Plant-Based Eating for 21 Days- New To This- Anyone Else

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Replies

  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    I have switched to plant based and I love it. Protein isn't a problem, I find it funny how most people think you can't get protein without meat. I have an Instagram page with ideas if you're interested it's call <snip>

    People aren't saying you can't get enough protein. In fact I've started adding more vegetarian meals and still hit my protein goals. They are saying that protein needs to be monitored to make sure it is enough. Often people move into a different diet without considering their nutritional needs. That's all anyone is saying, be mindful to ensure nutritional balance.

    Yes, this.
  • bturner28
    bturner28 Posts: 68 Member
    Hi Everyone, I started plant based diet/Vegan last week. I'm also aware of the vitamin deficiencies that can occur, so I also take a vegan organic protein drink along with organic superfoods fruits/veggies/multi vitamin to help. I keep track of all my food intake/nutritional info through fitness pal app. I pull up recipes online to keep it interesting with different recipes. I exercise every other day. Looking to feel better, be healthier, & lose some weight in the process. For being on it for a week, I must say I feel pretty good so far and lost 5 pounds. I realize that's a lot of weight for a week, so it's probably water weight, but I'll take it! Had a few headaches at first, but I think I was detoxing from processed foods. My cravings for dairy, fast food, sweets are minimal (which is crazy because I used to crave sweets, fast food, diet pop all the time!) I drink black coffee, unseeetened tea & water. I'm looking for a support group to relate/share info that is also doing plant based diet/vegan. Thanks!
  • yager8725
    yager8725 Posts: 267 Member
    Protein isn't going to be a challenge. You don't need a lot. Just eat a variety of vegan proteins during the day no problem. No one ever died from a protein deficiency. Lots of people are vegan and vegetarian and have been for many years with no issue, like any diet, just eat a variety of foods. Personally veggie chili is one of my favorite meals high in lots of nutrients including fiber, protein, iron and other vitamins and it's very versatile.

    You're wrong on that - dead wrong, actually. :(

    I agree that this is wrong! Especially if you work out. Lean muscles must get enough protein!
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    bturner28 wrote: »
    Hi Everyone, I started plant based diet/Vegan last week. I'm also aware of the vitamin deficiencies that can occur, so I also take a vegan organic protein drink along with organic superfoods fruits/veggies/multi vitamin to help. I keep track of all my food intake/nutritional info through fitness pal app. I pull up recipes online to keep it interesting with different recipes. I exercise every other day. Looking to feel better, be healthier, & lose some weight in the process. For being on it for a week, I must say I feel pretty good so far and lost 5 pounds. I realize that's a lot of weight for a week, so it's probably water weight, but I'll take it! Had a few headaches at first, but I think I was detoxing from processed foods. My cravings for dairy, fast food, sweets are minimal (which is crazy because I used to crave sweets, fast food, diet pop all the time!) I drink black coffee, unseeetened tea & water. I'm looking for a support group to relate/share info that is also doing plant based diet/vegan. Thanks!

    you werent detoxing from processed foods. the headaches could have been from anything but its not detoxing. there is no such thing as detoxing from foods.
  • bturner28
    bturner28 Posts: 68 Member
    Interesting. Thanks for your input. I think it was from sugar/caffeine withdrawal as it was significantly reduced. I never used to get headaches. I have no more headaches now though, just the first few days of the diet change. Regardless, I feel great now!
  • crzycatlady1
    crzycatlady1 Posts: 1,930 Member
    edited January 2017
    bturner28 wrote: »
    Interesting. Thanks for your input. I think it was from sugar/caffeine withdrawal as it was significantly reduced. I never used to get headaches. I have no more headaches now though, just the first few days of the diet change. Regardless, I feel great now!

    Cutting out/down caffeine will definitely cause headaches.
  • jordan_bowden
    jordan_bowden Posts: 90 Member
    Budget friendly advice would be to stick to lots of dry staples that can be stored (brown rice, lentils, black beans, oats, pasta, quinoa, buckwheat). Doing lots of research is essential, although I highly recommend high carb low fat! Carbs are your friends, they give you insane amounts of energy, muscle strength and trim down fat! Also, frozen fruits and veggies are really handy to have if you cannot afford to buy fresh produce all the time. If you're ever craving ice cream, just cut bananas in half ( make sure they are spotty before you peel them for optimal nutrition, sweetness and digestion ) and freeze them overnight. When they're ready, let them thaw for a few minutes and put them in the food processor or high speed blender until they are all smooth and creamy and viola! I never liked bananas but I eat this every single day! Feel free to invite me and message if you would like some helpful tips or ideas!
  • bturner28
    bturner28 Posts: 68 Member
    Thanks for the info! I noticed this is a more expensive eating plan-I'll need to start getting more frozen items! Someone else mentioned the frozen banana too and it's the best thing ever! My breakfast smoothie tastes like ice cream.. I add organic vanilla protein & a superfood/multivitamin & almond milk. I crave it every morning. I have a carb battle as I used to do high protein low carb (paleo), but now I'm in trying the other spectrum. I need to realize carbs are okay. Any good recipes plant based/vegan, let me know!
  • jordan_bowden
    jordan_bowden Posts: 90 Member
    bturner28 wrote: »
    Thanks for the info! I noticed this is a more expensive eating plan-I'll need to start getting more frozen items! Someone else mentioned the frozen banana too and it's the best thing ever! My breakfast smoothie tastes like ice cream.. I add organic vanilla protein & a superfood/multivitamin & almond milk. I crave it every morning. I have a carb battle as I used to do high protein low carb (paleo), but now I'm in trying the other spectrum. I need to realize carbs are okay. Any good recipes plant based/vegan, let me know!

    I also used to do paleo and I thought that is was super healthy but after all the research I did when I became vegan, I realized how dangerous ketogenic diets truly are! I know it's quite a challenge to eat a significantly higher amount of carbs than you're used to. An easy way to get them in is through lots of fruits, beans and legumes. They don't block up your stomach as much as pasta and bread and rice, as I'm sure you have encountered since paleo. Plus they are complex carbs which means they are not only a carb but also high in protein. They are probably the best source of protein and they are wonderful for muscle toning because carbs are like brain and muscle fuel! Feel free to personal message for any specific meal ideas :)
  • crzycatlady1
    crzycatlady1 Posts: 1,930 Member
    edited January 2017
    bturner28 wrote: »
    Thanks for the info! I noticed this is a more expensive eating plan-I'll need to start getting more frozen items! Someone else mentioned the frozen banana too and it's the best thing ever! My breakfast smoothie tastes like ice cream.. I add organic vanilla protein & a superfood/multivitamin & almond milk. I crave it every morning. I have a carb battle as I used to do high protein low carb (paleo), but now I'm in trying the other spectrum. I need to realize carbs are okay. Any good recipes plant based/vegan, let me know!

    I'm not totally plant based but I get most of my veggies frozen-way cheaper, especially during off seasons, than fresh. Also-if you have an Aldi nearby they have great prices on frozen fruit. And many dollar stores now have small freezer sections and carry frozen fruit as well (frozen fruit is usually more expensive than frozen veggies at conventional grocery stores).
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    bturner28 wrote: »
    Thanks for the info! I noticed this is a more expensive eating plan-I'll need to start getting more frozen items! Someone else mentioned the frozen banana too and it's the best thing ever! My breakfast smoothie tastes like ice cream.. I add organic vanilla protein & a superfood/multivitamin & almond milk. I crave it every morning. I have a carb battle as I used to do high protein low carb (paleo), but now I'm in trying the other spectrum. I need to realize carbs are okay. Any good recipes plant based/vegan, let me know!

    I also used to do paleo and I thought that is was super healthy but after all the research I did when I became vegan, I realized how dangerous ketogenic diets truly are! I know it's quite a challenge to eat a significantly higher amount of carbs than you're used to. An easy way to get them in is through lots of fruits, beans and legumes. They don't block up your stomach as much as pasta and bread and rice, as I'm sure you have encountered since paleo. Plus they are complex carbs which means they are not only a carb but also high in protein. They are probably the best source of protein and they are wonderful for muscle toning because carbs are like brain and muscle fuel! Feel free to personal message for any specific meal ideas :)

    You can do Paleo without doing keto. They're two different plans, although I'm sure you can combine them.

    Complex carbohydrates may have protein, but something isn't high in protein simply because it is a complex carbohydrate. There are plenty of complex carbohydrates that don't have much protein at all (fruit, for example, is a terrible source of protein) and some nutritional experts even question the validity of the whole "simple" versus "complex" classification -- it just isn't that useful in deciding what to eat. For example, pasta, rice, and bread can also be classified as complex carbohydrates (and some of them are good sources of protein too).
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    edited January 2017
    bturner28 wrote: »
    Thanks for the info! I noticed this is a more expensive eating plan-I'll need to start getting more frozen items! Someone else mentioned the frozen banana too and it's the best thing ever! My breakfast smoothie tastes like ice cream.. I add organic vanilla protein & a superfood/multivitamin & almond milk. I crave it every morning. I have a carb battle as I used to do high protein low carb (paleo), but now I'm in trying the other spectrum. I need to realize carbs are okay. Any good recipes plant based/vegan, let me know!

    Ah, the good old days when quinoa was $2 a pound, before demand outstripped supply. Do shop around. Buying grains and beans in bulk is much cheaper than buying them in boxes. I don't think eating vegan would be that expensive for someone in the US making meals from scratch & bulk and avoiding convenience vegan foods. More labor intensive though, for sure! Chop chop chop.

    Here are 1,171 vegan recipes: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/search/ ?f[0]=field_special_diet:158786

    I'm sure there are also plenty of websites with recipes. Do also see what your library system has available for cookbooks. Mine has 313 vegan cookbooks.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    edited January 2017
    bturner28 wrote: »
    Interesting. Thanks for your input. I think it was from sugar/caffeine withdrawal as it was significantly reduced. I never used to get headaches. I have no more headaches now though, just the first few days of the diet change. Regardless, I feel great now!

    Cutting out/down caffeine will definitely cause headaches.

    I agree it can be caffeine withdrawal (the headaches) because she didnt mention she stopped caffeine intake,but op its still not detoxing from foods.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    bturner28 wrote: »
    Thanks for the info! I noticed this is a more expensive eating plan-I'll need to start getting more frozen items! Someone else mentioned the frozen banana too and it's the best thing ever! My breakfast smoothie tastes like ice cream.. I add organic vanilla protein & a superfood/multivitamin & almond milk. I crave it every morning. I have a carb battle as I used to do high protein low carb (paleo), but now I'm in trying the other spectrum. I need to realize carbs are okay. Any good recipes plant based/vegan, let me know!

    I also used to do paleo and I thought that is was super healthy but after all the research I did when I became vegan, I realized how dangerous ketogenic diets truly are! I know it's quite a challenge to eat a significantly higher amount of carbs than you're used to. An easy way to get them in is through lots of fruits, beans and legumes. They don't block up your stomach as much as pasta and bread and rice, as I'm sure you have encountered since paleo. Plus they are complex carbs which means they are not only a carb but also high in protein. They are probably the best source of protein and they are wonderful for muscle toning because carbs are like brain and muscle fuel! Feel free to personal message for any specific meal ideas :)

    keto diets are not dangerous unless you have a health issue that would warrant it to be dangerous,pasta,bread and rice dont bock up your stomach(again unless you have issues with your stomach or those foods and if you are doing keto you dont eat many of those foods)
  • Irishmaggie
    Irishmaggie Posts: 5 Member
    Overnight oatmeal with tasty dried fruit added and Mason Jar salads have been a big help for me sticking to plant based during the week. I just prep everything on Sunday and I'm good to go. I'm one month in and cravings are gone which is crazy since I used to be a big snacker
  • raylo1313
    raylo1313 Posts: 20 Member
    http://engine2diet.com/tag/21-day-vegan-kickstart/
    I initially started plant based eating for just the 21 days. I am now 45 days into it because it was an easy transistion for me and I enjoy the extra energy that came with it. I've lost 8 lbs so far with no planned exercising. However, I do move alot during the day. One thing I do consistently is eat a bowl of old fashioned oatmeal with approx. 1/4 cup walnuts, 1/4 cup blueberries, 1/4 dried cranberries - EVERY morning. Please don't go off on the calories of the fruit and nuts. I AM losing and feel great and that is all that matters and lipids are great. When you eat plant based you can eat any plants - no restrictions as long as it is in moderation but not deprivation. If you are hungry, eat. If not, don't. Variety is the spice of life, therefore you shouldn't overload on any one food! This is what is works for me but may not for you. You need to find your life/eating style that you KNOW you can stick with...that is the hardest part - persistence. But the reward is fantastic! The weight will come off fast for some, slow for others - we are all different in our metabolisms. Good luck to you all!
  • FruityFridays
    FruityFridays Posts: 16 Member
    I wouldn't get hung up on protein, if you're eating a balanced diet, enough calories and a range of whole plant foods, you don't need to worry about protein. The Vegan community really differ on importance placed on protein, than those following a SAD. I've been a vegan for a year, I am very aware of my iron and B12 intake, but not protein.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    I wouldn't get hung up on protein, if you're eating a balanced diet, enough calories and a range of whole plant foods, you don't need to worry about protein. The Vegan community really differ on importance placed on protein, than those following a SAD. I've been a vegan for a year, I am very aware of my iron and B12 intake, but not protein.

    you do have to worry about protein when losing weight and for general health. protein helps prevents loss of lean mass and there is such a thing as protein deficiency,look it up. you need to get enough of all the macros(carbs,protein and fats)
  • tlnm158
    tlnm158 Posts: 11 Member
    Hi everyone! I eat mostly plant based, and need some inspiration for meals. Does anyone log food and have an open diary? Would love to see some plant based clean eating! Thanks :)
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    I wouldn't get hung up on protein, if you're eating a balanced diet, enough calories and a range of whole plant foods, you don't need to worry about protein. The Vegan community really differ on importance placed on protein, than those following a SAD. I've been a vegan for a year, I am very aware of my iron and B12 intake, but not protein.

    Protein is very important, it is the one thing i strive to get enough of, eg a lot more than the inadequate amount mfp suggests.
    As was mentioned, protein deficiency is real.
  • eramir27
    eramir27 Posts: 2 Member
    Hey If it still interests you. Ive been a vegan for over a year and its been a tough but very awesome journey. Some recommendations on plant based protein:
    Quinoa combo with chickpeas
    Tempeh
    Tofu

    If you are concerned with lack of B12:
    Try Spirulina powder or tablets

    For the most of vitamins and minerals, plants contain a high amount on this, every different plant has its benefits, you can always research individually based on your preference. I might include a green juice from time to time as it really does the body good. Good luck on your journey! I hope you enjoy it.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    eramir27 wrote: »
    Hey If it still interests you. Ive been a vegan for over a year and its been a tough but very awesome journey. Some recommendations on plant based protein:
    Quinoa combo with chickpeas
    Tempeh
    Tofu

    If you are concerned with lack of B12:
    Try Spirulina powder or tablets

    For the most of vitamins and minerals, plants contain a high amount on this, every different plant has its benefits, you can always research individually based on your preference. I might include a green juice from time to time as it really does the body good. Good luck on your journey! I hope you enjoy it.

    Spirulina contains a B12 analog, not B12. It is not a reliable source of B12. When studied clinically, it did not improve B12 levels in people who consumed it. It may even interfere with absorption of actual B12.

    Here is some more information: http://www.veganhealth.org/b12/plant#spiru
  • Rocbola
    Rocbola Posts: 1,998 Member
    ambridget2 wrote: »
    I want to try plant-based eating so I am beginning a 21 Day Program on my own. Grocery shopping was exhausting yet eye-opening. Any advice from vegans on their beginnings?
    The best advice for this site is to not take advice from the open forums; check out the vegan groups. People who have never tried it tend to be fairly hostile and uninformed on the subject.

    Keep your favorite fruits and vegetables on hand at home.
    Log your calories, at least at first, to make sure you get enough.
    Potatoes and rice, even the much maligned white varieties, are your friend.
    Eat your greens. Every day.
    Veggie soups are super easy to make, very filling, and can be very nutritious.
  • Anithen
    Anithen Posts: 5 Member
    I recommend taking a good multi vitamin and sip fortified vegan milks weekly so you aren't missing any vitamins. Aside from that, there are a lot of simple things to eat. Feel free to look at my diary for ideas.
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