The Engine 2 Diet challenge with Whole Foods Market Sarasota: week two

Last week marked the second week of Jessi, Franklin, Kaylan and Denzel Reategui's 28-Day Challenge on the Engine 2 Diet. Whole Foods Market Sarasota is supporting the Reateguis with the right foods and nutrition expertise from their Healthy Eating Specialist, Kathryn McCue, while I guide them through everyday questions and menu planning for a plant-based family. I check in with the family almost daily to make sure they are doing well, answering any questions they may have and just to see how the family is feeling.

Jessi, the mother, does most of the shopping for the family. She took an initial tour of the store to get a better feel for where to find certain foods and, more importantly, what foods were the best choices for a family on a plant-based diet. About her weekly shopping trips, Jessi has mentioned that the staff was far more knowledgeable than she ever anticipated. They were not just able to help her locate ingredients, but walked her to them, told her when certain fruits and vegetables were in season and even offered to order items for her if they were not currently available. The majority of the employees have no idea who she is or that she is part of the Engine 2 Challenge. This is just an observation from her shopping experience here locally.The Engine 2 Diet was developed by Rip Esselstyn, a former firefighter and triathlete turned author. He's also the son of cardiac surgeon Caldwell Esselstyn, MD. The diet is based on research and applied experiences by his father, along with a book by colleague T. Colin Campbell, PhD, called The China Study. Campbell states, “… the idea that whole foods, plant-based diets can protect against and even treat a wide variety of chronic diseases can no longer be denied … now there are hundreds of detailed, comprehensive, well-done research studies that point in the same direction.”

Along with the help of a well-educated team, Esselstyn developed the Engine 2 Diet 28-Day Challenge to encourage others to give it a try. He asks for a full 28-day promise to stick to the diet, and Whole Foods is the platform for his message. The 28-Day Challenge website is packed with great recipes, menu planning tips and even an exercise routine to get your body back in motion. In Rip's own words from his recent talk at Whole Foods Market Sarasota, he is driving a "cultural revolution in the land of beef."

The program isn't a quick weight loss diet. It's designed to promote a lifetime of healthy eating without meat, dairy or oils, and to prevent longterm diseases that plague a majority of aging Americans, primarily heart disease (the number-one killer of Americans) and cancer growth (one in two Americans will get cancer in their lifetime). Things you can expect to see on a plant-based diet? Lower cholesterol, lowered blood pressure, weight loss, reduction in acid reflux, regular bowel movements/lack of constipation, lowered diabetes risk and increased energy are some of the many benefits one would notice, even within the 28-day window.There is no harder change to make than one that is not supported by those around you. When my family made the decision to go plant-based over a year ago, we received a lot of concern and pushback from friends and family about our decision (and still do). It's hard to believe that eating fruits, vegetables, legumes and grains can be concerning to anyone, but it is. It makes the decision tougher if a family is struggling with finding menu items and also lacks the support that they really need to reach their goals. My husband and I discussed it, and we decided that it would help make the Reateguis' transition simple if we invited them to share a meal at our home once a week for the month to get to know us better, see how our children eat, and in the process, get to know each other better. It's also nice to eat other people's food and get a break from all that cooking. On Sunday the Reategui family came over, along with a few neighbors of ours who were interested in what I was doing and cooking, and we had a fabulous afternoon brunch.The kids sat separately from the adults, and they ate the same things that we did. Denzel (12) was surprised that meat and dairy-free food could taste so good. Kaylan also finished her entire plate of food from brunch.

At the end of week two, Jessi has lost nine pounds. She still has no migraine headaches, her pants and shirts are looser and she has a continued increase in energy. This week she started back on an exercise routine that she hadn't done for some time.

Franklin, the father, has lost 7 pounds to date. He has noticed a resurgence in his energy levels, is feeling stronger during his workouts and has noticed his pants are all loose this week.

Denzel, 12, has lost 8 pounds in two weeks. He has read most of the cookbooks that I left for the Reateguis cover-to-cover, and has bookmarked his menu ideas for his parents to make. He is enjoying trying all the new foods and also has more energy.

Kaylan, 15, has cerebral palsy, so weight was never her issue, but eased digestion was definitely a big concern. She was only going to the bathroom once every 10 to 14 days, and it was stressful and painful for her. Now she's going every two days and her fiber intake has jumped tremendously. She previously had some swelling in her legs and feet, which has completely disappeared. Her school has noted that she is eating everything her mother sends with her. Her behavior at school is vastly improved and she is much happier as a result of the changes the family has made.

The key for the Reateguis' success so far has been their incredible open-mindedness and willingness to try a large number of new foods and recipes. Both Jessi and Frankin have been sharing cooking duties and have noticed they are having more fun in the kitchen together as a result.

Stay tuned for recipe and menu planning ideas in Friday's week three follow-up. If you are thinking about trying the Engine 2 Diet's 28-Day Challenge, please visit our local Whole Foods Market Sarasota's Facebook page for events, class schedules and local support. The visit the Whole Foods Market Sarasota website for some great recipe ideas and healthy eating tips, and you can also visit the Engine 2 Diet website for more information.- Sarah Felder of bentoriffic.com is a plant-based food blogger and mother of two preschoolers who makes fun food for kids. She can also be found on Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter @bentoriffic.