Is Being A Vegan Helping Me Lose Weight?

This month marks my two year vegan anniversary! Woohoo!

 It hasn't always been easy but this lifestyle is so worth it.

I became a vegan mainly for ethical and environmental reasons, so the health benefits are just an awesome bonus.

I used to be very self-conscious about my weight. When I stopped worrying, I felt better and the weight started to drop off.

I don't own a scale but based on pictures, it appears that I have lost weight during this last year.

Here's a picture of me from April 2011 

Believe it or not, I actually exercised more in that picture than I do now.

Like LaQuesha says, losing weight is 80% what you eat and 20% exercise.

Here's a side view from last weekend for comparison....

I eat what I want when I want. Some people think being a vegan is about restrictions but it really isn't!

I think counting calories is more work than focusing on eating as a vegan. Overall, I enjoy a lot of the same foods as before (macaroni & cheese and cinnamon rolls), but I can say I also eat more fresh food than 3 years ago.

My motto: As long as it's vegan, I will eat cookies or drink a smoothie at 10 PM. lol

Interested in eating more vegan options? Check out a previous post with tips and also consider Meatless Mondays for a easier transition.

LaQuesha has a great post about her weight transformation through vegan eating and exercise. At her heaviest she was 172 lbs-she's now down to 130 lbs.  

Have you lost weight since becoming a vegan or changing some of your eating habits? Let's discuss in the comments.

6 Ways to Eat Vegan on a Budget

People often complain to me about how expensive vegan eating is.  I agree this way of eating isn't cheap but you do get what you pay for.  

Here are some tips to help reduce your grocery bill:

*Don't buy produce in bulk- I know this isn't popular advice, but in my experience, we waste money buying produce in bulk because we don't usually eat it fast enough. It’s best to buy only what you need.

*Shop store brand- With many of the store brands being comparable to national ones, you can save a little money there.  Also, many grocery stores are now offering store brand organics at a reduced price.

*Don't purchase pre-cut fruit and vegetables- Why pay the premium price for something you can easily do yourself? 

*Plan Plan Plan!  Make sure to bring a well-planned grocery list to avoid impulsive purchases. Check out my list of tips to help you plan your menu.

*Avoid pre-packaged or frozen vegan entrees- These foods are super expensive. Your money would stretch much further by making simple meals from scratch.

I talk more about that here....

You don't have to buy organic- If feeling like you have to purchase all organic produce, nuts, and seeds is preventing you from transitioning to vegan eating, don't let it.  

Here's a list from Environmental Working Group of the fruits and vegetables sprayed the most and least with pesticides.  If money is tight, buy only the "dirty dozen" produce organic.

Thanks for reading!

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My First Juice Fast-The Ups and Mostly Downs

I watched Fat Sick & Nearly Deadabout 5 months ago, and even though I loved the message, I wasn't moved to juice fast myself until the other day.

I enjoy fresh juiced fruit and vegetables a few times each week, but the idea of not eating for several days was too daunting to imagine actually doing for myself.  

I was on Twitter minding my business (well not really but you know what I mean) when a lady I follow mentioned how great she was feeling after juicing for the last 3 days.  A few days later,  I saw she was still going strong and feeling better than ever. 

Day 1 Monday, Feb 28 - I didn't plan to fast when I woke up, so my day started off pretty normal.  I drank some lavender tea, got the kids ready for school and started working on a project.  Before I realized it, it was after 3 PM and I went the day without eating.  I was feeling okay and juiced apples, carrots, and ginger as a late lunch.

6 PM- I was feeling like crap because the family was eating dinner and I could smell it.  Thankfully, my hubby made Gardein "chicken" and tator tots for the kids, so I didn't actually have to see it.

9:30 PM-I made a pot of lemon grass tea, opened the refrigerator and stared at the contents. *Sigh*

I went to bed with a headache and had a hard time falling asleep because I kept thinking about bagels and fried rice.

Day 2-I woke up craving fish (I haven't had fish since 2008!) and french fries but started the day with a pot of lavender tea. 

I have to admit that I was feeling a little better even though I still had a slight headache. I made juice for lunch and made dinner that night.  I ate dinner too.

Day 3-I woke up with renewed energy.  I guess eating dinner does that to you. *shaking my head* I juiced grapes and carrots for breakfast and felt okay for most of the day.  Since my juicer doesn't extract green leafy vegetables very well, I decided to also incorporate smoothies into my fast. I hoped this would help me to also stay "fuller" longer.

3 PM- I made a smoothie out of cilantro, water, frozen peaches, and bananas. It wasn't the tastiest blend but it did a good job of making me feel full for a bit. 

I was good until dinner. I tasted a bit of the tofu, cabbage, and red onion stir-fry to make sure it had enough seasoning. Dumb move.  I ate dinner with my family again.

Did mention that I made corn muffins too? Sigh

Much respect to the people who can cook for their families and still keep up with their fast. 

Conclusion:

My lack of planning sabotaged me from the beginning. 

*I can't be around food at all if I do this again. I underestimated my willpower in that aspect-Meals would have to be planned in advance.

*Don't limit myself-be very active in getting plenty of water, herbal tea, and juice before the hungry pains & headaches start.

*Be active-I spent too much time thinking about food.  I need to make sure I have plans to keep myself as busy as possible.

Thinking about doing your own juice fast?

Want to Be Green? Eliminate Meat

I remember a few years ago "going green" was in.  Celebrities were on E! News talking about their hybrid cars, ditching disposable water bottles for Sigg, and composting their vegetable waste.

One of my Twitter buddies posted an interview with Tia Mowry discussing her life as an eco-friendly mom. 

Anybody else miss Sister, Sister? :-)

(source)

Mowry praised recycling, being mindful of her family's waste, and using earth-friendly laundry detergent as some of the ways she lives "green."  All of those ideas are awesome but I have an easier and very effective way to help our planet. 

Eliminate your consumption of meat-especially red meat.

Here's why.....

"A 2006 United Nation report revealed that the 'livestock sector' generates more greenhouse gas emissions than all the cars, trucks, trains, ships, and planes in the world combined. The livestock sector is one of the largest sources of carbon dioxide and the single largest source of both methane and nitrous oxide emissions. Nitrous oxide is considerably more potent as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. According to the U.N., the meat, egg, and dairy industries account for a staggering 65 percent of nitrous oxide emissions.

To combat climate change, many environmental experts urge people to at least cut back on the amount of animal products they eat. According to Chris Weber, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, not eating red meat and dairy products is the equivalent of not driving 8,100 miles in a car that gets 25 miles to the gallon. (Buying local meat will not have nearly the same effect, he says, because only five percent of food-related emissions come from transportation.)" source

Not ready to completely let go of your burgers yet?

Consider Meatless Mondays and experiment with meatless brands like Morningstar (most of their products are vegetarian not vegan), Gardein and/or Amy's Kitchen to making transitioning to a more compassionate way of eating easier.

Ummm, What? My Fruit Isn't Vegan?

Aren't these clementines lovely? Not so fast...

I picked up this box the other day, made sure none were rotten, and headed to the cash register.

When I got home, I noticed this tidbit ....

Lac-resin based wax? I googled lac-resin and was appalled to see that it's the secretions of a tiny lac insect.*Gag*

(source)

Why in the world are food companies using animal byproducts to preserve and shine conventional (non-organic) fruit?

According to the FDA:

Many vegetables and fruits make their own natural waxy coating. After harvest, fresh produce may be washed to clean off dirt and soil - but such washing also removes the natural wax. Therefore, waxes are applied to some produce to replace the natural waxes that are lost.

Wax coatings help retain moisture to maintain quality from farm to table including:

• when produce is shipped from farm to market

• while it is in the stores and restaurants

• once it is in the home

Waxes also help inhibit mold growth, protect produce from bruising, prevent other physical damage and disease, and enhance appearance.

Coatings used on fruits and vegetables must meet FDA food additive regulations for safety. Produce shippers and supermarkets in the United States are required by federal law to label fresh fruits and vegetables that have been waxed so you will know whether the produce you buy is coated. Watch for signs that say: "Coated with food-grade vegetable-, petroleum-, beeswax-, or shellac- based wax or resin, to maintain freshness."

Why this annoys me

Most of the time I buy organic produce, but what if I didn't have the money or that option wasn't available in my area? This is one of the reasons healthy eating has such an expensive stigma.  With unreasonable food standards like this, you have no choice but to buy organic if you're a vegan. *Sigh*

Just wash it off?  As a vegan, I don't want to eat animal products. Period. 

Also, according to this article, "...at this point in time, the only way we know of to remove the wax from non-organic produce is to remove the skin, as washing will not remove the wax or any bacteria trapped beneath it."

You need the skin on apples because that's where most of the nutrients are (apples, oranges, and cucumbers are most likely to have the wax).

Possible Solutions

*Farmer's markets tend to not have the wax coating because they pick and sell their produce much faster than traditional grocery stores

*Grow your own fruit & vegetables

*Buy organic- *Sigh* In a perfect world we could all do that

What do you think? Let's discuss in the comments

Sidenote: While googling for this post, I also saw that many food companies use lac-resin as a thin coating on candy & pharmaceutical products. Here's more information on that here.