I need tips! Finally becoming Vegan!

JT1090

I've been vegetarian for 3 months while toying with the idea of veganism. I'm finally ready to fully take on this lifestyle. Do you have any tips about eating vegan diet? Any good grocery store products you can reccommend?

Also, how has becoming vegan changed your life and body?

speedycakes

I'm trying to go vegan too! I haven't been super successful so far but i'm working on it. I shop at trader joes, they have lots of vegan products. Whole foods is good to but there so much more expensive. http://www.traderjoes.com/lists/vegan.asp I'm going to make a list off this and go shopping. I need to get some protein bar or powders because i'm having trouble eating enough protein and getting wayyy to many carbs.
There are things i miss, like eggs but in time i'l get over them. I slipped today and had an egg with whites. I'm hoping by new years i'll be able to go total vegan.

veganbaum

There's a group in the group sections called Happy Herbivore for veg*ns, you might want to check it out and ask questions there, especially for the sharing of stories about life impact.

I would suggest learning about nutrition - Becoming Vegan is a good book. You could also look at the PCRM website and there are some other good nutritional websites - just google "vegan nutrition" or something like that. The website Happy Herbivore has some good recipes, as do the cookbooks The Happy Herbivore and Everyday Happy Herbivore. I also like The Accidental Vegan. I would suggest staying away from most faux meat products because they are highly processed. As long as you eat a varied diet - veggies, legumes, nuts, seeds, grains - you should be getting what you need nutritionally (but you should still research it as people love to argue about what they think you aren't getting), however you should find a good sublingual B12 supplement to take as it is the hardest thing for vegans to get through food.

JT1090

Speedycakes:

It is really hard! I've stopped eating plain yogurt, milk, and cheese but if I'm craving a food that contains dairy products or eggs I will eat it. You know what I mean? It's going to be difficult to suddenly stop eating all the food I've grown up on. Not to mention how hard family functions will be. I've been dying to go to Trader Joes lately!

BarbWhite09

I really wouldn't suggest going vegan...

lmelangley

I'm not vegan, but one of my best friends is. Went to a vegan Hanukkah celebration last night. Try roasted kale - with just a touch of olive oil and garlic. And, if you haven't tried it yet, I highly recommend PB2. I use it in place of peanut butter in granola bars (my daughter doesn't like the texture of non-ground nuts). Another great food is quinoa - a grain with lots of protein that's easy to cook and can be added to lots of stuff. Lastly, don't forget that you can look up vegan recipes on sites like Allrecipes.com.

And, my personal favorite- although probably not best for this site - Oreos are vegan.

djkshdfd

You need to make sure you get enough protein and from non-soy sources would be nice. I suggest Garden of Life Raw Protein Powder. It is raw, unprocessed (besides dehydrated and turned into powder), and all of the protein is from whole food sources. Of course, it is vegan.
Also, make sure you are getting enough B6, Iron, Calcium and Vitamin D. Many vegans can be deficient in those areas. Good luck! Just be sure to be balanced.

veganbaum

Speedycakes:

It is really hard! I've stopped eating plain yogurt, milk, and cheese but if I'm craving a food that contains dairy products or eggs I will eat it. You know what I mean? It's going to be difficult to suddenly stop eating all the food I've grown up on. Not to mention how hard family functions will be. I've been dying to go to Trader Joes lately!

So why not just be happy being vegetarian?

VeggieKelli

My favorite milk replacements are coconut (in the box), and almond.

I try to eat a balanced meal with very very little faux meats and absolutely no faux cheeses (but, I'm allergic to legumes, so pretty much all of those are off limits anyways). A few favorites of mine are the coconut ice cream alternatives (conveniently expensive so I don't buy them very often), field dream faux meats (they are basically just vegetables, spice and grain), and Theo chocolate. I eat hemp seed butter daily. Dave's killer bread is also awesome! Nutritional yeast is also a must.

One of my favorite online sources (well, it's about 30 minutes from where I live so I go there a bit) for vegan groceries is foodfightgrocery.com, it's all vegan, good place for ideas of what's out there.

As far as body is concerned, I have been vegan for the majority of the last 7 years, not been thin for most of it, but I started out not thin so yeah. I was also a bit of a junk food vegan, and by a bit I mean majorly! I do know though that I have a lot of energy and feel strong and balanced, now that I'm eating better. Good luck on your journey and feel free to add me for support!!

kenzietea

Definitely buy cook books and learn how to cook BALANCED meals. I think too many people that try and fail, is because they are stuck eating tofu and veggies. There are soooo many delicious and wonderful things you can cook without animal food sources. Almost anything vegetarian or with meat you can find vegan substitutes for, even with cooking whole foods. Also, don't be afraid of trying new things either. There are so many new (and yummy) veggies I have found since I have made the switch. And also remember Vegan doesn't always mean healthy. You have to still get the right amount of vitamins, minerals, protein, carbs, fats, etc. It is easy to get them IF you know how, but if you go in blindly you might not be eating the right things. Good luck to you, and if you are feeling like indulging, I have an AMAZING vegan cinnamon roll recipe that tastes just as amazing, if not more so- than those delicious, gooey kind you can get from a bakery (and yes, healthier too!).

Bentley2718

If you're looking for protein supplements, brown rice and pea proteins are okay if you mix them with something, although they're too gritty for me to get down mixed with water (I also have a hard time getting down any protein powder). I use them to make my own protein bars, using this recipe (I haven't tried it with the cookies) http://peasandthankyou.com/recipage/?recipe_id=6000657 . It's not fantastic, but it is good, especially after working out. The same site has some other recipes for vegan protein bars, and vegan food in general.

I've been ovo lacto for 9 years, but recently decided to transition to vegan. I've lost my taste for most foods I thought I'd miss, including yogurt and melted cheese. The one remaining thing is baked goods--they're my weakness, but not exactly something I should be eating anyway. It can sometimes be awkward socially, but overall it's been okay. I feel like it's the right thing to do, I just need to work on making the right decision every time.

Also, when the urge for cheese hits, if it does, try Daiya.

Bentley2718

if you are feeling like indulging, I have an AMAZING vegan cinnamon roll recipe that tastes just as amazing, if not more so- than those delicious, gooey kind you can get from a bakery (and yes, healthier too!).

I'd love to have that.

Samantha1941

If there is a Whole Foods near you, go there. Its Heaven!! They have tons of vegan stuff. I definitely need my sweet things every now and then and they have vegan cookies, donuts, pizza, icecream, and Mac and cheese!! Its so good!!! Plus they are a bit more healthy then the normal non vegan kinds.

stylistchik

congrats! I don't have a lot of suggestions but feel free to add me as a friend, I am a nearly vegan too.