Thinking about going vegan

IceDragon72
IceDragon72 Posts: 48
in Food and Nutrition
Hi All,

I am thinking about going vegan for mostly ethical reasons, but I do think such a diet would be a good change for me and help me lose weight steadily.

I really don't want this thread to derail into a flame war, as it IS a hot topic...

I am mostly looking for advice from people who have been/are vegetarian/vegan. How to transition, recipes, etc. If I do this, I would like to do it in a healthy way and make sure I am getting enough protein, B12, calcium, etc. (I know those nutrients can be tricky to get on a vegan diet). Any advice or thoughts would be great.

Thanks in advance!

Replies

  • Jester522
    Jester522 Posts: 392
    PM me for info
  • JasonDetwiler
    JasonDetwiler Posts: 364 Member
    http://youbentmywookie.com/wookie/gallery/1110_wtf/vegans_dont_exsist.jpg
  • FoodandFitness
    FoodandFitness Posts: 502 Member
    I am not vegan but some of my clients are vegan/vegetarian.

    Of course adopting a diet that eliminates foods you enjoy and forces you to be more restrictive will help you lose weight. You will likely eat less because you won't enjoy eating as much... at least at first.

    You should consider a vegan protein supplement and supplementing with the appropriate vitamins/minerals until you find the right balance of nutrients from your food choices while you are transitioning.
  • samblanken
    samblanken Posts: 369 Member
    I like this website - I go for the "whole foods" but they also have gluten/dairy free, and of course vegetarian. I don't do the whole once a month cooking thing, but I do pick and choose reciepes, and they go for seasonal items.

    http://onceamonthmom.com/
  • Awkward30
    Awkward30 Posts: 1,927 Member
    http://youbentmywookie.com/wookie/gallery/1110_wtf/vegans_dont_exsist.jpg

    While I agree, if it is for ethical reasons, doing the best you can does count for something.

    Personally, I couldn't hit my macros on a vegan diet. I'm super picky though. Also, I don't think that it's potential impact on your weight should factor in because you really can lose weight on any diet. And here, I mean diet in the anthropological sense of "what you eat habitually"
  • Jester522
    Jester522 Posts: 392
    http://youbentmywookie.com/wookie/gallery/1110_wtf/vegans_dont_exsist.jpg
    HA. Thanks for this.
  • _TastySnoBalls_
    _TastySnoBalls_ Posts: 1,298 Member
    happyherbivore.com
    fatfreevegan.com
    ohsheglows.com

    ^^^good.vegan.food.^^^

    start with the above websites, and go from there. The only deficiency you may have is Vit.B12, but try to get blood work done just to make sure, (I was vit.D deficient). Add me if you'd like, or PM me if you have questions. Vegetarian since 2007, vegan since April. Good luck :laugh: :happy:
  • Jester522
    Jester522 Posts: 392

    While I agree, if it is for ethical reasons, doing the best you can does count for something.

    The ethical reasons are about as well rooted as Occupy Wall Street. Go read The Omnivores Dilemma. Sorry, hate it break it to you. I buy from my local farmer.
  • _TastySnoBalls_
    _TastySnoBalls_ Posts: 1,298 Member
    http://youbentmywookie.com/wookie/gallery/1110_wtf/vegans_dont_exsist.jpg

    They make vegan versions of everything on this list. It's expensive, but it's available.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Because you will get a bunch of EDITED posting stupid stuff in response to your question on the main forum I would suggest that you join one of the vegetarian/vegan groups (there are a few) and pose your questions there. You will get a more educated response regarding nutrition.


    ****STAFF NOTE: Post has been edited due to violations of guideline #17****
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/welcome/guidelines
  • Jester522
    Jester522 Posts: 392
    http://youbentmywookie.com/wookie/gallery/1110_wtf/vegans_dont_exsist.jpg

    They make vegan versions of everything on this list. It's expensive, but it's available.
    More marketed crap for the mindless American consumer. Sigh...
    Wait. Vegan guitar strings and charcoal? I have to see this.
  • raylynn244
    raylynn244 Posts: 7 Member
    Hi I was vegan for nine yrs and have been vegetarian for most of my life. I as well, did it for ethical reasons. I am no longer vegan, I am vegetarian slowly converting to typical eating habits. I started veganism when I was 9 yrs old and by the time I was 18 I got very sick. I was extremely under weight and am still anemic today. I am not telling you this to suggest not going vegan.. I think it's a great thing. I am only sharing with you to assure you supplement all the needed vitamins. I was very young and very uneducated when I turned, therefor did not get the proper nutrition which led me to get sick. Being vegan properly takes alot of time, patience and even money. If you have all those things and are done growing and developing than I say go for it! Just be sure to do it right and if you have any questions about anything feel free to ask!
  • IceDragon72
    IceDragon72 Posts: 48
    http://youbentmywookie.com/wookie/gallery/1110_wtf/vegans_dont_exsist.jpg

    Interesting graphic, something to think about. Thanks!
  • JustPeachy044
    JustPeachy044 Posts: 770 Member
    I am not technically vegan but do consider my diet largely plant based. I do it for health and ethical/ environmental reasons. I mean, it takes so many pounds of plant materials to make a pound of edible beef that lots of people could be fed! And when I drive to my parents' and pass all the hog confinements and cattle feedlots that stink to high heaven I think EWWWW---people eat meat from THAT?!

    I take vitamin B12 and a calcium supplement every day to help with those micronutrients it is hard to get without meat/dairy.
  • IceDragon72
    IceDragon72 Posts: 48
    Because you will get a bunch of asshats posting stupid stuff in response to your question on the main forum I would suggest that you join one of the vegetarian/vegan groups (there are a few) and pose your questions there. You will get a more educated response regarding nutrition.

    Haha thanks. Can you link me to a group? Or PM me the link?
  • IceDragon72
    IceDragon72 Posts: 48
    happyherbivore.com
    fatfreevegan.com
    ohsheglows.com

    ^^^good.vegan.food.^^^

    start with the above websites, and go from there. The only deficiency you may have is Vit.B12, but try to get blood work done just to make sure, (I was vit.D deficient). Add me if you'd like, or PM me if you have questions. Vegetarian since 2007, vegan since April. Good luck :laugh: :happy:

    Great links, thank you! :D
  • jennadelane
    jennadelane Posts: 121 Member
    I do want to say good luck to you with your transition! It might be easier to take the step to vegetarian first and then step on to vegan once you have adjusted to that. You are right about it being a hot topic here, as many people here (and in the "real" world) like to tell you what you should do with your own body - don't listen to them. Do what feels right to you and what your conscience tells you.

    Personally, I've been a vegetarian for 14 years (also for ethical reasons) and am the healthiest person in my family (and the only veg!). You do have to be careful about your food choices, since its really easy to go veg in an unhealthy way. The one thing nutrient wise that I want to mention is B12. I became deficient in this vitamin after several years of being veg, since its not really found in plant based foods. My doctor put me on a sublingual supplement and now my levels are great. Also, try to get protein in each meal. Here's a couple decent sources for veg protein info (last ones the best):

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/24/vegetarian-protein-sources_n_1539928.html#slide=1013355
    http://abcnews.go.com/Health/w_DietAndFitnessResource/super-healthy-vegetarian-protein-sources/story?id=16477525
    http://www.care2.com/greenliving/25-vegan-sources-for-protein.html

    Also, a great recipe site that has a lot of vegetarian recipes is skinnytaste:
    http://www.skinnytaste.com/2007/07/vegetarian-recipes.html

    And this MFP thread has a LOT of links to other recipe sites, both vegan and vegetarian:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/683419-websites-like-skinny-taste

    Best of luck to you!
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Because you will get a bunch of asshats posting stupid stuff in response to your question on the main forum I would suggest that you join one of the vegetarian/vegan groups (there are a few) and pose your questions there. You will get a more educated response regarding nutrition.

    Haha thanks. Can you link me to a group? Or PM me the link?

    Not a member of any myself, but here are a few of the larger groups that I saw:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/45-happy-herbivores
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/46-team-vegan
  • SuperVegan8
    SuperVegan8 Posts: 78 Member
    Happy to assist where possible. It's certainly possible to be Vegan and be active and healthy, just need to ensure you eat a varied diet of good nutrient sources. Whole foods are best and i feel 1000% better since becoming vegan.

    Happy to have more vegan MFP friends.

    All the best.
  • Midnight444
    Midnight444 Posts: 23 Member
    A friend of mine has Lupus and she has been a vegetarian for at least a decade, but in the past year became a vegan... She has noticed that her flare-ups do not last as long and they are not nearly as frequent...:flowerforyou:
  • KateChampagne
    KateChampagne Posts: 3 Member
    Been a vegetarian for over 12 years, used to be vegan (for 3 years, quit for monetary reasons unfortunatey), went back to being vegetarian and currently thinking about going vegan again as well. I try to eat vegan whenever possible, and cook mostly vegan at home as well. PM me any questions you may have, I'd love to help!
  • IceDragon72
    IceDragon72 Posts: 48
    I do want to say good luck to you with your transition! It might be easier to take the step to vegetarian first and then step on to vegan once you have adjusted to that. You are right about it being a hot topic here, as many people here (and in the "real" world) like to tell you what you should do with your own body - don't listen to them. Do what feels right to you and what your conscience tells you.

    Personally, I've been a vegetarian for 14 years (also for ethical reasons) and am the healthiest person in my family (and the only veg!). You do have to be careful about your food choices, since its really easy to go veg in an unhealthy way. The one thing nutrient wise that I want to mention is B12. I became deficient in this vitamin after several years of being veg, since its not really found in plant based foods. My doctor put me on a sublingual supplement and now my levels are great. Also, try to get protein in each meal. Here's a couple decent sources for veg protein info (last ones the best):

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/24/vegetarian-protein-sources_n_1539928.html#slide=1013355
    http://abcnews.go.com/Health/w_DietAndFitnessResource/super-healthy-vegetarian-protein-sources/story?id=16477525
    http://www.care2.com/greenliving/25-vegan-sources-for-protein.html

    Also, a great recipe site that has a lot of vegetarian recipes is skinnytaste:
    http://www.skinnytaste.com/2007/07/vegetarian-recipes.html

    And this MFP thread has a LOT of links to other recipe sites, both vegan and vegetarian:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/683419-websites-like-skinny-taste

    Best of luck to you!

    Great information, thank you!!
  • IceDragon72
    IceDragon72 Posts: 48
    Because you will get a bunch of asshats posting stupid stuff in response to your question on the main forum I would suggest that you join one of the vegetarian/vegan groups (there are a few) and pose your questions there. You will get a more educated response regarding nutrition.

    Haha thanks. Can you link me to a group? Or PM me the link?

    Not a member of any myself, but here are a few of the larger groups that I saw:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/45-happy-herbivores
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/46-team-vegan

    Awesome, thank you!!
  • _TastySnoBalls_
    _TastySnoBalls_ Posts: 1,298 Member
    http://youbentmywookie.com/wookie/gallery/1110_wtf/vegans_dont_exsist.jpg

    They make vegan versions of everything on this list. It's expensive, but it's available.
    More marketed crap for the mindless American consumer. Sigh...
    Wait. Vegan guitar strings and charcoal? I have to see this.

    To each his own...there are vegan extremists out there
  • hollykaplan
    hollykaplan Posts: 33
    I'm a vegan! Feel free to add me!
  • blanchette_j
    blanchette_j Posts: 17 Member
    I was vegan for ~3 years, for ethical reasons also. I am not trying to discourage you, but this diet is not for everyone! I gave up my vegan lifestyle after a broken wrist and several fractures due to lowered bone density, hair falling out in clumps, and a three-night stay in hospital for iron-deficient anemia. I was careful to eat a nutritious diet, but unfortunately my body did not absorb plant-based proteins in an effective way.

    If you are concerned with the maltreatment of farm animals in large factory farms, you should be able to find local farms that don't mistreat their animals. I buy all of my meat and dairy locally, and have visited the farms to see the facilities. Would you believe that there are milking stalls the cows VOLUNTARILY walk into themselves when they feel they need to be milked?

    Whatever you decide, I hope you take the time to visit a nutritionist to discuss your new diet. Best of luck!


    EDIT: I should add, as you asked, that I didn't lose ANY weight as a vegan :( It was a bummer, I know so many skinny vegans.
  • lilpoindexter
    lilpoindexter Posts: 1,122 Member
    I've never done it, and have no desire to do so, but if you are interested, give it a shot, try it out for 2/3/4/5/6 weeks and see what you think.
  • Katydone
    Katydone Posts: 50
    There is a goodie but oldie book out there: Recipes for a Small Planet...that tells you how much protein is in each serving...has wonderful combinations of beans, rice, cheese, veggies and whole grains.
    Kate
  • jazee11
    jazee11 Posts: 321
    It's totally doable. Check out vegan coach dot com. Also, check out dr mcdougall dot com and dr joel fuhrman dot com for helpful info. Scour the web for recipes, there is so much out there! I have been vegetarian for most of my life. I have not been veggie the last couple of years. I read Skinny ***** a few years ago and tried to be vegan but it didn't last more than a couple of months. Cheese was a tough one for me to give up. I am vegan now and don't seem to be struggling with it at all. I was vegetarian way before they invented the fake cheese and meat subs that they have so much of now. I don't look toward those foods for satisfaction. I think it is healthier to avoid those processed foods but they do make the transition much easier for some. It is possible to get all of your nutrients through plant based choices. I take a b12 supplement that is vegetarian eat nutritional yeast. Vitamin D supplementation is controversial right now. I have some but haven't been taking it regularly.

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