So today is day 6 of my 30 day adventure into healthier eating...I think I've talked about it enough so if you want to know what plan I'm following, read back in my posts, or go to this link,http://thrivein30.com/sign-up-now/?cid=PPC-T30CAN-S
So my day currently looks something like this.
Breakfast : homemade energy bar (great recipes in The Thrive Diet by Brendan Brazier.
Mid Morning: smoothie with one scoop of Vega Whole Food Health Optimizer, a bit of frozen fruit and water.
Lunch : Large salad with homemade dressing
Mid Afternoon: almonds, apple, veggies, or something similar
Dinner : My usual (casserole, meat and veggies, etc.) I've kept that the same as it has always been.
I am still having one coffee a day and I've substituted my second coffee for a green tea. I am finding the Vega product to be quite sweet (which is a common complaint in the online reviews), as it is sweetened with stevia, which is much sweeter than sugar. I am slowly getting used to that. I also use only half of the recommended amount to save money as it is not the cheapest item to buy at the store. My salad varies from day to day with what vegetables I top it with. Then I add nuts or seeds and some blueberries.
I also mention that I have not changed my evening meal, but I have noticed a couple of things about it. I find I am quite full of energy most of my day, my stomach feels great. When I'm hungry, I eat. I just make sure that it is something healthy. After dinner, however, my stomach hurts or feels heavy and my energy level drops.
I am finding that I now am able to tell when I am actually hungry....at first, I had a feeling of not being full, but not true hunger. This was probably because I just ate when I felt I should and put a large portion on my plate and ate it until it was gone and sometimes went for seconds. Now, if I put a large portion of salad on my plate, I feel satisfied, but not uncomfortable. I know that I can go back for more if I want to with no guilt because I am eating whole foods, not processed and refined foods.
At this point, the changes that I have made have been easy, although it may becoe more challenging as I start working outside our home again next week. I think with some planning, it should continue to go smoothly, but wish me luck anyways :)
Friday 11 November 2011
Thursday 10 November 2011
Hmmmm.....Maybe This is Working....
I have started incorporating the suggestions from Lesson 2 of Brendan Brazier's Thrive in 30. These are pretty simple.
1. Add more antioxidants into your diet. - I added blueberries and blackberries into my smoothie.
2. Add chlorella to your diet. According to Brazier, chlorella is a single celled algae and is high
in vitamin B12. B12 is typically lacking in a vegan diet and needs to be supplemented.
3. Brazier recommends that instead of concentrating on removing foods rom your diet that you try
including more healthful and nutritious foods. You will find that naturally you are eating less of the
unhealthy foods that you were consuming before.
To ensure that I was getting the Chlorella and lots of vitamins, minerals and nutrients (although I know that I am getting far more the way I am eating now than I was), I purchased some Vega Whole Food Optimizer. This is Brazier's own formulation. It also contains Maca (which I will talk about in a later post) which is said to increase energy.
I do have to admit that after I had my smoothie with the Vega in it, I did feel fantastic. In fact, I had a homemade energy bar in the morning, a smoothie midmorning and a large salad for lunch and I think I felt better than I have in a long time. For dinner I had an omelette and toast and again had that heavy feeling, but found it passed quicker than on previous nights.
The only complaint I have (and my husband made it quite clear as well) is how much I have spent on groceries. I feel that if I didn't need to buy the healthy foods that I am using plus the junk that MH wants, that it would not be as bad. However, the Vega supplement was fairly expensive, plus, I had to buy some things that only have to be bought on occasion (coconut oil, large amount of almond, etc.).
I do love the way that I am feeling by doing this, and am going to see it through for the full 30 days (especially so that I can post my results). After that, will let you know where I go from there.
Bear with me as I start Day 5!!
1. Add more antioxidants into your diet. - I added blueberries and blackberries into my smoothie.
2. Add chlorella to your diet. According to Brazier, chlorella is a single celled algae and is high
in vitamin B12. B12 is typically lacking in a vegan diet and needs to be supplemented.
3. Brazier recommends that instead of concentrating on removing foods rom your diet that you try
including more healthful and nutritious foods. You will find that naturally you are eating less of the
unhealthy foods that you were consuming before.
To ensure that I was getting the Chlorella and lots of vitamins, minerals and nutrients (although I know that I am getting far more the way I am eating now than I was), I purchased some Vega Whole Food Optimizer. This is Brazier's own formulation. It also contains Maca (which I will talk about in a later post) which is said to increase energy.
I do have to admit that after I had my smoothie with the Vega in it, I did feel fantastic. In fact, I had a homemade energy bar in the morning, a smoothie midmorning and a large salad for lunch and I think I felt better than I have in a long time. For dinner I had an omelette and toast and again had that heavy feeling, but found it passed quicker than on previous nights.
The only complaint I have (and my husband made it quite clear as well) is how much I have spent on groceries. I feel that if I didn't need to buy the healthy foods that I am using plus the junk that MH wants, that it would not be as bad. However, the Vega supplement was fairly expensive, plus, I had to buy some things that only have to be bought on occasion (coconut oil, large amount of almond, etc.).
I do love the way that I am feeling by doing this, and am going to see it through for the full 30 days (especially so that I can post my results). After that, will let you know where I go from there.
Bear with me as I start Day 5!!
Monday 7 November 2011
What a Difference a Day Makes
So as you know (if you've been following my postings), I am participating in the Brendan Brazier's Thrive in 30 program. So yesterday was day 1. I was a good girl and followed my plan. I had a large salad or lunch. I had nutritious snacks. I had a smoothie to bump up my fruit intake. I even had 2 coffees instead of 3. I thought I felt hungrier than usual, but when I really thought about it, I wasn't hungry, I just didn't have that over full, heavy sort of feeling that I have from the foods I typically eat. I felt generally good. I didn't have the usual afternoon sluggish time when I want to have a coffee.
Today, however, I went out or lunch with a friend and decided that I was going to order a salad......until I got to the restaurant. I couldn't resist and had a wrap with fries. Bad idea. Now that I am listening more to my body's signals, I realized afterwards that my stomach felt like it usually did.....unsettled. I became so thirsty and I could not quench my thirst. I was very fatigued by early afternoon and I felt my stress level rising and my patience level sinking. So, what did I do.....I spent some time making energy bars from the recipes in Brendan Brazier's book, The Thrive Diet. I'm planning or a better day tomorrow.
I you are following my blog, you will find out that I am only human and that I tend to be honest about my successes and my failures and have a few laughs along the way.
Today, however, I went out or lunch with a friend and decided that I was going to order a salad......until I got to the restaurant. I couldn't resist and had a wrap with fries. Bad idea. Now that I am listening more to my body's signals, I realized afterwards that my stomach felt like it usually did.....unsettled. I became so thirsty and I could not quench my thirst. I was very fatigued by early afternoon and I felt my stress level rising and my patience level sinking. So, what did I do.....I spent some time making energy bars from the recipes in Brendan Brazier's book, The Thrive Diet. I'm planning or a better day tomorrow.
I you are following my blog, you will find out that I am only human and that I tend to be honest about my successes and my failures and have a few laughs along the way.
Sunday 6 November 2011
The Frantic Housewife : Human Guinea Pig
So I've been writing a lot about eating healthier and reading about vegetarianism and veganism. I have been reading a lot out Brendan Brazier and his web program Thrive in 30. Again, here's the link http://thrivein30.com/sign-up-now/?cid=PPC-T30CAN-S It's free and new lessons are sent every few days to progress you through this 30 day program. I also have been reading his book The Thrive Diet. I mentioned in my last post some of the reasons that I am enjoying his book, but I don't think I talked about this. I have read a lot of healthy eating books of all varieties, but I have never read a book that describes why I should be eating all the foods that are suggested. I don't just mean, "eat vegetables because they have vitamins and minerals". I mean, Brendan Brazier goes into great detail about why he added these foods to his diet, what they specifically provide to the body and how that will affect your energy levels and overall wellness. I am actually reading the book for a second time because I feel that I may have missed something. There is also a 12 week meal plan and many recipes.
So after having received 6 of the 12 emails from the Thrive in 30 program, I have decided to actually participate in it. Which as you may remember from my last post, must mean that I am ready to divulge some personal information. I'm going to give you the basic stats plus some other information of things that may change during this process. Would I like to lose weight? Absolutely, but the main reason that I am doing this is to gain more energy and generally feel better.
Stats:
Age: 33
Height: 5'5"
Weight: 193 lbs. (stop snickering)
I generally lack energy. I get tired trying to keep up with my kids. I go to bed between 9:30 and 10. I usually can't sleep much past 6 or 6:30 am (probably because I go to bed early). I suffered from post partum depression after my second child was born (5 years ago) and continue to take 3 different medications for it (one of which is to help me sleep). I have frequent acne breakouts despite being in my 30s. I drink 3 (very large) cups of coffee a day. I drink alcohol rarely (due in large part to the medications that I take). I have a very busy family. My 8 year old is in hockey and Cubs, my 5 year old is in ballet and Sparks and my husband is a volunteer firefighter when he is not at his full time job. I am currently a stay at home mom, but in a few weeks will be returning to my old job 3 day a week on the days my youngest is in school. About 50% of the food we eat is processed. My kids and husband have a love affair with chips. Because I am the chief cook, some of the foods they eat will change slightly, but I will continue to cook meat and dairy products for them while I am going through this challenge.
The changes I am making for this first step are:
1. Eat a large salad for lunch each day (I plan to use some of the recipes in Brendan's book)
2. Have a smoothie each day (once I have a working blender?!?!?)
3. Have fruits and veggies for snacks (or my smoothie)
4. Reduce the amount of sugar I add to things (ie:coffee)
5. Reduce the amount of caffeine in my diet.
So at this point, I don't have to change my breakfast or lunch if I don't want to. The point of this is to make gradual, sustainable changes, so that it is a lifestyle change. I plan to post regularly about my progress, how I feel, etc, and occasionally I'll weigh in so that I can be held accountable. I plan to put up a before picture as soon as I can. If you decide to join me on this adventure, post some comments, or like me on Facebook and post comment that way. I would appreciate the support!!
So after having received 6 of the 12 emails from the Thrive in 30 program, I have decided to actually participate in it. Which as you may remember from my last post, must mean that I am ready to divulge some personal information. I'm going to give you the basic stats plus some other information of things that may change during this process. Would I like to lose weight? Absolutely, but the main reason that I am doing this is to gain more energy and generally feel better.
Stats:
Age: 33
Height: 5'5"
Weight: 193 lbs. (stop snickering)
I generally lack energy. I get tired trying to keep up with my kids. I go to bed between 9:30 and 10. I usually can't sleep much past 6 or 6:30 am (probably because I go to bed early). I suffered from post partum depression after my second child was born (5 years ago) and continue to take 3 different medications for it (one of which is to help me sleep). I have frequent acne breakouts despite being in my 30s. I drink 3 (very large) cups of coffee a day. I drink alcohol rarely (due in large part to the medications that I take). I have a very busy family. My 8 year old is in hockey and Cubs, my 5 year old is in ballet and Sparks and my husband is a volunteer firefighter when he is not at his full time job. I am currently a stay at home mom, but in a few weeks will be returning to my old job 3 day a week on the days my youngest is in school. About 50% of the food we eat is processed. My kids and husband have a love affair with chips. Because I am the chief cook, some of the foods they eat will change slightly, but I will continue to cook meat and dairy products for them while I am going through this challenge.
The changes I am making for this first step are:
1. Eat a large salad for lunch each day (I plan to use some of the recipes in Brendan's book)
2. Have a smoothie each day (once I have a working blender?!?!?)
3. Have fruits and veggies for snacks (or my smoothie)
4. Reduce the amount of sugar I add to things (ie:coffee)
5. Reduce the amount of caffeine in my diet.
So at this point, I don't have to change my breakfast or lunch if I don't want to. The point of this is to make gradual, sustainable changes, so that it is a lifestyle change. I plan to post regularly about my progress, how I feel, etc, and occasionally I'll weigh in so that I can be held accountable. I plan to put up a before picture as soon as I can. If you decide to join me on this adventure, post some comments, or like me on Facebook and post comment that way. I would appreciate the support!!
Wednesday 2 November 2011
I'm Going to Talk About the Plant Based Nutrition Guru, Brendan Brazier
If you've been reading my previous posts, you know that I enjoy reading about plant based nutrition (note, however, that I am presently not following any real eating plan and I do eat meat <for now>). I have subscribed for a free online program that was designed by Canadian triathlete and plant based nutrition educator, Brendan Brazier. It is called Thrive in 30 and here's the link: http://thrivein30.com/sign-up-now/
I previously reviewed lesson 1 and have since received lessons 2 through 4. It is really worth signing up if you wish to get the full lessons. Brendan provides a video plus a written lesson where he goes into detail about the steps to change your diet. He explains why certain foods are very important in your diet and why you should avoid other foods. Below I will give a brief description of the lessons, but please, please PLEASE, consider signing up to the Thrive in 30 program. I will do it no justice and the information is amazing.
Lesson 2 - High Net Gain Nutrition
In this lesson, Brendan describes what he means my high net gain nutrition and in doing so, he talks about the importance of eating good quality whole foods. The reason that this is important is the typical diet of highly refined food lacks many nutrients and vitamins and is also more difficult for the body to digest. So, your body is expending a large amount of energy to digest the food and not receiving much usable energy in return. That's why many people are fatigued throughout most of their day. They are using so much energy to digest their food and are actually left with an energy deficit afterwards.
Brendan also shows that despite what you may hear, that plant based diets do not need to lack certain nutrients and vitamins and shows you what to eat to ensure that you are not deficient in these.
Lesson 3 - Myth Busting- The Whole(food) Truth About Protein, Carbs and Fats
In this lesson, Brendan explains why you don't need to eat animal protein and that plant based protein is easier to digest. I was surprised to hear that soy based protein isn't the ideal protein source, but the explanation he offer was great. He also encourages and lists how to choose good quality fats carbs and proteins. There are some great substitutes for some popular comfort foods.
Lesson 4 - Alkaline Vs. Acid. Why Your Body's pH Matters
One of the first things described in this lesson was that osteoporosis is affecting people at a younger and younger age. The cause? According to the Thrive in 30 program, the cause is the amount of acid forming foods that are consumed. Acid forming foods include animal products (meat, dairy, etc.) and refined foods. Brendan suggests trading in an acid forming meal for alkaline foods (large salad of leafy greens) for a couple of days and noting any changes in how you feel.
It is suggested that shifting to an alkaline diet will help improve sleep, avoid disease, increase energy and lose weight. Brendan makes it clear that this way of eating should not be looked at as a quick fix, but as a long term lifestyle change.
So that sums up the latest lessons I have received. I also must tell you that I ordered The Thrive Diet by Brendan Brazier and that I have almst completed reading it. I plan to read it through again before I comment much on it, but I am thoroughly enjoying it. I think that part of the reason that I am liking it so much is because it is in no way preachy. He explains everything based on his personal experience and although he is a high level athlete and he does write about that and ways that a plant based diet can be utilized to improve high level fitness, he also shows how it can be used by anyone to improve health and fitness. The other thing that I love about it is that I have read many vegan and vegetarian books that focus on animal rights and appreciate the education in that area, but I have already heard it. This book touches on environmental impact (which is very important), but it's main focus is nutrition and fueling the body properly. The last thing that I noticed about this book is that although Brendan is the founder of the Vega line of products, he rarely writes about them. There is imformation on the Vega line in the book, but he gives alternatives to using them. He gives recipes for energy bars and smoothies and mentions his products as convenient for when you don't have the time to prepare other items yourself.
I look forward to completing the book and receiving more lessons, so that I con pass the information on. At some point soon. I plan to start utilizing the Thrive in 30 and blogging my results with weight, energy and any other way it may affect me. I'm just waiting until I get up the courage to post my weight, measurements and maybe even a before picture :O
As Brendan stresss in his lessons, it's about making gradual change so that you can stick to it and so the body undergoes the least amount of stress possible while improving your diet. Feel free to join me on this adventure....I'd love to hear your feedback!
I previously reviewed lesson 1 and have since received lessons 2 through 4. It is really worth signing up if you wish to get the full lessons. Brendan provides a video plus a written lesson where he goes into detail about the steps to change your diet. He explains why certain foods are very important in your diet and why you should avoid other foods. Below I will give a brief description of the lessons, but please, please PLEASE, consider signing up to the Thrive in 30 program. I will do it no justice and the information is amazing.
Lesson 2 - High Net Gain Nutrition
In this lesson, Brendan describes what he means my high net gain nutrition and in doing so, he talks about the importance of eating good quality whole foods. The reason that this is important is the typical diet of highly refined food lacks many nutrients and vitamins and is also more difficult for the body to digest. So, your body is expending a large amount of energy to digest the food and not receiving much usable energy in return. That's why many people are fatigued throughout most of their day. They are using so much energy to digest their food and are actually left with an energy deficit afterwards.
Brendan also shows that despite what you may hear, that plant based diets do not need to lack certain nutrients and vitamins and shows you what to eat to ensure that you are not deficient in these.
Lesson 3 - Myth Busting- The Whole(food) Truth About Protein, Carbs and Fats
In this lesson, Brendan explains why you don't need to eat animal protein and that plant based protein is easier to digest. I was surprised to hear that soy based protein isn't the ideal protein source, but the explanation he offer was great. He also encourages and lists how to choose good quality fats carbs and proteins. There are some great substitutes for some popular comfort foods.
Lesson 4 - Alkaline Vs. Acid. Why Your Body's pH Matters
One of the first things described in this lesson was that osteoporosis is affecting people at a younger and younger age. The cause? According to the Thrive in 30 program, the cause is the amount of acid forming foods that are consumed. Acid forming foods include animal products (meat, dairy, etc.) and refined foods. Brendan suggests trading in an acid forming meal for alkaline foods (large salad of leafy greens) for a couple of days and noting any changes in how you feel.
It is suggested that shifting to an alkaline diet will help improve sleep, avoid disease, increase energy and lose weight. Brendan makes it clear that this way of eating should not be looked at as a quick fix, but as a long term lifestyle change.
So that sums up the latest lessons I have received. I also must tell you that I ordered The Thrive Diet by Brendan Brazier and that I have almst completed reading it. I plan to read it through again before I comment much on it, but I am thoroughly enjoying it. I think that part of the reason that I am liking it so much is because it is in no way preachy. He explains everything based on his personal experience and although he is a high level athlete and he does write about that and ways that a plant based diet can be utilized to improve high level fitness, he also shows how it can be used by anyone to improve health and fitness. The other thing that I love about it is that I have read many vegan and vegetarian books that focus on animal rights and appreciate the education in that area, but I have already heard it. This book touches on environmental impact (which is very important), but it's main focus is nutrition and fueling the body properly. The last thing that I noticed about this book is that although Brendan is the founder of the Vega line of products, he rarely writes about them. There is imformation on the Vega line in the book, but he gives alternatives to using them. He gives recipes for energy bars and smoothies and mentions his products as convenient for when you don't have the time to prepare other items yourself.
I look forward to completing the book and receiving more lessons, so that I con pass the information on. At some point soon. I plan to start utilizing the Thrive in 30 and blogging my results with weight, energy and any other way it may affect me. I'm just waiting until I get up the courage to post my weight, measurements and maybe even a before picture :O
As Brendan stresss in his lessons, it's about making gradual change so that you can stick to it and so the body undergoes the least amount of stress possible while improving your diet. Feel free to join me on this adventure....I'd love to hear your feedback!
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