Mushroom Sandwich Anyone? A Low Calorie Burger Alternative

I am still on my weight loss plan and have found a few more things to add to my meal options. One of them is a "mushroom burger" without the meat.  Many restaurants serve hamburgers topped with mushrooms and cheese, which are very high in fat and calories.  The version that I created has mushrooms as the main "attraction", flavored with teriyaki sauce and pineapples.  I marinate some sliced portobella mushrooms in teriyaki for 30 minutes or more, then grill them in a saucepan with some crushed pineapple until the mushrooms are tender.  Next drain the excess liquid and load the mushroom mixture onto a toasted whole wheat bun along with low calorie mayo, sliced tomatoes and lettuce.  It's very yummy!

As an update on the weight loss progress, I gained about a pound during my vacation week in Myrtle Beach--not too bad!  I returned on October 23rd, and since then I have lost that pound again and an additional 2 pounds.  I have now lost a total of 17 pounds in about 3 months and I am just 3 pounds away from my original goal. I would like to lose those 3 pounds by November 20th. 

I have been sticking with very light breakfasts of fruit or whole grain toast, and soups and/or salads for either lunch or dinner, plus lots of low starch veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, asparagus, etc.  For added flavor I sometimes add in some corn with the veggies.  I also eat an occasional small potato which I cook until tender and mash up with a bit of vegetable margarine (trans fat free) and some kind of seasoning.  I use a variety of spices and seasonings on the veggies, such as cajun spices, dried garlic with red chili, taco seasoning or caribbean jerk seasoning. 

Protein sources are the veggies, beans that I add to salads or include in soups, and various tofu dishes and whole grains.  I have an occasional serving of seafood such as sardines, shellfish (shrimp, clams or scallops), tuna or salmon.  Other than seafood I have been avoiding all animal products including dairy.  My energy level is staying very high and my appetite has decreased substantially so that I don't feel an urge to overeat as much as I have in the past.

Making Adjustments In Your Weight Loss Plan

It has now been almost 3 weeks since I started on my plan to lose 20 pounds by mid-October.  I am following a primarily whole food plant based diet and trying to stay away from processed and refined foods.  I don't eat any animal products with the exception of some seafood maybe 2 or 3 times a week.  I have been working on increasing my exercise levels gradually, although exercise is not a major part of my strategy.

Right now I am down 5 pounds from my official starting point but also down around 8 pounds from my highest point in August. So I feel that I am making pretty good progress overall.  I have discovered in the past that when I initially start a new weight loss plan, it takes a few weeks for my body to adjust to the process and get into fat burning mode.  After every pound or two my body seems to try to resist and get stuck at the new level for a few days or more. 

So, I have found that I also need to resolve to not only stick to my plan and not give in to the temptation to overindulge in foods I enjoy (even healthy ones), but also make adjustments to portions, eating more foods that are less calorie dense, until the weight loss kicks in again.  The positive side is that as I stay with smaller portions my appetite eventually decreases as well and I am satisfied with less, along with the satisfaction of seeing the scale move down again.  I bounced around for the first 2 weeks, so the bulk of the 5 pounds I have lost in the last three weeks has come in the last 7 days.

For breakfast I am eating some fresh fruit and/or a light fruit smoothie made with some frozen fruit, rice milk or fruit flavored water and some ground flax seed.  That seems to be enough to hold me until lunch, which is usually a large green salad with a low fat dressing and some veggie or bean soup.  Sometimes I add whole grain crackers (e.g., Wasa or Akmak) with hummus, but if I'm satisfied without the crackers I save them for a mid-afternoon snack. 

For dinner I usually eat a variety of cooked veggies with beans or soy meat (tofu, tempeh or meatless "chicken, etc.) and flavor them with Indian curry sauce or Thai peanut sauce or another such concoction--I tend to like the spicier sauces.  Cajun seasoning is also a good option, and I like any kind of beans with tomatoes/tomato sauce and chili seasoning mix.  I also make bean tostadas using taco seasoning with low fat refried beans over a sprouted whole grain tortilla and topped with lettuce, tomatoes and salsa. 

I like to have some dark chocolate for my evening snack, along with tea or decaffeinated coffee.  If I feel I need a little more I add a few raw nuts or seeds.  I also take daily vitamin/mineral supplements including extra B12 and D3.

I am not using any dairy products, but tostadas and meatless tacos or burritos are actually surprisingly good without the cheese.  I have always been a big cheese lover but haven't found any nondairy cheese that I like that well.  I found that going without cheese and dairy products is not as difficult as I expected.  The Eat to Live Diet book is adamantly against cheese and suggested only small amounts of nonfat dairy products if you feel you want them.  We are taught to believe that we need dairy products to get enough calcium in our diet, but if we eat the right kinds of veggies we will get more than adequate amounts without all the unhealthy fats or the lactose sugars. 

After all, what animals in nature continue to drink their mothers' milk after the first year or so?  And the milk from cows or goats is not the same as milk from human mothers anyway.  So it is more likely that we eat dairy products because we just like the taste and have been brought up with it, not because we really need it.  We have to look at the whole picture and see what the real benefits are, and what happens to the animals who are being used as the source of our indulgences.  That's my view now, after giving it a lot of consideration.

The Food Revolution

There are many great books and wonderful resources that give us detailed information about the impact that changing some basic things about our eating habits can have on our own health and the environment as a whole.  I think one of the best of these books is “The Food Revolution” by John Robbins.  The following are some reviews of the book that can be found on Amazon.com.

A life changing book, October 29, 2005

This book is basically a rewritten, enlarged and updated version of "Diet for a New America". It explains the extreme benefits of adopting a whole foods plant based diet. He presents the scientific evidence supporting the multiple health benefits for eating this way, as well as the strong ethical reasons. It is above all a fascinating read, written by the person who was the heir to Baskin-Robbins, the world's largest ice cream company (he rejected it to live according to his own values). One also gets a deep sense of the immense compassion of the man through his writing.

Exceptionally good book, November 11, 2008

Reading this book compels the conclusion that we act in our own self-interest, as well as the planet's, by eating a plant based diet. The book shatters myths regarding the supposed need to eat meat, dairy and eggs. It illuminates the misinformation spread by the cattle, swine and poultry industries. To achieve and keep whatever strength, smarts and health we can, this book cogently asserts that we'd be better off eliminating animal products.
   As a beacon that approaches its subject with zeal while maintaining an objective tone and compassion for us who are ignorant , the thinking set forth in this book could truly change our lives and eventually our planet.
  

Important book for its time with a real message, May 29, 2008

Robbins lays out the facts, using research articles as evidence, to criticize the food industry's claims and present the contradicting findings resulting from good sound science. Using this method he exposes the stark realities of the American diet that for the most part will get you to wonder why you have lived your life without ever wondering about such things as where your food comes from, how it was made, and what impact it has on the environment. Robbins explains to you the enormous impact that the single act of eating has on your body, the human population, and the planet itself. This book is huge in its scope and contains facts from hundreds of sources, and its rather objective delivery makes it a necessary read for anyone interested in studying diet, nutrition, disease, environmental protection, science, and agriculture.

As Above, So Below..., February 14, 2008

It's truly rare to discover a book that literally changes your life, but this book is one of them. Mr. Robbins meticulously researches and presents an argument for how one's diet can change not only one's personal well being but the well being of all sentient beings, including the sum of the parts (our planet Earth). This book makes it clear that through our personal dietary choices we can either save the planet (and ourselves) or ignore the problems until it's too late. And although the book implicitly argues for the adoption of a vegetarian diet, it's my hope that people not willing to go that far will at least start making conscious decisions about the purchase of animal products, and realize that supporting humane agriculture is a form of philanthropy that they realize direct benefit from (e.g., it simply tastes better).
   In an age of information overload and seemingly insurmountable global problems this book gives rise to a feeling of personal power and the ability to literally change our lives and the planet with every bite we eat.

Incredibly thought provoking, May 19, 2005

This book gives you a multitude of reasons to at the very least alter your diet. Be it for your health, the environment or for compassion toward animals you will walk away from this book with an understanding of how our diet affects ourselves and our world. One of the sections I found most interesting was in regard to GM foods. Fascinating! This is a book I would definitely recommend and will be giving as a gift.

Life-changing, June 2, 2009

I read The China Study a few years ago and began to believe that meat and dairy products are harmful to our health. However, I was not fully motivated to make any changes to my diet as a result of reading the book. I read this book last week, and it has changed my entire outlook on my diet and the world. Robbins approaches meat and dairy products from three different angles: 1) the health issues, 2) the treatment of the animals, and 3) the effect of meat production on the environment and other nations and peoples. This book convicted me and convinced me not just in my mind but in my heart. Robbins provides so much scientific data as well as information on the politics and economics. He also includes some personal stories, most prominently that of "the pig farmer," that demonstrate how deep this issue really goes. Robbins treats the subject with a lot of care and thoughtfulness even as he communicates how serious the consequences of our diet choices really are. I am truly grateful for the ways in which this book - this author - has opened my eyes and my heart to the interconnectedness of life.

For more information, click on the cover of the book (above right) or here:   The Food Revolution: How Your Diet Can Help Save Your Life and Our World