As we at MamaSezz well know, changing to a plant-based diet can change your life in ways you never expected. Some try a plant based diet for weight loss, others for disease reversal. In this series, we talk with some of the world’s most soulful, dedicated (and often funny) individuals. We get to hear their stories of suffering, transformation, and service — and we learn how food is an essential part of their journey.
This week, we're talking with Joan Miller, a vibrant woman in her late 80s who decided enough was enough when she was having trouble putting on her own socks. She had put on some weight, and her body was starting to ache. She knew something had to be done, and that's when she discovered Chef AJ on Youtube. After going 95% whole food plant-based, she lost the weight and feels incredible. Here's her story:
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We talked to Joan about how she tried a plant based diet for weight loss:
[Mama Sezz 00:01] Introduction
Hi there, Mama Sezz community today we are talking with the Joan Miller and she decided to go plant based for weight loss and other health benefits but I'm going to let Joan tell her story, and we're going to start in right off the back with a big question and that is, Joan, what prompted your interest in a plant based diet?
[Joan 00:20] Plant based diet for weight loss
Well, Hi, I just felt I was getting too overweight and it was hard, but I just felt I was getting too overweight and too fat, my tummy was too fat, my face was too fat and I was getting to the top of my, I weighed 163 pounds and I didn't want to weigh 163, I didn't want to weigh more than that. So I said, I've got to do something, and all that I found out about was a whole food plant based on Facebook and YouTube.
[Mama Sezz 01:05] Quality of life
Wow, and so being overweight like that, did it make your life difficult?
[Joan 01:09] Joint pain and inflammation
No, it didn't. Well, I felt a little bit slow. But what really hit me was that it was hard for me to put my socks on in the morning and at 88 years old, you get a little bit stiff in the joints and back’s a little stiff, and the legs. I didn't want to weigh more than 163 or 164 pounds.
[Mama Sezz 01:41] When Joan discovered a plant based diet for weight loss
Absolutely, and then when you discovered this plant based diet on Facebook and YouTube, what did you come across? What resources did you find?
[Joan 01:49] Joan discovers Chef AJ and a plant based diet for weight loss
Well, there was a girl out in California who was younger than I was, I think she weighed 200 and something she was Esther Loveridge and she saw it on YouTube and Facebook, she gave this interviews, she has a lovely blog post and she told about the food she was eating, no meat, no dairy, no fish and no sugar, and very little oil and I was using a lot of olive oil, and then she told about Chef AJ on YouTube and my goodness Chef AJ was way over 200 pounds and she had a wonderful YouTube different talks. She interviewed doctors, and I was hooked, I said this for me. I can do it.
[Mama Sezz 02:45] Was a plant based diet for weight loss difficult?
That is so exciting. Can you describe to us a little bit about the first part of your journey? So how did you manage to switch your diet? I mean, after 88 years of eating a certain way that must have been kind of difficult.
[Joan 02:58] A plant based diet meal plan was easy for Joan
Well, No, because my mother was a home Ec teacher in 1921 and as a kid, we always had vegetables and salads and of course meat and pork and standard American diet. I'm from Central Pennsylvania and people eat pretty normally over there, and so it wasn't hard and I am a mother of three sons. The oldest is 65, 63 and 58 and I always, I was a stay at home mom, as we all were back in the 60s and the 70s. And I was pretty good cook and I tried to do the standard American diet and so no, it wasn't hard for me. I was determined. And I'm sort of competitive, I guess in sports and I said I can do this, darn. I'm going to do it.
[Mama Sezz 04:02] Health changes after trying a plant based diet for weight loss
Oh, good for you. That is very, very exciting. So when you first made that switch, did you notice any health changes? Was it easier to put on your socks?
[Joan 04:12] Joan loves her InstaPot
No, I didn't notice any. It really took about a year. It was the second year that, well the weight came off slowly. I came down to about 155, 150 but it was to last five months that I've been down from 147 to 143.
Sometimes I slipped and I wasn't conscientious enough so I said "Oh, I gotta get out my books". I had Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn’s how to prevent and reverse heart disease which gives all the scientific evidence of, well, I plan why eating plants work and getting rid of meat was better for everyone's health. So No, it wasn't that. It wasn't that hard to tell you the truth. Oh, I got an instant pot. That the difference and it's fun because I see everybody's that’s interviewed and has fun says "I love my instant pot" and I most certainly do.
[Mama Sezz 05:30] It's not all or nothing
Well, I'm going to have to get one of those, you've inspired me. Are you 100% plant based?
[Joan 05:37] Joan sticks to a 95% plant based diet meal plan at home
No, no, no, no, come on. If I go out to dinner before a restaurant, if I didn't have barbecued spare ribs. I don't eat red meat, but spare ribs, or I want to eat a piece of salmon or whatever. Shrimp? Sure. I'll have it. But at home I'm pretty, I'm certain about 95%.
[Mama Sezz 06:07] Everything in moderation
Well, that is the way to do it and I think it's really important to also know even not at 100% you're still seeing results. So doing it 90%, 95% you know, the most you can do. That's all you could do and it's very, very important to understand that just because you're having spare ribs one day doesn't mean that you can't go back to eating mostly plant-based the next and so I think that's very inspirational for our community.
[Joan 06:31] Detoxing from sugar on a plant based diet meal plan
And if you just went, well, I used to buy a candy bar and I'd take two bites and I gotta tell you to throw it out the car window. It's a terrible waste. It got rid of that. Oh, I don't get why can’t I have some candy. So that's how I would’ve handled that, but I don't even do that, I haven’t bought a candy bar for eight months.
[Mama Sezz 06:58]
Oh, wow. Good for you.
[Joan 07:00]
Yeah.
[Mama Sezz 07:01] How long?
And then how long have you been plant based for mostly plant based?
[Joan 07:04]
Well, two years.
[Mama Sezz 07:06] Favorite plant-based meal delivery dish
Congratulations. Yeah, that is really exciting do you have anything else you'd like to say? What's your favorite Mama Sezz dish?
[Joan 07:17] MamaSezz meals delivered: a plant based diet for weight loss
I love the breakfast bars and I'm going to have one of your dinners tonight, I think its mama’s chili, I'm dying to try that but you know what I find Caroline, It's you know, I have a lot of friends and family and I try it and say, Hey, have you tried this plant based eating? And some older friends of mine said, "Oh, I don't want to change, I'm too old" and I don't know why it's so easy, I love it. And beans and rice and all that good stuff. It's fun.
[Mama Sezz 07:55] Inspiration
Well, I think that you are a great inspiration. It just shows everybody that you can change your diet at each stage of life and feel better and feel amazing, lose weight if you need to and something as simple as putting on your socks in the morning that can be such a bother at one point in your life can end up being you know, easy or enjoyable later in life. So
[Joan 08:15]
Oh, my blood pressure came down.
[Mama Sezz 08:17]
Oh, that's so great.
[Joan 08:20] Lowered blood pressure
And the doctor took me off two of my blood pressure medicines.
[Mama Sezz 08:25]
That is inspiration right there
[Joan 08:27]
Yeah, Yeah
[Mama Sezz 08:29]
Oh, that is so exciting. I'm so happy for you, Joan.
[Joan 08:32]
Thank you. It can happen.
[Mama Sezz 08:35]
It can happen. That's so true, thank you so much for speaking with us today.
[Joan 08:40]
You're welcome.
Want to lose weight on a WFPB in just 4 weeks?
Try the MamaSezz Guaranteed Weight Loss Program. Enjoy whole-food, plant-based, oil-free, meals delivered. No B.S. (you know, bad stuff).