vegan summer salad with creamy, sweet & tangy dressing (low-fat, oil-free, LFPB recipe)
Posted on August 17, 2022 Leave a Comment
written by Nina Shantel, blog: RealDietHelp.com, published August 17, 2022
This low-fat, plant-based, oil-free, nut-free, vegan, simple refreshing summer salad has only six ingredients, yet, it has a depth of flavor and is full of nutrition. It’s my favorite salad combination that I eat almost every morning.
The sweet, tangy, creamy dressing contains just two ingredients: a rich, syrupy-sweet, tangy balsamic vinegar, and creamy, rich tahini from blended sesame seeds into a seed plant-butter.
This micronutrient-packed salad is filled with fiber, Vitamin K, Vitamin C, calcium, iron and folate (great for pregnant moms!). Even without dairy, animal protein, beans, or grains, this plate contains 12 grams of protein, which is impressive.
This anti-inflammatory hydrating salad has 350 calories, 7 grams of plant fats, 53 net grams of whole food carbohydrates, and fuels my tough weightlifting workouts.
Ingredients:
- 2 handfuls washed mixed greens
- Handful of sugar snap peas, ends removed, cut in half
- 2 oranges, peeled, sliced in half, pith removed, and cut into bite-size pieces
- 2 nectarines, cut into bite-size pieces, toss out the pit
- 2 teaspoons tahini
- 2-3 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
Recipe (watch video below or follow written instructions):
Cut mixed greens on cutting board into bite size pieces and place on a large plate. Add sugar snap peas. Toss salad gently with your fingers. Add orange and nectarine slices and gently toss with your fingers again. Drizzle tahini, one teaspoon at a time over salad. Lastly, drizzle balsamic vinegar, one teaspoon at a time over the top of the salad. You can add raw walnuts if you want more fat and more crunch to the salad. Eat slowly, with a large fork and enjoy!
350 calories, 12 grams protein, 53 grams net carbohydrates, 7 grams of fat
If this post is located on any other website other than mine, which is RealDietHelp.com, it’s been unauthorized, plagiarized (copied without my permission). The other social media sites where my articles and videos are approved to be published are on my YouTube channel (Nina’s Nutrition & Exercise Videos), my Fit Girl Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TheHighFiveDiet/ and my Twitter account https://twitter.com/medairyfree
Full body beginner workout with light weights (25 minute strength session)
Posted on August 9, 2022 Leave a Comment
written by Nina Shantel, blog: RealDietHelp.com, published August 9th, 2022
For this 25-minute beginner full-body strength workout, you’ll need two sets of hand weights, a mat, and 16 ounces of water
Below are the exercises performed in this workout, in order:
1. lay on your side, perform rectangles with your top leg, forwards and backwards. 10 reps (10 each direction). This exercise targets the medial glutes (hips & side butt)
2. glute bridge with wide feet (glutes) followed by log-legged narrow bridges (hamstrings)
3. Fifteen static lateral lunges with ten leg lifts. Hold one weight.
4. Three-way calf raises for one minute.
5. chest press to chest fly, 12 reps of each.
6. alternating dumbbell rows to target the back muscles
7. Front raise, high row, bent-arm eccentric lateral raises, eccentric hammer curls. This combination works the shoulders and the biceps.
8. On back, knees at 90 degrees, perform bent-leg heel taps with crunches for one minute. This exercise targets the abs, and you may also feel it in your quadriceps (the thighs)
9. stretches
If this post is located on any other website other than mine, which is RealDietHelp.com, it’s been unauthorized, plagiarized (copied without my permission). The other social media sites where my articles and videos are approved to be published are on my YouTube channel (Nina’s Nutrition & Exercise Videos), my Fit Girl Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TheHighFiveDiet/ and my Twitter account https://twitter.com/medairyfree
Can the AARP be trusted? (No! Shame on the AARP)
Posted on August 2, 2022 Leave a Comment
written by Nina Shantel, blog: RealDietHelp.com, published August 2, 2022
My mom sent me page 40 of AARP’s “The magazine,” because she was alarmed that the AARP was instructing its seniors to eat more fat. Americans eat too much fat as it is.
The article states that people should eat healthy fats, but then instructs people to eat unhealthy fats from salmon, mackerel, sardines, tuna, dairy products, oils such as olive, safflower, peanut, and sesame oil (nuts and seeds are fine, but concentrated oils are detrimental to our health, and cause weight gain).
Shame on the AARP for telling its seniors to eat more fat from fish, that contain mercury which is linked to Alzheimer’s; oils, which are concentrated, high-calorie, fatty processed foods, which can induce Type-2 diabetes overnight; and full-fat dairy products, which trigger autoimmune diseases.
The AARP is a lobbying group so they cannot be trusted to give unbiased advice. Lobbyists push legislation that benefits companies that donate to their organization. What seniors need, is to eat more fruits, more vegetables, more beans, more leafy greens, and less fatty foods from oils and animal products.
The AARP does not give good diet, weight loss or health advice. In fact, they promote foods that make people sicker and fatter.
For optimal health, weight, blood pressure, and disease reversal and prevention, everyone should avoid processed foods, oils, dairy and animal flesh.
(Top photo: avocados are healthy, but they are high in fat & calories and contain saturated fat. Saturated fats and all fats should be minimized. Limit avocado consumption to no more than 1/2 avocado per day).
Source: “Enjoy More Healthy Fats.” AARP The magazine, 2022. p. 40.
If this post is located on any other website other than mine, which is RealDietHelp.com, it’s been unauthorized, plagiarized (copied without my permission). The other social media sites where my articles and videos are approved to be published are on my YouTube channel (Nina’s Nutrition & Exercise Videos), my Fit Girl Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TheHighFiveDiet/ and my Twitter account https://twitter.com/medairyfree
Is moderation key for weight loss? (Nope! Here’s why)
Posted on July 26, 2022 Leave a Comment
written by Nina Shantel, blog: RealDietHelp.com, published July 26, 2022
A small donut for breakfast, a little bit of cheese on pasta, some wine in the evening, a cookie for a snack…these high-fat, high-calorie foods are THE reason why it’s so difficult to lose weight and reverse type 2 diabetes and other diseases. A little of bit of this sugary food and some of that fatty food, those extra calories add up fast, prevent weight loss, and promote weight gain.
Moderation does not work. Moderation is a term the dairy, sugar, meat, and pharmaceutical industries want you to believe so you keep eating and paying for their products.
In addition to overconsumption, one of the reasons why people end up with diseases and poor health conditions is that they aren’t eating enough micronutrients and fiber which are found in beans, peas, lentils, greens, vegetables, and fruit.
When people eat high fat foods like burgers, chips, butter, pastries, milk, sausages, oil, and cheese, they aren’t eating the foods that nourish and repair the body. Those foods create harmful gut bacteria and crowd out the helpful bacteria.
Once you swap out the high fat foods found in packages and restaurants, and replace them with whole plant foods, found in the produce section of a food/supermarket, which contain water, fiber, and micronutrients, instead of mostly macronutrients (fat, protein and carbs from processed sugars), you will be fuller, and less likely to overeat.
The micronutrients, water and fibers found in plants foods, not only assist in weight loss, but allows your body to function better, remove cholesterol, boost energy, hydrate and heal your body. Beans, peas, lentils, greens, vegetables, and fruit and foods you primarily want to eat.
Moderation is NOT key for weight loss. In fact, moderation is why people have trouble losing weight and getting off medication. You wouldn’t give a recovering alcoholic a beer, a former smoker a cigarette, or a drug addict oxycontin, because those items are toxic and addictive just like fatty and sugary foods.
If this post is located on any other website other than mine, which is RealDietHelp.com, it’s been unauthorized, plagiarized (copied without my permission). The other social media sites where my articles and videos are approved to be published are on my YouTube channel (Nina’s Nutrition & Exercise Videos), my Fit Girl Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TheHighFiveDiet/ and my Twitter account https://twitter.com/medairyfree
What does a vegan fitness trainer eat? (What do vegan athletes eat in a day?)
Posted on July 19, 2022 Leave a Comment
Some fitness trainers eat high protein, low carb, restrictive diets, and then binge on a cheat meal, such as devouring a whole pizza at one sitting, once a week. They will avoid fruit, except for berries, count carbs, count every calorie, and make 6-pack abs a priority. These trainers don’t consume sufficient nutrients (since they aren’t eating a well-rounded diet) so they get their energy from pre-workout powders or energy drinks (which are not regulated, increase heart rate, and can contain harmful chemicals).
You don’t want nutrition advice from trainers like these! They may look good, but they feel exhausted and constipated (and can’t poop without fiber supplements). Many of these supposedly fit folks end up with heart attacks at an early age. A lot of them take steroids too.
The fitness trainers that want to look good, be fit, AND understand the importance of a healthy body and mind, focus on eating a variety of vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, seeds, peas, lentils, grains (if tolerated), have wine or beer infrequently, don’t count calories, keep an eye on portion size, and enjoy a meal out with friends every now and then. These are the trainers you want to work with and get advice from.
I want to look good, while making my health a priority. I don’t eat the same foods every day to feed my gut microbiome a variety of healthy fibers from plants. My meals must taste yummy, which makes me happy and satisfied. I rarely eat high-fat cheat meals (which just makes me feel terrible, physically and mentally).
People still get confused as to what is healthy, and what would be tasty well-rounded meals, so I decided to write down what I ate yesterday with an explanation on why I chose those ingredients.
Vegan Athlete diet (full-day menu):
Breakfast: fruit smoothie bowl with two frozen bananas, 1 level tablespoon ground chia seeds, 1 cup homemade hemp milk (recipe in video below), blended for 10 seconds. Pour into a bowl and add one cup of defrosted frozen berries
The vitamins and minerals I take with my smoothie are a vegan vitamin D (2000 IU), and a vegan whole-foods multivitamin that contains iodine and B-12.
Why: Drinking a fruit smoothie satisfies my sugar cravings, provides hydration and just enough energy without too many calories to get me through a 90-minute grueling exercise session. I make my own plant milk, because I don’t want to drink the preservatives and gums found in store-bought plant milks. Chia seeds are high in omega-3 fatty acids, high in fiber, and assist in damage repair. When our bodies break down food, it creates byproducts which are toxic to the body, regardless if you eat only healthy foods, which is why I limit the amount of time, and how often I eat.
I don’t add protein powder because it’s inflammatory and I end up consuming too much protein based on the RDA. I don’t drink coffee because it’s acidic, stains my teeth and contains caffeine.
Lunch: salad with baby greens, pepitas, black beans, corn, freshly ground black pepper, red bell pepper slices, diced red onions, herbs, chopped mango, and shredded carrots. Another Mexican dish I enjoy are bean tacos, recipe in video below.
Why: I eat a large salad every day because my muscles need all the repair help they can get; baby greens, all greens, especially raw greens are the healthiest food choice option for cellular repair. Beans contains protein and fiber; greens contain micronutrients and lots of fiber. The mango contains water and sweetness to balance out the black beans. The pepitas are the healthy fat that helps absorb the vitamin K in the salad. Notice that I don’t use any oil in my salad. The fruit adds all the moisture needed to prevent the salad from tasting dry.
Snack: none (just water)
Why: I try to limit my meals to three times a day because it prevents me from overeating by snacking, and allows my body more time for repair. Every time we eat, we stop the repair process because the body has to break down the foods we ate. If my energy is too low, and I cannot wait until dinner, I’ll eat sugar snap peas, edamame, and/or a piece of fruit.
Dinner: Baked tofu with broccoli, oregano, coconut aminos (lower salt “soy” sauce that is soy-free), diced potatoes, sliced onions, and chopped garlic.
Why: Tofu is high in protein and is a much healthier protein choice than chicken or fish because tofu doesn’t contain cholesterol, saturated or trans fats. The broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable that is one of the best vegetables for repairing damage from what we eat, breathe and drink. The potatoes are a delicious, nutritious carbohydrate, and fill me up. Below is tofu “salmon” recipe that’s easy to make.
Being healthy, happy, eating delicious meals, and having a low bodyfat percentage is definitely doable on a high-carbohydrate vegan diet; I’m living proof.
written by Nina Shantel, blog: RealDietHelp.com, published July 19, 2022
Photo: Melanie and I are both certified fitness trainers (she’s on my right). You can request vegan meals at Mel’s Naturals https://shop.mels-naturals.com/products/a-la-carte
P.S. If this post is located on any other website other than mine, which is RealDietHelp.com, it’s been unauthorized, plagiarized (copied without my permission). The other social media sites where my articles and videos are approved to be published are on my YouTube channel (Nina’s Nutrition & Exercise Videos), my Fit Girl Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TheHighFiveDiet/ and my Twitter account https://twitter.com/medairyfree
Beginner kickboxing workout (kickboxing tutorial video to relieve aggression)
Posted on July 12, 2022 Leave a Comment
written by Nina Shantel, blog: RealDietHelp.com, published July 12, 2022
You ever have one of those days where you want to get out your aggression and kick and punch objects? This fun, short kickboxing tutorial workout with kickboxing instructor Kaneta Harmon, will get your aggression out, relieve your stress, get your heart rate up, burn calories, challenge your balance, and teach you some simple kicks and punches with proper form.
Press play on the YouTube video below to kick and punch your way to a better mood and a better body.
If this post is located on any other website other than mine, which is RealDietHelp.com, it’s been unauthorized, plagiarized (copied without my permission). The other social media sites where my articles and videos are approved to be published are on my YouTube channel (Nina’s Nutrition & Exercise Videos), my Fit Girl Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TheHighFiveDiet/ and my Twitter account https://twitter.com/medairyfree
Nina Shantel is among the “First in the World” to receive Certification as a Plant-Based Grassroots Ambassador
Posted on July 7, 2022 Leave a Comment
July 7, 2022 Nina Shantel received certification as a weDIDit.Health Plant-Based Grassroots Ambassador Certification.
The purpose of the certification, facilitated by Dr. Sally Lipsky, is to embolden those in the vegan and plant-based communities to be effective communicators about the benefits of plant-based living.
The weDIDit.Health Grassroots Ambassador Certification is designed to raise awareness about critical issues that can no longer be ignored. Ambassadors from around the globe have a focus on health, and the elimination of current animal practices including animal testing and factory farming or climate healing.
Ambassadors realize the urgency to raise awareness of the current situation of unspeakable treatment of factory-farmed animals, captive animals, wet markets and animals testing, damage to the environment resulting in the current climate crises, and an increase in obesity, disease, and depression as a direct result of consuming animal and dairy, most vegans feel a sense of urgency to inspire others to eat a healthy, plant-based diet, void of all animal and dairy.
Grassroots Ambassadors have a shared purpose of spreading awareness and inspiring others toward veganism, for the health of humans, animals, and our planet.
“I care what other people eat because I’m saddened by how many people are sick, how animals live and die in brutal conditions. I want clean air and water for everyone. I want everyone to be plant-based because I want to see more people well, than sick.” Nina Shantel
About weDIDit.Health
weDIDit.Health is committed to Empowering Plant-Based Ambassadors to Inspire One Million People to Live as Happy, Healthy Vegans. The organization is inclusive of all factions of the vegan and plant-based communities. weDIDit.Health welcomes a diverse cross section of men, women, teens and youth who have a passion for collaborative efforts to achieve a common goal; compassion for all sentient beings, health for humans, and climate healing.
weDIDit.Health just launched the Million Healthy Lives Challenge to show the world that the WFPB (whole foodplant-based) lifestyle has a huge impact on health! The health of humanity, of the animal kingdom, and the health of the planet.
About Nina Shantel
Nina Shantel is the owner of Fit Girl, a published author of four books, one on plant-based nutrition with recipes, titled “The High-Five Diet.” This is a one-of-a-kind diet transition book to help people regain their heath, which details her struggles with food allergies, weight loss and her unique health issues. The other books she’s written includes a cookbook, “Slimming Dairy-Free Desserts and Smoothies;” a weight loss diary, “Food Tracker for Healthy Weight Loss,” and an exercise journal with exercises for every muscle to increase strength and mobility titled, “Weightlifting Record Book.”
Nina Shantel has a certification in Fitness Nutrition from the American Council on Exercise, is a certified fitness trainer, and strength coach. She writes a blog with dairy-free and plant-based recipes at www.RealDietHelp.com and posts videos on her YouTube channel, Nina’s Nutrition and Exercise Videos, both which reflect extensive research on numerous diets, nutrition, diabetes, health issues, exercise, and fat loss.
Her goal is to help as many people as she can to prevent and reverse disease, increase strength, and preserve muscle. She advocates a plant-based diet to stem global warming, promote clean air and water, and to save animals’ lives. She can be reached through her website at www.thehighfivediet.com
