Living a healthy lifestyle includes a lot of preparing and researching, especially if you want to stick with it. Being a vegan might take a bit more preparing and researching, but I feel it is well worth it.
Working out and going to the gym is a big part of my healthy lifestyle. I try to aim to go 3-4 times a week. When I am not at the gym, I like to take walks and occasionally run. Being a vegan, I have to make sure there is balance in my workouts and my diet. Here are some key points to balance.
Food/Nutrition- When people first become vegan they notice a loss in weight. That is because fruits and vegetables are processed in the body a lot quicker. My focus right now is not to lose weight, but maintain it and build muscle. In order for me to do that, I have to make sure I get enough protein and calories throughout the day. A good rule of thumb is, if you are working out a lot, try to eat your body weight in protein. (I am just learning this, so I am practicing as I preach.). A good way to do this is to eat 6-8 times every 2-4 hours throughout the day. These meals should be smaller than a regular sized meal. For example, my breakfast in the morning is usually a protein shake from Arbonne. It already has 20 grams but I can add spinach and almonds and get even more protein. Some days I eat oatmeal with nuts and fruit.
Two hours later for a snack, I can eat a granola bar with a banana. For lunch, I can eat a salad filled with greens and quinoa, or any kind of beans, lentils, or nuts/seeds. For another snack, I can have some kind of trail mix with granola and nuts. After work, I can have another protein shake and change it up a bit from that morning. For dinner, I usually have anything with vegetables and beans of some sort alongside a nice filling salad. Then before bed, a simple snack like a fruit or nuts. I enjoy a couple of almond filled dates, sounds weird, but it is good.
Along with getting enough protein, it is also important to make sure I am getting enough calories. Eating 6-8 times throughout the day is very helpful. Trying to eat good carbohydrates helps as well. Eating a sandwich with whole-grain bread is good, even just adding peanut butter is enough. I also enjoy toast with avocado and some sprouts. Eating more plant-based foods will also help with recovery. Plant-based foods have a lot of alkaline in them and this helps the body flourish and your muscles to recover.
If you are interested in losing weight, just cut back on the calories, but still get enough protein.
There are so many other options out there. This is just another example of the conscience living and maintaining balance. I would love to know what you love to eat and snack on to balance your lifestyle!
Until next time,
Awaken Your Inner Self,
Carol
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