Tree Huggers and Vegetarians

The last post was about what NOT to eat, I'd like to continue that discussion here.

Let me begin by stating up front that, as much as anyone else, I'm conscious of animals and the environment. I'm absolutely against cruelty to animals, and I'm into composting, recycling, going green, saving power, and the like. But at the same time, I'm not so zealous that I'm willing to risk my life for the cause. I'm not going to join the Sea Shepherds to save the whales, although I admire what they're trying to do. And I'm not going to camp out in the trees at Cal-Berkeley to make a point. I don't roll that way. I'm trying as best I can to make a difference in my life, and hopefully in the lives of a few other close friends, by sharing my life's experiences.

With that said, when people talk about the environment and their diets as "spiritual" or "zen-like" or any other terms like that, I begin to shut off. I know, it's a weakness I'm working on, to be more open about it. I'm very pragmatic about health and happiness, and I realize that what we do to our environment and what do to our bodies has a huge effect on our spirit. I just choose not to spend a lot of time listening to or hearing those aspects, when someone talks about diet and exercise. Given that, I do believe in God, I go to church and pray regularly, I meditate and do yoga...but to me, that's a very personal and very different aspect of my life, separate from diet and exercise. I know they're connected, but to me, I'd rather know about someone's views on diet and exercise, separate from the spiritual views. Ah well, nobody's perfect.

As to vegetarians, and the point of the entry, what exactly is a vegetarian?

I've observed lots of people lately who claim to be vegetarians, and I see a very wide spectrum of people. I see people who are very healthy, vibrant, and energetic. And I also see people who are overweight and sluggish. And of course, many in between.

There's a person who claims to be a "vegetarian." So he's asked, "What do you eat?" He responds. "I don't eat any animal products, but I also don't eat vegetables, I hate them. I eat pasta, cereals, breads, you know." He's overweight, has a steady stream of Diet Coke running in this office, eats cookies during breaks, and eats lots of stewed dishes full of oil. He rarely exercises.

There's another person who claims to be a "vegetarian." So he's asked, "What do you eat?" He responds. "Whole vegetables and fruits, some cooked vegetables, and even less brown rice and beans, with a few nuts and seeds thrown in." He's very fit, looks probably 10 years younger than he really is, and exercises regularly.

So these two example people show the extremes. Just because you're a vegetarian (don't eat animal products) doesn't mean that your healthy. You may be happy, but that's another blog entry. :) It really does make a difference what you eat and what you don't eat, when it comes to fitness and health.

So, we know that all animal products cause disease, and should be avoided, and that a plant-based (ugh, vegetarian) diet is what we should follow to get healthy. But, that does not mean, you eat Captain Crunch with soy milk and call that a good breakfast. That does not mean you eat a sandwich with white dread, peanut butter and jelly with a side of french fries and call that a good lunch. That does not mean you eat a huge bowl or pasta with tons of olive oil and a few spices and call that a good dinner.

For me, after my Raw for 30-days experience, I went quasi-vegetarian and ate a diet similar to one I just described. I gained weight, I began to feel awful again. So, it wasn't simply eliminating the animal products that would do it for me. I had to find more. As I mentioned, I'm doing the "Eat to Live" plan (a modified version of it), and I'm going to do it for 6 weeks. I'll report my progress weekly in subsequent blogs. But, for now, here's what I will eat daily for the next 6 weeks:

Breakfast - Green Smoothie

8 oz. of liquid (organic carrot, organic acai, organic almond milk, or water)
1 banana
1/2 cup frozen organic blueberries (or acai smoothie pack)
a huge bunch of greens (kale, romaine, swiss chard, bok choy, etc.)
ice cubes
1 Tbls of ground flaxseed
** Throw in a blender (Blendtec TotalHome) and 25 seconds later...smoothie time!

Lunch - Big Salad and Beans + Fruit

Massive amount of organic spring mix
1 Tbls salad dressing (sometimes fat-free, sometime olive-oil based)
Freshly chopped veggies (zuccini, bell peppers, onions, and small amount of avocado)
Pinch of Celtic sea salt (my weakness!)
Freshly cracked black pepper
1 oz. of nuts or seeds (organic raw almonds, raw sunflower seeds)
1 cup of organic cooked black beans (made from scratch, eaten separately)
1 Whole Fruit (organic apple, orange, nectarine, pineapple, melon, etc.)

Dinner - Big Salad and Rice + Cooked Veggies + Fruit

Massive amount of organic spring mix
1 Tbls salad dressing (sometimes fat-free, sometime olive-oil based)
Freshly chopped veggies (zuccini, bell peppers, onions, and small amount of avocado)
Pinch of Celtic sea salt (my weakness!)
Freshly cracked black pepper
1 cup of organic brown rice (eaten separately)
1 cup of cooked organic cooked vegetables (eggplant, carrots, broccoli, green beans, asparagus, etc. or fresh homemade soup made in the Blendtec - tomato/basil, cold green pea, etc.)
1 whole fruit (organic apple, orange, nectarine, pineapple slices, melon slices, etc.)

Note, I'm also training for a half marathon (13.1 miles), so I tend to eat more salad, beans, rice, fruit, etc. to cover my needs.

As you can see, there's no chips, cookies, junk food, huge amount of oil, refined sugars, pastas, breads, processed foods, or deep fried anything. It's just whole foods, done as simply as possible. I know for some of you, this would be a huge challenge to do. I hear you. But, I would say to try it (or something like it), even for a few days, to see how you feel, before you make any conclusions. Maybe you lose your cravings or tastes for animal products. Maybe you begin to crave fresh fruits and vegetables. Maybe you feel better. Let your body decide. Don't let your mind decide, especially if you haven't even tried.

So far, I'm feeling great. I'm not hungry at all. It's actually much simpler to shop, and my workouts are going fine. But, we'll discuss more in the entries to come...