[rkfan4]

lately i have been becoming a health nut. i want to get into better shape and start eating healthier. but i don't know what i should and should not be eating and how much of what. any advice?

[bobthecockroach]

http://www.mypyramid.gov/

Balanced eating, not bizarre diet programs like no-carb or no-sugar, is the way to be healthy.

Also, exercise.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/e...alfitness.html

[santiago]

My mom and two of my sisters are Vegans (no meat or dairy). I try to eat healthy but I still eat some meat (mainly chicken) and I eat dairy.

[rkfan4]

as of today i'm a vegatarian. i want to see if this helps.

[Nate]

Originally Posted by rkfan4

as of today i'm a vegatarian. i want to see if this helps.

Just be aware that there are critical nutrients in meat and animal products that you now have to find ways to make up for by eating more of certain vegetables or other foods. Being a vegetarian is not any more intrinsically healthy than not being one; in fact, it can probably be more difficult to be healthy as a vegetarian than not. Simply not eating meat does not a healthy diet make.

[CareBear15]

Stick to the food pyramid and eat several small meals a day.

[santiago]

Originally Posted by rkfan4

as of today i'm a vegatarian. i want to see if this helps.

Good Luck!


I think my mom might take some vitamin supplements to help cope with the loss of some essential nutrients and stuff.

[RelientA-OK]

I'm with you Care...eat healthy, live healthy...not aseasy as it sounds...

[rkfan4]

Originally Posted by Nate

Just be aware that there are critical nutrients in meat and animal products that you now have to find ways to make up for by eating more of certain vegetables or other foods. Being a vegetarian is not any more intrinsically healthy than not being one; in fact, it can probably be more difficult to be healthy as a vegetarian than not. Simply not eating meat does not a healthy diet make.

i know that. i talked with a friend who has been a vegatarian for 8 years and figure dout what i should be eating to make up for the missing protien and other things.

[magical spatula]

vegetarian diets are by far one of the healthiest diets to have, considering you do it right and don't overload on too much carbs (read: pasta) or sugar.

get your protein with tofu, whole grains (like quinoa, brown rice, oatmeal, and high-fiber cereals - check the nutrition information to see the fiber content, it should have at least 3-4 grams of fiber per serving), beans (beans and rice, stir-fry, bean soups, bean patties/burgers), veggie-substitute burgers, mushrooms, and fish, if you eat it. salmon is probably the best for you because it contains the most omega-3 fatty acids, which you can also get from fish oil capsules, flax seeds, capsules, or flaxseed oil. make sure you take a multi-vitamin to make up for lost vitamins or nutrients and make sure you have a complete diet.

don't overdo it on the dairy, either. eat a lot of natural or organic food, if you can, and try to avoid processed food. spend more time in the produce section of the market rather than the other aisles.

if you're looking for chips, get nuts instead (high fat, but an awesome protein source), or trail mix is good if you get the right kind or make your own - nuts, raisins, dried fruit, etc. pretzels are good because they're fat free and a lot of stores now sell veggie chips or baked chips. you can also find recipes for make sweet potato fries, or even plain roasted sweet potatoes are good, too.


if you eat out, just make sure not to eat a lot of pasta. more restaurants are offering veggie-friendly options, but most of the time, it's something completely unhealthy, like a pasta with alfredo sauce or a ravioli with cheese. if you plan on eating salads: be aware that most salad dressings contain a lot of dairy or oil, which give it a high fat content. most honey mustard dressings are made with mayonnaise, and ranch has a lot of milk and/or cream in it.


soups are a good option, but don't go out and buy a ton of canned soup: most of them contain animal-based broth and a whole lot of sodium. check the label to make sure it's certified vegetarian and that it doesn't have too much sodium. soups are really easy to make at home, too, and there are tons of recipes for soups - and if you find one you like that contains an animal broth or ingredient, you can most certainly substitute with vegetable broth and tofu or a vegetable.

[redbaron]

It may be my aversion to pills, but i'd rather eat a diet that is healthy in that it doesn't require me to take half of a hippie-pharmacy just to stay healthy.

vegetarians who eat fish (kind of like catholics eating fish because it's not meat on fridays), or take fish capsules, or nutrients that came from animals crack me up. It's like "way to go on the not eating meat thing".

I guess it's easier to rationalize if you only eat meat in pills though.

[magical spatula]

it depends on yoru reasons for being a vegetarian whether you eat fish or not.


and vegetarians don't "only eat meat" in pills. the pills are there simply as a back up. there are numerous other ways to get protein.

[AlphaSigma]

no red meat and lots of veggies.

[bobthecockroach]

Originally Posted by Blade84135

no red meat and lots of veggies.

Please state your credentials for such an opinion because a team of the dietitians and nutritionists (probably with Ph.D's) came up with the food pyramid.

[magical spatula]

Originally Posted by bobthecockroach

Please state your credentials for such an opinion because a team of the dietitians and nutritionists (probably with Ph.D's) came up with the food pyramid.

true, but every body is different. everyone processes food differently. the same diet doesn't work for everyone (also why fad diets don't work).

also note, i'm neither defending or opposing the "no red meat and lots of veggies" idea.

simply putting in my two cents.