Vegan Vs. Bacon

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JmeHarris
JmeHarris Posts: 38
in Food and Nutrition
So I continue to feel like going vegan is a great way to loose weight and get healthy. I just can't get past the idea of not being able to eat warm chewy maple flavored bacon on Sunday mornings. Thoughts?
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  • Tanyaka
    Tanyaka Posts: 13 Member
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    You could set yourself to live a vegan lifestyle except for your one treat morning on Sundays.

    Or just think, what do you want more? And is the bacon a hindrance to your weight loss?

    If you want to go 100% vegan you could tell yourself you're doing it as a trial.. give up the bacon for 1 month and focus on your health... you'll probably find that you don't even want it after that.

    I've been vegetarian for a few years now and before that I always thought I could never give up my old fav foods! But now I have new ones and they are much more varied and healthy. :)
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
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    Vegan is no more conducive to weight loss or good health than eating an omnivorous diet. Heck, plenty of "unhealthy" foods can be vegan. Cookies, candy, soda, ketchup, cheetos, potato chips, all vegan.

    If you only want to do it because you think it will make you lose weight, don't do it. It will be a waste of your time, as it won't help you lose weight anymore than a sensible non-vegan diet would. And you'll probably be unhappy due to the severe restriction and forced elimination of foods you like. Why do that to yourself?
  • bm99
    bm99 Posts: 597 Member
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    You don't necessarily have to be "vegan" to adopt some of the healthier eating patterns. Just tweak it and make it work in your lifestyle.
  • JmeHarris
    JmeHarris Posts: 38
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    So the veggie police don't hunt me down if I sneak in meat every once in awhile huh? Good to know. My problem is that I have a hubby and to pre-teen boys who've promised to take over the kitchen if I try to push the veggies. Little do they know I've been swapping out the ground meat for veggie meat in the spaghetti for the last month. It makes me laugh a little (on the inside) every time the compliment the dinner. :)
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
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    Veggie Meat? That stuff's usually worse than real meat health wise, due to the high level of processing and binders and other stuff to make it palatable...
  • PapaverSomniferum
    PapaverSomniferum Posts: 2,677 Member
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    I have a friend who eats vegan

    except for chocolate cake and bacon

    she seems pretty happy with her choices :smile:
  • bm99
    bm99 Posts: 597 Member
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    So the veggie police don't hunt me down if I sneak in meat every once in awhile huh? Good to know. My problem is that I have a hubby and to pre-teen boys who've promised to take over the kitchen if I try to push the veggies. Little do they know I've been swapping out the ground meat for veggie meat in the spaghetti for the last month. It makes me laugh a little (on the inside) every time the compliment the dinner. :)

    Bahaha! That's wonderful. I've been pureeing carrots and mixing it in spaghetti sauce for ages (and whatever else I can get away with), and swapped turkey for beef ages ago and hubs never even noticed. He does tell me he doesn't want to eat my "diet" food though haha :heart:
  • cole_37
    cole_37 Posts: 10
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    I feel like if your reasons for going vegan are more in the interest of your health than ethical/other reasons then just allow yourself a cheat day every now and again. I don't think having some bacon on Sunday mornings is going to undo all of the benefits that a mostly vegan diet will provide in the long run (if you eat the right foods and make sure you are getting all the necessary nutrients).
  • JmeHarris
    JmeHarris Posts: 38
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    Actually, I've gotten a little more...sensitive?...in my old age, and I'm actually thinking about the change because I dislike the practices of the meat industry. We've recently moved to cattle country in Texas and I'm getting to see this a little better than I'd like. Also, I don't do a great job of eating the greens, and think this might be a good way to fix that while also reducing my fat intake.
  • Tanyaka
    Tanyaka Posts: 13 Member
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    Your diet is your own business.. No one should hunt you down! I am 99% vegan, due to animal welfare issues, but openly admit to being lax about the other 1%

    Vegetarian 100% though. :)

    Processed is bad, but there are plenty of vegetarian meats that are quite healthy for you.

    Any diet type has potential to be health or unhealthy... just aim to do your best and stick to what makes you happy. Veggo has been healthier for me because when I gave up the meat it opened doors to lentils and other foods I wouldn't have needed to bothered with before.
  • JmeHarris
    JmeHarris Posts: 38
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    So the veggie police don't hunt me down if I sneak in meat every once in awhile huh? Good to know. My problem is that I have a hubby and to pre-teen boys who've promised to take over the kitchen if I try to push the veggies. Little do they know I've been swapping out the ground meat for veggie meat in the spaghetti for the last month. It makes me laugh a little (on the inside) every time the compliment the dinner. :)

    Bahaha! That's wonderful. I've been pureeing carrots and mixing it in spaghetti sauce for ages (and whatever else I can get away with), and swapped turkey for beef ages ago and hubs never even noticed. He does tell me he doesn't want to eat my "diet" food though haha :heart:

    A girls gotta get her chuckles somewhere right?
  • JmeHarris
    JmeHarris Posts: 38
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    Your diet is your own business.. No one should hunt you down! I am 99% vegan, due to animal welfare issues, but openly admit to being lax about the other 1%

    Vegetarian 100% though. :)

    Processed is bad, but there are plenty of vegetarian meats that are quite healthy for you.

    Any diet type has potential to be health or unhealthy... just aim to do your best and stick to what makes you happy. Veggo has been healthier for me because when I gave up the meat it opened doors to lentils and other foods I wouldn't have needed to bothered with before.


    Thanks! You seems to have a very balanced veiw of the topic.
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
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    <-- eats lots of steak and bacon. Lost 40 lbs.

    The key is to eat at a deficit for weight loss but whole quality foods for health. Make sure you eat stuff you like though. Otherwise, you'll be miserable. Example? I hate carrots. I refuse to buy them. I hate them. I also do not like salads much and have only had 3 salads in the last year. I do eat a lot of broccoli, beans, fruit, spinach, fresh lean meats, fresh breads, lots of fresh herbs and spices, etc. I'm very happy with my food choices, and it works for me.

    My advice to you would be to go vegan if you want for ethical reasons, but don't do it to lose weight. Being vegan is an entire lifestyle, not a diet plan. Find foods that fit your calorie goals that you enjoy eating.

    Also, the whole idea of "unhealthy" food is really debatable. Things are only unhealthy in the context of overall diet intake. For example, eating Big Macs every day is probably not so great for your health, but having one every month or so is generally fine. It's all about context. There are very few things that are strictly unhealthy on their own (trans fats would be one of those).
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
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    So I continue to feel like going vegan is a great way to loose weight and get healthy. I just can't get past the idea of not being able to eat warm chewy maple flavored bacon on Sunday mornings. Thoughts?

    you can lose weight and be healthy and eat bacon every sunday morning. all of these things are compatible. going vegan is irrelevant for weight loss and health.
  • Jorra
    Jorra Posts: 3,338 Member
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    I ate bacon twice today. It was great.
  • ifyouknew
    ifyouknew Posts: 68 Member
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    Good advice on here. 91) you don't need to be vegan to be healthy/lose weight, but (2) if you want to be vegan for other reasons (environmental, animal rights etc) then ve a vegan except for your Sunday morning bacon. People tease those who are 'vegan except for bacon', but if reducing your intake of animal products is important to you, it's better than not being vegan at all. And letting yourself have that indulgence occasionally might help you stay on the vegan wagon the rest of the time.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
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    Oh yeah, also wanted to mention, you don't need to become vegan to eat vegan food. I'm a full on omnivore, but I don't eat meat every day.
  • MrsCon40
    MrsCon40 Posts: 2,351 Member
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    Vegan is a health, ethical and/or environmental lifestyle - it's not a diet.

    I wouldn't be here if vegan was an avenue to skinny. Vegan cooking done right is just as delicious, satisfying and decadent.
  • cole_37
    cole_37 Posts: 10
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    Veggie Meat? That stuff's usually worse than real meat health wise, due to the high level of processing and binders and other stuff to make it palatable...

    Have to agree with this comment! If your main reason for going vegan is for health, I'd avoid all of that and try to eat lots of protein-rich whole foods such as beans, lentils, quinoa etc.

    Otherwise it seems kind of counter-active to me since although probably lower in calories and fat, faux meats have been processed to all hell to get them to look and taste like the real deal.
  • KrisyKat
    KrisyKat Posts: 749 Member
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    It's....BACON!!!! :laugh:

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