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A flirting vegetarian has no pressures. You can dip your does into the world of a plant-based diet, but you can also step out of the water when needed. 

After I posted The Kind Diet with SIBO yesterday, I promised a follow up today with more, including what I’m actually eating.

My Journey

There is nothing fun about gut misery and living with SIBO. What I’ve come to realize these past couple months is how I have been on this journey for so long now that my story is long, robust, and something that I believe could be super powerful for women trying to heal – or to avoid the mess to begin with. 

When my healing first began in 2009, I probably would have told you – “no clue how I got sick, GAPS heals all, the end.” 

Today, hundreds of peaks and valleys and knowledge acquired later along with all the trial-and-error, I can tell you for certain that it was far more involved.

I have thoughts and opinions on everything; fairly strong ones when it comes to the gut healing journey.

My story from then to now has unfolded beautifully. Not easily; beautifully.

What is a Flirting Vegetarian according to The Kind Diet?

According to The Kind Diet, with flirting:

The key is that you be open. Open to being seduced. You are putting your best foot forward and looking for the best in your potential partner. So this is about making no commitments, but remaining positive and open to possibility. When you flirt, you reserve the right to walk away at any time, but you are hoping to be surprised and delighted.

Some other things (besides ditching the meat and dairy) people work on while flirting are:

• Moving from white bread to organic whole grain bread.
• And from canola and corn oils to organic olive, safflower, and sesame oils.
• Moving from white sugar to maple syrup and brown rice syrup.

In a sense, the only true way I’m a flirting vegetarian is that I’m consuming less meat and dairy overall. I don’t do whole grain bread, nor do I believe in all the oils she mentions (except olive), and I’m not a fan of brown rice syrup. 

I also don’t eat a bunch of the vegetarian alternative foods she discusses; It’s All Good “Chicken” Breasts, Tofutti, Tofurky, Eden Soy, etc.

All of this comes back to years of studying and what I know to be real, true, and good for me on this lifelong healing journey.

Flirting Vegetarian

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I am not eating all of the below, every single day. In fact, I’m eating far less now than when I was in SIBO misery because I no longer feel famished.

Below are all the things I am able to and do eat currently, though:

• organic, firm tofu (Always organic, but I just love tofu – I know that puts me in the 5% of people on Earth who do. There are three brands I know, like and trust: Hodo Organic, Nasoya Organic, and Wildwood Organic)
• green beans
• seeds for seed cycling
• nut butters
• fish 
• meat (very occasionally – maybe once per week)
• lentils – any and all
• Kombucha
• soup
• broccoli
• cauliflower
• Miyoko’s Vegan Cheese (hands down the best vegan cheese out there – the ones I have don’t contain any crazy additives) 
• “jacked” avocado toast (gluten-free bread, jam, Miyoko’s, avocado, and an egg)
• eggs
• various protein bars
• Barbara’s puffins
• miso
• rice (always Lotus Foods)
• coffee as I always have
• All Elmhurst Milked all the time (to drink, for “Nice Cream,” in soups and sauces – making THIS Vegan Walnut Sherry Vinaigrette for Friendsgiving this weekend, in coffee and lattes, etc., etc.)

And just in general:

• all vegetables (no, there is not a single vegetable I exclude from my party these days)
• my favorite fats (avocado, coconut oil, olive oil)
• all fruits (same as the vegetables)
• nuts and seeds
• all non-gluten grains and starches (again, I’m not ever telling myself “No” to anything)

Some current common meals/snacks:

1. Breakfast: The “Jacked” Avocado Toast from above, Vegan Pumpkin Maple Pancakes
2. Lunch: a huge bowl of vegetables, tofu, seed cycling seeds, and an oil/fat
3. Dinner: a huge bowl of vegetables, lentils, rice, regular noodles and/or Kelp/alternative noodles, and a soup (sometimes, very rarely, the meat)
4. Snacks: bananas and nut butter, protein bars, apples and nut butter, pickles (weird, but true), Made in Nature Veggie Pops, SeaSnax Chomperz (I love all flavors except the Jalapeno)
5. Dessert: I have not been wanting really any dessert lately; it’s totally not normal for me. In fact, I didn’t even steal a piece of the kid’s Halloween candy this year. Shocker. I have had some Luna & Larry’s Coconut Bliss and Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips, though. 

I am eating a wider variety of foods than ever before in my life. 

How Do You Feel While Flirting Vegetarian?

Honestly? Better than ever. If I didn’t (and when I don’t), I will not stay here. Since really digging in, I have:

1. Always had 100% normal, daily and frequent, bowel movements.
2. Never been bloated.
3. Not had any skin breakouts (per the usual, I got one little blemish 2 days ago – cycles with my cycle – but I just kept on my path and used the Acne Spot Treatment, which makes it gone in 3 days!)
4. Seen an increase in energy. 
5. Felt a whole new level of inspiration and excitement.

Of everything I have felt and seen while flirting vegetarian, the best has been #5, even though you might think it’s #1 or #2. 

To each is own. 

What works for and inspires me, might not for you. But here’s the thing – I was open to the idea of change, different perspective, and simply trying something new. 

I’m not saying now (or ever) that Paleo, Veganism, GAPS, Keto, or a low-fat diet in general is for you or for me. I’m also not saying that even if it is for you now that it will be forever. It might and it might not. 

I no longer feel like I’m trying to arrive at a destination.

As a flirting vegetarian, I am simply enjoying the journey – a massive (and massively productive) growth and healing journey.

I’ve now done almost all of it, and my deepest goals and wishes are that I can help you find your way – the best way for you to enjoy your own gut healing journey.

Want more? Start with The Gutsy Girl’s Bible: an approach to healing the gut or make a vegetarian nut butter (because nut butters are the secret sauce to life).

Xox,
SKH