Vegan Diet?

J3SSP3NNY

So I have been reading about vegan diet. And all the health benefits make it REALLY alluring. I love the idea of being more healthy and feeling more energetic.

Here's my problem....taste. lol I am a meat person all the way. I have gone MONTHS without eating a single veggie. And to push myself into an all veggie diet makes me feel like blowing my brains out. How can I live without the REALLY tasty stuff? (I say all veggie because I am a HUGE fruit person. I consider fruit candy)

I'm not a fan of tofu...it's like rubber and tasteless. Plus I heard soy isn't as great for you as promised. Is this true?
I also can't stand vegan cheese...nasty. lol


What's a good compromise? Like a cheat day (or 2) where you get to eat meat/animal by-products?

Anyone else out there reading this who found their selves in the same boat and came up with a good compromise with them selves?

jrich1

You can eat meat, you dont have to deprive yourself of things you like, focus on portion control and moderation. Dont start eating a way you cant eat for the rest of your life. Find healthier ways to make your favorite things, make stuff from scratch and cut out a lot of the processed foods and that alone, even with eating meat which you still can, will make you feel tons better and more energetic

hello_kitty3

I tried a vegan diet for 2 days and I couldn't stand it! I like vegetables and I'm not a big red meat eater, I do love my chicken and turkey though lol but I just couldn't do it. I lost 1.5lbs in the 2 days I did it but to me it wasn't worth it. If you don't eat pretty similar to that diet already you're probably going to have a hard time sticking with it.

Runner_mick

I just switched to a vegan diet 3 weeks ago. Not going to lie, It was very tough at first but with a lot of research online and recipes, I found changes I could make. I like soy milk better actually. And tofu isn't that bad. It just takes on the flavors of whatever you are cooking it with. I started out with the notion of taking 1 cheat day a week so I could still eat my subway sandwiches but I like the diet so much, I don't need cheat days. It has made me feel 100 % better. And I watched "Earthlings" hard to watch but furthermore told me that switching to vegan was the right choice for me,

hello_kitty3

oh and while I was on the diet I was very sluggish... I had no energy lol so I don't know what happened

KettyLan

Bump

KettyLan

Bump

VeganGal84

Every little bit helps! Why not start small, like Meatless Mondays? Then maybe start having vegan dinners every day.

If you LOVE eating animal products, then a lifetime of never eating them isn't very realistic unless you REALLY want it. I say start small, and see what works for you.

1smemae94

Hello, i am not a vegan but i am trying to cut back on my dairy and egg production since going vegetarian. Tofu absorbs whatever you are cooking it in and can taste meaty when frozen before cooking. There are alot of products that can substitute meat while cooking and just for eating. If you don't want soy, try rice milk. It tastes really good! As for vegetables, go out of your way to try a new one every week and cook three things with the vegetable. It opens you up to alot of new things, tastes, and recipies. Best of luck!

Contrarian

I agree with VeganGal84 who said to try Meatless Mondays, first. If you enjoy meat that much, you may be setting yourself up to fail. I recently decided to become vegetarian, but it hasn't been that difficult for me because I didn't eat much meat to begin with.

I do crave it, sometimes, but I made the decision because it fits in better with my beliefs. Why not try becoming pescatarian or ovo-lacto vegetarian, first?

LittlestStar

A vegan diet is a great thing to try. Give yourself a week and see how it goes - monitor how you feel, your energy, your emotions, and whether you're enjoying what you're eating. Just try for a week.

Field Roast vegan sausages (at Whole Foods, probably elsewhere) - especially the Apple Sage - is like real meat. So is the Lite Life Gimme Lean breakfast sausage (any grocery store will carry this in the veg section). These are great if you are just DYING for meat, but they're vegan. And I have to say I really enjoy the Boca vegan chick'n nuggets. They are fantastic dipped in buffalo sauce.

Now, that stuff is probably not so healthy for you b/c it's processed. But if you like legumes, you can totally do this! I am vegan and eat a lot of curried lentils, bean chilis, tacos/burritos, salad, etc. I can give you some great recipes - from baked bread to stew.

Also check out Alice Water's cookbook from Chez Panisse. It's all vegetables but she shows you delicious ways to cook vegetables that taste like vegetables: ONLY BETTER.

GOOD LUCK!

leslielt

Are you feeling sluggish?

Twins2007

I follow a Veganish diet...

The reason I say veganish is because I slip...Either on baked goods (sorry cows and chickens), fast food (a huge sorry to any of those as well!!) and even have had a hot dog...twice. I honor it as a Journey...

The reason for me was because of the reality of those farm animals...Seriouly makes me sick.

And because I didn't really eat that much meat...

I started off with Alicia Silverstone's "kiND Diet" and i never felt BETTER!

People who go Vegan but who don't eat enough protein will feel like crap..But I am telling you...When I follow it 100% (which has never been more than a couple of week sadly); no bloating...no zits....energy level up..


Good luck and do whatever works for YOU!

E xo

speedy001

Hi I became vegan almost a year ago and have never felt better. I too loved meat but felt that with all that tastes lovely in this world there is no need to kill animals. Yes it was difficult at first and yes its a challenge now when I go out but on the positive side when I gave up milk my stomach just shrank. I now know that I dairy didn't agree with me and it was making me really bloated but because I ate it every day I had no idea. I say find some food and recipes that you like and start by eating them personally I have found a whole new joy in cooking as its a challenge for me to make food that tastes great with no cruelty involved. Once you start being aware and open yourself up to the compassionate life of caring about where your food comes from the rest is easy.

TheKitsune6

You can be perfectly healthy with less work by simply eating more balanced. Why go all vegan? Eat normal portions and start including vegetables. It's not like it's got to be all or nothing

MissTink

Hey, I'm really glad to hear that you're considering going vegan! It's fantastic for you, and for the animals/environment. I'm (unfortunately) not a vegan, but that's only due to living with my parents. I am a Vegetarian going on a year and half though!

The biggest tip I can give you is take it slow, and forgive yourself if you slip up in the first couple of months. Not going to lie, it is really hard to give up meat, especially if you love it as much as I did.

Before you dive headfirst into veganism: up your vegetable intake a lot. Go vegetarian first, and then go vegan. It can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months to transition, and be really happy in your vegan diet.
Start with a few meat free days per week, and just keep eating less meat/animal products. After the first month meat-free I couldn't even think about eating chicken/beef again without feeling ill, and that was compared to when I used to eat chicken 4-5 days a week.
A word on meat/dairy replacements: a lot of them are quite disgusting, I've tried quite a few different ones and some I love, some I hate. It all depends on your taste preferences. So just pick a couple each week/month and try them out. You will probably be able to find something you like.

A book I would really recommend reading is called 'Skinny *****' by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin. It's really informative and will probably make you want to do this even more than you do now. It gives you the low down on the ways that animals are treated in the food industry, and also what their products are doing to your body when you eat them.

Most of all, educate yourself. Find LOTS of recipes and different foods to try out. You're opening yourself up to a whole new world of food. Enjoy it!

Pangui

My whole family switched to a whole foods plant-based diet in June this year. That is essentially a low-fat vegan diet. My husband was an avid meat-eater and we had two children to transition as well. It was hard in the beginning to learn how to prepare foods that we would like. It takes more than a few days to give this a serious effort. It takes at least 21-28 days to realize how liveable it really is and to start building up a collection of healthy easy-to-prepare plant-based recipes.

But it didn't take that long for us to notice immediate health benefits. We had more energy right away. Our taste buds changed. I never really cared much for veggies before and now I just LOVE them. My husband and I have dropped 110 pounds between us and he is off of all his BP, cholesterol and anxiety medications. If you do this right, your health will improve considerably. My seasonal allergies disappeared. My cholesterol levels dropped and my sinuses cleared up. I attribute the benefits to the lifestyle change rather than the weight loss because these improvements were almost immediate, before the weight had a chance to come off. We no longer have acid reflux. My husband no longer suffers from hemmorhoids. We feel more active and happier. Even my children have adjusted beautifully. One eats anything and one is super picky. My picky one has decided that she LOVES my home made fat-free hummus. That is something I never would have tried before.

I highly recommend the movie, "Forks Over Knives". It clearly demonstrates how eating this way can prevent and even reverse heart disease, cancer and diabetes. It was convincing enough to change our lives.

TrekkerCynthia

First of all I'm pescetarian, not vegan (only meat I eat is fish), but I do have a lot of vegan days. If you think vegan eating is tasteless, you are not using the right recipes. Appetite for Reduction, Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen, Veganomicon, Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World (had to throw that in, lol), etc. have some amazing dishes. The first two use a lot of normal, whole foods.

Most of my protein comes from legumes and I do eat tofu on occasion. Pressing it is important because it allows it to take on the flavors of whatever sauce you are using.

As for sluggishness, I have several vegan friends who are very active. A couple run marathons and one is a triathlete and participates in ironmans. Again, if you are sluggish on a vegan diet (think about it - TONS of micronutrients should be coursing through you body) then you aren't eating the right things. Variety and lots of color!!

bunny876

When my daughter was born. My husband and I both went to it, and we done it for about two years. Within that two years both of us came off of blood pressure meds, and my husband came off cholesterol meds as well. It was the best we felt. Granted it did not last, I think we should have went gradual instead of one day just going cold turkey. I think gradual is the best way to go, slowly phasing things out.

I hated the taste of tofu and some veggies but after a while you learn to love them. Also Boca burgers and Morning Star products are great. I guess since my daughter developed those eating habits when she was so young she is really good eater now, and rarely eats meat. She still has only had Soy Milk.

I am really thinking about going back to Vegan diet, but this time I will go slow and transition so I don't fail.

Oh yea, I had digestive issues too and all of that was solved when I had a Vegan diet.

There are so many recipes and websites that you can use to find good recipes. If you do the Vegan diet the proper way you will be healthy.

speedy001

I run and have been running further and faster since becoming vegan. I have completed two half marathons and next year I plan to do my first full marathon. You need to ensure that you are eating enough as its easy to not eat enough and make sure you do get lots of those pretty colours on your plate every meal.

healthorhighwater

do veganism for a few days/ weeks to test it out:) or maybe just choose a day or two every week to stick to a vegan diet:) I'm vegan and it's amazing, and every little bit helps! good luck

speedy001

I run and have been running further and faster since becoming vegan. I have completed two half marathons and next year I plan to do my first full marathon. You need to ensure that you are eating enough as its easy to not eat enough and make sure you do get lots of those pretty colours on your plate every meal.

rml_16

I don't believe that being vegan or vegetarian is necessarily healthier than being a meat eater.

I'm vegetarian for moral reasons, but I'm no healthier or thinner than anyone I know who eats meat. And I know some very UNhealthy vegans.

Just eat a healthy, balanced diet and enjoy your meat if that's what you want to eat.

As for soy, it's a very complicated issue, but tofu is different than the fake "meats" that are processed soy. The tofu is a better choice. There are ways to work it into your diet where texture and taste aren't an issue, but you still get the protein benefit.

TLCEsq

First of all I'm pescetarian, not vegan (only meat I eat is fish), but I do have a lot of vegan days. If you think vegan eating is tasteless, you are not using the right recipes. Appetite for Reduction, Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen, Veganomicon, Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World (had to throw that in, lol), etc. have some amazing dishes. The first two use a lot of normal, whole foods.

Most of my protein comes from legumes and I do eat tofu on occasion. Pressing it is important because it allows it to take on the flavors of whatever sauce you are using.

As for sluggishness, I have several vegan friends who are very active. A couple run marathons and one is a triathlete and participates in ironmans. Again, if you are sluggish on a vegan diet (think about it - TONS of micronutrients should be coursing through you body) then you aren't eating the right things. Variety and lots of color!!

She's right. I was vegan for YEARS, and if you try it you have to make sure you do it the right way. It's easy to go overboard on pasta and other "empty" nutrient foods. I don't think you should give up everything cold if you don't want to. You can still be healthy and eat meat. I eat chicken, fish and turkey now, but I only buy natural/organic from Whole Foods and the like. If you want to try to eliminate some animal products, you could start eating less dairy for a couple weeks or something and if you like the way you feel then work your way on up.

holyguacamole

I was vegan for around 6 months, one of my main reasons being to loose weight. I had been a vegetarian for years before hand for ethical/environmental reasons so I think it made it easier for me to become vegan. If you are going straight from eating meat all the time to being vegan, that could be tough. I did loose a bit of weight by going vegan but not a significant amount. I have lost almost 5kg since I joined MFP in September while eating dairy and eggs again, but with PORTION CONTROL in mind. I fould that on a vegan diet I felt like I was missing out on baking and felt left out in social situations. I HAVE cut down on the amount of dairy and eggs I used to consume, and I don't really eat processed foods or white flour.

I did find that being vegan gave me reasons to say no to chocolate or anything containing butter so when i stopped, I found it easier to resist.

Vegan diets can be super healthy, but you have to make sure you get all the right nutrients. You need B vitamins to burn fat, so make sure you're getting enough.

Don't make the silly mistakes I made: eating too many nuts and seeds, not getting enough calcium. Limit nuts to 25g per day. Try soy milk and rice milk - it actually nice, you can get light versions too- only 44 cal per 200ml.

Don't get into the habit of checking if something is vegan instead of checking the calories. BIG mistake...

Pangui

I don't believe that being vegan or vegetarian is necessarily healthier than being a meat eater.

I'm vegetarian for moral reasons, but I'm no healthier or thinner than anyone I know who eats meat. And I know some very UNhealthy vegans.

Just eat a healthy, balanced diet and enjoy your meat if that's what you want to eat.

As for soy, it's a very complicated issue, but tofu is different than the fake "meats" that are processed soy. The tofu is a better choice. There are ways to work it into your diet where texture and taste aren't an issue, but you still get the protein benefit.

This is exactly why I refer to my diet as a whole foods plant-based diet rather than just saying "vegan". I managed to become morbidly obese as a vegetarian (eating lots of cheese and eggs). It would be very easy to be a junk food vegan eating lots of processed foods, meat substitutes and cheese substitutes.

Most of us are here on MFP because health (or weight) is a priority for us. I do wish to differ with some here about the benefits of going "cold turkey" versus going gradually. If you go gradually, it is too easy to go back to old habits, especially if things get hard. If you do it all at once and clear out your cupboards, pantry, refrigerator and freezer of all highly processed and animal products, you have more leverage to continue on. If you make the complete switch at once, you will notice the improvements in a more dramatic fashion, especially issues with sinuses, high cholesterol, diabetes, or digestive tract issues. Granted, I was mostly a vegetarian before, but my husband was a full-blown meat-loving carnivore. I was totally shocked when he said he was ready to change his life.........and boy, did he ever!

PetitePerfection

Vegan diet isn't automatic weight loss. You have to still make sure that you're eating tons of veggies (and fruits too obviously!) and really watch carb intake because tons (but not all) of pasta, bread etc are vegan. And watch nut intake too because while they contain healthy fats that are necessary, a calorie is a calorie. And as for tofu, you can buy baked tofu already flavored from many stores if you're short on time and they taste awesome!! but that's the other thing, trying to be a HEALTHY vegan is time consuming and hard to do all the time. there have been plenty of times where I'm out and the only vegan thing on the menu is super carb heavy (although I'm not 100% vegan, but I try!!) and that is really your only choice. And for me, I'm still a student and I find that prepping a healthy vegan meal is just not practical sometimes and may have an almond butter sandwich for all three meals some days :ohwell: BUT......being vegan has really helped me limit a lot of unhealthy food intake and gotten me eating a lot more veggies than I ever have before :happy: !!! And my insides just feel cleaner, knowing that I don't have a bunch of animal **** clogging me up, and it's vvery rewarding!! so I'd say, give it a shot but if I were you, I'd start out just vegetarian, then cut out dairy/eggs.

J3SSP3NNY

I don't think I was clear enough.

I want to do it mostly for health and energy reasons. I have researched the topic quite a bit and know that I need to make sure I get a variety and watch out on certain things.

It's the health benefits I'm after. I'm assuming weight loss will come with it, but it's more the energy. The nutrients!

And I did make it sound like I hate veggies. I love veggies....but certain ones. And not to the point where I would pick them over a whole helping of buffalo wings or a big juicy steak. They will always win.

And I do care about the way the animals are treated at big places that make food for companies like Tyson or McDonald's. I try and make sure my food is cage free, wild caught, naturally raised animals.

I think what I've gathered from all this really, really helpful information is that I should just cut back on my animal foods to a few times a day and try and make sure I eat mostly fruits and veggies.

Thanks for every one's help and if there is anything to add I would love to hear it

Kasya007

There can be just as many unhealthy disadvantages to following a vegan lifestyle, as there are with a diet that includes meat. A vegan diet can be starch-laden & unclean too. Plus, it takes a lot more balancing (which can feel more like juggling), and with less options than you are used to. And boy, is it ever hard to eat at family functions, business meetings, dinners out and on flights, more so than it is when you are just watching your weight. It's a real pain in the rear unless you spend a lot of time in your own kitchen, garden & farmer's market.

The biggest disadvantages to a vegan diet would be vitamin & mineral deficiency, leading to malnutrition, anemia, a "LACK of energy", and so forth. I mention anemia, because vegans are particularly prone to being deficient of iron, although we humans can get iron from non meat sources, heme iron (the kind from meat only) is more easily absorbed by the body, while non heme (from nuts, fruits, veggies, grains) is not as easily absorbed. Vegans in NO WAY get heme iron in their diet & therefore must either consume more non-heme iron, which could up those calories & pounds (I know quite a few chunky vegans) or find an iron supplement (with vegan-only fillers) to take daily, which can be costly.

If you are a meat lover, but have a concern for animal welfare, making such a transition would most likely result in reverting back to your old ways. I would stick to what you like, BUT support local farms and buy only free range milk, cheese, meat, eggs, and wild fish from reputable fisheries as opposed to farmed fish. You can still be concerned about animal welfare & do your part to stop that abuse, by making those changes. Research food production companies & find the ones who kill in a humane fashion, because let's face it, things die, and a lot of species on this planet have a physiology that requires a diet of meat. It's how we go about eating it in today's society that is the big problem. Have a respect for all life, and be grateful to those who unwillingly gave their lives to be on your plate.

Vegangal84 actually has a great idea about incorporating less meats into your diet. I love the idea of making a day or two a week meatless. Even I do that, although, I definitely take an extra spoonful of my iron supplement on those days.

If you decide a vegan lifestyle is for you, know that it can be done in a healthy manner, it just takes a lot more effort & research. Best of luck to you.

Pangui

The biggest disadvantages to a vegan diet would be vitamin & mineral deficiency, leading to malnutrition, anemia, a "LACK of energy", and so forth. I mention anemia, because vegans are particularly prone to being deficient of iron, although we humans can get iron from non meat sources, heme iron (the kind from meat only) is more easily absorbed by the body, while non heme (from nuts, fruits, veggies, grains) is not as easily absorbed. Vegans in NO WAY get heme iron in their diet & therefore must either consume more non-heme iron, which could up those calories & pounds (I know quite a few chunky vegans) or find an iron supplement (with vegan-only fillers) to take daily, which can be costly.

You have made some great points, but I suspect you are placing too great of an importance on "heme iron". In the past, I have been anemic (before I went vegetarian). I track my daily iron intake here on MFP. Most days it isn't 100%, but it usually doesn't fall below 50%. I noticed that dark chocolate (even in small amounts), beans and nuts tend to get the numbers up there. This diet/lifestyle has given me way more energy than I have ever had before. The same goes for my husband.

I also wish to respectfully disagree with another previous poster about avoiding starches. Rice, potatoes, corn and beans are the staples of some of the healthiest, trimmest and longest-lived societies on earth. In the SAD (Standard American Diet), we tend to serve our starches with loads of fat (i.e. butter, sour cream, bacon, alfredo sauce, etc.) If you cut out the added fats, these starches are great sources of healthy carbs, protein and fats. In fact, I try to make these starches (in healthier whole grain versions), the centerpiece of my diet, balanced out with an equal amount of colorful veggies. I know for a fact that I am getting a lot more nutrients now than ever before.

tmarie2715

So I have been reading about vegan diet. And all the health benefits make it REALLY alluring. I love the idea of being more healthy and feeling more energetic.

Here's my problem....taste. lol I am a meat person all the way. I have gone MONTHS without eating a single veggie. And to push myself into an all veggie diet makes me feel like blowing my brains out. How can I live without the REALLY tasty stuff? (I say all veggie because I am a HUGE fruit person. I consider fruit candy)

I'm not a fan of tofu...it's like rubber and tasteless. Plus I heard soy isn't as great for you as promised. Is this true?
I also can't stand vegan cheese...nasty. lol


What's a good compromise? Like a cheat day (or 2) where you get to eat meat/animal by-products?

Anyone else out there reading this who found their selves in the same boat and came up with a good compromise with them selves?

Maybe the lack of veggies is where you should start. I don't see you being successful at a vegan diet, and if you have 2 cheat days a week you won't reap the benefits of a vegan diet.

Please don't give up on tofu-- it needs to be prepared properly or it is gross. Just like vegetables. Keep trying new ones and cooking them in new ways with new spices, in soups, pureed, etc.