Why I am a Vegan

[Pablísimo]

Hi folks,

I thought I'd chime in and pass on an awesome vegan tip that has really helped me with sustained energy and avoiding hunger.  I've been vegan for 3 years now, following 14 years of vegetarianism, and have found that I've had to make some practical adjustments in order to stay happy and healthy as a vegan.

I'm not exactly like Plenum in that I do eat 4 times a day, but I repeat the same 4 meals, day after day after day.  This has given me a wonderful opportunity to experiment and figure out the optimal mealplan and portion sizes (for me).  I'm honestly in the best health I've ever been, and it was well worth the effort to transition -- but it took some serious effort to get to this point.

The hunger-busting secret I found: Avocados!  Despite feeling good from lunch through bedtime, I always had trouble with getting hungry between breakfast and lunch.  Though I experimented with many different combinations, nothing worked to keep me feeling full and energized without needing a snack before lunch.  I should mention that I'd already learned that I'm one of those people that seems to need a large daily amount of protein to feel my best -- so I'm heavy on the beans, quinoa, and legumes --  but even large amounts of protein and carbs in the morning didn't do the trick.

What FINALLY worked was the humble avocado!  Simply adding half an avocado to my breakfast (which also includes good sources of carbs and protein) completely sates my hunger right through to lunch. By adding avocado, I found I had to reduce the other components of my breakfast because I was just so full.  If I eat a full avocado, I can't even finish my breakfast.  It's truly amazing!  I think it must be the fat in this fruit, though it's very nice that it's also packed with vitamins and minerals.  Fat is the one macronutrient that is relatively low in my vegan diet overall, and I noticed it is also low in Plenum's daily meal without eggs.  Apparently adding that fat to breakfast is what my body needs to function optimally.

I didn't used to like avocados, but now regard them as one of my most important and valuable food sources.  I feel wonderful adding these little gems to my daily breakfast.  They are also good emergency food for unexpected travel.

I'm just throwing it out there ... if anyone is having trouble with feeling hungry on a vegan diet and you're already getting enough overall calories, carbs, and protein, you might want try an avocado and see if it helps.  Everyone's body is different, and your mileage may vary, but something so simple has made all the difference in the world for me.  Yay avocados

http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/n...nsume.html
http://www.wholeliving.com/134218/power-foods-avocado
http://www.mensfitness.com/nutrition/wha...re-avocado


P.S. If you are eating a vegan/mostly vegan diet, please take sublingual B12 several times a week.  It's more important than you may realize.