“When I was 15, I was 9 kg heavier than I should be, but I didn't know why, because up until that point my weight had been normal,” says the 40-year-old from Colorado. Nelson says in the first half.
She started dieting in her early 20s.
Thinking that a low-carbohydrate, high-fat, high-protein diet was her best bet, she followed the Atkins plan and was able to continue eating her favorite food, bacon.
She couldn't stay on the diet for more than a month. Even if she lost a few kilos, she gained her back, and then a few more.
When the scales tipped at 88kg and her body fat percentage was 43%, Nelson had a serious discussion with her doctor. The doctor “highlighted all my health issues and told me I needed to lose 18kg.”
Nelson believed that prediabetics or diabetics should avoid carbohydrates and follow a high-fat, high-protein diet. “But I really wanted a solution, so I bought the book and read it right away.”
“Although Dr. McDougall has been helping people lose weight for over 40 years, I had never heard of him before and the information in his book was new to me,” she said. say.
Since going plant-based, I no longer feel tired.
Convinced that she needed to change the way she ate, she wondered where she could get protein and calcium. A plant-based diet excludes meat and dairy products. But McDougall's book addressed those concerns.
She says that by focusing on low-calorie, high-dense foods that fill you up faster and keep you feeling full longer, like fruits and vegetables and even potatoes, you can lose weight and still eat large amounts of food. I learned.
100 grams of potatoes, for example two-thirds of a cup, has about 80 calories. 100 grams of ground beef contains three times that amount, about 250.
Nelson fed her family a low-fat, plant-based diet and kept meals simple and approachable. Although her husband was reluctant, he supported her and agreed to try her diet for a few months.
She developed “cleaned up” meatless versions of their favorite foods, including spaghetti with tomato sauce, baked potatoes, and burritos stuffed with rice, beans, and salsa.
As the week progressed, she experimented with other ingredients and tried new recipes.
The change in eating habits worked. In her first week, Nelson lost nearly 3 kg, and after a month she was 9 kg lighter. After 14 months, she lost 32 kg.
Seven years later, Nelson still maintains his physique, weighing between 53kg and 57kg.
The couple's two children, now teenagers and preteens, are healthy and thriving.
Nelson widely shares the benefits of a vegan lifestyle. She has published several cookbooks and has taken her social media by storm.
Known as Plantiful Kiki, she has a YouTube channel with 247,000 followers. More than 184,000 people follow her on Instagram and more than 106,000 people follow her on Facebook.
These low-fat dishes feature a variety of whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, beans, and lentils that pack a nutritious and flavorful punch.
Her family loves this sauce on pasta, as a spread for sandwiches, or as a dip with freshly baked tortilla chips.
Nelson shares recipes in an inspirational cookbook – botanically healthy, plantiful kids and botanically lean. botanically simple It will be released in July this year.
If you think plant-based means plain and boring, here are some recipe titles from Nelson's upcoming book.
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raspberry lemon poppy seed pancakes;
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chocolate peanut butter oatmeal;
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Chickpea omelet made from garden vegetables.
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Butternut squash and kale salad with cranberries and pecans.
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Apple pimento grilled cheese with caramelized onions and arugula.
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Hawaiian Street Cart Tacos;
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Creamy sriracha dressing.
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Heavenly banana brownie.and
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Maple pecan pudding.
These books distill the knowledge she gained from her weight loss journey to help readers understand how a plant-based diet benefits their bodies and provide meal plans.
Nelson is grateful to have discovered this way of eating. Because it changed her life and health for the better. And she's especially happy that she no longer has to limit her carbohydrate intake.
“I love being able to eat as much as I want at every meal without gaining weight, and knowing that what I'm eating is nourishing my body at the same time.” she says.
