Whew I am one tired chickadee after a weekend of non-stop action with the Oakley Women, but I really wanted to keep helping everyone prep for the challenge! I don’t believe that most of us will stick to a 100% Vegan diet after the challenge, but you may find that you do wish to continue with a generally veggie based diet.
Following are some HBBC members who reached out with a variety of options and tips!
Here is a short excerpt from Peachy Palate’s great post on how being Vegan changed her life: “I was inspired by all the recipes that were being shared across the food bloggers sphere and felt a strong desire to try out some new things. The desire rapidly evolved in to passion, a passion for both cooking and photography which had been subdued for many years by my eating disorder.”
1. Your Name: Leanne Stelluto
2. Your website: www.theskinnyarchitect.com
3. Type of Vegetarian: I am a lacto-ovo vegetarian.
4. Why? Truthfully, I never ate much meat to begin with, but the more I thought about animals having feeling and feeling pain and fear, the less meat I ate. The final push was when I read "Eating Animals" by Jonathan Safran Foer and it really educated me as to where my food comes from.
5. Three tips you would give someone who wants to transition to a vegetarian lifestyle:
1) Just do it. I thought I could just ween myself off of it, but it required too much effort and becoming too fanatical about what I was eating so I just stopped cold turkey (no pun intended).
2) Use fake meat. I actually like meat replacement products, especially Morningstar Farms and Field Roast brands. They are good sources of proteins and add a little something to a meal that might be lacking.
3) Give yourself a break. If something has meat in it and you accidentally eat it, relax, it'll be ok. This was my greatest fear before making the switch that I would slip up by accident and feel horrible. I'm sure over the last year I have accidentally eaten meat, but I try not to stress about it.
1. Your Name: Amy
2. Your website: Ready. Set. Run. http://amyrunsamarathon.blogspot.com
3. Type of vegetarian: I've been every type of vegetarian at some point in the last 9-10 years. I've recently gone flexitarian/eating meat once or twice a week, but in the past I've been pure veggie, lacto-ovo, vegan, pescitarian and locovore.
4. Why? My original reason was that I started to think about what I was eating, and the answer was flesh. That gave me the willies, and I decided to see if I could go a month without eating meat (then went 9 more years before starting to eat meat again). Now I think more about where my food comes from, how long it travelled to get to me and how it was treated when it was living.
5. Three tips you would give someone who wants to transition to a vegetarian lifestyle
1) Listen to your body. As with changing your exercise patterns, changing your diet can be an adjustment. Early in my veggie days, I found myself craving hamburgers and quickly learned that was my body telling me I needed to get more iron into my diet.
2) Do your research. Working with youth, I often see young people choosing to try a vegetarian diet (for many reasons), without thinking it through, especially when it comes to nutrients. Being vegetarian isn't as simple as just cutting out meat, you need to get protein and iron elsewhere, and you also need to figure out what will make you feel full without piling on the carbs!
3) Tell your friends. Then tell them again. Eating out can be a challenge for vegetarians, especially in small towns or when eating at a friend's house. Don't expect your friends to pick up on a comment you dropped in a conversation weeks ago when you are heading over for dinner. Remind them at the time of the invite of your dietary restriction, and what exactly you are restricting. If you're veggie, but eat chicken or fish, make sure to make this distinction. If you're vegan, and this is foreign to your friend, you might want to offer to bring something for yourself, or make some simple suggestions. Otherwise, be happy eating just the salad!
1. Your Name: Laura
2. Your website: http://mommyrunfast.wordpress.com
3. Type of vegetarian: "Flexitarian" - I've been a vegetarian off and on for over ten years. My family does currently include small amounts of sustainably grown/organic meat in our diet, probably 1-2 times a week, as well as limited dairy products. I value eating meals together as a family, and this has been the best way to settle into a mostly vegetarian diet.
4. Why? I initially became a vegetarian for a combination of reasons. I believe a plant-based diet is the best diet for our bodies, and I was intrigued by the health benefits many studies have shown. I was also struck by the argument that living as a vegetarian promotes a more sustainable environment for the global community, and I want to live as simply and responsibly as possible. Although I am no longer a strict "vegetarian", I continue to choose vegetarian options whenever possible. (You can read my 'family's food philosophy' on my blog.)
5. Three tips you would give someone who wants to transition to a vegetarian lifestyle
1) Start small: You don't have to give up meat or meat products all at once-- I found it easier to start by having vegetarian meals several times a week, which gave me the chance to build up a base of favorite meat-free recipes. Or if you're goal is to become a vegan, begin by cutting out all meat, and slowly cut out dairy products. This can give you time to adjust to an alternative eating routine so you can adapt habits to keep for the long term.
2) Experiment and find things you love! Try prepared foods at salad bars or grocery stores like Whole Foods to find what you like, and to get inspired for ideas. You may surprise yourself and enjoy foods you didn't expect to, like tofu or eggplant. I love checking other blogs, and flipping through magazines and cookbooks for inspiration. There are so many great resources available! I love the Moosewood cookbooks, and Deborah Madison's "Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone."
3) Keep it clean and include protein: Cutting out meat and/or dairy does not necessarily equal a healthier diet! When I first became a vegetarian, I was eating more carbs and processed foods to keep me full. Use as many fresh, unprocessed ingredients as possible, and be careful to include plenty of protein in the forms of lentils, beans, nuts, eggs, etc to stay satisfied. I personally believe these products are better for you than the many meat "substitutes" available. It's also helpful if you're cooking for a family to give them tasty veggie-packed recipes they recognize, rather than substituting fake meat products and calling it "chicken" or "beef".
1. Your Name: Samantha Jackman
2. Your website: http://breakingmyrunnersin.blogspot.com/
3. Type of Vegetarian: I eat fish, dairy & eggs (although I am now lactose intolerant, so not a ton of dairy)
4. Why you chose that diet? :When I was 16 this was the one way I felt that I could make a difference in the world. I never intended to go full vegan, even at 16 I realized that was way too hard, but decided that lacto-ovo was better than nothing. Then my mom gave me the ‘that’s fine but you have to at least eat fish’ lecture and that’s been my lifestyle for the past 24 years.
5. Three tips you would give someone who wants to transition to a vegetarian lifestyle:
-Make sure that you take your vitamins and find alternative sources of protein.
-Read your food labels. It’s easy to consume something that you don’t want to quite by accident.
-Eat a small meal before going to a function (wedding, Xmas party, etc) because a lot of the time there will be nothing for you to eat other than the bread.
1. Your Name: {lifeasa}RunningMom, Erica
2. Your website: lifeasarunningmom.blogspot.com
3. Type of Vegetarian you are: Lacto-ovo
4. Why you chose that diet? Years ago I had a hand rash that would not go away. I went from western medicine to eastern medicine to find the answer. After many rounds of acupuncture and drinking various bug juice (don't ask) my therapist suggested I eliminate red meat from my diet. I figured if I did that I needed to eliminate all others since I was working as a marine biologist at the time. I did. My hand got much better and with one final antibiotic treatment for staph infection, I am good to go. No scarring either. Now I eat vegetarian because I just feel better. I have the occasional poultry with my darling daughter and seemed to needed the extra protein in the bulk of my marathon training, but I opt to not eat meat 99.9% of the time. It is better for the planet and leaves a smaller carbon footprint...especially if you buy locally grown produce.
5. Three tips you would give someone who wants to transition to a vegetarian lifestyle. Make the transition slowly...perhaps by incorporating one or two extra vegetarian nights a week. Don't just load up on fruits and vegetables. I know, sounds silly but you will miss essential proteins that you can get through combining grains, nuts, and beans into your meals too. And think, eat the colors of the rainbows! There is so much out there now to make being vegetarian easier with meat alternatives that can trick any carnivores in your life (like my dear hubby). Try different brands until you find what you like.
1. Jessica Mulder
2. www.runningforreagan.blogspot.com (I write this blog with my meat-eating twin sister!)
3. Lacto-ovo
4. I read two books about 12 years ago (Fast Food Nation and The Jungle) and decided that it was unethical to kill things unnecessarily. I can get all of the nutrients I need to be healthy through a plant-based diet. I was a vegan before I joined the Marine Corps, but once I joined and started deploying, there were not enough food options to choose from as a vegan.
5. a) Make the change slowly. Start by cutting out red meat. Trying to go "cold-turkey" can be tough if you really enjoy your meat!
b) Do your research. It is very possible to be a completely unhealthy vegetarian, afterall, Cheetos are technically veggie friendly! You have to know where your protein comes from and how to get all the right nutrients.
c) Take a multivitamin. If you're not already doing this, even being on a healthy diet, you sometimes miss out on critical nutrients. I find that taking a multivitamin while on a veggie diet helps me get everything I need.
It’s not too late to sign up and see how it might change your life too.
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Gratitude Journal
Feb 28
I am grateful for at least a few leftover frozen meals in the freezer so I could eat today! Score for batch cooking.
