Going Vegan

jennnny

You can get all the same health benefits by having a micronutrient-rich whole-foods based omnivorous or vegetarian diet. Becoming a vegan is extremely restrictive and requires more attention to nutrition- I don't think it's a wise choice unless you have a strong moral or ethical obligation to do so. In all my many, many years as a vegetarian, I never met a single vegan that lasted more than a few months who did it for health purposes- the science just doesn't justify the restrictions it imposes.

No offense at all, Im definitely not trying to start an argument but I couldn't disagree more. If you do your research you will see all the benefits of becoming vegan. I totally support easing yourself into it. It is a change but it's really not SO hard. The less meat and dairy you consume the better (for everyone including the environment, the animals, and YOUR health) so just focus on that. If you have a cheat day here or there it's ok and then eventually you'll find you don't need to anymore. Good luck!!

Doctorpurple

Hello. I became Vegan and in the first 9 days I lost 13 lbs. It was hard the first three days, I would dream at night of eating buttery cake. But I would wake up feeling thinner. I drink only water and fresh juiced veggies. You will be amazed how much you can eat but still lose weight. After 12 days I had serious diarrhea, i read online that it was cleansing old fecal matter out of me, it subsided the next day. If you have any questions Ill be glad to help. Good luck, you can do it!

lol this is not what vegan diet meant.

renitawalker9

From 1998-2007 I ate fish, eggs, dairy. Ate those plus poultry while I was pregnant and nursing my last 2 children because I had very rough pregnancies, low weight gain etc. After that 2011 I went vegan to get my blood pressure under control without medicine and succeeded. Recently found it very hard to stay vegan since my body reacts very negatively to soy. Tempeh, tofu, soymilk...all bad in my system. I even went raw for a while and found the amount of nuts necessary too rough for my long standing digestive issues. Thus I am now back to fish and dairy and hoping I can keep my blood pressure regulated with them. All that to say...figure out what works for you and do it. veg.web has great recipes and people who have actually made them are rating them.

andFrame

Thanks everyone for your responses! I was thinking of going 2 weeks vegetarian and then transition into fully vegan. I really want to go vegan because of the health benefits such as lower my risk of cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. For those of you who are vegan what are some basic grocery items I should buy when I stop by the market this week?

That's a great idea to help your transition! A blog called olives for dinner has a comprehensive ingredient list on their site for stocking a solid pantry.

I suggest:
Nutritional Yeast (has a cheddar vibe, great on everything! check the bulk section @ natural grocers-- get only what you need & you'll save $$)
Beans / legumes (Eden foods is a trusted brand I go for, but really any will do, once you become comfortable, once again I suggest heading to the bulk section & google how to cook them - sometimes it's labled on the bin)
Sea Vegetables (Nori, Kombu Dulse)
Bragg Liquid Aminos
Jarrow Calcium Supplement- again until you learn about different foods & their nutrients... supplement!
Almond Milk
Fruits & Veggies
Brown Rice Vinegar / Coconut Vinegar / Ume Plum Vinegar
Miso - it comes in tons of different forms, I suggest red for traditional miso soup & white for dressings
Amy's has a lot of frozen foods that are clearly labled vegan if you need the convience during a work day
Kale & other greens like mustard collard turnip

I could really do on all day

some helpful books I've read & always seem to go back to are
Thrive Diet by Brendan Braizer he is a vegan triathlete
Thrive Fitness
The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone

Paying attention to the nutrients you are getting is key to a successful vegan diet. So as long as you look at that stuff on the MFP tracker you should be all set!

Beautiful_Disaster108

1. I was vegetarian for years so I would try elimination first switch your milk,than dairy than everything add tofu and find with type of vegan milk you like best
2. Read! Do your research, I read up alooot about everything and the book Skinny B*tch helped ALOT even has a one month vegan menu in it.
3. Read all labels!!!!! Alot of "vegan" products have whey or casein or other milk type products so there not 100% vegan!
4. Learn to cook I used to not be able to at all but I've been makeing a good amount of things from scratch and it's worth it.
5. It IS a lifestyle as in start looking or vegan makeup and products and cruelityfree items which isn't hard these days.
6. Focuse on your fat intake instead of carbs
Hope these help
Add me if you want to

andFrame

Thanks everyone for your responses! I was thinking of going 2 weeks vegetarian and then transition into fully vegan. I really want to go vegan because of the health benefits such as lower my risk of cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. For those of you who are vegan what are some basic grocery items I should buy when I stop by the market this week?

You can get all the same health benefits by having a micronutrient-rich whole-foods based omnivorous or vegetarian diet. Becoming a vegan is extremely restrictive and requires more attention to nutrition- I don't think it's a wise choice unless you have a strong moral or ethical obligation to do so. In all my many, many years as a vegetarian, I never met a single vegan that lasted more than a few months who did it for health purposes- the science just doesn't justify the restrictions it imposes.

Hi, wanted to introduce myself. I follow a vegan diet, have been doing it for years for the health benefits. I still wear leather. My husband also follows a vegan diet, for Heath benefits & he's a marathon runner. I'm curious if you could let me in on the science that you've referred.

Raerae1993

I ate vegan for 3 months, there are many substitutes you will have to make in homemade recipes however you can make them almost as satisfying and vegan recipes can taste delicious! I would recommend the book Veganist by Kathy Freston. Also there are plenty of websites for recipes. I personally stopped because i missed other foods, no longer eating vegan but eating small amounts of dairy and meat. Never was a fan of eggs haha

lessofu

Hi, I have been vegan for over 20 years and also have a gluten intolerance. I am on here to lose weight lol because I eat too much yummy food. I don't have energy issues as I have a full time job, take classes, and have a family. I would say just start replacing certain meat/dairy items with a plant alternative, for example if you like burgers, try and find a vegie one you like (there are so many on the market, try several different ones)and add all the fixings you usually have such as mustard etc, just slowly replacing the animal products.
I have serious allergic reactions to dairy so it's a non issue to me. I agree, read the labels.
An example of foods in my day would be a gluten free waffle with coconut milk yogurt & blueberries for breakfast (or a gluten free cereal or a smoothie) . An apple for a snack. Soup with rice crackers and daiya cheese for lunch. Brown rice tortilla with refried beans, guacamole, grated carrots, lettuce, vegenaise and salsa for dinner. I like stir-fries and enjoy adding as many colors of veggies as I can find in the fridge. I hope that helps a little, feel free to ask.
My daughter just baked some gluten free vegan cookies so I will try to only eat one of those tonight, wish me luck.

now_or_never13

What are these extreme restrictions people keep talking about. I have found it very easy. However I don't eat out and love preparing my own food, so maybe that is what people are talking about. But the idea that it is easy to be Vegetarian but going the extra step (which for most people is mainly about milk and cheese) is too extreme?

Being vegan isn't about just removing dairy and eggs if you were vegetarian before. It is about cutting out ALL things that contain animal byproducts on top of meat, fish, dairy and eggs.

Jello, isn't vegan. If you are in the US or the UK, Mcdonalds fries are not Vegan. Some drinks are not vegan due to the coloring they use (Starbucks had an issue a while back as their red food coloring came from beetles). A lot of prepacked foods are not vegan due to what they contain. A full vegan will not wear anything that comes from an animal (leather for example)... they will not use regular lotions, cosmetics, shampoos, etc as they contain animal byproducts.

Personally, if you found it very easy I'm sure there are things you are missing. There is a lot out there that you may think are vegan that aren't. ANything that contains something other than vegetable broth/stock are not vegan. A lot of marshamallows, lozenges, certain gums, fruit snacks, packaged guacamole can contain non vegan ingredients are all non vegan. Also, glycerin, sodium stearoyl lactylate, enzymes, cysteine, cystine, monoglycerides, diglycerides, amylase and stearic acid. Often used as red dye, cochineal or carmine comes from the cochineal beetle, are possibly not vegan. When a product lists "natural flavours" and don't specify where the flavour comes from it may come from a non vegan source.

Some sugar is technically not vegan as they process it with bone char.

Point, research as much as you can for whoever wants to become vegan.

OP, don't go vegan for weight loss or to be healthy. A lot of vegans are not healthy. Being vegan doesn't mean weight loss... stick with w diet you can do forever. FOr some people, Vegan isn't it.

eric_sg61

Veganism has nothing to do with health. Read the history of how it was brought to western culture. Health had nothing to do with it.

mkw122680

I went vegan (or as I prefer to say, "plant based") about 3 weeks ago. I went cold tofu and just made up my mind one day to make a lifestyle change for my health. I have found a lot of useful information reading and recipes at Happy Herbivore and Straight Up Foods.

When I switched, I stocked up on:

beans (canned, dry and lentils)
Almond Milk
vegetables (both fresh and frozen)
fresh in season fruits
leafy greans (especially kale!)
a few different varietys of whole grain pastas
whole wheat flour
spices! Especially chili powder (chipotle is my fav), cumin, paprika (smoked is good as well), garlic powder, onion powder, oregano and basil.
Nutritional yeast (you can get it online, I found it at my local health food store)

Happy Herbivore has a few different cookbooks of easy to make recipes that don't take too terribly long. She also has a good selection of recipes from her cookbooks online for free, so you can see if you'd like any of them before you spend money on a book. I tend to make 2 dishes over the weekend, portion those out for the week and eat those, along with plenty of fresh fruits, veggies and greens.

I was always a big pasta eater before I went vegan, so I thought that's what I'd eat the most of with the switch. Surprisingly (and good for me) pasta is a very small portion of what I eat, with beans being my big protien source. I also eat a huge salad with either lunch or dinner, or sometimes both.

I do have a frozen package of vegan veggie burgers in my freezer, in case the craving for meat strikes. I've only had one time where I wanted to go back to my old ways, but I wasn't craving meat or dairy...I wanted junk food, fast food. I just talked it out with my hubby, called my mom (who's also plant based) for support and made a vegan fried rice witih no oils or salt to satisfy my craving for something tasting like it was take out. I never go hungry, I feel good with my decision and I'm happy! It's not for everyone, but for me, it works.

EvelynBfly78

You have to examine your motives for going vegan. Is it for health, to lose weight or humane reasons? Many years ago I went vegan to be healthier. I eventually gave that up. For about 20 years I was flexitarian (eat chicken & fish). Then about 2 years ago I became a "cheating" vegetarian. Every once in a while I would have some chicken. But, this last year I have chosen to go completety vegetarian trying eventually to go vegan. This time it's for health & humane reasons. I can't stand to think about those innocent animals living in cramped conditions & then being slaughtered. Would you eat your pet dog, cat or bird?
No matter what your reasons are do a gradual transition first to vegetarian. Practice it for more than just 2 weeks. Research vegetarian websites. Check out recipes & see if you could stick with it. Read labels. Be prepared when you go out to eat. Check out the restaurant's menu if they are online.
Make small changes to your diet. You'll know when you are ready to take the next step to vegan.
Friend me if you want the support.

Sunny_fit4life

Your grocery list will depend on how you want to eat, but I would start by stocking your pantry with the right dry goods: Dry beans, Lentils, and Whole-grain brown rice, and maybe even quinoa are a good place to start. Also, if you can find dried TVP (textured vegetable protein) it should be pretty cheap and can provide you some extra protein if you feel the need as well as help you make some recipes that are similar to the foods you are familiar with (ex, vegan chili, vegan tacos, veggie burgers, etc...)
Nutritional yeast is a good thing to have for supplementing certain vitamins (such as B12) that are harder to get on a vegan diet. I buy flax seed as well and put it in dairy-free smoothies with almond milk. Most of this you can get at your regular grocery store, though depending on where you live you might have to go to a health food store for things like nutritional yeast and TVP.
I make a lot of things with Tofu (ex. Tofu scramble with bell pepper and mushrooms for breakfast). You can also try Seitan which has a different consistency... it's tougher.

Other than that, fruits, veggies, nuts... whichever ones you like...
I don't eat canned veggies, but if you want to go with some frozen fruits & veggies just check the ingredients on the back to make sure there isn't anything but well... fruits and veggies in there.
Then of course it's great to eat as many raw, fresh fruits & veggies as you can.
Avocados are good place to get your fats if you like them. They are high in calories, but so good for you in moderation.

katied37

I eat a mostly vegan diet, but I'm not perfect. I have seafood once or twice a month and will occasionally have a taste of cheese or chocolate. I prefer to use the term plant-based lifestyle, rather than vegan. I've found grocery shopping and planning ahead to be such an important part of this lifestyle change. That being said, I'm also living on a budget and, while I'd love to stock my kitchen with an entire rainbow of organic fruits and veggies, I can't always afford it. Here are my kitchen staples:

Veggies:
Tons of leafy greens (I mostly buy kale and spinach, pre-washed for convenience)
Carrots and celery for snacking
Mushrooms (super low calorie and also have a ton of important nutrients)
Broccoli (cruciferous veggies are thought to have cancer-fighting properties)
Onions
Bell peppers

Fruits:
Organic apples (I try to buy organic on foods where you eat the skin!)
Bananas
Berries (fresh or frozen, depending on the season)
Clementines in the winter!
Medjool dates (amazing by themselves, or blended into recipes as a sweetener)

Canned:
Diced tomatoes (no salt added)
Beans (I mostly buy garbanzo beans and black beans, also no salt added)

Other:
Unsweetened almond milk
Nutritional yeast (adds cheesy flavor)
Raw unsalted almond butter (Trader Joe's sells the cheapest jars that I've found)
Steel cut oats
Quinoa
Balsamic vinegar
Apple cider vinegar
Lemon juice
Tea (I usually go for green, chamomile, or cinnamon)
Chia seeds!!!!!

Enjoy!