Transitioning to vegan

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weightgoals2015
weightgoals2015 Posts: 15
in Food and Nutrition
Hello. I've cut meat totally out of my diet but my biggest goal is to become fully vegan. I drink almond milk but sometimes cheese makes it's way into some of my foods. I didn't just become vegetarian because of animal rights but I did it so I could lose some weight. I heard that being vegan can clear your skin... Can someone tell me the best way to transition and give name some food I will have to cut out?
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  • Phoenix_Down
    Phoenix_Down Posts: 530 Member
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    weightgoals2015 wrote: »
    Hello. I've cut meat totally out of my diet but my biggest goal is to become fully vegan. I drink almond milk but sometimes cheese makes it's way into some of my foods. I didn't just become vegetarian because of animal rights but I did it so I could lose some weight. I heard that being vegan can clear your skin... Can someone tell me the best way to transition and give name some food I will have to cut out?

    You did it just to lose weight? That's completely unnecessary. I would think moral or dietary reasons (like diseases or intolerances. Heck, maybe even because you like eating this way) would be more of a reason. If you like cheese, why make all these unnecessary changes? Also, if you're hell bent on this. Make sure you're supplementing properly to get all your necessary nutrients.
  • tequila5000
    tequila5000 Posts: 128 Member
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    Hello, some people chose to be vegan for ethical reasons, others for health reasons that they identify. I don't feel that choosing a vegan diet in and of itself will cause weight loss. A person should still be aware of CICO to lose weight.

    i will say that when I cut way way back on dairy, I notice an improvement to my complexion, but it takes a LONG TIME.

    If you want to follow a vegan eating plan, you will want to read labels carefully and avoid any ingredients that come from an animal, including dairy products, and eggs. there are various websites out there that can guide you.
  • tequila5000
    tequila5000 Posts: 128 Member
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    Also, looking at your profile pic, I'm not sure where any weight loss would come from. You do not appear to be overweight at all.
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
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    If it's just to lose weight then there's no need to eat completely different foods.
  • veganbettie
    veganbettie Posts: 701 Member
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    Ugh.

    I get pimples. and i've been fat.

    and i've been vegan for almost 8 years.

    Go vegan for the animals and if that type of food makes your body feel better. Don't go vegan to lose weight.
  • ricardo510diaz
    ricardo510diaz Posts: 64 Member
    edited March 2015
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    Veganism won't necessarily do you much good if you aren't doing it for compassionate reasons. The vegan diet is actually quite dangerous if done sloppily and carelessly (just not eating meat/animal products), as it can lead to a number of nutritional deficiencies. One thing that is hard to hold onto as well is lean muscle mass, and because of this, most vegans who get rail thin never have good body compositions. This could also make it harder for you to lose the weight that you want to, as the less muscle your body has, the less calories your body will burn as a whole even while at rest.

    If you really want to lose weight and look good when you do it, a ketogenic diet would be better and you'd most likely lose more fat and retain more lean muscle tissue. It's been shown that in an Atkins vs Ornish (ketogenic vs vegan) the Atkins dieters lost more weight, were more likely to actually stick to the diet, and were generally healthier in different tests. It's a big misconception that meat is fattening and meat and protein especially are both pretty much the best thing you could eat to lose weight because they'll give you energy, easily supply your body with micro-nutrients, and will help you save the muscle that you have which will result in better body composition and fat burning as I pointed out before.

    Do bare in mind, this isn't a be-all-end-all against veganism, veganism can be correctly done and be incredibly healthy, some people have incredible success, but you will have to start studying nutrition and set your diet up correctly or see a nutritionist, without this you're just putting your health in jeopardy. Simply saying "what do I cut out?" is kind of a lazy way to do it when you're transitioning into a difficult and somewhat unnatural diet. Take this for what it's worth, but if you aren't doing it for the love of animals, just to lose weight, it's kind of a bad way to go.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    I think veganism is awesome and can be a happy and fulfilling way to live. I have been vegan for nine years.

    That said, it isn't a weight loss diet. If you take animal products out of your diet, you may wind up with a calorie deficit. . . or you may not. Some vegans lose weight, some gain, many stay the same. It is all about what replaces the animal products in your diet (and veganism, of course, goes way beyond diet).
  • veganbettie
    veganbettie Posts: 701 Member
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    i'm pretty sure just as many meat eaters have deficiencies as do vegans. It's just when you don't eat a well balanced diet. Its pretty easy to stay healthy as a vegan.
  • weightgoals2015
    weightgoals2015 Posts: 15
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    Phoenix_Down wrote: »
    weightgoals2015 wrote: »
    Hello. I've cut meat totally out of my diet but my biggest goal is to become fully vegan. I drink almond milk but sometimes cheese makes it's way into some of my foods. I didn't just become vegetarian because of animal rights but I did it so I could lose some weight. I heard that being vegan can clear your skin... Can someone tell me the best way to transition and give name some food I will have to cut out?

    You did it just to lose weight? That's completely unnecessary. I would think moral or dietary reasons (like diseases or intolerances. Heck, maybe even because you like eating this way) would be more of a reason. If you like cheese, why make all these unnecessary changes? Also, if you're hell bent on this. Make sure you're supplementing properly to get all your necessary nutrients.

    Well, mostly.. I don't like the fact that after drinking whole dairy products I got the worst headache and stomachache
  • weightgoals2015
    weightgoals2015 Posts: 15
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    tequila5000 wrote: »
    Also, looking at your profile pic, I'm not sure where any weight loss would come from. You do not appear to be overweight at all.

    Haha that's my goal weight. Ahhh I wish I looked like that.
  • ElizabethKalmbach
    ElizabethKalmbach Posts: 1,416 Member
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    Just make sure you supplement your B12 at the very least and research any other necessary vitamins that you might need to take if you're not getting them from food sources.
  • weightgoals2015
    weightgoals2015 Posts: 15
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    I've read through the replies and there are helpful answers. I've recently been diagnosed with ibs and I'm trying to find a diet that doesn't make my stomach upset. Atkins has been successful for other members of my family and I had also tried it but it didn't help me . It made my acne worse and I gained weight. I've also tried the paleo diet for one month but no luck. This diet switching was before I found out I had ibs. Even before I struggled with this (chronic constipation) I had lost 75 pounds on weight watchers. I don't want to go back on the weight watchers diet because I don't have tons of money and I want to be able to go to the gym (where most of my money goes towards.)
  • Phoenix_Down
    Phoenix_Down Posts: 530 Member
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    weightgoals2015 wrote: »
    Phoenix_Down wrote: »
    weightgoals2015 wrote: »
    Hello. I've cut meat totally out of my diet but my biggest goal is to become fully vegan. I drink almond milk but sometimes cheese makes it's way into some of my foods. I didn't just become vegetarian because of animal rights but I did it so I could lose some weight. I heard that being vegan can clear your skin... Can someone tell me the best way to transition and give name some food I will have to cut out?

    You did it just to lose weight? That's completely unnecessary. I would think moral or dietary reasons (like diseases or intolerances. Heck, maybe even because you like eating this way) would be more of a reason. If you like cheese, why make all these unnecessary changes? Also, if you're hell bent on this. Make sure you're supplementing properly to get all your necessary nutrients.

    Well, mostly.. I don't like the fact that after drinking whole dairy products I got the worst headache and stomachache

    Ah, certainly avoiding certain foods that make you feel icky would be good. I just always advocate that people make choices they can stick to long term. I have many vegan friends who certainly love their eating methods and I respect them highly but doing it "just" for weight doesn't seem worthwhile, especially with how restrictive it is.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    edited March 2015
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    weightgoals2015 wrote: »
    because of animal rights

    Barring medical conditions, moral reasons are the only logical reason to go vegan. It isn't magic and won't make you lose weight any faster than a balanced diet.

  • Lissa_Kaye
    Lissa_Kaye Posts: 214 Member
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    I used to get migraines from dairy stuff too. I figured out it was the sugar. I first cut milk, then added sugars. I do very small amounts of cheese. I started using Asiago because it has a good strong flavor and you can use only 7 grams to flavor something quite well. I use other products still like local honey. I just use very small amounts.
  • communalpoleaxe
    communalpoleaxe Posts: 1 Member
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    Despite what some folks here are saying, eating meat can and will cause health problems. There's a reason a ton of people on the Atkins diet have dropped dead of heart attacks - the cholesterol in meat is unhealthy, point blank.

    No matter the reason you're transitioning to veganism, it'll be better for your body overall. I wish you luck. I still struggle with the amount of dairy that sneaks into other things.
  • glevinso
    glevinso Posts: 1,895 Member
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    communalpoleaxe wrote: »
    Despite what some folks here are saying, eating meat can and will cause health problems. There's a reason a ton of people on the Atkins diet have dropped dead of heart attacks - the cholesterol in meat is unhealthy, point blank.

    No matter the reason you're transitioning to veganism, it'll be better for your body overall. I wish you luck. I still struggle with the amount of dairy that sneaks into other things.

    Lol no
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
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    Do you realize what vegan is? It is using no animal products of any kind for any reason. Vegans do not eat meat, dairy, eggs, fish. or honey. They do not wear leather, fur, or wool. They do not use personal care products that have beeswax or dyes made from insects. They do not wear perfumes that are made with musk or ambergris. Vegan is a total lifestyle and many find it hard to give up some of those things, especially leather, wool, and things from bees.

    If you really want to go with a totally plant based diet but don't care about the rest, you will be a vegetarian.
  • amandahandstand
    amandahandstand Posts: 8 Member
    edited March 2015
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    weightgoals2015 wrote: »
    I've read through the replies and there are helpful answers. I've recently been diagnosed with ibs and I'm trying to find a diet that doesn't make my stomach upset. Atkins has been successful for other members of my family and I had also tried it but it didn't help me . It made my acne worse and I gained weight. I've also tried the paleo diet for one month but no luck. This diet switching was before I found out I had ibs. Even before I struggled with this (chronic constipation) I had lost 75 pounds on weight watchers. I don't want to go back on the weight watchers diet because I don't have tons of money and I want to be able to go to the gym (where most of my money goes towards.)

    Hey! I've had a pretty similar experience. I've been vegetarian for a while now and transitioned to vegan at the start of this year (I have occasional slip-ups, but nobody is perfect!) I found my bowel problems were a result of anxiety and not diet, and I have to take a laxative every two days in order to 'function'. I do find my digestion is a lot better on a vegan diet though, and grocery shopping is certainly a lot cheaper :smile:

    Ignore the preachy people and eat what makes you feel good, inside and out! Just be sure to eat a balanced diet and get the right amounts of nutrients from your food. Be aware that vitamin B12 can't be naturally obtained on a vegan diet either (it's literally the only nutrient that can't - everything else is easy enough to find), so if you're in this for the long haul, consider supplements.
  • ricardo510diaz
    ricardo510diaz Posts: 64 Member
    edited March 2015
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    communalpoleaxe wrote: »
    There's a reason a ton of people on the Atkins diet have dropped dead of heart attacks - the cholesterol in meat is unhealthy, point blank.

    No matter the reason you're transitioning to veganism, it'll be better for your body overall..

    This is false. I'd like to see some real numbers as to how many people really died on a low-carb/ketogenic diet, or even a link from an actual study (not an observational study like The China Study) that shows that cholesterol is unhealthy. Cholesterol is being found more and more to be not half as bad for you as they once believed as you're body produces 70% of the cholesterol found in your body on it's own. The same with the saturated fat found in animal products.

    Veganism is *not better* for your body in most case and if poorly done will lead to nutritional deficiences in B12, iron, zinc, omega 6 & 3 fats, vitamin A & D, and if you're an active person: creatine. Nutritionists have found that a balanced diet of lean meats, fruit, vegetables, and low gycemic carbs is the ideal diet - not abstaining from meat. Consider also, to get as much calcium as you would in one glass of milk, you'd have to eat 16 servings of spinach (5 cooked cups). The calcium and iron found in plants isn't as bioavailable as the iron and calcium found in animal products.

    If the Atkin's diet didn't work for you, you might not have been following it correctly or sticking to it. Not trying to start some senseless argument with vegans, just throwing some information out there that is worth considering if you're gonna go vegan. If you feel better being vegan, go for it. As far as fat loss is concerned Veganism most likely isn't the answer and will probably work against you in all reality. I would just suggest cutting down your calories, maybe cutting out high glycemic carbs and sugars, and getting more active; as cliche as that sounds, there really is no other way around it.

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