Veganish lol (part 2) Becoming a vegetarian

Eastern_Echo23

Haha yeah your right. Excess Calorie intake is the easiest way to track obesity. However, lets say your daily intake should be 1500 calories and you eat nothing but cake. Of course the fat will be higher, sugar will be higher, carbs will be higher. Calories are a good way to measure (Calories in vs Calories out) but that is not the whole story. You need to get your vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats, carbs, sugars ect...

FauxFoxx

Yeah, focus less on counting calories (while making sure you're getting enough) and focus more on your macro intake.

RodaRose

I can see why you are skittish after that train wreck thread but you do seem a little anxious. Is this really about the plant based diet or something else?

Buy any of Joel Furhman's books, DVDs, or check out his website. Other people are teaching this, but he explains the plant based diet very well for me -- how eating a plant based diet helps with general health and weight loss. Also he has suggestions for meal plans. I started with his "Eat to LIve." Furhman says you can get the benefit of the plant based diet while eating 10% animal products -- for example on a night out with other people who are not on your diet or in a soup flavored with meat. . . .

I only cook once a week or so for myself (my husband cooks fabulous stir fries and soups) and when I do, I throw beans in the crock pot. with some sautéed onions and garlic or some boxed ready made vegetable broth. Earlier tonight, I sliced 7 ounces of tofu and grilled it in a frying pan. It has very little taste so I added mustard. This took ten minutes. The recipes you keep asking for are not complicated. You could even have two meals a day in the beginning in a good quality blender. Add a lot of raw kale and spinach, an apple, a squirt of lemon, and a dash of ginger to coconut milk or almond milk.

Make an account an Pinterest to find recipes like these:
http://www.pinterest.com/klr755/vegan-vegan/


I want you to know that "cooking" with this kind of diet is very easy. For a while at work I was only taking one half cup each of raisins and walnuts for my lunch because I had very little time to eat.
Before work, I had about 11 ounces of Romain lettuce plain. After work, I had some cooked frozen broccoli, some fresh fruit , and canned garbanzo beans or lentils.
Sometimes I feel that i need more oil so I add walnut oil or coconut oil to whatever I eat or take it with a Tablespoon.

I teach August to May -- during which time I eat dairy and eggs but not much meat. This summer I am hoping to establish good patterns for when classes start back in August.

It is going to be ok. This does not have to be perfect.
For an occasional treat -- and if you have the calories -- you might like the chocolate coconut "ice cream" in most grocery stores. It does not taste like real ice cream, but it is nice.


Here are fast food restaurants that have some vegan fare (check a head of time)

http://www.smosh.com/smosh-pit/articles/actually-decent-vegetarian-fast-food-options

http://www.peta.org/living/food/happy-cow/chain-restaurants/

Squishchips

I'm following an 80/20 plant based diet - 80% plant based, no dairy/meat etc and the rest of the time I can have whatever I want - so far working really well and have found myself craving more vegetables/fruit as a result rather than anything meat or dairy.

I think as long as you are actually plant based rather than relying on the vegan subsitutes which are full of processed oils, sugar and wotnot then it's always going to be a healthy way of living.

I got bored of yoyo dieting and constantly going from one diet to another so I feel this is sustainable for life.

Watch Forks over Knives/Fat Sick and Nearly Dead for inspiration and message me if you want to share recipes etc. Also Engine 2 has some great recipes on there.

Forks over Knives cookbook on amazon is great though - used it about 5 times this week, not been hungry once and have really enjoyed my food.

FauxFoxx

Also, chances are your current favorite recipes are already easily customizable.

Bolognese = sub in morningstar crumbles for beef, or just go all veggie!
Chicken stir fry/sesame chicken/beef and broccoli = use tofu! it's such a versatile food.
Tacos/enchiladas/burritos = use beans instead of beef or chicken, or opt for the soy crumbles.

Those are my top 3 and I found it super easy to remove the meat. Found I didn't even miss it, and if I did it was easy to sub in a different ingredient. I found that while cooking as a vegetarian isn't any more difficult than cooking with meat, it does force you to be creative. But, that isn't a bad thing! I personally love not having to chop up chicken anymore.. Bleh. That was always an awful chore. Gimmie a slab of tofu any day.

I know some vegetarians aren't a fan of the "faux meat" alternatives but I personally love them. They aren't that expensive either and it makes me feel like I'm not missing out. Especially during the summer barbeques that will be coming up.. Just bring a pack of veggie burgers and you'll fit right in.

Eastern_Echo23

Fried Tofu with some seasonings on a salad with some nuts is also really good... If i am lazy i'll make soy schnitzel or soy nuggets or a garden burger and throw in a side of fries and a small salad... other days i'm all about rice and pasta!