Meats vs. Veggies

via Katie

   Meat vs. Veggies

Chili

Pizza

Ice cream

Eggs

Burgers

Chick-fil-a

Macaroni

Cheese

Milk

Why am I listing all of these things?

Andrew and I have recently adopted an eating lifestyle that no longer includes the items. Crazy! I know! Those are some All-American foods right there that make the heart and tummy happy.  We made the decision over a month ago to start eating a plant-based diet. Why? Because we hate to eat good food.

No, just kidding :).  There is exponential amount of studies showing that plant-based foods (meaning no animal or animal byproduct but instead what is grown from the ground) are anti-inflammatory and, when the foundation of one's diet,  they have the ability to decrease one's chances of developing diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.

Do we think eating animal or animal products is harmful to us? NO. ONLY IF OVER CONSUMED
Will we never touch meat, cheese, or dairy again? SURE, WE WILL EAT THEM AGAIN

All we are trying to do is wrap our minds around more plant items such as fruits, veggies, whole grains, and plant proteins such as soy and nuts. So we agreed to go full force to, I guess, "rid" our bodies and start fresh. I imagine us over time incorporating animal foods back into our diet, but not for a while. And when we do, it will be in aN 80/20 ratio. 80 plant and 20 animal. Or maybe even less. Like 90/10?  Or maybe a couple times a week? I don't know yet.

Do we crave meat, cheese, or dairy? NO, NOT REALLY. (I try to create meals that have "meatiness" like bean or lentil stews.)
Aren't we lacking in vitamins and minerals animal foods provide? WE COULD BE, BUT WE WORK TO MAKE SURE WE AREN'T

We take multivitamins daily to help with B12 (which is only in animals), I make sure a protein source such as lentils, beans, soy, and whole grains are apart of each meal, I cook from a cast iron pot several times a week to help increase iron, flaxseed in our oatmeal and baked goods for omega-3, leafy greens for calcium, and then of course most things packaged are enriched and fortified with calcium.


Do we starve? ABSOLUTELY NOT
Is it hard? ONLY WHEN YOU TRY TO EAT OUT

We eat to our hearts content on great, seasonal, and farm fresh foods. I go the farmers market every weekend to pick up our produce for the week. I always leave my meals feeling full yet never bloated or stuffed. Our bodies feel great and we've both lost weight. :)




Do you think you could make the change? What would be hard for you to give up?