Sparrown - If I weren't there, I wouldn't have believed it

[Guest guest]

Hi Sparrow,

 

I'm going to contribute my $0.02 (CDN) on your e-mail. First, I'd like to

congratulate

you on taking this very important step to redefining your health. Don't let a

few un-

enlightened people stand in your way. You have to believe that you will prevail.

This is

just another of life's test. I believe you will prevail.

 

I'll preface my advice with a little background: I'm hypothyroid, a lifetime

Weight-

Watchers member, a fitness coach, and I have read a tonne on vegetarian

nutrition for

weight-loss, health and fitness. I also have a pretty profound interest in

alternative

medicine. You can call this a hobby - my husband says that I'm a health geek. My

day job

is in IT.

 

So. You have all this weight to lose. I would like you to reframe your thinking

from

a " person who wants to lose weight " to picturing yourself as an " athlete in the

rough "

Now, I'm not saying that you need to go out there and run a 10k. I wouldn't

advise that

to anyone just starting out on your journey. But how about starting out by just

eating

like a veg*n athlete? I have a couple of vegetarian nutrition books written for

athletes.

They both offer something different. But they will help you to better understand

your

nutritional requirements at all stages of activity: from sedantary to

competitive. From

what I've read to date, this is the information you need. You know what they

say:

Knowledge is Power. So, I'd like to help arm you with some knowledge

 

Look for these books at the library or Amazon.com (used) or Alibris.com (also

used):

1. Vegetarian Sports Nutrition by D. Enette Larson-Meyer (Highly recommended -

just got

this for Christmas and it is packed with information on everything from protein

to a

method from which to build your weekly menu. It's really geared to everyone!)

 

2. The Vegetarian Sports Nutrition Guide: Peak Performance for Everyone from

Beginners to

Gold Medalists by Lisa Dorfman (very similar information but no real method to

structure

menus. There are some pretty good recipes though.)

 

Now, when you do become interested in training like an athlete... because you

will be

losing weight and feeling great and have all this energy to expell... I suggest

you add

Serious Training for Endurance Athletes-2nd Edition by Rob Sleamaker and Ray

Browning to

your reading list. It's truly inspirational to know that you can start at zero

and

progress to a place you never imagined you could be... a really good place

 

The reason that I am suggesting that you follow this path is because it is very

structured and will give you rules to fall back on when you are feeling lost.

Athletes

build discipline with their nutrition and exercise to gain a competetive edge.

You need

this edge too, to begin your journey and keep going. This is not just a

weight-loss

journey. This is an opportunity to change your life.

 

You might even find inspiration from the show The Biggest Loser. Just don't lose

hope.

You are stronger than you know.

 

Good luck on whatever you decide to do.

Cheers!

Denise Gontard Cartwright

 

, " Sparrow R Jones "

 

<sparrowrose wrote:

 

>

 

> Dear beautiful vegans, vegetarians, and veg-friendly people,

 

>

 

> I am fuming. I finally calmed down enough to write about what

 

happened

 

> to me today. Any advice, support, data, etc. would be greatly

 

> appreciated.

 

>

 

> I am on medicaid and I told my doctor I have been trying to lose

 

> weight (yes, there is such a thing as a morbidly obese vegan, sadly)

 

> but having a bad time of it, especially since my foot injury three

 

> years ago that put an end to my daily three-mile walks.

 

>

 

> I have to go through a course of " lifestyle counseling " with the

 

> clinic's professional before any more medical steps can be taken

 

> (which is what I want. Please don't lecture me if you are against a

 

> medical model of weight-loss. I've tried everything else and made

 

> myself sick in the process and want to be well again.)

 

>

 

> I went for my first appointment today with the counselor and she

 

told

 

> me beans were bad for me! She said they're not an adequate source of

 

> protein and that meat is more " bio-available " (whatever that

 

means.) I

 

> told her that I was getting the daily requirement of protein with my

 

> beans and she said that to do so I was eating a large bulk of beans

 

> and getting too much fiber and that's what's making me so hungry

 

that

 

> I overeat.

 

>

 

> Hello? I thought getting good fiber *curbed* appetite? Am I

 

mistaken?

 

> Does anyone know?

 

>

 

> She said, " so, the most important thing about your religion is what

 

you eat? "

 

>

 

> ??????? What?!?!?

 

>

 

> I said, " no, the most important thing about my religion is Jesus

 

> Christ. " (apologies to non-Christians and I don't mean to offend.)

 

> " But what I eat is an integral part of my Faith. "

 

>

 

> She tried to insinuate that I have some kind of religion of food and

 

> ought to give it up so I can be healthy. And that I could only hope

 

to

 

> lose weight if I start eating meat. And I need to give up the

 

Orthodox

 

> fasting days when I can't have oil because I need to eat more fat

 

> (according to her.) She even started trying to re-arrange the

 

> liturgical/fasting calendar and I had to explain to her three times

 

> that Lent is 40 days long and I cannot have oil for those forty days

 

> in a row and there's no " alternating days " or " alternating weeks "

 

> without going against the teaching of my Faith.

 

>

 

> I can't pick a different professional - she's what the clinic

 

offers.

 

> And if I quit going to her, I will be " non-compliant " and won't get

 

> the actual assistance I want and need. I have to grit my teeth and

 

> endure this, but can anyone help with these questions?

 

>

 

> 1. what does bio-available protein mean and why does she say beans

 

aren't?

 

> 2. does eating high fiber really increase appetite?

 

> 3. how can I eat a healthy 1000 calorie vegan breakfast? (on a low

 

income)

 

>

 

> (The third question is because she wants me to have a 1000 calorie

 

> breakfast (I do good to get my 150-300 calorie bowl of porridge down

 

> in the morning!), a 600 calorie lunch and a 400 calorie dinner. At

 

my

 

> size, that should be a pound a week weight loss. But I don't see

 

how I

 

> can eat a 1000 calorie breakfast!)

 

>

 

> Thank you, all, and I apologize if this is too far off-topic. I have

 

> found this group of people to have a lot of food knowledge and

 

> creativity. I am so upset! If this post is inappropriate or too far

 

> off-topic, Pat, feel free to delete it and I apologize in advance if

 

> I've overstepped a boundary.

 

>

 

> Be well, all,

 

> Sparrow

 

>