There's a part of me that's asking why I went Vegan. Let's be honest with ourselves...I was a hardcore carnivore. I loved eating burgers to a passion. I'd eat some of the tastiest foods imaginable...from the juiciest medium rare steaks money can buy, to the tasty chicken and waffles you can get at a restaurant like Roscoe's. And let's not forget about the baby back ribs...In my mind, I couldn't get enough of them. It was basically the whole nine yards for me as a meat carnivore and I devoured it like there was no tomorrow.
But then, the unthinkable happened...an injury I obtained on a recent ski trip...an injury so painful that kept me out of the gym for quite some time...I dislocated my left shoulder.
Right there and then, reality sunk in. You see, I'm a little old school when it comes to gym time, and when I do workout, it's like a madman possessed. And here's the funny part...I've always relied on the many hours I spent in the gym (from pumping iron, to doing a lot of aerobic classes) to burn off whatever excess foods I might have consumed during the day.
Sure, I was depressed after that first day of injury, but then I started to think about all the other people that have gotten injuries throughout the years...how they let it get them, how it depressed them, and how much weight they had gained because of it.
The truth is, I was afraid of gaining weight and I wasn't about to let any of that happen to me, so I started to hit the books and do what I thought would be very beneficial to me and my health.
One of the first things that I needed to change was my diet and after doing a little research, I found out exactly what nutrients my body needed for a healthy life style. I'd like to think of it as my first step to a new battle plan against gaining weight.
One of the best news that I got from my physical therapist was that I can ride an exercise bike. This may not sound like much to you, but it was for me. My injury was so severe to a point where I couldn't jump or bounce around too much. This meant that any form of aerobics or running was out of the question.
On the exercise bike, I basically started it off with 6 minute routine, then I built it up to 12 minutes. Over the next few weeks of hard work and sweat, I've built up my stamina to the point where I'm now riding the exercise bike up to an hour straight.
As for my diet...I've adapted to eating a lot of vegetables (mostly streamed) and a variety of fruits. I've also substituted the meats I use to eat with soy/tofu. This was a plus for me because I love soy/tofu.
I've also tried out a variety of Vegan Restaurants and do you wanna hear something funny? Vegan food isn't as bad as some people make it out to be. I found it really flavorful and tasty...There's even a place in San Diego that serves soy and tofu products that taste exactly like a variety of meats but it's all 100% vegetarian.
Over the past couple of weeks, I've even picked a few good Vegan restaurants that I now consider my favorites. Sure, there aren't too many places that serve vegetarian food, but if you ask around, someone may tell you where to go and you may actually find something very interesting on the menu.
It's now 7 weeks later after the accident and the truth be told, I've lost over 20 pounds. My body has adapted to this Vegetarian style of eating and it actually feels good. I also want to add that my body feels very cleansed inside.
I'm a little leaner, I have lot's of energy and to be honest, I don't miss eating any kinds of meat at all. Believe me when I say this but, "There's a lot of Temptation out there...Burgers, Steaks, Fried Chicken, Ribs...it doesn't matter cause I've learned to say 'no' and I'm not even close to being that tempted to go back."
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Monday, April 11, 2011
Top 5 Weight Loss Scams
Weight loss drugs, gastric bypass surgery, and fad diets are always making the news. Even thought the FDA has not approved the weight loss drug QNEXA, manufactured by Vivus, stock shares rose by almost 10 percent today. Why? The stock market knows we love quick fix pill popping solutions. Everyone is looking for a quick-fix when it comes to losing weight and looking your absolute best. While some products and supplements may work wonders for your midsection, there are plenty out there that will leave you high and dry. The following fads may be harmful to not only our health, but your wallet.
1. Ab-belt: You’re up late at night and you start to seriously contemplate ordering one of those ab-sculpting electric gizmos? These portable padded devices fit around your waist, a switch is thrown and an electrical current supposedly zaps the fat right away within minutes. They simply don’t work, the electrical stimulations are not enough to help you lose weight.
2. HCG HCG is also used as a drug to treat infertility. But what does all this have to do with weight loss? That’s the problem – not much. Studies have shown the hormone has no benefit for weight loss and such a restrictive diet may lead to nutritional deficiencies.
3. The Cabbage Soup Diet diet starts with a strict regimen of just cabbage, fruit and non-starchy vegetables, and as the week progresses you get to add some beef and skim milk to the mix.Of course when you cut out 3 of the 5 food groups from your diet, you will lose weight. Unless you have a magic metabolism that can survive without adequate levels of protein, essential fatty acids, carbohydrates, B-vitamins, and minerals for an extended period of time, staying on this diet for more than a week could be downright harmful to your health.
4.The Alkaline Diet Proponents of the alkaline diet believe that eating primarily “alkaline-producing” foods, such as vegetables and fruit, promotes fat loss, whereas eating a diet heavy in “acid-producing” foods, such as meat, eggs, dairy and grains, promotes weight gain. While it’s hard to argue with a diet rich in low-calorie fruits and vegetables and lower in higher-calorie animal products as a healthy way to promote weight loss, at present, there is no credible scientific research to substantiate any claims around the ‘alkalinity’ or ‘acidity’ of these foods as being the contributing factors. Our diet cannot by definition have a significant impact on the pH level of our blood and cells because of the presence of these important regulatory mechanisms, making the exclusion of grains, dairy, and egg unnecessary.
5. Diet Sweeteners You may think you are saving calories by switching to a low calorie diet drink, however, research suggests artificial sweeteners can trick our brains into wanting more sweets and make us hungrier with their empty sugarless calories. As nutritionist Tamara Duker Freuman explains,”because this sweet taste is not accompanied by the calories (energy) our brain expects it to be, the complex systems our bodies have to regulate energy balance may be thrown off kilter. The result is that a diet high in artificial sweeteners may possibly, over time, cause people to seek out more calories from other sources in order to satisfy the cravings that sweet—but calorically empty– foods create.”
We know you may want to fit into those skinny jeans or get that bikini body fast, but these fad diets are not the answer. Proper diet and exercise are the best ways.
1. Ab-belt: You’re up late at night and you start to seriously contemplate ordering one of those ab-sculpting electric gizmos? These portable padded devices fit around your waist, a switch is thrown and an electrical current supposedly zaps the fat right away within minutes. They simply don’t work, the electrical stimulations are not enough to help you lose weight.
2. HCG HCG is also used as a drug to treat infertility. But what does all this have to do with weight loss? That’s the problem – not much. Studies have shown the hormone has no benefit for weight loss and such a restrictive diet may lead to nutritional deficiencies.
3. The Cabbage Soup Diet diet starts with a strict regimen of just cabbage, fruit and non-starchy vegetables, and as the week progresses you get to add some beef and skim milk to the mix.Of course when you cut out 3 of the 5 food groups from your diet, you will lose weight. Unless you have a magic metabolism that can survive without adequate levels of protein, essential fatty acids, carbohydrates, B-vitamins, and minerals for an extended period of time, staying on this diet for more than a week could be downright harmful to your health.
4.The Alkaline Diet Proponents of the alkaline diet believe that eating primarily “alkaline-producing” foods, such as vegetables and fruit, promotes fat loss, whereas eating a diet heavy in “acid-producing” foods, such as meat, eggs, dairy and grains, promotes weight gain. While it’s hard to argue with a diet rich in low-calorie fruits and vegetables and lower in higher-calorie animal products as a healthy way to promote weight loss, at present, there is no credible scientific research to substantiate any claims around the ‘alkalinity’ or ‘acidity’ of these foods as being the contributing factors. Our diet cannot by definition have a significant impact on the pH level of our blood and cells because of the presence of these important regulatory mechanisms, making the exclusion of grains, dairy, and egg unnecessary.
5. Diet Sweeteners You may think you are saving calories by switching to a low calorie diet drink, however, research suggests artificial sweeteners can trick our brains into wanting more sweets and make us hungrier with their empty sugarless calories. As nutritionist Tamara Duker Freuman explains,”because this sweet taste is not accompanied by the calories (energy) our brain expects it to be, the complex systems our bodies have to regulate energy balance may be thrown off kilter. The result is that a diet high in artificial sweeteners may possibly, over time, cause people to seek out more calories from other sources in order to satisfy the cravings that sweet—but calorically empty– foods create.”
We know you may want to fit into those skinny jeans or get that bikini body fast, but these fad diets are not the answer. Proper diet and exercise are the best ways.
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