Trying to go meat free...

[stacie_d]

Over the past few years...I've lost quite a bit by running mostly. I've slacked off a lot over the past 6-9 months, and I'm ready to get stated being healthy again. I want to run, but I've got pretty weak ankles that have resulted in quite a few bad falls out on the road so I am just starting out on a treadmill for now. (I've had some really, really bad ankle sprains. Last time, I lost a good portion of the skin on my knee, chipped my front tooth, and couldn't walk on my ankle for several weeks. I'v got pics to document my ankle injuries, and luckily, my good friend's husband is a podiatrist.) Everything seems healed up pretty good now, but I'm not ready to venture back out on the roads.

So for now..I'm thinking of trying to stay mostly meat free..for this reason...we tend to eat very few vegetables and fruits. I want to eat healthier. Tracking my food and ran my first quarter mile tonight. Ankles feel good so far. (I was up to about 3-4 miles 4-5 times a week).

Anyone have some suggestions for good vegetable based meals?

I really miss the running...and I hate the treadmill. Hoping to rebuild muscle soon to hit the pavement again zoo.

 

[::Snow_White::]

Hi! I went from meat-eater to vegetarian in one day this past October! It definitely helped me to start eating many more vegetables and try some different fruits.

http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/
This is a website I use most frequently. It is actually a vegan site, but you can substitute and use regular cheese, butter, and milk how you'd like. It has tons and tons of recipes.

Most of what I make is just roasted vegetables. I don't like to spend a lot of time cooking so I usually pop them in the oven, make some quinoa and mix it all together. It's quite delicious. I hope that site gives you a couple that you enjoy. Good luck with your running!

 

[AppleMagic]

Are you eating fish? If not, fish will be a great substitute.

I eat 80% veg, 10% fish and 10% chicken during times I cant eat all veg.

Beans, rice, tofu, nuts, peanut butter, hummus are all major sources of protein for me.

Also be sure to cut the dairy milk out and opt for Almond milk if you can. Good luck and be sure to read up online for even more ideas.

 

[sissy_ib]

Have you been to PT for you ankles Or have you done any strength exercises for them? I know that is not what you are asking about but I had very week ankles and ended up hurting myself in the military. I went to PT for about 6 weeks and they improved greatly. I still do many of the exercises they taught me.

 

[BigEeyore]

I have been vegetarian for about 20 years - it is hard at first, since some kind of meat is traditionally the centerpiece of most american meals, but it gets easier!
Italian, chinese/japanese/thai, and mexican food can all be easily transformed into healthy vegetarian dishes.
I eat a lot of cottage cheese myself, as a substitute for where a piece of meat would normally be - a typical meal is a couple different cooked veggies and some sort of starch, with cottage cheese.
Good luck - once you haven't had meat for awhile, you will probably not want to ever have it again!

 

[John VN]

Over the past few years...I've lost quite a bit by running mostly. I've slacked off a lot over the past 6-9 months, and I'm ready to get stated being healthy again. I want to run, but I've got pretty weak ankles that have resulted in quite a few bad falls out on the road so I am just starting out on a treadmill for now. (I've had some really, really bad ankle sprains. Last time, I lost a good portion of the skin on my knee, chipped my front tooth, and couldn't walk on my ankle for several weeks. I'v got pics to document my ankle injuries, and luckily, my good friend's husband is a podiatrist.) Everything seems healed up pretty good now, but I'm not ready to venture back out on the roads.

So for now..I'm thinking of trying to stay mostly meat free..for this reason...we tend to eat very few vegetables and fruits. I want to eat healthier. Tracking my food and ran my first quarter mile tonight. Ankles feel good so far. (I was up to about 3-4 miles 4-5 times a week).

Anyone have some suggestions for good vegetable based meals?

I really miss the running...and I hate the treadmill. Hoping to rebuild muscle soon to hit the pavement again zoo.

Scott Jurek, http://www.scottjurek.com/#/home/, seven consecutive wins at the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run and Badwater Ultramarathon Champion has made a meatless diet work for him. 165.7 miles in 24 hrs.

Think I would check his site out if I were going meatless. Article in June Runner's World about him.

 

[PrincessRhi]

This may sound a bit weird as I'm neither vegetarian nor vegan, but I try to eat as meat-free as possible. A lot of my meal inspirations come from the Fat Free Vegan Kitchen http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/

You can easily substitute items if being vegan isn't necessarily of interest, but most recipes are quite tasty as is.

 

[melaniemiller2002]

I went from a meat-eating, greek yogurt consuming gal to vegan overnight. It was for a Kaia FIT bootcamp I am doing and that was for "detox" week. I didn't think I would be able to do it, since I am from a bodybuilding background and tend to focus on more and more protein. But here it is, 4 weeks later, I've lost 6lbs, 3% bodyfat, several inches off my waist, and feel better than I have in years. Just got back bloodwork after a month on this vegan experiment and my cholesterol is 119, LDL 35, and my triglycerides 88. That's a change from 201, 105, and 179. BIG difference. So now I'm left trying to figure out tasty meals that are free from any animal products. I eat a lot of beans and quinoa! Love, love, love black beans. I made a big pot of veggie soup (leeks, carrots, celery, zucchini, kale, tomatoes, etc.) and then eat that for part of my meal throughout the week (I have also frozen some for convenience). I love baking my little mini corn tortillas and having refried (vegan) black beans with a "cheese" sauce made from nutritional yeast (it seriously tastes like Taco Bell's nacho cheese sauce) and a little bit of guacamole. I love quinoa and I mix it with black beans, kidney beans, cilantro, bell peppers, a little garlic olive oil and some chopped up jalapenos. I also roast garbanzo beans after I spray them with a little olive oil, then toss them in various spices. They get crunchy and make a good, high fiber and protein snack. Lots of salads. I have a recipe for a vegan sour cream that I use as a base for my dips and salad dressings. I also make a yummy white bean hummus to dip my cut up veggies in. Last night, I had mac-n-cheese, made with the vegan cheese sauce and whole wheat pasta.

It's a little more time consuming but I work full time and have 3 kids and have been able to follow this nutritional plan. I don't know if I will stay on it forever and will probably transition to a 50% vegetarian/50% vegan diet. But that's what I eat. I've got plenty of energy to work out (I do boot camp 4 days a week at 5am, then go to work all day). I just ran my 3rd half marathon a few weeks ago and was concerned that the lower calories and protein might cause a problem but I PR'd! And I had to go buy a new wardrobe because I've lost 2 dress sizes over the past month. I'm still getting enough protein (around 50g) and my fiber intake is always above 35, which is the daily recommended amount. I never thought I would be willing to give up my yummy meat and cheese (my nickname is Mouse because of how much cheese I usually consume). But it hasn't been that hard. I've also found sweet treats like the So Delicious mini ice cream sandwiches that are yummy and satisfy my craving for ice cream for around 90 calories each. Good luck in your endeavor!

 

[melaniemiller2002]

Thanks for that website, fatfreevegan.com! I just checked it out and one of the recipes on there is almost identical to the one I make for my vegan sour cream/mayo. I wanted to post a link to it because I'm a pretty picky eater and I love it!

http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2012/04/tofu-cashew-mayonnaise.html

Also, another yummy snack I have when I am craving comfort foods or something sweet.....two scoops of Arbonne chocolate protein powder (it's vegan protein powder, not whey), a cup of vanilla coconut milk (I use the So Delicious brand or Trader Joe's), and a tablespoon of chia seeds. Shake it up and let sit for at least 6 hours or overnight. The chia seeds "gel up" and are almost like tapioca so it ends up being a chocolate tapioca pudding.

 

[fall08CP]

Congrats on going vegan, Melanie! One of the best choices I ever made, and like you I dropped inches immediately! No problem getting in protein and keep energy levels up.. Quick the opposite