I started my vegan diet about 4 months ago with the idea that I just wanted to eat more nutritious foods to fuel my life and workouts. So far the results have been somewhat varied. In the beginning, I noticed a difference in how I felt on a daily basis, more energy, and I just felt better from day to day. I did lose about 10 pounds, although that was never my intention. Lately I have changed the way I workout, so I feel the need to get more protein on a daily basis. I began to eat more soy based foods, which bothers me a little but there’s not much I can do about it. I add soy protein to my shakes, tofu to salads and wraps, and have been eating some soy meat (boca burgers, sausage, etc.). Since I added the soy products I have noticed my weight going back up, all muscle, which is what I wanted to begin with. I still consume beans, lentils, grains, and lots of fruits and veggies.
I still keep my favorite foods and types of foods. Pizza, burgers, tacos, burritos, Mexican, Italian, Mediterranean. The challenge now is finding healthy, vegan versions of these foods. It is much easier now than it was in the beginning, but still takes careful planning. I am a creature of habit, so what I eat is essentially the same from day to day. Here is an example of how my day of eating goes.
Breakfast
Power smoothie, I now add 2 scoops of soy meal replacement
Pre-workout
Roughly 15 grams of brown rice protein, and sometimes some yerba mate for energy
Post-workout
Roughly 15 grams of brown rice protein
Lunch
Boca burger on whole wheat bun with half an avocado, spinach and tomato, with sweet potato fries(baked)
Snack
Carrots, celery, and cucumber slices with hummus
Dinner
Big salad with spinach, tomato, avocado, peppers, olives, and a hearty portion of lentils, always with a vinaigrette made with flax oil.
Thats a typical day. As I stated above, there are lots of other foods that I include from day to day. Nuts and seeds, raw fruits, raw veggies, soy yogurt, tempeh, vegan pancakes, tofu dishes, etc. I am pretty busy from day to day, so I try to do the best that I can with my diet. Any thoughts or questions? Let me know.
