need a reason to stick with it?

[Faith in DC]

My ex boyfriend, whom I was very close to, almost to the point of being married. We were together 8 yrs. I loved him deeply. He was always morbidly obese, around 350 lbs or so. I tried so hard to get him to mcdougall. He loved the food I cooked (or so he said), but when I wasn't around he'd pig out on fast food. Since we broke up he's ate nothing but junk and fast food and gotten even larger.

He passed away this past saturday, died while leaving a Renaissance Festival, right on his feet too. I figured he loaded up on a deep fried turkey leg or something.

He said he had perfect cholesterol and blood pressure, but I often wondered. I never could test the bp due to his size. I knew he was a heart attack waiting to happen, and I'm sure everyone who looked at him thought it. Why do some folks want to end their life young (56) because food more important?

I'm using it as motivation to keep doing what I'm doing.

[slugmom]

Faith, I'm sorry for your loss, what a shock that must be, and how sad that he had access to life changing information that he didn't take advantage of. But yes, what a good reminder that how we eat DOES matter, and how we really don't know when the results of our bad habits will result in some disaster - we all like to live pretending it won't matter yet ...

((((hug))))

for future (or others') reference, we've bought two home BP cuffs and both came with mail-in-coupons for a free *larger size* cuff if the arm size was not sufficient. If anyone else has a cuff they can't use on someone due to arm size, check and see if there's a large-sized one available, there should be.

[proverbs31woman]

Faith,

I'm so sorry to hear about your loss. I didn't expect your message to end with that, but it's good that you are able to use his passing away as motivation. Actually, his passing can inspire us all to take our health and our lives seriously. Life is too short.

Thanks for sharing.

[eaufraiche703]

Oh, Faith, I'm so sorry about your friend! What a horrible loss - what a nasty shock!

[Vanilla Orchid]

I'm so very sorry for you and for his family and friends. It really hurts to know you have information that can help someone, and that someone just can't or won't take it. Food can be an addiction just like alcohol or drugs. And it's harder to control because we all need to eat and food is just everywhere.

[dlb]

Faith -

My heart goes out to you. I'm so sorry for your loss.

Donna

[kimba]

So sorry for you Faith.

kimba

[Clary]

Oh, Faith, I am so sorry.

So many in my family have lost or destroyed their lives because of their food, liquids, and substances choices that they put into their bodies.

It is good that you can see the gift of motivation left to you from your precious friend.

[Dale Jackson]

I wish I could get my dear husband to read this, but I know he won't. He is like your ex-boyfriend. He is way over 300 lbs. but won't tell me exactly how much he weighs. He doesn't gripe if I don't cook meat but he eats hamburgers or hot wings when he goes out to lunch when he's at work everyday and when we go out to eat on weekends he eats bad stuff. He also buys a lot of comfort junk food for himself--chips, cokes, sweet rolls, cookies, etc. Not only that but he was raised in the south on fat back, pork chops and lots of fried food. I really don't expect him to be around much longer and it scares me. Please accept my condolances and thank you so much for the warning.

[veggiecat]

My sweetie lives on meat,meat,meat!At least he gets lots of exercise & isn't too overweight [10 or 15lbs]I still worry!My above mentioned friend weighs about 300 & eats everything in sight.He seems healthy...so far.

[star]

Oh my, I just didn't expect that out come to story. I am so sorry for your loss. It's definitely a reminder to me that all of our efforts are so worth it.

[fulenn]

So sorry about what happened. Thank you for sharing and doing what you can to help others through this.

[Faith in DC]

Thank you everyone. The 8 yrs we were together, I tried to get him to see the light. He said he'd try. We watched McD video's heck he came to the USDA with me to watch the Great Diet Debate, and said he loved mcdougall. But he didn't want to. I work it off, is what he'd say.

He'd call and tell me, this Sweet lady gave me a homemade peach pie because I put in a plug for her and didn't charge her. Then he'd add, I ate it for lunch. ugh

Dale, good luck, and be like me and start preparing. Just silently getting prepared because chances are, he will go first.

I think about the stress on all the joints and body parts, had to go through processing the foods and surviving without the correct nutrients. Our bodies are meant to go, just how long depends.

[Love the Lorax]

((((hugs))))

I KNOW, really and truly, what you are going through. My hubby is also over 300 pounds, and loves his meat/cheese/puddings/chips/sodas. He thinks that being a vegetarian is nuts, that "those people" just have an ax to grind, etc. He is getting sicker and sicker, but blames it on old age. He is only 46, not 86. I won't go through an entire litany of his health issues, but I do get worried that he won't be around for more than another decade. Amazingly enough, his BP isn't bad, nor cholesterol (186, amazing considering his weight). However, his sugars are going up, he has bad sleep apnea, lots of circulation problems in his legs, etc. etc.

I keep hoping that if I set a good example he will follow. Not much else I can do, because I can't force him to change his eating and if I nag that only makes it worse.

[yogini girl]

I'm so sorry for your loss Faith. I lost my brother at age 46 from heart disease. He just fell over and died at work. I lost my Dad at age 57, but he had his first heart attack at age 49. I am so committed to healing whatever heart disease I may have created for myself by eating the diet that I ate growing up and in my previous adult life. I began this diet in May and I am so inspired by all of you and Dr McDougall. I love this way of eating and I feel very passionate about healing my body. My husband eats a very poor diet also. He's only 48 years old and is developing high blood pressure and high cholesterol already. I know what you all mean about being prepared. I just hate to see someone you love go downhill, get sick and live a poor quality of life when the answers are right in front of you to correct it. WHAT can people be thinking. Is food that important that we choose to be sick??? We have one body to get us through this life - just one. Let's care for it like we would a little child - protect it and give it the very best we can. I see people all around me being destructive to their precious bodies. My mother included. She has everything - you name it - diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, bad back. She knows about this diet and just says it would be "too hard" for her. My whole family is addicted to sugar.

Sorry - enough. Faith - know that you did what you could. We can't force people to change. But if we live by example - maybe someone will take notice of the radiant health you portray and say - "I want some of that" .

Peace to all
Yogini Girl