any vegans/vegetarians out there?

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jrm39
jrm39 Posts: 29
in Food and Nutrition
i'm looking into becoming either vegan or vegetarian -- more for my health than for weight loss -- and i'm wondering if any vegans or vegetarians had any tips, or comments, or anything i should know. :) thanks!
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  • ajwall3
    ajwall3 Posts: 187
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    I'm not, but I tend to naturally lean that way in my food choices! I know for sure beans are a great source of fiber and protein... I LOVE garden veggie burgers but you have to watch sodium... Good luck! :happy:

    Correction: I lean vegetarian.. I love dairy too much!
  • anovasjo
    anovasjo Posts: 382 Member
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    Hi :flowerforyou:
    There's lots of information in the forums about this topic... just use the search function.
    Feel free to add me if you like.
  • Ashley_Panda
    Ashley_Panda Posts: 1,404 Member
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    I'm a pescatarian. The only meat I eat is seafood since it's full of good stuff for you and low calorie, etc. We tried being vegetarian but my protein levels were way low. Either way it was really easy for me to switch.
  • strandedeyes
    strandedeyes Posts: 392 Member
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    i'm looking into becoming either vegan or vegetarian -- more for my health than for weight loss -- and i'm wondering if any vegans or vegetarians had any tips, or comments, or anything i should know. :) thanks!

    If you aren't already a vegetarian, I would slowly go into becoming a vegan or a vegetarian. If you feel that you can move forward quickly into it, look into the book Appetite for Reduction by Isa Moschvitz (i butchered that last name). She has some awesome recipes and all vegan! Plus this cookbook is geared towards healthy eating (Isa does explain all of this in the book) and it honestly has some AWESOME recipes. I was a vegetarian for a long time and most of my cookbooks still are vegan / vegetarian oriented. Another great "diet" book that helps you ease into becoming a vegan is Alicia Silverstone's The Kind Diet. I would definitely take a quick peek / read at the book store through it to see if this helps. I know its Alicia Silverstone but its a great book in my opinion for those easing their way into this new "diet" or "lifestyle."

    Ideally would love to going back to being a vegetarian and I am sure I could if I tried harder, but random circumstances love to occur. Maybe that will be my goal for march is to head back into vegetarianism.

    Let me know if you need any other help.
  • kitkat1781
    kitkat1781 Posts: 72
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    I eat only seafood and dairly products and have for about 15 years. My food log is public, so feel free to take a look at it for ideas. The one word of caution I would give you is that being "vegetarian" does not necessarily equal healthy eating / weight loss. I still managed to get myself 40 lbs overweight without meat! :) You still have to watch the junk food and portions, etc...
  • daisy89
    daisy89 Posts: 151 Member
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    I've been a vegetarian for years now. I found the transition to be fairly simple; I just decided one day to stop eating meat.

    I think the hardest part was checking all of the ingredient labels to make sure there were no animal products in my food.

    That being said, I love being a vegetarian! I feel so much healthier than when I did eat meat.

    Also, there are certain types of food that contain lots of protein, anything from the Lightlife Company will definitely help ensure you are getting a great source of protein.

    If you have any further questions, feel free to add me. =]
  • miucifer
    miucifer Posts: 10 Member
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    I'm vegan and the hardest part about it is making sure there isn't whey or eggs in what I buy, especially (frozen) meat substitutes and bread. If you aren't already vegetarian, I might give that a go first, as the transition to veganism can be difficult for someone who is used to eating primarily meat and dairy, as most Americans do.
    I have found that Isa Chandra Moskowitz has the most delicious recipes. There are a lot of blogs out there and cookbooks. Supermarket Vegan and Appetite for Reduction are the only ones I use regularly, and Moskowitz's blog, http://www.theppk.com .
    If you do it right, you'll likely lose weight as a bonus and feel a lot healthier/energetic. You won't have all the weight of meat weighing your system down and another positive benefit is the likelihood of you becoming ill is less, and if you do, it won't endure as long (I've found in my own experience and in others).
    Veganism is just as satisfying as an omnivorous diet. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise! :)
    If you have specific questions, feel free to ask me, or add me as a friend. I don't have any yet.
  • TrailRunner
    TrailRunner Posts: 140 Member
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    Hello, vegan here.
    I've really been into Indian cooking lately. Soooo flavorful.
    My current cookbook: "Complete Indian Cooking" by Mridula Baljekar, Rafi Fernandez, Shehzad Husain and Manisha Kanani.
    The back half of the book is vegan/vegetarian. Good stuff!
  • rachel129
    rachel129 Posts: 28
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    I have been a vegetarian since I was 18 (so 6 years now). I did have to take a break from it when I went to Ecuador for a semester, but for the most part, I really like it and I really find it not so hard.

    My husband and I are now considering giving up dairy and eggs at home (he can't follow it all the time). I think the most important thing is continuing to choose to eat whole foods. Fritos are vegan, but that doesn't mean they are good for you. Fill yourself with real foods and you will feel satisfied.

    Check out some food blogs for more ideas for cooking.

    One of my favorites = ohsheglows.com

    Also, for a good meal plan = drmcdougall.com
  • TrailRunner
    TrailRunner Posts: 140 Member
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    Fritos are vegan, but that doesn't mean they are good for you.

    I know right? lol
  • jrm39
    jrm39 Posts: 29
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    wow, thanks so much everyone! now i definitely have a lot of resources to look into. :)
  • veganbird
    veganbird Posts: 3
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    Hi, I've been vegetarian for 25 years and vegan for 7. I like Indian, Thai, most any other Asian restaurants when I go out. It's easy to eat vegan and healthy, and great tasting. Especially if they have brown rice. I like whole grains and eat lots of fiber. It helps fill me up, keeps things "moving", and keeps my weight under control. I seldom cook, but my favorite cookbook is Vegan With a Vengeance by Isa Chandra Moskawitz. (So far, she's everybody's favorite, isn't she?). Good luck to you!:smile:
  • mandavann
    mandavann Posts: 38 Member
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    I will second the ohsheglows.com website!! She has a wonderful healthy way of thinking/eating!
  • VeganJamiOnAMission
    VeganJamiOnAMission Posts: 65 Member
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    I have been vegetarian for..gosh..almost 15 years with a few lapses here and there. I don't miss meat all all. In high school I watched a video about slaughter houses that totally changed my outlook on meat. I gave it up right then and there. I ate meat during my first pregnancy at the advice of my doctor. I remained vegetarian throughout my second pregnancy with no problems at all. I love being vegetarian. I feel great and guilt free about what I eat. There are so many alternatives out there. Not just tofu, you can now find may delicious meat substitutes in your local grocery store. I shop at Fresh and Easy and they have some great chicken substitutes. Being vegetarian is not just about living on salads like most people seem to think. I make just about anything dish you can imagine with simple meatless substitutions.

    All that being said, you may have to watch your carbs. Many vegetarian options are very carb heavy. I have had a hard time losing weight from both of my pregnancies and I think that the carbs may be to blame.

    Good luck to you. If you need any advice feel free to ask. Being vegetarian has made me feel great physically and mentally.

    If you are interested in watching some interesting things that will turn you off to meat forever just check out some of the videos that they have on the peta.com site. You don't have to become an activist or a fanatic, just see whats really going on in the meat industry and you will never think the same again. Burgers and chicken look super yucky to me now.
  • jrm39
    jrm39 Posts: 29
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    one question i do have -- how do you keep the amount of protein you need? one thing i'm worried about is cutting out meat, and therefore cutting out a large portion of my daily intake of protein.
  • mizfit
    mizfit Posts: 118
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    Hello,

    Another great site is fatfreevegan.com
  • ramonaquimby
    ramonaquimby Posts: 55 Member
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    Well, if you start off lacto-ovo vegetarian, your protein can come from yogurt! Even if you are vegan, protein is sooo easy to get. I am a pescetarian, but I don't eat that much seafood and manage to always fulfill my requirements.

    Tofu is so good for you and packed with protein. I make a really delicious vietnamese dish called tomato tofu, which is that perfect tangy, sour, and spice that Vietnamese food seems to perfect. It's authentic, because I got it from my favorite restaurant, when I moved away. A trick to getting the tofu a little crispy, is to slice it fairly thin 1/4" to 1/2", toss in a little bit of oil and bake it on high heat, flipping it.

    BBQ tempeh is really delicious! I slice it into strips, make a home-made bbq sauce using liquid smoke (LIQUID SMOKE is a product I highly recommend!) bake it in the oven with tin foil for about 30-40 minutes. I top with a home-made light slaw, pickles, on a whole wheat bun. So satisfying.

    Nutritional Yeast is sooo good for you, packed with vitamin b and protein. I add it to just about all soups I make. It really "wows" a veggie broth, making it seem kind of like a good quality chicken broth. It's tasty stuff. Try it on popcorn. I put some on my sauteed green beans for lunch today.

    Chickpeas, lentils, and black beans will be your friend. I would suggest attempting seitan wings or sliced thin for "cheeze steaks".

    Oh, and look up the recipe for ananda fuara's neatloaf. Great left-overs, and you can substitute skim ricotta. It's so satisfying! If you need any other tips, I am always open to ideas.
  • VeganJamiOnAMission
    VeganJamiOnAMission Posts: 65 Member
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    one question i do have -- how do you keep the amount of protein you need? one thing i'm worried about is cutting out meat, and therefore cutting out a large portion of my daily intake of protein.

    I eat tofu regularly because I LOVE it and I also eat meat substitutes made with soy. Tofu and soy products are packed with protein. I find that I am usually over on my protein amount for the day. If you have trouble reaching your protein goal, there are lots of shake options out there. The BEST one that I have had (and I have tried a lot of them) is Max Protein by SEI. https://www.seipharmaceuticals.com/ Its on the expensive side but it tastes delish. With some milk and ice in a blender it tasted just like a yummy Wendy's Frosty.

    I also eat egg beaters egg substitute for breakfast some times. It is made from egg yokes (so its not vegan). It has a lot of protein and they are fat free/low cal.
  • miucifer
    miucifer Posts: 10 Member
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    Found this link for you on google.
    http://www.theveggietable.com/articles/protein.html
  • AllisonMarisa
    AllisonMarisa Posts: 74 Member
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    I live with a Vegan and most of our meals are vegan (my only exception is sometimes when he's at work and I eat lunch on my own I'll have some Applegate Salami and a piece of cheese) The majority of my protein comes from beans and tofu. I keep a column on MFP to monitor it, but it's something I'm rarely low in.

    Contrary to what most people think (I worried about it too!) most Americans get plenty of protein.

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