Eating whole foods and more plants is not a new concept. It can be an incredibly healthy way to eat but it’s not for everyone. The biggest argument I hear from people about eating more plants and less meat is, “I won’t get enough protein”. Another complaint I hear from people trying to lose weight is that many of the people they know who are vegan or vegetarian (or gluten-free) are still overweight and do not seem to be healthier.

There are two films I recently watched that helped me to understand how to really maximize the health benefits of plants-based whole foods while minimizing the intake of dairy, meat and fish*.

The word minimize in the last sentence feels very important to anyone considering changing their eating habits. For most of us who love the taste of all things dairy (cheese, yogurt, milk, ice cream, etc), and meat and seafood, eliminating these foods feels overwhelming and impossible.

If you want to eat less meat and daily because you believe it’s better for your health, maybe you start by paying attention to how many times a day these foods are in the meals you eat. You then think about which meals you love and are not willing to change and which meals are simply habit cooking/eating and do have room for change.

You may also want to think about which meal could be the easiest for you to shift into plant-based eating and start there, or focus on one day per week where you eliminate meat.

The bottom line is that change does take time for most of us. We have to digest the ideas presented to us and figure out what we’re willing to do differently. We also have to have a significant reason to to things differently.

This research may help a bit:

A 2015 report by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies processed meats as Group 1 carcinogens. That means there is clear scientific evidence that processed meats cause cancer.

These meats included ham, bacon, sausage, hot dogs and some deli meats.

Twenty-two experts from 10 countries reviewed more than 800 studies to reach their conclusions.

The way sustainable change happens is by making a series of smaller changes (usually one at a time) that feel manageable to us.

Action Step:

Think of one thing you can do differently today to eat healthier (and do it!). It can be anything at all and does not matter how small it feels as long as it is something that helps improve the quality of your health.

Each of the films below are very male-based and some of the information is biased towards the arguments being made in the films, however there is still a large amount of quality information and science to support these healthier lifestyles.

*Forks Over Knives is a 2011 documentary that you can watch for free if you’re willing to give forksoverknives.com your email address. You can also rent the film if you prefer not to share your email.

Their website has a wealth of information on how to add more healthy foods into your diet, meal planning, shopping, recipes, etc. It’s worth looking at if your interested in adding more plant-based whole foods into your diet in a manageable way.

Click here to watch a trailer of the film.

*The Game Changers is a 2018 documentary streaming on Netflix but also available to rent on other platforms. It also focuses on how to eat healthier but from the perspective of (mostly male) top athletes.

It provides a lot of evidence to counter the arguments about getting enough protein from a vegan diet while also helping to stop the damage being done to the planet. Their website also offers many vegan recipes and resources, though they are focused on athletic performance.

Click here to watch a trailer of the film.