Brand new vegan - questions?
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read as many books as u can about veganism--hit the library or have a little amazon shopping fun!
shoot for 20 or 25% protein rather than 30. we need less that we think.
take a B-12 pill, and/or drink alomd milk and use some foods with b-12 added.
stay vegan despite what others say. most are totally ignorant about vegan nutrition, even doctors. connect with other vegans locally or online. try new recipes, hit trader joes and whole foods, splurge on yummy vegan foods that fit your foodplan.
been vegan 3 years, never going back, best thing i ever did!0 -
If you have a chance, get a copy of Eat to Live by Dr. Joel Fuhrman (vegan dietitian and world class athlete and medalist).
He basically says, don't "worry" about protein. Worry about eating enough greens first and foremost. Worry about eating "nutrient dense" vs. all this complicated macros/micros stuff. Your body will get the protein it needs when you eat nutrient dense and pile up your daily menu in this order: greens (and more greens!), colorful veggies, fruits, beans, whole grains, and then a serving of nuts/seeds.
Too much protein is a big problem with the "Western" diet. More and more people are getting kidney transplants and it is not from alcoholism, it is from too much protein that the body can't handle! Too much protein in the diet can actually SCAR the kidneys! :-/ Be nice to your body.
So when someone gives me sass about not getting enough protein, I turn the question around to them and ask if they are getting enough phytonutrients. Most often, they don't even know what that is, and leaves them questioning their diet more than mine.
Also, it helps that I've lost a lot of body fat since going vegan 2+ years ago and am getting more muscley day by day. Proof is in the (chia seed) pudding, I guess!
Good luck!0 -
Great conversation. I find beans, rice, soy are the primary sources of my protein. I don't really think about it. I do try to drive my fat numbers as low as possible.0
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I don't even have macros displayed, not helpful, I display vitamins and minerals instead.
If you're worried about protein, have a cup of beans every day and a handful of nuts. You'll be fine.
I might suggest flax oil or ground flax seeds, for healthy fat.0 -
My wife and I watched the Forks over Knives and I have to admit that while watching it I was skeptical ( still am to some degree as I really love my pork products). Going the FOK route seems to be very extreme to me as it doesn't allow for any oils at all and that to me is the hardest part since almost everything you try to buy "vegan" has some form of oil in it. I am getting really bored with the "whole foods" approach to veganism and how we prepare our foods. I think for me at least going vegan would have been easier had I been "allowed" to eat oils. I'm not a huge fan of all the faux replacement type products eiter. If you are going to cal something a burger then let's put meat in it, otherwise can't we make up some other name for it so as not to screw with my mind???
I will say however that in eating this way I have noticed a huge improvement in the way I feel and how I look. 15lbs in two weeks with noticable differences in the amount of fat in my face and stomach.... why does something that is obviously good for us have to lack in the flavor department of what our society considers "normal"?0
