Whole Food Plant-Based flexitarian eating program help wanted

pimbertongal

Hi all.

I have been diagnosed with fatty liver on the brink of cirrhosis. Non-alcohol. This recent diagnosis has a history I won't bore people with but needless to say, it requires three things: 1) weight loss (which I've been doing but apparently not good enough); 2) change in exercise (I've been exercising but the wrong stuff apparently); 3) food changes.

Its that last one I need some help with and hopefully someone on here has been doing this.

I'm what is called a FLEXITARIAN because the doc wants me to take in SOME meat. So I went and looked it up and found a nifty pyramid to go by but I'm really flummoxed because they recommend percentages and I'm not sure how to work those into my caloric restriction of 1400 calories per day.

Below is a copy of the pyramid.



If you can't see the print (it is kind of small) the breakdown % of the daily caloric intake is:

30-60% raw and cooked vegetables
10-40% beans and legumes (higher in calories than meat proteins)
10-40% fruit
20% or less whole grains & potatoes
10-40% avocadoes seeds and nuts
under 10% eggs, fish, fat-free dairy
rarely: beef, sweets, cheese, processed foods

Interestingly enough poultry is completely left off. The chickens at Chick Fil A will be happy to see that. As are pork, ham, lamb, goat, etc.

Anyway, the problem for me is figuring out a daily menu of all these percentages and fitting it, not only within my calorie count but also within my sodium intake of fewer than 1300 mg per day.

If there are any math and menu geniuses out there, please help!

Please, no snarky remarks. I am very serious. My life does depend on this. I am supposed to see a nutritionist soon but when "soon" is I have no clue. In the meantime, I need help figuring this one out.

Thanks so much!

lemurcat2

I can't imagine that beef is okay, but sparingly, and chicken is not, even if equally sparingly.

I also think the percentages are going to make this harder, especially if it's already a dramatic change.

Did your doctor recommend the Fuhrman way of eating specifically? As I recall, Fuhrman's focus is not counting cals and the limits on foods other than veg is a way to get cals dramatically down even for people not counting.

What I would do is think of a meals you like that fit your goals more generally (goals being to eat lots of veg, decent amount of fruit, whole grains not refined, get more protein from beans and lentils and minimize meat). For example, what do you like for breakfast? Can you modify it to make it fit the plan by adding in more veg, berries, etc?

Then on to lunch -- what do you eat now, how can you modify it? Same with dinner.

Obviously one part of this would be adding in more vegetables, and also if you aren't used to eating mostly plant-based, creating meals based around non-animal sources of protein.

One easy option are bowls with some sort of beans or lentils, some sort of whole grain, and then a lot of veg.

DaddieCat

To be entirely honest, I'd ask your doctor for a recommendation to a dietitian to assist with this. You are going to need the help to make certain that your diet is balanced.

Also, as said above, consider smaller changes... what do you normally eat and how can you adjust that. Take the changes one step at a time and make them cumulative rather than all at once to ease your transition and digestive upset that's going to come with these types of changes.

The dietitian will be essential to helping you make sure you get your needed micros while you adjust and make sure that you're getting enough of what might be difficult or impossible to get if you are limiting your meat intake.

Pamela_Sue

Just 3 comments.
1. You mentioned that chicken was not on the pyramid, but if you look closely at the "eggs, fish, and fat-free dairy", there does appear to be a picture of a large whole chicken in the background.
2. Which leads to my 2nd point. Don't let a food pyramid photo cause you to exclude any foods that may in fact be included on the diet. A food pyramid photo is limited in the amount of info it can provide in that small space. Ask for more written details and lists about the foods you can AND cannot eat.
3. Along with other posters, I highly recommend consulting with a registered dietitian (not a nutritionist) who is familiar with your doctor's specific diet plan. If you do not have insurance and can't afford to see a RD, I would get my hands on the best books I could find on the topic and educate myself.

Best wishes to you on your health and wellness journey.

MikePfirrman

I do think that basing your diet around vegetables is probably the healthiest way to eat. But don't get too caught up in pictures/diagrams. They obviously accidentally left Chicken out but put a picture of a chicken in.

Obviously, from the looks of things, he wants you to stay away from too many carbs, fats, processed foods, sugar and red meat. He wants you to eat mostly vegetables. I'd listen to your doc like your life depends on it, because it sounds like it does. Ask him for clarification.

I'd be curious why not the Mediterranean Diet and this instead. They are very similar. I'd imagine he really wants you to stay clear of whole grains for now and Olive Oil -- two things that the Med Diet has much more of.

kshama2001

Yes, press your doctor for a referral to a dietitian (if you are in the US, dietitian not a nutritionist) ASAP.

Meanwhile, just to make the math easy, if your intake of eggs, fish, and fat-free dairy is supposed to be 10% of 1400, play around with foods in your food diary so that their calories equal 140.

1. 1 large egg: 74 calories
2. 2 oz of solid white tuna packed in water, drained: 60 calories
3. 113 g Cabot fat-free cottage cheese: 70 calories

So on any given 1400 calorie day, you'd have two of the three items.

(You get more calories when you exercise. You can prelog exercise and then adjust accordingly.)

kshama2001

Meanwhile, doesn't your doctor have more detailed handouts they can give you? If not, ask which Joel Fuhrman book you should buy https://www.google.com/search?q=joel+fuhrman&client=opera&hs=TBn&source=lnms&tbm=bks&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjYwMCApo_kAhWrs1kKHZL7BNcQ_AUIEygD&biw=1108&bih=734

Luke_rabbit

A few other items that might help.

Non-stick skillets are your new best friend. You can saute many foods with just a little bit of oil or even low sodium broth.

If you haven't done so yet, buy a few Mrs Dash seasonings to flavor your food without salt.

If beans are newish to you, add them slowly. Buy low or no sodium cans, drain, and rinse until they stop bubbling. That will reduce gastric distress.

Work on trying new and more healthy foods and stress less about getting it perfect immediately.

Take advantage of your library for information and recipes. If you don't use it now, you will be amazed at the digital options they have.

If you can do so, see a therapist. It helps to talk out a scary diagnosis.

Also, if possible, join a tai chi or gentle yoga class. Exercise and (light) meditation combined.

It may feel like a big overwhelming change, but you've got this!

pimbertongal

Thank you all so very much. I ended up having an accident and being laid off from exercise for over a month now. It was so bad I ended up suspending my gym membership as I can't walk but for a short time. Initially, I was in excruciating pain. It's lightened up now but the physical therapist has advised swimming. So I'm seeking an indoor pool.

In the meantime, and this is funny, I was sent to a nutritionist. I thought: wow! Everything is coming together! It was the weirdest encounter I have ever had with a professional. We spent the first 45 minutes of the meeting with me listening to her talk about her own weight issues and personal (other) problems. Finally, I got up the nerve to stop her and ask: wasn't I sent here to get help from you?

She promised to send me a menu and a meal plan. It never materialized. So next doctor visit I told the doc about it and she decided to work out something for me herself. And she did. Turned out that she was NOT wanting me to go vegan, just lower the fats (for the livers' sake) and sodium. Since I love to cook this has helped a great deal.

She also gave me proportions. My bowls now look something like this:

2 cups leafy greens
1/2 cup whole grain
1 cup vegetables
a light sauce and some simple embellishment, like olives
and a safe protein at a maximum of 2- 4 ounces

She explained that I could really take any meal and make it a bowl as long as it has all those basic elements. And she also advised against repeating the same foods every day. So I do variety now. Lost 2 pounds last week and feeling groovy!

This mornings' breakfast was the first time off oatmeal in a week. I had a 2 egg omelet made in a no-stick pan with 1/2 ounce swiss cheese, 2 slices whole-grain 40 calories per slice bread; 1 tbsp light spread, and some of my homemade "kiddie salsa" as I call it because of its basically low sodium and low heat. Topped it off with a tangelo. Not bad, slightly over 400 calories and pretty darn tasty.

The doctor disagreed with the nutritionist's idea of 1200 calories as well. She told me to go for between 1300 and 14oo calories. She said I would still drop poundage, even if I can't walk and such.

You have all been so helpful with your advice and you're right about the pyramid thing. If you have any suggestions for stationary exercise, particularly for the upper arm, please share them. Thank you so much!

lynn_glenmont

Congrats on having a doctor who can give you such strong dietary advice!

pimbertongal

lynn_glenmont wrote: »

Congrats on having a doctor who can give you such strong dietary advice!

Thank you so much! I had a heart checkup today, my yearly, and my doc is very happy. 11 pounds down, which isn't much in a year but he says its better than nothing. He's challenging me to drop 25 this next year.