If you've been reading my stuff for a while, you remember a few posts ago - "Things I've Heard." I thought I would take a slightly different tack on this one and relay some Q&A that I have experienced. So here we go!
"But what can you EAT?" This is a fun one, because Dana and I have been what I call 95% vegan for about eight months. (She is way closer to 100; I slack in the eggs and occasional pizza departments.) And the answer is so ridiculously simple. Plant food. No animal products. So no meat, fish, eggs (well...), etc. Some vegans take this as far as also using no honey, because honey is an animal product. I don't think I really get that one, because when I refer to "animal products" I am referring to actually eating the animals and their meat or milk, etc. I don't see honey as being the same, but some people do, and I can respect that. The list of things we can eat is really pretty huge, and it's been a surprisingly easy transition for us. To be honest there has been a LOT of pasta (which we try to buy gluten free, because we both feel better when we don't have gluten - more on that later), PLENTY of Mexican (not that this is a problem!), and an abundance of salad-type things (which can get a little old...). But if you do a simple web search you can find tons of vegan recipes. Some of our favorites are things like Vegan Mac-n-Cheese (from the Detoxinista - find it here) made with cashews and nutritional yeast; Mexican Lasagna, which is what it sounds like - a layered dish with lots of awesome Mexican flavors (Margaux Drake made this one - her recipe is here); and a really wild "pulled pork" sandwich made with jack fruit, which is some kind of Asian vegetable... The lasagna dish is the only one that makes sense from an expectation point of view; the mac and cheese and the BBQ thing shouldn't taste or feel like they do, but they're great. At Erin's open house we featured a mac-n-cheese buffet, and the vegan stuff was gone first. (Check out the Post Punk Kitchen for one of our favorite cookbooks - Vegan With a Vengeance.)
"So how do you get enough protein?" This one is a little tougher to answer and to accomplish for some folks, but the simple answer is "nuts, nut milk, and many different high-protein vegetables." Kale, asparagus, and several other green leafy veggies are high in protein. Peanuts, almonds, cashews, walnuts, lentils, peas (I hate peas...), tofu (it's an acquired taste...), chickpeas (I am a hummus junkie!!), and many other easy sources. My own personal challenge is making sure I get enough of the high-protein stuff in during the day instead of all carbs, which is very easy to do. Whole wheat pasta, brown rice pasta, etc. are relatively protein rich compared to the regular stuff, though. Based on my recent numbers at my annual physical I think I am doing fine.
"Why couldn't you do the paleo diet?" No reason. If that's your thing and it makes you happy and healthy, then you should do it. I think I got into the whole "I can eat whatever I want as long as I exercise" myth, and the radical change in lifestyle had to happen in order to combat that. See, I would say things to myself like, "I'll just ride a little farther tomorrow" to justify eating this or that thing, and none of them were good decisions food-wise. The vegan idea kind of forced me into a new way of thinking so I couldn't do that. I had the same trouble with the Weight Watchers program, I think. I am a lifetime member of Weight Watchers, and I learned lots of great stuff from two great leaders in their program. I lost 25 pounds the first time I joined WW. And I think part of it for ME, anyway, was the "rules" thing. I need them, and the plan provided them for me. The plan changed over the years to make it far easier for folks to have normal, every day foods in moderation, which is great for most people, but didn't work for me. Because I simply can't go to McDonald's and have a regular burger and small fries (12 points, according to this); I'd go with that plan and end up with the Big Mac and large fries, totaling a whopping 29. I'd promise myself I'd ride farther the next day, or eat less for dinner and that sort of thing, you know? So now there are places and things that are just OFF my list, and that helps me more. Weight Watchers has been ranked #1 in weight-loss diets, #3 in best diets overall, and ranks highly in several other categories you can see here. And it is great for so many people and I applaud the efforts of the corporation and the leaders and the results of their members, but it no longer worked for me. Please don't read anything else into that paragraph!!
"What about gluten?" Well, if you believe the latest, there's a possibility that gluten allergies, and even sensitivities, don't exist. I don't know what to believe here, but I will tell you what I told the person who asked this question: I feel better when I'm gluten-free or watching my gluten intake. There's less bloating, less discomfort in my digestive tract in general, I don't feel all lethargic, etc. I don't think I have a gluten allergy or am even sensitive by the medical definition (as in I don't have Celiac disease), but I can't argue with how I feel when I eat less of it. And let me tell you what a FAN I am of gluten-related products! Bread, bagels, pasta, baked goods, etc. I love them ALL. "Man cannot live by bread alone?" Let me at least give it a try! I'll make a good run at it! So I have cut way back on it, and am using more sprouted grain breads and such, but we've only found exactly ONE excellent gluten-free sandwich roll (burger bun...). Everything else that's gluten-free falls short somewhere in the taste/mouthfeel/bite categories.
"Don't tell me you've given up BEER?" Oh, please. It's not gluten-free, it's not necessarily vegan, and... Oh, never mind. You can have my pint glass when you pry it from my cold, dead hands. Besides, I have way too much invested in my brewing equipment!
"What is it like on the bike and stuff for you?" Between the weight loss of almost 40 pounds and the different fuel for my body, I have NEVER been stronger or faster on the bike. The last ride I took before the fateful crash was with the Tuesday night group, and I rode with the "Hot" group and kept up for 30 miles. My average speed at the end of the night was nearly 19 MPH, and that figure had never even entered my thoughts prior to that night. Indeed you are able to ride faster in a group, and I had two trusted and faithful buddies who kept pulling me along and taking my turn at the front the last few miles, but that was a ride not to be believed based on my history. The food choices and fuel I'm using must have at least something to do with it, right?
As you can see, LOTS of research went into this post. I love Google... Let me know if you have any more questions!
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