New vegan need help

zoevelthuysen
zoevelthuysen Posts: 1 Member
in Getting Started
Hey! I've just recently become vegan. I think I'm doing okay. I've watch youtube videos and documentaries to educate myself, and that has helped me a lot, but I'm having a little bit of trouble. I'm not having cravings for meat or animal product and I'm finding the cooking and planning meals fine I just need help withe the nutrients side of things. I personally chose the vegan lifestyle for ethical reasons and for health reasons. I am obsese and have bulimia. My periods are crazy and I have borderline personality disorder. I thought that veganism vould help me with all these problems. I find it easy to find how much nutrients a meat eater should consume but I couldn't find a specific guideline for vegans. The main reason why I am worried is because I know a lot of people go into veganism and don't eat enough calories to give them wnough energy and then they quit, i dont want to do that. So I was wondering if someone could tell me what i specifically need, I am 132kg, im 175 cm tall, i am a 18 year old female and would like to drop to about 70 kg. I would like to know all the details like how much fibre I need or how much protien do i really need.

Replies

  • Lisa_Ookoo
    Lisa_Ookoo Posts: 134 Member
    First of all, congratulations on starting on your journey to a healthier life!

    Vegans need the same nutrition as meat eaters, so you can start by following the guidelines set by MFP when you joined up. There are a few vitamins like B Vitamins and Omega 3 that you might want to take as supplements.

    Just try to eat a variety of whole grains, beans, legumes, vegetables and fruit. Get some exercise, both cardio and strength. You're going to feel great.

    Later on, you can make adjustments to your calories and macros (that's the ratio of carbohydrates / fat/ protein ) based on how you feel , satiety, weight loss, etc. Don't get hung up on the details, just get started. Good luck!
  • BabyBabt
    BabyBabt Posts: 18 Member
    You'll definitely be feeling enough energy if you eat a proper vegan diet. Beans and lentils are a life saver! I would suggest staying away from anything overly processed like "tofurkey" or any other fake meat substitutes unless you're really craving it. Take a Multivitamin or vitamin drink if you feel you're not reaching your goal. Calorie wise you should be fine. A lot of vegetables are high in carbs so energy sources should be fine.
  • rachelinalou
    rachelinalou Posts: 1 Member
    Hi,

    Congrats to you! I hope you love the lifestyle and make it permanent, I've never looked back personally :)

    I would have to echo the opinions from the other posters here - use MFPs guidelines on calorie intake and protein intake, however I wouldn't get too hung up on the protein one personally - you'll soon realise that we've been brainwashed in the Western world into thinking we need loads of protein when in reality, around 55g for an adult will suffice each day.

    An iron and B12 supplement would be quite helpful for you in these early stages, just to make sure you don't drop below the recommended levels and start to feel tired or unwell. Although a vegan diet can easily provide all the nutrients a human needs, it can be a bit tricky at first and we wouldn't want you getting discouraged at the beginning.

    I think the main thing for you is to avoid meat substitutes as much as possible and eat nutrient dense food. This way you should get all the nutrients you need and feel full up and satisfied. Please feel free to get in touch if I can help :)

    Rachel
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    I highly recommend checking out the veganhealth.org website. The book "Vegan for Life" by Jack Norris and Virginia Messina is also a great source of information on how to meet your nutritional needs as a vegan.

    Supplementing B12 (or regularly eating foods fortified with B12) is a must, as there are no plant sources of B12. Fortunately, it's really easy to find inexpensive sources. Depending on what else you eat, there may be other things you should choose to supplement. Common things to watch out for are iron, iodine, omega 3s, and vitamin D -- there are plant sources of these and not every vegan has to supplement, but it will depending on what you choose to eat. I do supplement all four of those, along with biotin (when I was tracking my vitamin consumption, I realized I wasn't getting very much of it).

    For calories, you can go ahead and go with MFP's suggestion for weight loss. Weight loss works for us exactly as it does for non-vegans. I lost over 40 pounds last year just eating MFP's suggested number of calories -- I didn't have to adjust anything due to my veganism. Our nutrient needs are the same as those of non-vegans -- we just need to be aware of some deficiencies that are more common in the vegan population.

    I do notice that a couple of people have told you to avoid meat substitutes: I have a different take. I think they're fine. They can be a great way to boost protein or make a vegan lifestyle more fun and convenient. If you choose to eat them (I have them regularly), just log the calories and be aware that some of them can be very calorie-dense. You can also make your own if you want to control the sodium and fat -- I was scared to make seitan when I first went vegan, but once I realized how easy it was, I was glad I tried it!

    Good luck! I've been vegan for ten years. The first part is usually the hardest as you learn how to read labels and find new foods.
  • HarmoniousExpression
    HarmoniousExpression Posts: 6 Member
    I agree with the above, I have also transitioned from a vegetarian lifestyle to a Vegan one. I personally don't feel tired or like I am missing anything. I aim to meet a 1800 calorie so that with my workouts I'm still above 1000+

    I personally don't like the fake meat/cheese. I think it's tastes kind of gross. Hahaha!

    But perhaps one day, I'll change my mind. Don't trip.on the EXACT % just listen to your body.

    During the day, or by the end of it, are you drained? If so, you are lacking nutrients.

    Do you like an assortment of veggies and fruits?
    If so, you pretty much can get ALL your vitamins from them. There is some new studies from Dr. Mcdougall even saying you don't necessarily need a supplement of B-12. I take it, because it was the first recommended to me when I declared veganism. I have 2 bottles, so I might as well finish it and then see where I am on that.

    Protein is pretty easy because so many raw goodies, veggies, etc are high in protein, like Edemame, one of my favorite. You could also do lengumes, beans, lentils, etc I also love Dr. Pregars veggie burger patties.

    Anyway, beat of luck! Feel free to add me so we can support each other, if you wish.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    edited May 2016
    HarmoniousExpression wrote: »
    I agree with the above, I have also transitioned from a vegetarian lifestyle to a Vegan one. I personally don't feel tired or like I am missing anything. I aim to meet a 1800 calorie so that with my workouts I'm still above 1000+

    I personally don't like the fake meat/cheese. I think it's tastes kind of gross. Hahaha!

    But perhaps one day, I'll change my mind. Don't trip.on the EXACT % just listen to your body.

    During the day, or by the end of it, are you drained? If so, you are lacking nutrients.

    Do you like an assortment of veggies and fruits?
    If so, you pretty much can get ALL your vitamins from them. There is some new studies from Dr. Mcdougall even saying you don't necessarily need a supplement of B-12. I take it, because it was the first recommended to me when I declared veganism. I have 2 bottles, so I might as well finish it and then see where I am on that.

    Protein is pretty easy because so many raw goodies, veggies, etc are high in protein, like Edemame, one of my favorite. You could also do lengumes, beans, lentils, etc I also love Dr. Pregars veggie burger patties.

    Anyway, beat of luck! Feel free to add me so we can support each other, if you wish.

    Which studies by McDougall are you referring to? I'm not aware that he has done any clinical studies on B12 deficiency.

    Existing research is very clear -- vegans should supplement B12 or include fortified foods in their diet. McDougall, according to this portion of his own website, recommends it himself --https://www.drmcdougall.com/health/education/health-science/hot-topics/nutrition-topics/supplements/

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