[mandedah]

I'd like to say hello to everyone in this community! It seems like a very nice and supportive group.

I'm brand-new to macrobiotics but am very excited about it. My fiancee and I are entering into the lifestyle together and it's been going well so far.

Last night we had a dinner of whole wheat pasta, fresh string beans, sauteed tofu, and cucumber with lemon and parsley. Only a tiny bit of oil was used to keep the tofu from sticking. It was seasoned with sesame seeds, soy sauce (on the tofu), a few drops of lemon juice, and salt. We also drank bancha tea after dinner.

Does this sound right so far? The meal was so delicious and I felt so pleasantly satisfied afterwords, I wondered if I had done something wrong!

I am of course excited about the health and spiritual benefits of the macrobiotic diet but am also excited about potential weight loss. I am five-five and weigh 155 pounds, and would love to lose about 20 pounds. Up until my early twenties, I was just naturally thin with an amazing metabolism that would allow me to eat whatever I wanted and never gain weight. So... I developed some rich tastes! cheese! creme brulee! chocolate! I will always love eating; but being happy in my body, feeling healthy and living in harmony are so much more important to me than eating decadent foods.

I'd love to hear from others who have successfully lost weight through macrobiotics, and also general tips on getting started. We have a great book at home, but have some more shopping to do before we have a fully stocked macrobiotic pantry.

To Katya: I was really impressed with your post on how you have been feeling since starting the macrobiotic way of life and I'd love to hear more about your experiences. Email?

Thanks everyone, enjoy the day-

Amanda