Thrive: The Vegan Nutrition Guide to Optimal Performance in Sports and Life

initially, the more there is to be gained.
     

adapting to the thrive diet
     
    When first starting on the Thrive Diet, don’t eliminate any specific food; rather, simply add Thrive Diet foods. Over time, the body will begin to crave high net-gain foods and lose interest in processed foods. Also, by making high net-gain foods a large part of the diet, there will simply be no room for others. The body will get all the nutrition it needs from the new diet and then turn off its hunger mechanism. At this point, eating more is unnecessary and even undesirable. But until the body breaks its habit of eating for reasons other than nourishment, such as tiredness or elevated stress, lingering cravings are normal. Once the body becomes better nourished on the Thrive Diet, these cravings will fade, as their underlying cause—stress and fatigue—will have been greatly reduced.
     
    If your current diet already includes several elements of the Thrive Diet, you can begin by following the program closely. If, however, the way you are eating is in glaring contrast to the Thrive Diet, start by incorporating a few elements at a time. For instance, you might start with a nutrient-rich smoothie each day in place of a meal or a less-healthy snack, gradually incorporating more green foods into your diet, including having a salad a day. This allows your body and your mind to adapt slowly to the change. As you progress and feel comfortable, continue trying new ingredients and adding more Thrive Diet elements to your routine. Before you know it, you will be on the program and reaping the rewards.
     

recalibration: ease into it
     
    The Thrive Diet involves recalibration—removing stimuli, including caffeine and refined carbohydrate. Since the body is used to being stimulated by food, it will likely feel more tired than usual for the first few days of recalibration, perhaps even irritated. This is normal. It is best not to recalibrate when other stressors in your life are high. Wait for a calm period.
     
    A few summers ago, even though my diet was good, I recalibrated it to a further level, just as an experiment. For three days I ate nothing containing sugar—not even fruit. The result was a calm and productive state. At the end of the three days, I ate a few blueberries. Taking in just a small amount of sugar in the form of fruit had an immediate stimulating effect. It was like what I used to experience when I drank a cup of coffee. I’m not suggesting cutting back on fruit. But this experiment does nicely underscore the value of recalibration.
     
    Eliminating stimulating foods from our diets will provide a platform on which the Thrive Diet will be most successful.
     
     
    Reducing stimuli so that our body becomes more sensitive to it translates into easily obtainable energy through natural foods. That the body’s perception of the input has changed is key: You decide how you want your body to respond to various inputs. Food, of course, is one of the largest inputs. By recalibrating, we control its effect on our body and mind.
     

getting started on the thrive diet
     

general guidelines
     
    Keep these general guidelines in mind as you embark on the Thrive Diet:
    • Consume enough nutrients to support your activity level and the biological regeneration of your cells, to reduce biological age.
    • Meet nutritional needs by consuming nutrient-dense whole foods, rather than supplementing with tablets.
    • Avoid denatured foods—refined, processed foods.
    • Gain energy through nourishment, not stimulation.
    • Eat efficient foods: Increase energy by conserving it in digestion and assimilation.
    • Recalibrate by reducing your intake of sugary and starchy foods.
     
     

specific guidelines
     
    The specific guidelines below will help you plan your daily diet:
     
     
    Eat throughout the day. By eating several small meals each day, as well as snacks, you will never be too full or get too hungry. Frequent eating helps maintain energy levels and will result in a smaller amount of food being consumed than if you were to eat three full meals a day. This is also a good way to ease digestive strain and spread nutrients throughout the day, improving their absorption rate.
     
     
    Use the 12-Week Meal Plan as a guide. All the recipes in this book will help get you started on the Thrive Diet. Several recipes include variations, and don’t be afraid to experiment further. If you follow the general guidelines above, and the Thrive