Healthy, Sexy, Vegan Mumma

By Donna Wild

Donna Wild believes a sexy body is your birthright, especially as a mum or mum-to-be. The guidelines contained in these pages are the result of a lifetime of research and exploration. Donna has followed the time-saving, body-shaping, game-changing lifestyle she recommends here for more than a decade, and you can save years of pain, money and illness by doing the same. Like Donna, you can eat for the body, life and family you want. The answers are all here.

In a step-by-step guide that includes recipes, advice and simple tools, Donna will empower you and your entire family to eat for the body, health and life you deserve. No calorie restriction, calorie counting or excessive exercise on this plan. Just flavourful, satisfying, time-saving hacks and in-depth scientific information. While sharing her personal story of success as a sexy mum and explaining the results of careful research, Donna leads her readers down an informative path packed with nutritional facts. Learn simple ways to ignite the power of food dynamics for fertility, pregnancy, labour and child-rearing, and discover what healthy calories and The Taste and Flavour Solution can do for you and your family. Includes weight-defying recipes the whole family will love, and time-saving solutions to change your life.

This is the definitive, practical guide for mamas and mamas-to-be. Are you ready to shape your body, change your life and eat for the thriving family you want?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Donna Wild
• Release date: Feb 13, 2019
• ISBN: 9780648452812

Book preview

Testimonials

"Donna’s recipes changed my life, I now know that my daughter and I get all the nutrients we need every day, and it’s so much simpler than what I was doing before. We have more time to enjoy together and we can even prep the meals together since they’re so simple."

— Monique, mother of two-year-old Ashley

I began following Donna’s recipes on her blog soon after my daughter was born. She is still breastfeeding at the moment, but I have gained peace of mind from knowing what to feed her when she begins solids. I have also gotten my body back almost to what it was before I became pregnant.

— Bianca, mother of three-month-old Layla

"June of 2017 will be our second anniversary of meeting Donna Wild. We’re not a typical Australian family, and if you met us you might be surprised to know we needed a weight loss program. You should have seen us in 2015.

We have five children, all of whom still follow the healthy calorie, plant-based guidelines outlined in Donna’s Taste and Flavour Solution for the Whole Family. Where we live on the Gold Coast, you don’t meet many families with five vegan children, but we weren’t always like this. Our children don’t crave meat anymore. They love fruits and vegetables, and choose healthy meals from themselves at home and at restaurants. We’ve never outright banned certain foods; we’ve simply explained our dietary choices to them since we began the program, and even our youngest has understood the logic and followed suit.

Our friends are shocked now when they see our kids refuse junk foods like lollies, ice cream, and pizza. They could never imagine their kids doing the same thing. They don’t believe us when we say we didn’t even do anything—but it’s true, we just taught them about their food! So of course, all five of them are as healthy as can be. They hardly ever need to go to the doctor, their teeth are perfect, and their skin is gorgeous and clear. Needless to say, not one of them is the slightest bit overweight, either. Other kids beg for chocolate at the store … ours beg for berries!

We eat all the time, but after twenty years of marriage and five pregnancies, we’re slimmer than we’ve been since our twenties. We’re never hungry … and our pants always fit. That’s probably my favourite thing about The Taste and Flavour Solution: ‘restriction’ is not a part of this lifestyle! From the start, Donna encouraged us to follow ‘a diet of abundance’ and our results have been incredible. Both of us lost 15 kilos (33 pounds) in the first few months, and the weight never came back. Our kids used to all be a bit chubby—not anymore!

Our entire family is a walking, breathing, thriving testimonial to the efficacy of Donna’s work. She really did change our lives. Our lives aren’t so different from yours, except we spend a lot less time preparing food and a lot more time enjoying our family. We spend less time feeling sick and more time living life passionately. Our families and friends weren’t so supportive at first, but as they watched our bodies and energy levels transform, we eventually won them over.

It’s so obvious: we are finally nourished. And we’ve never look or felt better! We can’t recommend this program more highly.

— The Andersons, aged 6, 7, 9, 12, 14, 41 and 44 years, Gold Coast

"This is an exceptional and easy to follow guide for optimal health. Donna could not have made it any more easy for someone to follow this and achieve the results that they desire!

I urge anyone who is struggling with weight and health related issues to try this and see for themselves the changes that can and will happen."

—Erin Moubray, World Champion Level Bikini Model

"Donna … thank you for all the support and encouragement you have given me in my venture into veganism. I bought your book yesterday and read it all—LOVED IT! I found your book very useful in understanding what it means to eat a vegan diet, the importance of food combination, the quantities of food consumption recommended and so much more. I was intrigued by the amount of calories suggested to eat, especially since it was so much higher that what’s advised by traditional diets in weight management. Needless to say, I was excited to know that I could not only eat more calories and lose weight, but also enjoy foods I have avoided for years on a low-carb diet, such as bananas, mangoes and dates (my favourite). The information really made me think about what I eat, how much I exercise and how I can enjoy dining out with friends by doing simple modifications to the restaurant menu to ‘veganise’ it.

As a result of reading the information you have given me in your book and watching the documentary you recommended, ‘Earthlings’, I have thrown out all my vitamins, except my pea protein powder (which is vegan). I have also checked my makeup and other products I use, to make sure nothing is tested on animals, as I have already made the conscious choice to stop consumption of animal products.

I feel great about my decisions and I look forward to seeing the transformation in my body, mind and spirit as I take this journey and explore a new way of life that benefits my health, the animals, and our beautiful world."

— Dee Raquel Joma

HEALTHY, SEXY, VEGAN MUMMA

Your plant-based family guide

Donna Wild

Published in Australia in 2019 by Donna Wild

Website: http://www.donnawild.com

© Donna Wild 2019

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.

ISBN 978-0-6484528-1-2 (ebook)

Disclaimer

The author does not accept any responsibility for any liabilities or damages, real or perceived, resulting from the use of this information.

Important Medical Warning

The information in this book is not intended as medical advice. It represents a sharing of knowledge and information from the personal research and experience of Donna Wild. Please make your own health care decisions based upon your research.

The recipes, advice and tips given in this book are intended to be used by healthy persons and their families as a means of incorporating healthy habits for a plant-based lifestyle. You should consult your physician to ensure that advice given within the book is appropriate for your individual circumstances, especially if you have any health issues or pre-existing conditions. If you choose not to obtain the consent of a medical professional and/or to work with your physician while using the recommendations in this book, you are agreeing to accept full responsibility for your actions.

Dedication

To my dear Ever. This book exists because of you. You are a wonderful being, a gift to the world. Innately gentle, kind, and aware. I wish for you to find your passions in life and live them as relentlessly as I do; the world will benefit from your greatness.

CONTENTS

Introduction

1 The Cheat Sheet: A Quick Guide to Everything Plant-Based

2 Wild Recipes: Two Succulent, Sexy, Body-Shaping Recipes to Get You Started

3 Fertility and Conception

4 Pregnancy

5 Birth and Infancy

6 Post-Pregnancy Weight Loss

7 Wild Parenting

Conclusion

Appendix: 30-Day, Super Easy, Step-by-Step Meal Planner

References

About the Author

Introduction

Exhale the breath you have just taken. Inhale gently and deeply a new breath and close your eyes. Keep them closed for as many breaths as it takes, because you are in exactly the right place at the right now. You are ready, you are a plant-based mum with learner plates on, and you deserve a moment of appreciation for being here.

Maybe you’ve been searching for higher energy, deeper happiness, and greater trust in the foods you provide for you and your family. Maybe you’ve been searching for a lifestyle that will allow you to eat as much as you want and look as vibrant as you feel. A lifestyle that empowers you to eat for the body, life, and family you desire and deserve. A lifestyle that nurtures your health as well as your family’s, the planet’s, and the animals’—and this is it.

This book has been in creation my whole life; countless hours of trial and error have gone into these pages. For more than a decade, I have lived the time-saving, body-shaping, game-changing lifestyle I now recommend to you. So, you can save a lifetime of time, pain, money, and physical damage by simply reading this book and implementing its guidelines in your and your family’s daily life.

This book is the ultimate investment in yourself. I look forward to hearing about your successes on my Healthy, Sexy, Vegan Mumma private Facebook group, and I am so happy to introduce you to this journey. Let’s get nourished, Healthy, Sexy, Vegan Mumma!

The Most Important Thing

As mentioned in my previous book: Healthy, Sexy, Vegan, the most important thing for anyone trying to be healthier is this: Do your own research. Of course, sexy reader, I’m here sharing the product of my research and my experience with you. That’s because I want to help you avoid the years of trial and error I went through in my journey to mind-blowing health and wellness. Nonetheless, I want you to verify for yourselves not only that a healthy calorie, plant-based diet works, but why it works. I know you’re as smart as you are smokin’ hot, so this shouldn’t be too hard.

Despite my studies in nutrition, I believe my years of experience coaching people is far more meaningful than a piece of paper you can pay for. I’ve learned that a sexy body and healthy family is my birthright, and I’m here to help you learn it too. You have to understand that conventional doctors are not taught more than the most basic nutrition; many are unqualified to give nutritional advice. In addition, as far as medical or nutritional schooling goes, it takes years for new discoveries, even when proven beyond a shadow of a doubt, to make their way into the curriculum. This means that most people with certifications have been educated with old and outdated information. Unless they take the initiative to educate themselves outside of school and career, they are just as likely to be misinformed as the average person with access to Google. And for any healthy hottie trying to get nourished and get slim, that’s not very helpful.

For this and many other reasons, I constantly tell my readers and clients that if you want to find health, you must follow those who are getting the results you desire. Credentials mean nothing if the person who has them cannot keep themselves healthy. If a doctor is obese, why take their advice on nutrition? Do your own research, become your own guide, and lead yourself to health. Teach yourself to eat for the body, life, and family of your dreams. That’s what many of my clients do, to great benefit, and that’s what I encourage you to do, too.

CHAPTER 1

The Cheat Sheet: A Quick Guide to Everything Plant-Based

The Basics (plus, what I eat in a day)

My family and I eat simply, for the most part using few ingredients for each meal. This is easier on recipe planning, easier on the palate, since you can actually taste each ingredient, and easier on the digestive system, with less food groups to digest at once. The majority of my recipes are simple to follow and take little to no time at all to whip up. The more prepared and educated you are, the easier it gets. By having fresh food on hand, prepping ahead, and making large batches of some recipes so they are ready to go when you need them, you’ll find you have more time than ever before—even as a new mum.

For optimum health, beauty, and body-shaping for mums, I recommend a diet low in fat. This doesn’t mean you can’t eat fats; you can eat them in their natural state. Think avocados, nuts, and seeds.

My meals are usually large, as they must be to give me all the nutrients I need to feel completely satisfied. I drink around a litre of natural spring water upon rising in the morning to flush and hydrate my body, and then I have breakfast. Breakfast or lunch will be my biggest meal of the day, and I eat dinner around five or six o’clock when I can. This allows for proper digestion well before bed and ensures that my body is restoring, shaping, and healing during my overnight fast, rather than wasting energy on breaking down food. It also lets my daughter get enough food in her to sleep through the night without the discomfort of a full tummy at bedtime.

I rarely consume any oils. Not even for cooked meals, unless I’m eating out (which is ideally not too often, these days it’s once or twice a week at most). For high-heat cooking, I suggest water—or coconut oil if oil is a must, since it’s one of the only oils that doesn’t go rancid when heated at a high temperature. I use chemical-free, non-stick cookware, and I don’t ever microwave food. I don’t even have a microwave at home. I like to keep my intake of raw foods high, and I encourage you to eat raw as much as it fits with your lifestyle and desires. Lastly, I reserve the majority of my fruit intake for first thing in the morning, before any cooked food has entered my system. Eating large portions of fruit after cooked or high-fat foods can make you bloated, causing fermentation in the gut, pain, weight gain, and sluggish digestion.

Five Key Steps to Exploring the Plant-Based Life

STEP 1: Fresh Produce

Fresh foods help our bodies create the neurotransmitters that carry antioxidants, prevent alterations in mood, control the presence of some neurotoxic substances in the brain, and increase the production of energy neurons. They also help us maintain our ideal weight and shape. Sounds pretty important, hey? The China Study, for example, which is the most comprehensive nutritional study to date, states that one cup of fibre from fresh blueberries or kidney beans each day is enough to reduce risk of cancer dramatically. Simply put, fresh foods are the key to preventing many diseases and stimulating perfect digestion.

Is buying organic important? This question naturally enters into our discussion of fresh foods. I say yes. When you eat non-organic, you’re eating all the poisons that are sprayed on produce to keep pests off and prolong shelf life. The peach that you buy at an organic market was likely picked that morning. It is juicy, fresh, and full of nourishing, satisfying life force. In opposition to that, the apple that you buy from your local supermarket has, according to recent studies, spent between nine and ten months in storage.² However, if it comes to eating organic or not eating at all, I recommend you whatever fresh, whole foods are available to you.

We’ve all heard the rumors that this organic thing is just a phase, though. A way for big businesses to squeeze even more money out of health-conscious consumers like us. So, is it true? Are we wasting our money on products with this trendy label? There’s evidence linking environmental pesticide exposure to chronic illnesses like diabetes, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and several types of cancer.⁴ In places like Salinas Valley, California, agricultural communities suffer higher rates of pregnancy complications and birth defects, too. Even much smaller-scale exposure, such as when we use insecticides in our homes, could possibly link to diseases like childhood leukemia.

A 2006 study confirmed what many of us suspected already. The pesticides we spray on our food also end up in our bodies.⁵ Researchers tested pesticide levels in children aged three to eleven, by measuring breakdown chemicals in their urine, on a normal diet and an organic one. The results were crystal clear. Just five days of eating organic dramatically reduced pesticide traces in their bodies. The same was true for adults when tested, with pesticide levels 90 per cent lower.

So, is organic food safer? It clearly reduces our exposure to many (potentially harmful) chemicals. We don’t have the proof (yet) that these chemicals are definitely harmful to ingest, but in the meantime, buy organic when you can—and when you can’t, that’s okay.

STEP 2: Carbohydrates

Every cell in our body feeds on sugar. Carbohydrates turn into sugars in the body for energy, so we need carbohydrates—or we need sugars! The brain in particular relies on sugar.⁶ Ever wonder why you crave sugary foods while you’re doing your studies or working hard at the computer? Your brain is using up the sugar that it has and would love some more. The principal benefit of carbohydrates is easily-obtained energy in the form of glucose.

When we eat foods containing carbohydrates, digestive enzymes in the mouth (saliva), stomach, and intestine rapidly break them down into simple sugars—and ultimately glucose. The glucose is then absorbed through the walls of the intestine into the bloodstream and either distributed to cells and muscles, with the help of insulin, for immediate use or retained as an energy reserve in the liver and muscles in the form of glycogen. Or it’s stored as body fat.

Although protein also gives us glucose, it takes much longer to break down. Furthermore, some cell tissues, such as those in the brain, depend upon glucose from carbohydrates; that’s why reduction of brain function is one of the side-effects of a low-carb diet. Consider the fact that diabetics suffering an episode of hypoglycemia, or very low blood glucose levels, can make an almost instant recovery after eating a couple of cubes of sugar or their equivalent. This just serves to illustrate how quickly and easily the body can convert glucose from simple carbs into energy.

I love carbohydrates, and from fruit in particular. I prefer to call these healthy calories, because that’s really what they are. The best sources of high calories in nature are bananas, mangoes, and dates. How lucky are we? It’s no coincidence that the most delicious foods on the planet (eaten as they are, fresh from the plant) are exactly what our bodies require. We’re blessed indeed. For this reason, I highly recommend that you eat fresh, organic, high-water-content produce in abundance each and every day. Eat it in health, eat it with pleasure, and eat it with a sense of gratitude in your heart. Gorgeous, eat for the body and