Vegan Diet Tips for Beginners - How to Become a Vegetarian?

 

Click HERE to Find Out How You Can Build Muscle & Lose Fat By Eating Plants

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If you’re wondering how to become a vegetarian (any form of a plant-based diet), you have come to the right place!

Ready to live a healthier, thinner, more physically fit lifestyle? It’s time to go plant-based.

Professional bodybuilders and athletes often enjoy improved physiques and athletic performance when they make the switch to plant-based diets. Beyond beating PRs and bulking up, there are many other reasons why people decide to make the switch to vegetarianism:

It’s good for health, energy and fitness levels

It’s good for the environment.

It reduces inhumane practices toward animals (i.e. industrialized meat production).

Interested in making the switch to vegetarianism? Read on to learn how to make the transition comfortably and ensure it lasts.

Addressing Concerns About Going Vegetarian

Cutting meat from your diet can be both mentally and physically challenging, even for bodybuilders and athletes. It’s natural to stress about how a plant-based diet will impact your performance. You’ll find yourself fretting about how to get enough protein to build lean muscle, and when a monster workout or competition date looms, you’ll wonder if plants alone can sustain your energy levels enough to succeed.

However, switching to a plant-based diet keeps you in good company within the athletic community. Health organizations around the world, including the American Dietetic Association and the Dietitians of Canada, endorse vegetarian diets for sports training in their Nutrition & Athletic Performance Position Statement.

Increasing, a number of vegetarian athletes, like Carl Lewis, Jane Welzel, and Brendan Brazier, continue to prove the merit of a vegetarian athlete diet.

Tips to Gradually Transition to a Vegetarian Diet

When you’re ready to try out a new lifestyle it’s natural to want to jump right in.

However, that can be a mistake. According to the University of Rochester Medical Center, people who attempt to transform themselves into vegetarians overnight are less likely to stick with it for the long term. If you’ve been a meat-eater all your life, a gradual approach may be better.

To get started going vegetarian, try incorporating these eating habits into your weekly routine.

• Educate yourself with vegetarian-friendly magazines, websites, and cookbooks
• Make easy modifications to your favorite recipes, replacing meat with beans and vegetables
• Hate veggies? Instead of eating salads, start with fresh green drinks that include stuff you should throw in a salad, especially dark green leafy veggies. This way, you slowly introduce these new foods into your system. Over time your palate/taste will change, and you will crave these kinds of foods.
• Plant-based protein powders will easily bridge the gap in your protein needs.
• Stir-fries and scrambles: You can make an endless combo of meals by mixing some veggies (broccoli, carrots, bell peppers, spinach, etc.), some protein (quinoa, tofu, tempeh, seitan, etc.), and some spices (turmeric, coconut oil, black pepper, sea salt, etc.), and cooking them up together.
• Seek out vegetarian restaurants and try new vegetarian-based ethnic foods
• Regularly search for new recipes to keep you excited about you diet
• Eat healthy fats for calories. Plant foods you should be eating include avocados, nuts and seeds, and coconut oil.

Making the Transition to Vegetarian: A Timeline.

There’s no reason to rush the process of becoming vegetarian. By following this timeline, you’ll gradually (and painlessly) switch over to a vegetarian diet within a matter of months.

• Weeks 1-2: Start with eliminating meat from only one meal per day for a couple weeks to build momentum.
• Weeks 3-12: In addition to subtracting meat from one meal per day, eliminate all four-legged animals from your diet.
• Weeks 13-24: Subtracting meat from two meals per day, eliminate all four-legged and two-legged animals from your diet.
• Weeks 25-52: Subtract fish from your diet, which means you are now not eating any kind of meat at this point.
• Week 52 and Beyond: If you feel that going vegan is right for you, then spend the next six to 12 months making the transition from vegetarian to vegan.

Vegetarian Diet Guidelines

Ready to start following a vegetarian diet? These meal plans and guidelines are designed to get you started, no matter what your health and fitness goals are.

Standard Baseline Diet

Put simply, a standard baseline diet is what your body is used to before you go vegetarian. Therefore, it is the starting point from which comparisons can be made.

Baseline diet studies are often evaluated in terms of meal frequency, caloric intake, water intake, and protein, carbohydrate, and fat intake.

Once you understand the effects of your current diet, you can determine what your baseline response is and gauge how dietary changes affect your fitness performance.

As an athlete, it’s important to consume more calories at breakfast than lunch, and more at lunch than dinner. This way, you’ll have the energy your need for your workouts and your metabolism will stay active.

It’s also important to spread protein intake throughout the day so your muscles can synthesize it. Recent research conducted by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and the Journal of the American Dietetic Association suggests limiting protein intake to 20 grams per sitting. (Bodybuilders will need significantly more).

Here’s what an average day our 135lb woman’s diet, with 90 grams of protein and 2,000 calories, should look like (a 225lb man trying to build muscle will almost need twice this):

• Breakfast – 20g protein & 700 calories
• Snack – 10g protein & 100 calories
• Lunch – 20g protein & 500 calories
• Snack – 10g protein & 200 calories
• Dinner – 20g protein & 400 calories
• Snack – 10g protein & 100 calories

“Light” Vegetarian Bodybuilding Meal Plan

If you’re looking to bulk up without gaining too much weight, this meal plan is a smart place to start.

(courtesy of top endurance athlete, Rich Roll)

• Pre-Workout Morning Smoothie: Kale, Beet, Chia seeds, Hemp seeds, Maca, Orange, Flax Seeds, Vega Whole Food Optimizer
• Post-Workout: Coconut water, and cold quinoa w/ coconut or almond milk, berries & Udo’s Oil & Hemp seeds
• Lunch: Salad with mixed veggies & vinaigrette or brown rice, beans & greens, hemp seeds
• Snacks: Vitamix with brown rice / pea / hemp protein, almond milk, cacao, almonds, walnuts.
• Dinner: Lentils over brown rice w/ beet greens & avocado, arugula salad, sweet potatoes
• Dessert: Coconut milk ice cream, Chia seed pudding (or homemade protein bar)
• During workout: On bike – coconut water, vega sport, perpetum. On run – coconut water, Vega Sport, Heed.
• If you want to add a little more “weight” to the meal plan, you can throw a black bean and quinoa veggie burger into the mix.

In Summary

Although most people will benefit from eliminating meat from their diets, athletes and fitness enthusiasts have the most to gain. Transitioning to a vegetarian diet is just as much of a mental mindset as a physical experiment.

Evaluate your current baseline diet and slowly make small changes every day. This is more than just a dietary change; it’s a strong, pure, and sustainable path to lifelong wellness.

As a vegan or vegetarian bodybuilder, it’s important to carefully plan your meals to ensure you reach your nutritional needs and avoid deficiencies which could hinder your strength training and athletic performance.

So long as you have a plan in place, your body will soon be enjoying the long-term benefits of adopting a healthier, more natural diet.

To get more  vegan diet tips for beginners, watch this video - BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO VEGANISM » how to go vegan

Author Bio:

Chris Willitts (creator of V3), is the founder and owner of Vegetarian Bodybuilding.

V3 Vegetarian Bodybuilding System is a mixture of science and author’s advice, providing users with optimal diet and exercise. This system is designed for vegans and vegetarians only.

A lot of research has been put in this program. Furthermore, a lot of professional bodybuilders and athletes tried and tested the program, praising its progressiveness and efficiency.

The program is about taking control of your own body and health according to your potential and needs. And worry not; you’ll get plenty of proteins with this system. It will boost you with energy, and you’ll feel just a strong as any carnivore would (perhaps even stronger, depending on how much you invest in your exercise). It avoids vitamins deficiency and provides you with a lot of proteins, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. 

Instead of saying things like “I think a plant-based diet is good for athletes and bodybuilders,” the V3 Vegetarian Bodybuilding System claims “I know a plant-based diet is good for athletes and bodybuilders, and I have results to prove it.”

To find out more, visit the website at V3 Bodybuilding – Vegan Diet Tips for Beginners

 

Click HERE to Find Out How You Can Build Muscle & Lose Fat By Eating Plants

CO-FOUNDER OF PLANTBUILT, THE LARGEST TEAM OF VEGAN ATHLETES IN THE WORLD

After months in the gym, I saw a female trainer who was just so strong and feminine looking, and I realized that’s what I wanted to be.

Name: Dani Taylor
City/State/Country: Haverhill, Massachusetts, USA
Age: 28
Height: 5’7″
Type of Competing: Bodybuilding, Figure Division
Weight/Competition Weight:140lb./130lb.

Why did you form PlantBuilt? Also, please describe how you gathered the largest team of vegan athletes in the world in order to compete together to demonstrate that vegans can build muscle:

As the owners of VeganProteins.com, my fiancé, Giacomo Marchese, and I travel around the country going to vegan festivals, demonstrating our products, and promoting our store. It seemed like every city we went to had another vegan athlete who we had never heard of, with a mind-blowing physique.

As long-time vegan bodybuilding enthusiasts, we started discussing how awesome it would be to see all of these people competing together. Normally, if a vegan competes in bodybuilding, they are the only vegan there. And if they do well, people are quick to try and find reasons why they did well despite their vegan lifestyle. We realized that if several of us competed together, and all did well, it would be much harder to say that you can’t build muscle on a vegan diet. That is how Team PlantBuilt was born three years ago. Although it started as just bodybuilding, we have grown to include powerlifting, Cross Fit, and Kettle Bell sports, as well.

What is one of your personal passions outside of fitness?

That’s hard because fitness and veganism are my life now. But outside of that, my biggest passion is my family. Although my schedule is very full these days, I always try to make time to spend time with my family and be there when they need me.

What inspired you to become a vegan bodybuilder?

I grew up quite overweight, even though I became a lacto-ovo vegetarian at the age of ten. I was over 200 pounds by the age of 17, which is when I went vegan, strictly for ethical reasons, with no thoughts of health in my mind. However, as the excess weight started to fall off, it occurred to me that I had more control over my physical health than I had thought. I began actively working out and trying to be healthier.

After months in the gym, I saw a female trainer who was just so strong and feminine-looking, and I realized that’s what I wanted to be. I hired her, and she taught me how to lift weights. But when it came to diet, she had no idea how to help me, and seemed to think I would never make good progress without eating meat. That was what most trainers (and fitness enthusiasts in general) thought. I wanted to prove that just because there wasn’t widespread knowledge of it being done, that didn’t mean it couldn’t be done.

What are the health advantages?

One of the biggest health advantages that I have experienced is improved recovery. I find that I recover much faster than my non-vegan counterparts.

Sample meal plan:

My meal plan changes almost weekly, but lately, it has looked something like this:

• Breakfast: bagel with jam, seitan bacon, and a piece of fruit
• Post Workout Meal: lentil soup, baked potato, and veggie burger in a pita
• Afternoon Snack: green smoothie with Plant Fusion and berries
• Dinner: tofu, tempeh, or seitan; broccoli with vegan cheddar; and roasted yams
• Late night snack: strawberries and peanuts

What does your diet look like while preparing for a competition?

It’s very calculated, right down to the gram, and it also changes very frequently. I still get to enjoy all of the foods that I love, just less of them.

Tofu and seitan are my staples, as well as berries, lentils, peanut butter, squash, and potatoes, and lots of vegetables!

Your personal philosophy on supplements, and which ones you use:

My philosophy in the sport of bodybuilding, even natural bodybuilding, is that it is extreme. You are pushing your body to a limit that it isn’t necessarily meant to reach on its own. Is that healthy? Some would say yes, and others would say no. But I want to give my body all the support that I can throughout, and so I choose to supplement beyond my healthy diet. I use B12, Vitamin D, Creatine Monohydrate, Betaine, L-Citrulline, L-Carnitine, BCAAs, and occasionally protein powders, but not as often as you’d think.

Describe your training regimen:

Hard and heavy! Right now, I am hitting every body part hard twice per week, incorporating a variety of rep ranges to focus on both strength and hypertrophy, and occasionally power. I dead lift and squat regularly, and focus on shoulder hypertrophy over chest, so I do more shoulder presses than bench presses (because that is what they are looking for in the figure division). I don’t train abs very often, and I do sprints twice a week.

What tips can you share that have led to your success?

Be consistent. Better to take small steps and be consistent, then to make drastic changes, get overwhelmed, and quit. You have to find what works for you, and be sure to filter all the advice you will hear. Anything that sounds extreme in one direction or another is probably not the best answer. And lastly, be patient! Change doesn’t happen overnight!

Do you think plant-based fitness is a fad, or will it continue to build credibility?

I think it is building more credibility by the day, and that will only continue into the future.

To find out more about the health benefits of becoming a vegetarian bodybuilder, watch this video - Vegan Diets for Athletes! | Better Endurance and a Healthier Heart

Author Bio:

Chris Willitts (creator of V3), is the founder and owner of Vegetarian Bodybuilding.

V3 Vegetarian Bodybuilding System is a mixture of science and author’s advice, providing users with optimal diet and exercise. This system is designed for vegans and vegetarians only.

A lot of research has been put in this program. Furthermore, a lot of professional bodybuilders and athletes tried and tested the program, praising its progressiveness and efficiency.

The program is about taking control of your own body and health according to your potential and needs. And worry not; you’ll get plenty of proteins with this system. It will boost you with energy, and you’ll feel just a strong as any carnivore would (perhaps even stronger, depending on how much you invest in your exercise). It avoids vitamins deficiency and provides you with a lot of proteins, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. 

Instead of saying things like “I think a plant-based diet is good for athletes and bodybuilders,” the V3 Vegetarian Bodybuilding System claims “I know a plant-based diet is good for athletes and bodybuilders, and I have results to prove it.”

To find out more, visit the website at V3 Bodybuilding – What are the Health Benefits of Becoming a Vegetarian Bodybuilder?

How to Add Variety to a Vegetarian Bodybuilding Diet?

 

Click HERE to Find Out How You Can Build Muscle & Lose Fat By Eating Plants

ADDING VARIETY TO A VEGETARIAN BODYBUILDING DIET

The Life of a Vegetarian Bodybuilder Depends Greatly on Routines:

• Eating routines
• Workout routines
• Rest and recovery routines

However, routine can get boring unless we integrate some variety into the equation, and a vegetarian bodybuilding diet is something we can certainly spice up.

Those who are into bodybuilding and working on their physique who make the switch over to a vegetarian bodybuilding diet often struggle with the initial diet planning.

Getting used to something new, and pushing through the initial discomfort is simple human nature. Even if you understand and appreciate the health benefits of becoming a vegetarian bodybuilder, it’s never easy to change up your routine and modify your habits.

New research studies are released every nearly month, further proving that vegetarianism holds great promise for the future. A “JAMA Internal Medicine” study of more than 70,000 participants revealed that vegetarian diets are associated with reduced death rates.

“These results demonstrate an overall association of vegetarian dietary patterns with lower mortality compared with the non-vegetarian dietary pattern. They also demonstrate some associations with lower mortality of the pesco-vegetarian, vegan and lacto-ovo-vegetarian diets specifically compared with the non-vegetarian diet,” the researchers concluded.

Believe it or not, most vegetarian and vegan bodybuilders have more diversity in their diets than their meat-eating friends.

Yeah, I said it. Still many meat-eaters have a skewed view of the plant-based lifestyle. Vegetarian diets are often viewed as overly restrictive, unnecessarily expensive, and downright boring. However, a plant-based diet certainly doesn’t have to be simple, repetitive, or monotonous.

And contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to take out a second mortgage or move to a big city to live a vegetarian lifestyle. With a little research and planning, you can find inexpensive and nutritious vegetarian food in nearly any supermarket.

Let’s explore some of the ways you can avoid diet boredom as a vegetarian athlete.

Vegetarian Bodybuilding Diet Staples

Forget about those fake meat products with laundry lists of ingredients you can’t pronounce. Switching from real meat to fake meat may sound like the easiest way to transition to vegetarianism. But although these over-processed foods are convenient, they often contain chemical pesticides and artificial additives that your body can’t digest. As an athlete, every bite matters. To find ways to improve your body, you need to understand exactly what you’re putting in your body and how it’s affecting you.

As a vegetarian newbie, you may want to begin your meal planning with one of the following vegetarian diet staples. Just make sure that they’re 100% organic and GMO-free so you’re not consuming more than you bargained for.

Tofu: Made from pressed soybean curd, tofu is the most well-known vegetarian stable. Tofu is great at soaking up the flavors and giving texture to your favorite vegetables and sauces.

Tempeh: Although somewhat similar to tofu, tempeh if fermented and pressed to make it thicker and more savory. Lots of vegetarian recipes feature tempeh when frying or grilling with seasonings.

Seitan: A little chewy and naturally brown in color, seitan is made from wheat gluten, which is an isolated wheat protein. Get your daily dose of protein by baking or frying seitan instead of meat in your recipes.

Vegetarian Fun-Foods

• Green smoothies
• Any kind of scramble
• Homemade waffles
• Eggplant stir fry
• Falafel wraps
• Butternut squash soup
• Curry with lentils
• Spiced garbanzo beans
• Almonds and cashews

Experiment with These Spices

• Cilantro
• Chili powder
• Red pepper flakes
• Curry powder
• Cinnamon
• Garlic powder
• Cumin
• Thyme
• Turmeric

Vegetarian Cookbooks

Plenty of vegetarian bodybuilders have experienced boredom in their diet, and so have plenty of meat-eating bodybuilders. Any bodybuilding diet routine is repetitious by design. However, if you do your research you can easily spice it up.

Vegetarian Restaurant Resources

Dining out can be unnecessarily frustrating for vegetarians. Although more and more restaurants are now offering vegetarian options, many of these choices are little more than bland afterthoughts on the back page of the menu.

Especially in the beginning, you may want to simply avoid restaurants with limited vegetarian options so that you won’t be tempted by your old, unhealthy favorites.

Join a Vegetarian Group

If your family and friends haven’t yet made the switch to a plant-based diet, social events and holiday gatherings can feel awkward and lonesome. Many vegetarian bodybuilders find it easier to stay motivated about their diet when they have a support system to back them up. Check out online groups and browse local Meet Up groups to see what vegetarian clubs are available in your area.

Not only can support groups keep you motivated, but they’re also a great way to meet like-minded people. Perhaps you can enlist a new workout partner, get involved in animal rights activism, or make friends to have dinner plans with once in a while.

Take Away Message

It’s time to change the world’s perception that vegetarianism is boring salad-eating weaklings.

Start with the basics and have fun experimenting with new ingredients and spices.

Make a habit out of shopping for what’s in season at local farmer’s markets. Like many other diets, a vegetarian and vegan bodybuilding diet requires a little research and planning, but the health benefits undoubtedly outweigh the mild inconveniences.

If it helps, print out a copy of the Mayo Clinic’s Vegetarian Food Guide Pyramid to guide you through your first steps as a new vegetarian.

As plant-based diets become even more popular with bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts around the world, you’ll likely find yourself surrounded by more like-minded athletes who care about their bodies as much as you do.

For more ideas on how to add variety to a vegetarian bodybuilding diet, watch the following videos –

SECRET HACKS TO MAKE VEGGIES TASTE GOOD | How to ACTUALLY LIKE Healthy Food!

Full Beginner Plant Based Meal Plan: Exactly What To Eat

How to Make Healthy Vegan Food Taste Good: My Simple Tricks

10 Ways to Flavor Soup (Without Salt!) + FREE PDF // Nutritarian // Eat to Live // Vegan

MUST-HAVE SPICES FOR VEGAN COOKING | an inside look at my spice cabinet

Author Bio:

Chris Willitts (creator of V3), is the founder and owner of Vegetarian Bodybuilding.

V3 Vegetarian Bodybuilding System is a mixture of science and author’s advice, providing users with optimal diet and exercise. This system is designed for vegans and vegetarians only.

A lot of research has been put in this program. Furthermore, a lot of professional bodybuilders and athletes tried and tested the program, praising its progressiveness and efficiency.

The program is about taking control of your own body and health according to your potential and needs. And worry not; you’ll get plenty of proteins with this system. It will boost you with energy, and you’ll feel just a strong as any carnivore would (perhaps even stronger, depending on how much you invest in your exercise). It avoids vitamins deficiency and provides you with a lot of proteins, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. 

Instead of saying things like “I think a plant-based diet is good for athletes and bodybuilders,” the V3 Vegetarian Bodybuilding System claims “I know a plant-based diet is good for athletes and bodybuilders, and I have results to prove it.”

To find out more, visit the website at V3 Bodybuilding – How to Build Strength, Balance and Focus?

Tips from Yoga Instructor, Tina Marie - How to Build Strength, Balance and Focus?

 

Click HERE to Find Out How You Can Build Muscle & Lose Fat By Eating Plants

VEGAN YOGA INSTRUCTOR BUILDS STRENGTH, BALANCE, AND FOCUS

I believe a long-term, plant-based diet will dramatically improve the stability of my blood sugar levels, and the overall management of my Type 1 diabetes, and who knows maybe even reverse it.

Name: Tina Marie
Occupation: Yoga Instructor
City/State/Country: Chandler, AZ, USA
Age: 34
Height: 5’8”
Weight: 134lbs
Facebook: facebook.com/DesireYoga

What does your morning ritual look like?

As soon as my alarm goes off and it’s time to get up, I hit the snooze button and just lay in bed for at least 5 minutes.

I use this time to let my body naturally awaken and take my first few deep breathes of the day.

After I’m showered and dressed but before stepping out of the door and beginning my commute, I make myself a large nutritious smoothie to fuel me through the first part of my morning.

Oh yeah, and there is always music playing in the background.

What uncommon activity do you schedule into your daily routine?

Something uncommon I do on a daily basis is self-affirmations. Every day when I see myself in the mirror, usually in the morning when I am getting ready, I just start telling myself things that I like about myself. I just keep telling myself nice things every day.

“There are a lot of things other people can say that may hurt your feelings, but when you look in the mirror and tell yourself ‘I am f***ing awesome’ every day, then you just start to believe it and worry less about the negative things people may say.”

Tell us the story about how you became vegan.

It was a slow transition that began with gradually cutting out certain types of animal proteins and dramatically reducing the amount of animal proteins I used to eat.

As time went by I just continued on this path, cutting out soda and processed foods. I decided I wanted to be healthier, lighter and I wanted to cleanse my body. That’s exactly what I did. I went on a raw food cleanse and I can honestly say that is the best I have ever felt.

That was a huge change for me and even though I could not maintain a 100% raw diet I never went back to eating meat, eggs, or dairy. I grew up eating meat at every meal. Now I can say that I will never eat meat again. My compassion for animals was another reason I decided to switch to a vegan diet, and that will also never change.

Vegan meal plan that you use:

Breakfast

• Fruit Smoothie (banana, mango, ice)
• Snack
• Fresh watermelon slices (changes daily, but is always some variety of fruit)

Lunch

• Fruit smoothie (pitaya, banana, strawberry and apple)
• Salad (spinach, romaine, cherry tomatoes, carrots, celery, cucumber, sunflower seeds, avocado)

Dinner

• Veggie Tacos (Romaine lettuce boats serve as our taco shell. We load the shells with homemade seasoned
  (no salt) fries and top them with tomato, onion, avocado, roasted garlic and a fresh tomatillo salsa)
• Or a vegan pizza. You can never go wrong with a vegan pizza loaded with veggies.

Favorite vegan dessert recipe?

Black Bean Pumpkin Brownies!

• 1 cup small flake, large flake or quick oats
• ½ tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tbsp instant coffee (optional but recommended)
• 3 cups black or kidney beans (canned or cooked)
• 3 tsp vanilla extract
• ⅔ cup maple syrup, agave syrup or honey*
• ¼ cup melted coconut oil*
• ¼ cup pumpkin puree*
• 6 tbsp cocoa powder

Mix-Ins

• ¼ cup walnuts, chopped*
• ¼ cup dark chocolate chunks or chocolate chips*
  *Cearaskitchen.com for full directions

Favorite raw veggie juice recipe?

I would have to say Beet, Carrot, Apple juice, Orange juice, lemon, and parsley. When I started juicing, something wasn’t sitting right in my stomach so I started eliminating until I found a good blend. Turns out, I don’t like the juice from celery or cucumber and those happen to be the veggies with TONS of juice…go figure!

Do you think plant-based fitness is a fad or will it continue to build credibility?

I absolutely believe plant-based fitness will continue to gain credibility! I am happy to see the community is growing daily. I don’t believe plant-based is a “fad” just because of the fact that it is not a “diet” like some popular fad diets you see being promoted.

You are seeing it more and more in professional athletes, and people are getting inspired and more educated. And, athletes want that edge up on the competition.

Our daughter is a two-sport athlete thriving on a plant-based diet. She plays club volleyball and trains in Muay Thai at Sitan Gym, AZ.

My husband Will (Plant Powered Warrior) is a huge believer in the benefits of a plant-based diets when it comes to overall health improvement and excelling in competition. He recently was able to help a friend and fighter win a world title on this diet.

I believe a long-term, plant-based diet will dramatically improve the stability of my blood sugar levels, and the overall management of my Type 1 diabetes, and who knows maybe even reverse it. I truly believe the best option is a healthy, whole food, plant-based diet without calorie restriction and I will continue to promote it.

“If you are eating food that is jam-packed full of nutrition, how could you go wrong? I think people are slowly starting to realize that.”

What are three of your favorite books vegetarianism and yoga?

1. “The Raw Food Detox Diet”
2. “Everyday Osho”
3. “Living Your Yoga”

Do you meditate?

I meditate daily. As part of our Health Ahead initiative at my day job, we have yoga on site. We recently added Yoga Nidri, described as yogic sleep, a state of conscious deep sleep for extreme relaxation and subtler spiritual exploration. This type of practice has really helped me calm my mind and body. I use this time to relax and subconsciously travel to another space.

If you could give your 13 year-old self any advice, what would it be?

I would tell myself to focus on improving my health. I would also tell myself to switch to a plant based diet and to always be physically active. I would say always believe in yourself and drink tons of water!! I rarely drank water as a child, it was
mostly soda.

Describe your experience with yoga.

The best way to describe my experience with yoga is LOVE.

Learning to love myself in a deeper way, and connect with myself on a higher level of spirituality. Spreading the love! I knew very soon after starting to practice yoga that I wanted to be a teacher.

I felt so much love that it had to be shared. I am so thankful that I am able to guide students through their practice in my classes. I developed a love and appreciation for my body.

I felt more love and compassion for animals, which is part of the reason I maintain a vegan, cruelty free diet. Yoga is a personal practice, and different for everyone, but I can honestly say it has changed my life.

My practice is Desire Yoga located inside Sitan Gym AZ. I’m thankful for my humble practice and the opportunity to bring a little more light, love, and energy into this planet.

Yoga is everything for me. It is my “workout” for my body, but also my mind. It is important to me because I can move my body freely to build strength, balance, and focus. There is no stress, no pressure, just me being me. I am exercising my mind by practicing yoga daily.

“Yoga is not just about doing poses and being crazy flexible, it is so much more! You are learning about yourself and being more conscious through this journey of life, and what is better than that?!”

For more tips on how to build strength, balance and focus, watch this video - 15 min Beginner Yoga for Balance & Stability

Author Bio:

Chris Willitts (creator of V3), is the founder and owner of Vegetarian Bodybuilding.

V3 Vegetarian Bodybuilding System is a mixture of science and author’s advice, providing users with optimal diet and exercise. This system is designed for vegans and vegetarians only.

A lot of research has been put in this program. Furthermore, a lot of professional bodybuilders and athletes tried and tested the program, praising its progressiveness and efficiency.

The program is about taking control of your own body and health according to your potential and needs. And worry not; you’ll get plenty of proteins with this system. It will boost you with energy, and you’ll feel just a strong as any carnivore would (perhaps even stronger, depending on how much you invest in your exercise). It avoids vitamins deficiency and provides you with a lot of proteins, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. 

Instead of saying things like “I think a plant-based diet is good for athletes and bodybuilders,” the V3 Vegetarian Bodybuilding System claims “I know a plant-based diet is good for athletes and bodybuilders, and I have results to prove it.”

To find out more, visit the website at V3 Bodybuilding – How to Build Strength, Balance and Focus?

What is the Best Way to Kick-Start Your Day or Your Workout?

 

Click HERE to Find Out How You Can Build Muscle & Lose Fat By Eating Plants

PEANUT BUTTER-MOCHA PROTEIN SHAKE (DAIRY-FREE)

Need some caffeine to kick-start your day or workout?

This dairy-free protein shake can double as breakfast, or a pre-workout boost.

I religiously use caffeine in the form of coffee for my pre-workout (with a dash of beta-alinine). Energy drinks overload my central nervous system and make me feel like crack-cocaine had intercourse with clenbuterol (hardcore weight-loss stimulant).

Enough silliness, let’s get right to it! Vegetarian bodybuilders will love this concoction.

Chia seeds (superfood) provide fiber, quality protein, zinc, and B vitamins. Banana protects against muscle cramps during workouts, and provides complex carbs and electrolytes. Peanut butter provides protein, fiber, electrolytes, Vitamin E healthy fats, and…the texture and taste that only peanut butter has.

Ingredients

• 2 shots espresso, or 1 cup organic iced coffee
• 1 tsp all-natural, no sugar added peanut butter
• ½ ripe banana
• 4 tbsp. rolled oats (use 2 tbsp for lower carb)
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 serving chocolate protein powder
• 1 tbsp. chia seeds
• 6 ice cubes

Serves 1

For more ideas on how to kick-start your day or your workout, watch this video - How To Start a Vegan Diet for Fitness: Foods To Eat + Tips

8 REASONS TO SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL FARMERS MARKET

Supporting farmers markets has a high positive impact on your individual heath, animals, the community, and the planet. Here are eight good reasons to give it a try:

1. Highly Nourishing Foods

Most of our “food” found in grocery stores is highly processed and grown using pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, and genetic modification. Some of it has been irradiated, waxed, or gassed in transit. These practices may have negative effects on human health. In contrast, most food found at the farmers market is minimally processed, and many of our farmers go to great lengths to grow the most nutritious produce possible by using sustainable techniques and picking produce right before the market.

2. Sustainable Practices for the Environment

Food in the U.S. travels an average of 1,000-2,000 miles to get to your dinner table. The shipping alone uses substantial amounts of natural resources (especially fossil fuels), contributes to pollution, and creates trash with extra packaging. The processing methods of conventional agriculture also uses many more resources than sustainable agriculture. Not to mention, this process pollutes our water, land, and air with toxic agricultural by-products.

Fruits and vegetables from the farmers market is transported 1/10 the distance in most cases and is mostly grown using methods that minimize the damage we are making on the planet.

3. Promote Humane Living Conditions of Animals

I know we’re vegetarians here, but many of us are disgusted at the inhumane practices of industrialized meat production. At the farmers market, you can find meats, cheeses, and eggs from animals that have been treated humanely, raised without hormones or antibiotics, who have grazed on green grass and eaten natural diets. Most of them have also been spared the cramped and unnatural living conditions of feedlots and cages.

4. Taste What Real Food Used to Taste Like

The fruits and veggies you buy at the farmers market are fresh and flavorful. Nothing compares. Fruits are allowed to ripen fully in the field and are brought directly to you—no gassing to simulate the ripening process, no long-distance shipping, no sitting for weeks in storage. This is what real food tastes like—fresh from the farm.

5. Support Local Family Farmers

Since large agribusinesses dominate food production in the U.S., small family farms have a hard time competing in the marketplace. Buying directly from farmers helps correct a collective error that our society has made with the industrialization practices that are ultimately hurting us. It’s frightening to think what our future looks like without small family farms, they need our support.

6. Know Where Your Food Comes From

A regular trip to a farmers market is one of the best ways to connect with where your food comes from. Meeting and talking to farmers and food artisans is a great opportunity to learn more about how and where food is produced.

7. Foods Not Available in Most Grocery Stores

At the farmers market you find an amazing array of produce that you don’t see in your average grocery store: red carrots, a rainbow of heirloom tomatoes, purple cauliflower, stinging nettles, green garlic, watermelon radishes, quail eggs, maitake mushrooms, and more. It is a wonderful opportunity to savor the biodiversity of our planet.

8. Build Community

Coming to the farmers market is more like therapeutic experience than it is shopping. And, it is place to meet up with the other members of your local community (a practice that’s almost extinct in modern times).

Author Bio:

Chris Willitts (creator of V3), is the founder and owner of Vegetarian Bodybuilding.

V3 Vegetarian Bodybuilding System is a mixture of science and author’s advice, providing users with optimal diet and exercise. This system is designed for vegans and vegetarians only.

A lot of research has been put in this program. Furthermore, a lot of professional bodybuilders and athletes tried and tested the program, praising its progressiveness and efficiency.

The program is about taking control of your own body and health according to your potential and needs. And worry not; you’ll get plenty of proteins with this system. It will boost you with energy, and you’ll feel just a strong as any carnivore would (perhaps even stronger, depending on how much you invest in your exercise). It avoids vitamins deficiency and provides you with a lot of proteins, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. 

Instead of saying things like “I think a plant-based diet is good for athletes and bodybuilders,” the V3 Vegetarian Bodybuilding System claims “I know a plant-based diet is good for athletes and bodybuilders, and I have results to prove it.”

To find out more, visit the website at V3 Bodybuilding – How to Kick-Start Your Day or Your Workout?

How to Get Enough Protein and Fiber in a Vegan Bodybuilding Diet?

 

Click HERE to Find Out How You Can Build Muscle & Lose Fat By Eating Plants

BLACK BEANS ARE A CHEAP, PROTEIN-RICH “SUPERFOOD”

Who’s got enough protein and fiber in their diet? This vegetarian bodybuilder does!

It seems like everything is being called a “superfood” these days.

Chia seeds, kale, turmeric, and spirulina are great examples of this term being generally applied to foods that have a high-nutrient composition. Unfortunately, it’s also being used a bit too generously in the spirit of raising click-through rates on the Web.

Let’s be real here, virtually all vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds are nutrient-dense. They are pretty much all superfoods, hence the amused quotations around the word in the title of this article.

Beans in general are typically high on most nutritionists’ lists. So why did I choose black beans to write about?

The deep dark coat on the black bean is a powerful source of three important flavonoids: delphinidin, petunidin, and malvidin. These important substances are super-high in antioxidant activity.

In the world of healthy sources of fiber, you cannot get much better than black beans. They have more fiber per serving than any other member of the legume family. Studies have demonstrated that they are good for our digestive system, especially the colon*.

*The fiber and resistant starch of the bean are the source of this protection, because the body does not digest the starch. Your body produces butyrate to aid in the digestion, and this is a compound that has been shown to prevent cancer.

That being said, I didn’t write this article to give the impression that black beans are newly discovered miracle food that will make you grow two inches taller or lose 40 pounds in a week.

However, black beans are much more nutritious than most people are aware of, because brightly colored fruits and vegetables tend to steal the spotlight. I wanted to bring your attention to black beans because they deserve to their rightful place in the spotlight.

They help reduce inflammation, prevent cancers and heart disease, keep weight gain and obesity at bay, and provide excellent support for our digestive system.

This protein-powered bean gives you a longer feeling of satiation, which can help you feel good all day long.

When you want sugars and breads, eat black beans instead because they help with cravings. They are also filling and satisfying, which is ideal for vegetarian bodybuilders who need something substantial in their stomachs.

Fats, Carbs, and Protein in Black Beans

There is zero fat in these tasty legumes. Just one cup of black beans has a respectable 15 grams of high-quality, plant-based protein, and 41 grams of carbohydrates.

As a vegetarian bodybuilder, this combination of macros is optimal. It’s crucial to consume slow-burning, complex carbohydrates and quality protein in the form of whole vegetables, starches, legumes, and sprouted grains. Black beans also help keep blood sugar levels stable, and are a food low on the glycemic index.

“But beans make me too gassy!”

It’s true, beans can be harder for some of us to digest than others. It’s about finding your personal tolerance and comfort level. For instance, I know that I can eat 1-2 cans a day and not have an issue. But if I try eating more than three cans, I start to feel the pain. I also know of folks who can’t even eat one taco with black beans without getting gassy.

Some say that if you soak them for a long time and rinse them well before cooking, it helps with the gas. I’m not sure about the validity of this claim, so please email me with your experience with this.

“Is this too many carbs for a diabetic?”

Beans are extremely beneficial in an anti-diabetes diet because as I mentioned earlier, they rank low on the glycemic scale. This means that they don’t cause the inflammatory spike in blood sugar levels associated with refined baked goods and grains.

Black Beans Nutrition

A one-cup serving of cooked black beans provides (in daily recommended values):

• 227 calories
• 15 grams protein
• 15 grams fiber
• 0 grams fat
• 64% folate
• 40% copper
• 38% manganese
• 35% vitamin B1 Thiamine
• 30% magnesium
• 24% phosphorus
• 20% iron

How to Cook Black Beans

1. The night before, soak the black beans in a large pot of water.
2. The next day, rinse the beans, cover with 3 cups of fresh water, and bring to a boil over high heat.
3. Reduce the heat, and simmer covered for 30 minutes, skimming off any foam.

Two flavorful additions to consider:

• Sautéing garlic and onion in a little olive oil before adding beans and cooking.
• Cooking the beans with raw whole onion, garlic, and orange all at once.

Beans and lentils have been, and continue to be, some of the most nutritious foods available worldwide. They are extremely versatile, and can be used in the following ways:

• Used in/with enchiladas, burritos, and tacos.
• Made into refried and baked patties.
• Combined with vegetables and herbs to make savory soups.
• Mixed in salads.
• Puréed and served as a dip or spread.

For more ideas on how to get enough protein and fiber in a vegan bodybuilding diet, watch this video - Vegan High Protein Full Day of Eating | 152g of Protein

Author Bio:

Chris Willitts (creator of V3), is the founder and owner of Vegetarian Bodybuilding.

V3 Vegetarian Bodybuilding System is a mixture of science and author’s advice, providing users with optimal diet and exercise. This system is designed for vegans and vegetarians only.

A lot of research has been put in this program. Furthermore, a lot of professional bodybuilders and athletes tried and tested the program, praising its progressiveness and efficiency.

The program is about taking control of your own body and health according to your potential and needs. And worry not; you’ll get plenty of proteins with this system. It will boost you with energy, and you’ll feel just a strong as any carnivore would (perhaps even stronger, depending on how much you invest in your exercise). It avoids vitamins deficiency and provides you with a lot of proteins, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. 

Instead of saying things like “I think a plant-based diet is good for athletes and bodybuilders,” the V3 Vegetarian Bodybuilding System claims “I know a plant-based diet is good for athletes and bodybuilders, and I have results to prove it.”

To find out more, visit the website at V3 Bodybuilding –  How to Get Enough Protein and Fiber in a Vegan Bodybuilding Diet?

What is the Best Way to Break Free of Reflux and Gas Problems?

 

Discover How, Five Minutes from NOW, Your Acid Reflux Can Be Totally Gone & You’ll Feel Great Night and Day

Break Free of Reflux and Gas Problems - #1 Cause of Acid Reflux Discovered (and Cured)

There are many myths about what causes acid reflux.

But a new study just appeared in The FASEB Journal explains one factor that contributes to the development and continuation of the most serious type of acid reflux.

What’s more, this factor can make even occasional, mild types of acid reflux life-threatening.

Fortunately, there are many ways to get rid of this factor naturally.

Acid reflux occurs when hydrochloric acid flows upwards from your stomach into your esophagus. This is not supposed to happen, as there is a ring of muscle, called the gastroesophageal sphincter, at the top of your stomach that is supposed to close when you are not swallowing. This valve is supposed to open only when you swallow and food goes down into your stomach.

If you are overweight with fat accumulating around your abdominal area, this weight drags the valve out of alignment with your stomach and esophagus, which then prevents the sphincter from sealing your esophagus and stomach from each other.

This is the most typical explanation for why abdominal obesity causes acid reflux—and it is certainly right.

But the new study draws our attention to the way in which obesity can make even occasional acid reflux genuinely life-threatening.

Your stomach lining is tough enough not to be eroded by hydrochloric acid, but the lining of your esophagus is not. If acid reflux occurs too frequently, then the lining of your esophagus will become inflamed and, with time, erode and literally come apart or be destroyed by cancer.

The new study shows that abdominal fat cells in obese people degrade the lining of the esophagus and can make even occasional acid reflux a life-threatening problem.

The researchers obtained subcutaneous fat (just below the skin) and visceral fat (located deep inside) from both obese and healthy volunteers.

They then separated different types of fat cells from this tissue and applied it to an esophageal lining in the laboratory.

They then tested the resistance of the lining and the spaces between the cells in the lining to see whether the fat damaged it and to determine which fat was responsible for the damage.

Interestingly, the researchers observed that the fat of the healthy-weight subjects did no damage at all, while the fat of the obese subjects did cause damage.

To be specific, only mature fat cells mined from visceral fat tissue of obese people have this destructive effect on the esophageal lining.

There were large spaces between the cells, and the structural integrity of the lining was damaged in a way that it started to disintegrate after less than a week.

This is serious because it leaves your esophagus vulnerable to injury by acid reflux. So, even mild and infrequent cases of acid reflux can cause serious damage to your esophagus.

The obvious solution is to lose weight through regular physical activity and the adoption of a healthy diet.

Break Free of Reflux and Gas Problems - But losing weight isn’t easy—and it may not be enough to cure your acid reflux. Thousands of people have now completely healed their acid reflux using three ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. This is especially important because acid reflux has been found to cause six types of deadly diseases. I’ll explain this here…

Break Free of Reflux and Gas Problems - Eating Right for Peaceful Digestion AND Complexion

This time of year always brings with it some very harsh reminders that winter time requires a little more effort to stay healthy and well. In many areas, winter means drier, colder, harsher air and this can cause a variety of skin issues.

What a lot of people don’t notice, though, is that digestive trouble and skin irritation often appear at the same time.

Diseases, such as Fifth disease and medications, such as antibiotics, can wreak havoc on your tummy and skin at the same time. Those are pretty easy-to-spot symptoms of the same problem, though.

What about if you notice just sporadic problems with your skin, or your stomach and bowel upset are just occasional?

It seems like it would be a real hassle to have to track everything you put in your mouth, but being able to eliminate some skin issues and at the same time regulate your digestion makes it more worthwhile.

Keeping a food diary helps to highlight not just what is actually being eaten (a very effective tool if you are trying to lose weight, anyway), but also makes finding irritation relationships a lot easier to spot.

Jotting down what you eat isn’t the whole task though. Whenever you notice that your skin is doing something odd or out the ordinary, write down what is happening, and also the time and date. The same goes for digestion problems. Make a note of the time and date you had diarrhea, for example.

Then, after a couple of weeks you should be able to start to string together a timeline of events that leads up to the different problems you experience.

Once you identify the ‘bad guys’ in your diet, you can make changes to replace the offending foods with something more peacefully tolerated.

Items known to cause skin and digestion upset (this is just a partial list…these are the top offenders):

Dairy
Soy
Wheat
Corn
Foods with added Vitamin C
Eggs

While many diet adjustments call for some of these foods to be ADDED, it should be done with caution, and always keep that diary nearby so you can see if any of these foods are causing problems for you.

For instance, soy in and of itself isn’t a terrible thing. It’s generally considered a staple in the diet of many cultures which have better overall health than Westerners.

However, when we start tinkering with it and modifying it or otherwise changing the intended use of it, we can wind up with frustrating symptoms.

If soy is your problem food, be warned…it is in almost every packaged food known to man. It is also in milk, meat, and eggs of animals that have eaten it in feed. There are a great many people who have taken to raising their own poultry and other animal food sources so they can carefully control the amount of soy they digest, but this is kind of a drastic measure.

Wheat and wheat gluten are also on the top of the list because of the rising number of people identified with celiac disease. Sometimes a simple food intolerance to wheat causes skin, stomach, bowel, behavior and vision problems, so it’s good to monitor what you are eating here.

The good news is that if you find in your journaling that your skin and tummy trouble is linked to wheat gluten, you may be finding really delicious alternatives to old favourites. The last estimates of the gluten-free food industry pegged its 2010 growth as over a billion US dollars.

So keep that journal and make some adjustments. It’s a temporary blip in the road but once you get past identifying what offends your system, you can begin to experiment with food that heals as well as satisfies your taste buds.

For more information on finding healthy foods and lifestyle changes, try my Cholesterol or Acid Reflux guides today.

Break Free of Reflux and Gas Problems - 9 One-Minute Habits That Boost Your Health and Happiness

Having a long, healthy life means doing the little things that count. The little habits that don’t take much time but still add up in the long-run. And turns out we’ve got 9 handpicked one-minute habits you can do every day.

Some of these you can do right now, wherever you’re reading this. And that’s just a bit tempting.

Switch from red meat to fish: Many studies have shown time and again that eating red meat regularly can be bad for the heart and increase the risk of developing colon cancer.

However, eating fish can significantly cut down the risk of both heart problems and cancer. They are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which when properly balanced with omega-6 fatty acids, can be very beneficial for reducing inflammation.

Drink red wine: Red wine is very useful for keeping away Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, cancer and Type 2 Diabetes. The compound ‘resveratrol’ in grapes is thought to be responsible for these benefits. The key is not to go overboard and limit consumption to just a few glasses a week.

Microwave the kitchen sponge: While we often consider the toilet seat as the haven of microbes, in truth, the kitchen sponge can have more microbes than the toilet seat! Microwaving the sponge for 30 seconds can kill most disease-causing microbes in it.

Take vitamin supplements: Make sure that you get the required amount of vitamins and minerals to keep away vitamin and mineral deficiencies that are responsible for different ailments like osteoporosis, heart disease, cancer, common cold, memory loss, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. But make sure you’re taking high quality supplements since many supermarket brands are worse than skipping them.

Don’t forget to buckle your seat belt: Save yourself from the worst brunt of car accidents by doing one simple thing – wear your seat belt! About 40,000 people die every year in US due to car accidents. Most deaths could have been prevented if they’d fastened the seat belt.

Treat yourself to dark chocolate occasionally: Dark chocolate has been shown to have several benefits – it cuts down the risk of heart disease, improves memory in elderly people, helps metabolize glucose more efficiently and fights against stress and depression.

Take deep breaths often: Whenever you get some free time inhale deeply, take in a deep breath through one nostril, count till 4 and exhale through the other nostril. Do this as often as you can, because it melts stress and calms your mind.

Rinse mouth after meals: Rinsing is a better way to prevent acidic food from corroding the tooth enamel better than brushing the teeth. Plain water or unsweetened tea are good for rinsing mouth and preventing germ buildup.

Sleep on your left side: A study published in the journal ‘Chest’ reveals that nearly 25 percent of Americans experience heartburn in the night. This can be prevented by sleeping on the left side. This stops the acid from esophagus from flowing back into the esophagus.

For more ideas on how to break free of reflux and gas problems, watch this video -How To Stop Acid Reflux | How To Treat Acid Reflux

Break Free of Reflux and Gas Problems - Waking up with your throat burning isn’t exactly something that makes you smile throughout the day. That’s why we’ve got an easy-to-follow way for you to beat acid reflux and say goodbye to it once and for all. Check it out…

Do you enjoy snoring? Didn’t think so. But what can you do about it? Oh, nothing much except for this extremely effective anti-snoring technique anyone can do…

This post is from Scott Davis’ Acid Reflux Solution. This program helps you to cure your heartburn and acid reflux by using natural remedies to quickly heal your stomach without dangerous medicine or risky surgeries. It can also help you to remove some disorders of acid reflux such as constipation or IBS.

To find out more about the program, go to Break Free of Reflux and Gas Problems as Soon as Today