Plant Based Lifestyle for Wellbeing

If you tune into any major media outlet you'll have noticed a trend in the past year, that is plant based diets. Only, for most it's not really a diet in the sense that the Atkins diet is a diet, or a subway diet is a diet. It's a lifestyle. One of the best running backs in the world came out and said he's a vegan, except you "when he feels like chicken." This captures the essence of the plant based diet, the majority of what you eat is plant based and the ladder part is quality real food. Not high processed sugars, not low fat filled with a chemical soup to make sure it doesn't taste like cardboard. Over the past fifteen years we've been hammered with the same food pyramid whose foundation is based on grains, the frame is fruits and vegetables and the finishes are animal products. And, by golly sparingly eat those fats and sugar. Well at least they got the sugar portion right. There is an epidemic across North America right now and it's that our food pyramid, the one that is supposedly making us healthier is the primary driver for obesity in America. Healthy fats such as olive oil and avocado aren't making us fat, low quality food is. This low quality food starts in our grains (which I'm not vehemently opposed to, providing they're the right type) and flows all the way to our yogurts which often can have more sugar than a chocolate bar. How do we fix this problem - we juggle our food pyramid. We swap the foundation of our food pyramid to vegetables. We then build our framework out of nuts (you know, those fats we're supposed to eat sparingly) and fruits. We can keep our dairy and meat stacked on top of that - while remaining vigilant about avoiding the processed kind, such as our zero fat, vanilla yogurt which admittedly tastes amazing but is awful for you. We need to shift our thinking from weight loss = calories in - calories out and start shifting our thinking to weight loss = nutrition/calories consumed. If you're consuming the right types of foods, i.e. the ones that provide the highest nutritional value for the number of calories consumed it is difficult to fail. It really is. You're probably thinking, yes but weight loss is an equation calories in - calories out. And while I agree, that yeah, you're correct that is the basic science behind it I would argue that if you're consuming the right types of foods you will be full. Those folks who are eating massive salads for lunch aren't "starving themselves" or "depriving themselves" they're actually full. I know, because I went from eating Chick-a-fillet for lunch to salads - the only thing that changed was my energy levels in the afte oon. I felt like superman, like I could take on the world instead of needing a nap. In conclusion, eat real food start with a healthy dose of vegetables (aim for double digits! everyday), mix in fruits and nuts. Eat lots of salmon, avocado and nuts that are filled with healthy fat and are high quality calorie dense foods. Avoid sugars and processed foods. If you're intolerant to gluten obviously avoid bread, otherwise it that sparingly. If you want more information living a healthier lifestyle check out Lulora it's jam packed full of quality information and tips on getting control of your lifestyle