I had wanted to do a meat cleanse for the month of April, and in fact, I started it a few days early! The last meat I’ve had has been on Saturday, so I figured Sunday was a good day to start because it’s the beginning of the week.
I have decided that fish will be allowed, because people are concerned about my not getting enough protein. I thought this was an actual concern, but then I realized that I have TVP (texturized vegetable protein). I did a google search, and according to this site, 1/4 cup TVP (which makes about 1/2 cup wet and is the perfect amount for me) is 59 calories, and has 11g of protein. I did some research, and I need between 70 and 90g of protein because I am an “athlete”. That’s a big difference, but I keep finding different numbers on different sites.
I get 18g from my 3/4 cup egg whites. My protein burgers have 13g. I have Kashi Go Lean cereal that has 11g! I’m looking for a yogurt that has high protein, such as Better Whey which has 15-17 grams of protein! However, they only sell it at Whole Foods near here, and that’s about an hour away. Perhaps if I do get a chance to go, I’ll try to stock up!
Anyway, I’m giving up meat until May 9th - the day of my half marathon. Should be an interested experiment.
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Yesterday was a 3 mile run, and it was raining all day so I had to do it on the treadmill. I did the whole 3 miles without stopping once. It was great! But really, it was very hard, and the gym was very hot, and I was sweating, and I was tired and wanted to stop. It wasn’t really that I was tired or sore, but I just wanted to stop because I was bored. Today is a rest day, and I forgot to wear my pedometer when I went to my practicum, and also when I went to pick up trash. So today will be a stepless day on my exercise calendar.
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Jeanne called me and joined Niles and I in our trash pick up afternoon. Niles also brought along his friend Jackie. On our way up the street, we found Chris (who hangs with us for Lost). We got to the house we really wanted to clean (it’s vacant, and a mess), and a girl across the street yelled out her window, “You guys are doing a great job. Thank you!” And I yelled “Come and help!!” And she did. Then, a friend of Niles’ or Chris’ drove by, then called Niles to find out if we needed help. Yes. His name was John, and he came back, and even helped us after Niles and Chris had both left. It was a good day for picking up trash, and I think we filled about 12 bags. At the busiest time, there were seven of us!
Tuesday, 31. March 2009
The thing to remember is that not all proteins are alike. Animal protein has a higher level per gram of all the essential amino acids that your body cannot produce on its own and that’s why it’s easier just to eat a piece of chicken. That being said, it’s not impossible as long as you keep that in mind. If you are eating fish and eggs and dairy, I don’t see you having a problem, especially for the short term. Soy is a complete protein but it is a little lacking in methionine and cysteine amino acids but I’ve read that whole grains are low in lysine so if you eat both, you should have enough amino acids covered. The problem with eating a lot of soy is that there have been studies that suggest that it can throw off your hormone levels a bit and while that in itself has been debated, knowing your medical history it would be best to keep away from that much soy. Luckily, the studies that show this side effect talk about a CONSIDERABLE amount of protein per day, like over 50 grams. And the amount of change in testosterone is like 4-5% on average.
I have been doing a little research because I’d like to have a vegan cleanse when I finally move out of my house and I have to say, I’m not a big fan of TVP. I’ve heard lukewarm responses to its tastiness and it doesn’t seem to be that great nutritionally. Because of the heating process, a lot of the protein is denatured so it is partly useless. Also, and this is a biggy for you:
“Carcinogenic toxins, namely nitrates and lysinoalamine, are also formed during these processes.”
Now this is the first I had heard of this and I don’t know how true it is but, again, with your history, I think going with something like tempeh, which is a more traditional soy product, would be a better way to go.
If you want to protect yourself, a few things you can do:
1)Try drinking soy milk with your HBOO if you feel like you are getting too much dairy
2)If you like them, sardines are a great source of protein and omega 3 fatty acids. Sometimes you can get them in olive oil so they are double whammy and they are relatively cheap too. But they stink like canned fish so you really have to like them.
3)Fat free Greek yogurt. Chobani is my favorite because it tastes decently and is “relatively” cheap, at least compared to FABE. Greek yogurt tends to be thicker and denser so it’s more protein rich but watch out because if it’s regular fat, that’s A LOT of calories. I think Chobani has like 12-14 grams per serving and because it’s dairy, it’s a complete protein.
That’s my amateur nutritionist opinion. Mangi mangi mangi!
Wednesday, 1. April 2009
A great source of protein and numerous essential amino acids is bee pollen. A lot of people trump it up to be such a great and magical product, I am not one of those people. It is easier to obtain much of the protein, amino acids and enzymes from eating a good and healthy combination of vegetables, fruit, meat and legumes. But if you are eliminating meat, and expending a lot of energy (such as running a marathon) it would function as an excellent supplement in addition to your already (hopefully) healthy diet.
Wednesday, 1. April 2009
12 bags and 7 people?!? AWESOME. Mayor Mylott’s program has nothing on you! How are the areas you have been cleaning up looking afterwards? Will they need monthly going-overs? Will you be able to spread out to non-campus areas? I am so proud of you . . . . and have to admit I have yet to go out around here. I was going to bring a bag on my way to work–there was a TON of trash near a pedestrian crossing near a school I walk past, but someone else beat me to it.
As for protein, I bet there is a LOT out there on vegan protein sources. I think as a general rule whole grains + legumes = complete protein–they tend to make up for each other. Plus then you aren’t eating lots of processed stuff like weird burgers. Try tempeh, though. I make an AWESOME tempeh fajita. It is absolutely drool-worthy.
Do you have tickets over here yet????????????
Wednesday, 1. April 2009
I wish I were strong enough to do a meat cleansing. Well, I’m on a yeast free diet right now and I’m doing good so far. I haven’t had yeast for two weeks! Go me, I actually don’t even crave it which is amazing to me! Good luck with the cleanse!
Thursday, 2. April 2009
Thanks for mentioning Better Whey of Life Yogurt. I’m the CEO and am a huge believer in the benefits of whey protein. It is the richest source of all essential amino acids your body needs — and when I began incorporating into my diet, I dropped a skirt size.
To learn more about the science http://betterwheyoflife.com/science_whey2.php. Or check out our products are http://www.betterwheyoflife.com!