I just decided I dont want to add to any more suffering in the world, including [the] suffering of any sentient beings, says Teresa Palmer. The Australian actress, best known for her role as Rebecca in the horror movie, Lights Out, ditched meat for the sake of the animals. Palmer has always been an animal lover and"grew up with endangered species,"with her father's wildlife sanctuarylocated on their home in Australia.

Palmer, 37, had sporadically eaten veganthroughout her life, andwas alongtime pescetarian, and confessed that she ate fish because,'It didn't resemble an animal so I would eat it and not really think about the life that was that animal, and then as an animal lover and the more I read, I realized, "I actually can't do this anymore,"' she told Daily Mail UK. Palmer adds, "It didn't align with who I was, and I realized that I had this sort of cognitive dissonance and I was very disconnected from the food that I was eating."

Palmer explained toOK! Australiahow her son Bodhi and stepson Isaac encouraged her to make the switch to veganism for good."Their compassion and kindness [have] inspired me to adopt a more humane and considered approach to food. Bodhi saw some fish on display at Whole Foods Market one day and was completely scarred he didn't understand why they weren't swimming in the ocean and why someone would purposely catch the fish for people to eat."

LastApril, Palmer gave birth to her third child Poet, and sincehas been laser-focused on making healthy food choices. Palmer has a total of four children including her stepson Isaac, and reveals what her diet looks like after giving birth and having her hands full with kids. "Nursing Poet and Forest are so demanding on my body and I'm constantly feeling hungry." She adds, "I love heavy carbs and always want to eat pasta, bread, or pizza, but I find my energy levels plummet when I indulge in these foods continuously. A particular food focus for me at the moment is to eat a variety of nutrient-rich mixed greens every day. I can make them into a simple stir-fry or curry and enjoy a delicious, healthy meal in minutes." Palmer raises her children on plant-based diets and shares her story on her wellness website.

In 2018, the famous actress started an "all-encompassing community" online called Your Zen Mama where parents and caregivers discuss everything parenthood. Sarah Wright Olsen, an American actressknown for her role as Millicent Gergich in Parks and Recreation, collaborates with Palmer onthe wellness website. The two actresses both eat aplant-baseddiet and share recipes, information and advice about veganism from expected mothers,using their first-hand experiences to guide.

In Your Zen Mama blog post, Palmer was asked how she manages a vegan diet as a family, and said, "our family does it pretty seamlessly. We usually make sure we have a serving of veggies/fruit with each meal, a starch, and a plant-based protein whether it be quinoa, beans, or veggie meat made from pea protein. Our children feel really passionate about not eating animals and their drive and commitment to it keep inspiring us to stay on this path."

In addition, she advises her readers to ensure you're taking a great multivitamin, drink more water than you think you need, andconsumeenough protein. Palmer chooses plant-based proteins such as "beans, nut butter, lentils, quinoa, chia seeds, and oat barley," and enjoys vegan meals from well-known blogger, Angela Liddon, creator of Oh She Glows.

As a mother of four and raising her children as vegans, Teresa Palmerlikesquick and creative vegan snacks and meals.

Here is a list of her go-to snacks by Oh She Glows:

Palmeradmits she uses herVitamix, "abunch", and "pures lots of fruits and veggies for Forest to eat and sprinkle it with chia seeds for protein. He also downs my vegan banana bread." One of her easiest go-to snacks and her son's favorite snack is mashed cinnamon sweet potatoes. She explains how simple they are to make,instructing, "just bake peeled sweet potatoes in the oven, chuck in a bowl, add a dash of almond milk and cinnamon and smash it all together!"

When Palmer needs to satisfy her sweet tooth, she claims her guilty pleasures are anything "chocolate or caramel flavored." Palmer says,"It'sokay to treat yourself occasionally if you'refeeding your bodywith healthy choices the rest of the time, and it'sokay to have a day off from the gym if you need time to rest." The actress claims, "the worst I've ever felt and the sickest I've ever been was when I was working out five times a week for 90 minutes a day and eating the cleanest diet possible."

Shevonne Hunthosts Teresa Palmer on her Feed Love Play podcastand gets to the bottom of what zen means for the busy mother and famous actress.Palmer explains that zen is the "idea of finding balance, it exploits the idea of perfection." She advises parents and listeners of the podcast to "let go of the self-critical voice, everyday ill feel and look different--that's okay."

During the lockdown, Palmer is "riding the wave" and mentions how "some days I feel like I'm in the flow and other days are messier." She goes on to explain how her four kids are high maintenance and need to stay active or completely disconnect by spending the entire day watching TV. Palmer concludes, "I have to take the pressure off myself."

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Lights Out Actress Teresa Palmer Goes Vegan For the Animals - The Beet