Going Vegan

Kara52217
Kara52217 Posts: 353 Member
edited November 24 in Food and Nutrition
OK all so my hubby went Plant Based Vegan 3+ years ago. I have tried in the past to do it but fail.
So I am challenging myself to do this for the Month of October and blog (mostly for myself) about the differences I am feeling as well as any weight loss or other benefits that I may see.

If your already Vegan and want to cheer me on or are curious about it at all please Send me a Friend Request. I will likely post my blog to my page for you to read if you choose to.

Thanks!

Replies

  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    I've been vegan for nine years. Good luck!
  • I'm a ninth level vegan. I don't eat anything that casts a shadow.
  • nyponbell
    nyponbell Posts: 379 Member
    Good for you! I think I'm going to follow, as it's something I've been thinking about doing for ages too but never seem to have enough "time" for (to prepare). I'm a vegetarian/borderline vegan and I am mostly plant based, but it would be great to see you going all out. Sending you a friends request!
  • robbienjill
    robbienjill Posts: 456 Member
    Add me! I'm working on this too!!!
  • jennygioka
    jennygioka Posts: 1 Member
    edited October 2015
    oups sorry wrong thread...
  • This content has been removed.
  • Gaz_Palmer
    Gaz_Palmer Posts: 34 Member
    Hi all. I'm a vegan who is just starting MFP dieting. I am wanting to cut out/cut back the processed foods. I have been thinking about and dabbling in much more or hopefully all raw food diet.
    Anyone going that route?
  • Unknown
    edited October 2015
    This content has been removed.
  • Yi5hedr3
    Yi5hedr3 Posts: 2,696 Member
    Good luck with that.
  • pembr0ke
    pembr0ke Posts: 54 Member
    Why? I can understand vegetarianism but what is the point of veganism? Not trying to 'stir the pot', just interested!
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    pembr0ke wrote: »
    Why? I can understand vegetarianism but what is the point of veganism? Not trying to 'stir the pot', just interested!

    Ethical concerns.
  • kyrannosaurus
    kyrannosaurus Posts: 350 Member
    I'm a ninth level vegan. I don't eat anything that casts a shadow.

    Isn't that level five?
  • kyrannosaurus
    kyrannosaurus Posts: 350 Member
    Plant-based/vegan is fairly easy. So many recipes available on the internet. You can make anything vegan easily.
  • dopeysmelly
    dopeysmelly Posts: 1,390 Member
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    pembr0ke wrote: »
    Why? I can understand vegetarianism but what is the point of veganism? Not trying to 'stir the pot', just interested!

    Ethical concerns.

    And health concerns. Vegetarian diets can still be high in saturated fats. I've switched to no meat/no cheese/no full-fat dairy/few eggs because of high "bad" cholesterol.

  • Kara52217
    Kara52217 Posts: 353 Member
    pembr0ke wrote: »
    Why? I can understand vegetarianism but what is the point of veganism? Not trying to 'stir the pot', just interested!

    If you want to have a good idea of why some people go Vegan for Health reasons I would suggest watching FORKS OVER KNIVES on Netflix. My husband was on 4 prescription meds when we watched this movie. He decided to try it for 3 months to see if what they were saying were true... Well it has been 3 years and he is off all his meds and healthier than ever.
    I have personally seen what it does to cut out all the processed crap and I want to do it. But given our society of FAST and ON THE GO food. I struggle with it

  • Gaz_Palmer
    Gaz_Palmer Posts: 34 Member
    pembr0ke wrote: »
    Why? I can understand vegetarianism but what is the point of veganism? Not trying to 'stir the pot', just interested!
    Well in the context of this site I guess there are 2 answers, but really there's only 1 answer.
    Vegans are against all animal use or exploitation. Which of course means that they don't consume any animal product.
    In the 'borrowed' meaning of the word, vegan means eating a plant based diet.

    The point of the first (true) meaning, is kinda obvious, a moral/ethical choice that animals are not objects to be used. In that meaning there is no 'almost vegan' 'vegan except....' etc! It's either in or out....binary. Which I guess I should leave right there.
    The point of the second reason, is that a happy co-incidence of being a vegan is that it is proven to be just about the best way to eat for your own health.
    There are even other benefits like environmental, that anyone can look up if interested.
  • Gaz_Palmer
    Gaz_Palmer Posts: 34 Member
    Gaz_Palmer wrote: »
    Hi all. I'm a vegan who is just starting MFP dieting. I am wanting to cut out/cut back the processed foods. I have been thinking about and dabbling in much more or hopefully all raw food diet.
    Anyone going that route?
    does that mean you cannot even steamed broccoli?
    Well, there's no 'cannot' if you want to, you do. It's not really something you have to do strictly. There are 'rawtil4' and other versions where you eat raw part of the day, or in stages etc.

    But, have you tried raw broccoli? It's delicious! Even my kids, who are not the best veg eaters, love it raw!
    The point is, in eg. an uncooked piece of broccoli there are a ton more nutrients, and it will fill you up faster,than a soggy overcooked piece.
  • ybaird
    ybaird Posts: 3 Member
    I am whole food, plant based for two years. I sometimes struggle with added oils.
  • daveinreston
    daveinreston Posts: 15 Member
    Also, environmental: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2010/jun/02/un-report-meat-free-diet "A global shift towards a vegan diet is vital to save the world from hunger, fuel poverty and the worst impacts of climate change, a UN report said today..."
  • Gaz_Palmer
    Gaz_Palmer Posts: 34 Member
    Also, environmental: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2010/jun/02/un-report-meat-free-diet "A global shift towards a vegan diet is vital to save the world from hunger, fuel poverty and the worst impacts of climate change, a UN report said today..."
    Lots more info on these issues within "Cowspiracy" an awesome documentary- now on Netflix.
  • nancycola
    nancycola Posts: 98 Member
    Good luck Kara. I was a vegan/vegetarian for 10 years. But I steered too far into carbs which did a number on my waistline plus I was always iron deficient according to my doctor. But that was about 6 years ago. I know better now and would tackle things differently. There are so many great recipes and resources out now I probably wouldn't have as tough a time as before.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited October 2015
    Kara52217 wrote: »
    pembr0ke wrote: »
    Why? I can understand vegetarianism but what is the point of veganism? Not trying to 'stir the pot', just interested!

    If you want to have a good idea of why some people go Vegan for Health reasons I would suggest watching FORKS OVER KNIVES on Netflix. My husband was on 4 prescription meds when we watched this movie. He decided to try it for 3 months to see if what they were saying were true... Well it has been 3 years and he is off all his meds and healthier than ever.
    I have personally seen what it does to cut out all the processed crap and I want to do it. But given our society of FAST and ON THE GO food. I struggle with it

    Going vegan and cutting the "processed crap" are not the same things. Lots of non vegan foods aren't processed (especially according to the usual usage on MFP, which seems to mean "highly processed") and lots of vegan foods are. Moreover, processed foods vary a lot.

    I'm also skeptical of the benefits of a vegan diet when usually the comparison is between a crappy diet and a totally different vegan diet. Usually healthy non-vegan diets aren't the control.
  • fkwan
    fkwan Posts: 28 Member
    Vegan for 7 years. Never felt better. Now on relatively low carb high protein version.
  • JustChristy79
    JustChristy79 Posts: 156 Member
    nancycola wrote: »
    Good luck Kara. I was a vegan/vegetarian for 10 years. But I steered too far into carbs which did a number on my waistline plus I was always iron deficient according to my doctor. But that was about 6 years ago. I know better now and would tackle things differently. There are so many great recipes and resources out now I probably wouldn't have as tough a time as before.

    Wow, thought I was the only one! I just couldn't stay healthy & fit on a vegan diet anymore. (Not that it can't be done! It was just me & all my food allergies. Ever met a vegan allergic to vegetables?!) Anyway, I introduced animal products back into my diet over the summer & I was almost hoping I wouldn't feel better, but I did--almost immediately. I still have mixed up feelings about it. :neutral:
  • WastedGetsSmaller
    WastedGetsSmaller Posts: 41 Member
    I've been vegan for 7 years :) You can do it!! Good luck xoxo
This discussion has been closed.