Your best advice for going Vegan
Tenaciousleee
Posts: 22 Member
Doing the vegan thing, just wanting any support/advice 
thanks
thanks 0
Replies
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anyone??0
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bump...0
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From where are you starting?0
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I'm no vegan but this is how I would do: Explore and research your food options well. A vegan lifestyle is not hard as you can substitute most nutrients from animal sources with plant ones. Read the food labels carefully for any animal products. Watch your iron and B12 intake closely as without proper choices you may face a deficiency in long term.0
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Recently don't like meat all that much, but after talking to a friend of mine who went paleo last year (she lost 55lbs and came off all medication) and watching a documentary with my husband (the meat lover) I am completely willing to give it my best shot. From what I understand eating a plant based diet can increase energy, lower weight and even cure illness. i compared paleo and vegetarian, paleo and vegan, but knowing what I know about processed foods and meats I believe it would be healthier to go full on vegan. I am two days in, and getting creative in the kitchen. I understand other people won't "agree" per say, but that isn't what I am asking. It is pretty daunting to just decide "hey, I am going to do this". I am pretty determined, so any advice from successful vegans is welcome.0
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I'm no vegan but this is how I would do: Explore and research your food options well. A vegan lifestyle is not hard as you can substitute most nutrients from animal sources with plant ones. Read the food labels carefully for any animal products. Watch your iron and B12 intake closely as without proper choices you may face a deficiency in long term.
Thank you! Yes, I have been researching plant strong food lists and recipes . I will definitely look into a good B12 supplement. thanks!0 -
Learn to sprout lentils. They will provide you with complete protein.0
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Doing the vegan thing, just wanting any support/advice thanks
Research and get recipe ideas from other vegan websites. Please stick with whole foods and don't eat a lot of processed crap.
Yes, as others have stated you will have to supplement. Sprout grains, legumes and lentils as this is the only way they are going to be healthy for you.
Use coconut oil and olive oil for fats - you need those in moderate quantities.
Throw out any leather, wool or other animal owned clothing, belts, shoes or other accessories.
Vegan isn't just a way of eating, it is a whole lifestyle.0 -
Thanks, I really thought the "no cheese or dairy" would be the hard part. It really is the processed foods as everything is processed now-a-days. I am just hoping for lots of recipes and time in the kitchen coupled with determination. Thanks!0
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There are vegan cheeses. They aren't the same but the trick is to put them with things (veggie American slice on top of a veggie burger). Cheese is normally full of fat and salt. If you study how much animal farms hurt the environment, you'll feel good about eating less or no meat. Dairy farms are not pleasant to research. That said, I myself eat meat maybe a couple times a month. I focus on eating a pound a day of both raw and cooked veggies, plus 4 fruits a day. I gained weight when I kept eating the vegan junk foods. Everyone's metabolism is different though. Right now, I am limiting my breads.0
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bump...will read later....I am very interested in going vegan too. My love of greek yogurt and cheese and eggs is a real killer.0
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There's a group here for vegans and vegetarians. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/45-happy-herbivores
Make sure you're getting enough iron; that's the problem I had when I went vegetarian. You will have to work to get enough protein, so you might look into protein powders and learn to love lentils if you don't already. There are some good vegan websites out there, as well, like post punk kitchen, ohsheglows.com, vegan stoner, etc... Also, you really need to mean it. I think it's more of a lifestyle than a diet and there are plenty of vegan cupcakes, cookies and other treats out there that will make it difficult to be healthy if you overindulge.0 -
My best advice: just do it! lol
No but seriously, there are a lot of great resources out there. Try googling Alexandra Jamieson - her blog and her Vegan for Dummies books are GREAT and full of helpful information!
If you're a total omnivore, I would say start by cutting out meat and keep the dairy and eggs for a little while. Then once you feel comfortable with no meat, cut out the dairy and eggs. Or you can go cold turkey - it's up to you! Personally I did it gradually just to ease myself into it.
I live in NYC and we have a lot of vegan-friendly and purely vegan restaurants, so that makes it easy. But I cook at home mostly. Try thinking of your favorite foods and think about "veganizing" them. Like for me, I loved eating all kinds of curry - so instead of putting chicken and cheese cubes in the curry - I just put tofu, tempeh, lentils, and chickpeas in. SO GOOD. You can have all kinds of pasta that's vegan and have some soy sausage with it or tempeh.
I drink almond milk exclusively - I only put soy milk in my coffee if I'm out cause usually places don't have almond milk. I try not to have more than 2 servings of a soy product per day because it can screw up your hormones if you have too much. Also make sure to read the labels or do some research to make sure that your soy is non-GMO.
Hmmmm what else. Eat LOTS of spinach - it's a good source of iron and other nutrients and can be very filling. Eat lots of legumes to fill you up and get protein. And eat lots of fruit for fiber and other vitamins! Also consider taking a supplement that contains 100% of vitamin B12 and possibly some iron if you're a woman.
Good luck!0 -
I am not vegan, but my daughter is. I make cheese sauce for her with cashews and nutritional yeast (sooooo good) and Daiya makes an excellent non-dairy cheese. Probably the only processed food she still can't kick is the Boca Spicy Chick'n patties, and I can't say I blame her. We use tofu, but only the sprouted kind. She cycles through almond, coconut and rice milk. She's good about her B12 drops, and nutritional yeast helps with that as well. I have a ton of vegan cookbooks. I would recommend anything by Isa Chandra Moskovich, and take a look at her website, www.theppk.com (or just google Post Punk Kitchen).0
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I've been vegan for 10 years, but I'm not necessarily a 'healthy' vegan. I try my best to pick healthy choices, but just like any diet, it's definitely possible to gain weight! I've never taken supplements and my blood work comes back normal at every doctor visit. I imagine supplements wouldn't hurt you, but I'm not very good about taking pills, so I try to get the right foods instead. If you're like me, just be sure you get regular checkups for the first few years to make sure you're not forgetting any nutrients and if needed, take a supplement then. When I went vegan, I found it easiest to start as a vegetarian and gradually remove animal products from my diet and replacing them with vegan versions. I didn't like everything at first, but after a while, I've forgotten what real milk and cheese taste like! Also, cut yourself some slack. Nobody can be 100% vegan 100% of the time. That's my advice! Good luck!0
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I know paleo says no beans or legumes - but I think that's because it can make you gassy and thus disrupt normal digestive functioning. To avoid that, buy dried beans and soak them for up to a day before cooking them. It helps get rid of all the bacteria that causes that gas so that they are much easier to digest. Google "soaking beans before cooking" and there will be plenty about it. Works for me!!0
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Go vegan for ethical reasons but I don't believe it's the healthiest way to eat. lots of work to get it right.0
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My best advice: just do it! lol
No but seriously, there are a lot of great resources out there. Try googling Alexandra Jamieson - her blog and her Vegan for Dummies books are GREAT and full of helpful information!
If you're a total omnivore, I would say start by cutting out meat and keep the dairy and eggs for a little while. Then once you feel comfortable with no meat, cut out the dairy and eggs. Or you can go cold turkey - it's up to you! Personally I did it gradually just to ease myself into it.
I live in NYC and we have a lot of vegan-friendly and purely vegan restaurants, so that makes it easy. But I cook at home mostly. Try thinking of your favorite foods and think about "veganizing" them. Like for me, I loved eating all kinds of curry - so instead of putting chicken and cheese cubes in the curry - I just put tofu, tempeh, lentils, and chickpeas in. SO GOOD. You can have all kinds of pasta that's vegan and have some soy sausage with it or tempeh.
I drink almond milk exclusively - I only put soy milk in my coffee if I'm out cause usually places don't have almond milk. I try not to have more than 2 servings of a soy product per day because it can screw up your hormones if you have too much. Also make sure to read the labels or do some research to make sure that your soy is non-GMO.
Hmmmm what else. Eat LOTS of spinach - it's a good source of iron and other nutrients and can be very filling. Eat lots of legumes to fill you up and get protein. And eat lots of fruit for fiber and other vitamins! Also consider taking a supplement that contains 100% of vitamin B12 and possibly some iron if you're a woman.
Good luck!
Thank you! I am drinking coffee with soy milk as I write this, but I only got it because they were out of almond milk! Lots of good advice.0 -
There are vegan cheeses. They aren't the same but the trick is to put them with things (veggie American slice on top of a veggie burger). Cheese is normally full of fat and salt. If you study how much animal farms hurt the environment, you'll feel good about eating less or no meat. Dairy farms are not pleasant to research. That said, I myself eat meat maybe a couple times a month. I focus on eating a pound a day of both raw and cooked veggies, plus 4 fruits a day. I gained weight when I kept eating the vegan junk foods. Everyone's metabolism is different though. Right now, I am limiting my breads.
Yes, cutting out processed foods has been the hardest. I'm trying to go full on plant strong, i feel like it's very important for both health and ethical reasons. Since I am only on day 2 I know I am not fully aware of how difficult the lifestyle is to maintain, but first trip to the grocery store and I know my "junk" foods will be few. I am currently in love with corn tortillas, and those could make me gain I am sure.0 -
I'm not vegan anymore, but here are some tips that helped me a lot:
1. Buy some cookbooks. Isa Moskowitz has some amazing ones that helped me get started. My first vegan recipe was the pumpkin casserole from Veganomicon....sooo good. My favorites cookbooks of hers are Veganomicon, Appetite for Reduction (this one is EXCELLENT and low cal), and Vegan Brunch. Note though that most vegan cookbooks are not low cal! Also, don't be intimidated by the strange sounding ingredients in these cookbooks. You'll find them in the store in places that you never had to look before, but they are there and easy to find for the most part.
2. Stock you fridge and pantry. I suggest earth balance butter, veganaisse, raw cashews (for cheesy sauces), nutritional yeast, miso, nut butters, tofu, seitan, beans etc. These will become your new staples. Don't bother with store bought vegan cheeses - they are gross and heavily processed and unhealthy. Daiya tastes pretty good but really upset my stomach which is a complaint I've heard from a lot of people.
3. Always research a restaurant before you go there. One of the biggest challenges about being vegan is eating out. I've had many meals consisting of salad and fries.
4. Try to mostly stay away from processed high sodium protein sources if you can help it. These include tofurkey slices and sausages, boca, etc. They are good for a quick fix, but shouldn't be the usual. Think fast food and how it plays into your life now - the exception and not the rule.
5. Learn to love beans and tofu - a lot.
6. Don't go overboard with wanting to try everything that's vegan! This got me into trouble lol. Just b/c the cupcake is vegan doesn't mean it has any less sugar or fat!0 -
There's a group here for vegans and vegetarians. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/45-happy-herbivores
Make sure you're getting enough iron; that's the problem I had when I went vegetarian. You will have to work to get enough protein, so you might look into protein powders and learn to love lentils if you don't already. There are some good vegan websites out there, as well, like post punk kitchen, ohsheglows.com, vegan stoner, etc... Also, you really need to mean it. I think it's more of a lifestyle than a diet and there are plenty of vegan cupcakes, cookies and other treats out there that will make it difficult to be healthy if you overindulge.
Would I need to take an iron supplement or just google iron rich foods?0 -
I am not vegan, but my daughter is. I make cheese sauce for her with cashews and nutritional yeast (sooooo good) and Daiya makes an excellent non-dairy cheese. Probably the only processed food she still can't kick is the Boca Spicy Chick'n patties, and I can't say I blame her. We use tofu, but only the sprouted kind. She cycles through almond, coconut and rice milk. She's good about her B12 drops, and nutritional yeast helps with that as well. I have a ton of vegan cookbooks. I would recommend anything by Isa Chandra Moskovich, and take a look at her website, www.theppk.com (or just google Post Punk Kitchen).
Thank you!0 -
I'm not vegan anymore, but here are some tips that helped me a lot:
1. Buy some cookbooks. Isa Moskowitz has some amazing ones that helped me get started. My first vegan recipe was the pumpkin casserole from Veganomicon....sooo good. My favorites cookbooks of hers are Veganomicon, Appetite for Reduction (this one is EXCELLENT and low cal), and Vegan Brunch. Note though that most vegan cookbooks are not low cal! Also, don't be intimidated by the strange sounding ingredients in these cookbooks. You'll find them in the store in places that you never had to look before, but they are there and easy to find for the most part.
2. Stock you fridge and pantry. I suggest earth balance butter, veganaisse, raw cashews (for cheesy sauces), nutritional yeast, miso, nut butters, tofu, seitan, beans etc. These will become your new staples. Don't bother with store bought vegan cheeses - they are gross and heavily processed and unhealthy. Daiya tastes pretty good but really upset my stomach which is a complaint I've heard from a lot of people.
3. Always research a restaurant before you go there. One of the biggest challenges about being vegan is eating out. I've had many meals consisting of salad and fries.
4. Try to mostly stay away from processed high sodium protein sources if you can help it. These include tofurkey slices and sausages, boca, etc. They are good for a quick fix, but shouldn't be the usual. Think fast food and how it plays into your life now - the exception and not the rule.
5. Learn to love beans and tofu - a lot.
6. Don't go overboard with wanting to try everything that's vegan! This got me into trouble lol. Just b/c the cupcake is vegan doesn't mean it has any less sugar or fat!
Awesome, thank you. I really looooove beans/fruit/all kinds of veggies. Legumes are yummy, too. I just worry I will overindulge in them because they are "healthy" .
Yes, i plan on avoiding ALL processed foods, which is really damn difficult but I think it is best. My husband is being very supportive, and he is even considering making 50% of his diet meat and processed food free. There's some things he won't give up, and I don't blame him. I just feel like I am on the verge of a healthy lifestyle plan. I am really excited about it!0 -
There's a group here for vegans and vegetarians. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/45-happy-herbivores
Make sure you're getting enough iron; that's the problem I had when I went vegetarian. You will have to work to get enough protein, so you might look into protein powders and learn to love lentils if you don't already. There are some good vegan websites out there, as well, like post punk kitchen, ohsheglows.com, vegan stoner, etc... Also, you really need to mean it. I think it's more of a lifestyle than a diet and there are plenty of vegan cupcakes, cookies and other treats out there that will make it difficult to be healthy if you overindulge.
Would I need to take an iron supplement or just google iron rich foods?
Google first, try and eat as much iron-rich food as possible, but take a supplement if you need it.0 -
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That's great! As I said in another thread, the one thing I miss a lot about being vegan is that in two years both me and my husband NEVER got sick. That's a big deal, especially for my husband b/c he has terrible allergies and a deviated septum so he frequently gets sinus infections. Since we've been back on animal products, we have both gotten sick twice in 8 months!
Oh, and this is going to sound gross but the other thing I miss is being extremely "regular" if you know what I mean lol. I wasn't constipated once when I was vegan. However, the constant gas is something I could've done without!
Good luck to you I know many long term vegans who are very happy and healthy. I wish I could have stuck with it, but a higher carb diet doesn't work for me and my cholesterol levels 
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Oh yeah I forgot about this web-site...super helpful on how to be the healthiest vegan imaginable!
http://gokaleo.com/0 -
While it's possible to overindulge in anything the average legume has about 200 calories per cup and tons of fiber so it's much harder to overdo it.Legumes are yummy, too. I just worry I will overindulge in them because they are "healthy" .
Since you're going to largely avoid processed food -- the biggest calorie trap in any diet -- the only other thing you really need to be mindful of are avocados, nuts, seeds, etc.. I definitely think all of those things have a place in a healthy diet but they can certainly push your calorie count way up so they're something to watch depending on what your total daily caloric intake is supposed to be (if you're working out tons they're a great place to go for calories).
You also asked about iron, which will be easy if you love legumes. Quinoa is also high in iron (and other grains have iron to a lesser degree). You'll also find it in various amounts in certain vegetables.
As for B12, sublingual and spray B12 are thought to be the best as it's not absorbed as easily as some nutrients.0 -
My best advice for going Vegan: Don't.0
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It's pretty easy. Your body stores B12 really well so you've got a while to get to grips with that side of things. Try and stay away from vegan junk food, make some vegan friends with open diaries and be nosey! (I don't mind if you want to look through mine). Enjoy the cooking side of things, experiment. Don't bother with vegan cheese, most of it's gross though some of the grated stuff is okay on pizza. You've made a good choice. Good luck!0
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