It's a Start
So, I was doing research for a project I have due for my nutrition course and found that the ADA recently released a new position paper on Vegetarianism. This was particularly interesting to me because 1 – I consider myself vegetarian, even though i do currently eat seafood from time to time, so pescatarian would be the politically correct term, and 2 – I’m doing my project on vegetarianism in children.
I know a lot of folks, myself included, aren’t excited about the SAD (Standard American Diet) and could give two hoots about the food pyramid. Especially when you know that the US Department of Agriculture, which is an organization to make sure American farmers prosper, is the organization touting that we must drink / eat 3 servings of dairy a day and eat 3-5 servings of meat. Why? So American farmers get paid, that’s why. I’m going to stop here because I could end up going off on a total rant, so here’s my point.
The July 09 position paper stated,
“It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Well-planned vegetarian diets are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence, and for athletes.”
Can you believe it? The ADA is stating that Vegetarian/Vegan Diets are perfectly acceptable, healthy, and nutritionally adequate for ALL STAGES of the life cycle. The paper even mentions an 100% raw diet and although it suggests there isn’t enough research to prove that a completely raw diet is affective for children, it doesn’t fault it for adults. Gotta love that they’re catching on. If you want to read the full paper, it’s only about 13 pages long, and it’s available on the ADA website.
I know it’s a small step and there are a ton more topics that the US is completely wrong on when it come to nutrition, but hey, it’s a start!
So on to my eats for the day. I went back to my norm for breakfast: chia seed oats with goji berries and better n’ PB.
Oats never fail me. Today’s oats were delicious and filling per the usual and I loved how soft the goji berries got from the moisture of the oatmeal.
I ended up hanging at work over lunch and eating an Amy’s Meal. The Indian Mattar Paneer meal is my absolute favorite Amy’s frozen meal!! It may not look like much, but the taste is on point. I truly love Amy!
I walked home for a quick visit Olive and made some homemade trial mix with raw cashews, cacao power, kashi go lean, and goji berries.
EVEN though I brought my own healthy mix back to work, I was still tempted by the chex mix at the office and it’s NOT even home made. If it weren’t from a stupid bag I wouldn’t be complaining this much about my love/hate relationship with the stuff, but at least I didn’t eat it for my entire lunch as I did yesterday. I’m making progress…. haha. Once that bag is gone I will be a happy camper.
After work ended, I went to the gym for a yoga class. The instructor never showed and after waiting around with the rest of the class for 10 minutes I decided to do my own workout. It’s a good thing I left, I’m pretty sure some people hung out in that room doing nothing for 30 minutes expecting her to show and I found out later that she never arrived.
I did arms, hopped on the treadmill, and then went to an awesome abs 30 minute class. My arms were so sore from the strength training I had a hard time doing the side planks in the class. At first I was like why can’t I stay up for more than a millisecond, then it dawned on me that I had just done about 25 minutes of arm exercises before class. oh yea!
After working it I headed home for dinner, brought to me by Isaac’s parents garden. Zucchini noodles (zoodles) with raw tomato sauce. To make the sauce I threw 2 medium tomatoes, 6 leaves of basil, 1 tablespoon of raw pinenuts, 1 clove of garlic, a small light green pepper, a spoonful of nutritional yeast, ground pepper and sea salt into the Vita and viola- raw pink tomato sauce.
So incredibly easy and quite delicious…. I had seconds!
It’s almost Friday! Woo-hoo, Isaac comes home tomorrow and we’re having a little get together at our place Saturday night. As you can probably tell, I’m excited for the weekend. Anyone have any big plans??
Your zoodles look fantastic! What do you use to cut them into noodle-y spirals?
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Oh wow I haven’t heard of better-n-pb in such a long time! I use to get that stuff all the time. Have you ever tried their chocolate one? Your zoodles and pink tomato sauce look yummmaay!
Have you ever gone to YogaSource in Carytown? Oh man, I’m headed back to Richmond on Sunday… driving up from South Florida. One word: FUN!
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Better n PB is just one variety in my supply of nut butters. I like it, but no I haven’t tried the chocolate. Do you like it?
Yes. I’ve been to YogaSource a couple times, and my next door neighbor actually teaches there. It sticks but I can’t justify spending the extra money on yoga there when I get it free at my gym. Plus a couple instructors at the gym teach at other studios around town, including YogaSource and Grace Yoga so they are pretty good.
Yay for being back in Richmond. Have a safe drive.
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I use a Julienne tool, but I wouldn’t really recommend it- the noodles get stuck in mine and I can’t clean it our properly. I really want a spiralizer.
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That’s awesome about the report. I think less meat is a great idea for so many reasons. Sounds like you need to get yourself to a theater showing Food, Inc.
Zoodles look awesome.
Oh and I have a love/hate relationship with the gold fish at work. Just can’t shake it.
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yay for Friday!!! That an interesting about the ADA and your research paper. I never really thought about that before but it definitely gives me a new perspective on that topic.
Your bfast looks incredible! I’ve never experimented with goji berries before. But it looks like I need to give them a try!
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Noo I haven’t tried it yet actually lol.
This is true. I attend VCU and one of the perks is getting to use their gym for free + classes. They have a variety of yoga classes too. Sometimes though I’ll make my way to YogaSource and make use of my student discount
Thanks, girl!
http://www.ohonemorething.wordpress.com
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I am a strong believer that kids can thrive on vegetarian/vegan diets. Obviously.
Mama needs a Vita. And a spiralizer.
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the ADA news just totally made my day! vegan diets be’n a-okay for and at all life stages of life! superw00t & hooooooooooooooooooray!
your oatmeal makes me want some for my breakfast today, Brittany! totally gonna have to make some now – and i have goji berries, too! thanks for the tasty idea!
your zoodles ‘n raw sauce look super yummers – i love that you added pine nuts. we have some in the freezer and i just keep forgetting about them. your homemade trail mix looks deeeelicious! it’s so colorful! i hear ya on the chex mix and the love/hate relationship. my love/hate relationship – “tings”. i don’t buy them any more because i will eat an entire bag. they’re my absolute favorite snickity-snack! mmmmmm, tings! Amy’s has some seriously deliciouc frozen meals, too – i love them so much!
have a super awesome weekend with Isaac – and have a stellar get-together tomorrow night! yay!
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I think part of the reason that vegetarian diets in children have been looked down upon until recently is that many people just didn’t understand the proper way to do it. Just as adults who chose to be veg (me, included) can go about it the wrong way and deprive themselves of the proper balance of nutrients, they can often be misinformed and pass that along in the meals they serve their kids.
With proper education, there’s no reason parents can’t help their children grow up healthy, strong and meat free! You’re right, the article is a start!
And I have loved Amy for years. I’m beginning to think we should start a support club.
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That tomato sauce sounds brilliant!
It is about time the ADA realized that! Whenever my tummy bothers me the first thing I do is switch to a vegan diet. Within a few days all my problems are gone. That should tell you something right there!
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Can I just say it’s about TIME something like that was released! I haven’t been vegetarian that long but I get so frustrated with the constant “that can’t be healthy, where’s the protein” type comments. Your zoodles look fantastic! I hope you have a lovely weekend
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Definitely interesting info about vegetarianism. It’d be nice if schools did a better job teaching about nutrition. Help establish good habits and also help kids who want to be vegetarians do it healthfully. Because it’d be easy to eat mac&cheese all the time – vegetarian but not exactly healthy.
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nice zoodles lady!!! and INDIAN FOOD. drool
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Hi there! thanks for your comment on my blog
I had a really great time. I’d say I am a semi-vegetarian, and most of the time I don’t mind a meatless meal and it just makes you feel good. I know what you mean about LONG process. I’m working full-time trying to get my graduate degree finished. Hang in there, you’ll get it girl! I love your chia seed oats. I just bought some chia seeds and wanted to experiment with them, that looks really good to try 
-kristen
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Yum, those smoothies look great!
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