Considering trying a Vegan diet?
deadbambi
Posts: 368
I want to try a Vegan diet for awhile, because I've heard you can lose quite a bit of weight. My only issue is that I'm 19, and my budget is a bit tough to buy groceries just for myself :P since my whole family doesn't eat anything even remotely vegan.
I was thinking Vegetarian would be a lot easier, ? And when you're a vegetarian, you're allowed eggs... yes?
I cannot give up my eggs. I simply can't.
I just wanted to know some stories maybe of good results from going from a carnivorous diet (ha-ha) to a vegetarian/vegan diet.
is it a significant difference in your weightloss?
I was thinking Vegetarian would be a lot easier, ? And when you're a vegetarian, you're allowed eggs... yes?
I cannot give up my eggs. I simply can't.
I just wanted to know some stories maybe of good results from going from a carnivorous diet (ha-ha) to a vegetarian/vegan diet.
is it a significant difference in your weightloss?
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haha It is so expensive being vegan unless you really like oatmeal and beans.I would become a vegan, i have many of the beliefs but I love meat. can not live without it. I wont get any gains otherwise haha
yeah i love my veggies. Organic and out of my garden. I am gonna be canning tomatoes until winter solstice.
You will need to find ways to maintain your protein intake cs otherwise your body is going to eat all the muscle and fat and you will be unhappy.0 -
Don't doooo eeeet. Dead animals are nom nom nom.
I tried to be a vegetarian for like two years. I was a carboholic, more like it. Didn't like a lot of the main protein sources so I just ate a bunch of crap. Crappy vegetarian = still fat.
Don't become a vegetarian thinking you're gonna lose weight. My friend is a vegetarian - has been for over 20 years - and she is having a hard time losing even five pounds. So just because you eat a lot of fruits and veggies and legumes doesn't mean you will lose weight. Comes down to calories in vs. calories out.0 -
i am not vegan or vegetarian BUT my family do eat vegetarian meals, usually once to three times a week.
Why don't you consider cooking with more vegetables and less meat for your family? Or perhaps make vegetarian versions of the meat dishes for yourself?
You don't have to completely convert but could just try consuming less meat and more of other food groups? Then you can decide whether you're missing the meat or not and learn more about experimenting with foods and substitutes.
I wouldn't purely go for one of these diets because you can lose weight - find a diet that you enjoy the components of and vary it for yourself. Variety is king! good luck 0 -
I don't think being vegan is expensive but I also like to cook. Vegan convenience food can be expensive but there are tons of vegan foods that are really inexpensive such as legumes and grains. I know some vegans who have a food budget of well under $100/month.
And honestly, I gained weight as a vegan. There are still a lot of calorically dense things that vegans eat such as nuts, nut butters, dried fruit, etc and you can just plain overeat. I love beans, lots of beans and fruit. I had to cut back on both to cut down my calories.
My recommendation, if you are interested, would be to start looking at planning some meatless meals and fit them into your current lifestyle. You don't have to flip the switch in a single day.0 -
i am not vegan or vegetarian BUT my family do eat vegetarian meals, usually once to three times a week.
Why don't you consider cooking with more vegetables and less meat for your family? Or perhaps make vegetarian versions of the meat dishes for yourself?
You don't have to completely convert but could just try consuming less meat and more of other food groups? Then you can decide whether you're missing the meat or not and learn more about experimenting with foods and substitutes.
I wouldn't purely go for one of these diets because you can lose weight - find a diet that you enjoy the components of and vary it for yourself. Variety is king! good luck
This makes a lot of sense, and I think i'll try something like this. And who knows, maybe i'll end up loving it 0 -
If you want to dally with the idea, Alicia Silverstone's The Kind Diet is quite a nice book to read. It has 3 sections. Some ingredients are unheard of to me, but I can make a fair few, and I like the way the book is written. She has also a website www.thekindlife.com I think0
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Check out "Eat to Live" by Dr Fuhrman. I switched a month ago and have lost 25 lbs in that month and my wife has lost about 17 lbs in that time as well. Previously, I was creeping along at 1 lb/week counting calories, and now the weight is just falling off.
Beware that all vegan/vegetarian diets are not equal. There are many 'junk food' vegan diets that are no good.0 -
To be honest and blunt.... it sounds like you don't know much about either type of diet. Both diets can be done healthfully but only if you know what you are doing! As a vegetarian you can eat eggs and dairy but not meat. Vegans eat NO animal products, including eggs, dairy, honey, gelatin, etc. My suggestion is that you educate yourself on both types of diets and understand how to do it properly so that you get all the necessary nutrients and then choose what will work for you. I don't suggest going vegan right away... very difficult transition. Start by incorporating vegetarian meals into your daily routine. If you find it works for you and you like then you can step it up a notch and eliminate all meat. Being a vegetarian can be very inexpensive (dried beans, veggies, whole grains, fruit, nuts). Vegans a little more expensive when you are looking for things like vegan cheese or butter. Either way, just make sure that you know what you are eating and understand how to maintain a nutritious diet! If you do it corectly I could almost guarantee that you will feel better and healthier!0
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If you're doing it simply to lose weight, there are fear easier and less extreme measures you can take to accomplish that goal.0
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You'd be better off just cutting out processed foods and other crap, eating more vegtables and keeping meat in your diet.0
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If you're doing it simply to lose weight, there are fear easier and less extreme measures you can take to accomplish that goal.
I agree that going vegan for weight loss isn't the best reason. There are many books out there touting the effortless weight loss that comes about by going vegan. It's all about calories. You can still eat too many of them as a vegan.
Now, if you want a diet that is kinder to animals, vegan is the way to go.0 -
If you're doing it simply to lose weight, there are fear easier and less extreme measures you can take to accomplish that goal.
This^
While I'm not going to beat the dead horse again by saying that I think humans need animal products (Doh!), I do think that you can go vegetarian or vegan if you have a certain type of metabolism AND if you do extensive research and make sure that you are getting all the things you need. IMO, it's the hardest eating plan to stay healthy, but is better than the Standard American Diet IF you eat HEALTHY vegan meals.
I tried vegan when I was younger; for my body and my health it was definitely a no-go.
I am currently losing 3-4 pounds per week on my healthy eating plan; you are welcome to take a look, it's open to everyone.0 -
Check out "Eat to Live" by Dr Fuhrman. I switched a month ago and have lost 25 lbs in that month and my wife has lost about 17 lbs in that time as well. Previously, I was creeping along at 1 lb/week counting calories, and now the weight is just falling off.
Beware that all vegan/vegetarian diets are not equal. There are many 'junk food' vegan diets that are no good.
Oreo cookies are vegan.
The Eat to Live program is the best plan I've seen anywhere. It is the way people ate a long time ago, before all this heart disease and other health problems became epidemic. It's not a diet. It is simply eating good foods and being nice to your body. I don't know why so meany people resist it.
I know I am hated on these forums because I always push vegetables. lol. I am seriously thinking about using another tracker anyway.0 -
Oh, something else to consider about being vegan. It's not just about what you eat. Most vegans don't eat animal products or use them in any way. This includes clothing. I won't buy anything leather myself and try my best not to use anything tested on animals.
I was vegan for years and should have stayed that way. I probably wouldn't have gone through the last 4 years of hell.
You need to realize you get slammed for simply saying you want to be vegan. Look into and if it's for you then do it. Research facts and don't takeany forum posts anywhere to be facts.0 -
You'd be better off just cutting out processed foods and other crap, eating more vegtables and keeping meat in your diet.
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Reduce sugar especially ... if you use that guideline solely, you'll be amazed how it seems to be in everything from baked goods to processed anything. Sugar by any other name is still sugar--anything ending in -ose. (even the fructose in fruit is sugar, although there's more in a can of soda than in fruit, so limit fruit to a couple servings a day). What can you eat? Well ... vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts (max 2 oz per day), and fruit.0 -
I went from eating meat (although mostly chicken) to vegetarian, then a month later I went vegan. I was stuck in a plateau at the time, and it helped me to break it. As for groceries, I wouldn't worry too much. My mom's mostly vegan, and our grocery bill has gone down a good amount (my dad buys his own food). I would recommend getting a lot of fresh fruit, frozen veggies, beans (seriously SO cheap and a good source of protein), tofu (if you have a Wegmans near you it's really cheap as well), and rice/oats/quinoa (brown rice is like less than 2 bucks for a bag). What's expensive is the vegan substitutes, like veggie burgers (you can make homemade bean burgers that are so much cheaper and taste better), soy yogurts, non dairy ice cream and stuff. If you eat mostly whole foods then it shouldn't be too expensive.
If you like eating scrambled eggs, you should try tofu scramble! It's really good, and it has a good amount of protein in it. Plus it's super easy to make and pretty cheap. Or you could always go vegan except for eggs, if you're just doing it for diet purposes. 0 -
Oh, something else to consider about being vegan. It's not just about what you eat. Most vegans don't eat animal products or use them in any way. This includes clothing. I won't buy anything leather myself and try my best not to use anything tested on animals.
I was vegan for years and should have stayed that way. I probably wouldn't have gone through the last 4 years of hell.
You need to realize you get slammed for simply saying you want to be vegan. Look into and if it's for you then do it. Research facts and don't takeany forum posts anywhere to be facts.
It's unfortunately true that labeling yourself 'vegan' can make yourself open to conflict and criticism. That's why I'd like to see products be 'vegan' and people being called, well......people. I think people who want to eat 'vegan' for health reasons tend to say they are eating a 'plant-based diet.' I can't blame them from backing away from calling themselves 'vegan' since anything less than perfection is simply not tolerated by a lot of vegans who have been known to 'eat their young.'0 -
Do NOT do it to lose weight. Its not an easy thing to do, especially if you like meat, and there is no guarentee that you'll lose weight. Especially if you buy lots of the mean replacement items. If you choose to go vegan you have to spend a lot of time and energy making sure you get what you need in your meals, and you don't want to fall into the rut of being either a "junk food vegan", or living off of carbs.
I follow a plant based diet. I won't say "vegan" because I"m sitting on my leather couch and there is a bear skin rug on the wall behind me....
But due to intolerances/allergies etc. I can't eat meat, fish, eggs, dairy.....so I eat no animal products at all. Our grocerie cost has actually gone down quite a bit but I don't buy any "vegan" products. No processed fake meats etc. Buying those would add quite a bit I think.
Honestly though, I feel great. Even if I could go back to eating meat/dairy/eggs, I wouldn't.0 -
I am vegan, and have been since March 11th. I have lost 76 pounds and I LOVE the food I am eating. I feel better than I have in years, and everyone says I am glowing. For some people it is a struggle, but it has not been for me. I have always leaned toward liking fruits and veggies more than meat though. It is not expensive, really. I do not buy the "fake" meats or other vegan junk. I just eat whole, plant based meals. Lots of fresh veggies, fruits, and beans. I guarantee you that beans are WAY cheaper than non-vegan sources of protein, such as chicken, fish, etc.0
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Ya like a lot of these other guys said you need to make sure you get a good amount of protein in your diet. I personally find that if I eat at least 1 scoop of vegan protein powder a day that I can easily hit my daily recommended allotment of protein.
If this is your first time trying it I would recommend going onto veganproteinpowders.net and picking a high rated one so that you are positive it tastes good (some of them don't taste great). Just want to make sure that you get enough of what you need! Good luck!0 -
Oh, something else to consider about being vegan. It's not just about what you eat. Most vegans don't eat animal products or use them in any way. This includes clothing. I won't buy anything leather myself and try my best not to use anything tested on animals.
I was vegan for years and should have stayed that way. I probably wouldn't have gone through the last 4 years of hell.
You need to realize you get slammed for simply saying you want to be vegan. Look into and if it's for you then do it. Research facts and don't takeany forum posts anywhere to be facts.
I have read your posts and appreciate your opinions.
I live in the Arctic where lots of people still eat wild animals (the people that have stopped are getting disease) and wear their skins. It really is a necessity here. IMO, these animals live the way they were meant to, and that includes being preyed upon by other animals.
I'd like to offer you this thought regarding the ethical issues of wearing animal products: There can also be ethical issues with wearing synthetic materials. Most are made from petroleum products, in factories, sometimes by child labour, and do not readily decompose when discarded. Some other materials, such as cotton, have ethical issues due to agricultural processes.
I too, don't use products tested on animals. I do wear animal products and synthetics but i am aware of my footprint and the costs to the environment of my choices. I do the best I can to avoid animal products that come from industrial farming or that were treated in unethical ways (for example: certain types of fishing methods create high amounts of bycatch that is subsequently wasted). I'm far from perfect, and where I live creates some challenges, but i think awareness is very important in the journey to making positive changes.
I don't slam vegans, but I don't know why they sometimes slam me when I present my opinions. I did try vegan and it was not a healthy diet for ME. Certainly it probably works well for some other people, but not everyone.0 -
Oh, something else to consider about being vegan. It's not just about what you eat. Most vegans don't eat animal products or use them in any way. This includes clothing. I won't buy anything leather myself and try my best not to use anything tested on animals.
I was vegan for years and should have stayed that way. I probably wouldn't have gone through the last 4 years of hell.
You need to realize you get slammed for simply saying you want to be vegan. Look into and if it's for you then do it. Research facts and don't takeany forum posts anywhere to be facts.
I have read your posts and appreciate your opinions.
I live in the Arctic where lots of people still eat wild animals (the people that have stopped are getting disease) and wear their skins. It really is a necessity here. IMO, these animals live the way they were meant to, and that includes being preyed upon by other animals.
I'd like to offer you this thought regarding the ethical issues of wearing animal products: There can also be ethical issues with wearing synthetic materials. Most are made from petroleum products, in factories, sometimes by child labour, and do not readily decompose when discarded. Some other materials, such as cotton, have ethical issues due to agricultural processes.
I too, don't use products tested on animals. I do wear animal products and synthetics but i am aware of my footprint and the costs to the environment of my choices. I do the best I can to avoid animal products that come from industrial farming or that were treated in unethical ways (for example: certain types of fishing methods create high amounts of bycatch that is subsequently wasted). I'm far from perfect, and where I live creates some challenges, but i think awareness is very important in the journey to making positive changes.
I don't slam vegans, but I don't know why they sometimes slam me when I present my opinions. I did try vegan and it was not a healthy diet for ME. Certainly it probably works well for some other people, but not everyone.
No one should slam you. It is impossible to live politically correct in every way. Sounds like you the best you can for what you believe in. That's all any of us can do.
People don't get disease from not eating meat though. If they are getting disease it's most likely due to lack of nutrition. You probably don't have a wide a selection of foods to choose from the way most places do.
I am not sure, but I believe the meat in your area is not manufactured the way it is here. I use the word manufacture because it's an industry now. What you do eat is probably healthier. I don't think there is as much waste either.
Your culture is different from ours and while I may be bothered with some things because of personal feelings I can't say anything bad. At least nothing is coming to mind at the moment. I am very much an animal rights hiippie chick. lol. However I do believe there is a right and wrong way for everything.
I would not ever say anything to someone in the arctic for wearing fur. However I'm in Texas and think anyone who wears here is a selfish #####. It's not like they are eating the animal and using the rest for survival. The fur industry rant is for another site, so I'll stop. lol.0 -
Oh, something else to consider about being vegan. It's not just about what you eat. Most vegans don't eat animal products or use them in any way. This includes clothing. I won't buy anything leather myself and try my best not to use anything tested on animals.
I was vegan for years and should have stayed that way. I probably wouldn't have gone through the last 4 years of hell.
You need to realize you get slammed for simply saying you want to be vegan. Look into and if it's for you then do it. Research facts and don't takeany forum posts anywhere to be facts.
I have read your posts and appreciate your opinions.
I live in the Arctic where lots of people still eat wild animals (the people that have stopped are getting disease) and wear their skins. It really is a necessity here. IMO, these animals live the way they were meant to, and that includes being preyed upon by other animals.
I'd like to offer you this thought regarding the ethical issues of wearing animal products: There can also be ethical issues with wearing synthetic materials. Most are made from petroleum products, in factories, sometimes by child labour, and do not readily decompose when discarded. Some other materials, such as cotton, have ethical issues due to agricultural processes.
I too, don't use products tested on animals. I do wear animal products and synthetics but i am aware of my footprint and the costs to the environment of my choices. I do the best I can to avoid animal products that come from industrial farming or that were treated in unethical ways (for example: certain types of fishing methods create high amounts of bycatch that is subsequently wasted). I'm far from perfect, and where I live creates some challenges, but i think awareness is very important in the journey to making positive changes.
I don't slam vegans, but I don't know why they sometimes slam me when I present my opinions. I did try vegan and it was not a healthy diet for ME. Certainly it probably works well for some other people, but not everyone.
No one should slam you. It is impossible to live politically correct in every way. Sounds like you the best you can for what you believe in. That's all any of us can do.
People don't get disease from not eating meat though. If they are getting disease it's most likely due to lack of nutrition. You probably don't have a wide a selection of foods to choose from the way most places do.
I am not sure, but I believe the meat in your area is not manufactured the way it is here. I use the word manufacture because it's an industry now. What you do eat is probably healthier. I don't think there is as much waste either.
Your culture is different from ours and while I may be bothered with some things because of personal feelings I can't say anything bad. At least nothing is coming to mind at the moment. I am very much an animal rights hiippie chick. lol. However I do believe there is a right and wrong way for everything.
I would not ever say anything to someone in the arctic for wearing fur. However I'm in Texas and think anyone who wears here is a selfish #####. It's not like they are eating the animal and using the rest for survival. The fur industry rant is for another site, so I'll stop. lol.
I mostly agree with what you say, except for that Inuit are indeed adapted to eating almost all meat and animal fat. While some of their modern diet is no doubt the worst of the worst, grains and beans are not something they digest well They ate caribou stomach contents (greens!), sea vegetables, and berries. The latter two were only available for a very short time.
Even though I am Caucasian (my child is Inuit), I thrive on an Inuit diet (not that it's totally available to me all the time, and I'm not inclined to try stomach contents...) so that tells me a lot.
Also, even in Texas, there must be ethical cattle ranchers, so I don't know why one would be opposed to using the whole animal, including for clothes....
But of course, I'm way off topic now too, so will shut up. lol0 -
I went Vegan and lost almost 80 LBS so far. Do it!!!!I want to try a Vegan diet for awhile, because I've heard you can lose quite a bit of weight. My only issue is that I'm 19, and my budget is a bit tough to buy groceries just for myself :P since my whole family doesn't eat anything even remotely vegan.
I was thinking Vegetarian would be a lot easier, ? And when you're a vegetarian, you're allowed eggs... yes?
I cannot give up my eggs. I simply can't.
I just wanted to know some stories maybe of good results from going from a carnivorous diet (ha-ha) to a vegetarian/vegan diet.
is it a significant difference in your weightloss?
Just google "John Mcdougall" and "Caldwell Esselstyn" they are both doctors that have recipe plans online for free, that are inexpensive to follow.0 -
I am currently "eating vegan". I started doing this only to "ease out" of a cleanse I did, and found such significant improvements in my cardio, workout recoveries, and skin that I have stuck with it several months now. I like it, it works for me right now, I feel great not supporting the corporate meat industry (I am not ethically against eating animals, but c'mon though). That being said, every body is different. Learn more and experiment. I recommend the book Healing with Whole Foods as a holistic starting point.0
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You can lose weight if you go vegan if you do it healthy. Lots of junk food is accidently vegan like chips, soda, oreos, lots of breads, ect. But I suppose that general for anyone going on a healthy diet. A vegan diet is typically low fat, which works for some people, not others. Personally it works well for me because cutting calories did squat for me. If I cut out bad fats then I see results.
I also feel better not having cheese and meat sitting in my colon and making my stomach constantly bloated. My skin has improved and is more radiant and I get less acne. I also recover faster from work outs and my fat loss has accelerated.
It's a bit of a detoxing process, I was a junk food queen. I now like eating veggies and don't really miss lots of the foods i used to eat. Also, you can make just about anything vegan...including "eggs", try a tofu egg scramble sometime. Super filling and tastes like eggs.
Also, eating vegan doesn't have to be expensive. Vegetables are cheaper than meat. You don't need specialty vegan cheeses, ect and tofu is cheap as hell. I've seen a block of tofu good for at least 4 servings for 99cents. There are lots of cookbooks out there that showcase eating vegan without those specialty products like the supermarket vegan, chef chloe's cookbook, appetite for reduction (good for weight loss vegan cooking).
And yes you'll be able to get enough protein. There are many people here that will tell you that you need 200grams of protein a day and that eating lots of protein is the secret to weightloss. It isn't. Eating more protein than you should goes to waste, adds unnecessary fats to your diet and calories (if they are animal proteins). Cheese is mostly fat but it's got a decent amount of protein. Prime example, 70 calories from fat in one serving of cheese that usually 100 calories total. that's a lot of fat. And that's probably why I was also alot of fat because I liked cheese. Then I learned it was causing my constant sinus infections so I learned to not like it and I rarely even eat vegan cheese.
All that being said, yes eating vegan can be healthy and good for weight loss if done correctly, but it's not a failproof way to lose weight. Some people gain weight because they turn heavily to plain refined carbs or prepackaged junk vegan food.0 -
Oh, something else to consider about being vegan. It's not just about what you eat. Most vegans don't eat animal products or use them in any way. This includes clothing. I won't buy anything leather myself and try my best not to use anything tested on animals.
I was vegan for years and should have stayed that way. I probably wouldn't have gone through the last 4 years of hell.
You need to realize you get slammed for simply saying you want to be vegan. Look into and if it's for you then do it. Research facts and don't takeany forum posts anywhere to be facts.
She did say a vegan diet, not lifestyle, Many people are just doing the diet for health benefits which still reduces suffering to animals so I say more power to them. Some of them move on to living a vegan lifestyle or at least move on to buy crueltry free ect..0 -
One thing you could do since you are still living with your family is see if they would be willing to participate in meatless mondays. That way you can all eat a vegetarian meal together and they might be more open to your wanting to change your diet0
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i know quite a few fat vegans. It always comes down to calories and exercise no matter what you are eating so don't fool yourself.0
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