Veganland!

Phoenixflame

For one week, I'm a vegan...a very protein-craving vegan. Call it curiosity if you like. Anyway, I'm following my quest on my blog.

http://damnthefreshman15.blogspot.com/

All comments/advice very much welcomed!

Phoenixflame

For one week, I'm a vegan...a very protein-craving vegan. Call it curiosity if you like. Anyway, I'm following my quest on my blog.

http://damnthefreshman15.blogspot.com/

All comments/advice very much welcomed!

BrenNew

For one week, I'm a vegan...a very protein-craving vegan. Call it curiosity if you like. Anyway, I'm following my quest on my blog.

http://damnthefreshman15.blogspot.com/

All comments/advice very much welcomed!

I'm forever saying that I don't know how anyone could give up meat!
Ain't no way in hell I'd EVER give up my barbecued steak, or chicken, pork, etc.
"Where's the beef?!!!" :laugh:

xsargex

Unless you live on some kinda organic farm, most vegans would even admit that its not the healthiest lifestyle. especially if your a city dweller with not much access to fresh/organic anything. Beware of processed vegan products. They are SUPER high in sodium. Save some animals, die of a heart-attack at 40. Yeah nice lifestyle change. My advice, seek a nutrionalist and make sure your getting the right amount of protein, vitamins and minerals. I have a couple friends that are vegan and they do alright, but I wouldn't say they are all that healthy, according to what I said earlier.

Unless your so some kinda animal rights activist....there is nothing wrong with some meat now and then; fish, pork, lean beef, chicken and turkey. In moderation, its really alright. Especialy if you can find the hormone-free-range meats. Little expensive, but well worth the purchase.

Good luck.

songbyrdsweet

Take a multivitamin with plenty of B12, read up on how to form complete proteins, and don't do it longer than two weeks without seeing a Dr.

Phoenixflame

Oh, I have nothing against meat. The corn industry and its relationship with the meat packing industry, oh hells yes, but that's what grass-fed beef is for. And I live in San Francisco, so I have lots of access to organic and local food.

I'm just curious to try it out for a week.

Ok, so is the combining proteins thing a myth or real? I've heard it both ways. Can someone please clarify for me?

AshBear

It depends what type of protein you're eating. The soybean is a complete protein, so if soy is your main protein then you would not have to combine it with another. Beans, however are incomplete, but eating beans with any whole grain will make it complete (ex: beans and rice). This does not mean that you have to eat beans then rush and eat whole grains. Just get some whole grains in the next day or so (or maybe even few days).

This is what I have learned in my nutrition classes, but I know the topic is quite controversial....

July

I very much doubt "most vegans would admit it's not the healthies lifestyle" - how many vegans have you interviewed on this topic?

It is in fact THE healthiest lifestyle if you follow it correctly. We should all be eating closer to the earth. Vegans have far fewer health problems than meat eaters or ovo-lacto vegetarians, including cancer, heart disease, and osteoporosis rates. Do you research before making sweeping statements.

Vegans need to eat protein, of course, and they get it from these healthy sources:

Beans
Nuts
Tofu and Soy
Whole Grains

Meat and dairy are not good for you. Stop believing the myths.

hiddensecant

You could be low on your B vitamins. Did you get any Nutritional Yeast Flakes?

You might find some useful information on this site ... I remember saying that you were a bodybuilder: http://www.veganbodybuilding.com/

xsargex

I very much doubt "most vegans would admit it's not the healthies lifestyle" - how many vegans have you interviewed on this topic?

It is in fact THE healthiest lifestyle if you follow it correctly. We should all be eating closer to the earth. Vegans have far fewer health problems than meat eaters or ovo-lacto vegetarians, including cancer, heart disease, and osteoporosis rates. Do you research before making sweeping statements.

Vegans need to eat protein, of course, and they get it from these healthy sources:

Beans
Nuts
Tofu and Soy
Whole Grains

Meat and dairy are not good for you. Stop believing the myths.

hahaaha, talk about sweeping statements. THE healthiest lifestyle? Okay, really where's your evidence? There's millions and billions of people around the world, who eat meat (of all kinds) and live long, healthy lives. Matter of fact, the oldest man that just died at the age of 114 in Japan, as of recent, claimed he had a healthy diet of fish and dairy. No alcohol. This was the key to his longevity I actually have quite a large number of vegan friends. I'd count them all, but I forgot to take a census last year. I didn't say being vegan was the most unhealthiest of lifestyles. I said, a few of them claimed it wasn't the most healthy lifestyles. They said it,not me. And they've been vegan for 20 years!! I simply stated it was unhealty, unless you seek the proper dietery consumption...meaning, seeking a nutritionalist if your just gonna try it on for the helluva it, as stated from the MFP member earlier.

Eating vegan foods outta the frozen section, I didnt' realize this was eating closer to the earth? You want some fact. How about reading the back of the nutritional facts and reading those off to me.
Enough sodium to give this entire forum a heart-attack. Again, yeah being vegan is great if you have the resources to maintain it. Being an organic farm to grow fruits, vegetables. The problem isn't the food, its how the food is processed.

Again, eating meat and consuming dairy and using a little moderation is okay. Just like anything you eat or drink. The rest of the world operates this way. Just cause your little herbivore-community got all self-righteous about saving animals and drummed up some healthy facts in the last 10-15 years..doesn't mean you have to preach at carnivores like all of a sudden its a big sin to eat meat. Get off your high horse (so I can eat it).

Phoenixflame

Easy children. Billy's dad has just as good of a job as Tommy's.

AshBear,
Got it, thanks! I realize now that I combine proteins naturally, just in planning my meals. Yay!

Ghanie,
Shhhh...Byrd might kill me! Haha, I'm not a bodybuilder, but I do strength train 3-4 days a week, and do cardio 5-6 days a week. So I do think some extra protein is justified. To keep up my B vitamins, I take a Trader Joe's multi. It's a very good vitamin, actually. I was considering buying some nutritional yeast...but I am a tightly-budgeted college student.

Yeah, I'm taking rice protein powder, but I'm also eating a ton of lentils, beans, freekeh, amd nuts. Though I consider my sweet treats now to be Clif Builder Bars.

Xsargex,
Easy sweetheart, Ghanie isn't trying to get me to drink the Kool-Aid. I personally think meat and dairy are great in moderation, though I am a huge pusher of organic dairy and grass-fed beef. At the same time, I'm young and still discovering myself. I like to dabble in everything. Hence, I wanted to see how I would feel after a solid week of no animal products.

hiddensecant

Ghanie,
Shhhh...Byrd might kill me! Haha, I'm not a bodybuilder, but I do strength train 3-4 days a week, and do cardio 5-6 days a week. So I do think some extra protein is justified. To keep up my B vitamins, I take a Trader Joe's multi. It's a very good vitamin, actually. I was considering buying some nutritional yeast...but I am a tightly-budgeted college student.

Oh that's probably what I read, hehe. You might be able to get in contact with one of those guys for advice or whatever. Some of them weren't born Vegan but they all do major strength training!

Darndest thing when you try one of these experiements ... be very careful about going back on dairy and meat .. do it SLOWLY ... and by that I mean phsycially, take a few bites or sips and wait a few minutes ... em, I'll let you experience that part too, rofl. Lets just say I warned you!

I did a similar experiment about a year ago. I actually didn't mean to. I just decided to try out some vegan alternatives when I went shopping once ... soy milk, couscous, tofu, beans, whole grains, veggies (not frozen), all that stuff. We just so happen to not eat out for a week or so. And when by the time we did, I ordered my usual and it didn't feel as good as I remembered, haha!

Dairy and eggs tend to bug me the most (physically), so I converted to vegan mayo, soy milk, and Smart Balance Buttery Spread. The rest (whole foods and whole grains) I loved and kept that up.

I love my sushi which I have when we can afford it (not too often, lol) and I don't freak out if something I eat ends up being made with some kind of dairy or eggs. Every once in a while, I'll even order a nice rack of lamb :noway:. So I'm not 100% vegan. It's just something I aim for because of that experiment and it's also the highest level of kosher.