Vegan? Vegetarian? Paleo? High Carb?

Growing up I was that kid that hated meat, but always asked for extra servings of veggies. After years of dinnertime battles, my parents finally accepted that I wasn't going to eat meat. I've been vegetarian for most of my life, but I still eat some dairy. I really want a more toned body, which requires more protein that I was getting, so recently I've started eating some fish. I guess they call that pescatarian. I'm not a huge fan, but I'm starting to get the results that I want!

Last summer I started a raised garden bed and planted lots of herbs and veggies. I would recommend that everyone try it. Once you switch to fresh food (and I mean, walking out the back door and picking a tomato, fresh) there is no going back! We canned and dried what we weren't going to eat immediately and saved for the winter months. It was a nice reminder of summer when there was a foot of snow on the ground, and it cut our grocery bill. We actually planted two raised beds this year...for more canning!

I'm on a cyclical low carb diet (low carb week days, moderate carb weekends). The reason I adopted this diet was because I was overcome with excessive hunger and binging due to a very active lifestyle (distance running, weight lifting, tennis) while on a high carb diet. I started low carb 6 months ago because it allows me to naturally reduce my intake and hence maintain a lower weight without counting calories at all.

In order to accommodate my running without going back to a high carb diet that didn't work for me, I incorporated the cyclical carb refeeds to help fuel my weekend longer runs. I follow the 'train low, compete high' protocol which hypothesizes that training on low glycogen stores is beneficial, and also that it is not necessary to fuel all runs on carbs when you are keto-adapted. Also I found the weekend carb refeeds have a psychological effect of giving me something to look forward to so I'm not constantly depriving myself of tasty junk foods, just severely cutting back.

And finally, following a low-carb protocol makes it very easy for me to make decisions as to what foods to eat when I'm out at a restaurant for example. When you can eat anything you want and are planning your calories, its hard to decide whether you should eat an appetizer or save up for just the entree, or save up for dessert, etc. With low carb, you pretty much can only eat a salad and meat entree and cut out most other things. Its much easier to avoid overeating that way for me.

I personally think this whole eating clean thing is a bunch of hooey. A mild form of orthorexia.

Way to start out the attack posts so soon. Why not just STFU instead of being critical about things you don't even understand.

Don't understand? I understand the philosophy quite well; you are overall bombarded with it nowadays, expecially if you happen to know a paleo person or two that never spare a moment to spread the good news, sending the nonbelievers and their processing to the firey gates. They are right and everybody else is wrong; the system is evil and doctors are idiots.

The contradictions in it are hilarious, as most of the practitioners spout off endless streams of science, whilst at the same time adhering to a technophobia lifestyle; the fear of processing or GMO are merely subforms of chemophobia; the irrational fear of chemicals, a largely media driven phobia (that has been strongly on the rise, the human psyche can only handle so many scare stories it seems before it cracks, though nowadays all the cool kids are doing it).

I personally think this whole eating clean thing is a bunch of hooey. A mild form of orthorexia.

Way to start out the attack posts so soon. Why not just STFU instead of being critical about things you don't even understand.

Don't understand? I understand the philosophy quite well; you are overall bombarded with it nowadays, expecially if you happen to know a paleo person or two that never spare a moment to spread the good news, sending the nonbelievers and their processing to the firey gates. They are right and everybody else is wrong; the system is evil and doctors are idiots.

The contradictions in it are hilarious, as most of the practitioners spout off endless streams of science, whilst at the same time adhering to a technophobia lifestyle; the fear of processing or GMO are merely subforms of chemophobia; the irrational fear of chemicals, a largely media driven phobia (that has been strongly on the rise, the human psyche can only handle so many scare stories it seems before it cracks, though nowadays all the cool kids are doing it).

Why is it irrational to fear chemicals in your food though? There really is a lot of junk added to food disguised as "natural flavoring" and many other crap in it. I see an issue with someone forcing their ideas down someone else's throat but I don't see how someone who avoids all junk food can have an issue.

You wouldn't say it's healthy to have an occasional cigarette every few months so why would you say its a good idea to have the occasional processed junk food meal every once in a while. Most people only eat the junk food cause they can't resist it but that doesn't mean someone with the will power to avoid it all the time has issues.

Currently I'm taking in no more than 100grams of carbs in the month of May, in June I'll bump it back up to no more than 250grams. I'm okay with fast food, processed foods, raw foods, fresh foods, frozen foods, pizza, soda, diet soda, fake sweeteners, and of course bacon.

Only thing I'm not okay with is Agave Nectar... I'd rather have honey or sugar.

Vegetarian. I went cold, uh, tofurkey almost two years ago and haven't looked back since. I wanted to do it for years but thought I couldn't do it. I have always been a huge animal rights advocate and it made me feel like a huge hypocrite (don't kill/torture animals, guys - now pass me that burger) right? I never felt good about eating the 'M' word either - even the word grosses me out. I was really picky. Finally, after joining MFP and having the support of my wonderful hubby, I just decided to do it. I have never felt better either! It's a difficult transition for newbies - - not to become a 'starchatarian' and fill the protein gap with pasta rice and potatoes...but once you get the swing of it, it's awesome. Another benefit - it almost completely cuts out fast food. It's a little more work, but it forces you to make better choices. I have also always loved to cook, and now, a whole new world of foods I never even knew existed, have opened up to me. I love it.

I personally think this whole eating clean thing is a bunch of hooey. A mild form of orthorexia.

It really isn't all that hard. Eat less junk food, severely reduce/eliminate the snacking habit, remove most liquid calories, never go through a drive through, and save eating out for special occasions only (quit being lazy and grocery shop/cook). Do those things plus exercise and eating enough calories will be a much bigger problem than eating too many.

*applause* :flowerforyou:

Every person is different. Some will require high carb. Some will require no carb. I can't be low carb, because my main protein sources are legumes. Lentils and black beans, etc are not low carb.

I eat what I want, keeping protein in mind. I don't eat processed foods (with the exception of cereal) and I try to have a good amount of vegetables. I keep at or under 1500. Some days I binge.

*shrug*

Edited to add: I have a no added sugar, no artificial sweetener rule. I'm using stevia. Except for binge days, where sugar is probably gonna happen.

Just curious on what food lifestyle choices people on here have and why? What reasons made people choose their specific nutritional plan and why they feel it benefits them. Was the transition hard? How long they've been doing it? And can I peek at your diaries? Just working on getting more ideas and I don't think I ever see myself going vegan/vegetarian or raw or paleo. I'm open to implementing certain things though.

I personally try to just eat as clean as possible as minimally processed as possible and organic if I can, with a wide array of vegetables, fruits, nuts, seafood, lean meats, and slow digesting carbs with a side of chocolate.

Well, I'm vegan. I prefer to say herbivore, because vegangelicals could complain about my leather jacket. I don't do it so much for the animals as for my cholesterol and the environment. I would be vegetarian but I'm lactose intolerant and also OCD. HA!

I went vegan about 3 years ago. I've never liked meat. I used to LOVE cheese. I also have issues with sweets and baked goods. Veganism (and being lactose intolerant) keeps that mess in check.

It started with a book called Eat to Live, kept going with a movie called Forks over Knives. And encouraged by my blood work. I'm genetically prone to high cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes, being over weight, and being short. If only eating veggies made me taller.

The switch wasn't too hard. We just went cold turkey one day. It was harder for our families (I'm married, my hubby is also a herbivore) to adjust.

I'm currently working on eating more protein, more raw vegetables, and more fat, and less carbs, because I want to get the most out of my calories. I have a sugar problem. Also a bread problem. Also a sugar on bread problem. I try and stick to whole grains.

My diary is open to friends. The forums scare the poo out of me so I don't go public. I friend anybody tho.

I like it. It's made me a better cook because I'm broke so I make everything from scratch. I feel good. I'm pretty sure I smell better than I used to, well, I hope I do.

Just curious on what food lifestyle choices people on here have and why? What reasons made people choose their specific nutritional plan and why they feel it benefits them. Was the transition hard? How long they've been doing it? And can I peek at your diaries? Just working on getting more ideas and I don't think I ever see myself going vegan/vegetarian or raw or paleo. I'm open to implementing certain things though.

I personally try to just eat as clean as possible as minimally processed as possible and organic if I can, with a wide array of vegetables, fruits, nuts, seafood, lean meats, and slow digesting carbs with a side of chocolate.

I personnally chose a "modified vegan" diet. The weight comes off easy and theres no hunger issues. It works for me:)

I just try to eat a balanced diet and exercise. I have tried to increase my protein overall because I find it keeps me fuller and I get hungry less. Mostly I eat chicken, rice, veggies and fruit (and make recipes usually surrounding those ingredients.) I like to try new things and I like a lot of variety so I'm not on a strict this-and-that only diet. My thinking is: if it's not something that I can maintain the rest of my life and be happy with, it ain't worth it!

I'm Insulin Resistant so i'm low sugar (and therefore relatively low-startch and low-carb) But i don't go too crazy w/ it. I try and keep my protein as high as i can and i really don't care about fats since i tend to eat GOOD fats. You can peek at my diary if you want, it's open. I'm not super "clean" or anything just because i don't find that is sustainable for me.