Transitioning to a Vegan Diet

Okay...let me preface this post by saying that I'm not going to start solely blogging about my new meat-free diet. But lots of you have had questions, so I'll try my best to answer a few! But first of all, I'm still feeling great about this new lifestyle change! However, in the last week, we were invited to eat out a few times. And the places we went? Famous Dave's BBQ and Tucano's Brazilian Grill. Probably the last two places I would've picked--they definitely cater to the carnivore's--but I survived! And I actually discovered how good the salad bar at Tucano's really is! I'm usually too full from eating all the meat to go back for more salad!

As for the questions I've gotten from countless skeptics, a few that keep popping up are "How will you get the protein you need?", "How will you substitute dairy?", and "What will you give your baby once she's weaned in place of whole milk?" Good, honest questions, right? Here are my answers...

The Protein Issue
As Americans, I think we've sort of become obsessed with protein. Protein is definitely essential in our diets, as it helps our bodies function properly, but we don't need HUGE AMOUNTS OF IT! Only about 10% of what we eat really needs to come from protein. But here's a newsflash: meat isn't the ONLY source of protein out there! Nearly all vegetables, beans, grains, nuts, and seeds contain some, and often a lot of protein. Fruits, sugars, fats, and alcohol don't really provide much protein, so if you were to eat a diet based only on these foods, it probably would be too low in protein.

Protein is made up of amino acids (sometimes described as building blocks). We have a biological requirement for these amino acids, not for protein itself. As humans, we can't make NINE of the TWENTY common amino acids, so these are considered essential in our diets.

Eggs, cow's milk, meat, and fish are usually considered high quality protein because they have large amounts of all the essential amino acids. However, soybeans, quinoa (a grain pronounced KEEN-WA), and spinach are also considered high quality protein. Other plant-based protein sources also have all of the essential amino acids, but the amounts of one or two of these may be low. But it's not something to stress about! As long as you are eating a variety of vegetables, beans, grains, nuts, and seeds, the protein issue really isn't an issue.

And here's a link to an AWESOME quinoa recipe (which you can buy at Costco, by the way) that my brother made for me when I first decided on my new eating plan...I LOVED it:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Quinoa-and-Black-Beans/Detail.aspx

DAIRY SUBSTITUTIONS

So far, we've been drinking almond milk and rice milk. As for soy milk, there's a lot of controversy (about soy estrogens and the havoc they wreak on your hormones), so I'm sort of shying away from that one. My kids, and even husband (a HUGE milk drinker) love the almond milk (unsweetened) and the rice milk. Both are still fortified with vitamins and minerals. Almost all the fat in milk alternatives is heart-healthy, unsaturated fat. Milk, on the other hand, contains mostly undesirable saturated fat (which isn't the reason I'm giving it up, as you know).

I have a few recipes I'm going to try (and if I like them--I'll share) for homemade oat milk, almond milk, rice milk, pecan milk, and even coconut milk kefir (one of the best sources of healthy probiotics...to replace our yogurt). We'll see how it goes.

But to answer the underlying question, will I get enough calcium? Actually, calcium from plants is easier for our bodies to digest than calcium from animals, so yes! (Read The China Study for more reasons why cow's milk ISN'T really good for us!)

NOT GIVING MY BABY COW'S MILK
This is obviously controversial, but here's my plan. With my first two babies, I nursed them until they were about a year old, and eating the same solid foods we were. If all goes as hoped for, I'll do the same with this baby. The reason we're supposed to give our babies whole milk is for the FAT that helps with brain development, not for the MILK itself.

Here are a few sources of healthy fats:

Avocados (so easy to mash up for little mouths)

Coconut Milk

Almonds

Flax Seed

Olives and Olive Oil

Peanuts and Peanut Butter

Sunflower Seeds

Walnuts

My research isn't done, but I'm still feeling really good about my decision to eat a whole foods, plant-based diet. I'm a bit overwhelmed by all the amazing things real Vegans such as this mother of five, and this one make for their families. But the good news is, it can be done! My menu for the next week is planned, and I'm excited to try lots of good-for-you stuff! Keep the advice and questions coming!

Should you work out when you're sick?

The should-be-glorious month of March hasn't been a happy one for our family. Three weeks ago, I came down with the worst cold of my life. It started as an innocent little sore throat, turned into a nasty cough (that still hasn't completely gone away), and a lovely sinus infection. I usually pride myself on NOT getting sick, so I don't even think twice when my snotty-nosed children take sips out of my precious water bottle. All three of us ended up with this nice end-of-winter tribute.

Normally when I'm sick, I don't really change my workout routine. I typically feel better after a good workout. This time, however, a few pain-in-the-lung jaunts on the treadmill changed my mind. I didn't lace up my workout shoes, or put on my fat-girl-in-a-little-workout-shirt (I desperately need maternity fitness gear) for TWO WEEKS!

Did you know, by the way, that exercisers in general tend to get sick less often than our sedentary friends? I don't think this applies to pregnant exercisers. I catch everything! Anyway, experts like to cite a rule of thumb when deciding whether or not to lace up the sneakers when you're sick. It's called "the neck rule." If all of your symptoms are located in the neck and above, you should be okay to exercise...it's probably just a head cold. However, if you have a fever, or congestion in your lungs or chest, or if you feel achy, you need to lay low. But helloooo...would anyone with a fever SERIOUSLY try to work out? Yuck! If you're tempted (please tell me you're not), don't. You'll end up with more serious complications like dehydration.

But honestly, use common sense. Listen to your body. I started out knowing I was getting sick, and I worked out anyway. I felt way worse after the workout than I did before. And if you ever need a good excuse to sit at home watching TV? I'd say that being sick is a pretty good one.

Staying inside for two weeks, however, made me absolutely crazy! The weather is FINALLY getting warm, and I just wanted to leave the house to feel some sunshine on my pasty-white skin!

On Monday, I was super excited to get back into my routine. I dropped my son off at preschool, and headed to the gym. As I sped happily along with my daughter in tow, I couldn't wait to drop her off at the Kids' Club for some ME time. All of my hopes were dashed, however, when she--out of nowhere--threw up ALL OVER HERSELF AND THE CAR. I hate it when my babies throw up. I turned around, went home, spent the next few hours cleaning her (and everything in the car) up. I prayed it would only last 24 hours, but no such luck.

It has been a sad, sad week. We're still stuck inside. My daughter threw up for three days, my son for one. I've been cleaning up lots of vomit and that-which-comes-out-the-other-end. My sweet little girl has fallen asleep on the bathroom floor, the kitchen floor, the couch, my lap, and everywhere else she could get comfortable. Poor thing. As for working out, I'm happy to say that I've been able to use lots of my work-out-at-home "Plan B" options.

Today, I feel like things will be okay. I've had two starving children who have kept everything down for over 24 hours. Next Monday is supposed to be in the upper-60's! We will sit on the front porch if we have to, but we are going outside, dangit! Some Vitamin D--the sunshine vitamin--is just what the doctor ordered to keep these winter sicknesses away! I can't wait!

What about you? Do you work out when you're sick? What about when your kids are sick? Are you as excited about the warmer weather as I am?

Still not eating meat...

Okay, so I've had a crazy week after posting about my decision to cut WAAAAAAAY back on the meat we eat here in this house. Saying that I'm switching over to a semi-Vegan diet apparently was like saying that I'm joining a new church. EVERYONE has an opinion, and let's face it...people in this country LOVE meat. It's a second religion.

My good friend's husband (who happens to be my husband's best friend) is not about to let me influence his wife (who is reading The China Study right now) to stop eating meat (or more importantly--to stop feeding him meat). Our food swapping days have come to an end. He brought some pork in an envelope to my husband for their weekly basketball night with a note attached that read "Always eat meat." I actually think it's pretty funny, and am glad I've gotten such a rise out of the most mild-tempered guy I've ever met!

If my only motivation to stop eating meat was to save the animals, I don't think I'd last very long. And I'm not doing it to lose weight (for obvious reasons...I'm steadily gaining more than I'd like to admit with only 3 months to go). I'm not doing it to mimic any celebrities, or because it's the "cool" thing to do. In my few short days of announcing my new meal plan, I've actually found it to be quite unpopular. I'm doing it because I really, honestly, truly feel like cutting back on animal products, and increasing my consumption of whole, plant-based foods is really the healthier way to live.

I know I will have uncomfortable moments at social gatherings, and I may still occasionally eat some meat. But I am an extremist when it comes to health, and I'm up for the challenge. My bigger challenge will be to not make anyone else uncomfortable. Don't be afraid to invite us over, or out to eat. I will not be scrutinizing what is on your plate, or what is going into your mouth. And I won't ask you to prepare any special dishes for me. I may eat before I come, or I may leave a bit hungry. That's my decision...not your worry. I'm okay with that.

Lucky for me, I love vegetables. And even the ones I don't love, I love. I'm the weird girl who will drink the nastiest concoction of vegetables, and like it just because it's good for me. But I'm also excited to experiment, and to find some super tasty, super healthy dishes. Last week, I had great luck with a vegetable soup, coconut beans and rice, and Vegan lasagna. My family hasn't starved, and my husband even said he would eat it all again.

Some people are leery of change, but I'm the type who makes up my mind, and jumps head first into the water. I don't mind a total life overhaul every once in a while. It's actually quite refreshing.

As for all of you readers, thanks for all the tips! A few more books I'm going to read (thanks to your input) are:

"Eat To Live" (Fuhrman)

"The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals" (Michael Pollan)

"In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto" (Michael Pollan)

"Food Rules: An Eater's Manual" (Michael Pollan)



I'm also visiting the following websites for much-needed help:



http://www.cancerproject.org/
http://www.vegweb.com/
http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/

http://www.nomeatathlete.com/

I would like to encourage those of you who are brave and willing to just give this lifestyle a try. You can dive in headfirst like me, or slowly add changes to your diet. Add an extra serving of vegetables to every meal. Just go meatless a few days a week. Find some good vegetarian recipes that don't leave you feeling like something was missing (and share them with me!) There are enormous benefits from eating a whole foods, plant-based diet. Try it out! Who's willing?

The China Study in review...I'm giving up MEAT!

So I finished reading The China Study a few days ago, and have been completely struggling for words to give it justice on this little blog here. I have read several life-changing books in my day--books I would recommend to ANYONE--The Read-Aloud Handbook, The Total Money Makeover, lots of parenting books, fitness books, fiction books, and of course religious books. But the most life-changing NUTRITION book I've EVER read--The China Study--has already (in less than a week) caused me to COMPLETELY change the way I view food. My menu plan for this week is completely different than what I've normally planned as "healthy" meals for my family.

Why did I love this book so much? Not because it was a fun read per se...it actually felt like a textbook at times...quite boring. But it made sense of the nutritional confusion we're fed from so many sources. One day a low-carb diet is the ONLY way to be healthy, the next day we're given another diet that allows you to re-introduce carbs into your diet, which leads you to eating a typical American diet anyway. With all these fad diets, why are two thirds of adults STILL obese? And why are so many children being diagnosed with Type II diabetes?

Dr. Colin Campbell (a professor who spent 40 years in nutritional research) along with his son, Thomas Campbell give dozens and dozens of SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN reasons why diets high in animal protein are linked to "diseases of affluence" (cancer, diabetes, and heart disease). "There is enough evidence now that doctors should be discussing the option of pursuing dietary change as a potential path to cancer prevention and treatment," he writes. "There is enough evidence now that local breast cancer alliances, and prostate cancer institutions, should be discussing the possibility of providing information to Americans everywhere on how a whole foods, plant-based diet may be an incredibly effective anti-cancer medicine."

The book includes a section called The Good Nutrition Guide emphasizing 8 principles of good nutrition and health:

• Nutrition represents the combined activities of countless food substances. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
• Vitamin supplements are not a panacea for good health.
• There are no nutrients in animal-based foods that are not better provided by plants.
• Genes do not determine diseases on their own. Genes function only by being activated, or expressed, and nutrition plays a critical role in determining which genes, good and bad, are expressed.
• Nutrition can substantially control the adverse effects of noxious chemicals.
• The same nutrition that prevents disease in its early stages (before diagnosis) can also halt or reverse disease in its later stages (after diagnosis).
• Nutrition that is truly beneficial for one chronic disease will support health across the board.
• Good nutrition creates health in all areas of our existence. All parts are interconnected.

One part of the book--the last section--really angered me. Campbell shows how government, science, medicine, corporations, and the media have concentrated on profits instead of health. Together they have created confusing information about nutrition and have stifled and attempted to destroy viewpoints that challenge the "status quo".

Campbell relates how he personally was almost expelled from a committee of scientists because he dared to suggest a link between diet and cancer. He writes, "In the world of nutrition and health, scientists are not free to pursue their research wherever it leads. Coming to the 'wrong conclusions,' even through first-rate science, can damage your career."

There's SO MUCH MORE I want to say, but what is my point? First, I think ALL OF YOU SHOULD READ THE CHINA STUDY to decide for yourselves what changes you will make. For me, I won't say that I will NEVER eat meat or drink milk again, but it's going to be VERY limited. I will not go hungry on this "diet." I will eat all the fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, etc. that I want. Our meals just won't be based around the meat. I want to be in control of my health, and for the first time, I feel like I have real, solid direction on how to prevent my family from contracting the diseases so prevalent in our society. We will still have treats...they'll just be limited, like they already (sort of) are.

I'm going to be doing A LOT of experimenting with Vegan recipes. We'll probably have to try lots of stuff to find dishes we like, but I'm not a huge meat-eater anyway, so I think it will be fun! My husband is totally supportive, he rolls his eyes thinking it's just another weird phase, but I feel VERY strongly about what I read.

On another note, I've already received opposition! Sometimes to me, that's a good sign that I'm on the right track! When I read something I'm passionate and excited about, I have a hard time not talking about it to anyone who will listen. I have to be reminded that telling people they need to stop eating meat, and drinking milk is going against something we've ALL belived our whole lives to be HEALTHY. Everyone needs to read it and decide for themselves. My cute sister called me yesterday, no less than 3 times, to make sure I'm not going to be TOO extreme with this. She doesn't want my kids to be the weird ones who never get any snacks, so they go to friends' houses, and scour the pantries for a treat. I don't want that either! My response was that ALL I'm doing is adding MORE fruits and vegetables to our diet, and cutting back on milk, eggs, and meat. They will still get cake on their birthdays.

I'll let you know how it's going. If you have any AWESOME meatless recipes, send them my way! What's your take? Am I crazy? Is eating a whole food, plant-based diet something you would EVER consider? Will you read the book? Discuss.

Why I have nothing exciting to say today...

1. I have a terrible cough and cold (again). Everytime I cough, I have to concentrate really hard so as not to pee my pants. Seriously.
2. Girl Scout Cookies. When you had 6 boxes delivered to your door exactly a week ago, and only a few cookies now remain, writing about health and fitness feels somewhat hypocritical.
3. My "high speed" internet connection is reminding me tonight of my dial-up days. How did we ever survive?
4. I'm still mad that Jake chose Vienna on The Bachelor last week.
5. This pregnancy has gifted me with varicose veins in some awkward and unmentionable places.
6. I just started reading The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted and the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long-term Health by T. Colin Campbell. I'm pretty sure EVERYTHING I've EVER believed about protein is about to be put to shame. I've only read the first two chapters, and I'm about to go Vegan...no joke. You'll be hearing MUCH more about this book (that my brother's been telling me to read for a few years now.) Very surprising. Very enlightening. Very unconventional (with lots of science to back it). We already know that the foods we eat can promote or compromise our health, but he delves into the exact science of why and how. I can't wait to finish it!
7. American Idol is back on.
8. It's the final season of LOST.

How are those for excuses? I'll be back soon with SOMETHING more exciting...hopefully!

When it comes to working out, could LESS be MORE?

I have a good friend who recently started working out regularly. She wants to lose a few pounds, and is working out three days a week for about 45 minutes. She's not seeing any results, and asked me for advice. I immediately told her that maybe she needs to work out more--more often, and longer. But then I started thinking--more about my own situation than hers--is it possible that less is actually sometimes more?

After the birth of my first baby, I worked out consistently, but probably nearly not as much as I do now. I changed my eating habits (tried the South Beach Diet for a few weeks--HATED it, but lost all the baby weight), and continued working out REGULARLY.

After the birth of my second baby, however, I couldn't wait to start working out. The overtraining probably happened during my pregnancy, and I was working out (intensely) anywhere from an hour to an hour-and-a-half six days a week. Soon after my baby was born, I went right back on that schedule. And guess what...I NEVER lost all of the weight before getting pregnant again. It's possible that I had more muscle, but I actually think I was just overtraining. Looking back, I should have probably cut back on the intense workout sessions, really focused on clean eating, and would've had better results.

I hate to say it, but my heart rate monitor is partly to blame. I'm a number gal, and I couldn't stand the thought of seeing my total calorie burn for the week anywhere under 3,000.

I'm completely guilty of the American mentality that if a little bit is good, then a lot must be better! I made a horrible garlic pasta when I was first married. If the recipe calls for 3 garlic gloves than 7 would make it even better, right? Luckily I married well, and my husband and I laughed for days. Another example--if you're supposed to apply sunless tanner once a day, then wouldn't twice a day work even better? I've been beautifully orange more times than I'd like to admit!

I have the same problem when it comes to working out...if I didn't have little rugrats keeping me grounded, it actually sounds fun to me to spend countless hours at the gym. But I would definitely be overtraining, and would probably look no different than I do now (pre-pregnant now, that is).

Overtraining can be especially harmful if you ARE following a diet plan. Over-exercising and restrictive eating will cause your body to hang on to any available fat for fear of never getting any more!

So what's my point? Listen to your body! Are you logging countless hours on the treadmill without seeing results? Are you losing muscle? Are you completely exhausted? As strange as it sounds, for some of us, working out a little less could actually be the answer!

So come July when I'm waking up at 4 am after a sleepless night just to fit in a super long workout before my husband goes to work, remind me...LESS IS MORE! I'll definitely be experimenting and tweaking my life with the birth of #3. As always, I'm open to suggestions!

Can any of you relate? Do you overtrain? Do you undertrain? Do you wonder why you work out so much without ever seeing results?

Who doesn't love a good freebie?

I've mentioned before that my husband LOVES freebies! I'm slowly converting to his ways of couponing and bargain shopping, but sometimes the effort it takes to get something "free" hardly seems worth it! (Remember economics? "There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch") A few times in our marriage, however, we've scored BIG TIME with freebies.

Scenario 1:
I was pregnant with my first child, and we were living in California. My husband's DREAM was to appear on The Price is Right, so for his 26th birthday, we decided to spend the ENTIRE day in line waiting for the show. As part of the process, each member of the live audience is interviewed. Throughout the day, we were honestly the most boring people in line. While others were spending the whole day bouncing off the walls trying to win over the producers, we sat quietly reading, sleeping, and coming alive only for our brief few minutes in front of the judges. After our little interview, however, I knew my husband's award winning Elmo impersonation was more than enough. And I was right! He was the first one called to COME ON DOWN! He went on to win a Big Green Egg BBQ, a hot tub, a portable sound system, my beloved treadmill, a stove/range, and A NEW CAR! Worth the effort? HECK YES!

Scenario 2:

You've all gotten random emails promising a free laptop, free money, free gift card, airline tickets, you name it, right? Well...most people disregard these emails, including me. A few years ago, however, we had a friend tell us about a legitimate offer for a free Plasma TV. Since he'd done it successfully, we decided to give it a shot. HUGE PAIN IN THE BEHIND! We had to complete about 18 "offers," which we traced on a spreadsheet, had to keep track of when to cancel these offers (keeping them long enough to qualify for the 42" Plasma TV but not longer than necessary to avoid extra cost). We probably spent around $100 when all was said and done. I was skeptical until the glorious day our TV arrived on our doorstep. I never thought I would do this sort of thing again, but recently found this blog. The writer of Money Saving Methods, a former-CPA-turned-stay-at-home-mom goes into great detail about how to complete such offers...and makes a pretty good living doing just that sort of thing! I recently spent about $40 doing the same sort of deal (spreadsheet, cancelling offers, etc.) and am anxiously waiting for a $500 Visa Gift Card. Worth the effort? It's debatable, but I'm starting to think it really is.

Scenario 3:

Several months ago, my husband informed me that we were going to listen to a timeshare presentation that would win us a free trip to California. We went into the presentation knowing there was NO WAY we would even consider purchasing a time share. However, as I mentioned before, I AM A HUGE WIMP WHEN IT COMES TO SAYING NO TO SALESPEOPLE. By the time we finally walked out of the meeting two hours later, after saying NO to no less than FOUR pushy salesmen, I felt like the worst person in the world. My family was going to suffer for the rest of my life because our vacations wouldn't be what they could be with a timeshare. But hey--we were going to California! The company actually tried several times to talk us out of the trip...they even offered us $200 NOT to go since we'd be leaving Wednesday night and returning home Friday morning. But we didn't take the money...we went on the trip! And it was GREAT! The hotel was probably the WORST hotel I've ever stayed at, but sometimes bad things make for great memories. It was just what my husband and I needed! We got to visit my hometown, Disneyland, we saw Avatar, and we ate out more in three days than we normally do in three months! It was just what this cranky mama needed! There's no place better than Disneyland to make you miss your kids (and to realize how old you're getting when the making-out-in-line-teenagers disgust you!) I hope I never have to listen to a timeshare presentation again, but was it worth it? DEFINITELY!

What about you? Are you a sucker for freebies, or would you rather just pay the dang money to avoid the hassle?