Looking to go Vegan and feeling a bit overwhelmed!

Hi, going vegan doesn't always mean loosing weight. There are people who gain weight on vegan diet. Also veganism is too extreme.
But your choice , just make sure to not follow the 30 day banana diet, mono meals are unhealthy vegan or not. Never follow freelee the banana girl ( she is crazy and disrespectful also an ex anorexic and bulimic, it tells a lot) instead look up vegans who eat varied diet. Don't forget to take supplements as your diet won't provide some vitamins like b12.

Vegan can mean healthy and it can mean not-healthy. Oreo cookies are vegan, so you can be vegan and not lose weight. But you can be healthy and be vegan. Go on YouTube and find great vegan recipes. I've made amazing chili, soups, tofu, veggie bakes. Chickpeas as a snack is my go to. Just try different foods.

Hi! I've been vegan for three weeks and I've lost 8 lbs so far!!! It's really easy once you figure out what works for you. I have been following a low-fat, high carb (complex carbs) vegan diet. I find this works for a lot of people because you stay fuller longer and don't crave sweets (simple carb) when you give your body what it wants! There are loads of vegan alternatives to foods you'd love being non-vegan. Daiya vegan pizza is very delicious (a lot of restaurants will give you vegan options, too). Also, the coconut chocolate ice cream by the brand "So Good", is just that, sooo goodd. Haha. Feel free to add me.

HStheBusyBee wrote: »

_Waffle_ wrote: »

HStheBusyBee wrote: »

I have been cooking as many meals from scratch and experimenting with healthy recipes when I can for the past 18 months which has helped me lose about 15lbs. I eat relatively healthy but I know for definite I'm not eating enough fruit and veg on a daily basis. I don't really like cooking meat or the taste of it and I was a vegetarian for 5 years when I was teenager.

My main concern is how to incorporate this into my house. My son loves meat, cheese, basically everything that is not vegan so I will still have to cook quite a lot of non vegan food.

@veganparisian would love to discuss goals with you!
@nsa352 That woman seems crazy! She lost me when she likened feeding your children meat to child abuse.

Your son loves tasty food. There's nothing wrong with that. Don't try to incorporate this for other people.

Hi sorry I should've clarified. I will have to cook separate meals which is fine but I dont finish work until 5 so will need to cook in advance or cook really simply in order to be able to cook 2 meals. The main thing I'm looking for is advice and inspiration from people that have made that change. There's no way on earth I would make him go vegan!

The easiest approach is likely to be for most of your meals to make sides (veggies, grains and/or other starchy carbs) that are vegan (not cooked in stock or with butter, no cheese sauces, etc.), and then the only thing you have to make "extra" is two different entrees. There are a whole host of quick-cooking vegan entrees (tofu, seitan, tempeh, canned beans, frozen and refrigerated meat substitutes), and hopefully you already have some quick-to-the-table non-vegan entrees in your repertoire.

ETA: or you could pre-cook entrees (vegan or non-vegan on the weekend) and freeze in appropriate meal-sized batches, and just thaw in the microwave and heat each evening.

What an amazing thread, I didnt know there were others who were on/making transitions, Im also hopefully one day be 100percent vegan, but I dont like labels, Rather be referred as a 'veggie'. Currently, pescatarian here and there, no other meat or diary products.. lots of carbs, fruits, veg.. and starchy carbs..and yes Vegan you can still be unhealthy.. but ultimately it does better for eating whole foods and fruits, plant foods, Meat industry is extreme look at the impacts of animal agriculture - 'Cowspiracy' on Netflix - brilliant documentary. And I agree with BBuzz28camaro above.. Anyways spreading good vibes here

sault_girl wrote: »

buzz28camaro wrote: »

nsa352 wrote: »

Hi, going vegan doesn't always mean loosing weight. There are people who gain weight on vegan diet. Also veganism is too extreme.

Nothing extreme about realizing most of the developed world lives in such a way to where choosing cruelty free food choices at the grocery store and restaurants is a viable option and adjusting your purchasing habits accordingly.

There is also nothing morally superior about it.

The animals we eat probably have much better food, housing, and healthcare than the human beings who pick the bananas.

No one is talking about moral superiority except you, but what would you call it if your two options are either reducing suffering in the world or increasing it and you choose the former?

Hi! I've been transitioning to a whole-food plant based diet since October for health reasons. I'm about 95% there. There are lots of great resources out there. There is a veg group on here called Happy Herbivores. They have an extensive list of online resources. I really like Lindsay Nixon's cookbooks (Happy Herbivore Light & Lean is good for vegan weight loss). Fatfreevegan.com has a lot of great recipes (not really "fat free" since they incorporate nuts, seeds, avocados and other healthy fats, so more like "oil-free"). I tend to stay away from the meat and cheese analogs and stick with whole foods as much as possible,
How old is your son? I taught my kids about what I was doing and why, and a lot of them were on board with it. They still like meat and cheese, so I buy the cheese and they can add it to their own food, so I don't have to cook separate meals. Plus most of them are old enough so they're able to make a few things on their own, like topping naan with some spaghetti sauce and cheese and baking it in the oven for a quick cheese pizza, or making their own eggs. Then I can enjoy my broiled veggie-topped flatbread alongside them without much extra work. We do taco night regularly, and they get to assemble their own tacos and pick their toppings, so no extra work there either. Often their side salad at dinner will be my main dish with the addition of some beans, seeds, and an oil-free dressing. I also cook large quantities of food, not only because I have a large family, but also to provide lunch and alternate dinner options to reheat and eat. I also have lots of other meal ideas if you're interested.
As for being overwhelmed, you can transition rapidly or focus on one small change at a time, like breakfasts for one week, then add healthier lunches the next, then dinners the following week until you are where you want to be. Or work on cutting out eggs, then milk, then cheese. Whatever works best for you.
Best of luck!

sault_girl wrote: »

buzz28camaro wrote: »

nsa352 wrote: »

Hi, going vegan doesn't always mean loosing weight. There are people who gain weight on vegan diet. Also veganism is too extreme.

Nothing extreme about realizing most of the developed world lives in such a way to where choosing cruelty free food choices at the grocery store and restaurants is a viable option and adjusting your purchasing habits accordingly.

There is also nothing morally superior about it.

The animals we eat probably have much better food, housing, and healthcare than the human beings who pick the bananas.

*shrugs* I don't care personally. More steak for me. I fully accept that something, plant or animal, must die each day for me to live. That's the way life works on this planet. My only issue with vegan life is the need to take artificial supplements when you can get the stuff you're lacking in actual food. I'm all about being kind and choosing organic and free range foods but I don't want my health to suffer from it.

All that aside. Nothing wrong with vegan so long as you're doing it for yourself. Best of luck.