How to thrive on a plant-based diet

If you ever wanted to thrive on a plant-based diet, you’ve got plenty of company.

In fact, go to the grocery store right now and you’ll see that people  are stocking up big time.

And if you want proof,  sales of plant-based food soared 90% during Covid‘s peak panic time?*

 I’m talking the first wave–waaaay back in March.  

However, I know you want to be plant-based for life–not just in the heat of the moment.

That’s why I want to share a few things I wish I had known 20 years ago when I first committed to eating whole foods. During those early years, I stumbled a lot, and there were  moments I felt like my body was dragging. 

Even some of my friends who gave up meat admitted they didn’t always have as much energy as they wanted. 

Since a plant-based diet provides plenty of protein, here’s what I think we can all do to increase our energy, stay motivated, and feel satisfied when eating whole foods. 

Eat a big, beautiful variety of rainbow-colored whole foods

An abundance of beautifully colored whole foods

Let’s take a look at what I ate recently: For breakfast, I had one cup of creamy curry millet, with hemp milk, garbanzo beans, avocado, a tablespoon of flaxseeds, and a half cup of steamed broccoli.  

I had kidney bean soup for lunch. Most days I usually make what my trainer calls “A big ass salad.” This one included zucchini noodles, romaine, spinach, brown rice, cauliflower, cherry tomatoes, red peppers, and chia seeds.   

Then I rounded everything out for dinner by sauteing some collard greens and kale with summer squash. Next I tossed my cauliflower pasta with green goddess dressing and barbecue tempeh.

 My snacks included sprouted bread with almond butter, an orange, and a banana.

If my plates could have talked, they would have said, ‘look at me, aren’t I bangin’ with all this green, yellow and red going on?’

Am I saying to go out and buy a boatload of vegetables right this minute?  Absolutely not, especially if they end up sitting in your fridge and going bad.

But what you can do is start adding a couple of more produce items to your regular stash to up the variety factor.

I like to keep cans of organic lentils and garbanzo beans in my cupboard.  If you buy turnip greens or collards regularly, try adding bok choy and spinach to the mix.

And in case you’re wondering if your body is getting enough nutrients, think about using a nutrition tracker.

My favorite is the Chronometer nutrition app. Since I don’t always want to cook, this app is perfect for me.  It keeps me motivated to make healthy food, and it also features a way to scan your barcodes for packaged foods.

 For example, my breakfast gave me a good chunk of vitamin c, fiber, folate, protein, and calcium. But it also made me think about ways throughout the day I could get more iron, potassium, and other vitamins and minerals.  

That’s where my nutrition app came in. Once I logged in everything, I found out that I got the recommended number of 2000 calories for a woman my age (54) and hit my nutrient targets. Yippee.  

Ya see stuff like this makes me embarrassingly excited. It’s called progress, and it’s kind of a turn on, really. 

As you can see, I planned out my meals so I wouldn’t skip anything.

Start slowly by increasing your whole foods and listening to what your body is telling you. 

It’s also a good idea to check with your doctor if you’re concerned about being seriously deficient in nutrients.  

Whenever I eat an abundance of whole foods, I feel healthier, stronger, and my brain works faster. The magic word is abundance. 

 Now it’s time for you to tell me how your life has changed since you added more whole foods to your plate. And if you’re finding it a struggle, let me know that too.

*Data comes from the Plant Based Foods Association and Market Analytics Firm SPINS, May 2020