It’s important to learn the rules of a plant-based diet before you decide to jump in headfirst. If you don’t then you’re likely to end up as a vegetable for a few days, or worse – starve to death. There are three easy rules of plant-based nutrition that are smart to follow right off the bat.
One of the first rules of the plant-based diet is that you have to choose which type of plant you want to eat. It doesn’t matter whether it’s carrots beets, potatoes, or tomatoes, it’s still a vegetable. That means that if you have a craving for a certain vegetable, you can’t eat it. In other words, no beans, no pasta, no rice.
A good rule of thumb is to limit your intake to only one type of vegetable per day. If you’re on a limited budget, this might be a bit difficult for you to do, however, if you know what you’re eating and how much you eat, you should be fine.
Another rule of the plant-based diet is that you have to be creative when you’re cooking your vegetables. Don’t be afraid to use spices and other ingredients that are commonly found in a healthy kitchen. You’ll find that it’s easier to eat more vegetables that way and can also make cooking even more enjoyable!
A good rule of thumb is to eat the same amount of vegetables per meal that you normally eat per day. For example, if you eat four eggs every day, you should eat four eggs per meal if you eat a diet of fruits and vegetables. Remember, if you eat too much, you’ll feel full for much longer, and that will make you crave more. Eat smaller portions and avoid overeating.
Another rule is that you don’t add too much water. Water helps to keep you feeling fuller longer, which means you eat less food. If you don’t drink enough water, your body will store the extra water in your cells instead of in your bloodstream and your cells tend to retain water, so you lose weight faster.
You sure also be sure to avoid processed foods. If you find that you’re eating processed foods all the time, it’s probably because you’re using them as a fast-food snack instead of a real meal. When you do this, your body doesn’t have time to process all of the calories and nutrients you are consuming, and therefore you feel hungry a lot longer.
If you haven’t tried a fruit and vegetable-based diet before, start by eating only fruits and vegetables. It’s always good to start with small amounts and work your way up until you have a well-balanced diet. You may want to start by having one fruit every day and three vegetables, but that’s up to you. Eating fruits and vegetables will make you feel fuller for longer, meaning you eat less. That’s why you should eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. You can include apples, strawberries, pears, bananas, squash, carrots, celery, kiwi, watermelon, and others. Some people like to include berries and oranges, as well. If you want to limit your intake of carbohydrates, eat them in moderation and don’t overindulge because you may end up feeling hungrier for longer.
Eat several smaller portions of fruit and vegetables at one meal and eat several larger portions at different meals. You can eat as many as five large meals a day, or you can split a meal up into two or three smaller meals.
Hopefully, these rules have given you some information about the diet and helped you decide whether or not you’ll try it out. So what are you waiting for? Go get started and start living the healthy life that you deserve!
