Seriously considering going vegan

i'm a fairly recent vegan and i LOVE IT.
you have to be in it fully, otherwise it won't stick. i would suggest doing some research about the meat and dairy industry (ESPECIALLY the dairy industry, as it is so often overlooked).
i honestly don't even touch processed foods - my diet is healthy grains, a TON of fruit and vegetables, legumes, beans, oils, etc..
you won't look like death warmed over if you're healthy! the sickly little vegans are the ones who don't care for themselves!
if you have a well stocked public library, there are a TON of vegan resources out there -- if not, there's the internet!

I think I should go vegan for my own health but find that alot of vegan food is just as mass prepared and unhealthy as meat.

it doesn't have to be! like anyone else, you can live off junky, overly processed foods or you can cook your own healthy, wholesome stuff. or look for a sensible middle ground

the temptation for me, initially, was to look for striaght-up vegan substitutes for foods i was already familiar with, so i ate a lot of questionable food. it was only after i started moving out of my comfort zone, cooking more adventurous dishes and experimenting with new ingredients, that my diet got a lot healthier (and tastier!). vegan blogs are great for pinching ideas from, imo - my current favourite is this one: http://www.ohsheglows.com.

i still eat things like tofu - and very occasionally fake meats - but they don't consitute anything like the bulk of my diet and you needn't eat them at all, if you don't want to. it'd just take a bit more time/effort/learning than a lazybones like me can muster!

I think if you're lactose intolerant you should just go dairy free but not vegan. Meat is good for you if you buy the organic, the no-nitrates stuff, the "no hormones" brands. Eggs are too. More and more studies are coming out in favor of meat and eggs, I actually just posted an article 2 minutes ago. Do your research. Meat and fat aren't the "boogeymen" of diet that society has made them out to be previously, and you're going to continue to hear more about it.

Why not just skip things that make you sick- the dairy.

I also read that people who have lactose intolerance can actually consume "raw" dairy. (Just goes to show you food is not always bad itself, it's the crap people do to it) Unfortunately many states don't allow raw dairy but I've had raw milk and cheese and it's great. Give it a shot if you ever get the chance.

I was a vegetarian for 10 years and I'd never do it again. I wasn't healthier or more fit than I am now eating meat. Actually I was less healthy and I was chubbier even though I jogged.

I think if you're lactose intolerant you should just go dairy free but not vegan. Meat is good for you if you buy the organic, the no-nitrates stuff, the "no hormones" brands. Eggs are too. More and more studies are coming out in favor of meat and eggs, I actually just posted an article 2 minutes ago. Do your research. Meat and fat aren't the "boogeymen" of diet that society has made them out to be previously, and you're going to continue to hear more about it.

Why not just skip things that make you sick- the dairy.

I also read that people who have lactose intolerance can actually consume "raw" dairy. (Just goes to show you food is not always bad itself, it's the crap people do to it) Unfortunately many states don't allow raw dairy but I've had raw milk and cheese and it's great. Give it a shot if you ever get the chance.

I was a vegetarian for 10 years and I'd never do it again. I wasn't healthier or more fit than I am now eating meat. Actually I was less healthy and I was chubbier even though I jogged.

Agreed. Don't throw the baby out with the bath water. Listen to what your body is craving. If you're craving dairy, maybe your body is telling you that you need calcium. Try eating dark leafy greens or taking a supplement and see if your cravings subside. And if you like eating some types of meat, don't feel like you have to give them up to be healthy. I think having a balanced and varied diet is best. But that is my opinion

If you click on my name does it not come up? i made it public so you should be able to view it.

You can check out my blog and food diary as well. Vegan here. Writing my thesis on it currently. Never been healthier, had more energy, or been more involved in my health then since I became a vegan.

Anyhow. Anytime you take saturated fats (READ ANIMAL FATS) out of your diet, you do your body a huge favor! Plant proteins, and unsaturated plant fats are the key to heart health. Weight loss. Preventative medicine.