Gamechangers Panel Discussion
A HUGE thank you to those that joined our Game Changers Panel Discussion, we had a great time hosting you all!
We also like to give special thanks to our amazing speakers Luke Tan, Sandra Lim, Olivia Cotes-James, Dr Deborah Wong and Arthur de Corbier for sharing their diet stories and insights on whether plant-based only or a mixed-diet is better for health and fitness.
Our Panelists Share Their Top Tips On How To Change Your Diet
Sandra Lim | Plant-Based Chef
Ultimate Food List on What to Eat, Limit, and Avoid
What to Eat and Drink
• Vegetables (including kale, bok choy, kai lan, green leafy Asian Veg, sweet potatoes, asparagus, bell peppers, and broccoli)
• Fruits (such as avocado, strawberries, blueberries, watermelon, apples, grapes, bananas, grapefruit, and oranges)
• Whole grains (such as quinoa, farro, brown rice, whole-wheat bread, and whole-wheat pasta)
• Nuts (walnuts, almonds, macadamia nuts, and cashews)
• Seeds (such as flaxseed, chia seeds, and hemp seeds)
• Beans (navy, pinto, white)
• Lentils (red and puy)
• Vegan Cheese
• Coffee and Tea (including green, lavender, chamomile, or ginger)
What to Limit (or Avoid Entirely, Depending on How Strict You Decide to Be)
• Dairy (including milk and cheese)
• Meat and poultry (like chicken, beef, and pork)
• Processed animal meats, such as sausages and hot dogs
• Refined grains (such as “white” foods, like white pasta, rice, and bread)
• Sweets (like cookies, brownies, and cake)
• Sweetened beverages, such as soda, and fruit juice
• Potatoes and French fries (3)
• Honey (if not vegan)
Transition food items ( AKA meat substitutes when the going gets hard, try to limit quantities)
• Beyond/ Impossible Meat
• Quorn
• OmniMeat
Luke Tan | Awake Method
Top Takeaway Tips
1. (a)Start with 1 meal and move (b)1 step forwards from where you are.
a) Be it breakfast, lunch or dinner opt for a plant-based version of it. Focus on adding (plant-based) rather than subtracting (non-plant-based) foods. Trying new plant-based, dishes treat it as an adventure.
b) Move along the plant-based spectrum. Use transition foods like Quorn/Beyond/Impossible etc, slowly move closer and closer to a whole foods plant-based diet. If you are vegetarian, try eliminating dairy, reducing eggs. If you are vegan, move towards a more whole foods diet.
2. Model success cos success always leaves clues – Use social media, podcasts, blogs of successful plant-based advocates/athletes thriving on the lifestyle. Try for size what they do cos it might work for you!
Resources:
1. Try the free HPL Tracker to add more plant-based foods to your day.
2. Watch Let Us Be Heroes, Forks Over Knives/What The Health/Cowspiracy on Netflix, Earthlings/Dominion movement on YouTube
3. More resources here
4. Read this blogpost on why people fail on a plant-based diet
5. Checkout my podcast: awakemethod.com/podcast
6. Green warrior online program: bit.ly/greenwarrioronline
Dr Deborah Wong | Co-Owner, Breathe
What to Eat
Eat more vegetables (green leafy vegetables, bell peppers, cauliflower, tomatoes etc)
Eat more foods with healthy fats (Avocados, Whole Eggs, Fatty Fish, Chia Seeds, Dark Chocolate, Butter, Coconut)
Eat more nuts and seeds
Choose sustainably raised animal products (grass-fed beef, crate-free pork)
Eat pasture-raised eggs
Eat sustainably raised or harvested low-mercury fish, high omega 3 fish (sustainably farmed salmon, sardines, anchovies)
Eat whole grains (not whole grain flours)
Eat beans
Cook with avocado oil, coconut oil, ghee, butter, lard
Eat whole foods
Eat a wide variety of food to get adequate nutrition
What to Avoid
Stay away from sugar
Stay away from refined vegetable, bean and seed oils
Avoid or limit dairy
Stay away from pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics, hormones and genetically modified food
Avoid food colouring and preservatives
Avoid processed foods
Arthur De Corbier | Co-Founder, FITTHREE
1) Don’t try to change your diet too quickly, while it is possible to make a quick switch, there is more chance to reduce your meat intake and increase your vegetable consumption by going steps by steps. It roughly takes 6 weeks to create new habits so don’t push yourself.
a) Define short term goals: ie take one meal a week from a vegetarian option, decrease portion of rice for example by 1 quarter.
b) Look at medium-term target: Target to reduce meat, fish poultry to a certain number of time per week, but source them well! if you can afford, spend the same amount of money but on better sourcing.
2) If you like to cook, follow some recipes blogs/youtuber or buy a cookbook. On the early stage, better to try new types of recipes rather than recipes you like but vegetarian. You might be disappointed as you will compare to your favorites food
3) Always listen to your body, you should not feel hungry or bad after moving to new food
4) Always look for verified information and double-check everything. Food science is still moving (toward the good direction) but what may work for someone may not be universal.
5) Cheat meals are OK, no one will blame you for eating food you enjoy but just with moderation
