Monitoring Nutrients

Before I share some other basic steps that got my family started, we have to talk about what makes a healthy diet. This is always a concern when one hears the words “vegetarian” or “vegan” or “Whole Foods Plant-Based” (WFPB); Will you die? What do you eat? How do you get your energy? These are things you’ve said to yourself maybe or sincere, but uninformed, well-wishers say to you.  

Would my new way of eating meet all of my nutritional needs?  I needed to know what the appropriate amounts of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats were in a day’s diet. There are various opinions on this, but Rip Esselstyn (in “The Engine 2 Diet”) claims the following percentages for a WFPB Diet:

70% carbohydrates

6% protein

15% fats

(You probably notice right away that these numbers don’t add up to 100. Rip offers these as rough estimates, with carbs taking precedence. Remember, these are whole foods, complex carbs, protein from plant sources, and fats mostly from nuts. It’s a whole different ball game.)

Now, I needed a way to see an overall picture of just what I was consuming; I could use this as a barometer for my children and husband as well. I found a (free) App for ITouch that counted calories called “Lose It.” The purpose of the App is to help you lose weight. I used it, however, to see what was in each item I was eating. I did this for about a month as I made more radical changes to my own diet. I completely stopped eating meat. I began eating only whole grains. The only fats I consumed were olive oil, olives, nuts, and avocado. I ate a lot of fruit and vegetables. (*Olive oil is not generally recommended according to certain whole foods experts, but I was transitioning – and I still have not decided if I will complete remove this from my diet.)

I was pretty vigilant about my intake. Breakfast was Greek yogourt, Bear Naked Granola, and fruit on top. Then, I made sure that each lunch consisted of some type of grain (I started with brown rice, quinoa, or Wasa crackers), beans and veggies. Dinner was similar. One of my favorite meals starting out was a baked sweet potato, beans, and sesame seeds sprinkled on top, with a side vegetable. I did, however, allow things like ketchup, low-fat dressings, and so forth to add flavor to my food. I faithfully punched these foods into “Lose It” to monitor my intake. One thing that stood out to me was how much protein I was consuming. I wasn't too hard on myself, though, as I was just beginning, but it did give me something to work toward.

I began to get a sense of how much beans, grains, veggies and fruits I needed to eat. I also got a clear picture of how the fats added up. I felt great. I wasn’t going to die eating this way! The “Lose It” App was invaluable. I soon felt confident I could continue to make meals that were healthy. It’s been about six months now that I stopped using “Lose it,” and I’m thinking about doing it again for a 2-week period to check my intake.

A great side-benefit is that the “LoseIt” App also checks for fiber, sugars, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium. I highly recommend using something like this, either online or through something like “Lose It.” One thing that really surprised me was how much protein whole grains contain. Regardless, I now knew that I could continue this journey and have my percentages line up with what is considered “healthy.”