Since the age of about 14 I have dipped in and out of various "meat free" nutrition strategies aka diets... I tried the vegetarian, pescatarian, vegan you name it I tested them. Several reasons behind my experiments: first I suffered a lot from eczema and various allergies, then of course my eating disorder didn't help but also because as I traveled the world I encountered so many different cultures that don't eat meat that I also wanted to understand their approach too. To be honest I am a firm believer on variety and that certain food groups work well with a "less is more" approach. More on that another day :) To be honest my husband and I are plant based 90% of the time, we do have fish & eggs once a week and we have a good steak every 4-6 weeks, we link it back to our training cycle. However this winter I got terribly sick, it was beyond a bad flue: I was training for 2 spring marathons (Paris & London), New York was getting weekly snow storms, temperatures were below freezing, we had just gotten a new puppy that required miles and miles of walks several times a day and on top of that my full time job as a trainer & coach...I was broken, beyond fatigued, my body & soul were aching. Then I thought to myself "are the demands I am putting on my body requiring more from my nutrition? should I be re-introducing red meat more frequently?" and so I ate a New York strip steak and instantly, like over night my energy came back up and I was on top of my game again...until a week a two later and boom, I crashed. So eventually I decided I just needed to add more meat more frequently on a weekly basis. It was awesome, my energy levels were back up. Fast forwards a few months when summer finally peaked it's nose the truth hit me in the face: I had gained over 10lbs!!! Shocking!! Particularly given my weight had stabilized itself since 2014. The only thing that had changed in my nutrition was the extra meat I had been eating. So I went back to my plant based eating habits and there it was: I started de-bloating and the weight is just slipping off. There are many amazing benefits of eating a plant-based diet rather than consuming animal sourced foods. So here below you have it all: the five benefits from beginning a vegan diet lifestyle. 1. A Reduced Risk of Developing Heart Disease Animal-based foods have more fat, especially saturated fats that damage the heart, arteries and blood vessels. You can see how much fat is in butter, cheese and meat by reading the labels on the products that you buy at the supermarket. When you stop consuming meat and other animal-based foods, you will stop ingesting high levels of saturated fat that cause strokes and heart attacks. 2. Increasing Your Level of Antioxidants By eating more plant-based foods, you are increasing the amount of antioxidants that you consume. Antioxidants are nutrients that are in the outer covering and flesh of bright or dark fruits and vegetables. This nutrient fights against the free radicals that are in your body’s cells, helping to prevent some types of cancer. When you are shopping for groceries, choose produce such as dark leafy greens, red tomatoes and orange bell peppers. 3. Protecting Your Body’s Liver When you consume animal-based products, your liver must work harder to remove the toxins from the meat and other processed foods. If your liver is damaged by cleansing the toxins from your bloodstream, then you can develop liver disease. In some cases, your liver will stop working, and without a functioning liver, your other organs will stop working, leading to death. 4. Maintaining a Healthy Blood Glucose Level A vegan diet that contains a lot of plant-based protein and fiber can help you maintain a healthy blood glucose level. Plant-based foods that contain a lot of protein include lentils, almonds and tofu. By consuming less saturated fat, you will reduce your cholesterol level, helping your body to regulate your blood sugar naturally. 5. Lose Weight With a Vegan Diet Plan Butter, meat and cheese contain numerous calories, and in many cases, you will eat large portions of animal-based foods, leading to excess weight. A vegan diet plan can lead to rapid weight loss because fruits, vegetables and grains are lower in fat. With a plant-based diet, you will feel satiated from the fiber, helping you to consume smaller portions at each meal. If you want to lose weight while also getting these additional benefits, you may want to consider a vegan diet, but my top recommendation would be to get 1:1 personal consultation. And I know you're burning to find out: yes I have gone back to my plant based nutrition habits BUT I am still going to include a little meat & fish as the demands I put on my body just need a little extra support every now and again. We are all unique and respond to programs differently, so why not email me [email protected] to schedule your FREE first discovery call and we can discuss what would work best for your based on YOUR lifestyle & YOUR goals. Have a beautiful day, Coach StephB ps: grab a copy of my Guide 10 Steps to leaner & healthier you AKA 10 steps to beFITbeFAB your life by clicking here:
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