Any Vegans in the house?

cmsiemsen

I didn't read any of the other posts above so I don't know if others mentioned this, but I am vegan, have been for about... two months? If you're looking to begin, there is a 21 Day Vegan Kickstart India (Indian Food) by PCRM (Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine) that starts the 7th next week. I did a regular one last month and it was really helpful for finding new recipes right off the bat!

http://support.pcrm.org/site/PageServer?pagename=21day_vegan_kickstart_india

^I'm doing this one too because I lOVE Indian food ). You can look at Vegans' Food Diary for inspiration too, I know I have many Vegan Friends on here and let me tell you: it is helpful!!!

raevynn

Yes, I am a vegan.

Soy is iffy. Some are sensitive, others are not, and it may possibly be something one develops a sensitivity to.

I can eat tempeh and miso, edamame, and a little tofu. I cannot tolerate soy milk - I have hormonal issues (though not nearly as badly as with dairy).

My diary is open, I think.

Green leafy veggies, fruit, nuts, seeds, grains... I eat pretty healthy almost all the time (do not look at yesterday!)... and, most importantly, except for my weight, I am healthy, based on medical tests/blood tests! :happy:

OceansForever

I was just going to suggest the 21-day-vegan-kick start. You can find them on Facebook.

I followed the recipes from Dr. Neil Barnard's cookbook "Go Healthy, Go Vegan" and like most of them.

This made it easier for me to get started.

I am currently back to vegetarian but hope to start eating Vegan only again soon.

MrsODriscoll

Hi! I am about 90-95% dietary vegan with just the occasional lapse when eating out. The internet is your friend - there are loads of great websites like fatfreevegan.com. Just take it step by step and don't be disheartened if you mess up. Someone mentioned the PCRM kickstart - Animal Aid do something similar I think and there is also a site somewhere where you can take a vegan pledge to try it for a month. Today is the best day to start - it being World Vegan Day!
Feel free to add me as a friend you can look at my diary and I'll send you the link to my recipe blog :-)

StruckBlue

I am vegetarian but almost vegan as I do not drink milk or eat yoghurt and only very rarely have cheese. Using this website it has helped me get a good balance in my diet - please feel free to browse my food diary - i am really pleased I now have good protein intake, but reasonably low carb diet. I cant believe how easily the weight has come off but I feel so satisfied when I eat. I do not personally believe dairy products are necessary as part of a good diet.

Yes i have heard too that too much soy is not good which is why I do not drink soya milk, I try to ensure I get a good variety of other proteins and milks instead. For instance wheat protein is good, and beans/lentils are very rich in protein too. I drink coconut milk or oat milk with breakfast. It helps if you have a nice health food shop nearby which luckily I do.

There is lots of advice out there, i am a member of the Vegan Society in the UK - not sure where you are from but I would recommend joining something similar if possible.

healthorhighwater

*******The estrogen in plants can only compatible withhhhh plants! Don't fear it:) I'm a low-fat, health conscious, gym addicted vegan:)

So anyone feel free to message me questions:)

Pangui

My husband and I (and our girls) have been vegan since June after watching the health documentary "Forks Over Knives". If you are looking for good health, it's not enough to just be vegan. It is possible to be a fat unhealthy junk food vegan, which really defeats the whole purpose.

We eat lots of whole foods and whole grains. These include fruit, veggies, legumes, brown rice, whole grain pasta, corn tortillas, almond milk, potatoes (lots of potatoes), nuts and seeds (minimal) and some soy products, the less processed, the better. Initially, we were using a lot of animal product substitutes like soy cheese, TVP (textured vegetable protein), and fake meat and butter products. While those items might help with a transition to a plant-based diet, they aren't good for you either. Keeping them to two or three servings a week or less is best. Buy simpler (and cheaper) foods. Spend more time in the produce section. Learn how to make healthy fat free salad dressings, sauces, dips and gravies.

In time you will develop your favorite meals. I like oatmeal for breakfast every day. Sometimes I use steel-cut oats and sometimes old fashioned. Most day when I come home for lunch, I will eat left-overs. If I don't have any, I will take a couple of small red potatoes, microwave them, cover them with some canned beans, corn, raw onions, salsa and whatever I have in the house. It is delicious and filling and relatively low-calorie. That really leaves me with only one meal to plan for every day, dinner. I try to provide variety for my whole family and it is my chance to try out new recipes. Not all of them are hits, but it's definitely worth the effort, especially when I come up with a winner like Mexican Pumpkin Soup or Spicy Thai Noodles. These are dishes that I never would have attempted in my omnivore and vegetarian days.

Best wishes for you in your new eating adventure. It may seem daunting at first, but it does become routine eventually and your taste buds will thank you for all the effort.

AnnaMaus

I'm vegan, love to cook and keep an open diary. Friend me!

walkingfriend

Soy has phytoestrogens (mimics estrogen in your body) and there is some evidence that it screws with your thyroid but other studies show it reduces your risk for cancer so I would say eat it in moderation. If you want to be uber pure you can get your protein from beans but it'll take A LOT of beans to get enough protein. I just stick to a little organic tofu and supplement that with beans and nuts if it doesn't add up to enough protein.

xashleemarie

I am a new Vegan (since June) best thing I have ever done - for ethical reasons but i really think its best for health too. As far as soy goes - just like any food i eat it in moderation. I only eat tofu like 3 times in a fortnight! .....
Not all vegans are 'skinny and malnutritioned' as someone above said. If you consume alot of oil and carby foods you can still struggle.

Heres what i ate yesterday for a guide for anyone:

*Breakfast:
Cereal (2 Weet-Bix) with Soy Milk, molasses and linseeds
1 Glass of fruit juice

*Lunch:
2 slices of Soy & linseed Bread with dairy free spread and Marmite (its like Vegemite)


*Dinner:
2 Vegan BBQ sausages with a Spinach, mushroom, capsicum, alfafa sprout Salad. (with mustard dressing & chilli sauce)

*Snacks:
A couple of vegan chocolate cookies
1 Apple
1 Mango
1 decaf Coffee, with soy milk, molasses and 1 sweetener

fieldfare

In the UK and eat a vegan diet too, veggie for eight years until five months ago, and although there's masses of pro/con stuff written about various foods I think as long as you're eating a generally healthy, varied diet with reasonable portion control you can't go wrong - problems often seem to arise over a food if someone consumes too much of it, so everything in moderation is a good rule to live by, I think. Love soya milk, tofu, Alpro soya yoghurts and desserts but don't much like processed vegan substitutes e.g. Cheezly.

Here's what I ate yesterday if anyone's interested ...

Breakfast - Oatmeal with soya milk, a spoonful of Linwoods flaxseed and a few sultanas

Lunch - Home-made veg soup with a slice of Kingsmill wholemeal bread, an apple, a ginger snap biscuit and a cuppa tea

Dinner - A Linda McCartney sausage roll, a serving of quinoa pilaf home-made with lemon juice/zest and rapeseed oil, some carrots, sweetcorn and green beans with a spoonful of Baxters Victorian Chutney

Snacks - 200ml soya milk allowed for teas/coffees through the day, a home-made mini sultana wholemeal scone with Vitalite and strawberry jam, 100g Alpro plain yoghurt after cardio workout, a few almonds, dried apricots and apple rings

Total 1391 cals

vegangirl88

I'm vegan! Have been for a few years now, and never looking back! I would suggest using meat replacers until you get used to the vegan lifestyle and then try to cut back on them and increase your pure plant intake. Fruits and veggies contain amino acids, which is what your body has to work hard to turn protein into, so don't get too het up when people are like "ARGH PROTEIN!!!" at you lol. Saying that, I do still enjoy the odd meat replacement, Linda McCartney and Frys have some good stuff. Look online for vegan recipes, there is an absolute mine of information out there. Apply for information packs from places like Animal Aid and the vegan society, they will give you info on what the lifestyle entails, the benefits for you, the animals and the planet, as well as recipes.

Any vegans not already on my friends list -add me! Always happy to get more vegan support

cmhickey616

I just started eating a vegan diet for the health benefits after watching Forks Over Knives and I am loving it so so much. I am using the Happy Herbivore Cookbook and the same girl's blog site, the Happy Herbivore. Everything she makes is low-fat, uses whole grains/minimally processed ingredients, and is vegan annnnd it's delicious!!

lisasays

vegan here!

agree about watching your soy intake. I developed a severe allergy and ended up in the ER twice! Allergy was caused by consuming too much processed soy and stress.
My son, who is now vegan, but grew up vegetarian, developed Hypothyroid at 11 yrs. old - VERY rare for a young boy! His immunologist believe soy may have triggered it. He will be on meds for life

My family eats lots of vegetables, brown rice, quinoa, beans, lentils, seitan, etc.