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ALL ABOUT PLANT-BASED DIET
Nutrition | August 22, 2017
I’m right in the middle of my Plant Based Certificate course at eCornell and also in the process of putting together a new meal plan for Plant Based Diet eaters or anyone interested in trying out this lifestyle. For now, I’d like to introduce you to the basics of Plant Based Diet and give you a few tips on how to get started.
What exactly is a Plant-Based Diet?
There is a great deal of plant foods that most people never eat. By eating a plant-based diet means you are able to widen the variety of foods that you eat. A “plant-based diet” can be another way of saying “vegan”, though many people do use the term to mean that you eat almost all plants with some animal products.
Health Benefits
Plant-based diets are good for the environment, your heart, your weight and your overall health. This diet is low in saturated fat, free of cholesterol, and rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
In addition, switching to a plant-based diet may have a positive effect on bodily issues such as; abdominal fat, acne, allergies, asthma, body odor, cellulite, eczema, gut flora, fibromyalgia, kidney stones, metabolic syndrome, oral health, rheumatoid arthritis, waist circumference and even weight control.
Studies even suggests that some plant-based diets may be able to help prevent and even reverse some of the top killer diseases, and can be more effective than medication and surgery.
Environmental Friendly
A plant-based diet is said to impact your carbon footprint. By eating a plant-based diet, you reduce your consumption of animal products which effects the amount of waste factory farms in the U.S. produce.
The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee reported that: “Consistent evidence indicates that, in general, a dietary pattern that is higher in plant-based foods, such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds, and lower in animal-based foods …is associated with lesser environmental impact than is the current average U.S. diet.”
How to Start
- Begin to slowly cut out meat. This may be difficult for someone who has eaten meats their whole life, or it could be pretty easy. It all depends on the person. Try by cutting out red meats first and then move to poultry and seafood. Soon you’ll be meat free. Be sure not to fill the missing meat gaps with starches.
- Eliminate eggs and dairy. When you have cut out all meats from your diet, that is considered vegetarian. It is only when you eliminate eggs and cut out dairy that you are considered to be “lacto-ovo” or vegan.
- Eat whole, unprocessed foods. Add some protein-rich plant foods like tempeh, tofu, seitan, and beans into your diet. Switch from roasted to raw nuts for a great, plant based diet snack!
What to Eat
- Fruits and veggies. Of course
- Beans and other proteins: Lentils, black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, garbanzo beans, and soy to name a few.
- Nuts and seeds
- Good fats.: Not all fats are bad for you. An example of a preferred plants with good fats are avocados
- Greens: Dark leafy greens are full of calcium, iron and a ton of vitamins. These can include kale, spinach, broccoli, and collards.
- Good starches: Sweet potatoes, red potatoes, squash, brown rice, sprouted whole wheat, steel-cut oats, among others.
Like with most diet changes, the key to a successful transition from your current diet to a plant-based one is to take things at a slow and gradual pace. Rather than trying to suddenly cut out a bunch of foods and add a bunch of healthy ones all at once, start by making one tiny change at a time.
In conclusion, a plant-based diet may seem restrictive at first but just look at it as a new and simpler way of eating! Be sure to include all four food groups at each meal: plant protein, fruit, vegetables and whole grain.
Private Member |
VERY EXCITED to see you will be bringing a plant based diet on board and to educate. A vegan diet is not only a healthy diet with lots of options out there but it is better for the earth and the sweet animals. I always recommend people watch Forks over Knives and What the Health for the impact on your health, Cowspiracy for the environment and Earthlings for the animals. It will change your outlook forever. Also, I second Thug Kitchen and you can also get amazing vegan recipes from The Minimalist Baker and The Full Helping from their online food pages.
Private Member |
This is awesome !!!! SO glad to see this and cannot wait to use the meal plan! I am plant-based as well and thank you!!!
Private Member |
What about Carbs? Do you still eat them post workout or now anytime of the Day? I’m confused as I thought we were supposed to earn our carbs and base the rest of our diet on protein veg and Fats? I eat animal protein and I personally enjoy it. Just curious how to properly follow the nutrition plan
Private Member |
richmond, va, united states
I’m wondering this as well. I thought we eat carbs once a day on days we have an intense workout, but these guidelines say to eat a whole grain with every meal. Please advise.
Private Member |
lake tahoe, nv, usa
Ok, that’s a good question. I think I should probably do an Q&A for ZGYM members soon 🙂 but just to answer your question right now briefly… My low carb diet that I have been following for years is what Z-Shred Meal Plan is and that’s the diet I wanted to share with you guys first. However as I’ve been studying Holistic Health and Nutrition my mind has opened up to something called bio-individuality. What that means is that we’re all different and not everyone will benefit from the diet that works for me. In fact we should all experiment with different foods and different diets to find out what really works for us as individuals. My goal is to introduce many different ways of eating, so that you guys can pick and choose the parts of each diet that seem to work best for you. You don’t even have to choose one diet over the other, you can also combine them in a way that is authentic to you and your own needs. So in this case you need to try if eating grains multiple times a day works for you. You might find out, that maybe you like to be plant based only over the summer. Maybe you will have plant based days 5 times a week. You are the only one who knows whats best for you. Try different things, and don’t be afraid to open your mind to different ways of eating.
Private Member |
Thank you Zuzka makes sense as we are all built different! I personally can not tolerate grains. I hold water very very easy and bloat easy. Protein and fats with carbs after training works great for me. I also find if I’m training in the morning fasted I will have a carb source at bed time to fuel a hard workout in the am. All about trial and error. Love these workouts and u!
Private Member |
Same! I bought the book as well and it says to earn your carbs so I’m not sure if it Changed?
Private Member |
Hello. I found this interesting and decided to put in my two cents. A little background: I’ve been working out and tweaking my diet for almost ten years. I’m 33 years old. July 2016 I chose to go vegan with my family. Here’s the pros/cons:
Pros:
*Being an animal lover I felt relieved and good knowing I had no part in harming animals.
*I learned about so many healthy foods I had never tried or heard about.
*I learned a lot about cooking and seasoning.
Cons:
*First few months we all felt great, but then slowly but surely we all felt low energy, lethargic and moody. I felt less and less strong and energetic during and after my workouts.
*My man almost completely lost his sex drive.
*The carbs, carbs, carbs killed me.
* The belly fat. Every time I looked at my belly there was more fat. Believe me I tried everything. I researched and researched the vegan diet, getting protein on it, ways to combat our symptoms. We were so determined to stay vegan.
*I stopped wanting my photo taken because I looked fat and my face had changed too and I didn’t like the way I looked.
Ultimately after just over a year vegan, we decided to eat chicken, fish and eggs again. My conclusion is this diet will be great for someone who is not extremely active and who is already overweight. Taking this diet on as an extremely active and very fit person as I was and am it was a step backwards for me. I gained weight and vanity fat that I just couldn’t live with. Now that I’m eating chicken fish and eggs again (it’s only been a week) I am watching the fat melt off my abs, we all have improved moods and much more energy. I feel like I’m rocking my workout again instead of just being drug along sluggishly.
When I first went vegan a friend said to us there’s a lot of propaganda out there about how vegan is the answer and all the harm to animals and how terrible that is, but my friend said you need that protein and if you take it out of your diet sooner or later it’s going to catch up with you.
I certainly believe in sourcing quality meat and eggs. I don’t eat beef or cow products whatsoever.
I don’t regret being vegan, I learned a lot about food, but I feel and look so much better now that I eat chicken fish and eggs again!
Private Member |
houston, tx, usa
I have the exact opposite experience than you. I have been vegan for 2 years and my energy improved…Ive always been extremely fit and active and that hasn’t changed at all. Still workout every day and have plenty of energy before and after workouts…hit PRs all the time (like 9 dead hang pull ups this week..yay!). Have not gained any weight at all. But I do try to avoid processed foods. I don’t even think about protein and have not noticed any loss of muscle tone…it seems more defined now. So maybe Z is on to something with the bio-individuality thing.
Private Member |
I am happy it is working for you! I wanted it to work for me. It’s interesting how everyone can have different results.
Private Member |
santa cruz, ca
I had a similar experience. When I was vegetarian, I was fairly healthy, but I also wasn’t vegetarian for long before I transitioned into veganism mainly for “ethical” and “environmental” reasons. I put quotes around those words because I think we cannot make these blanket statements about omnivorism that they are unethical toward animals and the environment. That would make absolutely no sense given…..human history. Anyway, when I became a vegan was when I began feeling more weak, had the worst digestive problems, and craved simple carbs more than ever before. I felt very out of balance. I ate very healthy! I tried to focus on whole foods–vegetables, plant proteins from legumes and tofu, tempeh, etc. I avoided fake meats and processed foods unless I had no other choice or was short on time. I learned that simply cannot consume a lot of grains and legumes. I was chronically bloated and my bowel movements changed. I became constipated regardless of how much water I drank. I learned that my body cannot process so much fiber. And I need A LOT of protein, and soy really affected me. Looking back, I was exhibiting signs of early hypothyroidism with the vegan diet. I was puffy, bloated, low energy/fatigued, and was gaining weight, especially around the middle, which points to my adrenals being affected (cortisol).
AS SOON AS I started incorporating eggs and some meat into my diet, within a month all the bloat went away. I lost 30 pounds very quickly, which I think was mostly water weight. My sugar and simple carb cravings died down naturally. This diet just did not work for me.
It is possible to be a conscientious, ethical omnivore that eats mostly plants. I’m lucky that where I live, I have many local and sustainable choices for eggs, meat, and fish.
Private Member |
I totally feel you!
Private Member |
Nice booty girl!!!
Private Member |
germany
Hello there,
I´m a plant-based Zgymer, too. So I really appreciate this article…
I stopped eating meat when I was about 21; this means I´ve been a vegetarian half of my life, now, actually 😉
I like to (sparingly) eat cheese (made with microbial lab, if possible) and sometimes eggs. But 90 % of my diet are plants.
I eat rather a lot legumes.
Very important in this diet is: don´t eat sugar in any form, white flour and products thereof. Eat whole grain products instead. You will find, you don´t have to count your carbs so painstakingly..
I for myself cut out wheat nearly completely and I’m less tired an moody.
Some of the very nice side-effects of going vegetarian was: my eye-sight improved dramatically and I lost some of my allergies…
I feel really good with my diet, not just because of the good conscience against the animals and environment, the butchers etc.
I feel I really don´t miss anything, on the contrary, like many times said before, the plant based diet is a lot more colourful than the usual meat-based diet…
Private Member |
montecatini terme, pistoia, italia
Hi!!! I´m a plant-based Zgymer, too. I’m so happy for this article! Tnx Zuzka
Private Member |
Yeey that is awesome. I’ve been vegan for 10 years and 9 months and with that lifestyle i cured my heart disease and with Zuzka’s workouts i am in the best shape of my life. Getting stronger every day. <3 Love this woman so much <3
Private Member |
miami, fl, usa
This makes me super excited I’ve been vegan for 7 months now and this would be super helpful. Having a lil trouble trying to put meals together to see more results as far as muscle growth and fat loss.
Private Member |
budapest, hungary
Thank you Zuzka for this!!! I’m vegan too for almost a year and I’m really happy to see this kind of article because people in this fitness industry trying to configure this diet like a dangerous killer, but here i am peaking, and love your workouts, and I’m really happy with my result so thank you so much again for this ♥ 😀
Private Member |
I’ve been on a plant based diet for a long time and it’s sustainable. It’s very healing as well. I owe my life to it. Make sure to take out canola oil and GMO foods (like soy and corn) as well if you’re healing from an illness. I also avoid things that say natural flavors (hidden MSG) sugar and salt. I do however consume honey, coconut nectar, and pink Himalayan sea salt. It’s important to know not to cook with tin foil. I had an aluminum build up that caused migraines. All this sounds like a lot. It’s not too strict I will break my rules for the sake of balance. If something has sugar or salt yet all the other ingredients are fine and I’m in a pickle, this is the only food available, then sure. I just make sure to feel good about what I’m eating and be aware of how I feel afterwards and take note. I noticed I got headaches after eating vinegar so I pushed that out. Turns out vinegar is dehydrating (if a recipe calls for it I will use either lemon juice or the best vinegar which I think is organic apple cider vinegar).
I drink coconut water or lemon water, sometimes both, everyday. Melons are hydrating and almost predigested so they’re a good first meal of the day. I usually follow up with a snack that is balanced in potassium, sugar, and sodium (that comes from fruits and veggies) like a half banana, apple and a handful of spinach. Then I’ll have lunch, and like a woman above said before, this diet taught me how to cook. I do make my own dressings for salads. I love beans and grains (I avoid most grains like the plague yet I do enjoy quinoa and brown rice. Also I’m introducing millet and GF steel cut oats soon) Lentil pasta is out there now and I can’t get enough of it.
I’m telling you guys I healed from some pretty heavy symptoms like from POTS, thyroid and adrenal issues. I was really asking for health in a very strong way and this is the diet that took my hand and guided me home. It’s only been a year and I did the #zgymbenchmark challenge on instagram and survived! 😛 Good luck finding your best diet! The answers are out there!