Looking for vegan support!

GrapefruitVegan13
GrapefruitVegan13 Posts: 2 Member
in Introduce Yourself
I've been an imperfect vegan for about three years and am looking for support! Would love some vegan "friends"/ general advice on maintaining a plant based diet!

Replies

  • juststrawberry
    juststrawberry Posts: 2 Member
    Hi! I am also an imperfect Vegan (love that term). However I know I feel my best when I am eating vegan - in addition my daughters are also imperfect vegans. I am busy printing vegan snack recipes to prepare for a full on renewal of commitment for 2016. I am finding that we snack a lot after not feeling particularly full with meals. All three of us work out box/run on the regular so via fitness pal I am going to try to keep my protein high...this will be a bit tough even though we like our tofu!
    Anyway...let me know what kind of support you are looking for! I know I could use some for sure!!

    Peace and happy holidays,
    Andrea H.
  • sallysue38
    sallysue38 Posts: 1 Member
    Me too. Trying for about two years to be Vegan or Vegetarian for health reasons - high cholesterol mainly. Also would like to lose 10 pounds. I have found you can certainly be an overweight vegetarian. Main problem is cooking for husband and myself separately. He has no interest in being a vegetarian.
  • AngelAnnihilate
    AngelAnnihilate Posts: 26 Member
    I've made it a goal to go vegan early this year, it's definitely a challenge, looking up new recipes, learning how to plan all the meals, making a shopping list and budget... Haven't even gotten as far as the list let alone trying to cook it! No wonder everyone goes to the chip aisle or the drive thru lol -.- I've been using cronometer to plan everything out and hit as many macros as possible then once I get started I'm going to bring everything over to mfp.

    @sallysue76 I have the same problem with my boyfriend! I tell him what I'm having for dinner, if he's not going to eat what I cook he can make his own meals lol. It's just too much to make 2 meals, let alone 3 if there's children!
  • a2wom
    a2wom Posts: 53 Member
    I was vegetarian (primarily vegan) for awhile and felt really good but found it difficult to lose weight. I let a trainer convince me I couldn't get enough protein being vegan. I also found I ate more carbs. I am starting again though. I just ordered some new vegan cookbooks that I saw on another thread. I would love to have a group to support each other.

  • MissionMILF
    MissionMILF Posts: 3 Member
    I'm vegan! I made the switch in October from vegetarian (after 9 years) to vegan. I would love any support I can get also!
  • magicsd
    magicsd Posts: 99 Member
    I'm 90% vegetarian 10% pescatarian.
  • tdveggie
    tdveggie Posts: 3 Member
    My husband and I are both vegan!
  • tdveggie
    tdveggie Posts: 3 Member
    a2wom wrote: »
    I was vegetarian (primarily vegan) for awhile and felt really good but found it difficult to lose weight. I let a trainer convince me I couldn't get enough protein being vegan. I also found I ate more carbs. I am starting again though. I just ordered some new vegan cookbooks that I saw on another thread. I would love to have a group to support each other.

    I found it easiest to "go vegan" by starting with a juice fast. When I was done with the fast (I went 10 days) it was soooo easy to eat healthy. I have lost 20 lbs and have kept it off for a year.
  • DaddieCat
    DaddieCat Posts: 3,643 Member
    You do know that tofu isn't your only food based protein source, right? Tofu isn't even the most protein dense vegan food by volume.

    I'd recommend branching out your protein sources, tofu, tempeh, seitan, vegan hot-dogs, whatever floats your boat. Nothing wrong with tofu, mind you, but if you're worried about hitting your macro target, I'd branch out.

    Powders have their place too, especially if you are athletic at all as your caloric needs will increase with your activity and any muscle built.

    Anyway, I've been vegan for over a decade now and a bodybuilder, so I'm doing something right.
  • Kellyfitness128
    Kellyfitness128 Posts: 194 Member
    I used to be vegan. The main reason I stopped was because at the end I was experiencing so many cravings and I was binging on vegan foods to try and satisfy these cravings when all I really needed was a piece of cheese, or an egg, etc. I slowly gained weight as a vegan. Coming from someone who's had the whole spectrum of eating disorders, I realized veganism is too restrictive for me. At first, I loved it. It was a challenge, I felt great (though I'm naturally a healthy eater so I felt good before too..), and I felt better about myself because I was helping the planet and the animals. After a few months in a discovered Freelee the Banana Girl and her Raw Till 4 diet (I DO NOT recommend), tried that for a month or two, then went back to a regular vegan diet for a total of 8 months till I stopped. To this day I eat a largely plant based diet though, with about a serving of dairy thrown in daily and some meat thrown in weekly. I've got some recipes I can send you and I still have knowledge on a vegan diet if you need advice!
  • ktvalerio
    ktvalerio Posts: 4 Member
    I've been a vegetarian for over 10 years and have been going vegan again. I just can't stand how bad the meat industry is to animals, especially those poor dairy cows and their male calves. Not to mention the workers and the environment. Anyway, there are a lot of foods with protein in them. Besides the tofu and other ideas that Becoming Bane wrote, there are nuts, rice/beans, lentils, quinoa, hemp and seeds. Here is a link to give you some ideas. And lean into it. It doesn't have to be 100% on Day 1. :-)

    http://www.onegreenplanet.org/natural-health/vegan-sources-of-protein/

  • DaddieCat
    DaddieCat Posts: 3,643 Member
    kellyb28 wrote: »
    I used to be vegan. The main reason I stopped was because at the end I was experiencing so many cravings and I was binging on vegan foods to try and satisfy these cravings when all I really needed was a piece of cheese, or an egg, etc. I slowly gained weight as a vegan. Coming from someone who's had the whole spectrum of eating disorders, I realized veganism is too restrictive for me. At first, I loved it. It was a challenge, I felt great (though I'm naturally a healthy eater so I felt good before too..), and I felt better about myself because I was helping the planet and the animals. After a few months in a discovered Freelee the Banana Girl and her Raw Till 4 diet (I DO NOT recommend), tried that for a month or two, then went back to a regular vegan diet for a total of 8 months till I stopped. To this day I eat a largely plant based diet though, with about a serving of dairy thrown in daily and some meat thrown in weekly. I've got some recipes I can send you and I still have knowledge on a vegan diet if you need advice!

    I hate to say it but the reason you binge due to cravings was that you weren't getting what you need nutritionally. If this is the case, your knowledge is not complete and offering advice on how to be a vegan is probably not the best idea as they will most likely end up with the same deficiencies that led you to binge.

    I don't say any of this to be mean or negative, really, just to give some helpful advice from a long time vegan bodybuilder who has excellent blood tests, no deficiencies, and a sound diet.
  • bpjacques
    bpjacques Posts: 5 Member
    Hey all. Been vegan for almost 8 months and looking to connect with other vegans trying to lose weight. Just got back on MFP so figured I would reach out. Thanks!
  • bodyzen
    bodyzen Posts: 122 Member
    100% vegan here - feel free to add! :) love connecting with other plant-powered peeps! <3
  • VivaciouslyVegan
    VivaciouslyVegan Posts: 3 Member
    edited January 2016
    I've been vegan for two months and loving every second. Please feel free to add me!

    Did you know when pigs are mated, they sleep nose to nose?

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