Introduction to “Flexitarian” Lifestyle

Episode #1 of the course How to adopt a flexitarian lifestyle by Alyce Eyster

Hey there and a warm welcome to my course—How to Adopt a Healthy, Practical Plant-Based Lifestyle the Flexitarian Way—where you will learn how to become a part-time vegetarian. Yes, “mostly” vegetarianism is a thing, in case you were wondering. In fact, Whole Foods Market named flexitarianism a top food trend for 2017.

Are you disenchanted with rigid, unforgiving diets? Sick of stringent food restriction and unrealistic nutrition plans? Then you have come to the right place. The “flexitarian” lifestyle is fluid, accepting, non-judgy, and relatable, and who does not want that? It is not a diet, but rather a lifestyle that embraces whole foods and clean eating with a gentle, flexible approach. This course will educate you and show you how.

Why Eat Like a Part-Time Vegetarian?

Per the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese. Obesity-related conditions include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers and result in annual medical costs $1429 higher than those of normal weight.

And obesity is not just an American problem. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that worldwide obesity has doubled since 1980. Contributing factors include an increase in consumption of foods high in fat and an increase in inactivity due to “the increasingly sedentary nature of many forms of work, changing modes of transportation, and increasing urbanization.”

It’s time to wake up and eat plants! I feel strongly that making vegetables a priority in dietary choices aids in disease prevention and is key to a healthier lifestyle. In fact, science backs these assertions.

According to research at the University of Navarra in Spain, “flexitarians” (the term for part-time vegetarians popularized in the 2008 book The Flexitarian Diet by Dawn Jackson Blatner) almost halve their obesity risk. And less obesity means fewer related conditions, healthier folks, and ideally a reduction in medical costs, all because of broccoli.

What Exactly Is a Part-Time Vegetarian?

A “mostly” vegetarian diet is a lifestyle eating plan where vegetables, fruit, beans, and legumes take center stage but you still consume minimal lean animal protein sources like fish, poultry, beef, and dairy. This course aims to provide you with science-backed information, practical tips, inspiration, and motivation to ease into the mostly plant-based lifestyle every single day. Along the way there will be nutrition education, and we’ll also assess your current diet, strategize, and address challenges.

The best part about this diet is that it is flexible and sustainable. It is a lifestyle, and whether you desire to celebrate Meatless Mondays or simply limit your animal-based protein servings while upping veggie intake, you do it your way, and you do your best.

I love the accepting, non-judgmental feel of this diet. There are no stringent rules, as it is simply about you doing (what works best for) you!

Tomorrow: we’ll explore how to get more fruits and vegetables in your diet.

Recommended book

The Flexitarian Diet by Dawn Jackson Blatner