S.A.D. vs. H.A.P.P.Y. diet ... the "New Vegetarian"

A recent post by author Croix Sather (click here) got me thinking about what to call the diet that I'm [slowly] adapting into.

You may have heard the Standard American Diet of processed [fast] food is sometimes referred to by the acronym, "SAD", so how about a "HAPPY" diet...

H..healthy

A..american

P..plant-based

P..protein-limited*

Y..youth-retaining

* could also be "processed-food-limited".

The Wheeler HAPPY diet?

Do I get credit for creating a new diet? I should give credit to Croix Sather since it was his blog article that got me thinking... maybe the Wheeler-Sather Diet? If nothing else it could certainly be branded as the "New Vegetarian" diet !

Croix's diet is similar to the one that I am striving to achieve. It is not exactly Vegetarian or Vegan and those titles, unfortunately, bring with them a lot of baggage in terms of stereotypes and preconceptions. That was one of the points of Croix's recent article and the reason that a new name is needed.

Philosophy vs. Health Choice

I would also like a term that moves away from the preconceived notions of being a vegetarian. While I am all for animal rights and the "ethical treatment of animals", it is not something that is the primary focus of my diet.

I am deciding to change primarily because it will benefit my own health. If there are side benefits to the planet and our fellow inhabitants, that's great. It may sound selfish to put yourself first, but if you don't, how can you be around to help others? And, to be honest, don't we all think about "What's in it for me?" at some point? Especially when going through the change process of new eating habits?

The Shape of the Diet ... or "Lifestyle"...

The food I am striving to eat is largely plant-based ... with the occasional meat or other protein source. As my taste buds adapt to the new selection of foods, I'm sure I will eat less and less meat as well as less dairy products. Currently, I am in transition ... so I won't say that I'm perfect (who would believe it even if I said I was) and I certainly don't have all the answers.

I just try to make more good decisions than bad ones. - d.Mark Wheeler

The Wheeler diet, or "lifestyle" if you will, includes as much raw fruits & vegetables as possible and from what I've read recently, it can make a serious impact on both your lifespan and quality of life.

Tune in regularly to this blog to see how the transition goes !

(And leave your comment below to tell us what you think about the HAPPY diet too!)

d.Mark "Dave" Wheeler

Can you tell what the difference is between the two photo's below?

Before (2009) After (also 2009)

Day 4/5 ... Diet Confusion

A while back (in June, I think), I listened to "The 4 Day Win" book on CD and learned some interesting concepts about the Psychology of Dieting that I was able to apply to my dietary challenges on Days 4 & 5.

What is a "4 day win"?

The author, Martha Beck, suggested that by using a series of "4 day wins", i.e. "doing something that is outside your comfort zone for 4 days", we can change our habits and develop a healthier lifestyle. The idea is that if you can do it for 4 days, you are over the hardest part and can probably keep going for 30, 60, 90 days ... or the rest of your life.

She also pointed out that it is important to recognize the different parts of your personality as it relates to changes in dieting (or changing any habit).

Your mind has two parts and, according to Ms.Beck, there is the logical, intelligent part and the emotional, "animal" part. The analogy she uses for the emotional brain is your "horse brain", probably since she has experiences with horses and it worked well with her "horse whisperer" story.

My Little [scared] Pony...

In short, your animal brain will react to a reduction in food with fear and drive actions that the logical brain knows are not in the best interests of your body. The key is to make friends with your animal brain and recognize which part of your brain is driving your actions ... especially your eating habits.

Did I win on Day 4?

Day 4 and 5 were definitely "horse brain" days. I have been eating pretty good the past few days and was wondering when I would develop cravings for old familar foods. The answer... NOW!

The good news is that I recognized them for what they were... my Horse-brain. I was also prepared with plenty of salad fixin's and fruit. I also had some fresh summer corn and watermelon... very good stuff (even though I probably used a little more butter on the corn than I should have). I also picked up some rolled oats (oatmeal)... to keep my horse-brain happy. Day 4 was in the books and a success !

On Day 5, I had a strong desire for something cooked for some reason. I ended up eating a small casserole that my Mom had made for me and put in the freezer the last time she visited. It was a type of lasagna (with a little meat and plenty of cheese)... which I justified with the fact that calorie-wise I was still in good shape. Dessert was a large plate of watermelon (mmm... delicious).

Diet Confusion...

Around this time, I realized that I need to learn to prepare more healthy alternatives so that my "palette of choices" provides the variety and satisfaction that I need to make these changes successful in the long run.

Next step...

I have begun to investigate "vegan" recipes (since that is what a diet of primarily fruits & vegetables is called) and will post the results of my experiments. I am also finding that much of the "vegan" information on the web is mixed with a heavy amount of political, ethical and even religious overtones. I just want to eat healthy.

Disclaimer du Jour...

I don't have anything against beef or the industrial food complex ... except that their business model is flawed. Eventually everyone will come around to the fact that we need to eat primarily vegetables & fruits.

This means that there will be less demand for meat and other "lazy nutrition" (e.g. over processed, usually with high fructose corn syrup, but well packaged for ease of consumption). Healthy eating may not become mainstream in my generation (late baby boomer)... although it might as we begin to age and look for new ways to stay healthy.

Food Goal for August...

My near-term goal is to make sure I have a number of foods available that I enjoy eating and which are healthy for me. No more McDonald's Big Mac's, Quarter Pounders or French Fries... sell your stock in McDonald's if you have it !

Do you have any great, tasty, easy-to-make vegan recipes?

Please leave a comment below.

d.Mark "Dave" Wheeler