GOING VEGAN > How Veganism Has Changed My Life

My Vegan Experience > What I’ve Learned by Going Vegan

Since embarking on my vegan journey this year, I’ve received incredible support from family, friends and strangers.  I have to admit that many people, including myself, were very skeptical about veganism and how I could manage without eating my favourite foods that included fast foods, fruit juice and lots of candy.  It’s now been more than 5 months since my vegan experience began and this article serves to talk about things that I’ve learned by going vegan and how my life has changed due to veganism.

My initial goals for going vegan and learning about veganism included the following:

1. Live a healthier and happier life through a vegan diet and vegan lifestyle

2. Educate myself on general health and vegan nutrition programs

3. Become more aware of what I’m putting into and on my body through making tough conscious decisions

4. Debunk myths about veganism or vegans that were unconsciously planted in my brain during my adolescence

5. Continue my ever changing fitness and core training routines

6. Learn to cook (both raw dishes and cooked meals) that follow a vegan diet

7. Talk to and research about vegans or people who have experienced going vegan

8. Watch at least one documentary per week about food, water, whole foods plant based diets, veganism, vegetarianism, physiology or happiness/emotions

9. Inspire those around me to adopt a vegan diet and to experience veganism (for perhaps 1 month at least)

I haven’t felt more physically and mentally strong since going vegan five months ago.  It’s been a life-changing experience so far, and this 1 year experiment may need to last a lifetime.  I’m really enjoying educating myself about veganism and what it means to be vegan in addition to becoming more aware of everything surrounding us when it comes to our food supply, diet and fitness.  All of these things contribute to a healthier and happier life and I’m very grateful to have embarked on this vegan experience at this point in my life.  If you are interested in learning more about my first 5 months of going vegan, please read below.

My Vegan Experience > 10 Unexpected Personal Benefits of Going Vegan

1. Going vegan has allowed me to sleep a lot better.  I’ve never slept through a night before (unless with harmful medication), but now, I get at least 5 to 6 hours of solid sleep a night.  I attribute this to my vegan diet and lifestyle.

2. Simply said: I don’t get painful migraines anymore.  I used to get at least a migraine every other day.  They were painful and crippling both physiologically and mentally.  I couldn’t work, play or relax.  I haven’t had a single migraine since starting my vegan diet!

3. I also used to get allergies throughout the year that were triggered by pollen, temperature or altitude changes.  These allergies were often debilitating, causing an unstoppable runny nose, itchy eyes and migraines.  I still get allergies, but certainly not as bad as before I went vegan.  If I get a runny nose or itchy eyes, I can take a half dose antihistamine and the allergy will disappear completely.

4. Since my vegan experience began, my body weight has continued to be very stable (around 155-160 pounds).  As an athletic person who weight trains, I certainly didn’t want to lose any body weight or muscle mass by cutting out animal based proteins and whey protein powders from my daily routine.  However, I’m pleased to say that I’ve found plenty of plant based natural protein sources to accommodate my protein needs for fitness.

5. Further to my body’s physiological changes, I’ve noticed that my body fat content has actually decreased since going vegan.  I’ve now got a more ‘defined’ body that actually looks ‘more muscular’ even though my body weight hasn’t changed.

6. By switching to a whole foods plant based diet, I no longer have extreme tiredness in the afternoon (I often had to take naps around 2-3pm).  I also don’t have the sugar spikes and troughs throughout the day, which has lead to a more balanced and healthy life.

7. My teeth are whiter than before.  Yes, that’s correct!  My teeth have increasingly become more white since cutting out candy, refined sugars and sugary drinks from my diet.

8. My digestion is better and I’m more regular (enough said).  I also don’t get heartburn, cramps or bloating anymore (enough said there too).

9. I’m a lot less anxious now.  Whether it was too much caffeine or refined sugars, I was always anxious about something: work, schedules, travel and everything else.  Now, I feel like I’m a lot calmer and more patient with everything… which is who I was when I was younger.  It’s nice to get this feeling back. It’s great to have control again.

10. My skin is clearer and my hair is healthier and shinier.  I’ve also noticed that other small things have changed gradually, including healthier looking skin, hair and nails.

My Vegan Experience > 10 Interesting Things I’ve Learned by Going Vegan

1. Never assume anything.  Always educate yourself in what matters most to you.  If it’s veganism or going vegan or health & nutrition in general, self-educate.  It’s a life changing skill, so work on it!

2. My top 10 superfoods include: spirulina, raw cacao, maca, papaya, kale, spinach, chia, hemp, flax, lemon.  These are followed closely by: banana, goji, almond, pistachio, wheatgrass, blueberry, ginger and broccoli.

3. Top 10 food products that are most susceptible to food fraud: milk, olive oil, honey, saffron, fish, coffee, orange juice, apple juice, black pepper and tea leaves.

4. Dirty Dozen fruits and vegetables that are laced with pesticides: apples, celery, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, grapes, hot peppers, imported nectarines, peaches, potatoes, spinach, strawberries and sweet bell peppers.  This is followed closely by kale and summer squash.

5. Clean Fifteen fruits and vegetables that are the cleanest and contain the fewest pesticides: asparagus, avocados, cabbage, cantaloupe, sweet corn, eggplant, grapefruit, kiwi fruit, mangos, mushrooms, onions, papayas, pineapples, sweet peas (frozen) and sweet potatoes.

6. The United States just approved a pesticide that has been linked to the Honeybee Colony Collapse Disorder or CCD whilst the European Union just banned the same substance for at least 2 years.

7. Always buy organic, locally grown produce.  Not only are they the safest to consume, but they are also the healthiest when it comes to nutritional value.

8. Almonds, cashews and hazelnuts have the highest nutritional value when it comes to nut nutrition.  This is followed by pistachios and peanuts.  Of course, these nuts should be roasted and not salted.

9. There are always more healthy alternatives and substitutes for unhealthy foods and processed products.  Take for instance… baking and eggs are synonymous with each other.  However, you can easily substitute an egg with 1 tablespoon of flax with 4 tablespoons of water when baking.  Or, you can also substitute refined sugar with organic dates, coconut palm sugar, stevia or honey.

10. Our bodies require a lot less food (in terms of weight/quantity) when we focus on eating nutritious whole foods and plant based foods.  Our bodies are filled with more nutritious calories (versus empty calories) which tell us to stop eating sooner.  Because of this, we spend less money on food now when compared to the pre-vegan lifestyle.  Now that’s food for thought.

My Vegan Experience > 5 Other Funny, Weird and Wacky Things About My Experience Going Vegan

1. It has only been 5 months, but organic wheatgrass has NOT stopped my hair from turning grey, nor has it turned my grey hair back to black.  Perhaps it’s just a myth, or maybe I need to keep growing and eating wheatgrass to see these benefits.  In any case, I’m not taking wheatgrass so that I stop greying … my friends tell me that I look more distinguished and perhaps sexy with grey.

2. I buy all of my organic produce from a local market on my way back from the gym.  It’s a family run Chinese market that sources fresh, organic and beautiful vegetables and fruit that I can’t get anywhere else.  They refer to me as ‘The Papaya Man’.  But lately, I’ve bought more organic kale than papaya, and so they’ve changed my name to ‘The Healthy Kale Guy’.  They’ll probably end up just calling me ‘The Strange Vegan Guy’.

3. Because I wanted a true vegan experience, I decided to start a vegetable garden in my backyard.  One day, the topsoil (essentially, it was shit … but I hate to use that word, but it really was just shit) arrived and they dumped it all in the back lane that is used often by my neighbours.  Unfortunately for me, I had to spend hours shoveling this manure into my vegetable gardens … it was tough work, smelled really horrific, but hopefully it was worth it.

4. While going out with friends and family, I often felt like a ‘social pariah’.  I felt like an outcast and sort of ‘isolated’ from my friends because not many other people were going through my vegan experience at the same time.  In addition, many people often made fun of my vegan diet and veganism in general, which was hard to take at first.  However, as time went by, I realized that these people were manifesting their own fears and doubts about their own diet, nutrition and fitness.  In many ways, there were only trying to justify their unhealthy lifestyle by putting down veganism, which is unfortunate.

5. When I went vegan, I didn’t know what kale, Swiss chard, spirulina, raw cacao or maca were.  No idea.  Didn’t know if they were vegetables or fruits or meat or whole foods.  Things have changed.

I started my ‘vegan’ experience by gradually taking out the ‘bad stuff’ and ‘bad food’ in my diet while continuing to exercise at least 5 times per week.  I didn’t go cold turkey on things like organic meats (mainly chicken and beef), gluten or dairy products.  I did, however, go cold turkey on all candy and fast food from the beginning. It took about 30 days (1 month) to get from a very unhealthy lifestyle to a completely healthy vegan diet and nutrition program.

I understand that many people don’t have the support network, time or commitment to make a full scale life-long change to veganism, and that’s why I started Just Add Good Stuff.  I want to inspire people to take on a whole foods plant based diet as much as possible, but I also understand the complexities of everyday life that are so unique to every person.

Therefore, Just Add Good Stuff, is all about taking the ‘bad stuff’ out of our lives gradually while adding more ‘good stuff’.  By doing so, you can still enjoy life to its fullest … and in many ways, by taking care of your health first, you will be much happier, successful and healthier in everyday life.

I am proud to call myself a vegan.  Now, I challenge you…

TIPS for a Happy, Successful and Healthier Life > PLEASE SHARE!

Just Add Good Stuff presents “TIPS for a HAPPY, SUCCESSFUL & HEALTHIER LIFE” series of beautiful images, quotes and recommendations.  This is Set #1 to the with many more to come!  The infograms serve as a reminder and guide to a happier, more successful and healthy life through nutrition, diet, and fitness.
 

Please share with all of your friends and family!  Thank you!

 
Just right-click to ‘save’ the images to your computer -OR- click on these images for the ‘full-size’ version.
 

TIPS for HAPPINESS, HEALTH & SUCCESS #1 > PARADISE ISLAND

QUOTES for HEALTH, SUCCESS & HAPPINESS #2 > WHEAT GRASS SUPERFOOD

QUOTE for HEALTH, SUCCESS & HAPPINESS #3 > NATURE IS SO BEAUTIFUL

Just Add Good Stuff presents some tips for a happy, successful and healthier life:

subtract the bad stuff in your life | definitely add more of the really  good stuff

but everything in MODERATION | smile all the time | RELAX | re-connect with a friend

call a family member | buy from local grocers | recycle + compost | DON’T smoke

adopt an organic whole foods plant based DIET | drink lots of water | meditate

say NO to fast food | eat LOTS of veggies | get some SUN | prioritize

be SPECIFIC about your goals | continue dreaming + thinking BIG

forget about your EPIC MELTDOWN… there’s always next season

TIPS for a Toronto Maple Leaf Fan after your EPIC MELTDOWN in Game 7

After squandering a 4-1 3rd period lead in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup 1st round series against the Boston Bruins, there are many Toronto Maple Leaf fans who are in disbelief that their beloved team fell apart with 10.5 minutes left.  The victory seemed certain, but the Toronto Maple Leafs let in 3 unanswered goals late in the 3rd period, and then lost to the Boston Bruins in overtime.

What a let down after a surprisingly successful year.  Oh well, it’s part of the learning curve for these young Maple Leafs in their quest to earn another playoff spot in the 2013-2014 NHL season.

At Just Add Good Stuff, we decided to give Maple Leaf fans a few tips on how to deal with incredible and EPIC LOSS in Game 7.

Here’s a larger version of the TIPS for a Toronto Maple Leaf Fan after your EPIC MELTDOWN in Game 7 against the Boston Bruins:
 

FITNESS > Cross-Body Hammer Bicep Curl – Great Forearm & Bicep Workout

Is your forearm and bicep work-out too boring? Are you doing the same forearm and bicep workouts every day? Do you feel that your bicep strength has peaked out or that your forearms seem to give way when doing too many arm exercises in a single work-out?

If you’ve answered ‘YES’ to any of the above questions, you need to hit your biceps and forearms with an exciting new exercise! And that routine can include the CROSS-BODY HAMMER BICEP CURL. Essentially, it’s like a hammer curl for your bicep routine, but instead of just ‘curling’ the weight, you curl the free weight across your body to create a new movement and better motion for building your bicep muscles. Not only that, but the cross-body hammer curl is also a great workout for your forearms, which aid in many other arm, chest, shoulder and back exercise routines.

The cross body hammer curl trains your brachialis which is a set of muscles that separates the biceps from the triceps. By doing the cross body hammer curls, you will not only be shocking your arms, but you will also increase the definition between your biceps and triceps (largest muscle in your arms), making your upper arms look bigger!

Here’s the breakdown of the exciting Cross-Body Hammer Bicep Curl that should be integrated into every other bicep workout routine:

* picture from Men’s Fitness | Photography by: D Snipes

Cross-Body Hammer Bicep Curl Exercise in a Nutshell (shown above)

Muscles shocked: biceps, forearms and core
Sets: 3 to 4
Reps: 10 to 12 per arm
Rest period: 30 to 45 seconds

How to:
Get a dumbbell (free weight) that is about 80 to 90% the weight that you usually use for a bicep curl exercise. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms set against your side.

Curl the right hand dumbbell/free weight across your body so that it ends up under your left shoulder and against your chest. This is why it is called the “Cross-Body Hammer Bicep Curl” because you are essentially curling the free weight across your body. At this point, your palm should be facing and kept as close as possible to your chest. Go back to the rest state as slowly as possible and in the same but reverse motion.

Then, curl the left hand dumbbell/free weight across your body so that it ends up under your right shoulder. Again, keep your palm facing your chest (and as close to your chest). Again, this ‘cross-body hammer curl’ motion should be smooth without any jerking motion to lift the weight.

Alternate your cross body curls until you’ve done 10 to 12 per arm (that’s a total of 20 to 24 cross body curls). Repeat the cross body curls until you’ve done at least 3 sets. If you can manage to do 4 sets with the weight, go for it!

You will feel the 3 core areas being worked during your Cross Body Hammer Curl. You should feel the intense throb in your forearms during the upward motion of the cross body bicep curl, as well as during the return back to the original state. In addition, you will feel the cross body hammer curl work your bicep muscles, giving it a great pump both up and down. Last but not least, in order to keep your shoulders back and your body in a relaxed non-motionless state, you will feel the Cross Body Hammer Bicep Curl work your core muscles as well.

Therefore, we consider the cross body curl a 3 in 1 exercise that is great in working out your forearms, biceps and core.

The SUPER Cross Body Bicep Curl for Core Training

For elite athletes and hard core trainers who are seeking some extra core training exercises, the Super Cross Body Bicep Curl is ideal for your core training needs.  Essentially, it is exactly the same as the above cross body hammer curl, but it works your core muscles even more!  Here are 2 variations for the super cross body bicep curl that can be done by itself, or in combination with other bicep, forearm and core exercises.  Please note that the tips are the same: fluid motion, keeping everything stationary except your arms and the 4 second rule still applies!  So NEVER cheap yourself out of the perfect core exercise!

Variation 1 for the Cross Body Core Training Exercise

The first variation for the above exercise is to do exactly the same motions but on one leg.  Before you do your first curl, raise one of your legs until your lower foot is perpendicular to the ground.  Make sure your knees are touching.  Again, curl the right hand dumbbell across your body so that it ends up under your left shoulder and against your chest.  Repeat with your left hand across your right shoulder.

You should try using 60% of your usual bicep curl free weight for this exercise.  The most important tip is to make sure that you are balanced before starting your cross body core training exercise.  Secondly, make sure that you are not compensating and making it easier by jerking the free weight or by using your back or shoulders or legs to raise the dumbbell.  The entire motion should be working only your core and your arms.

Variation 2 for the Cross Body Core Training Work Out

If the first variation is too easy for you or if you want to shock your core with an even more difficult core training work out, then Variation 2 would be ideal for you!  In this variation, get a square balance board.  If you are familiar with balancing on this square balance board, then you can head right into the exercise.  If not, please make sure you get used to the balance of the board before you start.

In order to start the exercise, grab the free weight and get on the square balance board.  Once you have maintained a perfect balance for at least 5 seconds, you can start with cross body hammer curl to work out your core.  This core training exercise is the most difficult of the three variations mentioned on this blog post as you are not only working out your forearms and biceps, but you are also balancing and working out your core on the square balance board.

Repeat the repetitions for each arm (again, try doing at least 10 to 12 reps per arm for each set).  The ongoing tip again is to maintain your balance without compromising your body form.  Core training is all about slow and fluid motion without any jerkiness or use of body parts that you aren’t suppose to use.

So if you cheat, you are cheating nobody but yourself!

FITNESS > Single Arm Floor Press > Chest & Triceps Workout

Sick and tired of your regular chest workout?  Do you fall into the bench press syndrome?  Cable exercises and push-ups not working anymore?

Here’s a new and improved workout for your chest and triceps (called the Single Arm Floor Press) that not only work out both of these muscle groups, but can also be used for: muscle toning, muscle building and core training.

In other words, it’s a 3 in 1 exercise that allows you to change your routine and blast your muscles.

* picture from Men’s Fitness | Photography by: D Snipes

Single-Arm Floor Press (shown above)

Muscles shocked: chest, triceps, core

Sets: 3 to 4

Reps: 10 to 12 per arm

Rest period: 30 to 45 seconds

How to:

Hold a dumbbell in one hand as you lie on your back on the floor or mat.  Then, you should tuck your elbow to your side and turn your palm so it faces inward (may feel a bit awkward at first).  Make sure that your triceps are resting on the floor. Lastly, press the weight over your chest, and return to the first position.  Repeat until you’ve completed the reps.