A proper way of eating
 

This thread is not about the merits of plant based eating, and it's a vege thread which is not about the merits of meat.


This is about healthy vegetarianism. There is such a thing as unhealthy plant based eating, and I have been down that road as well. I believed things which were not true and as a result of poor nutrition and a sedentary life, became weak and listless, had high body fat percentage, and I was continuing to degenerate.


When I saw myself heading toward a decrepit state, I started to do some exercise, and I read up on the nutrition I needed to support my training regimen. I have since read extensively about nutrition and exercise, and completed my education as a personal trainer. In the last three years I have become strong and vital because I get the appropriate nutrition and exercise for my particular fitness goals.


I eat a lot of meat, but I don't eat for health and/or longevity. I eat for strength performance and take the appropriate nutrition for that. This is not appropriate for those who are not trying to optimise their 1 rep max in the deadlift. I don't promote eating meat or any other particular dietary practice. I advocate nutrition according to individuals' lifestyles and/or performance goals. Nothing else.



This is the veg forum so I advocate plant based nutrition. I discuss calories and nutrients as well as the social and ethical implications of food - all in balance.


Being an athlete and fitness professional, most of my research is about fat reduction (body composition) and/or athletic performance. This is an example of the kind of literature I read https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5598028/. It's very interesting and informative and includes references to the research studies it draws on. IOW, it is good information which is open to criticism.



To be discerning about research is very important in the internet post-truth era because 'diet gurus' populate the landscape like cane toads in far North Queensland, doing more harm than good.


The thread is being started because there are well informed individuals such a Debra, for one example, who are familiar with healthy plant based eating and have access to reliable information sources. There is valuable sharing to be had, and I hope our discussions together here empower people to enhance their happiness and well-being.

I'm getting really confused here. I thought this was a 'page' to discuss vegetarian and vegan issues.

And your comment Gem, well, are you a vegetarian or a meat eating body builder? And if you are the latter, why are you here? Would your thread not be a topic more suitable for the health section or exercise?

I'm a powerlifter (not a body builder) and eat to optimise performance in the sport.


I disclosed my own omnivore diet to be transparent, and so that people may be assured that I'm advocating good nutrition and not pushing a 'vegan-diet agenda'. This thread is about plant based diets. Not my diet. It could be about performance enhancing diet provided that is still a plant based diet, but this is about proper plant based nutrition in a much more general sense.



If I'm to be excluded from such a discussion, it would be like excluding a vegan from discussing omnivore diets. I'm supportive of plant based diets because plant based eating is a great way to optimise nutrition, and the most suitable way for a great many people.

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It's not like I'm trying to exclude you or anyone Gem. I'm just trying to figure out what your interest is here.

While so many seem to think that it's strictly 'which diet is better', for those of us who switched for the animals, there's no neutrality on the topic. There's the diet which tortures and terrifies the animals and the diet that doesn't. Finding out that a WFPB diet is optimum is merely a wonderful bonus.

That's why I can't understand why you would want to discuss diet here, seeing as how you aren't even a vegetarian. If you're familiar with the health benefits of a plants only diet, why aren't you a vegan? If you're familiar and still eat meat, WHY are you on a veg.forum? Or why being a meat eater, you've decided to discuss nutrition here instead of on the Exercise threads or maybe Health. You didn't really answer the 'why' questions.

Double post again. Sorry.

This is the forum for talking about veg/vegan nutrition. That's what I want to talk about.

Well, I could be persistent and say to you, something like, 'Still not getting to the heart of it. Why?', but I suppose it doesn't really matter does it?

What's more interesting perhaps is why you, a meat eater, seem to recognize that a WFPB diet is healthy but still eat animals. Kind of contradictory outlook.


'...plant-powered athletes like Kendrick Farris, Team USA’s only male weightlifter at the Rio Olympics.

Let’s also not forget the likes of Patrick Baboumian, a German powerlifter who was not only named “Germany’s Strongest Man” in 2011 but has also broken multiple powerlifting records.

Not to mention, Venus Williams has continued to play tennis like a complete and total boss while slamming dairy milk in a campaign alongside DJ Khaled, all while maintaining a vegan diet...

...Take a look at Hulda B. Waage, an Icelandic powerlifter, who not only recently went home with a shiny new championship trophy, but also broke a new national record. And yeah, she’s vegan.'

http://www.onegreenplanet.org/news/i...tional-record/

My absolute favourite video that shows how strong one can be on a vegan diet and with focus on training, is this one of Frank Medrano! Beautiful strength and control!

https://youtu.be/RFPsvF3UOdo

Reading your first two posts on this thread I wonder why don't you let Gem talk about whatever he wants to talk about. Why are you starting by questioning his motives before you hear / read him. He didn't write that he wanted to argue against plant based diets. He even wrote in his opening post that he praises your knowledge ...

I'm disappointed.

I never prohibited him/her from speaking or sharing, but I did ask 'why' and found the answers to be a bit unsatisfying. I know exactly why I talk about vegan and meat eaters diets and nutrition and outcomes. But I find Gem's position to be quite confusing. You may not be curious, but I am. Is there anything wrong with that?