Definition for Ladies Spring 2014 Issue 001 April 2014 | Page 50

Pitfall #4:

Eating too much junk

There are many delicious processed vegan foods—margarines, spreads, fake meats, fake
cheeses, etc. These things are tasty and can be a delicious part of enhancing your taste
experience and fun. They are also particularly helpful when first transitioning to a vegan
diet. But we must remember to keep them as a small portion of total overall intake.
Honestly, there have been days when I have realized I managed to eat zero actual plants!
This is not good. Eat this way often enough and you will fail to thrive. Keep fresh fruits
and vegetables at the center of your diet. Add in whole foods such as sweet potatoes,
whole grains such as quinoa, brown rice, millet and amaranth, beans and legumes, whole
soy such as tofu, tempeh, edamame and soy milk, rather than the isolated soy protein of
fake meats and powders. Keep the treats as treats.

Stick
to eating
whole foods
to really
thrive!

Pitfall #5:

Going it alone

We are so fortunate to now live in a time when vegan health professionals are plentiful
and the Internet and Skype have allowed us to access them from anywhere in the world.
Your family doctor may not be knowledgeable about vegan nutrition, while many naturopaths and acupuncturists are actively anti-vegan. It can be difficult to get the advice
and guidance you need. There is a list of vegan trainers, health coaches, and dietitians in
the file section of the Vegan Ladies Who Lift Facebook group. There is a comprehensive
list of international vegan health professionals on Colleen Patrick Goudreau’s site and on
The Vegan Truth blog. Additionally, many physicians, such as Dr. Joel Furhman,
are available for detailed health questions on their forum sites.

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spring | 2014 | definitionforladies.com