Mamasezz Living: A Wholesome Lifestyle Blog

Fun fact: I hate diets.  I’ve never been on a diet that worked long term. I don’t have the patience to measure food, count points and calories, or think about my macronutrient (protein, carb, fat) intake. And I don’t want to wear a watch that tracks what I eat because it feels like an obsessive behavior that sucks the joy out of food.Food is a lot of things: fun, social, fuel for your body, sensual, enjoyable, satisfying. But it should never be the enemy and tracking what you eat definitely shouldn’t be a part-time job. So why are we obsessing over...

I first tried lamb chops when I was five years old. I watched my dad hand select each one at the butcher shop, coat them in a Dijon garlic rub, and place them side-by-side on the grill. I remember the satisfying sizzle they made as they hit the iron rods. The second I sank my teeth into that tender, medium rare chop - juice running down my chin and dripping off my elbows – that was the moment my love for meat and my passion for food began. By the time I was 15, I’d graduated from lamb chops, moving on...

It’s a tough topic.  Nobody wants to talk about it but it’s hands down the #1 thing people whisper to me once they’ve switched to a plant-based diet. Don’t get me wrong. There are a lot of cool things that happen to your body when you start eating this way: weight loss, clear skin, improved heart health, improved vascular health (another whispered benefit but I’ll save that for later...).   But this one benefit, in particular, has people ready to scream it from the rooftops...if it weren't for polite society. Instead, it's usually a hushed, albeit excited: "I can poop!" I...

This week, we chatted with Pauri Pandian, Head Coach of the men's and women's tennis teams at Wheaton College. A plant-based athlete for going on five years now, Pauri talked to us about protein myths, the unexpected benefits of plant-based eating, and how he fuels his daily workouts. Can you tell us a little about your background as an athlete and coach? I grew up playing basketball, soccer, and tennis. I focused exclusively on tennis when I got to high school; playing for the high school team, junior tournaments throughout New England on weekends, and then training in camp clinics...