At 62, She Went Plant-Based During the Pandemic and Lost More Than 100 Pounds
3 min read · RealCase summary
Pamela Footman, then 62 and 5'2", had maintained a size 18 and a BMI in the "morbidly obese" range for decades after her weight struggles began at 32, following childbirth and an endometriosis diagnosis. From 2014 to 2020 she cared for her mother and neglected her own health.
In March 2020, amid pandemic lockdowns, she started a whole-food, plant-based diet after watching documentaries including Forks Over Knives, Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead, and Super Size Me — replacing meals like turkey bacon grits with butter and eggs, or meatloaf and mashed potatoes with gravy. She experienced roughly a month of sugar-withdrawal symptoms adjusting to the change.
She paired the diet with power walking 7.5 miles a day, seven days a week — about 200 miles a month — and later switched to swimming a mile six days a week at her community pool.
Within about a year, Footman lost more than 100 pounds. Her sleep improved along with her skin, hair, and nails, and by a 2025 update she no longer needed medication for high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol.
Key takeaways
- ›Had struggled with her weight for decades before making the change at age 62
- ›Switched to a plant-based diet during the COVID-19 pandemic
- ›Lost more than 100 pounds on the new way of eating
Original source
Read the original (Forks Over Knives)
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