Going Vegan

LadyBirdGo

I was vegan for about a year. Before that I had been vegetarian. At first I felt great. I felt like I was losing weight and I felt like I was doing the smart thing by staying away from all those hormones and chemicals added to meat and poultry. I also felt like I was doing the right thing because of how livestock are treated. When I went vegan I got a lot of criticism from other people about going vegan. They told me how unhealthy it was and that i was crazy for doing it. They told me I wouldn't get enough vitamin B12 and I'd get sick. I thought they were just upset because it reflected on their own poor choice of nutrition and they didn't want to think of parting with their beloved hamburgers.

I was really into Alicia Silverstone and her blog "The Kind life" and I got her book "The Kind Diet." I got a lot of other books too with vegan recipes and some former Vegans gave me some books they wanted to get rid of because they were no longer vegan...(this should have been a sort of warning to me!) I did lots and lots cooking while vegan, although Whole Foods also supplies lots of frozen and ready-to-eat vegan assortments. But trust me, if you are going to be vegan you will be doing LOTS of cooking and preparing of food.

I took lots of supplements (Especially the vitamin b12) and tried to limit soy (that's another thing you will have to watch out for if you go vegan because a lot of vegan foods out there are full of soy).

unfortunately, after about a year I started to notice negative changes. I started to lose a lot of energy. I was constantly feeling tired and weak. I was also starting to become more forgetful. I started gaining flub weight and my skin started to lose its elasticity and I started to get a lot more sagging. I couldn't get any muscle tone. I was trying to go through personal training at the time and my trainer noticed how weak I was and how I wore out so quickly. my hair became thinner which is weird because I naturally have very thick hair! my nails became somewhat brittle. Then I started to breakout with acne more often. I also had (like someone else on here experienced) bouts of diarrhea, but that was earlier on and it did go away. I also started to have aches and pains in my joints. My father had talked with a neighbor whose daughter used to be vegan and was a dietitian. He told my dad how sick his daughter got while trying to be vegan. As a dietician she learned how hard it is to get the necessary vitamins and nutrients needed from just supplements. According to her, it is almost impossible to get the necessary nutrients because some of the vitamins and nutrients only come from certain foods (meats, poultry, fish, dairy, etc) and if you cut those out you won't be able to get them anywhere else....Not even from the supplements because they are just naturally occurring and are almost impossible to recreate. It took me so long to get this through my head because I honestly believed that if I just kept taking the supplements that they would give me what I needed. I believed that the vitamin b12 supplements would work. unfortunately I learned that the vitamin b12 supplements only supply one type of b12 since there are different variations of b12 that our body needs.

I eventually couldn't take it anymore and slowly weened myself off the vegan diet. that's another thing, when you stop you can't just go drink a whole glass of milk unless you want throw up or get the runs. you have to slowly go back to eating dairy and everything else. My initial plan was to go back to being vegetarian, but I actually started to crave meat as soon as I stopped being vegan! It was very weird because for the longest time I had been turned off by meat, i hated the taste and being vegetarian had almost just come naturally to me. But now I was actually was craving chicken and steak!!! (although I still hate hamburger meat). After that I just slowly went from being a vegan to carnivore! I believe my body was trying to make up for all the lost protein or something. Recently I developed a problem with eating butter or steak. I get really sick if I try to eat it. Sometimes I can eat a lean piece of steak, but now I just try to completely avoid butter because it now makes me sick as a dog. No i'm not lactose intolerant. I can drink milk without any problems, but I believe the vegan diet somehow screwed up my ability process certain types of fats. I still feel like my body hasn't completely recovered from the vegan diet. I still feel weaker than I did before I was vegan and I feel like my memory isn't as sharp as it once was before being vegan. It also took a long time after being vegan for my skin to clear up and return to its normal elasticity.

My advise from this. Don't go completely vegan. just flirt with it. go vegan one week every month and you can still feel like you are doing something to help out the animals because you are cutting down on the animals products you take in. If everyone could just take a week off of animals products per month it would help and it also might help as far as giving your body a break from having to digest meats. Also, keep in mind that going completely vegan would mean cutting out all animals products and you'd be surprised how many foods and ingredients out there actually have animal products: Jello, Jellies, Pretzels, food dyes, pudding, etc. Going vegan is a huge (and somewhat risky) commitment.

That's just my 2 cents!

p.s. if you are going to try being vegan one week a month (or if you decide you want to take the risk and go completely vegan) my favorite vegan dessert was the frozen Rice Dream chocolate pies. A great snack was quesadillas made with grated carrots, beets, and Daiya cheddar "cheese." Quinoa salad was good. Hemp milk was good. Rice Tempeh was good (although it has soy). Becareful with the Veganise because that stuff has a lot of soy in it, at least it did back when I last had it. Toffutti sour cream... but also has soy. Toffutti cream cheese.....Earth Balance is a great butter substitute you probably will end up using a lot. if you can, try to eat lots of seeds and nuts.
I will say that being Vegan introduced me to many new types of food.

now_or_never13

Don't go Vegan thinking that it will make you lose weight or that it's a healthier diet than any others out there. Go Vegan for other reasons as it can be a very tough diet to do while staying healthy. You can be a very unhealthy vegan.

Do your research and go slow. There are a lot of things out there that you would think are Vegan that aren't (Jello, US/UK McDonald fries ... unless they recently changed how they make them... etc). It can be tough to ensure you get all the required nutrients in your diet if you are not properly prepared.

Also keep in mind, going vegan isn't fully about the diet alone. A full vegan will not wear clothing made of leather for example... A lot of vegans will not use the majority of cosmetics, shampoos, conditioners, lotions available.

If you still want to go vegan go slowly. Maybe start out cutting out meat and fish. Than move onto dairy and eggs. Than move onto all the little things that you would consume that aren't vegan.

You can have a perfectly healthy diet that includes dairy, eggs, meat and fish. A vegan diet isn't necessarily a healthier option.

LadyBirdGo

The guy above me mentioned what i what I was about to say which is that McDonald's fries are not vegan. They are flavored with beef extract.
here is a recipe though that you can make that tastes almost EXACTLY like McDonald's fries without the need for beef extract:
http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2010/05/the-burger-lab-how-to-make-perfect-mcdonalds-style-french-fries.html

thevegankelly

Contrary to what some people say, you can definitely thrive on a vegan diet. I've been vegan for six years and my husband has been vegan for three, and neither of us has ever had any health problems because of our diet. I've always been able to build muscle and increase cardio endurance as well as any omnivore. I went my entire pregnancy without becoming anemic, but my meat-loving friend became anemic during hers.

If you eat a varied diet with lots of healthy foods, you don't necessarily need supplements. B12 is something vegans need to take, but it's also added to most non-dairy milks and veggie meats. If you do need B12 supplements, they're cheap and easy to find.

Some staples in our house are tofu, quinoa, brown rice, whole grain bread (we like the Silver Hills brand), legumes (our favourites are chickpeas and black beans), almond milk, almond butter, nuts, oatmeal and tons of vegetables and fruits.

Like someone said, vegweb.com is a great website for vegan recipes, and another great resource is veganhealth.org, which holds the answer to any question about vegan nutrition you could have.

MoreBean13

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.

Ange_

My staples are:

- soy milk (for cappachinos, nothing else froths as well in my opinion)
- almond milk (for cereal or cooking)
- nuts and seeds. I don't overdo these but i'll sometimes sprinkle some on salads or make my own nut/seed milks
- kefir grains! This one is a bit unusual. I got some off ebay a while back and i make my own coconut milk kefir. I find this a great replacement for butter or sour cream or yoghurt... I don't know anyone else who does this but i highly recommend it! They also work with other non dairy milks. Saves me having to buy vegan versions of these things which aren't available in my town anyway.
- coconut milk in a can at various richnesses for different thing. Light for currys, heavier for my kefir.
- BEANS! Dried and canned and lentils too.
- tofu - at different levels of firmness. My favourite is silken tofu which i blend with basil and make a yummy creamy pasta sauce or with pumpkin soup and nutrional yeast to make a cheese sauce for other dishes.
-Nutricional yeast. I had to get mine from the internet. but health food shops should have this too. This is a source of B12 but also i mainly have it so i can get a cheesy taste in dishes. Really yummy.
- lemon juice - the tartness can really replicate sharp cheese taste in some dishes
- lots of different grains. Spelt pasta, buckwheat, soba noodles, brown rice, quinoa, couscous. The more 'whole' the better!
- brazil nuts. One nut a day has your entire seliumn requirements. This is a rare amino acid in plant foods so this is an easy delicious way to make sure i get enough. But don't overdose. Too much is actually bad for you. One or two nuts is enough.
- GREENS! This is really important. Green leafy veggies will have the iron and calcium you need. I like to get a big variety. Spinach, kale, swiss chard. I also grow a lot of these in my garden. i even eat my zucchini and sweet potato leaves. I have a green smoothie every day and also lots of salads. Having greens with a source of vitamin C will help the absorption of some nutrients. So green smoothies are perfect for this as they get paired with fruit.
- iodised salt. Unless you want to start eating ALOT of seeweed then you better buy your salt iodised. Another mineral not often found in the plant kingdom so you need to make sure you get a reliable source of this. Of course using too much salt is also bad, but when you do then if it is iodised you are getting a vital mineral.

And then lots and lots of fresh or frozen fruit and vegetables. Try things even if you didn't like them previously as a kid. I've discovered a love of pawpaw (papaya) and zucchini that i never did before. And also red cabbage. Once you go vegan your taste buds will also change.

B12 supplements are a complete must! This is not debatable. I take a 1000mg supplement twice a week. There are lots of choices of whether you want one daily or twice weekly and also if you want a spray/tablet or want to eat fortified foods. Personally i find fortified foods are going to be processed ones you want to stay away from so i rely on a tablet and get minimal extra amounts from nutritional yeast and soy milk. Not all milks have it either so read the back!

SUNSHINE!: Vitamin D is also essential and since you won't be getting any from cows milk it is necessary to make sure you get enough. I am lucky enough to live somewhere that is sunny all year round. If you live too far north in the northern hemisphere or too far south in the southern hemisphere then the right kind of ultraviolet light rays won't be present in the winter months. So if you live somewhere where this isn't an issue (again do the research online to find out), then make sure you get about 10mins a day without sunscreen and your arms and face or legs exposed to get your vitamin d. And it has to be during the right time of day too, usually from 10am to about 4pm depending on where you live. Don't overdo it obviously as you'll get sunburnt. Alternatively you can take vitamin D suppliments. D2 is a vegan source, D3 is not (it's from sheep's wool). Some say D3 is better. Depends on your ethics then.

And if you have the money for it these kitchen tools really help a lot:
- a high powered blender (i have an omniblend others have vitamixes or blendtec)
- a food processor
- a pressure cooker (makes cooking curries and dried beans so much quicker).

Ange_

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.

Not quite true. There is actually very good scientific evidence otherwise. 'The China Study' (Dr Colin Campbell) shows that while there are huge positive effects to anyone increasing their nutrients from eating more fruit and veg, one of the issues with dairy meat etc is it's effect on increased cancer. Casein which is a protein found in animal products (cottage cheese is almost pure casein) is a known carcinogen. Studies have shown an increase in tumour growth with increased casein consumption. This isn't true of plant based proteins, so it isn't about the percentage of protein in the diet it is about whether or not it is animal or plant in origin. There is also strong links between populations that have a higher animal product consumption and many different kinds of cancers.

redraidergirl2009

. 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.

So how many vegans did you meet, exactly?

dgljones

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?

OfficerFuzzy

I did vegan week for five days and I found it easier to stick to if I just told myself that a cup of milk is a slice of veal.
If I could focus on that baby cow, I could hold it off. That being said, I found it really hard. I couldn't make it a week and I've been a vegetarian for years. I still feel horrible about that baby cow. Coffee creamer is going to have me in the nut house in a few years.

For actual tips I'd say you're going to want to carry your own food. You can't just pop somewhere and get a snack.
Plan ahead.

I'm not going to say that I know all about the nutrients of the diet, which you're going to want to learn. I tried to keep up on it, but it was for a week I didn't worry too hard about it. * obviously an expert*

Just somethings I'd wish someone had told me when I became a vegetarian
:
Beans are a must. They're great sources of protein and they can be used in the place of meat. Such as in a burrito , soups, and they can be mashed up and made into burgers so you don't have to spend all that cash on the frozen ones.

Quiona is good. It's a grain, you know, like rice.

Stir-fries or vegetable soups are quick and easy. It's a good thing to keep a thing of vegetable stock around.
Cabbage is a staple for me.

Tofu a bit of an acquired taste. One thing that it took me a while to figure out with tofu is that you've got to press the liquid out of it. (Not all the time, but often, I find.)
If you put the block between two plates and then a heavy book on top for about half an hour to an hour it'll cook better.

Avocado is a good substitute for cream cheese and/or sour cream.

Hummus is nice with vegetable wraps and everything else.


What I did was that I found a few recipes to try out and different things to try. Figure out what you like.
This website was helpful: http://www.buzzfeed.com/rachelysanders/how-to-eat-vegan-for-a-week-and-love-it
It has pictures.

The Silk creamer wasn't worth the price. It wasn't any better than the regular soy milk.

Good luck!

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.