I’m Eric O’Grey. I lost 150 lbs by adopting a shelter dog and then wrote a book about my dog and the most embarrassing and personal details of my life. Literally, you can AMA!

Responding to DragonflyRider: You can do this. I was in the Army. At first, Peety and I could only walk about 100 yards at at time, but we kept at it. After a few months, we were walking about 3 miles twice daily, and I was losing 5 lbs per week, consistently, until I reached my optimal weight. Now, I've maintained my same weight of 185 lbs, not varying more than 2 lbs up or down any year, for the past six years.

In regard to the request for dog pics, I think I can copy the link to my public photo directory here, which includes a lot of dog pics and some vids:

https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/0B-b_8dg91RgCN3g2WXNGTG1ueVk

Eric, we worked together a little bit several years ago. I've followed your story and just couldn't be happier for you and I think it's great that you are trying to help other people now. Congratulations and keep it up.

hey it's me ur brother

You choose awesome aliases. :)

Thank you so much!

Your wedding pics are very cute :)

Thank you!

Ok my favorite meal, one described in my book, is this simple recipe for vegan chili, which I've perfected slowly over the past 6 years - just serve with rice:

Eric’s Perfect Plant Based Chili 8 HOURS SOAKING / 20 MINUTES PREP / 9 HOURS IN SLOW COOKER / SERVES 10 After several years of trial and error in my pursuit of perfect oil-free, plant based chili, I believe this is the simplest and most delicious recipe you can make from scratch. I prefer to use a slow cooker for this recipe so that all of the beans come out with perfect consistency. You can use a pressure cooker to cook unsoaked beans in 25-30 minutes versus the longer process I describe below, but experience has shown me that beans come out best using this slow cooker method. 3 cups pinto beans 3 small, 2 medium, or 1 large yellow onions, chopped 3 bell peppers, red, yellow, and green, chopped 8 large green jalapeño peppers, with seeds removed then diced 2 14.5 ounce cans of diced tomatoes or equivalent 1 tbsp chili powder 2 tbsp oregano flakes 1 tbsp cumin powder 1 tbsp garlic powder 3 bay leaves, freshly ground 1 tsp ground black pepper 1 tbsp sea salt Optional for chili: one 11 oz package Beyond Beef Feisty Crumbles, by Beyond Meat Plant Based Protein

1. Soak beans overnight, covered by at least 3 inches of water.
2. Drain and rinse beans well, then cook in a 6 quart slow cooker with 1 tbsp salt covered by 2 inches of water, on high setting for six hours. The beans will cook faster in the slow cooker if you use less beans, or slower if you use a higher ratio of water.
3. Drain beans, mix in other ingredients well, and cook in the slow cooker for an additional 3 hours on the high setting, until beans reach desired firmness.
4. Serve with Mexican rice, garnish with salsa and avocado and serve with tortillas.

I seriously can't talk enough about how much a dog helps. It may not be for everyone but it turned my life around.

I suffer from bipolar disorder and was at a point in my life where I was crippled with anxiety so badly that I didn't want to leave my house. I was smoking over an 8th of weed a day and eating like crazy. Easily the lowest point of my life. I was fat, lazy, and had zero motivation to change.

One day after work I found a pup in an alley. Scrawny, medium sized, white and brown, with a gigantic head. Funny enough, it was Valentine's Day and I was by myself. I saw that there was a vet down the street so I brought him there. They wouldn't take him in but they gave me some food, a bowl, a collar, and a leash and basically told me that he was my problem. I didn't want a dog but I couldn't throw him back outside so we trudged home together in the snow.

I brought him home and immediately wanted to dump him somewhere. I was posting on Craigslist and Facebook trying to find a new owner. I called all of my friends that I thought might be interested and no one wanted this mangy mutt. Taking him outside was a nuisance and I couldn't stand having to walk up and down three flights of stairs a few times a day in the dead of winter. Every time I'd make it inside I'd check my phone and emails, hoping someone had claimed him. While I was checking my emails he'd be in the other room, peeing in my bed or tearing up my boots. Up and down the stairs all winter long.

Soon enough, the snow started to melt and the sun would creep out. Once that happened I'd stand outside a bit longer than normal, feeling the warmth on my face. My dog would meander around the back yard while I spent a few minutes outside of my musty apartment. One day I put my boots in the closet and pulled out some comfortable running shoes I hadn't touched since high school.

My trips to the sidewalk became quick walks around the block. Walks around the block became walks to the dog park. Walks turned to runs. Mornings at the dog park and runs around the neighborhood became weekends at the beach. Before I knew it, this dog had forced me to become active. The more exercise I got the dog, the happier it made him, which indirectly did the same to me.

My confidence got a little boost as I realized that I was taking care of something. Not only was I taking care of something, but I was doing it well. This dog that was infested with fleas and was skin and bones was suddenly strong and filled out. People would comment on how happy and healthy my dog looked. My big, dopey dog has become a talking point to just about random person I'd see. Soon enough I was starting conversations with people that would look my way!

I started to trade numbers with some people at the dog park and we'd meet up at the beach, go to bars. Eventually I met a great girl there. Three years later we're happily living together, have another dog, blah, blah, blah.

My point is, get a dog. It helps force you out of your home and move around. From there things will fall into place. You'll become happier and find a reason to talk to people. But most importantly (for me at least), you'll find something to take pride in.

EDIT: Since people are asking for pictures. Here's my buddy Oskar. The first two are from the day I got him about three years ago. He was covered in fleas and infections and was very underweight. The next two are pictures of him and his newly adopted sister, Karma. The last two are just picture I've taken over the last year that I really like. My girlfriend and I tag them on Instagram as #oskarma if you want to see more photos.

This is an awesome, inspiring, and heartwarming story. You should submit this story to mutualrescue.org for consideration for the short films they make. This is the short film they made of me and Peety:

https://youtu.be/47Xk3l_FDhY

Clickable link: https://mutualrescue.org

Good bot

It's an awesome bot!

To anyone who watches this: A DOG DIES: PREPARE TO CRY. Seriously though, it's a beautiful story. Dogs are amazing companions, and truly, our species barely deserves such a gracious gift from Nature.

Thank you :)

HES A GOOD BOY

HE'S THE BEST BOY! :)

Please share your story over at /r/pitbulls

Seriously doing my best to figure Reddit out, sorry it took me so many years to come over here, will try and do that. Thanks!

Any before and after photos of your pupper?

Only after photos, so sorry. I was obese for over 20 years, stopped going outside, had no friends, and even had not gone on a date for over 15 years. Worst of all, I owned a flip phone at the time, and also never took photos because I was ashamed of my appearance. I didn't start taking photos until after I lost my weight, and that includes of my dog.

Just edited the comment with pics!

https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/0B-b_8dg91RgCN3g2WXNGTG1ueVk

Fellow vegan here. Love reading your story. So cool how you both rescued each other :)

Thank you!

this needs way more upvotes

I agree!

I love this story.

Me too!

Show me your little cutie?

https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/0B-b_8dg91RgCN3g2WXNGTG1ueVk

There are a bunch of pics of him in that google drive. Thanks!

Recipe list formatted better:

3 cups pinto beans

3 small, 2 medium, or 1 large yellow onions, chopped

3 bell peppers, red, yellow, and green, chopped

8 large green jalapeño peppers, with seeds removed then diced

2 14.5 ounce cans of diced tomatoes or equivalent

1 tbsp chili powder

2 tbsp oregano flakes

1 tbsp cumin powder

1 tbsp garlic powder

3 bay leaves, freshly ground

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 tbsp sea salt

Optional for chili:

one 11 oz package Beyond Beef Feisty Crumbles, by Beyond Meat Plant Based Protein

Thank you!

Just switched to plant based 5 months ago and I'm down 50 lbs! This is the way to live ones life. I was 345lbs. Still a ways to go, but its really not as hard as it seems to make the switch.

Great job and keep it up!

That sounds delicious, gonna test this recipe later :) maybe throw some daiya on it

Thank you!

9 HOURS IN SLOW COOKER /

Get an InstantPot. /r/instantpot

I have one and use it several times each week, but I really really like the results of a slow cooker better for beans. Thank you!

Q: I am assuming that your dog lost weight as well. How much has he lost? How long were your walks in the beginning? How long have then become?

A: Peety lost 25 pounds, and dropped from 75 to 50 lbs eating the same foods I ate. His skin conditions also cleared up completely and he because a really handsome, proud dog. I began to feed him what I ate - a high protein vegan diet - after learning that dogs can subsist nicely, and be very healthy, on a balanced vegan diet. Dogs, like pigs, bears, and humans, are omnivores and can all subsist very healthfully on plants.

Ok my apologies, I thought new questions automatically populated. I think im getting the hang of this now.

Make sure to click "reply" to the question you're replying to, otherwise they just show up as new comments in the thread.

Thank you!

Friendly tip, you should also hit reply under the specific question you're answering so your reply appears near the question. It's helpful for readers.

Inspiring story, thanks for doing the AMA!

Thank you!

What was the most difficult obstacle to overcome? Is there anything you know now that you wish you had known when you started?

Replied to this one above, again, my apologies for not understanding how to reply in the beginning.

I see you are learning the format. It would make for a much better AMA flow if you would copy and paste the answers rather than saying "I replied above"

Exactly. It doesn’t hurt to have the exact same answer in two places.

I totally apologize for my noobness. I think I'm getting the hang of this now, and will continue to use reddit. Thanks!

Will modern astronomy, using LIGO detectors [and their descendants] be able to use gravitational waves to find advanced intelligent extra-terrestrial life?

No.

Kudos on the adoption and plant-based diet. I had adopted a few pups in the past. They've all passed from old age, but I plan on rescuing another soon. I also transitioned to a plant-based diet and got my weight from 275 down to 185 and eliminated about 80% of flare-ups and associated issues caused by my Crohn's disease.

Question: What was the final motivator that got you to get up and try something completely different? Most people (obese with health issues, like we were) would scoff at the idea of a plant-based diet and would rather endure extreme surgeries and other procedures, such as gastric bypass, to deal with their issues. What made you switch?

An embarassing situation where I caused a plane flight to be delayed, because they ran out of seat belt extensions and could not take off until I was buckled in. I was wedged into a center seat with at least 8 inches of me flopping over each armrest, and the guy next to me was brutal about this.

You could've very easily gone home and focused on the negative. You could've blamed everyone else and not done anything to improve. It takes a lot of strength to do what you did. People don't understand what an uphill battle these major changes are. Much respect.

Thank you :)

The most difficult obstacle I had to overcome to create and sustain permanent change in my life, and to become the person I always wanted to be, is to first be aware that I could achieve my optimal healthy, happiness and weight on a plant based diet - that isn't really promoted or marketed by any industry or government group because there is nothing to buy. The money is made off of sick people, not healthy people or dead people. So actually finding out that this was an option that works would have saved me 25 years of morbid obesity and misery.

Favorite meal to cook? Tomorrow is meal prep day and I have no ideas. Lol

Replied above, thanks!

I failed at the 3 dozen or so diets I previously tried before succeeding on a vegan (whole food plant based no oil diet) because I found none of them to be sustainable, or a program I could follow for life. Weight loss options are basically limited to these choices:

a. Self-deprivation / Hunger / Portion Control b. Extreme Exercise c. Unsustainable gimmicks and fad diets d. Weight loss medication e. Bariatric Surgery f. Plant-based nutrition and light exercise

If you really want to lose weight, you must pick one, and in my opinion, only the last option will provide permanent results.

Or you could combine portion control with moderate exercise. You know, the thing we've been told to do since we were children.

Additionaly, you're running a marathon and a half on average per month, plus the train for such. I would call that option b, extreme exercise.

I love that you were downvoted for basically saying you don’t have to go to extremes to lose weight.

It takes all kinds of people to make the world go round :)

Moderation has never worked. Just ask alcoholics anonymous or any recovery group. Modern packaged foods are specifically designed to be as addictive as possible. Just try eating six potato chips or one slice of Dominoes pizza and let me know how that works for you. Here's a great article for you to read: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/24/magazine/the-extraordinary-science-of-junk-food.html

Is there any particular reason why you failed at all the diets?

Hi - I replied to this one above also, sorry for my replying noobness.

This is awesome, animal love and living your best you all in one! I need to ask a question, did it take long for you to find the right doggo??

When I adopted Peety, I had never owned a pet before. When my new doctor told me to adopt a dog, I asked her if it would be ok to adopt a cat instead. She looked at me sternly, and asked if I had ever walked a cat. I said no, but I thought I had seen it done on TV. She then replied, just adopt the dog. I then went down to Humane Society Silicon Valley in N Cal, where I lived at the time, and they introduced me to Peety. He wasn't what I expected, and I don't think I was what he expected, but as I found, you don't always get what you want, but instead you get what you need. Peety and I needed each other, we just didn't know it at the time.

Will I lose 150 lbs if I adopt a dog?

Do you need to lose 150 lbs? If so, I can show you how you can do that by adopting a dog and a whole food plant based no oil diet. :)

First of all, congratulations on your journey towards health and happiness. I have been on a plant-based diet for more than a year now and have never been stronger or felt better. I exercise a lot and my favorite go-to breakfast is a mix of oats, berries, rice milk, soy powder, coconut oil and peanut butter. What’s yours?

Also, how did it feel like being isolated from the rest of the world for so long?

Hi and congratulations! I became a vegan in 2010, and people treated us like space aliens then. I've found in the years since, more and more people know what "vegan" means, and fewer now ask me if I still eat fish and chicken. I have smoothies for breakfast every morning, and this is my recipe:

Eric’s Maximum Nutrition Superfood Smoothie 10-15 MINUTES PREP / SERVES 2 I prepare my smoothies for nutrition first and taste second. Use a high speed blender for best and fastest results – with a standard blender, you will need to add ingredients one at a time and keep the mixture thin. Add water as needed to achieve your desired consistency. Fruits: My usual smoothie includes one of the fruit combinations below. I try to use fruits that are organic and commonly available fresh from a local farmers market or supermarket, or frozen in large bulk quantities from a warehouse club. Tropical: 1 banana, 1/4 fresh pineapple, 1 fresh mango Berry: 1 cup cherries, 1 cup strawberries, 1 cup blueberries Kiwi Banana: 2 bananas, 4 kiwis (skin on) Banana Strawberry: 2 bananas, 2 cups strawberries Blueberry Pear: 2 cups blueberries, 2 pears Apple Grape: 2 apples, 2 cups red/purple or blue/black grapes Vegetables: The vegetables listed below are relatively “taste neutral” when fresh and raw, meaning that you are unlikely to taste them when mixed with fruit. I use 2-3 of the organic veggies in my smoothies in the amounts listed: 1 leaf of kale 1 cup of spinach 1 cup dandelion greens 1 cup beet greens 1 cup sprouts 2 carrots 1 leaf collard greens 1 cup arugula 1/2 cup red cabbage Superfoods: I include each ingredient below in my morning smoothie. In addition to the vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients provided by each ingredient, other purported health benefits are listed in parenthesis. For more detail about the health benefits of each ingredient, enter the ingredient name in the search box on nutritionfacts.org and watch the short video associated with the term. 2 tbsp raw cacao powder (energy and physical stamina – note, this is not cocoa powder) 1 tbsp raw walnuts (omega-3s and numerous other health benefits) 6 raw almonds (various health benefits) 1 Brazil nuts (selenium) 1 tbsp dried goji berries (antioxidants) 2 tbsp flax seeds (omega-3s and cancer fighting lignans) 1 tbsp spearmint or peppermint flakes (enhanced oxygen delivery and athletic performance) 1 tbsp maca powder (libido enhancement) 1 tsp Ceylon cinnamon (weight loss and other health benefits) 1 tsp chia seeds (omega-3s and cancer fighting lignans) 1/2 inch fresh ginger root (anti-inflammatory and other health benefits) 1/2 tsp turmeric (anti-inflammatory and many other health benefits 1/4 tsp black pepper (enhanced bioavailability of nutrients) 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (weight loss)

Just add ingredients to your high speed blender, puree and enjoy!

Hya, just a reminder that you should answer to people's comments rather than comment on your post again, for simplicity's sake.

Also, what motivational words can you say to someone that wants to start losing weight but is too lazy to actually start?

It is harder to be miserable and sick than to take the really simple actions needed to become the awesome person you've always wanted to be. Please read any of the resources I posted above to get started on your own path to health and happiness - there is nothing to buy except for an investment in knowledge and your willingness to change. Just try this for two weeks - see if you agree with me - if not, you haven't lost anything and can go back to eating drive-through on the couch. You truly have everything to gain, and nothing to lose. Give this a try!

How did you make new friends in adulthood, after not interacting with others for so long?

Getting outside with my dog lead to me meeting most everyone in my neighborhood, so I got started on making a lot of new friends that way.

Q: What is your diet like: A: I practice a whole-food-plant-based-no-oil diet. It took me about 2 months to acclimate to that, but once I did, I found I preferred it far more than the omnivore (actually window diet, because most everything I ate was handed to me through my car window) diet I previously subsisted on. This ain't hard - what's hard is being obese, in pain, and on 15 different meds as I used to be. I'm on no meds now. Here's the resources I recommend to get from where I was to where I am now, and these will work for anyone:

Books

How Not to Die: The best and most comprehensive book about how a plant- based diet will maximize your life span and reduce your risk of preventable disease, including cancer, obesity, and Type 2 diabetes. Includes an easy-to-follow guide on what to eat to add years to your life. Greger, M., M.D., & and Stone, G. (2015). How Not To to Die: Discover The the Foods Scientifically Proven To to Prevent And and Reverse Disease. New York, NY: Flatiron Books.

The Starch Solution: A complete primer on how to practice a plant- based diet. Eat the foods you love, regain your health, and lose the weight for good. McDougall, J. A., & McDougall, M. A. (2012). The Starch Solution: Eat the foods you love, regain your health, and lose the weight for good! New York: Rodale.

Forks Over Knives—The Cookbook: An extraordinary collection of recipes, all of which can be prepared from common ingredients in 30 thirty minutes or less, and proving that the whole-food-plant-based-oil-free lifestyle is not about what you can’t eat, but what you can. Sroufe, D. (2012). Forks Over Knives—The Ccookbook: Over 300 Rrecipes for Plant-Based Eeating All Through the Year. New York: The Experiment.

The Engine 2 Seven-Day Rescue Diet: The follow-up to the best seller Engine 2 Diet series, the Seven-Day Rescue Diet is a perfect kick- starter to lower your cholesterol, drop your blood sugar and blood pressure, and help you lose weight in only 7 seven days! Esselstyn, R. (2016). Engine 2 seven-day rescue diet: Eat plants, lose weight, save your health. New York: Grand Central Publishing.

The Engine 2 Cookbook: Rip and Jane Esselstyn’s first fully illustrated book to help readers bring the Engine 2 lifestyle into their kitchens, with 130 plant-based recipes. Esselstyn, R., & Esselstyn, J. (2018). The Engine 2 Cookbook. New York: Grand Central Publishing.

The Vegan Way: For those who are intimidated by going vegan overnight, but don’t want the transition to stretch out for months or even years. In a 21 day plan that emphasizes the core reasons for going vegan, this book provides inspiration along with a specific goal to achieve each day with all of the support you need to accomplish it. Day, Jackie. (2016). The Vegan Way: 21 Days to a Happier, Healthier Plant-Based Lifestyle That Will Transform Your Home, Your Diet, and You. New York: St. Martin's Griffin.

Documentaries Available on Netflix and Amazon Prime

Forks Over Knives: The first and greatest documentary ever produced about the imperative and benefits of a whole-food-plant-based diet. https://www.netflix.com/title/70185045

PlantPure Nation: From the producer and writer of Forks Over Knives, this documentary follows the story of people on a quest to spread the message about the importance of plant-based nutrition. https://www.netflix.com/title/80068073

Cowspiracy: This documentary exposes the impact of animal agriculture on the environment, and investigates the policies of environmental organizations on this issue. https://www.netflix.com/watch/80033772

What the Health: This film examines the link between diet and disease, and the corporate self-interests in the healthcare, pharmaceutical and food industries. https://www.netflix.com/title/80174177

1) we need some pics of your doggo

2) My wife is type 1 diabetic and I see the struggle of maintaining ideal blood sugar levels. Did switching to plant based make it any easier or harder to maintain your blood sugar levels?

I am too a type 1 diabetic, have been for thirteen years. I switched to a plant based diet about one and a half to two years ago and i definetly can tell the difference. You eat less fat, which makes it easier to predict the way your blood sugar will evolve because fat and meat slows down sugar absorption and also insulin absorbtion. Also, being in a better overall shape can get you more easily into exercise, which is vital for taking care of diabetes.

I could not have answered this better. Thank you.

Replied above, thanks!

Replied above, thanks!

Where's Peety?! Did he die? I'm sad now.

Peety died in 2015. When he died, I lay on the floor with him for two days and sang him John Lennon songs. He had a fully conscious death, and i saw the life pass out of him. I want to go in the same way when it is my time. This is described in chapter 20 of my book.

Do you have another dog now??

Yes, my new dog's name is Jake.

This may seem like a silly question, but was it hard to adjust to the taste of plant based eating? I've never tried vegan, but a some of the foods that seem to be staples in plant based diets just bother me either bc of taste or texture. (The texture of beans, for example, just grosses me out) Did it take you awhile to get used to, and to start really enjoying those foods?

It took me about 2 months to lose my cravings and adjust from going from an omnivore to a whole food plant based diet. Thanks!

Hi - I had type 2 diabetes, and was off insulin and reversed my type 2 diabetes, with normal glucose and A1C, in less than six months after transitioning to a whole food, plant based, no oil diet. I also reduced my weight from about 340 lbs to 185 lbs in 10 months. I'm sorry I can't speak from personal experience about type 1 diabetes, but I'm told, and my research indicates, that you can also dramatically improve your symptoms for type 1 on a whole food plant based no oil diet. Please search "type 1 diabetes" on nutritionfacts.org for the best source of additional information, they have many short videos on the subject that do an outstanding job of breaking down the technical information into understandable information. Thanks!

FYI, click the "REPLY" button under a comment to respond, otherwise reddit.com won't know to connect your comment to the one you're replying to.

Thank you! So sorry, this is my first time on Reddit, thank you so much for helping me understand that! :)

Congratulations to Petty for locating such an awesome human. I am in your preloss situation right now. Miserable, miserable, miserable! What one though or motivator kept you wanting to succeed?

When I got Peety, he was such a mess that I immediately began feeling sorry for him, and stopped feeling sorry for myself. Everyone needs someone. If you don't have someone, please adopt a dog from your local shelter, because the dog will love you more than anyone has ever loved you in your entire life and will give you the motivation you need to succeed!

Sometimes the best way to help yourself is to help somebody else.

The path to happiness, according to most great philosophers and world religions, is to selflessly perform acts of kindness for others without any reward or expectation of benefit. Selfless acts of kindness result in happiness and balanced mental health.

I worked (a looooong time ago, before vet school, even before HSSV was in the "new" Milpitas location) at HSSV, where you got Peety. Have you kept working with them? I can imagine that you'd be a good ambassador for them. I found them to be a pretty good organization, they work hard to do what they can within their limitations!

Yes, and thank you for asking. I am a spokesperson for HSSV's Mutual Rescue initiative, at mutualrescue.org. They make short films highlighting the fact that helping animals helps people. Here's a link to the film they made about me and Peety: https://youtu.be/47Xk3l_FDhY

Did you notice any effects to your mental health when transisitioning to veganisim? I've heard people claim their depression and or anxiety decreased with the vegan lifestyle.

Yes, I was on 3 different anti-depressants when I was obese. I hated life and wanted to kill myself. I actually asked God to take my life. Soon after adopting Peety and a plant based diet, I began to feel happy for the first time in over 20 years. My world, and the entire universe, changed for me. Today the only drug in my home is Tylenol, and I feel indescribably happy and joyful every day.

Did you lose 150 pounds because you "adopted a plant-based diet", or did you lose 150 pounds because your caloric intake was less than your caloric expenditure?

I lost 150 pounds for both reasons. The most complete answer I can provide to you is based on a rebuttal I wrote to a New York Times article here: https://ericandpeety.com/avoiding-the-weight-loss-whiplash-my-rebuttal-to-the-new-york-times/

The latter. However, plant-based diets are convenient for those on weight-loss regimens in that they easily allow you to sidestep caloric dense foods (i.e. plant-based junkfood is not readily available), and has the additional benefit of being easy to understand without needing to track any complicated food statistics outside of making sure you're getting enough vitamins.

tldr: it's easy to lose weight on a plant-based diet

I strongly agree. And by staying on a plant based diet, you can maintain your best weight, health and happiness for life.

He lost 150 pounds because of the calorie deficit, which he achieved through the plant-based diet. Let's just hope it wasn't soylent green

There are over 20,000 edible plants on Earth. I found that by learning to cook plants, using herbs and spices for flavoring, I enjoy my meals much better than the unhealthy ones I used to eat flavored with substances such as butter and bacon.

Somewhere (can't remember) I read your story & saw a video of you & your dog.

Edit: I found a link to your story: https://ericandpeety.com/about-eric-o-grey/

You're very inspiring! Reminds me of the Animal Humane Society's slogan "Who saved Who?" You must be very disciplined. I'm very proud of you!

*What kinds of things do you think about to keep you motivated? *What is your typical exercise routine? *Where's your favorite place to walk?

Thanks! These are links to a interviews I did the week before last on The Today Show and People.com:

https://www.today.com/video/-walking-with-peety-author-tells-megyn-kelly-how-a-rescue-dog-rescued-him-1069816899582

https://www.msn.com/en-us/video/peopleandplaces/eric-ogrey-opens-up-about-how-his-adopted-dog-peety-helped-him-lose-150-lbs/vp-AAtE1HX

Regarding what I do to keep motivated, if you have a dog, he will demand to be taken for a walk at least a few times each day, so that accountability partner maintains my motivation. AFTER I lost my weight just by walking and practicing a plant based diet, I found I had so much excess energy I needed an additional exercise outlet, and took up the sport of long distance running. Now, my dog Jake and I run an average of about 40 miles per week. We do about 5 full marathons per year, and about 15 halfs.

My favorite places to walk are on any trails, especially mountain trails. We are fortunate to live near the Greenbelt in Boise and we spend a lot of time on that trail.

A question from a teen who's been dieting, currently, I've lost ~65 pounds, and I'm sort of insecure about excess skin everywhere. Any ideas to reduce all that extra skin hanging around?

Excess skin you end up with, if any, depends on several factors, especially your genetics, how long you've been overweight, and how overweight you are. The good news is, no matter how much weight you lose, you will still look much better than when you were obese, so it's definitely worth doing.

strangest thing you've ever put in your mouth?

Jackfruit, which was prepared to taste exactly like barbecued pork. I was stunned by the delicious taste.

This may be an odd question, but as someone who needs to make a change in my life, I would really appreciate an honest answer. What was that last day like before you woke up and went to the shelter to adopt Peety? Was there a "last straw"/specific event?

The last straw event is shown in the short film about me from mutualrescue.org - I delayed a flight, and caused most other passengers on the plane, to miss their connections because I had a 52 inch waist and the airline ran out of seat belt extensions, so could not take off. See more here: https://youtu.be/47Xk3l_FDhY

I hate to say but I'm not sure how to upload pics of my dog to this, if someone can 'splain that I'd be happy to do so!

I use an https://imgur.com/ account.

Free and easy.

You just start your account, click on the green square at the top of the page where it says new post, and find the image on your computer.

Click on that file and it will upload for you.

Then you go back to your image on imagur, click on its URL and copy/paste it here.

Bob is now your uncle.

If you have images of said doggy already on the internet, just copy paste the URL here.

You look great, by the way! I just started my own journey Monday. I'm a disabled vet and let the pain make me sedentary and I bloated up to 250 pounds. Well, screw that! My dogs and I are now limping around the park and I am counting my calories. I figure if I lose a pound a week I can get back down to a respectable 185 this time next year, and somewhere in there I'll grow some pain resistance and start working out again. In two years I'll be cute like you and chicks will dig me again!

You are an awesome person, thank you!

Whats your favorite color?

Green, I don't know why, but I can remember someone asked me the same question in kindergarten in 1964, and I answered green then and have been faithful to the color ever since.

How do I convince a love one to become healthy? He’s only 21; however, he’s on the verge of high blood pressure. He refuses to eat healthy or exercise, no matter how much I try to convince him.

He has to decide that he wants to live before you can help him. It took a dog for me to want to live, and want to get back into life, because I formed a bond of unconditional love with the dog and realized that I needed to work on my own health so I could help with his health also.

Eric, what was the most embarrassing phase of losing weight? For me, it’s when I’m between fit and chubby... so people don’t know if I was losing it or putting it on!

Also, congratulations!

The hardest and most expensive part of my weight loss was transitional clothing, getting from where I started to my ending weight. I had to buy a full set of clothes for about every 30 pounds weight lost, and then those would only last me for less than two months when I would have to buy new clothes again. So I shopped for temporary clothes at places like Ross and TJ Max, then donated them when I was done with them.

how much do you masturbate and what is your favorite porn to search for? mine is « amateur mature latina »

My porn is food porn, and especially the photos I take of the recipes that my wife and I develop for our gourmet, plant based meals. The kaleidoscope of sensory delights we experience from this healthy, delicious cuisine result in full palate climaxes every time.

Congrats on your success! How did you manage to not go outside for 20 years? Did you work from home? Were you on disability?

I am in field sales, meaning I worked from home for a manufacturer located in another state. I was really, really good at keeping my customers happy just over the phone. Going outside my home during this period was limited to about 2 business trips per year, and occasional visits to customers when absolutely necessary. So when I say I didn't go outside for 20 years, that isn't exactly literal - I went outside only when forced, and maybe about a half dozen times per year in total during that period.

What will happen in a few years when the dog dies? Are you ready?

I've been through this once, so yes. It's far better to have loved and lost than to never have loved.

First off Congratulations and any habits you've picked up after all that?

No new habits except the daily pursuit of happiness and joy. Thanks!

Are you aware that Bill Clinton went vegan after his health problems?

I only ask because Bill Clinton is withering away. Is it possible to be too vegan?

Yes, I actually started my journey in 2010 after seeing Wolf Blitzer interview Bill Clinton on CNN. Wolf asked Bill how he looked so great, and Bill replied that it was because his doctors had him on a plant based diet to reverse his heart disease and so he would lose weight. I googled Clinton Plant Based Diet at the time and got "no search result found". if you Google that now, you will get about 26 million hits. Please give Bill some credit, he isn't withering away, he is what an elderly, healthy person looks like.

What nutrients can you get with a standard American diet that you can't get on a vegan diet, other than B12, which is easily accessible?

You can get all nutrients that your body needs on a balanced vegan diet. I only supplement B12, with high grade cobalamin drops. I get full bloodwork done twice yearly, and each time for the past six years my vitamin and mineral levels have all been in the normal range, or optimized. There is no need to purchase any supplements other than B12, all you need is fruits and vegetables.

Any tips on training to your dog to run next to you?

I let him sniff around for a little bit first, before we start running. I've trained him to respond to the command "straight" when he wants to go off on a frolic and detour. I got him from a shelter, and he was clearly trained to hunt before I adopted him, and he still sometimes "points" at birds. I have trained him to stop that with the command "friends not food." Thanks!

Who would win an MMA fight: Obama or Trump?

I think Obama is in better shape, but Trump would resort to deeper tactics. It's a hard question, kind of like pirates vs. ninjas, or Godzilla vs. Mothra. The world may never know :)

How big ya dick?

Slightly below average.

How many medications are you currently taking now?

Zero. I have Tylenol in my bathroom for occasional sports injuries and hangovers.

Which celebrity that you don’t hear much of anymore but is still alive do you want the world to know you have undying love and respect for? For me, it’s Robert Duval and Gene Hackman. I love Kathy Bates, but she’s still active.

This is a very difficult question, kind of like what is the capital of South Dakota.

It's especially hard because you are limiting my options to living actors. I'm going to have to admit you have stumped me on this one, and I'm going to say Peter O'Toole, even though he is deceased.