Confession: I don't know how to eat.

I grew up with a mom who despite her nutrition degree really, really is bad on nutrition. And what it means to diet. I grew up with the notion that dieting means you are hungry. If you want to lose weight, you MUST go hungry. If you eat and are satisfied, you will maintain, and if you eat to the point of being full, you will gain. This was part of my food education growing up, and between that and a slew of other bad programming I'm discovering more and more of I've been making an effort to relearn quite a bit.

It was only in recent years that I realized you could actually lose weight without constantly being hungry, mostly due to the idea of increased metabolism due to consistently working out and doing more than cardio and yoga. Not that I hadn't before; I lost the 100 lbs over a decade ago because I worked out, but it was mostly cardio. Really crazy cardio. This was before I went vegan, however, and part of the prob was that my metabolism got so skyhigh I got away with eating a LOT of bad foods. This is part of why some of the weight crept on very slowly after; I went inactive and it became harder and harder to stay fit because I plain and simple didn't know how to eat. Even now as a vegan for nearly six years I am STILL relearning how to eat and what my body prefers, and it's been a serious struggle.

So to make a long story short, my question to people is this: is it indeed possible to be on an effective weight loss program without being hungry and if so, what is the best way to go about it? I'm doing crazy programs like P90X/P90X+ with some TurboFire thrown in and trying to judge when I've eaten too much versus not enough is a headache. How do you do it?? I'm not looking to lose much more than 5-10 pounds and the rest is all carving out muscle definition. My abs and calves so far have been the easiest, glutes and upper arms the hardest.

Anyhow, thanks for listening to my semi-rant.

I grew up with a mom who despite her nutrition degree really, really is bad on nutrition. And what it means to diet. I grew up with the notion that dieting means you are hungry. If you want to lose weight, you MUST go hungry. If you eat and are satisfied, you will maintain, and if you eat to the point of being full, you will gain. This was part of my food education growing up, and between that and a slew of other bad programming I'm discovering more and more of I've been making an effort to relearn quite a bit.

I hear ya. Reprogramming ourselves is the true full-time job of most adults. At least the ones smart enough to look the status quo square in the face and realize there's something better out there. Good for you!

I have a real simple solution: just incorporate more raw vegan foods into your days whenever you feel like cutting. You'll still eat piles and piles of nutritious, delicious goodies, feel full, and have lots of energy. You'll just have a lot more fiber and a lot fewer calories. Easy-peasy. And eat some peasies.

Baby Herc

I grew up with a mom who despite her nutrition degree really, really is bad on nutrition. And what it means to diet. I grew up with the notion that dieting means you are hungry. If you want to lose weight, you MUST go hungry. If you eat and are satisfied, you will maintain, and if you eat to the point of being full, you will gain. This was part of my food education growing up, and between that and a slew of other bad programming I'm discovering more and more of I've been making an effort to relearn quite a bit.

 

I hear ya. Reprogramming ourselves is the true full-time job of most adults. At least the ones smart enough to look the status quo square in the face and realize there's something better out there. Good for you!

 

I have a real simple solution: just incorporate more raw vegan foods into your days whenever you feel like cutting. You'll still eat piles and piles of nutritious, delicious goodies, feel full, and have lots of energy. You'll just have a lot more fiber and a lot fewer calories. Easy-peasy. And eat some peasies.

 

Baby Herc

That's actually what I'm trying to do! I can't help but notice how much better I feel when I eat more raw food and less processed stuff. I love me Gardein tenders, but I can't constantly eat them, lol. I think I just need to bring in more food, lots and lots of healthy food.

My best score is this huuuuuuge bag of kale leaves. Mmm kale.

That's actually what I'm trying to do! I can't help but notice how much better I feel when I eat more raw food and less processed stuff.

Exactimo. I truly believe it's due to the higher and better nutritional content. Try sprouting lentils and mung beans. They taste starchy and filling when sprouted, yet still have a ton of protein. They go great in mixed salads. Also, I've sprouted lentils and then made lentil burgers out of them, frying them only lightly. Same with falafel: sprout the garbanzos, then fry on very low heat. It makes the recipe more raw.

My best score is this huuuuuuge bag of kale leaves. Mmm kale.

Speaking of kale--and collards--a lot of people don't like the tough, stringy stems. So, I cut the stems out and save them. Then, I dice them and saute them in some oil, yellow onion, garlic, hot pepper flakes, and a lot of salt. It makes a great, spicy sandwich layer on those lentil burgers or some slices of avocado. Great, now I'm getting hungry.

Baby Herc

That's actually what I'm trying to do! I can't help but notice how much better I feel when I eat more raw food and less processed stuff.

 

Exactimo. I truly believe it's due to the higher and better nutritional content. Try sprouting lentils and mung beans. They taste starchy and filling when sprouted, yet still have a ton of protein. They go great in mixed salads. Also, I've sprouted lentils and then made lentil burgers out of them, frying them only lightly. Same with falafel: sprout the garbanzos, then fry on very low heat. It makes the recipe more raw.

I admit, I LOVE veggie burgers. I think Gardein's is my fav. <3 They're just so satisfying.

I have some lentils AND mung beans. How do you find them sprouted?

And oh, falafel. <3

My best score is this huuuuuuge bag of kale leaves. Mmm kale.

Speaking of kale--and collards--a lot of people don't like the tough, stringy stems. So, I cut the stems out and save them. Then, I dice them and saute them in some oil, yellow onion, garlic, hot pepper flakes, and a lot of salt. It makes a great, spicy sandwich layer on those lentil burgers or some slices of avocado. Great, now I'm getting hungry.

Baby Herc

So am I.

I have some lentils AND mung beans. How do you find them sprouted?

Crunchy and starchy-tasting. Very satisfying but you need to eat a ton of them to feel full.

Baby Herc

I have some lentils AND mung beans. How do you find them sprouted?

 

Crunchy and starchy-tasting. Very satisfying but you need to eat a ton of them to feel full.

 

Baby Herc

No, I mean where. How do you find them. Like, literally.

I have some lentils AND mung beans. How do you find them sprouted?

 

Crunchy and starchy-tasting. Very satisfying but you need to eat a ton of them to feel full.

 

Baby Herc

 

No, I mean where. How do you find them. Like, literally.

I sprout them. Literally.

Baby Herc

I have some lentils AND mung beans. How do you find them sprouted?

 

Crunchy and starchy-tasting. Very satisfying but you need to eat a ton of them to feel full.

 

Baby Herc

No, I mean where. How do you find them. Like, literally.

 

I sprout them. Literally.

 

Baby Herc

Instructions please!

I sprout them. Literally.

 

Baby Herc

 

Instructions please!

Ha, ha--I was just playing with ya. It's ridiculously easy and thank goodness because I'm only a fabulous chef in spurts, the rest of the time I'm a frenzied or reluctant chef. All I do is soak the labels off a bunch of nut butter jars and wash them well. I put about an inch of whatever in the bottom of their own jar--almonds, lentils, mung beans, etc.--and cover it with two or three inches of water. Almonds I soak in the fridge because I don't really want them to sprout, only soak. The cold will stop any sprouting process, so when you've got the results you want, just stick the jar in the fridge for keeping.

Anyway, with seeds, grains, and legumes, there are varying lengths of time you're supposed to keep them in water but I simplify it down to six hours for legumes, overnight for seeds and grains. Garbanzos are an exception because they are such little boulders. I soak them overnight. Consult the charts for exact soaking times if you like.

After soaking, strain out the water and let the wet legumes (or whatever) sit someplace cool and out of sunlight. You can cover the top with mesh or loose fabric and use a rubber band to keep it in place if you are worried about stuff getting in there or pets or children messing with your sprouts. Once or twice a day, pour water back in and strain it out again to keep everything moist. Shake it up a bit so the stuff on the bottom gets a chance on the top where the oxygen is.

Most things sprout in one to two days. When you see the little beginning of a root sticking out, it's sprouted. After a few days, you can put sprouts in the sun to green them. The light will activate photosynthesis and they will literally "green" with newly manufactured chlorophyll. I believe it's at this point that much of the protein will have transformed into starches and carbs but don't quote me on that.

There are far more elaborate instructions on the web involving cheesecloth, sterilized jars, wetted paper towels, etc. I go for the easiest, greenest, least expensive route. The one above has worked for me. There are mung sprouts and whole oat groats on my counter as we speak!

Caveat: let your nose tell you. Give your jars a sniff once a day and make sure they still smell fresh. If there's even the slightest stink of nastiness, toss the contents in the garden and start over. Sometimes cooties just happen. I only encounter it about once every few months but I've learned the hard way not to eat funky sprouts. (groan) Also, never try to sprout red kidney beans. Something about toxins.

Have fun and happy sprouting!

Baby Herc

Thanks! I love doing new things with food.

Thanks! I love doing new things with food.

Oh, I'm WAY too visual.

Baby Herc

Thanks! I love doing new things with food.

 

Oh, I'm WAY too visual.

 

Baby Herc

Super easy way to sprout:

1. Soak lentils in bowl overnight

2. Drain lentils in colander

3. Let sit in colander

4. Rinse in colander every few hours

5. Eat

I've found that using a colander is the best way to sprout because you don't have to worry as much about beans not drying thoroughly. This is especially important with beans like chickpeas that take longer to sprout, so are more prone to fungus growing and ruining your sprouts. Just rinse in the colander and drain over a large mixing bowl.

So guess what I got as my holiday gift from my awesome aunt?

Sprouted lentils and sprouted mung beans.

SHE IS PSYCHIC. <3 <3 <3 <3