Go flexitarian – The ‘vegetarian… ish’ path to a healthy lifestyle

Nina Hamrén, Oriflame’s Compensation and Benefits Rewards Specialist, has a happier tummy, feels healthier and has lost the extra weight she was carrying around – all thanks to the Oriflame Roadmap Programme and a diet of more vegetables and less meat.

In March 2010, Nina was given the opportunity to join the Oriflame Roadmap Programme. Although she had thought about changing her diet before, she had never felt motivated enough. ‘This diet felt right for me because it teaches you how to eat better and feel well,’ explains Nina. ‘It didn’t feel like dieting – it felt like a way to live a healthier lifestyle. I love fruit, veggies and nuts, so it wasn’t a sacrifice to eat less meat, which is part of the programme.’

Programme participants are given a plate model to follow and instructions about how often they should eat and which foods are better. The focus of the programme is on cutting down on the meat you eat; making fruit and veggies the focus instead. This way of eating has been dubbed ‘flexitarian’ – it gives you the freedom to eat meat if you want to, while making fruit and vegetables the main part of your diet. The programme also includes fast and healthy meal supplements – soups, shakes and bars. The meal supplements are all-natural, lactose-, gluten- and GMO-free and contain Omega 3. The shakes were the perfect snack for Nina to keep her away from mindless grazing, large portions and junk food. She filled out the program with antioxidants and vitamin supplements, and also did plenty of walking and exercise.

‘I’ve never felt as good as I have since starting the programme,’ says Nina. ‘After only a few weeks, it suddenly struck me that I didn’t have stomach aches any more. I’ve always had problems with my stomach and I felt a big difference very quickly. More vegetables made my tummy happy!’

Nina also noticed she was thinking more about what she ate. ‘The programme made me mindful of what makes me feel well. In Sweden, we tend to eat meat as the main with vegetables and potatoes on the side. When I turned that around and made meat the side dish, I felt a lot better. I never dreamed I would lose 20kg too! That’s the kind of thing you read about in magazines; that only happens to other people. If I’d known how much better I’d feel and how easy it would be, I would have become a flexitarian a long time ago!’

 


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Words by: Photographs by: Getty Images