A new Journey, a New Transition

Hi again! As you know I've recently have transitioned to and conquered natural hair. Now I feel like it's time for a new journey. I have recently been interested in eating healthier. In studying about that I discovered that most meat found in the supermarkets have pesticides in them and since the animals aren't free to roam and graze they have more saturated fat content than animals that do. Exposure to pesticides can lead to forms of cancer and leukemia. After finding that out I have decided to become a vegetarian. Unlike Vegans who don't eat any type of meat (including fish) or dairy products (eggs, cheese, milk) vegetarians can. I love seafood so I can't stray away from that. And I have two little ones so calcium is vital for their developing bodies. In eating eggs, cheese and milk i will purchase organic. In fact I will try to purchase all my food organic if possible. Most fruits and vegetables contain pesticides also. To avoid that it's best to purchase fruits and vegetables that are in season from local farmers.

One concern i had was that I'm underweight my 10lbs. I've always been underweight and it's hard for me to gain weight. I don't want to lose anymore weight by cutting out meat and I don't want it to hinder my weight gain either. So I joined a vegan and vegetarian group on Cafemom.com (great site if you have kids or are expecting) and I got some great advice from jellyphish. Here's what she wrote:

Welcome! I have been underweight my entire life and gaining weight hasn't been any more of a struggle since I've been vegan. I also did t lose any weight when I transitioned. It's all about maintaining a healthy, balanced diet. Some great foods to help gain weight are carbs, avocados, nut butters, and seed/nut/veggie oils. Cook everything with oils and eat a lot of thicker foods, and make sure your diet is balanced. Remember these two things: gaining weight is all about taking in more calories than you burn, and animal fats and proteins only offer unhealthy weight gain (this includes meat, dairy and eggs).

I am going to transition because of my living situation, when I cook I have to cook for everyone in the house and since I'm currently staying with family until I move in March 2010 to PA....well lets just say you can't teach an old dog new tricks! I will first try to cut down on my meat intake and add more fruits and vegetables. I will also add in the foods that jellyphish suggested. I will keep everyone posted on my progress! Peace and Blessings.