Forks over Knives aka Plant Based Diet

[Kristee]

I'm highly curious about this diet. The movie is played at my diabetic doctor's office day in and day out and I've watched it as well as Engine 2 To the Rescue.

Anyone on a plant based diet? Have you noticed any results? Can you or will you please share some recipes?

[Vstyle]

Been vegan for 5 years, won't ever go back to meat and dairy.  I used to have constant sinus infections, 3 to 4 a year and was always at the dr.'s getting on antibiotics.  (dairy creates more mucus within the body).  When I  made the change, haven't had one instant of a sinus infection and no more stuffy morning nose either.  I lost 25 lbs with just the change in diet, no exercise at the time.  As long as you eat healthy vegan items (fresh food  (esp organic) vs. processed) and limit the intake on pasta and breads etc, you can achieve some  optimum health.  I wasn't terribly unhealthy before but my blood numbers on everything came out much better after I went vegan.

My body functions better, more energy and my mind is clearer.  Only regret I have is that I didn't do this 20 years ago upon finding out about the cruetly animals suffer.  For me, the health benefits are secondary. 🙂

Check out the V Word on Facebook, she has a blog with all sorts of recipes.

[SunsetRunner]

I spent 20 years as a high performance aerobic athlete (5km. and 10km. races), and was totally

vegetarian (except perhaps the odd bug that I swallowed). Don't eat anything that has a mother.

[Farica]

A couple of months ago I went way more plant-based. I'm not vegan or vegetarian by any means - I don't fuss if there's a bit of meat in my soup, and I'll eat fish a couple of times a week. So far I'm very happy and hope I never go back to eating the way I was. I've lost eighteen pounds, relatively painlessly (I'm overweight so I have it to lose) and just feel better. I do have to be take care to distinquish between what's healthy and what's not. That is, veggies are good, donuts, not so much; I have to stick to veggies, fruits, whole grains and be extremely careful around sugary stuff and overly salty things, vegan/vegetarian or not. Anyway - so far, I'm happy.

[PlantBasedDiet]

A great plant based diet recipe is oven baked Cauliflower. I wash it, peal the leafs off, and bake it whole.

Secondly, oven baked Zucchini. Wash, slice, place in plastic bag. Season with olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper. Add sliced color peppers for flavor. Take out of plastic bag,  and place in foil or on a cookie sheet. Bake to your liking. Yummm!

[Serena1989]

I've been mostly plant based (I'd sometimes eat fish always fresh, never frozen) for 8 years and I've been brought up in Italy (I'm half Italian half British) on a typical mediterranean diet so mostly plants, beans, lots of pasta and olive oil.

I've always been very slim and never had weight problems until I moved to the UK for University and started eating less fresh, convenience food even tho it was still vegetarian. In two years I gained 33 lbs going from 125 to 158 (I'm 5'9''). I'm now down to 135 and you know what did it? Remembering the way I've been taught to choose, eat and prepar my food - fresh ingredients, never processed or out of a box, mostly plants, beans and whole grains and make it myself.

So yes, I think you are doing an excellent job in trying out a plant based diet but I think it's even more important to concentrate on whole foods and good ingredients. Just my two cents on the matter 🙂

[ChaChaAlMode]

Been vegetarian/pesscitarian since 2006.  I dabbled with the idea most of my adult life, but in 2006 I dated a vegetarain and he showed me how to eat sustainable.  It took hard work to get there and the only reason I eat fish is that after ditching the processed foods my B12 levels dropped to dangerous levels.  The supplements help but I tend to not absorb them so well.  My doctor suggested I eat some type of fish 2 times a month to help with that absorbtion. 

I noticed that I had a little more energy and focus along with less bloated feeling.  Initially I was focused on traditonal diet with a meat substitute. It took me 4 years to realize that I may as well eat a nasty hamburger daily because it was healthier than using meat substitutes.  I lost 70 lbs back in 2010 and was bike commuting almost daily and almost everywhere.  I shopped by bike and went to work by bike, it felt good to do this for myself.  Sadly in 2011 I was hit by a truck on my bike and all of my hard work was lost, being laid up for 4 months and dependent on others to feed me took its toll.  

Move forward to 2015 and I am 3/4 of the way back to where I was.  I live in Jamaica now and have a limited budget so my meals consist of beans and veggies almost daily.  When you eat real food, not just vegetarian diets, but actual honest to goodness real food you will see a change.  You may plateau at points but increasing your actvity levels is the key.  Learning to love real food can be tricky, but once you vow to remove the crap from your diet you can reset your tastebuds and your cravings.  I now crave things like cabbage and lentils.  The key is to ensure you get all your daily nutrients, and each of us is different.  If you need more protein then focus on more legumes and nuts and I still eat one egg a day.  

It is best to start small, start with one meal a day vegetarian, then focus on one day a week (meatless Monday) and see how you feel on those days.  Initially the weight will drop rapidly, but do not despair if you plateau.  It happens with most dietary changes.  The key is to mentally decide this is going to happen, and even if you do eat a little meat, don't beat yourself up, just try again the next day.  It is not a diet that is for everyone and it is not an easy diet, just like a raw food or paleo is not easy, you have to work at it

[ChaChaAlMode]

Not sure why but this posted twice have no idea how to remove it so I will just say good luck instead.

[gooberific]

i've been vegetarian for over 20 years, vegan for the last 5 or so.  now, i'm attempting to go sugar free too.. i did it all last summer, and it was amazing, though i needed to keep on top of my prep work.  so no sugars, syrups, dried fruit, etc.  only sugar sources are whole, fresh fruits/veg.  we also do low oil.

[AFChi]

I am a pescatarian. The only flesh I eat is fish.  I have made the choice about 6 months ago and never looked back.  I have drastically cut down dairy. I do eat little dairy, but Mostly when out to eat or at a party (twice a month?)  with limited options. If the  food options are made with dairy, I will not say no to it.  I do not consume it at home ever.

First change I noticed was in my skin. People commented about my skin, about radiancy about a month or 2 after. They would ask what new cream I use. I told them I havent changed anything except my diet.  Second this was that I lost a little weight without trying. Third is that I started saving huge amounts of money. My go to before was turkey or chicken. Organic, farm raised chickens here are 6/lb. My protein is now mostly lentils, beans and quinoa. All cheap, filling and healthy proteins.  I am very happy with my choice and plan to continue this for the rest of my life.  

[Adrienne.K]

I'd been lacto-ovo vegetarian since 1997 and then found out I had breast cancer the day before Thanksgiving 2014. I had a lumpectomy on New Year's Eve so I started 2015 cancer-free. There is a direct connection between dairy and breast cancer so the new also made me vegan. Fortunately, it wasn't difficult to switch to whole food plant-based. However, the chemo pills kicked my butt and on May 4 last year, I had a seizure for the first time in 18 years. Broke my left arm and had surgery to cover the shattered ulna with a metal plate. The osteoporosis I had developed over the years of believing "Milk does a body good" is irreversible. Please! Give up dairy and move to almond, coconut, hemp, oat, rice or soy milk. The Engine 2 Diet book is excellent as is the Cooking the Whole Foods Way by Christine Pirillo who is a leukemia survivor and created many great recipes.

The good news is the vegan diet works, I lost weight and I'm doing Under Armour's You vs. the Year challenge to run 1000 kms this year. So far, I'm at 708 and feel great. I'm never hungry or at a loss for what to eat. I believe in the Lord's Prayer Diet: lead us not into temptation. If I don't have bad food in my pantry, I have to go out and get it--too much work. I'm 67 and feel great. The Fitbit keeps me honest and on track.

[LadyMai]

I got tired of fighting with my vegetarian boyfriend over things that will be solved in 5 years (dairy that tastes like dairy but isn't dairy) so I do occasionally consume dairy products when we leave the house or when his mother gifts us cheese (which is really expensive here,) but other than that I am vegan. 

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/recipe/view/269532483489725

Just posted this recipe for oatmeal that doesn't taste like **ahem**. 😉

[DuckandElf]

Hi @Kristee .  Not sure if you're still on, but for anyone.  Be sure to watch Eating You Alive.  This is actually my favorite.  They're all great films though.

[DavideFitbit]

Excellent, thanks for sharing the suggestion @DuckandElf, will definitely check that out. 😀 

[DuckandElf]

I wanted to mention to you a book I've just recently read and really like.  It's a book by Dr. Thomas Campbell, son of Dr. T. Colin Campbell (The China Study).  It is such a great resource, practical and easy to understand information about living and eating with the WFPB diet.  It is such a good book, I bought three copies (all from eBay), so that I could loan them out to people who want to research this way of nutrition.

The China Study Solution: The Simple Way to Lose Weight and Reverse Illness, Using a Whole-Food, Plant-Based Diet

by Thomas Campbell (Author), T. Colin Campbell Ph.D. (Foreword)

• Amazon.com
• eBay

[DavideFitbit]

Great recommendations, @DuckandElf! Thank you for sharing them on the forums. 😀