I am VERY unhealthy, overweight, tired all the time and depressed about it. I really enjoyed the Kind Life Diet Book and have bought several others on veganism and on being a vegetarian. I have been trying for several months to convert and keep “falling off the wagon”. My cholesterol and trigs. are over the top. If you can offer any advice about staying true to this lifestyle change I would appreciate it. I WANT to change to be healthy and to life a long life. Thanks for your website I can’t wait to try out some new recipes.
~Melissa
You need to be kind to yourself and not beat yourself-up for “falling off the wagon.” Transitioning to a whole new way of eating IS hard and will require some time. I did not make the switch overnight; rather it was a more gradual shift.
That being said, if you are experiencing health problems, it is very important that you do make the switch to a vegan lifestyle and make your health top priority. If your cholesterol is through the roof it is due to the animal based foods you are consuming and moving away from those foods will be tremendously helpful to you.
Instead of focusing on what you can’t have, I’d like you to add something to your diet for the next week. Eat one pound of raw vegetables a day. It’s that simple. Take some time to weigh and then fill some containers with one pound of raw vegetables (any combination of veggies that you like). Keep that container near you and snack on those veggies when the hunger pangs strike. This is a trick I learned from Dr. Joel Fuhrman in his Eat For Health book series. Those veggies are going to help you stay full.
Contact me in a week and we will add in another trick to help you on your path to a plant based diet.
Here’s to health!
Grettie
Do you have a questions for Grettie? She is here to answer any of your health and nutrition related questions! Email her at askgrettie@chicvegan.com .
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Gretchen Tseng is a Nutrition Specialist with Certification in Plant-Based Nutrition through Cornell University. At a young age she experienced a series of illnesses which propelled her to seek nutrition based solutions. Gretchen is absolutely passionate about sharing the health benefits of a plant-based lifestyle and can be found doing so through her website Veggie Grettie at www.veggiegrettie.com . Gretchen lives in Southern California with her husband, two children, and 4 legged best bud. She dreams of living on a farm someday surrounded by animals and the most amazing organic garden she can imagine.
Great advice! I added so many new foods into my diet when I went vegan that I’d definitely say I put more new foods into my diet than the few I took out. And I’m sure eating a pound of raw veggies every day would keep you pretty full!
Great advice! I found my tastes changed *so* quickly when I went vegan, and now I’d prefer a giant “veggie, lentil or bean, and homemade healthy dressing” salad to even the best processed vegan products any day. But my husband, who ate the classic SAD before going vegan, loves the occasional Gardein or Daiya and I’m more than happy to treat him to those! 🙂
I agree that while processed protein isn’t the best choice, it does have a place in transitioning to a vegan diet from the SAD diet and as an occasional treat.
You are so right…It is such a misconception that becoming vegan limits your food choices. I also find that being vegan has expanded my food choices rather than limited them.