Mark: in retrospect

So 30 days isn't a long time, but it's long enough to get a taste.

It was strange - I looked forward to the end all along, and when it came, I was, at least on some level, hesitant to let this diet go. Talking with several of my colleagues, I think it convinced me that being a traditional vegetarian (dairy, eggs allowed) would be relatively easy compared to being a vegan - and I am seriously considering taking on vegetarianism for an extended diet rather than an experiment. Perhaps try it for six months.

Regarding the actual experience, I lost 10.5 pounds from start to finish.

I proposed this experience because I had found myself stuck in a zone at the lower end of the 170's, and really wanted to break through to the 160's (I was 197.8 in January). In this sense, the vegan diet was hugely helpful. I immediately started losing weight, and in just a few days arrived at a new equilibrium in the mid 160's. Ironically and completely unintentionally, I found myself doing relatively little exercise during this period, so I believe most of the weight loss was the result of the diet rather than exercise. I ate a reasonably diet for a man of my weight, age, and size, hitting around 2000 calories most days.

I have to say, I hadn't weighed 163 since I was in college - about 24 years ago. It was really cool to see that number on the scale.

But I have to confess, I think I was losing more than fat on the diet. I never really was able to establish a solid protein intake, and on a few days I really had physical sense of desperation. I felt like something was wrong with me. I craved a concentrated protein source on more than just an emotional level. I'm convinced (though I can't prove it) that much of the weight loss was lost muscle mass as a result of the diet.

I didn't have a lipid and glucose panel immediately before the start of this experience, but I had had one only two months earlier (April 2, 2014). I did have one the morning after the end of the diet (and before I indulged myself on meat and cheese again).

The comparison is interesting:

                                      April (pre-exp)        June (immediately post-exp)
Serum cholesterol:          152                            173

HDL                                  52                              63

LDL                                  87                               90

Triglycerides                    65                               99

Glucose                             98                               91


The only number you would want to see go up out of all those numbers is the HDL, which the vegan diet did do. Unfortunately, the period between my last panel and the end of the vegan diet shows a significant increase in many of the bad makers. To be fair, the glucose level went down, which is also pleasing to me, because I have a history of diabetes in my family, and an elevated glucose level concerns me. But increases in serum cholesterol, LDL, and triglycerides also concern me. (good short article explaining these measures here: http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Cholesterol/AboutCholesterol/Good-vs-Bad-Cholesterol_UCM_305561_Article.jsp)

What this experiment has convinced me is not so much that veganism is somehow bad, but that exercise is really, really important. I don't think I mastered the vegan diet - in particular the proper way to consume sufficient protein. But at the same time I let go of the rigor in my exercise routine that I had been working hard to maintain since the beginning of the year. I allowed the FitBit to lull me into a sense of complacency because I hit my 10,000 steps most days. While being generally active is important, I am convinced now that for my own health I need intensive periods of exercise most days.I think had I maintained the rigor of my exercise efforts, I would have had better lipid results.

I think the other big take-away that I have from this effort is that eating out regularly is really bad for you. Prior to this exercise, I was starting to slip back into my pre-$3 diet habits of eating out for lunch frequently (we have a Subway in the basement of our building). When I engaged in the vegan experience, I had to get back in the habit of preparing my meals each day before I left in the morning for work. Despite the protein issue, I felt good about what I was eating. And in an important way, I felt good about being more involved with my own food. There is something profoundly human about preparing your own food. The act of eating is something that connects us to the world. To outsource the preparation of too many of our meals to a kind stranger is to disconnect ourselves from ourselves. Food is worthy of contemplation, and cooking is something close to prayer.

I am happy to have tried this experiment. I appreciate the support I received from my fellow participants, my family, and all of the folks who followed us. It was interesting.

Next up for diet experiments is paleo - but I think I'll wait a bit before I try it.

Till then -

buon appetito!

Linda Day 30 - Vegan no more

Day 30 - The day started like most others with 3 cups of coffee.  I did not get my 4th cup in the afternoon. I've noticed that pushes me to be a bit on the intolerant side.  There is something about the mid-day pick-me-up and a moment spent centering with a cup of coffee that makes the remainder of the day grate less and somehow magically transforms the afternoon annoyances into mere task dust.

No lunch, just scores of written assignments to grade. At least now we know where we start from as far as the level of communication. 

A few last minute "we need it now" requests and a third 12-hour day materialized.  It all melts when I walk through the door in the evening and Steve and Izzy (our dog) greet me.  The family exchange can begin for the evening, with attention first and foremost centered on Izzy who wants to know exactly where I have been for so long.

Dinner is spaghetti squash, one of my favorite vegan dishes, with asparagus, zucchini, and tomatoes. It was smothered in marinara sauce and accompanied by bread with seasoned olive oil.  The meal was topped off with sliced pears and a glass of Merlot.

This last 30 days have been an interesting adventure.  I have learned that if absolutely necessary I could live without meat, eggs, and dairy products. But, only if absolutely necessary.  I said this at the beginning, I am a carnivore.  I may temper my meat consumption a little but I choose to not live a meatless life.  My husband, Steve, also pointed out that I could never be a true vegan because I own way to many leather shoes, purses, and other accessories.  I agree, plastic shoes are not tolerable.  Sorry, cows and other potential future shoe material contributors.

I have veered off of some of my healthier habits during this venture. I usually eat very little bread, almost no chips, and small amounts of dried fruits and vegetables, which are high in calories.  I have consumed more bread in the last 30 days than the previous year. This started as a possible recovery from overindulgence during vacation but did not develop into the healthy reset that I had hoped for.  I lost only 2 pounds during this 30 days. A little disappointing.  "OK" now it is time to get serious and get back to what works best for me, a low carb life-style.

Thanks to Mark for inspiring a jump-off into the abyss that is veganess. At least I can say I tried it, but it just was not for me.  I will be happy to re-enter the world of carnivores tomorrow. 

Bon Appétit

Carrie: Day 30 and Final Thoughts

Day 30 was pretty basic:

Breakfast: Grape nuts, soy milk, and a glass of OJ

Snack: Banana

Lunch: Gnocchi w/ red sauce, apple

Snack: 4 squares of dark chocolate

Dinner: Vegan chili

I'm really loving having this gnocchi around... it's definitely one of those meals for "everyone" - well, except no-carb folks. Sorry :) It's very filling and easy to change up because you can keep it interesting with different sauces. And the vegan chili, I've been using that recipe for over 4 years now - I've found that it's so dense in beans, vegetables, and spices that no one misses the meat.

As for thoughts... Hmmm. I would guess I probably had an easier time adjusting than others, since I've been lactose intolerant for 5 years and had to cut out red meat over 2 years ago - my PCM thinks gallbladder issues, and I prefered trying the dietary changes option to flat out removal. I mean seriously, who wants body parts removed just because I’m having extreme bloaty/gassiness? I'll take option B, thank you! Bottom line is, the recommended diet changes helped significantly so I've stuck with it. So I was already very used to soy products and for meat only ate fish and birds. I also had several vegan cookbooks in the house and I took a few vegan cooking classes when I was living in Pasadena. Cooking-wise, I had already been introduced to the "lifestyle," and then I had a little leg-up in terms of having to cut out products.

That said, the restrictions that come along with being vegan are just too much for me to think about all the time. It really is exhausting - having to go to more than one grocery store if a vegan product you need for a recipe isn't available, constantly checking nutrition labels to make sure those dreaded words "Contains: Milk, Eggs" aren't at the bottom, having to inconvenience friends/family members I visit to cook up a vegan-friendly meal at dinner, having to ask about ingredients at restaurants... It's just too much. I honestly don’t know how “real” vegans do this permanently. Sure, vegetarian I can see – it’s easy enough to ask a friend or restaurant to leave the meat off. But those little products that get you – casein, whey, the stinking bone char in white sugar? I had no idea those little additives were in so much stuff. Grrr!

So what does this mean going forward? I think this was a big wake-up call that I should be paying more attention to having a consistently well-balanced diet – more home cooking, fewer nights ordering in or eating out, less sugar, taking the time to self-assess how my body feels after I eat something, etc. Now that we’re done with the 30 days, I’m essentially going to stop asking, “Does this food have an animal product in it?” and move back to a general, “Is this food something I want to be putting in my body?” and “If so, how does my body feel now that I’ve eaten it?” And you know what, that's probably something I should have been doing before!

The good GOOD news is that I spoke to my cardiologist, and because the symptoms that have been getting continually worse over the last 2 years – PVCs, racing pulse, light-headedness, general lethargy – have decreased so much in the last month, I do NOT have to undergo the month-long monitoring he was going to put me on! Obviously if I start having them consistently again before my next annual echo I'll go right in, but MAN I am so happy - it would have been such a pain! Apparently it’s some kind of device (not the permanent implanted kind) I would have to wear 24/7 and plug in to my home phone line once a day so that my cardiologist could monitor everything. BLEH. I genuinely think it’s all due to my body not having to work as hard processing the vegan food, in addition to just in general keeping a well-balanced, good diet. The change I’ve felt has really been amazing, so I will continue on a path of healthy eating and better tracking – but I don't think it’s necessary to deprive myself of EVERYTHING that has a tiny bit of animal product in it forever, as long as I keep taking good care of myself.

So here’s a basic breakdown of my experience:

Positives – Fewer heart symptoms, lower pulse/blood pressure (although I was in the healthy range before, it’s even lower now), more energy, improved mood (probably because I didn’t feel tired all the time), better fitting pants, and better skin (I had good skin before because I always wear sunscreen, hats, and very little makeup, but seriously in the last week I’ve gotten compliments from 5 different people about how good my skin looks – thank you, hydration and good eating!).

Negatives – Too restrictive, inconvenience to friends/family members who invite you to events, occasional feeling of deprivation, occasional feeling of running out of “fuel” on a long (6+ miles) run (luckily, I always carry an emergency Gu), and the general frustration felt when you go to an event and realize you can literally eat nothing being served.

Overall, at least in my case, I give it an A+ for the health benefits and would probably recommend it to anyone who has heart problems like I do, or anyone who wants a jump start to healthier eating.

It’s been real, everyone! Thanks for suffering through this with me! I hope you all found some added benefits and that the experience wasn’t too rough on you… And please, for the sake of your bodies, be careful easing back in to the meat lifestyle! J

xoxo

Carrie

Lee V-Day Done? ...What happened?

Quick post after we completed the 30-Day Vegan Challenge. I will be going to our clinic tomorrow to pickup a prescription, conduct an eye-exam for my retirement physical, and have blood drawn in support of my retirement physical, but the lab work will also provide a convenient post-treatment snapshot to determined "what happened" to my body during this endeavor. My primary care manager provided a brief note to me regarding my cholesterol readings from pre-diet and my levels were marginally within normal levels, but moving in the wrong direction from earlier tests...hoping\expecting that levels will be well-within normal to good levels after this diet experience and beyond.

...Putting pieces of the puzzle together with independent variables, I ran an ad hoc nutrient report from Loseit! for the past three months and past month (see below). Graph depicts portions (%) of caloric intake associated with Fat, Carbohydrates, and Protein.

Quick analysis indicates that this Vegan diet dramatically cut my fat nutrient content intake and moderately dropped my proteins. As I scan through the content of things that I ate during the two months prior to our Vegan diet, I see many "good" food choices littered with bad, convenient, short-term indulgent choices e.g. Little Debbie snack cakes, nachos & cheese & other tasty toppings, fried chicken\buffalo wings, etc. ...adherence to the vegan diet or perhaps a similar plan screens out many of those (health) costly choices.

Lee's 3-month nutrient intake (pre-Vegan diet period and Vegan diet period):

Lee's 4-week nutrient intake (Vegan diet period):

Simple vegan meal principles from a dietician

This post was forwarded to me by email.  It's a sample meal plan that maximizes nutrition while minimizing cost and fuss.  The author is Jeff Novick, RDN

https://www.drmcdougall.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=43281

Excerpts:

Breakfast
1 Cup Cooked Oatmeal
1 Cup Frozen Blueberries
1/2 Banana
1 Tbsp Ground Flax

Lunch 
28 oz Diced Tomatoes
1 lb Mixed Frozen Vegetables
4 oz Frozen Collards
2 Cups Whole Wheat Pasta
1 1/2 Cup Canned Kidney Beans (No Salt Added)

Dinner 
28 oz Diced Tomatoes
1 lb Frozen Cauliflower, Broccoli, Carrots
4 oz Frozen Kale
2 Cups Cooked Long Grain Brown Rice

Calories | 2160.5 - 114%
Protein | 94.8 g - 169%
Fiber | 92.3 g - 308%

1) This is a lot of food so you do not have to worry about being hungry or a restrictive eating plan. 

2) If you prefer, you could eat this in more or less meals per day.

3) While the nutrition is over 100%, (A detailed nutrition analysis breakdown was included) remember, we really only have to average about 70% or more of the RDA/DRI's and not beat 100% every day as the RDA/DRI's have built in buffers.
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6) The above diet is SOS (salt, oil, sugar) free. However, if someone wanted, they could add about 1/3 tsp salt, which would still keep total sodium under 1500 mg, up to 2 Tbsp of sugar, which would keep sugar under 5% but add 100 calories (50 cal/tbsp).

7) If one wanted, they could also add in another tbsp of flax seeds (37 calories) or 1/2 ounce of walnuts (93 calories) or 1/4 avocado (80 calories), but not all of them, and still have an excellent diet. However, as you can see, it is not necessary. 

8 ) The above recipes take no more than 10 minutes, have 5 or less ingredients, are based on foods one can get anywhere, involve virtually no prep, clean up or waste and can be done for under $5/day per person. 

I bet if I were living alone, I could do something like this and eat very cheaply while maintaining high nutrition.  However, there are some realities that, for me, require tweaking of a diet like this.

First, I don't care for frozen vegetables.  I would replace most frozen with fresh, which would increase prep time, cooking time, waste, and cost.  I think the only vegetable that tastes good frozen or canned is corn.  I like canned tomatoes -- especially my own from the garden, which I hope to have this fall!  I guess I'm a fresh food snob!

I would cook my own rice and beans/lentils, which is more economical and I think here too, the beans taste better and I can control the salt content.  However I like the convenience of canned or prepped beans and rice, and I keep them on hand.  It would be easy enough to substitute in potatoes, sweet potatoes, quinoa, etc. for the pasta or rice to increase variety.

I love fresh fruit.  This plan would not satisfy my desire for fruit, so I would be adding more.  Also, where are the salads and raw veggies?  I would reduce the portion sizes of the "one pot" main dish in order to have salads/crudités and fruit with most meals.

I would not be able to cook this way for a family who is used to the standard American fare.  And after a while, it gets difficult cooking differently for yourself, and NEVER eating what everyone else does.  I know this from experience!

Dark vegan chocolate, soy milk, and coffee/tea.  Yes, these would replace healthier calories.  There's no rationalization other than I still really want them.

Spices, seasonings, sauces.  Again, if they added calories (oil, sugar) and salt, then they would reduce the overall nutrition of the day.  But that might be a trade off I could live with, if it kept me eating more whole plant foods and less junk.

Finally, This kind of eating style would be put aside for special occasions like family birthdays and major holidays, in which I would choose the healthiest of the available foods, and participate by having small portions of the celebration items like Thanksgiving turkey, birthday cake, and Mom's potato salad.  That said, one needs to be mindful that special occasion foods don't happen weekly or even monthly! The "myth of moderation" applies here.

I do like Jeff Novick's ideas.  I will be pondering these as I contemplate eating goals for the future.  I might even end up buying one of his DVDs.

Debbie - Day 29/30 Are we there yet?

Day 29 was typical.

Breakfast: oatmeal with maple and soy milk, coffee, and a fresh fruit plate.  428 calories.

Lunch: leftover bean burrito, salad with mixed greens, walnuts, and dried cranberries.  Dark chocolate.  394 calories.

Snacks: Engine 2 flatbread, seaweed snax. (I am understanding the "strangely addictive" claim now.) 200 calories.

Dinner: Leftover kidney bean curry with rice and brussels sprouts.  Another chocolate square or two. 245 calories.

Total calories, 1267.

I think I have been using chocolate as a stress reliever lately!


Day 30:

Breakfast: coffee, wheatena cereal, soy milk, fresh blueberries, golden raisins, apple and pear slices.  280 calories.

Lunch: The rest of the kidney bean curry and brussels sprouts.  I ate in the car.  285 calories.

Snacks: Just Tomatoes dried tomatoes, dark chocolate.  Lemon sorbet with my "little sister" when we went mini golfing.  239 calories.

Dinner: spaghetti and tomato sauce, iceberg salad (no dressing), bruschetta (french bread toast with Italian seasoned fresh salsa).  466 calories.

Total calories, 1269.

---------------

The next five days will be devoted to moving.  I'm not sure whether it will be easier or harder to stick with vegan eating during the turmoil, but here at the end of day 30, I don't feel a strong urge to have a cheese pizza or a rack of ribs.

That may well happen in the coming week, but it won't be due to a backlash of craving these foods.

I'm really glad I did this vegan challenge.  I think it heightened my awareness that losing weight (my original goal) isn't going to happen just by cutting out meat.  That may make it easier, but there's plenty of ways to overeat calories on a vegan diet.  I need to tweak my calorie target to move toward that 120 a little faster.

I see the need for exercise to contribute to weight loss too.  Maybe now more so than when I was younger.  I want to establish an exercise habit this summer, including a weight training component.  You get strong bones by building strong muscles!  And I'd like to have both.

Over the next day or so, I want to create a new eating goal for myself to continue the good habits I've started.  The idea of limiting animal food servings to a certain number per week still appeals to me.  It gives me some flexibility for special occasions, and the choice to have everyday foods that contain a minimal amount of the "bad stuff," like a pasta sauce that contains a small amount of parmesan, or a bread that had eggs in the recipe, or a soup that was flavored with chicken broth.  All while eating "mostly" vegan.

I think two servings a week of animal foods seems like a good place to start.

My greatest diet difficulty is the tendency to indulge in too many junk foods, including my beloved chocolate. A few chips here, some crackers there, even sugar in my daily coffee or tea, it adds up.  A true challenge for me would be to eliminate white flour and added sugars.  Yes, even white flour bread.  Even chocolate.  If I could have two servings a week of animal foods, maybe I could achieve the no-flour, no-sugar diet for a few weeks.  Maybe.

Well, maybe I could if I were not surrounded by other people's junk food.  When I'm tired, stressed, or just feeling lazy about cooking, it's much too easy to grab that bag of pretzels or that cookie sitting out on the counter!

-------

It's too late to fast for a blood draw for Wednesday, so I will plan to fast tomorrow night and recheck my lipid profile on Thursday.  That's motivation to eat vegan on Day 31, hah!  I am hoping to see some changes in the proper direction!

Final thoughts to come .....

Mark: Day 30

Yay! It's over!

Breakfast - bagel with peanut butter.

Lunch - leftover Lebanese Lentils and a green salad with balsamic vinaigrette.

Dinner - a curry vegetable and tofu stir fry with tofu served over rice. Some beer.




I used this bag of vegetables, which I nicknamed "Vegan Fast Food" for the veges, plus a few other things from the fridge.

Snacks - bread with jelly.

I'm cutting off here because I am going to fast the rest of the night in preparation for a lipid/glucose panel tomorrow. While I didn't do one right before this diet, I did have one relatively recently. It'll be interesting to see where I stand.

I'll write some parting thoughts tomorrow.

Day Summary:

Calories consumed: 1579
Calories burned:        200 - this is a guess because the day isn't over yet, but I know I'm not going to burn much more.
Weight:                      165.0

Nutrients:

Protein:         53g
Carbs:          225g
Fat:                27g