Vegetarian Diet Plan
Fat loss expert and writer for Men’s Health and Oxygen magazines, Craig Ballantyne recently designed his very own vegetarian diet meal plan.
The task seemed simple enough to him, but when he came down to visit me in California, I had to set him straight on a few things about his vegetarian nutrition meal plan!
There are so many factors to consider when planning a weight loss diet, and when you throw vegetarian into the mix it only compounds the confusion.
So let’s have a look at where Craig went wrong and we’ll offer suggestions on how he can improve his vegetarian weight loss diet.
First of all, Amy’s Organic Chili is a staple in Craig’s diet, offering a really great source of protein in the beans. However, the real concern is with the high levels of sodium.
On average, most adults should consume between 1500-2200mg of sodium a day. Yet, in one can of Amy’s Chilli you will find nearly 700 mg, almost half to one third of your daily intake.
So, if you are going to have a bowl of canned chili (or any canned food) just make sure to find a low sodium alternative.
You can watch Kardena “scold” Craig here…
For vegetarians, beans and nuts tend to be the predominant source of protein and this is no exception in Craig’s vegetarian diet, where he regularly consumes an assortment of nuts, including almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts, and pistachios.
Just remember to eat raw nuts, and not nuts that have been roasted in hydrogenated oils.
However, many people have problems digesting almonds.
To combat this digestive issue, I recommend soaking the almonds in water for up to 24 hours.
By treating your raw almonds to a good soaking, you release the enzyme inhibitors, thereby allowing for better digestion while also increasing the nutrient absorption by up to 300%.
This neat little tip can also be applied to seeds such as pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, and sesame seeds.
With eggs, meat, and dairy omitted from a vegan diet, a common concern is whether or not one consumes enough protein on a daily basis.
But it shouldn’t be a big concern. After all, the body possesses its very own conservatory system, meaning it recycles about 75% of protein. For example, when you work out, some of the protein will break down, but your body will actually reabsorb 75% of it.
Therefore, the amount of protein that you need to replace is fairly small, despite what the bodybuilding magazines say!
As well, plant-based proteins are far easier to digest and absorb than animal-based proteins. As a result, your body will require less protein on a vegan diet then it would if you were following a regular diet. 
But still there are plenty of high protein vegan foods.
Chocolate milk is Ballantyne’s drink of choice following a workout, but on a vegan diet, milk just isn’t an option.
So, I recommend unsweetened Almond Milk or Hemp Milk, with raw chocolate powder and a little bit of honey or stevia to sweeten the taste. Next, blend the ingredients together and you now have an excellent alternative to chocolate milk that is much easier to digest.
Peanut butter tastes great, especially in a bowl of oatmeal or in sandwiches. The problem with peanut butter and many other nut butters is they tend to be roasted, changing the structure of the oil thereby making it harder to digest.
So, if you are going to have a nut butter choose a raw one, such as raw almond butter and raw cashew butter.
Even if you are a lazy person, transitioning to a vegetarian diet doesn’t have to be hard. There are good and bad vegetarian diets, but the key is finding the healthy food options that are readily available.
If Craig can do it, so can you!
Kardena Pauza
On Monday, the Easy Veggie Meal Plans officially go on sale at 12pm EST at the one-time low introductory price, but…
When I grew up I lived with Mom and unfortunately, I ate a terrible diet. From pizza to burgers and every junk food in between, I ate it on an almost daily basis.
It wasn’t until a few embarrassing illnesses caused by eating meat that I finally decided to look for a better way to eat and live. And I finally found that when I stumbled across a whole foods expert lecturing in Southern California. As soon as I heard about eating vegan and consuming living foods, I was hooked.
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