Vegan Food Pyramid

Vegan Food Pyramid ⁠ I've teamed up with my good friend @miguelthevegan for this post, be sure to check him out too!⁠ ⁠ We've redesigned the food pyramid into a vegan-friendly version.⁠ ⁠ Grains, especially the wholegrain versions are packed with complex carbs, fiber and tons of essential vitamins & minerals. I'm talking oats, brown rice, quinoa (yes, I know it's technically a seed), etc. They'll generally take up the bulk of your meals. ⁠ ⁠ Fruit & veggies, we all know the benefits of them, fiber & all sorts of nutrients, fill up on your fruit & veg each day, I generally aim for 10 servings a day, but whatever stage you're at, work to increase it, even if it's 2-3. ⁠ ⁠ Legumes like beans, lentils, soy products, packed with protein, fiber, complex carbs & more. Tofu & nut butter are minimally processed yes, but are generally close to their original form and have a similar nutritional profile, think peanuts v 100% peanuts peanut butter.⁠ ⁠ Nuts & Seeds, protein plus essential fats.⁠ ⁠ At the top, we've got moderately to heavily processed food like refined carbs, oil, vegan junk food, etc, you can still include this, just be mindful of your consumption and focus on the bottom layers first. ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ Do you agree? Less us know in the comments.⁠ ⁠

Is my diet as a vegan that much different?

Is my diet as a vegan that much different? Most of the foods you eat are vegan already and with a couple of simple swaps, most people would be 90% vegan.⁠ ⁠ If we break it down further, for breakfast I've replaced the milk with soy milk.⁠ ⁠ Lunch, I've replaced chicken with tempeh & mayo for hummus. You can also use other alternatives, this is just what I used.⁠ ⁠ For dinner, again I've subbed the chicken out and used chickpeas, you can use vegan chicken if you want something even more similar.⁠ ⁠ For my smoothie, I've swapped whey for plant-based protein and used the soy milk from earlier.⁠ ⁠ The point is overall it's probably 5-6 ingredients that are different. I wouldn't worry about the finer details until you reach that stage, as it can be difficult to know the origins of some ingredients. My advice here is to focus on whole foods first then looked for products with the vegan label to be sure, but don't get too bogged down in the detail to begin with. ⁠ ⁠ Even now I still have to figure out some products and if they are fully vegan, so I understand for someone new it can be a struggle. You won't get it right every time, all you can do is your best.⁠ ⁠

Vegan Servings

Vegan Servings This is a simple but handy guide on what to aim for each day and build your diet on these foundations. I suggest using these as a minimum each day and building 80% if your diet around wholefoods & supplements like D & B12. The remaining 20% or less can come from more processed foods if you wish like protein powder, meat alternatives or ice cream etc⁠ ⁠ Check out the next post for more info on servings sizes.⁠ ⁠ Legumes are great sources of plant proteins, fiber & a host of different nutrients, you can incorporate them throughout the day, soy milk for breakfast, hummus & falafel for lunch, tofu for dinner.⁠ ⁠ Nuts & seeds for their essential fats, 1-3 servings a day and I include flaxseeds daily, plus often some nut butter.⁠ ⁠ Whole grains like wholewheat products, brown rice, oats, etc. Oats in the morning plus brown rice for lunch & maybe avocado toast as a snack.⁠ ⁠ Fruit & veggies are some of the most nutrient-dense foods available, I aimed for a minimum of 10 servings a day, but start with 8 and build from there. ⁠ ⁠ A supplement for B12 is essential, vitamin D is a smart choice for many & you could also include iodine if you're not getting it elsewhere.⁠ ⁠ Want more info on this? Check out our Guide to Vegan Nutrition & get our fat loss meal plan for free with it this weekend.⁠ ⁠

Really simple snack

Really simple snack you can whip us this weekend & use for those mid-morning munchies!⁠ ⁠ Ingredients needed;⁠ 1 can chickpeas drained and rinsed (you can also pat dry)⁠ 1/2 tsp salt or to taste⁠ 1/2 tsp garlic powder⁠ 1/2 tsp paprika⁠ or any other spices you like!⁠ ⁠ Instructions⁠ Preheat oven to 200/400 degrees.⁠ ⁠ Toss chickpeas, salt, and spices together in a small bowl until the chickpeas are evenly coated.⁠ ⁠ Spread chickpeas evenly on a cookie sheet and bake for anywhere from 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally until they get hard and crunchy. It may take longer than 40 mins, so just check to see how crunchy they are.⁠ ⁠ Store in an airtight container!⁠ ⁠ You can use oil if you want or use a spray if needed. They are usually fine without the oil, but I will occasionally use the spray.⁠ ⁠ Tag me if you try them!⁠ ⁠

negativity self-doubt anxiety

It starts with one unmanaged thought... Before I know it I’ve built up a drama & totally lost focus.⁠ -⁠ I skip out of the present moment & hit into a cyclone which pulls me into the downward spiral of⁠ 👉🏻negativity👉🏻self-doubt👉🏻anxiety.⁠ -⁠ It happened yesterday in training.⁠ -⁠ I walked up to a loaded bar like Billy big balls ready to lift the dam thing.⁠ -⁠ Then the convo went like this...⁠ “fuck that looks heavy”⁠ “God not sure I can do that”⁠ “What if fail I’ll feel so embarrassed”⁠ “What if I injure myself”⁠ “god these leggings are hideous”⁠ “Shit did I leave the iron on”⁠ -⁠ 👉🏻I went from focused on unfocused in a split second.⁠ 👉🏻I became uncommitted to what I wanted to achieve⁠ 👉🏻I let the worst-case scenario take over as the main thought.⁠ 👉🏻I convinced myself I was going to fail⁠ -⁠ This is self-sabotage my friend and something you do without even realising it.⁠ -⁠ That whole conversation in my headset me up to screw me over.⁠ -⁠ These internal thoughts lead to;⁠ 🔸️Repeating passed behaviours⁠ 🔸️being unable to take action⁠ 🔸️unable to make progress⁠ -⁠ You live in a permanent land of self-doubt and this is my friends is a huge blocker to success in anything.⁠ -⁠ Our heads can be a magical place IF...the story you tell yourself is the right one⁠ -⁠ But if it isn't and you find yourself stuck in your head and stuck in your life then YOU NEED TO GET OUT OF YOUR OWN HEAD!⁠ -⁠ Getting out of your own head is the opportunity to;⁠ 🔸️gain perspective⁠ 🔸️to be interrupted⁠ 🔸️To get your present in the moment where we need to be focused.⁠ -⁠ Next time you find yourself in your own head potentially screwing yourself over, be sure to try 1 or all of them!⁠

When You Do This, Everything Shifts ⁠ This simple mindset switch can make such a difference to your daily life…⁠ ⁠ Less stress, more confidence, feeling empowered…. the list goes on and the benefits are potentially endless!⁠ ⁠ When you stop blaming yourself & others and begin looking for ways in which you can LEARN from your life experiences, life simply gets better!⁠ ⁠ Looking at every experience as an opportunity to grow and expand your thinking catapults you into a more positive and empowered mindset. I think we can all agree that that is something we want to obtain, right?⁠ ⁠ Are you ready to embrace a more harmonized version of yourself?⁠ ⁠ Remind yourself of this quote for an entire week and watch as your life changes

What Does Mindfulness Mean To You?⁠

What Does Mindfulness Mean To You?⁠ ⁠ 🌊 Letting go of the past and knowing that you can begin again at any moment. By being less reactive to things within your everyday life, you may notice your stress levels drop dramatically - a key benefit of mindfulness practice.⁠ ⁠ 🙂 Accepting that the present is the only thing that exists, everything else is just a memory. When you start looking at life this way, the minor, less important details you once stressed about, soon become a distant memory!⁠ ⁠ 🌿 Allowing your feelings to exist but not ultimately judging your feelings or yourself. As the famous quote goes… ‘Live and let live’⁠ ⁠ 🔮 Being aware that you are not your thoughts, and can choose to not be consumed by them. You can learn to filter through your thoughts over time, giving you the upper hand, knowing when to react and when to move on from those stubborn thoughts!⁠ ⁠ AND, mindfulness is much more than that too!⁠ ⁠ It’s a matter of being aware of yourself, your thoughts and your feelings, while not attaching yourself to these feelings, thoughts and potential emotions…⁠ ⁠ When you embrace your life and live it in a more mindful manner, you may begin to see life more positively, while also living a more authentic life!⁠ ⁠ PLUS, mindfulness also tends to help reduce stress within your life.⁠ ⁠