Where do you find all these golden people, AJ? Heather is such a sweetheart, I cannot believe what amazing people you have on your channel! So many great tips! Thank you so much!
Heather you are speaking directly to me! I started my wholefood plant based journey in 2018 and lost 20kgs (I’m an Aussie) in under 18 months. Then a well meaning friend baked a homemade vegan birthday cake for my 50th in 2019 but it had sugar - I am totally addicted to sugar - that started my journey back to eating sugar. Then I slowly started eating all kinds of junk food. It was slow, but now 3 years later, I have put on 16kgs that I lost and feeling uncomfortable, sick and tired. I agree that no one can tell me anything that will fix me - it is a food addiction. It’s like telling a heroin addict that their addiction is ruining their life… it’s like that’s no big revelation to the addict - they know more than anyone how much their life is ruined by their addiction and if they could just stop they would - it’s just not so simple. Ya hard when you have family who have never struggled with weight or food addiction, they just don’t understand. I also thought I knew it all back in 2019 when I lost the weight, I thought I would never have a problem with food again - I was so wrong. Finding a support person is humbling - this is a great idea - I am going to think about who can be my support person. I have my breakfasts hard wired, that has never changed thankfully - I will work on my lunch because that is a meal where I am likely to not eat well. Thank you for your honesty and tips.
Heather’s butterfly effect is one of my very favourite channels. So so so happy she’s back! I loved this interview. Please make her a regular guest! So encouraging 🥰🦋
Heather is so easy to love. It really does sound like an addiction doesn't even sound like she is enjoying the food. Eating licorice when you hate it is a seem behavior to an addiction. The hiding and isolation has been so hard on everyone and the mental health of our entire country has taken such a hit. Wishing the best for her. Have really missed seeing her on online.
Thank you so much for this interview Heather & AJ. I struggle with food addiction too. I had weight-loss surgery & I have heard stories of people dying or ending up in the hospital because they ate right after surgery. Food addiction is a real thing & just because someone has the surgery doesn’t mean the behavioral issues with food goes away.
I thoroughly enjoyed this! I have adult 2 children who are at around 300 pounds and my prayer is that they see what I’ve been doing and that they will want to follow suit but as your guest said… I just love them and support them exactly as they are. ❤
Heather thank you. I’ve struggle myself. I went whole food plant based, lost 65 lbs and put back 15 lbs. I still have 80 lbs to lose to get to my ideal body weight. For me as soon as I start focusing in the weight on the scale, I self-sabotage. So I recently hit a restart and went back to just focusing on being healthy! And I keep reminding myself that even though I’m NOT at my ideal body weight my blood pressure is normal, my diabetes is under control and I don’t hurt every day. I recently started working out regularly and that honestly has been great and hard. Hard because it’s stimulated more hunger and that triggers over eating but on the flip side, I feel better since I’m able to do more physically in my every day life. I love your message! We are all just doing the best we can every day.
You are such a wonderful special person Heather.. I cried so much throughout this interview and also gained so much inspiration and love too.. Sending blessings and kindness 🙏💕
I absolutely commend Heather for explaining how the pandemic affected her. I think we all need to hear these stories about the pandemic and how so many people were affected in such different ways.
Thank you Heather. Saying you gained weight or give looks is shaming . Someone who is a food addict punish themselves the same way they soothe themselves. If things happen,get overwhelmed, serious life changes, health stuff,family stuff, these are the situations that fuel a relapse. So shaming someone while they are dealing with that is pouring fuel on top of that fire. Honestly, that is totally different than getting stuck in the pleasure trap, at least for me. For me I was doing well and in the swing and happened to eat some stuff at a party or restaurant and you started wanting higher calorie foods,yumminess dopamine, thats when you need that rebound plan. I would swing back with my next bite is green. Shaming someone to fuel them to start losing weight is self hating fire to lose weight which is fleeting and I feel causes relapse, its like a cycle, to feel like everything will be better if I was thin and it does not happen. It perpetuates the negative self talk. This is true for me and so many people I have spoke with feel the same way.
I love Heather's example about falling in the ditch -- and then realizing it's just a couple of feet to get back up out of the ditch. It is helping me to remember that the enemy both within me and outside of me WANTS me to stumble and gain and stop the weight loss. I am learning to get a "fighting spirit" about it, because I really need that. Long story short I live with someone who I have no right to ask to keep that person's favorite staples out of the fridge as well as her treats which are like crack to me. I am not fighting her -- I am fighting those spirits inside and out of me that WANT me to fail. I am saying NO. It is the body God gave to ME and I'm the one in charge and I can do this. I did well before (a long time ago) without ANY support from the Internet or even hardly from friends (nor my then-husband). I just had books and rare meetings with others who were interested. Now I have support through RU-vid and it is a HUGE help! P.S. I can tell that in time, as I succeed and get healthier and more active, etc. how I eat WILL affect my housemate's choices. She is at least as stubborn and me, but much slower to change than me -- but also has a LOT of pain to lose. I know that my eating right will ultimately help her, but I know I cannot wait for her to come around and that it is POSSIBLE she never will. But I will not move away basically until she dies or I die. I know that I must "take up my cross" here, if you will.
The hardest thing for me to hear in this incredible interview was what sounded like forced vegetable eating for breakfast. Check out Robby Barbaro or Cyrus Kambatta (both of Mastering Diabetes). Lots of raw fruit WITH veggies. Personally (and I "just" have 18# I want to drop)I'm using Chris Kendal's 21-day raw meal plans. Sometimes my morning meal has greens in it. No meal is a forced feed; I love it! Its removed my cravings and all the fruit I get to eat is a delight! I don't feel restricted. Which brings me to "Fit For Life" I think the book is. He says we should never be/feel "deprived". You did mention "crowding out" the poorer health choices. This is what he says too. Abundance eating. Of the better food choices. Blessings!!!
I can relate! I've been thin and fat and thin and fat. Extreme swings like from 185 to 400 back to thin and back to fat. Being Vegan even as a heavy me my blood work is always good Doctor is kind of blown away by my great cholesterol and heart, yet lymphodema crept in. Being Vegan is easy because I woke up from the deep sleep that eating sentient life when there is absolutely no need, the very thought of it makes me sick! The bottom line is that Vegan comfort food is where I gained weight, and when I eat real whole plant based foods the weight melts away! I have issues with food addiction and it does suck!
Loved going through your first journey losing all that weight and I looked forward to every week’s episode! Looking forward to it again a second time and needing the support also! Heather you are not alone!!
I just cried a little 😢. This resonates so much to me. My plant based journey has been a roller coaster. I believe I got it now but it was hard in The beginning.
Damn. Just woke up and smoked 3.5lbs of watermelon. And a banana. Thank GOD for bananas. Are we dead? Have we gone to Heaven? Valhallah? What IS THIS??? High volume getting it DONE 🤗 I love how honest this lady is: BIG LOVE AND RESPECT 👊🏼 sweet dreams 😴
For me, I have to face the emotional drivers that are pushing my cravings. Self reflection isn't always comfortable in the moment, but absolutely crucial in overcoming the addiction. I had to emotionally realize that ignorance is Not bliss and my attempts to hide from myself by smothering my emotions will always cause more pain in the end. I love what she said about gratitude, intention and commitment. Another thing that I meditate on is my potential future of wellness and fitness, joy and happiness. "My destiny is a joyfully, healthy, me; so what can I learn or do in this moment to move closer to my future me?" Closing the gap between my current state and my future state.
I'm so inspired by Heather. I'm in the same spot as Heather. Gaining my weight back, and it's all mental... I ate cheesecake and pierogis while listening in on this interview, knowing in the back of my head i"shouldn't" wondering why i was, at the same time crying, because she hit on so many points... love some of the illustrations she uses: like the rocket... I'm saving this interview and watching again and again. I need this message! Very desperately. The shame, the dumbfoundedness, and the guilt of gaining weight back is hard... I started losing weight and went wfpb after she stopped her channel the first time, back in 2018-- so never got to get to know her, saw her in another interview you did on ultimate weightloss, and tried looking her up then 1.5 years ago... but she was "gone" .. so very glad she's back and fighting her own demons from within. It's a journey. And it's worth staying in and fighting for. Super LOVE this interview!! You continue to inspire and encourage others. Thank you for all your interviews you do, this one is definitely a big"keeper" to refer back to for me.
Thank YOU both for sharing Heather’s journey! I have watched Heather in the past and it is SO great to see her back. What an inspiration to so many. I know she is inspiring me to get back on WFPB SOS free.
I LOVED this interview!! As Heather spoke, I was hearing my own experience! I appreciate that so many good examples were shared of the things other than food and exercise that are important for success. Very eye-opening! I took pages of notes!! Morning MAGIC, social support, recognizing the lies we tell ourselves - big "ah ha!" moments for me. THANK YOU BOTH!! ❤❤❤
You are two of my favorite people in the world. Thanks for teaming up again and presenting these heartfelt facts to all of us. Such compassion from both of you.
Thank you Heather for coming back. Since we have all experienced setbacks at some point in our lives, your journey and sharing your story is even more inspirational this second time you are going to lose a total of 300 lbs. Thank you for sharing your journey with us. Also, thank you so much for sharing your health experience of staying in remission with diabetes even with your higher fat and sugar vegan diet. There are so many people who can benefit from that information (anyone unable or unwilling to practice the strictest, healthiest vegan diet), and of course so many animals benefit from those who choose a vegan diet. ❤ I wish you continued success in all that you do. 🌺
Thank you Heather and AJ! You were both so instrumental in my journey to WFPB . I've lost and gained over 100 pounds a few times in my life and was mesmerized by Heather's story when I first found her. I'm now at my goal weight and I concur that having a daily practice for the "whole" person is key. I do reading, visualization, affirmations, exercise, meditation and plan my food daily.
Thank You Heather! You are such a lovely person and so very real. Thank You Chef AJ for your channel and for such amazing inspirational content. I wish I had found you earlier in my life.
Heather, you have no idea how inspirational you are. Thank you for sharing your story ---mine is so similar... I struggle too. And you are so very encouraging!
I feel your pain. I feel like I've been on a diet my whole life! Yoyoing on and off. It sucks that we put in so much effort but can have times where we just cannot stay on the plan, we just want freedom to do as we like then we have to pay for it. I can totally relate to you and thank you and Chef AJ for sharing this. This is a painful subject for so many of us. Really wish you well on your journey.
So glad you're back! You're such an incredible inspiration--just take my breath away with your sweet spirit and insights. The combination of you and Chef AJ this morning has absolutely made my day a good one already.
I've been silly enough to binge on peas and white potatoes when there's nothing else. It's a way to escape the thoughts of the moment to put everything on hold.
Love you Heather and so happy you are back. I know you will do this and I will there to learn the tricks to keep me out of the pleasure trap which I am in now. I have to listen again to write down the MAGIC. i was driving while listening. I am home now. Take care.
Me too, Heather. Ditto to all of it. I lost 70 lbs and gained back 25lbs. trying high protein on a doctor’s recommendation. Back on the SOS free WFPB wagon. I’m being less perfectionist though. I think that’s how a little slip leads to falling off completely for me. I’m going to go find your channel.
I love love this interview.Iam commenting after watching it 3 times.thanks to both of you.very inspiring interview we can apply her methods not only for diet but in deferent areas of life.thanks alot
Thank you, Heather & Chef AJ! This interview woke me up to looking at my eating habits in my home as well as outside. Its easier for me to choose and create my environment in my own home. It’s when I visit family (outside my environment) that it’s easy for me to cave in. I’ll be contemplating what it is that I’m running or numbing myself from. Here we grow again! Thank you for shining your light! I am grateful for these opportunities to see the truth about myself 💕🥰💕
Heather you are such a beautiful person. I’m praying for you that God will guide you on your journey. You can do this your a strong women . Many people are rooting for you. ❤️❤️❤️🥰 s
I was vegan plant based for two years and lost a lot of weight and my A12 was great! I went back to meat eating some and diabetes is back. Trying to go back vegan! With you on the gaining more weight each time after losing a lot! I was 450 and down to about 350 now! Working on going back to whole food plant based
What a sweet person - great qoate with the butterfly - and I believe it is the rule number one if you really want to walk on “ the journey of transformation “ - First pray to love and honourable all Life - then use forgiveness - forgive all mistakes you or other do and just pray to “ walk the path of love” and walk with awe , curiosity and love choosing the lifestyle of no SOS whole food vegan plant diet. And so true its a delicious way of eating - happy travellimg on your Cruise 🎶💚🎵🍀🐸
Heather.... don't yoyo.... it's too hard on your heart..... it's not a game. And if you're bored do something.... don't sit with it..... do something that makes you happy.... that you enjoy. Expand what makes you happy.... besides food.
