Do you ever feel like you’re in a funk?? I can’t explain it but I felt like I needed a change. Hormones out of whack, feeling sluggish…..I felt like I needed some sort of reset button.
So this came at the right time……
My friend VeggiLover (follow her here) recommended I read the book Eat to Live ……….highly recommended. Wow – I get to eat fruit again!!
When you say you are vegan this is what people think you eat
Yes, I have been eating more greens of all kinds. I simply replaced all the animal protein I was having with a plant source and upped my veggie and fruit intake. I stopped counting calories and am eating until I am full. Let me show you how……….
So for the same amount of calories I am eating way more. The amazing thing is my sugar cravings have vanished.
My protein sources have been mainly beans, lentils, nuts, seeds and hemp hearts. Anything soy right now kind of freaks me out unless its in its natural state so I’m staying away from that.
It’s only day 10 and this has been eye opening. I have watched a few documentaries that I would recommend you watch regardless of if you are thinking of eliminating animal protein from your diet. You do want to know where your food comes from right? Do you want to know what is in your food? I would start with Fresh, the Movie. This isn’t geared to vegetarians but is an educational documentary of where your food comes from and what is in it. This is a great start. I would recommend the following as well:
I’m sure there are many more. If you know of any let me know.
So my family is still eating animal protein but we have already cut back on our meat consumption so this hasn’t been a hard transition for me. They will have their “meat” dinner and I just substitute the meat for a bean and add tons of veggies. Recently they have been eating whatever I made. They ate my bean burritos, bean chile, eggplant lasagna……….and they liked it.
Recently my 14 year old sent me this and said I had to watch it Best Speech you will ever hear then she proceeded to tell me that the honey we have is bee vomit………..oh, ok.
Is this something I am going to stick to or is it just a fad??? Honestly, I don’t know. I do like the taste of meat but I don’t like what’s in it, how they treat the animals, and the illnesses that it is causing and have been totally turned off. Can I totally give up meat? I totally think I can. The health benefits of not eating meat are too strong to ignore. Here is a comparison chart of proteins because I know people will be asking where are you getting your protein…….
It is not merely consuming too much fat that causes diseases. It is not merely eating empty-calorie foods or the high consumption of animal foods, such as milk, cheese, butter, meat, and chicken that causes premature deaths in America. It is also what we are missing in our diets by not eating enough plant foods. Why are plant foods so protective and essential for human health?
Let’s compare the nutrient density of meat to the nutrient density of green vegetables to illustrate this important point.
I think I’m going to be eating more broccoli and kale…….what do you think?
I find this all fascinating………what do you think?
I am not eating this way to lose weight. I have decided to eat this way to be healthy. I think that is the problem…….we are so wrapped around fad diets, losing weight that we lose sight of what really matters……your health. Without it, you have nothing.
and…….my journey continues……..
Stay tuned for more on my adventures of going vegan-ista! 🙂
awester
Thursday 21st of February 2013
Great post. I am always interested in veggie protein sources that I haven't tried---in this case it is hemp hearts. Could you elaborate on what they are and how you cook/eat them? Thanks!
dianashealthyliving
Friday 22nd of February 2013
I will do a post on Hemp! :)
celestedimilla
Thursday 21st of February 2013
Hey! I love She's Gone Vegan-ista! Great visuals, especially the one with stomachs. I appreciate that you liked my What is a Plant-Strong Diet? post so I had to check out your blog. I like what you've got going on here. Celeste honkifyourevegan.com
dianashealthyliving
Thursday 21st of February 2013
Thanks for stopping by my blog. Enjoyed your post on What is a Plant-Strong Diet. Looking forward to reading more :)
veggielover75
Thursday 21st of February 2013
Great post, Diana! I love that chart as a visual to show people the calorie and volume comparison between veggies and meat. I am so happy and excited for your Vegan journey! My family didn't start out Veggie, either, but slowly they transitioned. My hubby and eldest daughter are now Vegetarian and my youngest is only eating meat at school. Keep making your delicious Veggie meals and I bet they will eventually transition on their own.
Cheers to being full and happy! xo
dianashealthyliving
Thursday 21st of February 2013
Thanks Lori! We had already drastically cut back on meat consumption so it hasn't been too bad for them. They are eating vegan 4 out of 7 days.....my youngest said she's sick of chicken anyways and frankly so am I lol
Yes, love being full! xi
glutenfreemuscle
Wednesday 20th of February 2013
Have you seen Food Matters?
dianashealthyliving
Wednesday 20th of February 2013
Yes! I saw that one too! :) thank you
dianashealthyliving
Wednesday 20th of February 2013
Its a great chart!! I'm okay with eating 4 cups of broccoli......that's why I'm never hungry now :) The documentaries are great.