Anybody going Plant Based ?

JeannetteAsh
JeannetteAsh Posts: 9 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I'm going to start a plant based lifestyle which I hope will be permanent. Anybody have any tips, ideas, hacks or advice to start this journey ? :p:p

Replies

  • Old_Cat_Lady
    Old_Cat_Lady Posts: 1,193 Member
    edited September 2017
    Do it slowly. Ex: give up red meat for a month at first. Giving up salmon and chicken and eggs for life is pretty hard. Wish you the best of luck.
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
    Tempeh and mushrooms are your friends.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,422 MFP Moderator
    Make sure you eat enough protein and monitor blood work to ensure you are getting enough b12.
  • pgarris101
    pgarris101 Posts: 8 Member
    I am going with a plant based diet also. Just made a transition about 30 days ago. Its just a personal choice no meat and no dairy
  • LiveLoveFitFab
    LiveLoveFitFab Posts: 302 Member
    I'm doing it. Making very slow changes. This week I have stopped red meat. I'm learning one recipe at a time. I have some tofu I'm going to try tonight and then making some dal if I can find the right spices. I figure once I have five or six basic recipes under my belt that I like and feel comfortable with I'm going to move forward.
    I've decided to keep the eggs and dairy in my diet for now or for ever, I just don't feel like I have the knowledge to get the right amount of protein and vitamins if I removed them from my diet right now. I may feel different later.

    My advice to you is learn how to cook vegetarian, one meal at a time. Figure out how you are going to get your protein and how to do this in a healthy way.
  • cjsacto
    cjsacto Posts: 1,421 Member
    edited September 2017
    It doesn't have to mean bland or boring. Experiment with spices. Also, you don't have to eat stuff you don't like, there are lots of tasty things to incorporate in a plant-based diet.

    I've been a pesco-vegetarian for 27 years and I'm still finding new things to eat, or new ways to prepare food I like.
  • svel713
    svel713 Posts: 141 Member
    Cocobut milk is great for a milk substitute.

    For protein powder, you can buy TrueNutrition's vegan optimizer blend. Its chalkier than regular whey powder, so make sure to use enough liquid with it. I mix it with coconut milk.

    Seitan is great if you can make it home made for protein. Look up recipes for it, its fairly easy to make.
  • ElizabethHanrahan
    ElizabethHanrahan Posts: 102 Member
    Don't expect ANY of the replacement items (milk, cheese, meat) to taste like what you are used to. THEY DON'T!!!!
    But there are some that taste better than others. Don't buy everything right away, try only one kind till you find what you like the taste of. I am allergic to milk protein and have to read EVERY label for hidden milk ingredients. If an item is labeled "vegan certified" there are NO animal products included. Good luck with your new lifestyle.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,072 Member
    My advice would be to focus on including more of X (in this case, plant-based foods) and not focusing on not eating Y (animal-based foods). Do you eat meat at pretty much every dinner now? If so, decide to have two dinners a week that don't have meat. Once you've got that working smoothly, start increasing the number of plant-only meals.
  • rachls77
    rachls77 Posts: 11 Member
    My advice! Do it!

    I have been plant based for a couple of years now and have never felt better. I only do it for my health (been strictly vegetarian for 30 years though) so occasionally allow myself pizza if I really want it. I am rarely ill (not been off work sick in years) and if I get the beginnings of a virus it clears up amazingly quickly. My weight, my skin and my energy levels have greatly benefited from my lifestyle.

    Most recipes can be adapted i.e. Curry, chilli, bolognaise. The supermarkets now have a great choice of soya milk, yogurts, spreads and ice cream. Just remember the processed plant based foods still contain fat and often lots of sugar. I would totally recommend the Happy Herbivore's Light and Lean recipe book and website (and podcasts!) for low calorie plant based recipes. I am also a great fan of cauliflower rice and courgetti as it means I can have large portions of plant based bologanise and courgetti or caulirice and vegetable chilli for relatively low calories.

    The great thing about a plant based diet is the nutrient density of the foods you eat compared to an average diet.

    Stick at it long enough to see the benefits and you'll love it I promise!

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