Fellow Vegan/Vegetarian/Pescetarians

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flyingwrite
flyingwrite Posts: 264
in Food and Nutrition
I'm looking for other people out there interested in getting healthy, not just losing weight and staying under their calorie goal. I'm an experienced cook who eats an 80% vegan diet and loves new ideas for healthy recipes. Friend me if you're interested in rocking this journey back to health together.
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  • missleah26
    missleah26 Posts: 146 Member
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    I've watched a few documentaries in the past few months that all make a really strong case for a whole-food, plant-based diet. I'm definitely at the omnivore stage now, but both my husband and I (I didn't even have to work at convincing him, since he saw the documentaries with me!) want to move to a vegan diet.

    Any tips for those of us just getting started?
  • flyingwrite
    flyingwrite Posts: 264
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    Take it slow and don't be hard on yourself. You don't have to fit a label. And you may find that 100% plant-based isn't your thing. And that's okay, too. We tried 100% vegan, but found that including fish in our diet just worked better for us. The best thing you can do is equip yourself with good recipes/cookbooks: Vegan with a Vengeance, Vegan Yum Yum and Power Foods are my big three. The recipes aren't complicated or intimidating and the outcome is amazing. Once you've made your first batch of cookies without eggs and butter, you'll wonder why you ever used it. And you'll be amazed at how much better you feel. I know everybody says that but until you do it, you won't believe it.
  • beancurdie
    beancurdie Posts: 85 Member
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    I have been following a mostly vegan diet (I had cheese today and dark chocolate earlier in the week) since the New Year. I have a feeling I will end up a selective omnivore (free-range, grass fed, organic) on special occasions, but I'm really digging my plant-based diet right now. I feel lighter and more energetic.

    I decided to make this switch because, while I had been successfully controlling my Type II diabetes by eating low-carb, all the meat and dairy I was eating has caught up to me in the form of high-cholesterol. :(

    The only drawback for me is that my husband and kids are not veggie/bean lovers. Luckily my husband is very understanding and doesn't expect me to cook for him. The kids, not so much. ;)
  • jakmurray
    jakmurray Posts: 1
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    Interesting topic and thanks for the book tips, flyingwrite. My wife and I were never really big meat eaters (we both hate meat on the bone or with skin) though I loved a good burger (Five Guys) and combo pizza (Godfathers) so, for the New Year, after thinking about it a while, I decided to take the plunge and go pescetarian. Not a huge change as I'm mostly vegetarian but now I only eat salmon meat once or twice a week. Between this diet change and watching what I eat, it's been great. No low energy, some of my aches and pains have gone away, and I'me not AS tired as I was. I wasn't horribly overweight at 199lbs for a 5'10" frame, but that, combined with a lack of exercise was not doing good things to my body and the weight was deceiving. I don't have health insurance so I'm guessing there's other health problems going unnoticed. My goal is 180lbs. I'm down to about 194 now. I'll get a physical in a month or two, after taxes.

    Anyway, just to let anyone else know who was thinking about going veg or cutting out meat, it's not that hard. Sure, you'll miss some things but you can find great alternatives for most and, for the others, your body just has to adjust. You weren't born loving processed or fast food. Try not having it for a while and then see how it tastes (a friend of mine who had a Burger King burger aster a year or so not eating them said it tasted sugary). I've found some great alternatives (Papa Murphy's gourmet vegetarian pizza is so good) that I can definitely live with and we just add chicken or whatever after we make veggie meals at home if my wife or daughter wants. I can't wait to try the vegan cookies!

    Best of luck to everyone!
  • gingerb85
    gingerb85 Posts: 357 Member
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    I've been vegan for 2 years now. I haven't found it to be difficult at all. Before I did eat meat, but didn't "love" it - I did love fish and dairy, but haven't craved it even the first time, which was surprising to me. I totally avoided all vegan alternatives to meat and dairy (with the exception of almond milk replacing skim in my oatmeal) for the first three or four months and even now use them VERY seldom. I have always been a more "whole foods" type eater, so a soy based "cheese" just doesn't sit well with me. I'd rather just not eat it.

    My family is not vegan, but they eat vegan the majority of the time at home. I will cook meat for them if they ask. Initially I was cooking a vegan meal one night, meat meal the next until I discovered the vegan meals were disappearing and the meat meals had leftovers that sat uneaten in the fridge.
  • patriotmom2271
    patriotmom2271 Posts: 20 Member
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    I'm really interested in Veganism/Vegetarianism as a healthier choice alternative to the foods I eat now. I'm in the process of finding recipes that I feel would work for me (both budget wise and easy to make).
    I don't normally cook, it's one of the things my husband enjoys and I do not. My husband and son are both "meat and potatoes" guys.
    I would have NO support at home with this kind of lifestyle change. Any easy to make recipes would be greatly appreciated.

    Thanks,
    Trisha
  • islandjumper
    islandjumper Posts: 369 Member
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    Vegetarian for 10 years...with some vegan habits (no eggs very little dairy) feel free to add me :)
  • PeaceLoveTrees
    PeaceLoveTrees Posts: 42 Member
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    I've been a vegetarian for over 3 years, and the past 6 months or so I have been trying more vegan recipes and foods! I just wanted to post a hello and join the conversation!
  • stylistchik
    stylistchik Posts: 1,436 Member
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    I eat mostly vegan now (except for honey) and I blogged about the transition at http://sneakytofu.blogspot.com. feel free to add me and search for the veggie groups on here for yummy recipes and support.
  • Ariaeko
    Ariaeko Posts: 16 Member
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    Hi All! I've recently adopted a pescetarian diet this year. I'm trying to keep it mostly plant based but know that there will be times I need to add some lacto/ovo/fish. I'm really interested in inspiration for this type of diet and appreciate the book links! :)
  • Jain
    Jain Posts: 861 Member
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    Hiya, long time veggie here. And I'm trying to go (mostly) vegan. Fav cook book ATM is Appetite of Reduction. The receipes are all pretty easy & the Sweet Potato & Sprout Chilli is so good it's even got my sprout hating husband asking for more! His Mum wouldn't believe me till I showed her a picture.:laugh:
  • AimeeCofer
    AimeeCofer Posts: 33
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    I'll definitely be checking out some of those cook books- thanks!! :)
  • VitaLeta
    VitaLeta Posts: 19 Member
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    Count me in! My diet sounds quite similar to yours!
  • rcheesley
    rcheesley Posts: 6 Member
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    Long time vegetarian giving being vegan a shot - hardest thing I find is milk (mainly in its chocolate form!) and cheese. Finding the time to cook is a struggle so I am mainly a 'fast food vegan' eating things from Cauldron foods, Tesco meat free and other vegan-friendly quick-cook food. I eat quite a bit of pasta, quinoa and couscous as well.

    Feel free to add me but let me know who you are! :)

    Ruth
  • Selyan
    Selyan Posts: 51
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    I'm a pescetarian, generally trying to be healthy and not just eat under a calorie goal. I love fruit and vegetables!
  • Buddhistonabus
    Buddhistonabus Posts: 10
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    Vegetarian here, though mainly vegan. I've been on here for a while but only just looking at it properly today, would be good to have more friends and support!
  • marigold8g
    marigold8g Posts: 51 Member
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    I've been vegetarian for 18 years (vegan for some of them but alas I'm just vegetarian at the moment). I'm also not eating gluten now as it helps decrease my migraines and I'm hoping it will eventually help my ibs.

    Im definitely always trying to eat healthier -may. Of always succeed though (like the past several days as I had to put my doggy to sleep ); and so in comes the need for emotional eating-but at least I didn't go overboard) but anyway-always working to do better and would live to help others on their journey and have help on mine!

    Feel free to friend me anyone that wants to help each other/share recipes!
  • Cocochickdeleted
    Cocochickdeleted Posts: 343 Member
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    My daughter and I took up a vegetarian lifestyle right after Thanksgiving (although we had both practiced vegetarianism in the past). I love the way I feel, and dropping a quick few pounds after I started, without really trying, was very motivating as well. I would love to befriend more veggies for help/support/new ideas. Feel free to add me.
    Tammy
  • RogerF765
    RogerF765 Posts: 113
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    I guess technically I'm a pescetarian I follow a mainly vegetarian diet but do have fish once or twice a week, I have found it has really helped with the joint pain I was experiencing. Feel free to add me.
  • Bee_B
    Bee_B Posts: 89 Member
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    Hi everyone! I have been a pescetarian for about 10 years now. However, after reading Jonathan Safran Foer's book "Eating Animals" in December I am really trying hard to cut fish/seafood out completely - or at leas significantly reduce my consumption to maybe a few times a year. So far I have been successful :) I do have vegan meals occasionally (I found this awesome recipe for Pumpkin Quick Bread that I made with fresh organic pumpkins last fall.... yum!) but I don't know if it is something I could commit to 100%. Feel free to add me if you want. I'm always up for sharing new recipes and food ideas!

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