Going vegan COLD TURKEY !

rebeccabertrand2497

So I recently decided to go vegan. Out of the blue, and I’m honestly not getting much support from family. They don’t think I can do it. I’m not trying to just do this for one or two weeks but I want to actually change my lifestyle. I have been on my fitness journey since June 1, and have already lost 22lbs. I’m currently taking nutrition class in school and it got me wondering abou the types of foods we are eating. So I started doing some research and watching documentaries that are available on Netflix. The first documentary that I watched was called “what the health” and it completely changed my perspective. I started my vegan lifestyle on September 5, and have been doing great so far. I feel as if I’m getting leaner and lighter. But I have noticed that I’ve also been going to the restroom a lot regularly. Which is great ! I’m still doing research on what it’s like being vegan, trying to come up with new recipes and new eating habits that I could have. If you guys have any suggestions that would be great. Let’s see how all this goes !

TrishSeren

Firstly: it's very challenging to simply switch to a vegan lifestyle, most people start vegetarian and then transition.
Secondly: the documentaries on Netflix aren't factually correct (that's me being nice and not using the words I want to use).
Thirdly: Veganism is NOT a weight loss diet is an ethical choice.
Fourthly: Veganism doesn't automatically mean healthy.

Finally, why is going to the bathroom more a good thing?

I'm not against Veganism, I've just seen an alarming trend of people adopting it thinking it'll make them skinnier or healthier and not fully understanding what veganism really means.

Fitnessflexibility

Love this!!! Feel free to add me here
Congratulations! If you need anything let me know.
I went vegan 2 years ago and im learning still everyday! The best advice is the more whole plant based you eat the better you feel!
[edited by MFP mods]

snickerscharlie

rebeccabertrand2497 wrote: »

So I recently decided to go vegan. Out of the blue, and I’m honestly not getting much support from family. They don’t think I can do it. I’m not trying to just do this for one or two weeks but I want to actually change my lifestyle. I have been on my fitness journey since June 1, and have already lost 22lbs. I’m currently taking nutrition class in school and it got me wondering abou the types of foods we are eating. So I started doing some research and watching documentaries that are available on Netflix. The first documentary that I watched was called “what the health” and it completely changed my perspective. I started my vegan lifestyle on September 5, and have been doing great so far. I feel as if I’m getting leaner and lighter. But I have noticed that I’ve also been going to the restroom a lot regularly. Which is great ! I’m still doing research on what it’s like being vegan, trying to come up with new recipes and new eating habits that I could have. If you guys have any suggestions that would be great. Let’s see how all this goes !

You should likely do a wee bit more research into veganism (from reputable source, this time!) before diving in. Being vegan, as noted above, is an ethical choice first and foremost.

PS; What the Health is completely bogus.

Good luck to you.

L1zardQueen

You mean going cold tofurky!

BABetter1

I went vegan a few years ago, because I believed it would help me to be healthier. I actually began to rapidly gain weight. What I learned: Don't buy a bunch of junk vegan substitute foods like vegan cheese and boca burgers. Eat real and raw, as raw as you can stand it, vegan. Don't go crazy with bread and corn chips. Make sure you are getting plenty of good healthy fats and proteins. I am no longer vegan. It just didn't work for me, and I don't have any ethical compulsion to avoid meat other than certain religious restrictions. Good luck.

NovusDies

I honestly do not care if you try this. Just be sure to get enough fat and protein to stay healthy. I will say that I fair percentage of my friends went through either a vegetarian or vegan phase and for all of them except one the phase ended.

I wouldn't make declarations to people you know that this is your intention right now. If you decide that this is not for you it will save you from people poking fun at you.

Until you are sure don't make a fuss either. If you want to eat different food you take care of you for now. It is a hassle to prepare separate meals and if this turns out to be a phase you don't want people to go out of their way for you.

5 days is not an evaluation period. The only lighter and leaner you could possibly feel would be from shedding water and/or food waste. Nothing significant has happened inside your body this soon unless you were somehow deficient before starting.

It is unwise to make life decisions based on documentaries. Many of them are made to be profitable and will use sensationalism and fact bending to keep viewers interested.

If this turns out to be a phase for you be wise enough to know when to end it. Don't stick to it because people were against you. It is okay to make mistakes in life but it is never a good idea to compound one mistake with another.

If this turns out to be your life good luck!

Lillymoo01

I'd do a lot more research before I transitioned to a vegan lifestyle - preferably not from Netflix documentaries works of fiction. If it is a way of eating that you want to pursue then make sure you are knowledgeable enough before you begin to ensure you are getting adequate nutrition. The more restrictive your diet, the harder it is to obtain all of your required vitamins and minerals. What are you going to eat get enough calcium and iron? What about vitamin B12? ....... There are others to add to this list. Until you can answer these questions then you are not ready to begin a vegan lifestyle. pssst a multivitamin is not really going to be ideal for optimal health either.

janejellyroll

BABetter1 wrote: »

I went vegan a few years ago, because I believed it would help me to be healthier. I actually began to rapidly gain weight. What I learned: Don't buy a bunch of junk vegan substitute foods like vegan cheese and boca burgers. Eat real and raw, as raw as you can stand it, vegan. Don't go crazy with bread and corn chips. Make sure you are getting plenty of good healthy fats and proteins. I am no longer vegan. It just didn't work for me, and I don't have any ethical compulsion to avoid meat other than certain religious restrictions. Good luck.

Counterpoint: I've been vegan for over ten years and it's worked very well for me. Eating foods like vegan cheese, Boca burgers, bread, and corn chips is perfectly okay. Just do it in the context of a diet that is meeting your nutritional needs. Raw food is great. So is cooked food. There's no reason to arbitrarily eat raw food, just eat a variety of things using preparation styles that complement the flavor of the food. I have no idea what "unreal" food is, so I have nothing to offer there.

If someone told me veganism "didn't work" for them, I would be cautious of accepting their nutritional/dietary advice. This is an area where I'd listen more to the people who have managed to maintain the lifestyle long-term. If maintaining a healthy weight is also a goal, I'd pay extra close attention to the people who are vegan and have either lost weight or maintained a healthy weight while being vegan.

earlnabby

rebeccabertrand2497 wrote: »

So I recently decided to go vegan. Out of the blue, and I’m honestly not getting much support from family. They don’t think I can do it. I’m not trying to just do this for one or two weeks but I want to actually change my lifestyle. I have been on my fitness journey since June 1, and have already lost 22lbs. I’m currently taking nutrition class in school and it got me wondering abou the types of foods we are eating. So I started doing some research and watching documentaries that are available on Netflix. The first documentary that I watched was called “what the health” and it completely changed my perspective. I started my vegan lifestyle on September 5, and have been doing great so far. I feel as if I’m getting leaner and lighter. But I have noticed that I’ve also been going to the restroom a lot regularly. Which is great ! I’m still doing research on what it’s like being vegan, trying to come up with new recipes and new eating habits that I could have. If you guys have any suggestions that would be great. Let’s see how all this goes !

So you "went vegan" cold turkey (love the pun BTW). Did you throw out all your leather, silk, and wool? Any cosmetics with carmine, cochineal extract or natural red 4 or honey/beeswax needs to be thrown out too, not to mention the honey in your kitchen. If not, you are vegetarian, not vegan.