We all know that our bodies are made differently, and some people tolerate certain foods better than others. Whether you are lactose-intolerant or your stomach gets upset when you eat red meat, you have to make diet choices that work best for you. If you are considering going with a mostly plant-based diet, you may wonder how those diets work in a practical, everyday setting, and how you can make it work with your lifestyle.
Our nutrition coaches at EW Motion Therapy do not necessarily promote a specific eating lifestyle, but healthy habits. We want to help our clients achieve their health goals while setting realistic expectations for their journey. Even if you choose not to pursue nutrition coaching with us, we still want to discuss plant-based diets and how you can make them work for your lifestyle.
This article discusses what makes vegetarian and vegan diets unique, whether they work, and when you should get more advice. With this information, you can decide whether you want to implement a plant-based diet in your routine.
What makes these diets unique?
There are a few plant-based diets out there, but two of the most popular are vegetarian and vegan. Also, these are more so eating lifestyles than “diets,” because many devotees sustain the practice for life. Let’s talk about each and how they can be beneficial for your body.
If you eat a vegetarian diet, you do not eat any meat that comes directly from an animal, including poultry, pork, fish, and red meat. You can, however, still eat animal products, like eggs and dairy. Some vegetarians choose to forgo these as well, but other vegetarians probably find it difficult to live without cheese and milk.
A vegan diet is more restrictive than a vegetarian diet, in that you do not eat any animal products whatsoever, not even honey. If it grows in the ground, on a vine, or in a tree, it’s in the clear. In the absence of meat, many vegans rely on plant-based meat substitutes, like Impossible burgers, black bean burgers, and “chick’n” products.
Do these lifestyles work?
It is impossible to give an overarching judgment of whether these eating lifestyles “work,” because it really comes down to personal preference and how your body reacts to it. Some people decide to go plant-based due to an allergy or intolerance, and others do it because they feel it is less harmful for the planet. Whatever your choice, if you feel good eating that way, keep doing it.
If you do decide to go plant-based, you just need to make sure you are still receiving the nutrients your body needs to perform well. Meat, especially lean meat like chicken breast, is the best natural source of protein available on earth. When you cut it out of your diet completely, you need to find a substitute for those lost nutrients. You can eat an Impossible burger as a nice trade for a real beef patty, but you need to consider how you want to supplement that natural protein that you lose by not eating the red meat. There are many vegan and vegetarian-friendly protein powders on the market, and you can get protein from other natural sources, like beans, hummus, nuts, and nut butters.
When should you get more in-depth advice?
Now you know more about two popular plant-based diets and some of the drawbacks to eating this way. If you are trying out a plant-based lifestyle and find that you are not performing as well as you want, the internet is always a great resource, as well as a nutritionist or a nutrition coach. They can make recommendations to help you get the nutrients you need while still maintaining your plant-based lifestyle.
We help our plant-based clients at EW Motion Therapy set realistic expectations for their lifestyle, and give them professional advice on how they can get the nutrients they need to perform at their best. If you are interested in nutrition services with us, fill out the Request an Appointment form on our website, and someone from our staff will contact you within 48 hours with your next steps.
