192 Joel Fuhrman, M.D.What if I Don't Go All the Way?The nutrient formula (H = NIC) allows you to approximate the rela-
tive disease-fighting power of your diet. If you are like most Ameri-
cans, whose diets are only 5-6 percent nutrient-dense food, any step
you take in the right direction will lessen the risks to your health.
If you improve your diet now, and begin consuming even 60 per-cent of your calories from nutrient- dense plant food (that's ten times
as much vegetation as the average American consumes now), it is
reasonable to expect a 60 percent decrease in your risk of cancer or
heart attack.Falling off the plan for one meal should give you more incentive
to continue the rest of the week without a setback. Jump right back
so that you eat so healthy for the rest of the week to make the one
meal off the diet almost meaningless. In other words, follow the 90
percent rule. The 90 percent rule allows you some leeway for imper-
fection and special occasions or to have a treat once in a while. You
can still retain the benefits and your healthy slim body if you follow
that less-than-perfect "special occasion meal" with twenty healthy
meals.Focus on Your Actions, the Results Will Follow
You have now received a considerable education in human nutrition
by reading this book. In my experience, knowledge about this sub-ject provides the most effective and powerful impetus for change.
Superior health and optimal weight are no longer a matter of chance,
but a matter of choice. Try not to focus too much on the weight; fo-
cus on what you are doing. The weight will drop naturally as a result
of eating intelligently, exercising, and adopting a healthy lifestyle.
Neither you nor I is totally in control of the amount of weight that
you lose or the speed at which you lose it. Your body will set the pace
and gravitate toward the ideal weight for you when you eat health-
fully. Don't worry if a few days go by without your losing weight;
your body will lose at the rate it chooses is best. Weigh yourself as
much or as little as you like, but most people find once weekly is suf-
ficient to keep track of their results.Most people lose weight and then stop losing when they have
reached their ideal weight. You are not the judge of your ideal
weight; your body is. As almost everyone is overweight, many people