Thinking about going vegan

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  • KateChampagne
    KateChampagne Posts: 3 Member
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    I'm a vegan! Feel free to add me!
  • blanchette_j
    blanchette_j Posts: 17 Member
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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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