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00:00:55My name is Tracy, and here I am opening the door to what will become a whole new world
00:01:01for me.
00:01:02At this moment, I think I'm like any other 29-year-old girl.
00:01:07I think I'm happy, successful, popular, and living life to the fullest.
00:01:12I had no idea what I was missing out on.
00:01:16I did not realize what real happiness was, and I had no idea how much easier life could
00:01:21be.
00:01:22When a friend of mine suggested I talk with the owner of Zen Fitness about being part of
00:01:28a project, I thought, what do I have to lose?
00:01:31I had no idea what I was going to be able to gain.
00:01:37Clothes shopping as a 12-year-old girl that weighs close to 200 pounds is not easy.
00:01:42Stylish, age-appropriate clothing is not available in your size, and you're forced
00:01:46to shop in the adult women's section.
00:01:48Clothes are frumpy and do nothing to boost your self-esteem as a young girl.
00:01:53I remember being made fun of because of the clothes I wore.
00:01:56In one particular instance, I had a crush on a boy.
00:01:59He saw the large bra strap through the back of my shirt and said it was an old lady bra.
00:02:04It absolutely broke my heart.
00:02:06I can vividly remember when I was young and had my feelings hurt because of my weight.
00:02:12Arguing with school friends on the playground and hearing them say, what are you going to
00:02:16do, sit on me?
00:02:18I remember feeling embarrassed being lapped on the track during presidential fitness
00:02:22days.
00:02:23I remember never being able to play on the teeter-totter because I was bigger than the
00:02:27other kids.
00:02:28I remember not being able to live and play like the other kids.
00:02:33I also remember teaching myself at a really young age to not care what other people thought
00:02:39or said about me.
00:02:41I turned off my emotions and did not let my feelings get hurt any longer.
00:02:46Looking back at it, it would have been easier to learn how to run than to learn how to bury
00:02:51my emotions and feelings for so long.
00:02:55I, like many other people, make daily adaptations to their life in order to accommodate being
00:03:01obese.
00:03:02From early on in my youth, I put up an emotional, protective barrier against all of the negative
00:03:08and mean-spirited comments that were said about my weight.
00:03:11I honestly think I have gotten to the point where I just do not care what other people have
00:03:17to say.
00:03:17I avoid embarrassing situations and try to live day-to-day.
00:03:22I pretend that I am happy with life until I actually believe that I am.
00:03:28I've known Tracy for a really long time and I've been worried about her and her health.
00:03:37And I'm really excited about this opportunity for her to get healthy.
00:03:43I know it's going to be a challenge and a whole new lifestyle change.
00:03:49But it's something that I think needs to be done.
00:03:55And I just wish the best for her.
00:03:59And I hope that she will succeed in this.
00:04:02Because I do worry about her.
00:04:04Hi, I'm Carly Ase.
00:04:07My interest in health started at an early age.
00:04:11My grandfather died of cancer and my grandmother and aunt both died of heart disease.
00:04:17All three were untimely deaths.
00:04:20My mother always stressed the importance of how eating healthy made me feel good and eating
00:04:26unhealthy made me feel bad.
00:04:28So I became aware at an early age how food affects the way you feel and the quality of
00:04:33your life.
00:04:34I was a hard worker in school and took an avid interest in sports.
00:04:38I graduated valedictorian of my high school in 1996 and received a college scholarship to
00:04:45play tennis.
00:04:46While majoring in business, I continued my own personal studies in nutrition and exercise.
00:04:53Things were going well.
00:04:56When I was 22 years old and a senior in college, my life took an unexpected turn.
00:05:03I was convicted for selling ecstasy and sentenced to seven years and three months in federal
00:05:09prison.
00:05:09My world was turned upside down.
00:05:14I was scared, lost, unsure of my future.
00:05:18One time when I met with Carly's fifth grade teacher, she said, Marilyn, what can I say?
00:05:23He is the child everyone wishes was theirs.
00:05:26Carly was a golden-haired boy.
00:05:28He worked hard in school.
00:05:30He had a lot of friends.
00:05:31Everyone liked him.
00:05:32He was charismatic.
00:05:34He was one of the top players on all the teams in the school.
00:05:38He actually won the National Junior Olympics.
00:05:41He came in second place, just lost by a stride.
00:05:46And he played tennis and he was even found in the corner of his class from high school.
00:05:53So when he was arrested, his dad and I were just stunned, shocked.
00:06:00We had no idea.
00:06:03And it was facing a world that was so frightening and scary that I didn't know anything about.
00:06:09And we just feared for his life and what was going to happen to him.
00:06:14We didn't know.
00:06:15We just took it home.
00:06:16I've known Carly since high school.
00:06:19And it was, you know, really in college that we became really good friends.
00:06:24We worked out together.
00:06:26We hung out a lot.
00:06:27We had a group of friends.
00:06:28And it was really a normal college situation.
00:06:31We played ping pong all the time.
00:06:34Carly made great grades.
00:06:35And we really lived sort of a regular college friend group lifestyle.
00:06:41So when they got in trouble, I was worried about Carly.
00:06:44He didn't seem like the type of person that would ever go to prison.
00:06:48And I knew that when he got in trouble that he was a good kid that had just gotten into
00:06:53a bad situation.
00:06:54But I was worried about him.
00:06:56You know, seven years of prison is a long time.
00:06:58He had the face.
00:06:59And I just remember going into it, being really worried about him.
00:07:03After Carly was arrested and it was on the front page of the Gainesville Sun, I was having trouble going
00:07:11around town.
00:07:11Because people wouldn't ask me about Carly or they'd act like he had died.
00:07:16And I cut out this picture of him and safety pin in my shirt and I wore it for two
00:07:21years.
00:07:21Because I wanted everyone to know, this is my son.
00:07:25I'm wearing him right here over my heart.
00:07:27I love him unconditionally.
00:07:29He might have made a mistake, but he's my son.
00:07:32And he's worthy of being asked about and thought of and loved.
00:07:36Prison was definitely a world that I never expected to be in.
00:07:40I was entering a world of stabbings, beatings, gangs, and violence.
00:07:47But it was a world that I had entered because of my own doing.
00:07:50It was going to be the most daunting challenge I was ever going to face.
00:07:55And I had to prepare myself if I was going to make it out alive.
00:08:00My deepest, darkest moment came in my first year when I was put into solitary confinement.
00:08:07Solitary confinement is when you are locked in a small cell with a bed, sink, and a toilet for 24
00:08:14hours a day.
00:08:16You're by yourself with no one to talk to or share your feelings.
00:08:20I miss my friends and family so much at Herc.
00:08:23I was alone in a small concrete steel prison.
00:08:27And all I could think about was, how am I going to do these seven years?
00:08:32Time went by so slowly.
00:08:33I was so stressed out and felt such anxiety.
00:08:38And only one thing made me feel better.
00:08:40Exercise.
00:08:42I had to be creative because I had no equipment.
00:08:45Exercise gave me hope.
00:08:48Hope got me through some tough times.
00:08:52Hope is powerful.
00:08:55We went to visit Carly every chance we had.
00:08:59We would sometimes drive 13 or 15 hours to spend a day with him.
00:09:04And he would come out in that orange prison suit.
00:09:09And I would always think, he didn't really belong there.
00:09:12He didn't belong.
00:09:16As I felt more positive, I made a plan to do things in prison that I never had time to
00:09:22do before.
00:09:22I left solitary confinement after six months and began my studies.
00:09:27I spent my days learning new things and exercising.
00:09:31I quickly learned Spanish and guitar after the first year and went on to learn four more languages.
00:09:36History.
00:09:37I read the classics.
00:09:39I studied business, yoga, and my favorite, nutrition.
00:09:43I was intrigued by what a profound effect nutrition had on the human body.
00:09:48I tried many different ways of eating.
00:09:50And one diet was without a doubt the best for health, performance, and overall well-being.
00:09:56The plant-based diet.
00:09:58My body fat dropped rapidly to under 7%.
00:10:00I performed better in sports and workouts.
00:10:02I slept better.
00:10:04And I had more energy.
00:10:06Other inmates came to me for help.
00:10:08And I watched as they quickly became healthy following my nutrition and exercise programs.
00:10:13That is when I realized I loved being a personal trainer and wanted to pursue a career in training when
00:10:20I got out.
00:10:21I finally finished my sentence and I was so excited to finally get out of prison.
00:10:26While prison was a tremendous learning and growing experience for me, I was really eager to get out and see
00:10:31my family and do things that I hadn't done in a while.
00:10:33How many people when they get out of prison have a whole huge party waiting for them?
00:10:38And we drove up and there was a sign my friends had put together at our house saying, welcome home,
00:10:43Carly.
00:10:43It was a wonderful time.
00:10:46We were so glad to have him back.
00:10:48We bought him new clothes.
00:10:49We helped put together a resume.
00:10:52And what concerned me was that I was seeing that he was going to turn down from jobs because he
00:10:58was a felon.
00:10:59And I thought, oh my gosh, is this going to affect his whole life?
00:11:03Is he ever going to be able to be more than a dishwasher because he has so much to give
00:11:07and so much to share that he learned during this experience?
00:11:12I wanted to pursue a job as a personal trainer, but I quickly discovered that no one wants to hire
00:11:18a felon.
00:11:19I kept trying and looking and trying and looking, but eventually all I could find was a job as a
00:11:23dishwasher, so I had to settle for that.
00:11:25I didn't give up hope, though, and I kept my pursuit and my dream of being a personal trainer.
00:11:30During the time that Carly was in prison, he learned how to become a personal trainer, and I had started
00:11:37a personal training studio.
00:11:39So naturally, when he got out, he came to me and wanted me to hire him.
00:11:43And there was a little controversy about whether or not to do that from some of my coworkers, but I
00:11:48did it, and it turned out to be a great decision.
00:11:51Carly was the top-selling personal trainer, the top-selling personal trainer for me for the rest of the time
00:11:57I owned that business.
00:11:58He put people on a plant-based diet, and got the best results of anybody, and it turned out to
00:12:04be the best decision that I had made.
00:12:08I had such success that within three years, I was able to open my own personal training studio called Zen
00:12:14Fitness.
00:12:16Seeing the fast results and the lives I was helping to change made me want to share this knowledge on
00:12:22a larger scale.
00:12:23And that is when this film, Unsupersize Me, was born.
00:12:28My vision was to show how quickly and easily you can go from extremely poor health to optimal health in
00:12:35a very short period of time without surgery, diet pills, complicated fad diets, or starvation.
00:12:42The vegan diet was easy to do, and it worked fast.
00:12:46The following movie is a personal story for both myself and the new friend I made in the process, Tracy
00:12:53Ryan.
00:12:54Together, we set a goal to change the world.
00:12:58I hope you enjoy this movie and see how quickly and easy it is to become healthy, starting right at
00:13:06your dinner plate.
00:13:08I envision all people, regardless of their current weight or fitness level, benefiting from a vegan diet and improving their
00:13:15health, and ultimately their life.
00:13:27What are the top three things you're looking forward to with your new body and new life?
00:13:35Just being able to get rid of some of the daily worries that have just become normal.
00:13:42Man, I could be accomplishing so much more if I wasn't worried about that stuff.
00:13:45When I go over to my friend's house, if she lives on the third story, I have to climb up
00:13:51stairs.
00:13:52And I've recently told my secret, but I always climb up the stairs, and I'm like, man, stairs always make
00:13:57me have to pee.
00:13:58Like, I've got to go to the bathroom.
00:13:59But I never have to go to the bathroom.
00:14:01I'm just going into the bathroom so that I can catch my breath and pant and gasp for air while
00:14:07nobody else is there trying to talk to me.
00:14:09So I just go to the bathroom to catch my breath, and then I come out, and I'm like, whew,
00:14:13good.
00:14:14Thank God for that bathroom.
00:14:15So, like, just little things like that.
00:14:18Any big goals or things you want to do that you can't do now?
00:14:22Travel.
00:14:23My best friend lives in Oklahoma, and I would love to be able to see her more often.
00:14:27We were college roommates, best friends from there.
00:14:31Just, I feel really bad not being able to fly out to visit her because I think that she's on
00:14:36the verge of getting engaged, too.
00:14:37But she hasn't, you know, I haven't spent a lot of time with her boyfriend because I can't travel out
00:14:41there.
00:14:42So it always seems like she travels to visit me.
00:14:44I never travel out there.
00:14:45Right now, if I go do something social, it's either, hey, guys, let's do something social.
00:14:50I'll cook dinner for everybody.
00:14:51Or let's go to a bar and get tanked.
00:14:54I'd love to say, hey, guys, let's all get together and go kayaking or do something else.
00:14:59Like, I would never even consider anything like that or something active.
00:15:03Like, I remember years ago I went tubing.
00:15:07Tubing is a disaster.
00:15:09They don't make the tubes big enough.
00:15:11I tip out of the tube.
00:15:12I can't get through the tube.
00:15:14The tube gets stuck around my neck, and I can't get, it's a disaster.
00:15:17Like, embarrassing.
00:15:18It was me going down the river with my arm over the tube.
00:15:21That's how tubing ended for me.
00:15:27Dating in general at 345 pounds is very difficult.
00:15:32You have to think ahead on a lot of other things that you can take for granted when you are
00:15:37of a healthier weight.
00:15:39When you're heavy, you have to think about the car that your date is picking you up in.
00:15:44Smaller cars have smaller seatbelts, and the seatbelt will not be big enough for you.
00:15:49You sometimes have to offer to drive your date so that the seatbelt does fit.
00:15:54You have to find out what restaurant you're going to and know which restaurants in town have large booth sizes.
00:16:00If there's small booth sizes, you have to call ahead to ask the hostess to seat you at a table
00:16:05to avoid an awkward situation of trying to fit into a booth instead of a table.
00:16:10Or you have to just opt to sit at the bar.
00:16:14Going to the movies is very difficult.
00:16:17Movie theater seats are very small, especially if the armrest doesn't move.
00:16:21So you basically can never go to the movie theater without being really uncomfortable.
00:16:26None of this stuff you really have to think of at all when you are of a healthier weight.
00:16:31I learned a lot watching Tracy on her date.
00:16:33I never realized the hardships an overweight person has to deal with that most of us never even think about.
00:16:40It makes me even more determined in helping her succeed and changing her life.
00:16:45Yeah, it was always just really embarrassing. I'm sorry.
00:16:49But it was really nice meeting you.
00:16:50Hey, it was great to meet you. Thanks again.
00:16:53Nice. Thank you. Have a good evening.
00:16:54You too. Bye.
00:16:55Okay, bye.
00:16:56Bye.
00:16:58Here are the rules.
00:16:59Tracy can eat as many and as much plant-based foods as she wants.
00:17:06No meat, no dairy, no eggs, no products that come from animals.
00:17:13Plant-based foods, she eats as much as she wants for one year combined with an hour of weight training
00:17:20and cardiovascular exercise every day.
00:17:23Like, we are not doing the Biggest Loser workout regimen.
00:17:27While the Biggest Loser is a great show and motivating to many people, working out six to eight hours a
00:17:34day is not feasible for most.
00:17:36Oh, and one other rule.
00:17:38No diet drugs and no surgery.
00:17:47I have no idea what Tracy will be able to do.
00:17:51I'm just hoping she can get the green light from the doctor to start our project.
00:17:56She is obese and unhealthy, so I know she is at a high risk for cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.
00:18:04Going into Dr. Caputo's office is an emotional roller coaster.
00:18:08Having been heavy my whole life, I have learned to bury my fears and worries about my bad health.
00:18:14It is more embarrassing to be weighing in at 345 pounds than mentally scary.
00:18:19I am more ashamed about being grossly overweight than I am worried about having a heart attack.
00:18:24I have been told for years that my weight is going to have a negative effect on my health, but
00:18:28I choose to ignore it.
00:18:29I bury those thoughts just like my hurt feelings when I was being made fun of on the playground.
00:18:35I know that the doctor will lecture me about my weight.
00:18:38They have since I was young, but I always just ignored it.
00:18:42I could have had a heart attack or worse at any moment, but I choose not to think about it
00:18:47or care.
00:18:48I should have seen this as a major challenge to my body.
00:18:52I suppose if I really care about my health, I would have done something sooner,
00:18:56which raises the question, why don't people care?
00:19:03What do you think the vegan diet is going to do for her?
00:19:06Wow, that's going to be amazing.
00:19:07I don't know what your diet is now, but...
00:19:10What would be your prediction?
00:19:11I would guess significant weight loss.
00:19:14You still get your protein, and you're going to do well.
00:19:17This stress test measured how long it would take Tracy's heart rate
00:19:21to reach 167 beats a minute while the speed and incline increase.
00:19:27Tracy lasted 6 minutes and 19 seconds.
00:19:38The first person I spoke to is Dr. Neil D. Barnard, a leader in nutrition and research.
00:19:43His research has been cited by the American Diabetes Association
00:19:47and the American Dietetic Association in official policy statements on healthful diets.
00:19:53Can you tell me about the most significant case study you've done
00:19:56on the health benefits of a plant-based diet versus the traditional American diet?
00:20:01We have been very impressed by populations that follow mostly plant-based diets.
00:20:08They tend to be thinner.
00:20:09So we decided to put it to the test in our research center.
00:20:13And the results are really very striking.
00:20:17That even though people aren't counting calories,
00:20:20they're basically just eating healthy food,
00:20:22the weight starts to come off, and it comes off, and it comes off.
00:20:26And all of the side effects are good ones.
00:20:29Their cholesterol comes down, their energy goes up.
00:20:31If they have diabetes, that gets better.
00:20:33It's remarkable to see.
00:20:35Can you discuss the myth that you don't get enough protein,
00:20:39vitamin B12, on a vegan diet?
00:20:43In the course of our studies, we also track the nutrition that people have.
00:20:47Are they getting enough protein?
00:20:48Are they getting enough calcium and so forth?
00:20:50And we find that not only are they getting enough,
00:20:52their nutrition is actually better than it was before.
00:20:56They're getting adequate protein across the board
00:20:59as opposed to getting too much protein, which some people are getting before.
00:21:04They're getting adequate fat, adequate minerals, and vitamins,
00:21:07but they're getting much more fiber,
00:21:09much more of the powerful antioxidants.
00:21:11Their vitamin intake is through the roof.
00:21:13All in all, they're doing dramatically better.
00:21:15Next up was Dr. T. Colin Campbell,
00:21:18Jacob Gould Sherman Professor Emeritus of Nutritional Biochemistry
00:21:22at Cornell University and also the author of The China Study.
00:21:26With more than 70 years of peer-reviewed research funding,
00:21:31he has authored over 300 research papers on diet, nutrition, and health
00:21:36derived from laboratory-based experimental research
00:21:39and large-scale human studies in China and the Philippines.
00:21:43Your studies shown that we can turn cancerous growth off
00:21:48by eating a plant-based diet and on by eating a meat and dairy diet.
00:21:52Part of my early research in the early years
00:21:54was actually an investigation of the effect of animal protein
00:21:59on the development of cancer.
00:22:01It turns on cancer, it turns on cancer, it turns on cancer.
00:22:04And so we could turn on cancer by giving an animal protein.
00:22:08Basically, the protein counts no more.
00:22:10We could turn it off and just take it away.
00:22:13Then we tried some plant-based foods.
00:22:14Plant-based proteins did not turn it on.
00:22:18They never turned it on.
00:22:19So only animal-based protein was able to turn it on to him.
00:22:23Wow, that's amazing.
00:22:26Vegan bodybuilder, motivational speaker, and author,
00:22:29Robert Cheek grew up on a farm in Corvallis, Oregon,
00:22:32where he adopted a vegan lifestyle in 1995 at the age of 15.
00:22:36Today he's an Amazon.com best-selling author of the book
00:22:40Vegan Bodybuilding and Fitness.
00:22:42As a two-time natural bodybuilding champion,
00:22:45Robert has been considered one of VegNews Magazine's
00:22:48most influential vegan athletes.
00:22:50As a vegan bodybuilder,
00:22:51did you ever have any problems putting on muscle?
00:22:54You know, like I said, I went from 120 to 195,
00:22:58and most of that was in a pretty brief period.
00:23:01So when I was running in college, 155,
00:23:04as soon as I stopped and hung up the shoes
00:23:06and put on the weightlifting gloves,
00:23:08I shot up to 195 within a few years.
00:23:10I gained 30 pounds in one year.
00:23:12So really, no problem, no issue.
00:23:15I have that in my book, Vegan Bodybuilding and Fitness,
00:23:17from one year, 157 to 186,
00:23:19and then I was 195, I think, the next year.
00:23:21So no problem, just ate good food, trained hard,
00:23:24and had something that I was working toward.
00:23:31Tracy's first workout is going to be tough.
00:23:34She is uncomfortable being in a gym
00:23:36and very limited in what she can do.
00:23:39When she lays down on a bench or workout mat,
00:23:42she can't get up without assistance.
00:23:44I can identify with Tracy because I know
00:23:47from my prison experience what it's like
00:23:49to be in an environment you're not comfortable in
00:23:52and to take on a huge, seemingly impossible challenge.
00:23:56Okay, next we have our core strength test.
00:23:59She's going to test your abs, lower back, over there.
00:24:02If I can see how long you can go over here.
00:24:04I don't know what her plan is.
00:24:05I'm going to show you.
00:24:06That's what I'm here for, right?
00:24:08Alright.
00:24:09So we're just going to come down here.
00:24:12Hold it as long as you can.
00:24:14Okay.
00:24:17You made it look pretty easy.
00:24:19It's not true.
00:24:23Okay.
00:24:31Obviously, I'm not versed in how to work out.
00:24:34I do not know the difference from a squat
00:24:36to a lunge to a sprint.
00:24:37They all just sound like exercise to me.
00:24:40While I am never afraid of hard work,
00:24:42I simply am not able to move like other people in the gym.
00:24:45I struggle to get on and off of equipment.
00:24:47Stepping down from a treadmill is tough.
00:24:50Getting up from a bench is like a turtle being stuck on their back.
00:24:52And getting up from a flat floor requires to be pushed up with the help of a bench.
00:24:58The trainers even have a hard time helping me up from the floor sometimes.
00:25:02It is embarrassing.
00:25:03What is surprising is that while the workouts are challenging
00:25:06and definitely leave me sore,
00:25:08it is worse noticing how different my body is from others in the gym.
00:25:12I did not realize I could not do a lunge or a squat like other people.
00:25:16I saw others doing it and just assumed I could do it as well.
00:25:19I could not.
00:25:19And this is one of the first times I realized how much my weight
00:25:22is inhibiting me from living my life.
00:25:25This might be why so many people choose not to continue with their workout programs.
00:25:30I wonder why so many people allow themselves to be prisoners of their own body.
00:25:34And this makes me think of the struggles Carly had gone through.
00:25:38He was imprisoned and unable to live life to the fullest,
00:25:40just like my fat locks me away now.
00:25:46How's this half mile feeling?
00:25:49It's good.
00:25:50My legs are definitely tingling for sure.
00:25:53What are you feeling in the upper body?
00:25:55I'm definitely breathing hard.
00:25:57I'm sweating.
00:25:58I can tell I'm working something.
00:26:02But I'm good.
00:26:03I mean, it's not a hurt hurt.
00:26:06It's a good hurt.
00:26:07So we're like, all right, we're coming up on the end here, half mile test at level 25.
00:26:18She did really good today.
00:26:21We've got a long way to go.
00:26:22We're going to climb a mountain.
00:26:24Her strength is decent, though, which is good.
00:26:29And the doctor gave her a clean bill of health,
00:26:30so we're going to be able to really work hard in here.
00:26:32And she's a hard worker, so I think we're moving on the right direction.
00:26:37So, exactly what is a vegan whole foods diet?
00:26:42A vegan whole foods diet is avoiding any products that come from animals.
00:26:47We eat vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, grains, and legumes.
00:26:53Instead of meat, we eat things like tempeh and tofu.
00:26:57Instead of animal milk, we drink almond milk, soy milk, and rice milk.
00:27:04And we aren't just eating raw vegetables.
00:27:07With a vegan whole foods diet, we can make endless amounts of super tasty meals.
00:27:13And they're not only tasty, but fun to make, too.
00:27:24Okay, Tracy, let's see what we have here that we shouldn't have.
00:27:29Okay.
00:27:30Want to find out why someone is overweight?
00:27:33Go look in their fridge.
00:27:36Tracy is obese.
00:27:37And guess what her fridge is loaded with?
00:27:40Meat, dairy, and processed foods.
00:27:43The fridge never lies.
00:27:46I can tell within 10 seconds of looking in a person's fridge if they are healthy or not.
00:27:51We have big changes to make.
00:27:53But I can tell Tracy is excited to make them.
00:28:02Like, if I was to pick, like, the top five things that I should never pass up in this department,
00:28:07what should I not pass up?
00:28:08You can have whatever you want.
00:28:10Anything?
00:28:11Yes.
00:28:12Okay.
00:28:12I really like fennel.
00:28:14I like...
00:28:15Get everything you like.
00:28:17Okay.
00:28:18I can tell that Tracy really likes the fact that she can eat as many fruits and veggies as she
00:28:23wants.
00:28:23I like leeks.
00:28:24I'm also showing her that there are endless varieties of tasty combinations to choose from in the produce section.
00:28:30Our shopping is fun and fast.
00:28:34It's weird because I feel rushed because I think that I have all these aisles to walk up and down
00:28:39to.
00:28:39But if I really think about it, it's going to be here.
00:28:44And the 20 minutes I would spend in the meat department looking at different kinds of meats and thinking about
00:28:48fat marbling.
00:28:49I don't want to do that anymore.
00:28:51No.
00:28:54A lot of good groceries.
00:28:56Healthy growth.
00:28:57Look at all that.
00:28:58That's on the card.
00:29:05Excited.
00:29:08I'm noticing as I'm loading my groceries that I didn't use all of the bags.
00:29:13And I normally have to use all of my bags when I grocery shop because I have to keep the
00:29:18meat separate from everything else.
00:29:20But I didn't need to do that this time.
00:29:22And why do you have to keep the meat separate?
00:29:24Because it's cross-contamination.
00:29:29Tracy just realized how strange it is that she always has had to keep her meat separate from the rest
00:29:35of her groceries to avoid contamination.
00:29:38Most people accept without question that they have to cook meat until well done to not get sick.
00:29:45Want to avoid food pathogens?
00:29:47Then don't eat animal products.
00:29:49Food pathogens mostly come from animals.
00:29:52Produce, that is food pathogens, is contaminated by animals.
00:29:56And does anyone care that E. coli comes from cow poop?
00:30:00Yuck.
00:30:01Who wants to eat that?
00:30:12So, tell us about this tattoo thing you want to do.
00:30:18Somebody recommended to me that, you know, that he wants to make sure that I don't forget how far I've
00:30:27come and what I've done and accomplishments and things like that.
00:30:31But he's very concerned that he's very concerned that I forget what I've accomplished already.
00:30:35So, he recommended that since I like tattoos for, like, big weight loss, he recommended, like, every 50 pounds that
00:30:43I lose to get a tattoo on my body that only I would know and see.
00:30:47And that it would kind of remind me of how far I've come and what I've lost and things like
00:30:53that.
00:30:54I think that's a great idea.
00:30:56It'll be motivating for sure.
00:31:02Where we are here is 3.28 after one week of being vegan and exercising.
00:31:16Now, how much weight is that?
00:31:18We started at 3.45.
00:31:20Yes.
00:31:20So, Tracy's first weigh-in is crucial.
00:31:27I know that she will become a believer if she sees good results.
00:31:31And if she believes, her life will be positively changed forever.
00:31:36That is 15, 17 pounds in one week.
00:31:42Woo-hoo!
00:31:42You could win biggest loser.
00:31:45You'd beat everyone on the ground.
00:31:47So, here we are at the end, 17 pounds down, end of your workout to conclude week one.
00:31:53Have you ever, I mean, you've obviously tried to lose weight plenty of times in your life.
00:31:58Have you ever lost 17 pounds in one week?
00:32:02No, not that much.
00:32:04Even on all the crazy fat diets?
00:32:07No, never that much, yeah.
00:32:10Well, that is awesome.
00:32:11We are very proud of you.
00:32:13That's great.
00:32:14That's great.
00:32:15All righty.
00:32:16Checked it up a notch, baby.
00:32:17There we go.
00:32:19Oh.
00:32:25I think people immediately assume a certain stereotype about fat people.
00:32:29I recently switched my place of employment and realized that people view obese people as
00:32:36lazy, slow, not productive, and a liability.
00:32:39During one interview, the owner of a company actually asked me if he was sure I could go
00:32:45up and down three flights of stairs that was needed to get to my office.
00:32:48Would he have asked that of a 130-pound woman of my same age?
00:32:52No.
00:32:53It didn't matter how many degrees I obtained, how much work experience I had, and how qualified
00:32:58I was for the position.
00:33:00My physical appearance made me look lazy.
00:33:02I can somewhat understand why employees would think this, because unfortunately, being obese
00:33:07can make you less productive than a fitter person.
00:33:09This is my office.
00:33:12It's changed a lot over the past few weeks.
00:33:16It used to be a lot more cluttered and unorganized.
00:33:20I find myself being able to manage my stress and organize a little bit better and cross some
00:33:25things off some to-do lists.
00:33:26It's just because when I get in, I'm not so tired.
00:33:29I have a little bit more energy.
00:33:31I don't have to drink like five cups of coffee in order to get rolling.
00:33:35I used to drink about eight cups of coffee a day, and now I'm not drinking any, and I
00:33:42actually have more energy than I did when I was drinking the coffee.
00:33:46I'm drinking a lot more water now, thanks to Carly making me sweat my butt off in the gym.
00:33:52I also used to have a whole bunch of leftovers from my catered events in my office, and everything
00:33:59was made with heavy cream and butter, and my favorite was probably the mashed potatoes
00:34:05that we'd come back from an event.
00:34:06I would eat a whole Tupperware container of those mashed potatoes, and that was just absolutely
00:34:10horrible.
00:34:11Now I have a big fruit bowl here that has, well, today it has some tomatoes.
00:34:17I got some tomatoes from the farmer's market last weekend.
00:34:20It's good.
00:34:20Um, and some plums, some apples, and then I've got a mixture of nuts down in the bottom
00:34:25in case I want something crunchy.
00:34:27Carly says that I'm allowed to eat that whole bowl of fruit every day.
00:34:31I haven't been able to finish the whole bowl yet, but I've come close a few days.
00:34:42Today, Carly's teaching me about juicing.
00:34:45I know nothing about, um, drinking fresh juice.
00:34:49Carrots.
00:34:50Carrots give a lot of juice.
00:34:53Nice, bright orange color.
00:34:56So you know it's good for you.
00:34:58You like to get all the bright colors you can.
00:35:00Lots of different plant nutrients in every color.
00:35:02Um, the best thing, well, for juicing are apples, pears, beets, oranges, carrots.
00:35:14Um, you could throw a little ginger in there, that's good.
00:35:18Um, when you start going outside of those fruits, uh, those other, like, bananas, strawberries,
00:35:28that doesn't provide a lot of juice.
00:35:29Berries.
00:35:30So I like to stick with stuff that gives me a lot of juice.
00:35:32Otherwise, I'll have to be a hard.
00:35:37Juicing is beneficial for everyone.
00:35:40It's a great way to get loads of nutrients in one shot.
00:35:43I know Tracy will find it to be a great supplement to her plant-based lifestyle.
00:35:50Last fruit.
00:35:51Last fruit.
00:35:51One more to go.
00:35:57Just like that.
00:36:00Just like that, we have the essence of six carrots.
00:36:13Carrot mustache.
00:36:15Essential green carrot juice.
00:36:18It's really good.
00:36:19And you always want to try and drink it within 20 minutes after making it.
00:36:22That's how we keep all those antioxidants and phytonutrients alive.
00:36:26Okay.
00:36:36Tracy, this weight vest weighs 45 pounds, which is approximately how much weight you've lost
00:36:41to date, correct?
00:36:42Yeah.
00:36:43We're going to walk around in it.
00:36:45Okay.
00:36:46You're going to tell me what you think.
00:36:47But I just lost it.
00:36:49It's going to make you appreciate it better.
00:36:51Okay.
00:36:52All right.
00:36:53Talk to me about the weight vest.
00:36:54It's really heavy.
00:36:55I can't believe I used to weigh this.
00:37:08Something I've been really excited about is Tracy running.
00:37:11She has not run since middle school.
00:37:14So it's going to be a little bit challenging, but I think she's going to be really excited
00:37:18to start running again.
00:37:20Running seems like a simple thing to most people.
00:37:23Running might as well be a foreign word to me.
00:37:26At 350 pounds, it's impossible to run.
00:37:29It's hard enough to walk.
00:37:31Now that I have dropped enough weight, Carly clears me to run, and we start off small.
00:37:36I am not excited about this.
00:37:38I run from one light post to another, and it feels like miles.
00:37:42Every step hurts, from my feet to my forehead.
00:37:46Having my stomach, arms, chest, butt, and legs bounce up and down, while keeping my breath
00:37:53seems impossible.
00:37:54Every step seems to knock the wind out of my lungs.
00:37:58I know how hard it is for Tracy to run.
00:38:02I know it hurts her whole being.
00:38:06Someday, she will run a long, long way.
00:38:11And love it.
00:38:21297.
00:38:22Two points away.
00:38:24Hey.
00:38:50There we go.
00:38:5250 pounds.
00:38:54Done.
00:39:00I'm really enjoying eating lots of fruits and vegetables.
00:39:03It's surprisingly satisfying.
00:39:05Not only do I feel much better, but I really enjoy the taste.
00:39:09My palate has changed to love fruits and vegetables.
00:39:14So, this week was fun.
00:39:16Something really interesting happened to me.
00:39:18I was working an event, a catering event, and I was plating a salad, working in the kitchen,
00:39:23cutting, chopping, doing normal job stuff.
00:39:26And my boss took a picture of me and put it up on Facebook.
00:39:31When I saw the picture, I barely recognized myself.
00:39:35And it made me go and look in the mirror.
00:39:37And I'm starting to realize that I might have had, like, a warped self-image or something.
00:39:44When I was really big, I would look in the mirror and I still thought that I was attractive
00:39:48and I still had self-confidence.
00:39:49I didn't look in the mirror and see somebody that was ugly.
00:39:52But when I look in the mirror, I still see that same person to the point where, when I
00:39:56saw the picture, I definitely didn't recognize who it was or anything like that.
00:40:00So, I'm interested in seeing some of the progressions of the photos that have been taken because
00:40:05I personally don't see it in the mirror.
00:40:08I definitely saw it in a picture, though.
00:40:11I did notice initially that Tracy does have several defense mechanisms.
00:40:16The ones in particular I noticed is that she says things about herself that aren't
00:40:21true to try to build herself up and make people want to listen to her and get to know her.
00:40:28And I spoke with her the other day and told her that, Tracy, you no longer have to do that.
00:40:33You're an extraordinary person doing extraordinary things.
00:40:36And people want to get to know you.
00:40:38You don't have to make these things up about yourself in order to make people want to get
00:40:43to know you and value you.
00:40:45So, I think that's a big weight lifted off her shoulders.
00:40:47And I see her getting happier now because she can just be herself.
00:40:58I think so.
00:41:01So, that's five pounds.
00:41:02Let's do it, baby.
00:41:02Yeah, I like it.
00:41:04Okay, show me how you like it.
00:41:07We're going to have to work on the dancing.
00:41:08Do it.
00:41:09Just get up and shake it.
00:41:16Okay, Tracy, show us what you've been doing.
00:41:18Um, this is my tailoring job.
00:41:22This is what I've been using to keep my clothes on at work.
00:41:25I have to fold the waistband of my clothes in and I just flip it onto myself.
00:41:31So, this is what I wear.
00:41:33And why have you been using this as opposed to buying new clothes?
00:41:37Because I bought some new clothes and then they're too big a little bit later.
00:41:42And clothes are expensive.
00:41:43And it's best that we probably get to your weight before we buy some new clothes.
00:41:48So, I'm making new.
00:41:49All right.
00:41:54An important part of the vegan lifestyle is having fun with cooking and being creative.
00:41:59I started Vegan Iron Chef Battles with Tracy to get her excited about cooking and to have fun with it.
00:42:05So, I'm preparing here a vegan pizza.
00:42:11Tracy?
00:42:12Yes?
00:42:12What's going on here?
00:42:14Well, I'm plating my salad.
00:42:15I made a salad dressing that attempted to be a Caesar dressing but isn't.
00:42:20But it is amazing.
00:42:21And then these here.
00:42:24Hold on.
00:42:24Let me show you the dressing.
00:42:25This is a dressing.
00:42:26How did you describe it?
00:42:29Very tasty.
00:42:30Okay.
00:42:31All right.
00:42:31Good deal.
00:42:32Unbelievable.
00:42:32It's amazing.
00:42:34And then we have some Campari tomatoes that are stuffed with vegan cream cheese.
00:42:41It's all about the food for me.
00:42:43I love food and it's my passion.
00:42:45Food is a large part of my life and I get a lot of satisfaction from making enjoyable memories for
00:42:50others through good meals.
00:42:52My daily work is around food and in the industry.
00:42:54These Iron Chef Battles come with a hidden present.
00:42:57It shows me how rewarding it is to not only feed people a meal that they enjoy, but they can
00:43:02be good for them.
00:43:04Being able to show people that a plant-based whole food diet can taste good while being good for you
00:43:10is the best prize of all.
00:43:17A six-pound loss.
00:43:19Again?
00:43:20To 90 pounds.
00:43:24Wow.
00:43:24There we go.
00:43:26We're dancing.
00:43:28Dance is coming next week, baby.
00:43:51I want Tracy to branch out into some new activities.
00:43:56So today we're going to have her first tennis lesson.
00:43:59So we have an exciting day today.
00:44:02Tracy is going to have her first tennis lesson.
00:44:04Once we got to a certain amount of weight, we're going to start doing things she's never done before.
00:44:08So today I'm going to give her her first tennis lesson.
00:44:11Yes.
00:44:12And how many times do you play tennis?
00:44:14Never.
00:44:15Ever.
00:44:15Maybe some table tennis.
00:44:17Back in the day.
00:44:18Table tennis.
00:44:19It's a little bit different.
00:44:21So we're going to try our hand at this.
00:44:22She's a little bit more mobile now.
00:44:24So I expect to have her on the pro tour within the next three months.
00:44:34Okay.
00:44:35This is Reginald Washington.
00:44:36Tracy's first match.
00:44:37She's now taking her lesson.
00:44:39And this is what she drew first round.
00:44:42Reginald, how do you feel about your chances?
00:44:47I don't know.
00:44:48I've heard that she's had lessons from Mr. Asse.
00:44:57The match was a lot of fun.
00:45:00Nobody got hurt, although there were some close calls.
00:45:03But most importantly, Tracy got to do a new fun activity with her new body.
00:45:23All right, we're here waiting.
00:45:25This is a big day.
00:45:26Today's Tracy's 100-pound weigh-in.
00:45:29Three and a half months, 100 pounds.
00:45:33Unsuper-sized me.
00:45:34It's hard to dispute.
00:45:38She doesn't know that we're all here waiting for her.
00:45:40She thinks it's just a regular weigh-in.
00:45:42We've got a group of people in the bathroom waiting that are going to come out and surprise
00:45:47her as soon as the weigh-in is complete and she loses 100 pounds.
00:45:52So I think it'll be a good surprise for her.
00:45:55I'm really excited about it.
00:45:56We've been working really hard for this.
00:45:58So we're going to find out today if she lost 100 pounds in three and a half months.
00:46:09Here we are.
00:46:11Today's big day.
00:46:16That's a couple ounces.
00:46:40That's 100 pounds, baby.
00:46:48You are it.
00:46:49You are crazy.
00:46:52Good night, baby.
00:46:54I love it.
00:46:54All right, Tracy.
00:46:57Okay, this is compliments of Marilyn.
00:47:00She wanted to make sure that you were the princess of the day.
00:47:02You made me a promise of 100 pounds.
00:47:06So I would like to tango.
00:47:10My crown is falling off.
00:47:12I couldn't believe it.
00:47:14I was so happy for Tracy.
00:47:17I could see in her face how happy she was.
00:47:19It just made me feel so good.
00:47:31How do you feel, Tracy?
00:47:32I'm excited.
00:47:34I feel good.
00:47:35Nice.
00:47:42Well, I just got my 100-pound tattoo, which matches the 50-pound tattoo.
00:47:48So it's another 50 pounds, matches exactly, I love it to death.
00:47:52It definitely will remind me of all the weight that I've lost, for sure.
00:48:10How do you feel about your first beach workout, Tracy?
00:48:13I'm excited.
00:48:14Yeah.
00:48:15It reminds me of home.
00:48:18Tracy really loves the beach, so I want to show her that you can be active anywhere.
00:48:24I'm excited for her first official beach workout.
00:48:27I grew up on the beach, and I love the water.
00:48:29I always think of the beach when I think of vacation.
00:48:32I never think of the beach as a workout, though.
00:48:35It's very challenging to get my mind around the fact that the place where I can relax
00:48:40can also be associated with the place that I work out.
00:48:44As a matter of fact, just the thought of working out as a way to relax is foreign to me.
00:48:49In knowing Carly, I also realized what a privilege it is to be able to step foot in the sand.
00:48:55Not everyone has the same opportunities that everyone else has, and it's important that
00:49:01everyone take full advantage of the ability to move around freely.
00:49:05I see how happy Carly is at the beach, surrounded by people that he loves, and he didn't always
00:49:10have that freedom.
00:49:11I know he sees the same in me every time I'm able to do something that I previously could
00:49:16not do.
00:49:22Okay, Tracy, what are we doing here today?
00:49:25We are looking at some clothes that I've cleaned out of my closet.
00:49:29When I hit the 100-pound mark, it became very frustrating to try to dress in the morning
00:49:33because I had a whole bunch of clothes in there that did not fit me.
00:49:35So I've weeded out what doesn't fit me, and I'm going to donate it or give it to somebody
00:49:39else or just get it out of here.
00:49:43So just to show you, this was a dress that I wore to work probably once a week.
00:49:50As you can see, it's very big.
00:49:53Do you want me to put it on?
00:49:55Put it on.
00:49:55I could probably swim in it.
00:49:57It used to be a little tight, to the point where I cut the sleeve because the elastic was
00:50:06tight, so, and now you can see I could fit a few people in here with me.
00:50:14So, but then it came to the point where I couldn't wear this to work anymore.
00:50:17But this was my size before, so you can see quite a difference.
00:50:22I used to binder clip the side in, and I would binder clip it so that I could wear them,
00:50:30but it got to a point where I just could not wear them.
00:50:33Um, this was the skirt that I had, and I had it in black, gray, and khaki.
00:50:38Um, so you can see that, obviously, this is a fitted pencil skirt, um, which would not
00:50:44be a fitted pencil skirt anymore.
00:50:47These were the first to outgrow, for sure.
00:50:49Like, those won't fit me, so.
00:50:52And now I have new clothes.
00:51:15Here we are, down 130 pounds, getting ready to take on the swamp.
00:51:24If you don't know what the swamp is, if you're not from Gainesville, it's the UF Stadium,
00:51:28climbing stairs.
00:51:29This is a new thing for Tracy, because you've never been able to do this, so it's going to
00:51:32be an exciting adventure for her to take this on.
00:51:35And, uh, how are you feeling?
00:51:36Good.
00:51:38I think they look like really big steps.
00:51:41Stadiums are tough, and something I've really been wanting Tracy to do.
00:51:46Now that she's lost over 100 pounds, I think she's ready.
00:51:50It really gives a sense of accomplishment to reach the top of those steps.
00:51:55A metaphor of what she has overcome so far.
00:52:04Running stadiums for the first time is a feat I wanted to do for a while.
00:52:08I hear many people talk about running stadiums, and all these people are fit, and in social
00:52:12circles, I am not a part of.
00:52:14I still don't feel like I belong in a place where health and fitness is tested, but I want
00:52:18to give it a try.
00:52:19Just to be able to do something different is invigorating, but also scary.
00:52:23I have never felt my legs shake like this before, but I like it.
00:52:28Being on top of the stadiums is the best feeling in the world.
00:52:31Counting each silver step, going to the top, and then looking down at my accomplishment while
00:52:36getting ready to do it all again makes me feel like I'm living life.
00:52:40Hey, stadium number one, baby!
00:52:43Good job.
00:52:43You just completed four stadiums.
00:52:45How does your body feel?
00:52:47My legs are shaky, but I feel good.
00:53:01For Tracy's 30th birthday, I got her a bike.
00:53:04Tracy's going to try her.
00:53:07Oh, it's just like ride her bike!
00:53:09Oh, it's done for good!
00:53:12Look at me down there!
00:53:13Look at me down!
00:53:17Come on back by.
00:53:19First day on the bike.
00:53:20Woohoo!
00:53:21I'm 30!
00:53:21Riding like a pro.
00:53:29For Tracy's 30th birthday, we're going to Puerto Rico and staying at a vegan resort.
00:53:35She couldn't fly before we started the film, so this is a big milestone.
00:53:39Being able to travel at all is a big deal.
00:53:42Airplane seats at 350 pounds are not comfortable.
00:53:46How does it feel to fit?
00:53:47This time, I'm able to sit comfortably in my seat and travel with ease.
00:53:51This is our vegan resort.
00:53:55I also have some more adventures in mind for her that will be a surprise.
00:54:00All things she was not able to do before she lost weight.
00:54:03I'm hoping she can do them because some of them are challenging.
00:54:07Horseback riding in Puerto Rico for my 30th birthday was a special treat, but also a big challenge for me.
00:54:12I had an accident with a horse when I was younger at a friend's birthday party.
00:54:16I was only 11, but I was too heavy to ride a pony like all the other kids.
00:54:21I had to ride a grown horse, and it scared me away from horses for many years.
00:54:25I never rode a horse again until my 30th birthday.
00:54:29Going to Puerto Rico is a once-in-a-lifetime experience where I hope to do many things I can
00:54:34never have done before.
00:54:35I turned 30 in the halfway mark of my journey, and I want to celebrate my new life and thank
00:54:40my trainers for all the hard work and dedication they gave to me.
00:54:44I will always remember the smell of the wild-growing jasmine that is in the garden where we eat our
00:54:50breakfast every morning.
00:54:51Breakfast normally has a huge tropical fruit salad, and everything tastes so fresh.
00:54:56It is still warm from the sun, and you can tell it was picked from the tree that morning.
00:55:01It is then that I realized good food is not only plant-based, but locally grown and seasonal.
00:55:07And that jasmine scent will always remind me of all my new experiences I had in Puerto Rico.
00:55:21What are the things you want to do once you get your new body that you can't do now, like
00:55:28learn any kind of race or mountain?
00:55:31Um, I don't think I'm a mountain climber quite yet, but I don't know if I would ever be a
00:55:38mountain climber.
00:55:39Losing the weight allowed us to do a lot of new things.
00:55:43Number one on the list, mountain climbing, baby.
00:55:46Tracy never thought she would climb a mountain, but I knew she would.
00:56:00Tracy has been doing so well that I want to reward her with something she's always wanted, braces.
00:56:07Dr. Don Martin and Dr. Paige Jacobson were kind enough to donate braces to Tracy for our film.
00:56:13I am also subconscious about my smile.
00:56:16The formula is simple.
00:56:17I work out more, I eat a plant-based diet, I start feeling better, and I smile more.
00:56:22I am so lucky to be given the opportunity to now have an amazing smile.
00:56:27The way I feel about my teeth is the same way many people feel about their size and weight.
00:56:32I am self-conscious, won't smile for big pictures, and am embarrassed about their appearance.
00:56:37I remember after just a few weeks of having braces, glancing at myself in the mirror at the gym.
00:56:43I was drenched in sweat, not a stitch of makeup on, but I was smiling, and for once thought it
00:56:49was pretty.
00:57:00In honor of Tracy's hard work, I'm going to get a little bit of ink with her.
00:57:05So, we're going to be getting ink with me.
00:57:09I'm a little bit nervous, but I'm going to put a lot of hard work into this.
00:57:15So, we both put hard work, so I'm doing it as a reward to myself as well.
00:57:20Just dialing myself with a needle, you know, it's a good reward.
00:57:41So, Tracy, this is your first fashion show, and how are you feeling?
00:57:46I am nervous, but okay.
00:57:49I'm not used to this anymore looking at me, but I'm glad that I have lost so much weight in
00:57:54the show at all.
00:57:55I'm proud to be here, especially on behalf of that.
00:57:57So, definitely nervous, a little anxious, but I will be okay.
00:58:02This fashion show is something that is very far from my comfort zone.
00:58:05I would not consider myself fashionable, and I am struggling to find out what clothing works well with my new
00:58:11body.
00:58:12Woo!
00:58:14I am definitely not used to anyone viewing me as someone that is attractive or model-worthy.
00:58:20I know that I need to force myself to do this, though.
00:58:23It is one of the most challenging things for me to do.
00:58:25Most people would think changing to a vegan diet and starting a workout plan would be the most challenging.
00:58:31This is nothing compared to putting yourself onto a stage to have your physical appearance judged by a crowd of
00:58:37people,
00:58:37especially when you have never been viewed in that light before.
00:58:40It is a challenging experience, but as I'm standing on the stage with the gorgeous Zen Fitness crew,
00:58:46I actually feel proud of myself and what I have done.
00:58:49Feeling proud of my appearance is a foreign concept, but I'm beginning to like it.
00:58:59So, how was your doctor's visit today?
00:59:01Good.
00:59:02I got some really good news back.
00:59:04My first appointment was with the optometrist.
00:59:06I've always worn glasses or contacts since I was real little.
00:59:10Runs in my family.
00:59:11Just, we all have bad eyesight.
00:59:14And when I went into the doctor, I thought that I was going to need a stronger prescription
00:59:20because I hadn't been seeing that well out of my contacts.
00:59:22And what it ended up being was that my contacts were too strong,
00:59:26that my eyesight has actually gotten better.
00:59:29The optometrist was really surprised by it.
00:59:31He did a few scans on my eyes.
00:59:33He noticed more blood flow to my eyes.
00:59:35And he asked me if I had changed something in my diet recently.
00:59:38A few days, it'll be 10 months now as a vegan.
00:59:40And my eyesight has improved to the point where I have a brand new glasses prescription
00:59:46and contact lens prescription.
00:59:49Both eyes have corrected themselves at the same time.
00:59:52He said that maybe if one eye had gotten stronger or the other eye didn't,
00:59:56that it was something else.
00:59:57But he said that it was definitely something within my diet
01:00:00to make both of my eyes get stronger at the same time.
01:00:09Okay, so here we are, one year later, and almost 200 pounds down.
01:00:15So we're going back in for Tracy's cardiology test.
01:00:19Here we go, in this size right here.
01:00:21Oh, my God.
01:00:22I don't know if I can make sure.
01:00:24I think she filled this out, and she filled it out pretty tight.
01:00:28That's how we were here.
01:00:29I think you should get that thing tailored to your next dog.
01:00:32Made into a dress.
01:00:34Absolutely, they could make it in a dress.
01:00:36Unbelievable.
01:00:37What a success story.
01:00:38All right, Leah.
01:00:39Going into the second stress test, I was a lot less worried.
01:00:43I was way more confident.
01:00:45I knew that I could do this, and I knew I could do it well.
01:00:51Looking at her when she was lying down the second time was amazing.
01:00:54I remembered how far she had come.
01:00:57I knew I could do it well.
01:01:19I knew I could do it.
01:01:19Unbelievable.
01:01:20Yeah, that wouldn't happen last time.
01:01:23She's laughing now.
01:01:45How'd you do it?
01:01:46Diet and exercise.
01:01:47Diet and exercise.
01:01:49Diet?
01:01:50Anything special with the diet?
01:01:51Plant-based.
01:01:52Plant-based.
01:01:53Plant-based.
01:01:53Best thing you ever did in your life so far?
01:01:55Yeah.
01:01:55Just say, by far.
01:01:57What's the secret?
01:01:59There's no secret.
01:01:59No secret.
01:02:00No secret.
01:02:01Getting up and doing it every day.
01:02:03Yeah.
01:02:03Wow.
01:02:04You look like a different lady.
01:02:06Through here and everything.
01:02:08She looks awesome.
01:02:09Awesome.
01:02:10So how did she do?
01:02:11She did amazingly.
01:02:13No kidding.
01:02:13I mean, in the four and a half years I've been here, I've only seen maybe one or two other
01:02:17people that have made it to stage five.
01:02:18So she did.
01:02:19She did amazing.
01:02:21She really did.
01:02:26When someone is 350 pounds, they get familiar with not being noticed in a crowd for any positive
01:02:32reasons.
01:02:33I never have people look at me and admire my appearance.
01:02:37And I'm very comfortable knowing that people do not look at me based on my appearance and
01:02:41actually make a point to make sure I get noticed for other things like a good work ethic or a
01:02:46loud
01:02:46personality.
01:02:47I still catch myself not recognizing myself in the mirror yet, but it'll get there.
01:02:57I was really proud of Tracy for modeling.
01:03:01It's funny because of all the things we did, that was one of the hardest things for her.
01:03:06I could tell she was really out of her comfort zone.
01:03:09But just like everything, she was a warrior.
01:03:12She got in there and she tried her hardest and she did great.
01:03:14And I don't think she realizes how many people she's inspired.
01:03:18Her pictures and her change has made so many people want to lose weight, inspire so many
01:03:25people across the board to be healthy.
01:03:34Shopping now is a lot more fun.
01:03:36There's a lot more variety to it.
01:03:39There's also a social aspect to it.
01:03:41I'm able to go shopping with my friends before I could never go shopping with my friends because
01:03:46we would clearly have to shop in different stores.
01:03:49They would go into stores in the mall and nothing in that store would fit me.
01:03:52And you can only look at earrings and necklaces for so long.
01:03:56I recently got to shop for bridesmaids dresses with my best friend and her little sister.
01:04:01And that was really fun and something that I couldn't have done in the past.
01:04:06There's a social aspect to it.
01:04:08There's a lot more variety.
01:04:10I can buy stuff on sale.
01:04:12I can return things.
01:04:14Just an endless variety.
01:04:17And it's a lot cheaper.
01:04:22Grocery shopping has changed a lot for me now that I'm vegan.
01:04:27When I was not vegan, I would have to go up and down every single aisle in the store.
01:04:33I would have to look at the produce department as well as the meat, dairy, eggs, cheese.
01:04:37Now I can pretty much grocery shop in my produce department and my local farmer's market
01:04:44and get everything that I ever needed with occasional visits to the bulk section for beans and whatnot.
01:04:53Definitely can run in and run out.
01:04:55Much easier to shop.
01:05:04Dating now is a lot more fun in general.
01:05:06It's a lot easier.
01:05:08I have a lot more options.
01:05:09I can do active things on dates.
01:05:11I can go on bike rides.
01:05:13I can go for a walk in the park.
01:05:15I can go for a run.
01:05:17I can basically go anywhere and do anything with all the options that I have now.
01:05:25in the park.
01:05:29I have an attraction.
01:05:30I can do is go for a walk.
01:05:32For a walk away.
01:05:40I can go to the house inassy pursuits.
01:05:41I am new in the book.
01:05:42I want to goród constitutional guarantees.
01:05:42And the scour蓉 tofig как marketers.
01:05:42Our warning vial have been on a Saturday night.
01:05:43Just as a week before we continue playing a game of like Trash.
01:05:43I thought the baddest mechanic is reddish to be over for a parking lot of a walk.
01:05:51It's automatic for a car and there is an interesting
01:07:12day not too bad definitely couldn't have done it a year ago so I didn't finish
01:07:19last no you didn't you had a lot of people
01:07:47so
01:07:54so
01:07:55so
01:07:55so
01:07:56so
01:10:13I am vegan.
01:10:15I am vegan.
01:10:17I'm a vegan.
01:10:18I'm a vegan.
01:10:20I'm a vegan.
01:10:20I'm a vegan.
01:10:21I'm vegan.
01:10:21I'm vegan for health reasons and for the public.
01:10:24For my health.
01:10:26For the planet.
01:10:27I am vegan.
01:10:29I am vegan because it's the healthiest way to be.
01:10:32I'm vegan for my health.
01:10:35I am vegan.
01:10:36I am vegan.
01:10:37I love vegetables.
01:10:39I love foods.
01:10:40I have a family history.
01:10:43I'm aego for myępst real sin.
01:10:53I'm a vegan.
01:10:55What is it?
01:11:07I have a family history of cancer.
01:11:10life. I feel my best. I look my best. Being vegan is not only good for me, but good for
01:11:18the planet. I am vegan. I am vegan because it gave me a new life. It's the easiest way
01:11:28to live life to its fullest. My only regret is that I didn't do it sooner. I'm capable
01:11:35of more now than I ever thought I could do. I feel healthy, strong, and happy. I had no
01:11:44idea how much I was missing out on life. People ask me all the time now if I'm going to
01:11:50continue
01:11:50being vegan. My only response is that there's no reason not to be. My one piece of simple
01:11:57advice for you is to do it now.
01:12:07It's difficult to know that I lived 29 years of my life like that. Nowadays, every aspect
01:12:12of my life is better. I no longer have to hide or lie about who I really am. My daily
01:12:17life
01:12:17is easier, and I have so many more opportunities available to me. I was able to move into a
01:12:23new home that's up three flights of stairs. I have a new career that's more rewarding and
01:12:28productive. I've developed relationships with new friends that influence my good habits.
01:12:33I have continued to be vegan and see no reason to stop. I work out on a daily basis and
01:12:40I'm
01:12:40currently training for a marathon. I love spin classes. I was even able to trade in my gas-guzzling
01:12:47SUV for a smaller two-seater car. The most unexpected reward from this project was that I have found
01:12:53it to be truly rewarding and motivating to show others how easy it is to be happy and healthy.
01:12:59I write a blog that lists some of my favorite vegan recipes and love to help others get motivated
01:13:04about a healthier eating habit. I never expected to have my photos in magazine articles and my
01:13:10recipes being featured. But to know that we could possibly help get one person happier and healthier
01:13:16and feel the way I do, it's the best reward I could ever ask for. I just don't feel like
01:13:22I did
01:13:22anything special. I followed simple lifestyle changes and so could you. That was a year of
01:13:28my life being filmed as I lost 200 pounds. What a great experience to be a part of. I hope
01:13:34that I
01:13:34can motivate you to try something new. Try being vegan. It worked for me.
01:13:42Well guys, Unsupersize Me was a tremendous success. Without question one of the greatest achievements
01:13:50of my life. I can still be found at Zen Fitness every day helping people get healthy and teaching
01:13:58them how to enjoy a plant-based lifestyle. I also have launched a new Whole Foods Beat You supplement
01:14:04called Red Ace that helps people with cardio performance and overall health. You have seen
01:14:10our story firsthand and now know how quickly a plant-based diet can help you reach your optimum
01:14:15level of health. I hope this film inspires you. The plant-based diet can change your life too.
01:14:34Sometimes is what it takes to make a break. I'm going to walk into the news to reveal you. Your
01:14:38thought was a world away. He saw the man in the mirror. He looked a little clearer. Rescued himself
01:14:42with Carly's health and the hell was well. Women in medicine. This is domestic life-saving lesson.
01:14:47Get off your door. Get it again. See how much you can lose in a year. Make a lifestyle change.
01:14:53But you gotta rewind your brain for the change to remain. And I go back to the same. Lost his
01:14:58game.
01:14:58You own new terrain. You're a brand new ground with a new found you.
01:15:03Labor less and drop that edge away. Labor less cause you gotta help kill your place.
01:15:07Labor less don't believe me. Ask Trace. Man she make the dishes taste.
01:15:11Labor less when you're ready to get started. Labor less just call my man car.
01:15:15That's a child. Trace was mocking me far enough. On the playground was now a show full of love.
01:15:20Learn not to feel my mother not to care. Switched off the motion. Put on a happy face.
01:15:23But it didn't take the pain from the mean hands. Here's a call from away the game.
01:15:27Cha-cha. Trace was mocking me far enough. On the playground was now a show full of love.
01:15:31Learn not to feel my mother not to care. Switched off the motion. Put on a happy face.
01:15:35But it didn't take the pain from the mean hands. Here's a call from away the game.
01:15:39Cha-cha. Trace was mocking me far enough. On the playground was now a show full of love.
01:15:43Learn not to feel my mother not to care. Switched off the motion. Put on a happy face.
01:15:47But it didn't take the pain from the mean hands. Here's a call from away the game.
01:15:51Cha-cha. Trace was mocking me far enough. On the playground was now a show full of love.
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