Any vegans or vegetarians out there?

sgtlee13
sgtlee13 Posts: 66
in Introduce Yourself
Well, I gained a WHOLE bunch of weight when I got pregnant with our last son. Then I kept letting things give me excuses for why I couldn't lose all the weight and then I got mad at myself so here I am. I have a pretty bad knee from an Army injury that I was waiting to get out to have operated on and just got out last week so I'll be getting surgery in a few weeks; this makes what I put in my mouth very important to how I feel and how I look and well, I'm not so happy with my butt lately :)

In my travels down my own "fatty road" I learned that I had to find other ways to lose weight than just exercise and my husband and I both decided to go vegan (well, he's vegetarian and I am mostly vegan). I always let myself cheat once in a while (after all, what's Thanksgiving without turkey?) and each time I did, I got a little derailed and fell a bit farther off the wagon than intended. So, here I am, no more excuses, I need to lose the last 40 pounds or so.

Now please know that I am vegan only for health purposes, I do believe that we are at the top of the food chain for a reason so I'm not looking for some PETA, save the puppies kind of discussions just looking for some buddies who are eating the same types of things maybe or even just someone else who wants to keep each other motivated. I've tried this app before but only recently found the website so I'm hoping this gives me a little more motivation! Anyone?

Nicole

Replies

  • ThriftyChica12
    ThriftyChica12 Posts: 373 Member
    vegan here; feel free to add me if u like

    edit: just went back and read your post more closely...

    KNOW that i am vegan for ethics. u are still free to add me, but just wanted to clarify that...i think going vegan is great for a whole bunch of reasons, but my choices is rooted deeply in animal rights...dunno if that's what you're looking for in an MFP friend...
  • thisismeraw
    thisismeraw Posts: 1,264 Member
    Don't go Vegan because you think you will be healthier. There are a lot of unhealthy vegans. Vegan or vegetarian doesn't mean healthy. If you want to eat meat, eat meat... you can still lose weight and be healthy from that diet. No specific diet is healthier than another... all can be healthy or unhealthy diets.

    I am an 80% raw vegan. I choose not to eat meat for reasons other than health. I wouldn't eat a dog so a pig or cow is no different.
  • sgtlee13
    sgtlee13 Posts: 66
    I guess, my post sounded a little harsh, I'm not opposed to anyone reason's for however they eat, I just wanted to explain mine is all so as not to mislead anyone. I'd love someone to share recipes and ideas with if your still interested!
  • thisismeraw
    thisismeraw Posts: 1,264 Member
    I guess, my post sounded a little harsh, I'm not opposed to anyone reason's for however they eat, I just wanted to explain mine is all so as not to mislead anyone. I'd love someone to share recipes and ideas with if your still interested!

    We can still share ideas and recipes.

    Why not choose a diet you will stick to forever? A temporary diet will only lead to temporary results... and vegan/vegetarian doesn't mean weight loss or health.

    I just don't understand the reasoning... all the power to you and I do wish you luck but being vegan is not a weight loss technique. There are many many unhealthy and overweight vegans and vegetarians. I don't mean to sound not supportive
  • LadyBeryl
    LadyBeryl Posts: 344 Member
    I'm a Flextarian (semi-vegetarian) primarily for health reasons. I've rarely eaten more than 4 oz of meat (fish or poultry) in a week since 1986. Add me if you plan share your diary.
  • sgtlee13
    sgtlee13 Posts: 66
    Sorry, I think I was also misleading. This isn't just a new quick temporary fix for me to lose weight. We actually have been eating this way for over 9 months now and it is a lifestyle change for us, not a fad diet. I should clarify that I'm not against eating animals in the way that it used to be or the traditional sense as in hunting. However, the huge agribusiness disaster that has replaced what once was good, honest farming practices is something that I feel is absolutely wrong. The methods that are now used by the majority of the commercial farms for both raising and slaughtering animals is deplorable and awful and I chose first not to support that when I made the decision not to eat animals. I also realize the environmental impact of raising livestock versus plants and don't think that we can honestly justify what we are doing to the land just so we can eat mass produced steaks or whatever. When I do rarely choose to eat meat, I only eat local and organic animals that were raised and slaughtered humanely.
    Like I said, my choosing this way is about more than just weight loss and I realize after rereading my original post (guess I should have done that earlier) that that is pretty much what it sounded like I was saying. It took a whole lot of research and looking around and reading and meeting people and farmers, etc. for me to do this.
    I was a strict vegetarian for years during the end of high school and into my early 20's but thought that wasn't a very honest way to live as I felt that if I don't eat meat, I should avoid everything; anything ever tested on animals, tried on animals, made of any type of animal product, involving animals at all; medications, health products, clothes, medical treatments. etc. I felt that if I were to be a vegetarian in the sense I thought I should be, I couldn't ever take part in any of this and I knew that it was less than feasible for me to do that.
    Sooo...after I've rambled on I'm sure more than enough for any of you :) This isn't just a fad diet for me or a decision I took lightly or simply a way to get into a new pair of jeans. I eat this way for so much more than anything like that.
    Anyone wanna be my friend? :))
  • cupcakefairyy
    cupcakefairyy Posts: 31
    I'm a vegetarian. not because I think it will help me lose weight though(I have lots of reasons). I've been one for 2 years now. feel free to add me(:
  • sgtlee13
    sgtlee13 Posts: 66
    Also, I eat raw quite a bit also. Did a reset kind of thing after I got off track for a while over the holidays and absolutely loved it! After that I switched to two raw meals a day and then now usually to one raw meal a day. I feel so much better when I eat this way, it makes no sense not to. I'd love to get some ideas from someone who has more experience with eating raw than I do. I ran out of options after a while and started to lose some creativity. I just picked up a "cook"book".......is it still called a cookbook if it's for raw food :)......to get some more ideas but would love some input from someone who's tried meals themselves.
  • Requiembell
    Requiembell Posts: 106 Member
    Living on a strict diet of Mountain Dew and cigarettes would be a vegan life. Not a healthy life, but it would be vegan.
  • melicious276
    melicious276 Posts: 38 Member
    I've been a vegetarian for 14 years. Some girlfriends and I from high school made a bet to see who could do it the longest. It's down to two of us...
  • sgtlee13
    sgtlee13 Posts: 66
    @icebear...ah, you are so correct but eeewwww :)
  • blood6338
    blood6338 Posts: 90 Member
    Vegetarian since December 1st. Did a Daniel Fast for our church for 21 days before Xmas and felt so much better I decided to stick with it. I've been addicted to the gym since the summer and had lost 32 pounds from May 1st to Nov 30. I've lost 43 pounds since switching to a vegetarian lifestyle. I didn't give up meat for typical reasons like hating animal cruelty (although I've seen videos and do find their treatment deplorable so maybe that factors in a bit). I look at it as my way to honor God by eating clean and working out. Our bodies are supposed to be temples. I had been treating mine like a garbage dump and that had to change.

    Feel free to add me if you like. That goes for anyone that's serious about their weight loss efforts and needs some support and motivation.
  • blood6338
    blood6338 Posts: 90 Member
    Living on a strict diet of Mountain Dew and cigarettes would be a vegan life. Not a healthy life, but it would be vegan.

    Don't forget the Oreos. Vegan or vegetarian doesn't equal healthy for sure.
  • sgtlee13
    sgtlee13 Posts: 66
    I absolutely LOVE to cook and have had so much fun figuring out how to make really good, vegan meals. I love recreating a meal into something we'll eat. I came up with a Mexican casserole kind of thing that was vegan and also wheat free and the whole family loved it (even our 6 year old). I'd love to exchange ideas like this with people. I was very recently medically retired from the Army so I have a touch more free time than I'm used to so was just looking for others who might be like minded food-wise and such.
  • ruffledviolet
    ruffledviolet Posts: 260
    I'm a vegetarian, but I don't cook lol.
  • bluefox9er
    bluefox9er Posts: 2,917 Member
    I'm a vegetarian..never ever tasted meat....handily de-bunking the myth that vegetarians are all pasty,weak and lifeless...I got to 270 lbs before I discovered MFP.

    Now I am a weak, pasty, lifeless 46 year old , still never tasted meat, and knocking on the door of a first marathon in 3 weeks time.

    Don't listen to those who eat dead animals that vegetarians are weak and patsy.

    Please feel free to add me..any vegetarians or vegans.


    P.S Vegetarians do NOT EAT FISH!!!!
  • Requiembell
    Requiembell Posts: 106 Member
    Living on a strict diet of Mountain Dew and cigarettes would be a vegan life. Not a healthy life, but it would be vegan.

    Don't forget the Oreos. Vegan or vegetarian doesn't equal healthy for sure.

    Yes, if you add Oreos and eat the cigarettes instead of smoking them, you .... no wait, that still isn't healthy. My bad. But is is vegan.

Categories