Theresaann

"On the contrary Therasaan... Lots of people can snack in between meals on a vegan diet and still gain muscle." I wasn't saying that everyone should eat that way, only that I found that it works for me. Everyone has to find their own way.

well, I'm tempted to try this. Don't like the muscle cramping idea though...I'd have to remind myself to chug the water to get enough....

whoa...who wants to argue that alcohol contributes to cancer formation? or that animal fat/protein does as well? I don't need 100 research studies to tell me this, its so obvious. But I have read a lot of information to support it anyway. as well, a person can have a perfect diet, but if they are continually thinking negative thoughts, they can also create cancer. There are many factors involved...but I would not argue that alcohol is one of them.

really...thats interesting. What brand do you like and where did you find it? thank you for sharing!

Its definitely 10pm-2am, regardless of when we sleep. thats why its so important to be asleep then. It has to do with our circadian rhythms. Our day/night cycles were intentionally thrown off when 12 midnight was made the start of the next day. I just recently heard that it used to be 6 pm. So we were intentionally knocked off of our natural rhythms in alignment with nature, as well as our calendar system, which used to be based on moon cycles and had 13 months in a year, instead of 12. All of this was done to disconnect us from the rhythms of nature and our own inner wisdom so that we would be disoriented and more easily controlled by powers seeking to enslave us...check out this article for more on this-its utterly fascinating: http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/esp_2012_02.htm In Auyervedic medicine they talk about the importance of sleep between 10 and 2, because thats when the body does its detox and repair. I notice a TOTAL difference if I get to sleep at 10, as opposed to 12, or even 11, even IF I get 8 hours. Its really amazing. It effects the endocrine system, immune system, and so many other things. Observing this sleep pattern would probably heal most illnesses in and of itself. We have to admit to our addictions and habits of staying up late and being addicted to stimulation. Only when people are willing to tell the truth about this to themselves will they be able to get in touch enough with the rhythms of their body to hear the truth in this information

Just started looking into this. Is it really necessary to just be lean and fit? Is there a benefit to those who don't want to compete? Is it even vegan? Would love to hear your experiences....Thanks!

I've heard that fruit, or raw, before noon, is best, not to eat at least 3 hours before bed, and no snacking between meals (best for digestion), etc. I don't eat only raw before bfast cause I workout HARD at 7 am in summer, and 5 am school year and there is NO WAY I can go on only fruit for 7-5 hours after that. Not only that, I feel SO much better if I eat every 3 hours or so, small, whole food, plant based meals. I feel REALLY good if I do NOT snack between meals, don't eat crap (chips, refined carbs-"whole grain and vegan" or not, other "snack" foods) and do NOT eat after 6 pm or so. If I"m REALLY hungry, I'll have A piece of fruit. Plus going to sleep BY 9pm during school year and 10 during the summer, I feel amazing. I think not eating at night and being whole food, plant based would cure most diseases in itself. Seriously. Try not eating at night and see if you notice a difference-its huge.

Thanks for that link! Back to the wisdom of WHOLE foods...soy milk? I guess if you have to have a 'milk' substitute, but fresh sesame or almond milk I make myself is better, me thinks...

Cubby, thanks for the connection to the hemp protein-tre helpful! Good post too. Alexander, you are going to have to so some research to educate yourself, but its SO worth it. I've found I thrive on a vegan diet, even WITH bodybuilding, ONLY If I do not eat crap as well-that means no daily indulgence in crap like "soy ice cream, chips, "vegan cookies," and all that. Also, no snacking between meals. If I stick to whole foods, with very high nutrient content diet, as in "Eat to Live," Dr. Fuhrman's book (drfuhrman.com), I do amazingly well. Dr. Fuhrman is the smartest guy on nutrition that I've studied. That and the China Study and you are good to go!

"I have only one problem with this, and that's getting my hand on a pair" veganjoe-HEElarious I go back and forth on this. But you rational people who are pointing out that there ARE potential health problems related to these...make me think. I'm almost 45, have lost a lot of bodyfat in the last 10 months (butt looks amazing, up top, not so much), and I nursed my two kids for 7 years straight between them. My youngest is almost 13 now, and I usually find wearing a bra relatively distasteful, so...you can imagine whats hanging on my thoracic region.... hmm....I would LOVE to look as hot on top as I feel on the bottom...but, this surgery just feels so DRASTIC to me. But almost every woman I've heard about it says they are happy they did it. I don't know...in the end it just has to be for me, and if I'm happy either way, then I'm happy. End of discussion. OM AH HUM!

Phizer pharmaceuticals just got fined 2 billion (thats BILLION with a B) for false advertising....the tide is turning my friends, in spite of the doomsayers predictions...trust the process and don't let anyone jab nothin' into no part of yo body, rite??

dropsoul-you are NOT getting old, haha Thanks for posting those....I was just telling my boyfriend (who just figured out, "hey, you are one of those workout girls, aren't you?" duh...I've only been doing this consistently for 10 months....thats why they have a Y chromosome...little piece "missing"....lol). All you youngsters out there, I've been doing this for 10 months, and look now like our 70 year old friend posted here, and at almost 45, people think I'm in my twenties all the time. ITs so FUN! I do highlight my hair to cover the gray, and I don't drink or smoke, so my skin looks better, but let me tell you, this IS the fountain of youth! keep it up and you'll be ageless!! peace

Dudes, sleep is massively important....if you are younger you can get away with not getting enough more, but it will age you fast. Also, the body does most of its detox and repair between 10pm and 2am, so if we are awake during that time, even if you get 8 hours cumulatively, you are not giving the body what it needs. This is a really misunderstood aspect of health. The endocrine system controls how our body works and sleep seriously disrupts its functioning. Try going to sleep BY 10 pm for 5 days in a row, not drinking caffeine after 12 noon during the day before, and no alcohol, and not eating within 2-3 hours of sleep and see how you feel. THEN tell me sleep doesn't matter....Peace!

second that....eat, sleep, oh, also, consider a good therapeutic massage every week or two:)

Check out alissacohen.com. She did a weight loss challenge contest for a woman using all raw on the Tyra Banks show a couple of years ago-her person won and looked amazing. Look around on her site, you should be able to find that video footage

budget in some regular massage and/or reflexology. It can help you SO much. Its worth it!

I agree, and I have had my share of alcohol induced "good times," let me tell you. Far better to relax with yoga, breathing, walking in nature, lovely intimacy with your beloved, meditation, journaling, uplifting, spiritual conversation with enlightened friends... pickled brain=pickled consciousness....

Hooray for getting real! So much more important for self awakening than what we eat....truly.

you didn't mention weight training. Are you? I have found that its really important to build up lean muscle tissue to accelerate metabolism/fat burning, and if you are doing the same exercise every day over a long period of time your body will adapt. Weight training also boosts growth hormone a LOT, and helps lower insulin resistance, both which help with fat burning. also the content of your calories matters too-are you eating enough protein? Basically, look to develop your lean muscle tissue with weight/resistance training, vary your workouts to avoid plateaus, make sure your cardio includes high intensity interval training, and balance hormones and insulin with frequent, small meals with enough protein. And don't forget adequet rest and recovery. That seems to be the secret formula-works like magic!

I would love to make my own hemp/pea/b rice mix as vega is SOOO expensive....just can't afford at this time. Thinking a mix of those proteins plus spirulina and flax might be good. I saw R's post about bodybuilding.com having lower prices on it, but with shipping it's virtually the same as whole foods... not much savings there. Would love to manufacture one that's not overpriced. that would be cool...

Hi there.... I am totally discouraged by how expensive Vega is. Ok, right, got it about "quality ingredients cost more," but I'm fed up with only "rich people" having access to health. You know what? I'm not buying it. I'm a holistic healthcare practitioner, and see this with all KINDS of supplements that may have true health promoting value, but then get down to it, they are just freaking overpriced. So....I found this plant based protein powder-SLIGHTLY less expensive than Vega-wondering if anyone's tried it. What do you think? Also, I'm seriously considering getting into the manufacturing of this product myself just to give the "rest of us" who don't have bottomless wallets a quality product thats REASONABLY priced....I'm serious about this! Its time for people to have access to quality healthcare without having to be wealthy to get it gosh darn it!

Yeah, its weird. My sister first noticed it. She said, "you smell like something....like vegetables." I only really started noticing it for maybe the last couple of months. Maybe I need to cleanse my liver...I have been drinking a fair amount of alcohol in the last 7 months as well....not over the top, but not great either...well, therein may lie my problem

Green protein smoothies and lots of salad are making me smell like cooked cruciferious veggies when I sweat-even a little. You know that sulfur kind of smell? I never heard of such a thing. Anybody else ever experience this? Its really not good! But I don't want to quit eating these great things....I guess maybe I should just tolerate it, eh?

Just have to share...ok, bear with me, I'm obviously slower than most you know how people say to maximize fat loss eat every few hours? well they're RIGHT! HA! I finally committed to making myself eat every 2-3 hours this past week, in addition to working out pretty hard, and I definitely lost fat and developed more lean muscle. I can't believe the results I got in just 5 days. It felt like I was eating too much, but I see now that in order to burn fat we have to build muscle and to build muscle while working out hard we have to feed it so it will grow. This is a revelation. Plus obviously, my habit of eating only a couple of times a day (like I said, I'm slow...) was doing more harm than good because it was tanking out my metabolism, and I wasn't burning fat cause I wasn't getting enough calories or nutrients to really maximize muscle growth. So eating every few hours really matters for best results! I'm a believer now....

My ankle is still not solid enough to run or do lunges, etc, or the workout dvds I was using for lower body stuff, but I can ride my bike, which is why I pulled it out of the garage, cause last summer I sprained my other ankle, worse actually, and rode my bike. I am LOVING riding. Its a really great fat burner, esp. with hills by where I live, and fun to be outside. I have a friend who runs and bikes in races and she spins in the winter to maintain the biking thing, but I'd have to join a gym to do that which I can't really afford....We'll see, I'm hoping I can pull that off to keep riding. I really, really like it. Its a better cardio workout than the dvds I was using. I'm still doing wts for lower body, but moves that don't require a lot of ankle movement like squats, dead lifts, pelvic lifts and static lunges. and intense floor work, callenetic style. So, there are productive ways to train with a sprained ankle! its slowly getting better.....I wear a brace pretty much all day.