Photo: Vegan Ironman triathlete, Brendan Brazier. He is the author of the Thrive Diet

We’ve been hearing in the news a lot lately that North Americans are getting fatter, including our children. The two main reasons? Our woefully sad diet, and lack of physical activity.

It may seem hard to change when we’ve been living a certain way for years and years. The solution? – focus on the amazing benefits that change can bring to your life: including more energy, decreased risk of many diseases, lower healthcare costs, and more money to spend on really great things like vacations! The saving can come from being more productive in your work, eating simpler foods and walking and biking more often.

Eating a healthy vegetarian diet and being physically active are two powerful ways to live to your fullest potential.

Tips

1. Include a wide variety of whole, plant foods in your everyday eating.
2. Minimize use of highly refined, highly sweetened products, and those containing a lot of fat.
3. Remember it’s not just about eating; get your butt in gear!!!

– Bev Miller, RD

Want more information? Check out the links below.

Vegetarian Position Paper – The American Dietetic Association and Dietitians Of Canada

Vegetarian Foods: Powerful for Health – Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine

Olympic vegetarians: the elite athletes who shun meat – Gaurdian, July 2012