All I know is that is been just a tad over a week, and I find that I don't really miss the red meat. Sure, I take a multi-vitamin just in case I miss something, but I have always done that anyway. I didn't think your palate could change even just a teensy bit that quickly but I think mine has a little. Vegetables that I always assumed didn't have much taste and where just bit players to the main course, now have a very distinct flavor.
I can say for sure, that I feel like I have more energy, and I definately don't feel bloated and tired after a meal. I take antacids daily for GERD, but I have not needed the pills as much. I have a bit of a gut gut, yet I have lost 8 pounds even though it was not the purpose of the experiment. And lets just say.....the digestion process from start to
Reading package labels how now become a bit of an obsession. I have been trying to eat more fresh fruits and veggies, but when it's something packaged, I am a label fiend. If I don't see any real nutrional value, or contents that contain too many syllables, it doesn't go in the shopping cart. I compare one brand to another, as well as "regular" products as opposed to "light" versions. Let me just say from what I have seen so far, "light" versions of a product aren't all that light and from the ingredient list, use a lot of chemicals and things I can't pronounce. Given that choice, I'll take the product that has 20 more calories per serving that is more natural, and just keep the portion size down.
Speaking of portion size..... I'm finding it's easier to get full now, and feel satisfied without eating enough for two people. It wasn't something I was really trying to watch, but it seems to have just developed as a good by-product of eating better. Last night I ate two mushroom burgers on buns with cheese, brocco sprouts, ketchup, and french fries. Just for giggles I added up my estimate of the calories and fat for the entire meal and it did not even equal ONE burger I like to get from a popular chain. Since I like to get TWO of those burgers at a time with fries and sometimes a milkshake, that is a MASSIVE difference in just about any nutritional category you can name.
I have also found that I crave snacks a lot less. Maybe I was just eating mindlessly because I was bored and not in need of nutrition? I'm starting to think it is exactly that. I adore a certain sponge cake with creme filling whose name I shall not mention, but processed sugars that used to be a staple, are just not appealing to me right now. I didn't set out to avoid those products, but I don't seem to miss them so much either. I ate a few nacho cheese chips last night and they just didn't really taste good to me, so again I had to ask....why the heck was I even eating them? I have just decided if I have to ask myself "why am I eating this", then maybe I shouln't.
I still don't count calories, nor do I weigh everything or keep a food diary. I just figure common sense and moderation are pretty good rules to eat by.
I'm gettting ready to make Hamburger Helper using a meat subsitute, mostly because I am curious if they will even work together. I'll let you know later :).
After reading your post about your attempt to be a "veggie head" I think it is an admirable attempt to understand why we eat the way eat and how the different foods either leave us feeling nurished or lacking nurishment. Be aware that you are yes indeed feeling better after changing how you feel but that would be similar to a honeymoon phase of a marriage, it will work well for a time, and then your body will start to burn through the nutrients you get from chicken, fish and red meat. Unless you are supplimenting those vital nutrients you run the risk of being sick, or becoming anemic especially from lack of Iron content! Please be aware of this and be safe in your experiment! As for some of the comments about "Light" or "Diet" foods, it is my experiance that they chemicals they put in them are worse then the actually full on food! Look at Diet Drinks, Aspertane is horrible for you! You might as well drink bleach. Be advised as well with your Fresh Fruits and Veggies, that unless you are eating organic fruits and such, you are still ingesting an unknown amount of chemical which is without a doubt no better for you then some of the two many syllable foods you find on the shelf!
ReplyDeleteI hope this works for you, it should be an interesting experiment!