Questions for vegans....
freyaheart
Posts: 220 Member
My sister-in-law has recently been eating vegan, since about christmas. She is loosing a lot of weight and even says it is only from the diet and she does not exercise. I am kind of jealous. She says she no longer eats meat because of her morals about it and she does not judge anyone for eating meat, even my brother but she is trying to convert him.
I just want to know a few things.
Why go vegan? ( Morals? Weight loss?)
Is it hard turning you back on meat?
Are veggie burgers cheating? (because they are meat flavored)
How do you find the vegan stuff in the store? (we do not have a vegan vegetarian store locally)
Do you judge other people for their food choices? ( Like the Palio diet)
I am just curious. I honestly don't think I could do it. My family is already giving her a hard time about it. I love my cat and I do not want to eat him I just don't feel the same way about a pig.
edit: Yay typos
I just want to know a few things.
Why go vegan? ( Morals? Weight loss?)
Is it hard turning you back on meat?
Are veggie burgers cheating? (because they are meat flavored)
How do you find the vegan stuff in the store? (we do not have a vegan vegetarian store locally)
Do you judge other people for their food choices? ( Like the Palio diet)
I am just curious. I honestly don't think I could do it. My family is already giving her a hard time about it. I love my cat and I do not want to eat him I just don't feel the same way about a pig.
edit: Yay typos
0
Replies
-
For me it's moral.
I've not eaten meat in 20 years.
I make my own veggie burgers.
I dont pass judgement on others for their eating, not my place.
I'm vegan.0 -
I see no reasonable health benefits to giving up meat/animal products that you couldn't get by making other small changes to your diet. If it's coming from a moral standpoint, then by all means eat what you think is/isn't right. But for me, there is no conclusive, published evidence that would support a vegan lifestyle based on health benefits compared to a diet that is wholesome and rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, and lean meats/poultry/fish.0
-
As a vegan, I could care less what other people eat. I'm vegan for my health and for the environment.
I don't miss meat, was never very fond of it.
Not sure what you mean by meat-flavored. Not all veggie burgers are vegan, but none of them have meat products.
Fruits and veggies are vegan. Nuts are vegan. Rice and beans are vegan. You don't have to buy special foods other than a B12 vitamin.0 -
As a vegan, I could care less what other people eat. I'm vegan for my health and for the environment.
I don't miss meat, was never very fond of it.
Not sure what you mean by meat-flavored. Not all veggie burgers are vegan, but none of them have meat products.
Fruits and veggies are vegan. Nuts are vegan. Rice and beans are vegan. You don't have to buy special foods other than a B12 vitamin.
I only say the meat flavored thing because I had a veggie burger before and it didn't stick out to me as having a difference in flavor to a regular beef patty0 -
The ONLY acceptable reasons for going vegan are:
1. Moral...(hate the slaughter of livestock and/or the treatment of food-meat in society)
2. Religion
There are absolutely zero nutritional reasons a human should not eat meat. We are inherently the most adaptive creatures on earth, scavenging, hunting, picking, gathering, farming....
We can survive on a vegan diet, but usually have to supplement our lacking amino acid profiles....which indicates that we are lacking in those amino acids...or that they are incomplete.
Yes. Vegans are very skinny as well. Causation is not correlation. Many hipsters are vegan...many vegans are Indian. Not all hipster are Indian.0 -
Haha...didn't mean to offend, and I believe memes are f**ing stupid. But ok. "murica...." argument stands. you are vegans because you have the right to be. Though all performance and health science would refute that decision....there is no need to justify....your veggies are sacred for no sacred reason. Love it.0
-
@aelunyu-Don't know if "murica...." was a reference to America but I'm Australian...To elaborate further just so you know where I'm coming from. I am lucky enough to have the geographical and financial means to dictate my eating habits to suit my preference of diet, sadly not the case with the rest of the world population.
Your statement "We can survive on a vegan diet, but usually have to supplement our lacking amino acid profiles....which indicates that we are lacking in those amino acids...or that they are incomplete." Is certainly true and have met many unhealthy vegans that don't get adequate nutrients either through ignorance or just plain laziness or neglect. But the same logic holds true for omnivores, plenty of meat eaters consume vitamins and supplements to meet nutritional needs.
It is possible to get All Essential Amino Acids if you are vigilant with your diet.
Be what ever your dietary preference omnivore/vegan/vegetarian etc doesn't necessarily mean you have a superior diet it just means you have a preference...how healthy and beneficial it is depends on how you choose to maintain it.
PS Wasn't so much insulted, just think blanket statements aka Absolutes are myopic in their scope of vision.0 -
I'm vegetarian, not for any moral standpoint, or religious. I do it for health reasons, though not healthy-diet, but because my body doesn't like to digest meat. After months of testing, my doctor said that it appears that my stomach wasn't producing enough enzymes to efficiently break down animal protein. I stopped eating meat and my abdominal pain started to go away.
Sometimes I'll sneak some meat (because bacon is so yummy) but only in very small quantity's any more than that and I pay for it.
That said, vegan is a whole other side of the spectrum. I know people who went vegan because they were trying to root out a food sensitivity. Others for morals (and environment), or religious. Some folks just like the challenge of it (or maybe as a sort of cleanse?) Others do it for health.
I personally don't really get why vegans eat (or feel right about eating) "imitation meat products" I mean if you are a vegan/vegetarian for moral reasons then it seems, I don't know, odd to me that you would want to eat something that is make to look and taste like something you find offensive. *shrugs*
To the OP, usually you can find some of the speciality vegetarian/vegan foods at your local grocery store. Depends on where you live, but most places will at least have tofu and veggie burgers. It has become A LOT easier to find vegetarian substitutes now, 10+ years ago all you had was plain (firm or soft) tofu.
One more thing, just because someone is vegan or vegetarian does NOT mean they have a good healthy diet. Many vegetarians/vegans (that I've known, and speaking for myself) really carb up their means to make up for the lack in protein. There is always lots of pasta, grains, rices, etc in the diet. In regards to supplements, usually a multivitamin is good (especially the B vitamins) and sometimes an iron supplement. Personally I've been tested many times since I've been a veggie and I've never had any deficiency (well aside from once of vitamin D, but I was a student living in a basement at the time
) Oh and I guess some veggies will also use a protein powder to make up any protein lack in their diet (especially if they are doing a weightlifting routine)
Well that's my opinion on the matter.
0 -
I am vegetarian, not vegan, but I did it for two reasons. 1) Eating meat has too high a carbon footprint for me to justify any more and 2) I don't like the idea of my food having been tortured while alive. I don't care if other people eat meat, I just try to persuade them to eat less (because I'm an environmental scientist and it's important to me.)
It wasn't really hard to stop eating meat because I left it in stages. I started with meatless Saturdays, then weekends then all together. There is lots of vegetarian food in the regular grocery store these days, usually around the fresh produce and sometimes even next to the meat (go figure.)
Veggie Burgers and imitation meats are not cheating. I like the taste, but I don't like the ethics, so Chick'n, veggie burgers, Gardein pulled pork shreds, etc are AWESOME!
If you do go veg, be ready for people to give you **** for no reason. Even though I don't get in people's faces about my nutrition choices, they feel the need to question mine. Also, people are going to CONSTANTLY ask you where you get your protein.0 -
Why go vegan? ( Morals? Weight loss?)
Morals. It better not be weight loss. I was a fat vegan and later a very fat vegetarian.
Is it hard turning you back on meat?
No. If you give it up for health, I could see that being tough, but if the treatment and slaughter of food animals in modern society bothers you enough to give it up and become a freak (I live in the South, so I get a lot of weird comments), you don't see a burger. You see a dead cow. That's not hard to pass up.
Are veggie burgers cheating? (because they are meat flavored)
Have you had a veggie burger? They're good, but they're hardly meat flavored. In all seriousness, though, why would that be cheating? I still like the way sausage tastes, I just don't want to have to kill a pig to enjoy it.
How do you find the vegan stuff in the store? (we do not have a vegan vegetarian store locally)
Most major grocery stores (wal-mart, kroger, etc.) have a health food section in their frozen food aisle and in the produce aisle. Kroger often has a small corner dedicated to health and vegetarian/vegan food. I work on nuclear plants, so I have to spend a lot of time in extremely rural areas, but I have never had an issue locating food. I may have less variety than in the city, but I'm hardly starving. Plus, they have veggies everywhere.
Do you judge other people for their food choices? ( Like the Palio diet)
My girlfriend is a meat eater and one of my best friends is paleo. I don't judge you for your eating habits any more than I would for your religion.
I do take a multi vitamin as a supplement, just because I am now aware of what I eat, but I am a lot healthier since I stopped eating meat (according to my doctor). As long as you eat a variety of foods, you'll be fine. The vitamins are just a safety net. It annoys me when people, upon learning I am vegetarian, immediately start probing about where I get my protein, iron, calcium, etc. Why so interested all of a sudden? I can usually rattle off the answers, because I think about what I eat,but when I ask them back, they can't tell me anything except protein (and they usually have no idea how much they're getting). I don't know why people feel threatened by non meat eaters. I've known some preachy vegans, and I'm annoyed by them too (don't get me started on PETA), but for the most part, we just want to live by our own morals and leave everyone else alone. If you have any questions, feel free to message me directly. Always happy to help.0 -
@aelunyu-Don't know if "murica...." was a reference to America but I'm Australian...To elaborate further just so you know where I'm coming from. I am lucky enough to have the geographical and financial means to dictate my eating habits to suit my preference of diet, sadly not the case with the rest of the world population.
Your statement "We can survive on a vegan diet, but usually have to supplement our lacking amino acid profiles....which indicates that we are lacking in those amino acids...or that they are incomplete." Is certainly true and have met many unhealthy vegans that don't get adequate nutrients either through ignorance or just plain laziness or neglect. But the same logic holds true for omnivores, plenty of meat eaters consume vitamins and supplements to meet nutritional needs.
It is possible to get All Essential Amino Acids if you are vigilant with your diet.
Be what ever your dietary preference omnivore/vegan/vegetarian etc doesn't necessarily mean you have a superior diet it just means you have a preference...how healthy and beneficial it is depends on how you choose to maintain it.
PS Wasn't so much insulted, just think blanket statements aka Absolutes are myopic in their scope of vision.
Absolutes are something I also have a high disdain for. yes...fitness here can be myopic..indeed there are many cases where we miss the forest for the tree...my mother is also vegan. Here's the problem I have with vegans for the sake of being vegan.
1. As you've said, you have to be vigilant to uphold the lifestyle. Track not only calories, but micronutrients, EPA, EHA, EAA...
2. Track protein as something that needs attention rather than something that is inherently consumed
3. Make sure that your vegan diet is not just consistent upon high fiber foods that may lead to malnutrition due to its low absorption. (I have met a few vegans that believe that "green is good"...whereas they consume almost half their calories in indigestible fiber)...then a plethora of posts appear about Vit D deficiency....negative nitrogen balance.....other health problems.
I am not here to issue any kind of umbrella statement. if a vegan diet sees additive effects, the I believe that is something surely worth pursuing. Though with a juicer and about 1 pound of veggies, I believe I can consume sufficient micronutrients while still being in an optimal peak of health and performance...and I think that is the better alternative..
Though if anyone believes they are vegan for a cause beyond the fundamental....as in the ephemeral...then...I applaud you.0 -
Why go vegan? I'm not vegan anymore, but when I was, it was for morals. I was a lazy junk food kind of vegan though so I actually gained a couple pounds (which I lost within a few months of switching back to being an omnivore).
Is it hard turning you back on meat? I got sick when I started eating meat again. Stomach cramps and nausea. You have to ease back into it.. like don't go and eat a whole steak the day you decide to eat meat again.
Are veggie burgers cheating? No, if they're not made from animal products they're not cheating.
How do you find the vegan stuff in the store? Tofu and tempeh will usually be somewhere near the fresh produce. Sometimes other fake meat/cheese products will also be there. The frozen vegetarian and vegan food in a regular grocery store varies. One store I shop at has it all near the breakfast foods and another has some near the frozen dinners and the breakfast stuff (like fake sausage) near the frozen breakfast food. Just look for a lot of green because Morningstar is a popular brand for vegetarian and vegan food and their packaging is green.
If you're buying the fake meat and fake cheese, make sure to read the labels. Some of it is vegetarian but not vegan.
Do you judge other people for their food choices? Nope!0 -
Religion, morals, etc.
That's all about belief. Ideas formed in your mind. Like if you believe the boogie man is in your closet you can increase your heart rate. If you think it's bad to eat an animal, then it's bad.
I do like to pay homage. To be mindful of what I eat. Like a Native American would do before eating a buffalo. See how far you make it walking across the midwest in the winter being a vegan. Yea yea, "but it's 2013 and we're more advanced now and ...." Wonder how many indigenous peoples are vegans? Zero. Because they don't have magazines and t.v. to tell them what's cute and what to feel for. They also can't store veggies well. And they never get cancer.
I'd rather base my life on fact and experience.
I eat based on how I feel and what I want to accomplish. Scientifically or from a health standpoint there's no reason to eat only vegetable matter.
Sure you'll lose weight. It's called nitrogen balance. It's either you or your muscle that's going to "die." You can't live without proper nitrogen amounts so you're going to start shuttling away the materials that need it the most. Don't be jealous of sheer weight loss.
Anyways, that's my usual type of partial rant. I don't judge, but the dietary choices and reasons are worthy of ridicule at times. Just like when I open a can of total garbage and eat it for breakfast, I would expect someone to call me out for it, and I'll laugh and go about my day. Such is the same.
Bacon is awesome.0 -
I'm vegetarian but I do eat mostly vegan meals as I have some food allergies so I'll answer anyway.
Why go vegan? ( Morals? Weight loss?)
- Going vegan for weightloss is not reccommended. There are tons of vegan stuff you can eat which isn't healthy like oreos, vegan cookies, lots of bready things, overeating ect..
- I decided to go vegetarian because I do not feel I have the right to eat someone, to most people a dead animal is a meal, but to that animal it was their very life. I don't want to support that anymore.
Is it hard turning you back on meat?
- Not really if you have a strong moral backing, if you are just doing it for weightloss then I imagine it is hard. Your heart has to be into it.
Are veggie burgers cheating? (because they are meat flavored)
- No, an animal isn't being killed so how would it be cheating and to be honest they aren't meat flavored. The point of veganism/vegetarianism is that an animal does not have to be harmed or killed to be on your plate, that's not the case for veggie burgers. My favorite ones are actually bean flavored with black bean patties.
How do you find the vegan stuff in the store? (we do not have a vegan vegetarian store locally)
-Beans, rice, grains, most breads, greens, fruits, seeds, nuts...all vegan and available at any grocery store. Most grocery stores are now carrying vegan milks, cheeses and tofu products.
Do you judge other people for their food choices? ( Like the Palio diet)
- I think paleo is just a fad honestly and it's not how patholetic man ate as we do not have many of the same plants like they ate back then (as the plants we commonly eat now have been bred this way), nor was meat pre-packaged, hormone injected and eaten as regularly as Paleo followers do.
- As far as other people's food choices well you don't judge mine I won't judge yours. I don't try and make anyone vegetarian, it's not a thing you can force on people, they have to want it.0 -
Why be vegan? Because of morals, ethics, spirituality.
Just like any "diet", quality and variety is key.
There is no point giving up what works for you just because someone else found success though.
Just rock what you've got!
0 -
Why go vegan? ( Morals? Weight loss?)
Morals - I've been veggie. for 10+ years and vegan on and off in that time and have a great hatred for the industry and just generally the thought of putting someone from another animal in my mouth.
Food allergies/intolerances - I'm allergic/intolerant to red meat, a lot of seafood and shellfish, dairy and gluten. Made more sense to go vegan and stay vegan as it fitted in with my morals and food allergies.
Is it hard turning you back on meat?
I never had any issues. I was never a big fan of a lot of meats (quite probably because of the intolerances I have to it) so I never really missed anything. I've never been tempted by someone eating a bacon sandwich, because I never really liked bacon. (I mention bacon because that seems to be a weak spot for a lot of people).
Are veggie burgers cheating? (because they are meat flavored)
I don't consider them to be cheating because, well, they don't have meat in. There's nothing in the definition of veggie/vegan that says you can't eat fake meat flavoured/looking products. I rarely do to be fair, but I have on the odd occasion, but I tend to eat clean mostly, so processed fake meat stuff tends to not come under that unless I make my own. If somebody wants to eat them then that's their choice.
How do you find the vegan stuff in the store? (we do not have a vegan vegetarian store locally)
Years of practice. You just know where to look after a while. I get all my fruit and veg. delivered in a scheme, but if I need anything extra then I'm pretty much guaranteed that all the fruit and veg. aisle is going to be vegan. Except maybe for the odd pre-prepared roast potatoes in goose fat or pre-prepared mashed potatoes with butter but those aren't things I would get vegan or not. Then I pretty much just go for the "World Food" aisles, the "Ready Meal" aisles (where my tofu sometimes is), the "Frozen Veg." section (where I can find frozen veggie/vegan stuff) and the "Food allergies/Free From" sections. Oh and tinned beans etc. too. You just generally know where you're going after a while and know which aisles to just skip.
Do you judge other people for their food choices? ( Like the Palio diet)
After years of being veggie/vegan and being judged for that it's made me very, very unlikely to even think about judging someone else's choices, there's just no point. Going all militant vegan on their *kitten* isn't going to get them to change and it's not my right to say what they should and shouldn't eat anyway.
I might have the occasional eye roll when my friend insists she's eating healthily and should be losing weight when I've seen her got to junk food places 3-4 times a week and cover her home cooked meals with 3 inches of cheese, but even that's her choice and really isn't my place to question so I leave it to the odd internal eye roll.0 -
Sorry that is absolute rubbish. I suggest you read Jack Norris and his writings on vegan protein which explains this mythN
but usually have to supplement our lacking amino acid profiles....which indicates that we are lacking in those amino acids...or that they are incomplete.0 -
I'm a vegetarian so my answers would be more geared towards that side, however, there's a brilliant blogger/Etsy shop owner/vegan called Bianca who does a lot of advice and stuff on Veganism and she's probably be really good to check out. This is her facebook, there's links to her website and blog and things on here:
https://www.facebook.com/ReLovePlanet?fref=ts
Jenny0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 393.2K Introduce Yourself
- 43.8K Getting Started
- 260.2K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.9K Food and Nutrition
- 47.4K Recipes
- 232.5K Fitness and Exercise
- 421 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153K Motivation and Support
- 8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.7K MyFitnessPal Information
- 23 News and Announcements
- 1.1K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.6K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions