While the language in this article might seem definitive, it reflects personal experiences and opinions, not medical advice, and you should always consult a healthcare provider before making any changes to your diet or lifestyle; note that AI tools were used to help create this content.
Welcome to the Dimy Recipes Blog, my journey to a healthy life! I have been researching health and wellness since my early 30s and following a plant-based (vegan) diet. Before, I ate lean fish three times a week and drank organic bone broth once weekly because my iron levels were low on a plant-based diet. I have lost about 5-7 pounds on a plant-based diet, even though I was already thin. However, if someone is severely overweight, they may lose a significant amount of weight on a plant-based diet! Despite eating fish and drinking bone broth, I haven’t gained or lost any more weight. Nonetheless, I am updating you, that I have switched back to a Plant-Based Diet, I am currently taking 2 teaspoons of Moringa Powder every morning, and two hours before I take 1,500 mg of Chlorella capsules to keep my iron, and hemoglobin (B12) levels higher. I also take 200 mg of magnesium every morning, along with 5,000 mcg of vitamin B12 and vitamin D 1,000 UI, every morning before breakfast. By taking all these vitamins I feel in a better mood, and energetic, and I have better concentration each day. But Moringa Powder, along with Chlorella capsules has even more benefits than I mentioned above. You can check my Green Powder blog, which I posted on July 26, 2024. I would recommend more taking green powders or capsules daily (rather than vitamins) because first of all they are not expensive, they last longer, and they make you feel full without having many cravings. Being thin didn't mean I was my healthiest because I was on medication, still I am, and the food I was eating might of been low fat but it doesn't mean it was healthy. Additionally, I am currently on a Plant-Based diet, still maintaining a healthy weight, without feeling deprived. I eat fruit, vegetables, healthy carbs, healthy fats, and fiber.To be honest, a Whole Food Plant-Based diet or incorporating lean fish three times a week with vegetable broth has not given me many cravings. I do experience cravings occasionally, but when I think about eating chips close to bedtime, I replace them with fruit or nuts. Even though eating many nuts can make you gain weight, they actually make you lose the weight faster than unhealthy fats like junk foods. Maintaining a balanced intake of carbohydrates is also important. Additionally, if you are hungry at night, I listened to a podcast suggesting that foods like fruit and nuts can help satisfy hunger, though the link between specific foods and improved sleep is not well-established.
I have read many research articles about weight loss for people who are severely overweight. This specific information comes from NutritionFacts.org, provided by Dr. Greger. I have been following him for many years and have read and listened to a lot of his podcasts and articles. You can also buy and download his e-books or purchase them from Amazon and other online stores. The books are titled How Not to Die and How Not to Diet.
When I developed mild psychosis, the psychiatrist prescribed a pill to take at night every day. Within three months, I became very overweight, gaining 55 pounds in seven months. At that time, I thought I understood good nutrition and believed that eating more would help me lose weight, but it didn’t work. I asked my psychiatrist if it was possible to change my medication, and she agreed. Despite being more overweight than ever and potentially gaining more weight if I stayed on the new medication, my psychiatrist recommended that I see a nutritionist once a week. Some of the foods she recommended were not very healthy, such as eating a bagel with cream cheese or eggs with bacon. I now realize that these options were not the healthiest. She gave me charts to record my daily food intake, and every week she would monitor me, recommending food alternatives for specific food groups that I needed to include or exclude from my diet. I didn’t know much at the time, so she suggested various foods and also recommended exercise. Seeing a nutritionist was many years ago, and what is considered healthy has evolved with much research and evidence.
When I changed my medication, my weight dropped rapidly. Despite not exercising, I was feeling very tired and working part-time, requiring more breaks than other workers. I was exhausted because my weight was dropping so fast, and in nine months, all the weight came off. Although I wasn’t on a Whole Food Plant-Based diet at the time, my high metabolism helped me lose the weight, but I still didn’t feel my best. At that time, I was still researching what was healthy and what wasn’t. Even though I lost all that weight, being thin didn’t mean I was my healthiest because I was on medication and still am.
The only drink I make and have once a day is ginger tea. I boil thinly cut pieces of ginger for 15-20 minutes on high boiling water with a whole lime in it (I also eat the lime inside). Water helps reduce hunger throughout the day and can keep you full until your next meal. If you feel hungry before your next meal or unexpectedly, drink water—it will help keep you full. Eating these foods gives me lots of energy, improves my mood, eliminates brain fog, prevents digestive issues, reduces pain, alleviates anxiety and depression, minimizes side effects from medication, and prevents colds and flu during winter months.
My hair has grown many inches rapidly in 2.5 years by eating a fair amount of nuts, seeds, green vegetables, and legumes. My skin has also brightened up with less acne, fewer wrinkles, and less dullness. My teeth have whitened, and my nails grow fast and strong, even though I pick at them several times a day. I used to pick at them when I felt nervous, fearful, or anxious, symptoms I had almost every day, but now I experience fewer of these symptoms on a healthy diet rich in fiber, protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and healthy carbohydrates. My anxiety has decreased significantly. A Whole Food Plant-Based diet or a healthy diet filled with fiber, proteins, healthy fats, vitamins, and carbohydrates is a lifestyle—you can eat as much as you want, especially fruits and vegetables, without gaining much weight. However, including oil, salt, sugar (S.O.S.), excessive pasta, meat, or white rice can lead to unhealthy carbohydrates and fats.
Organic rice cakes are a great snack. If you want to add something delicious and healthy on top of a rice cake, avocado spread is a great healthy fat. You can slice it or smother it with a knife, adding lemon, dill, garlic powder, a bit of salt, or other seasonings. Did you know the most nutritious part of the avocado is the green flesh? So when peeling an avocado, make sure it’s face down and peel it from the top, then cut it into slices. Another spread you can use on rice cakes or bread is hummus. It’s better to make hummus at home. You can use a blender or food processor because store-bought hummus often contains canola oil, which some people prefer to avoid. Canola oil is considered less healthy by some, but it is used in many diets. Store-bought hummus may also contain additives. Organic flavored hummus from stores is more expensive and comes in small packages. Homemade hummus is less expensive, easy to make, and you can add your own ingredients.
My favorite dip is tabbouleh (mixed with parsley, tomatoes, garlic, and pickled dressing). It tastes great spread on rice cakes, sweet potatoes, as a side, or on bread. Traditional tabbouleh recipes typically include bulgur wheat, parsley, tomatoes, mint, and olive oil. If you’re making your own, use fresh ingredients like parsley, diced tomatoes, garlic, and a pickled dressing with dill, pepper, a little salt, mustard, vinegar, or lemon. For hummus, you can use canned chickpeas (with no added salt) or soak dry chickpeas overnight and boil them until soft. Then blend them in a high-speed blender (like a Vitamix) or a food processor with your favorite ingredients. You can add fresh garlic or garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, half a teaspoon of salt, and pepper. Blend it all, and it’s ready to eat in minutes!
When switching to a Whole Food Plant-Based diet, you don’t only cook but also prepare food. This diet involves not just cooking but blending ingredients for quick meals! You can make bean salads or veggie salads using canned beans (no added salt), which are healthy too. Mix various beans into one salad and add parsley, green onions, squeezed lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and/or Greek vinegar for a delicious mixed bean salad—especially if you’re not in the mood for carbohydrates at the time!
Personally, my hunger varies throughout different weeks or days. Some days I feel more or less hungry than others. For some lunches or dinners, I skip carbohydrates like pasta (without egg ingredients), rice, rice cakes, or bread because I can live without them most times. So, a light and simple dinner is often best for easy digestion and good sleep! Keeping meals simple can also help with weight management.
