your body sick (you would also lose weight if you got giardia or cholera). Most people who try those meat/protein diets end up putting all the weight back on. It's unsustainable.
Q: You keep talking about a 4-month weight-loss adventure. But I don't think I can do your diet for 4 months.
A: That's OK. Try it for one month. Most people feel so good after the first month that they want to continue. Just take that first step.
Q: What about eating out at restaurants?
A: There are plenty of good restaurants these days that are accommodating to this lifestyle. Another thing to consider: if you only eat out 1-3 times per month, it would be OK to eat some meat during those occasions. Eating meat 1-3 times per month would definitely be considered "sparingly."
Q: If I eat good food, does it "cancel out" the bad food?
A: NO. For example, if you eat five good things and five bad things during a day, the five good things do not "cancel out" the five bad things. Eating a bad thing is bad for you no matter how many good things you also eat.
Q: What's your recommendation for exercising?
A: Exercise matters. It just matters less than what you eat. Also, exercising for more minutes each day DOES NOT reduce the harmful effects of any bad foods you are consuming. A top priority when exercising is: don't hurt yourself. Keep it simple and relatively light. And do something you enjoy. For me personally, after about 3 months into my weight-loss adventure, I was feeling SO GOOD and FULL OF ENERGY that I joined a local tennis league! I hadn't played tennis in 25 years. But I just couldn't contain myself with all my new-found energy. So because of this food lifestyle change, I went from ZERO exercise to playing tennis three times each week.
Q: How many pounds can I expect to lose within the first month?
A: Remember, this is not a "quick fix short-term diet plan" like you might hear about on TV. This is a way of life. This is giving your body the right medicine (food) each and every day. (I lost 13 pounds during the first month.)
Q: Seriously, I really don't have to count calories?
A: NO WAY! Eating right does not involve counting calories. Rural Chinese people consume more calories each day than the average American, but the rural Chinese people are slimmer. They are simply eating the right kinds of calories. Counting calories is a huge waste of time. Totally unnecessary. Unless you like practicing math.
Q: But don't complex carbohydrates turn into body fat?
A: That's a total myth (many studies show that it's a myth). If that were true, 1 billion Asian people would be fat.
Q: Some of the foods you are advocating have gluten. Is your program not gluten free?
A: No, it's not gluten free. We happily eat lots of gluten. Gluten is simply the protein of wheat. If you have celiac disease, you probably shouldn't participate in my program. Please consult your doctor. But for those who do not have celiac disease, don't worry, eating wheat will not give you celiac disease. More and more studies are showing that celiac disease is either inherited (bad luck) or it is caused because the high level of fat found in the average American diet of meat, dairy, and junk food ruins the lining in your intestine. The meat, dairy, and junk food rot away the intestinal lining, making it difficult for your intestine to handle gluten in the future. THE HEALTHIEST DIET IN THE WORLD is definitely not gluten-free, but it certainly helps prevent people from getting celiac disease in the first place.
Q: If I can't drink cow's milk, how do I eat my cereal?
A; I eat cereal without milk (I pour cereal in a cup and eat it that way). But for those who need to soggy-up their cereal, I HIGHLY recommend almond milk. It's GREAT. And it's what I use as my go-to baking ingredient. Almond milk comes in many amazing flavors. I have yet to meet anyone who tries it and hates it.
Q: I thought cow's milk "does a body good." Why isn't cow's milk part of your diet?
A: You know who else doesn't have cow's milk on their diet plan? A cow. After a cow is weaned by his mother (when he is 3 months old), he does not drink cow's milk anymore. And even without drinking cow's milk, the cow grows up big and strong without it. I think we humans are the only species that drinks the milk of another species. Believe me: There is a better way.
