Hello!

[Mazen]

Hello community friends! I joined this forum today, and look forward to exchanging knowledge and information; experiences; practical suggestions and tips and yes- recipes! Hopefully it will help some of us (including me!) stay motivated and energized to maintain a Whole Food Plant Based lifestyle for the long haul.

Let me share just three quick points by way of introduction:

(1) I am convinced about the health benefits of a Whole Food Plant Based (WFPB) lifestyle- which also has strong ethical foundations -in addition to being better for the environment and for the fight against climate change

(2) our external surroundings and day-to-day social environment, however, can be very challenging for some of us to remain disciplined: family, friends, communities, society as a whole- either temptations are thrust upon us, or we are made to feel out of place if we opt for a WFPB life-style. Hence I find online communities such as these as potentially very helpful to ‘stay on track’ as much as possible.

(3) If the above two points also resonate with you, I would like to hear from you - and exchange suggestions and tips on coping strategies to remain disciplined!

 

[Brian W]

Hi @Mazen Pleased to meet you,

 

[alleycat]

Hi and welcome

 

[SuicideBlonde]

 

[Emma JC]

I agree with you and it is very helpful to stay on track when you are part of the this community. I am not good at keeping a food diary/log and yet I do so here and that helps me to look back and see how I am doing. Last night's meal (see what I had for dinner) was a lot oiler than I am used to and it showed up in the digestive system right away.... that happened a couple of weeks ago also and so now I can correlate that larger amounts of oil in one meal are not good for me and I am thrilled that that is true as it shows that I have now trained my body to shy away from oils/fats and the next time I consider doing it I may just stop.

Welcome to the forum and I hope that our and your contributions will benefit us all.

Emma JC
Find your vegan soulmate or just a friend. www.spiritualmatchmaking.com

 

[Mazen]

I agree with you and it is very helpful to stay on track when you are part of the this community. I am not good at keeping a food diary/log and yet I do so here and that helps me to look back and see how I am doing. Last night's meal (see what I had for dinner) was a lot oiler than I am used to and it showed up in the digestive system right away.... that happened a couple of weeks ago also and so now I can correlate that larger amounts of oil in one meal are not good for me and I am thrilled that that is true as it shows that I have now trained my body to shy away from oils/fats and the next time I consider doing it I may just stop.

Welcome to the forum and I hope that our and your contributions will benefit us all.

Emma JC
Find your vegan soulmate or just a friend. www.spiritualmatchmaking.com

Thank you Emma JC for your message! Good tips indeed. I agree with you on the oil front: processed vegetable oils (including olive oil) although technically vegan, are not as healthy as we are often made to believe. They are pure fat, full of calories with no nutrients - no vitamins, no fiber, no anti-oxidants; i.e. Simply empty calories. It is much better to get fats from nuts, seeds and avocado- they come in a better ‘package’ full of nutrients and fiber. I have also retrained my palate and by now I feel good eating and cooking without oil (e.g. I often ’water saute‘ ). And I feel great and have lost a lot of weight since. More broadly, when I cook, I try to go SOS-free as much as possible: salt, oil and sugar are three items I do not keep in my pantry and do not buy at all in grocery stores. It is great to be vegan- but it is even greater to be a healthy vegan.

Following your lead- I am attaching a photo of the type of ice-cream I had yesterday: strawberry ice cream, dairy-free and sugar-free (sweetness comes from fruits/dates/raisins). It is indeed possible to have vegan meals that are both tasty and healthy…Look forward to more exchanges with this group.

 

[Deleted member 3018]

Hello and welcome!

 

[PTree15]

Hi and welcome to VF!

 

[Tom L.]

Welcome!

I guess I'm fortunate in that my relatives and friends are quite supportive of my dietary lifestyle. I aim for strict vegetarianism (I'd be vegan except for my sometimes-leather footwear).