I know a vegan diet doesn't help you lose weight, BUT...

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kiela64
kiela64 Posts: 1,447 Member
in Food and Nutrition
...I'm really tempted to start one anyway. Or at least something like it.

I saw a really upsetting video about the treatment of dairy cows, and I know that cows are smart animals, and I just feel really sad about it. I don't know what else to do other than just not eat it.

I already dislike meat in general, so I only eat it if someone makes it for me. I live at home though, so it does happen frequently enough and I'd need to start making my own dinners...and kitchen/fridge space is limited...and I kinda suck at cooking, but I'd hopefully improve.

The big issue would be dairy, because I'm already really struggling to get in 60g of protein/day and greek yogurt has been a new found lifesaver in that department. But now I feel kind of...icky about it, ethically. Like if I don't care I'm a sociopath or something because it's really, really bad what's happening. And I don't want to be the cause of it, you know?

But I'm selfishly worried it might make weight loss too complicated, because I'm trying to do that, be more fit, fix my knee, floss more, do better in school, be more organized, etc and it feels like there are too many goals/areas in which to fail that I've just created for myself.

So idk, if there are easy vegan recipes, high protein dairy alternatives, or any information on ethical animal products I'd really appreciate it. I just feel really sad and disgusted with myself, and kind of at a loss at how to best go about fixing all of these things I do wrong...without, you know, totally combusting.
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Replies

  • catt952
    catt952 Posts: 190 Member
    edited August 2015
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    why don't you just start on incorporating more vegan food into your diet before you give up meat/dairy. Slowly try to get used to vegan sources of protein. Remember a slow start is better.
  • catt952
    catt952 Posts: 190 Member
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    http://www.buzzfeed.com/deenashanker/vegan-meals-with-tons-of-protein
  • salembambi
    salembambi Posts: 5,592 Member
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    research is a vegans friend in the beginning
    there are a lot of vegan recipe blogs
    so many vegan channels on youtube
    you can join the vegan groups on this site too

    there are sooooooooooo many vegan options for anything you could ever crave tbh



  • kiela64
    kiela64 Posts: 1,447 Member
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    catwils1 wrote: »
    http://www.buzzfeed.com/deenashanker/vegan-meals-with-tons-of-protein
    catwils1 wrote: »
    why don't you just start on incorporating more vegan food into your diet before you give up meat/dairy. Slowly try to get used to vegan sources of protein. Remember a slow start is better.

    Thank you! That's probably a saner way to look at it. My brain was going from all or nothing... Thank you so much for the link!

    Maybe I could try to make one of my own meals vegan a week and work from there. I'd learn how to buy my ingredients and try to learn to cook a new vegan meal. I guess that a start is better than nothing right?

    The video I saw seemed to be saying you had to stop immediately, but maybe that was for shock value. The idea of everything at once...I already have a headache but it made my head hurt.
  • MakePeasNotWar
    MakePeasNotWar Posts: 1,329 Member
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    You might want to join one of the vegetarian or vegan groups on MFP, and maybe add some vegan friends and creep their food diaries. I'm vegan, and I get about 65-85g of protein most days, more if I use soy protein powder in my smoothies. Feel free to add me.

    And while a vegan diet won't automatically cause weight loss, statistically vegans tend to be slimmer than vegetarians and omnivores, so it is more likely to help than hurt. http://www.nature.com/ijo/journal/v27/n6/full/0802300a.html
  • kiela64
    kiela64 Posts: 1,447 Member
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    MakePeasNotWar wrote: »
    You might want to join one of the vegetarian or vegan groups on MFP, and maybe add some vegan friends and creep their food diaries. I'm vegan, and I get about 65-85g of protein most days, more if I use soy protein powder in my smoothies. Feel free to add me.

    And while a vegan diet won't automatically cause weight loss, statistically vegans tend to be slimmer than vegetarians and omnivores, so it is more likely to help than hurt. http://www.nature.com/ijo/journal/v27/n6/full/0802300a.html

    Thanks! I'll look for those groups now, Would they mind me joining before I'm "fully vegan" or something? Bc I don't think I can do it overnight, it's very overwhelming. The idea of refusing my parents' food is scary and will need to be eased into. But I really do want to learn! & I have heard that, thanks for the study :)
  • swift13b
    swift13b Posts: 158 Member
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    I agree that a could way to start off would be to incorporate more vegan (or just vegetarian meals) into your diet. I've been a vegetarian for over 6 years now, though I'd wanted to be one since I was about 4 years old. In the meat section of the supermarket they had a cute little illustration of a lamb right next to the lamb they were selling and that's when I first realised that they were the same thing. I would like to go vegan or at least reduce the amount of dairy I consume but I'm currently trying to eat as low carb as I can and as a vegetarian that means eating eggs and dairy. I always buy free-range eggs and use dairy alternatives as much as I can (ie. I drink almond milk because it's relatively cheap/easy but vegan cheese here is ridiculously expensive). Depending on where you live, you might be able to find ethically sourced eggs, dairy and honey.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
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    kae612 wrote: »
    MakePeasNotWar wrote: »
    You might want to join one of the vegetarian or vegan groups on MFP, and maybe add some vegan friends and creep their food diaries. I'm vegan, and I get about 65-85g of protein most days, more if I use soy protein powder in my smoothies. Feel free to add me.

    And while a vegan diet won't automatically cause weight loss, statistically vegans tend to be slimmer than vegetarians and omnivores, so it is more likely to help than hurt. http://www.nature.com/ijo/journal/v27/n6/full/0802300a.html

    Thanks! I'll look for those groups now, Would they mind me joining before I'm "fully vegan" or something? Bc I don't think I can do it overnight, it's very overwhelming. The idea of refusing my parents' food is scary and will need to be eased into. But I really do want to learn! & I have heard that, thanks for the study :)

    Here is a group that could work for you.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/45-happy-herbivores
  • kiela64
    kiela64 Posts: 1,447 Member
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    swift13b wrote: »
    I agree that a could way to start off would be to incorporate more vegan (or just vegetarian meals) into your diet. I've been a vegetarian for over 6 years now, though I'd wanted to be one since I was about 4 years old. In the meat section of the supermarket they had a cute little illustration of a lamb right next to the lamb they were selling and that's when I first realised that they were the same thing. I would like to go vegan or at least reduce the amount of dairy I consume but I'm currently trying to eat as low carb as I can and as a vegetarian that means eating eggs and dairy. I always buy free-range eggs and use dairy alternatives as much as I can (ie. I drink almond milk because it's relatively cheap/easy but vegan cheese here is ridiculously expensive). Depending on where you live, you might be able to find ethically sourced eggs, dairy and honey.

    Thanks! We do have a few already, with falafels or lentil burgers making up at least one meal a week. Sometimes we have a veggie stir fry with almonds, but it's very low protein. I'd like to look into some other recipes, with more protein sources, etc.

    I've been interested in not eating meat for a long time because depending on how much fat there is on it I can end up gagging, and I'd be happy if I never had to touch raw meat ever just because ewww. That was before really connected the meat with the live animals. It's taken a while for it to sink in, I still can't quite connect chicken with chickens for some reason. But cows are easily connected to dairy, so seeing that video... :(

    There are free-range eggs, but I honestly have no idea if it's really ethically sourced or not. I'd need to look into it more. Thank you!
  • R1rainbows
    R1rainbows Posts: 129 Member
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    It's not just the animals that suffer. The meat industry in general is a dirty business. Hire desperate poor illegals, they get injured, they don't take care of their injuries, just an example. It's really sad
  • kiela64
    kiela64 Posts: 1,447 Member
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    reina1979 wrote: »
    It's not just the animals that suffer. The meat industry in general is a dirty business. Hire desperate poor illegals, they get injured, they don't take care of their injuries, just an example. It's really sad

    Wow, yeah. I know that farming is considered one of the most dangerous jobs in the world, but I had no idea it was that bad. Thank you for the information.
  • GreenTeaPotato
    GreenTeaPotato Posts: 40 Member
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    If you have Netflix, these documentaries are streaming at the moment:

    Forks Over Knives
    Vegucated
    The Engine 2 Kitchen Rescue

    If you don't have Netflix, you can find them online elsewhere I'm sure.

    A good book to get you started on plant-based eating that includes recipes: The Starch Solution by Dr. John McDougall.

    Dr. Michael Geger keeps up on the latest in nutrition science and posts new videos on his website every few days: http://www.nutritionfacts.org.
  • seekingbetterme
    seekingbetterme Posts: 39 Member
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    I just started eating 100% vegan last week and I'm loving it! Feel free to add me :)
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,520 Member
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    Absolutely nothing with being vegan. I just haven't found any plant based foods that actually taste like or have the texture of meat. If there was, I might switch.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
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    Me tto.o.. Too... I know alcohol in excess is "bad" for you but:
    https://youtu.be/RXwKcuEEUM8
  • CrosbyMcDowell
    CrosbyMcDowell Posts: 113 Member
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    Vegetarian for 7 1/2 years here. I really liked all the netflix movies above. Vegan faves: The E2 book has lots of good recipes, Thug Kitchen is out if this world amazing! They also have a blog, but they use lots of profanity so be prepared. As for protein, many vegans/vegetarians reject the U.S. Dietary guidelines protein and shoot for 35-45gm of protein. Quinoa, beans, lentils and leafy greens are your new best friends!!
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
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    kae612 wrote: »
    reina1979 wrote: »
    It's not just the animals that suffer. The meat industry in general is a dirty business. Hire desperate poor illegals, they get injured, they don't take care of their injuries, just an example. It's really sad [/quote]

    Wow, yeah. I know that farming is considered one of the most dangerous jobs in the world, but I had no idea it was that bad. Thank you for the information.
    http://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/1999/Aug/wk1/art04.htm
    Yes. --- working in the in the packing facilities with heavy equipment high rate of injuries. And the places are staffed usually by immigrants to our country.
    This is why I eat very little meat.
    http://www.ufcw.org/2012/01/10/is-the-meatpacking-industry-getting-safer/
    The bad news is, in comparison to other industrial and manufacturing sectors, meatpacking and poultry processing are still among the most dangerous. Food manufacturing workers are twice as likely to experience injuries and illnesses than industrial and manufacturing workers as a whole. The meatpacking industry also ranks high for severe injury and illness cases – meaning those that cause workers to miss days at work or those that necessitate restricted work activities or even job transfers. Nationally, the poultry industry has the fifth-highest rate of worker illness across all industries.
  • CrosbyMcDowell
    CrosbyMcDowell Posts: 113 Member
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    And I would recommend avoiding the vegan cheeses and too many mock meats. A lot of them really don't come close to real meat and are filled with junky unpronounceable ingredients. Though I am a sucker for Fieldroast Apple-sage sausages, and most of the frozen veggie burgers.
  • Strawblackcat
    Strawblackcat Posts: 944 Member
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    There's a lot of vegan websites on the web. You can finds tons of then from google, but ohsheglows.con is a good one. Comming from someone who eat lacto-ovo most of the time, her recipies are really good.

    If you're having trouble getting enough protein, there's lots of options. Beyond the typical suggestion of tofu, there's also tempeh, which tends to be higher in protein and has a nuttier flavor with better texture. If you can eat gluten, seitan is a great option. I forgot the name brand, but there I know that there is a company that sells a greek-style hemp yogurt that is high in protein. We sell it in the store that I work at, and it's popular among vegans and vegetarians. Hemp seeds in general, and products made with hemp seed are high in protein. There are also a lot of really good vegan protein powders on the market nowadays if you are open to that sort of thing. Garden of Life recently came out with their Organic Plant Protein line that tastes really good and has 17 grams of plant protein in a 100 calorie scoop. Their website has a printable $3 off coupon for it, if you're interested, and the vitamin shoppe is running a sale on it now.

    On a side note though, if you're mostly giving up meat/eggs/dairy for ethical reasons pertaining to the mistreatment of animals on CAFO's, why not buy local, humanely raised meat/egg/dairy products? The little bit of meat I eat, as well as the milk and eggs that I eat are all local and humanely raised. I agree with you in the ethics issue in conventional farming, if humanely raised products were not avaliable to me, I would be a vegan for all intents and purposes as well, but I don't have a problem with eating meat and dairy if I know that the animals weren't mistreated and were able to live happy lives in an envrioment that is natural to them. Just curious.
  • swift13b
    swift13b Posts: 158 Member
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    reina1979 wrote: »
    It's not just the animals that suffer. The meat industry in general is a dirty business. Hire desperate poor illegals, they get injured, they don't take care of their injuries, just an example. It's really sad

    Not to mention that raising animals for meat uses up more resources than farming vegetables, and that if we were all vegan, there'd be a lot less hunger in the world.

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