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Extreme Veteran
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Location: New Jersey | I've been a vegetarian for awhile, but have still been consuming dairy products. I plan to eliminate dairy from my diet too, and I was wondering if anyone could give me an idea of what to use as my source of protein. I know that dairy isn't exactly the best source of protein either, lately I've been beginning to feel a little fatigued, and I thinks it's from a lack of protein. (This happened to me a few years ago, and I eventually went back to eating meat.) Where do vegans get their protein from? I'm trying hard to like tofu. I've never been able to prepare it in a way that I'd like it. Any advice would be helpful!
Samantha |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 5098
 
Location: Somewhere in the Mountains of Western NC | Hi Samantha,
Have you ever tried protein drinks?? I use Spiru-tein High Protein Energy Meals by Nature's Plus. They are so great and not only do you get protein, you get vitamins and minerals, plus extra stuff like bee pollen, spirulina, and more.. and they taste yummy. My favorites are Vanilla and Strawberry, but I mostly drink vanilla. Its better with milk - blended in a blender, although juice is recommended too on the package. For about 1.50 you can get the packets at a health food store. I would try these first to see if they taste okay with juice. Good luck to you. |
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Extreme Veteran
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Location: New Jersey | Thanks. I've never tried protein drinks, but I was thinking of it. There are just so many I didn't know which ones to try. I'm going to try the one you mentioned.
Samantha |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 5098
Location: Somewhere in the Mountains of Western NC | Samantha, before you stop drinking milk..at least try the vanilla flavor with milk. Blend it in the blender or a shaker. You will love it, it taste better than a vanilla milkshake and its totally organic. When I drink mine, I feel so energized and I can't explain it, I really get energy from them. I drink one every other day, not every day - its too much. I could probably take half the scoop with half the amount of milk recommended and do just fine..sometimes I can't drink the recommended amount, its very filling. |
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Expert Yogi
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| Samantha - why are you giving up dairy? Just curious. To ensure you have complete protein on a veg diet it helps to combine foods correctly. Rice and beans work to make the full complement of amino acids. Add nuts to grains etc and that works, too. All those prepackaged tofu "meats" are helpful as well and don't taste tofu-y. |
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| Samantha, Do you have a particular reason to go vegan? The reason I ask is because I am a borderline vegetarian (still eat fish) and it's hard, but to go vegan is very difficult. It makes eating out in normal resturants tough and social situations even harder. This is JUST my observation though, I am sure someone will have another opinion. My parents' had a secretary that went vegan and over the course of a year her whole appearence changed. She looked worn out all the time and her skin didn't have a nice color. That said, just be sure that you are super educated about the lifestyle and make sure you are eating the right food combinations (ie : proteins with carbs). Please don't be offended by this, I am just making a suggestion and trying to help. |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 5098
Location: Somewhere in the Mountains of Western NC | I don't know Gracie, I've seen people eating a *regular* diet that look worn out and not so good skin color, sorry I had to say that  That is why I drink the protein I mentioned above, it has everything that your diet should give you, which is extremely difficult to get in the world of eating today even if your a *regular eating normal* person which I'm not really sure what that is, but I'd say from the consenses, most people don't eat healthy food every day due to schedules, availability and lack of knowledge. So, we have to compromise and do the best we can. Supplements are a good choice, but don't overdo it and try to eat a balanced diet and try to do the correct food combinations if at all possible. If in doubt, don't combine too many foods together, space them apart for a couple of hours, for the best digestion. Like Milk and Watermelon do not go together - Yuk! Of course, all rules on food combining don't apply when your pregnant  |
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| Good point Cyndi! My husband's friend is on a no veggie, all fried food and cheese diet. He's not looking his best, that's for sure  I guess my whole point was to be educated when following a vegan lifestyle. |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 5098
Location: Somewhere in the Mountains of Western NC | Gracie, I totally agree with you about being educated!!! For instance, I knew a girl with a 2 year old a few years back. She had this baby on a raw food vegetarian diet. He had colds all the time, always had a clear stream coming out. Once, I made some Beet soup when we were on a road trip. She fed it to him and I kept saying to her, I don't think this would be good for him. Well, needless to say that night, he vomited red stuff everywhere. In the Chinese medical theory, with babies, you need to give them easy to digest cooked foods. Their bodies are not developed yet. So, we adults go through similar things when trying to alter our diets. For instance, when we are used to something that may seem unhealthy, sometimes that is okay for us, because getting used to something extremely healthy can be just as UN-healthy because we are not used to it and getting used to it may never happen...like I am NEVER going to be able to tolerate dal and legumes, no matter how much kombu or cumin I add to them when cooking, no matter how soft they are, or even that beano stuff doesn't help...and dal is my favorite:~) God help me when I go to India and Nepal. |
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| Soy protein is your best bet. You can get it in powder form, in tofu or in mock meats. Be careful that the mock meats you get aren't overly laden with trans fats and party hydros (partially hydrogenated oils).
I recommend staying away from beans and rice. The amount of carbs in beans far outweighs the amount of protein. If you combine it with rice you're mostly just eating lots of empty carbs and some fibre. That nonsense about combining them is for the birds, IMHO. Similarly, nuts are mostly fat, but at least they are good fat. So keep eating nuts for fat but don't count them as proteins.
If you are eating dairy you have some more options: yogurt, milk, cheese, etc.
If you buy tofu in blocks, try pressing it first to get a lot of the water out. Wrap it in paper towels on a plate and put a heavy skillet or jar on top. After it's pressed, it will absorb sauces better and therefore taste better. It will also be firmer and easier to cook.
The silken tofu can just be blended and added to other dishes to thicken them and add protein. Or you can just add a scoop or two of unflavored protein powder. For example you can add it to a vegetarian chiles or tomato sauces. Consider adding it to desserts: pies, cakes, puddings, etc.
Vegetarians and vegans, especially, don't get enough protein and eat far too many bad carbs. If you're feeling sluggish, you want to consider eating some more protein but also upping the good fats, ie monounsaturated fats: olives, olive oil, avocados, almonds. You want to eat these because they are good for you and because you want your body to start using these types of fats for its main energy source. Don't fall into the trap of eating lots of grainy carbs for energy. It's bad news. Eat fruits and green vegetables, good fats, and good protein.
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Expert Yogi
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Location: Somewhere in the Mountains of Western NC | Yogaguy,
That comment you made about beans and rice...hmmm..my Indian body building husband would argue till the cows come home on that one! In Arnold's Schwartznegger (sp?) body building video, he is a vegetarian and recommends the dal and rice. My husband also swears by this because of his culture...being Indian and growing up as a vegetarian. This is where they get their main protein source. They also use Ghee and fresh unpasturized, freshly squeezed from the cow Milk too, which has some protein as well.
However, you are right when you say this to the average person who does not work out or burn those carbs..and that is the important factor here. Americans do not burn the calories and carbs like an Indian or Nepalis person would. Look at the Mexicans that are overweight in our country, they eat all that fattening food that they would eat in their country and then they come here and don't exercise, but keep their diets. In Satyams country, they walk everywhere, no cars, if you have a motorbike you are a rich person, 5-10 miles per day and use up their resources. When I was staying in NYC for 3 weeks, I could not eat enough carbs to keep up with all the walking I did in that city - every day. I lost 5 good pounds the first week, man did I feel good and I ate Chinese food every day in Chinatown..and lots of it...mostly carbs.
Tofu is really good like you said, I always put it on a plate (don't try this with silken, only firm) cover with a paper towel, then put a heavy book on it. At least let it stand for a couple of hours or overnite, you'll be so surprised how much water comes out. Then slice it and add it to a stir fry (coated lightly with Tapioca or Corn Starch) or better yet, Fried Tofu (thai style) is very good with a mildly spicy peanut sauce. Save the silken tofu for soups.
The protein powder I recommended earlier is Soy Protein - organic with no GMO's.
Edited by Cyndi 2005-03-17 2:35 PM
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Extreme Veteran
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Location: New Jersey | tourist - 2005-03-17 10:24 AM
Samantha - why are you giving up dairy? Just curious. To ensure you have complete protein on a veg diet it helps to combine foods correctly. Rice and beans work to make the full complement of amino acids. Add nuts to grains etc and that works, too. All those prepackaged tofu "meats" are helpful as well and don't taste tofu-y.
I'm giving up dairy, because I want to go totally Vegan. Also, I don't drink milk, or eat eggs as it is. They both upset my stomach. I do eat cheese, yogurt, and ice cream and seem to do ok with those, but I want to gradually phase them out of my diet. I just recently tried soy yogurt and really liked it.
By prepackaged tofu meats do you mean like veggie hot dogs, or veggie chicken wings? I like those, but I have becomne a little tired of them. I'll have to investigate whatelse is out there.
Thanks for your help!
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| Cyndi - 2005-03-17 2:30 PM
Yogaguy,
That comment you made about beans and rice...hmmm..my Indian body building husband would argue till the cows come home on that one! In Arnold's Schwartznegger (sp?) body building video, he is a vegetarian and recommends the dal and rice. My husband also swears by this because of his culture...being Indian and growing up as a vegetarian. This is where they get their main protein source. They also use Ghee and fresh unpasturized, freshly squeezed from the cow Milk too, which has some protein as well.
A few points, Cyndi:
I am not trying to insult your husband, I am just trying to stick with science. He can come on over to the boards and argue all he wants. I'll be glad to indulge him.
First, Arnold, as much as I love him, did not get that way eating vegetables. He got that way with vitamin S! Steroids. (He has admitted this numerous times, I'm not trying to dis him). Second, bodybuilding is NOT fitness, it is a vain pursuit to look bigger by any means necessary. Size does not necessarily correlate to strength or ability. Bodybuilding and bodybuilding magazines are geared to sell products, not to make you HEALTHIER. In fact, I don't think there is much correlation between bodybuilding and health.
Don't mistake what I am saying. Lifting weights and resistance training is great and can improve performance, strength and health if done properly. Bodybuilding is not a sport, it is a show. Citing bodybuilding as a source for health in a topic about yoga and nutrition is a mistake in my opinion.
Cultural eating and nutritional eating are two different animals. It's easy to get the two confused. We cite cultural and social reasons for being vegetarian all the time and confuse those for health reasons. Vegetarianism makes sense for many cultural reasons and there are many good, socially responsible reasons as well. However, just based on nutritional science, beans (even when mixed with rice) are not a significant source of protein. I am basing this on a diet of 40% carbs to 30% protein and 30% fat. I don't know about lentils...maybe they're more heavily balanced towards protein.
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Extreme Veteran
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Location: New Jersey | Gracie - 2005-03-17 10:28 AM
Samantha, Do you have a particular reason to go vegan? The reason I ask is because I am a borderline vegetarian (still eat fish) and it's hard, but to go vegan is very difficult. It makes eating out in normal resturants tough and social situations even harder. This is JUST my observation though, I am sure someone will have another opinion. My parents' had a secretary that went vegan and over the course of a year her whole appearence changed. She looked worn out all the time and her skin didn't have a nice color. That said, just be sure that you are super educated about the lifestyle and make sure you are eating the right food combinations (ie : proteins with carbs). Please don't be offended by this, I am just making a suggestion and trying to help.
I guess my main reason for wanting to go vegan is for ethical reasons. I've tried it before, but failed because I stopped all animal products right away without really investigating. This time, I eliminated meat gradually, and so far I seem to be doing better. I take the time to cook now, where as the last time, I was in college, and didn't want to cook so I relied on quick foods. What's funny is that dairy seems to be the hardest thing to eliminate from my diet, but too much dairy has always upset my stomach. Thanks for your advice. I will definitely make sure I am careful about getting all the right nutrients this time.
Samantha |
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| "...'tis better to swap bubble gum with a rabid bulldog than challenge a single one o' the varyin' beliefs your average human holds about nutrition." Tom Robbins from Jitterbug Perfume |
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| Yoga Guy, so true! I get crazy when people question my eating habits. MYOB is my opinion  which is why I attempt to tread lightly with my advice!!
Samantha, have you tried flax seed? My aunt is a nutritionist and she swears by that stuff. I add a little of the ground flax seed to my baked goods (not too much since it is very high in fat). I'm not sure how much protein is in it though?? What do you think Yoga Guy? |
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| Here is another problem. Everybody and their guru has an opinion about what you SHOULD and what you SHOULD NOT EAT. That's confusing enough, but very few people tell you how much of everything to eat. That's why I like the Zone Diet. Keep it simple and balanced. 30% good fat, 30% good protein, 40% good carbs. So far it is the best science on how much to eat. You can decide for yourself if you are eating kosher, vegan, raw, paleo or whatever! It can all be put into a favorable zone balance. It is friendly to all ethical and health issues about food. Wondering how much protein, carbs and fat you should eat? Try the zone.
It's easy to eat too much flax oil or too much whole grain sprout bread. Put it in the zone and you'll be better off. People always say you have to eat more of X and less Y. The zone takes away the guess work and give you real numbers and amounts.
It's simple but it ain't easy. |
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i'm thinking about making a similar transition..or at least less dairy.. so this topic is fantastic for me too!
i heard a friend mention the "exchange system" for making a safe/healthy transition to vegetarian/vegan diet. supposedly it's a series of calculations you can make to tailor your diet to your size and caloric requirements..does anyone know more about it? i'd love to check it out...
regarding tofu..there's a book out there call " That can't be tofu!" i've heard it's a great guide for vegetarians who don't like tofu  i also love to freeze mine and thaw it before pressing the water out. it gives it a fantastic texture. (i'm not a fan of squishy bean curd, m'self)
i'm also trying to steer away from seasoned veggie"meats", little by little. luv um, but the sodium is through the roof. if you eat that stuff regularly make you are getting potassium for balance.
there's also seitan ( wheat gluten) and tempeh ( soy and grains, pressed and fermented. tastes better than it sounds) |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 5098
Location: Somewhere in the Mountains of Western NC | I'm certainly not going to argue with *science*...but I'm really glad that I don't have to rely on it. Right now you recommend the Zone diet, until your science changes and says "oops, sorry we were wrong". Kinda like the Atkins diet that was so popular and now studies in Germany are proving it wrong - that was in the news a while back.
Actually, using common sense is probably the best answer to diet and balance - what has happened to using your brain and own judgement and tuning into that?? I can't believe that people are that stupid. These are things that people have been doing for thousands of years and have managed to do just fine. If I relied on Science, I'd be dead right now. Besides, I used to go to western doctors and have this same argument while they were pumping my children with their antibiotics and pills, my children were sick all the time and they never could give me answers as to why. Guess what?? After throwing in the science towel....We don't get sick every winter with the flu, we don't catch colds and we live a happy wholesome balanced life. My daughter doesn't throw up in the middle of the night because her school fed her the wrong type of food for her body's needs and she doesn't get pinworms because of the raw salad she ate at school because they don't wash the lettuce, by trying to be healthy! As a parent, I took responsibility for my family and found alternative ways to correct our problem..when Science was not. It also didn't take a rocket scientist degree to put this in place either - just some basic common sense and using a natural doctor's guidance in the beginning. Putting myself in the "zone" would not give me the excellent health results that I have today, because my body is not the same as another person's and I have different needs. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I have my own *zone* that I live by. If you want or need a guideline to follow, I would say the *zone diet* might be good to get someone started, but it could change, because Science is always subject to change.
Also, the 30% protein, I disagree. That is not completely correct for an athletic or even myself when I do Bikram and over stretching...because you need extra protein for repairing your ligaments and joints. |
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| as far as i know flax seed provides an alternate source for omega-3 oils that meat eaters can get in cold water fish, like salmon. i also thought that heat and light damaged it.. and that you should add it to food after you cook it..like salad dressing. |
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| Lumping two different diets together without understanding either of them is just ignorant. The Zone is not the same as the high protein/low carb Atkin's diet and shouldn't be lumped together with it. I'm not saying you are igorant. The Zone is misunderstood by the media and has been branded low-carb/high protein and now everyone lumps it together with Atkins. It's a totally different thing. It's a balanced diet that favors a higher percentage of favorable carbs, just like your momma told you to eat, just like common sense tells you to eat. It just breaks down the optimum balance using science and gives you some specific numbers to work with. I know many people that "eat healthy" and don't "get results." They wonder why they work out so much and eat all the healthy foods, but don't get the results they want. This is for them. Take all your healthy foods and calculate some good portion controls to bring you into the zone. Voila! True it is not perfect for everybody and it has to be fine tuned occassionally, but it does work. I've experienced it personally and seen other people have great results. Whether you choose to follow it is up to you. I find it ridiculous that you bash a high protein Atkin's diet in the first paragragh, then advocate eating more protein in the following paragraph. If you actually measured out how much protein you eat, you'd find 30% to be plenty. At 200lbs, I'm not lacking in protein, I keep putting on more muscle. It's a real eye-opener to measure your food and your consumption of macronutrients. You see that either you eat way too much protein and not enough fruits and vegetables or way too many carbs and not enough protein. Common sense will tell you that it's better to have a balance.
It is true that science has a bad rap because one minute they tell you eggs are great, then the next day they're bad. One day fat free is the way to go, then it's low carb, then it's high protein. It's hard to make sense of it all. It's downright aggravating. I don't blame you for being upset at doctors, schools, fad diets. I'm equally upset by all those things. I hate that I have to search high and low for foods that don't contain partially hydrogenated oils, monosodium glutamate, tons of sodium, bleached flour, corn syrup. I hate the fact that in order to eat "healthy" it seems like I have to pay twice as much for less food. I hate all the junk science and quick fixes that don't work. I'm just saying don't throw the baby out with the bathwater.
If you were to take the time to actually research the Zone, you'd find that it makes good sense: scientific and common sense. It's about balance. It's very yoga friendly. It's not about just losing weight to fit into a bathing suit. It's about controling your insulin levels. It's recommended for those that suffer from or are disposed to diabetes. It is also the choice of many elite athletes. It's not a fad. In fact, it is far too difficult to ever become a fad. That's probably why it didn't catch on like Atkins. It requires an almost obsessive amount of work to weigh all your foods and create zone meals. It's simple, but it ain't easy. But for those people like athletes or vegetarians that are already somewhat obsessive about WHAT they eat, the Zone is a great way to determine HOW MUCH to eat. It is a commitment, a practice, a lifestyle. For me the Zone is like the Yoga of eating. It requires daily practice. It is exact in its alignments. It's challenging but infinitely rewarding.
Like yoga you have to experience it to understand it fully. I have friends that don't understand yoga and dismiss yoga as a fad. Experience is a great teacher. I'm sure that science can prove that yoga doesn't lead to enlightenment, but for all those that experience it, you can't take it away from them or tell them otherwise.
Cyndi - 2005-03-17 5:03 PM
I'm certainly not going to argue with *science*...but I'm really glad that I don't have to rely on it. Right now you recommend the Zone diet, until your science changes and says "oops, sorry we were wrong". Kinda like the Atkins diet that was so popular and now studies in Germany are proving it wrong - that was in the news a while back.
Actually, using common sense is probably the best answer to diet and balance - what has happened to using your brain and own judgement and tuning into that?? I can't believe that people are that stupid. These are things that people have been doing for thousands of years and have managed to do just fine. If I relied on Science, I'd be dead right now. Besides, I used to go to western doctors and have this same argument while they were pumping my children with their antibiotics and pills, my children were sick all the time and they never could give me answers as to why. Guess what?? After throwing in the science towel....We don't get sick every winter with the flu, we don't catch colds and we live a happy wholesome balanced life. My daughter doesn't throw up in the middle of the night because her school fed her the wrong type of food for her body's needs and she doesn't get pinworms because of the raw salad she ate at school because they don't wash the lettuce, by trying to be healthy! As a parent, I took responsibility for my family and found alternative ways to correct our problem..when Science was not. It also didn't take a rocket scientist degree to put this in place either - just some basic common sense and using a natural doctor's guidance in the beginning. Putting myself in the "zone" would not give me the excellent health results that I have today, because my body is not the same as another person's and I have different needs. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I have my own *zone* that I live by. If you want or need a guideline to follow, I would say the *zone diet* might be good to get someone started, but it could change, because Science is always subject to change.
Also, the 30% protein, I disagree. That is not completely correct for an athletic or even myself when I do Bikram and over stretching...because you need extra protein for repairing your ligaments and joints. |
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| Now, when you guys say "rice" are we assuming whole-grain brown rice, or Minute Rice? I don't believe that the whole-grain brown variety is such a horrible carb. I'm tired of people saying a blanket "bread and rice and pasta are bad because they are carbs" without differentiating between whole grains and refined grains. Not really the people on these boards so much as the people I work with and the folks in my family. You guys are a lot more educated on nutrition than my coworkers for sure.
If I may rant for a moment, the South Beach Diet (which I am NOT comparing to The Zone so hold your fire!!) approves of whole grains, but for the induction phase you must give up ALL carbs. It's as if the public is just too hopelessly stupid to understand the difference between a whole grain and a slice of Wonder Bread! Maybe I'm giving the public too much credit here . . .
Anyway, some of us need more fiber in our lives than most straight proteins can provide. Except, of course, beans! The musical fruit! |
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| jeansyoga - 2005-03-17 8:22 PM
Now, when you guys say "rice" are we assuming whole-grain brown rice, or Minute Rice? I don't believe that the whole-grain brown variety is such a horrible carb. I'm tired of people saying a blanket "bread and rice and pasta are bad because they are carbs" without differentiating between whole grains and refined grains. Not really the people on these boards so much as the people I work with and the folks in my family. You guys are a lot more educated on nutrition than my coworkers for sure.
If I may rant for a moment, the South Beach Diet (which I am NOT comparing to The Zone so hold your fire!!) approves of whole grains, but for the induction phase you must give up ALL carbs. It's as if the public is just too hopelessly stupid to understand the difference between a whole grain and a slice of Wonder Bread! Maybe I'm giving the public too much credit here . . .
Anyway, some of us need more fiber in our lives than most straight proteins can provide. Except, of course, beans! The musical fruit!
Jean
It depends. Certainly there are more favorable and less favorable carbs. Green vegetables are probably the most favorable variety, then fruits, then whole grains. "Favorable" generally assumes that they have a lower glycemic index (GI) which doesn't create a large insulin spike. "Favorable" also connotes that they are higher in vitamins, minerals and fibre. The fact that whole grain is better than bleached/refined/processed grains is pretty obvious and few people contest that. However the fact is that all grains generally have a higher GI and you don't get as much nutritional bang for your buck. If you were going to eat 9 grams of carbs you could get that from 1/2 a slice of bread (whole grain if you prefer) or you can eat 1/2 an apple or you can eat 2 cups of brocolli. (you have to discount the fibre) Which do you think has more nutritional value? Which do you think will make you feel more full?
If you were following a Zone diet, (a balanced meal of 36g of carbs, 28g protein and 6g of fat) your carbs could come from either 2 slices of bread, 2 apples, 8 cups of brocolli, or some combo of those. The protein could be 6oz. of Turkey and fat could come from 12 almonds. So if grains are the main source of carbohydrates for your diet/lifestyle you are getting a lot more carbs with a higher GI. If you get your carbs from vegetables and fruits, you can eat a lot more food with a lower GI profile. Food has a hormonal impact. That is why we have "comfort foods" and eat when we are depressed. Helping control and balance that is part of what the Zone is about: regulating your insulin levels. For all you vegetarians check out: ( http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0060393106/qid=1111160977/sr=8-1/ref=pd_csp_1/104-6352809-4818362?v=glance&s=books&n=507846 )
On another note, there is a lot of good evidence to suggest that a paleolithic diet is the way to go (i.e. a hunter gatherer diet, sometimes referred to as a meat and berries diet). I have been reading up on it and there is a lot of evidence to suggest that the neolithic diet has done more harm than good. When man started farming and became more agricultural disease rates rose and mortality rates increased. ( http://www.thepaleodiet.com/ ). I am starting to like the idea of eating meats, veges, fruits and nuts in Zone proportions and giving up grains. To me it makes sense, and I've it have great effects on people. I'm just starting to get into the zone and find it to be extremely difficult but very rewarding.
So are carbs bad? Generally no, but there are some that you want to avoid. ( http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0345469585/qid=1111162306/sr=8-1/ref=pd_csp_1/104-6352809-4818362?v=glance&s=books&n=507846 ) ( http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0671038680/qid=1111162333/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/104-6352809-4818362 ) Are grains bad? Maybe. Are whole grains better than white grains? Definitely. What is the answer? I don't know. However, common sense says "eat more fruits and vegetables." The Zone advocates that. The Paleodiet advocates that. Even the South Beach advocates that after a month apparently. So I am gonna go out on a limb and say that you should eat more fruits and vegetables. How much fruits and veges should you eat? Well the Zone will tell you 9g of carbs to every 7g of protein. That's a LOT of fruits and veges. I've eaten more apples and greens this month than I can count. So as far as I am concerned, a "fad diet" that has me eating more green vegetables and fruits and healthy foods is a fad I want to be a part of. I am trying to ween myself off grains and go more Paleo. Yes, I had a slice of pizza and a beer last night (cheated) and oatmeal this morning (with my eggs and almonds so I was in the Zone). I'm only human. But I have a plan and I'm trying to stick to it.
Edited by YogaGuy 2005-03-18 11:19 AM
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| So, you are saying that you like The Zone? Just want to make sure I understand. |
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| jeansyoga - 2005-03-18 11:48 AM
So, you are saying that you like The Zone? Just want to make sure I understand.
Jean, you totally missed my point. GOSH!!!!! 
If you and Cyndi don't want to believe western science, then look to the ancient Taoist priests that practiced "BIGU" which translates to avoid (BI) the grain (GU).
Check out some of these links
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&safe=off&q=taoist+bigu+grain
Apparently this has been interpreted by many Taoist practitioners as total fasting, but it also has been interpreted more literally. It strengthens the QI!!!
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Sources of protein for vegans
