After Two Weeks, I Am Feeling Pretty Good.
If you read my last post, you know that I decided to follow a vegan diet in hopes of balancing my hormones as I prepare my body to transition off hormone replacement therapy.
Although I have, reluctantly, chosen to follow this diet, I must admit that I actually feel really good!
Initially, I was concerned that I would not be consuming enough protein, only because I lift weights 3-4 times a week, which helps build muscle.
I have not had the cravings that I usually get when I lift heavy.
Usually, after a hard lifting session, I want meat for dinner. Fish or chicken. Probably because my body wants the protein. But I haven’t been experiencing that same kind of hunger. Maybe that was a “newbie” lifting thing?
I seem to be transitioning to the vegan diet fairly well but, in all fairness, I was already eating multiple vegetarian meals during the week.
Almost two weeks down ………..
“A goal without a plan is just a wish.”
Most people know that a quick change will not be a lasting change, and I entered this dietary challenge keeping that in mind. I know I need to allow myself a little leeway.
………… At least that’s what I was telling myself on Friday night when I ate small dish of vanilla ice cream with a drizzle of chocolate syrup and a few peanuts.
It’s really important to make sure when you follow a vegan diet that you get all the nutrients your body needs, especially the ones you can’t get from the food.
Although living a vegan lifestyle is super healthy, a poorly planned diet can deprive you of some vital nutrients:
- Vitamin B12
- Iron
- Calcium
- Vitamin D
- Protein
- Omega-3 Fatty Acid
Omega-3 fatty acids are crucial. Most people get the two most important ones, EPA & DHA from fish. The other omega-3 fatty acids your body needs are found in plant sources such as nuts and seeds.
One of the things I am doing to ensure that I am getting enough omega-3’s in my vegan diet is to include a fish oil supplement.
Good sources of omega-3’s:
- avocado
- olive oil
- flaxseed
- walnuts
- chia seed
- soybean
Vitamin B12 is only found in animal and milk products and some breakfast cereals, therefore both vegans and vegetarians need to make sure they take a supplement. According to Dr. Shivam Joshi, that is the simplest and most reliable way to make sure that you get an adequate amount of B12.
Dr. Joshi states that 1 in 6 meat eaters is also vitamin B12 deficient.
You have probably heard the worldwide reports that a vitamin D deficiency is fairly common, not just among vegetarians and vegans. I am taking a vitamin D supplement, as well.
There’s a lot to consider when you decide to make dietary changes in your life and, until I really started to submerge myself in this project, I didn’t fully comprehend what a vegan diet entailed.
This is where those cool meal-planning containers would come in handy. Making meals for the week, or at least several days in advance, can alleviate a little of the stress when learning a new style of cooking.
“Don’t expect success. Prepare for it.”
xoxo, Katy