Transitioning from vegetarian to vegan - Advice pls :)

Add me if you'd like! =] I was vegetarian all my life and switched to vegan about 9 months ago! It really hasn't been hard lol. At first I ate lots of veggie stir fries like zuchinni, squash, mushrooms, olives, onion. Hummus is good on everything lol. It's really fun to be honest because you have to be creative with your meals. I would recommend doing lots of recipe research. I've posted tons of recipes since I've been on here so if you add me you can look through my past posts. =]

Good luck it's lots of fun! lol

Does anyone have any tips for keeping a low cal vegan diet? I know how to make/eat plenty of vegan food but it isnt always the lowest in calories.

Hi everyone! I have been vegan (although I do eat honey, for my allergies) for a little over a year now, and was vegetarian for about a year and a half before that. I couldn't imagine ever going back to eating animal products now! I absolutely love it. I never, ever thought I would be vegan but now I can't stand the thought of eating dairy or eggs. I did some reading on the cruelty of the dairy industry, and learned in the process a lot about how unhealthy dairy is.

One of the best things in the world is 'Happy Herbivore Cookbook'. You should definitely look it up The author has two cookbooks - that one, and 'Everyday Happy Herbivore'. And, she has a ton of recipes on her website, as well as 1200 calorie meal plans. The recipes are ALL low-fat, plant-based, with low sugar (usually only in some desserts). She doesn't use any oil, and nuts in maybe 2 or 3 recipes total. Lifesaver!

That being said, I am always looking for like-minded (and like-eating? ) people to connect with and share recipes with, so feel free to contact me! I am back to MyFitnessPal after taking a brief break but I fell off the wagon and am looking to reach my goal.

Take care!

Went vegan last year around this time from vegetarian...

I would recommend when you go vegan don't eat the substitute dairy products right away. You will still have a good memory of the actual dairy and when you compare them, well they're not nearly as good. Wait a few weeks, then try them and they will be delicious!

Appetite for Reduction by Isa Chandra Moskowitz has good low-cal vegan recipes. It's my only vegan cookbook that has the nutrition facts.

This is great :-) I am pescetarian looking to transition in the near future. Thank you for all these great suggestions...

I went Pescetarian in March of this year, and almost 3 months ago transitioned over to 90% Vegan.

It's been a lot easier than I thought, and cutting out cheese, and butter has definitely helped with my WL. I was really struggling over the summer but since now I don't eat cheese, creamy dressings, and dairy the weight has consistently been dropping even though I upped my calories.

I would stay away from Vegan subs too with the exception of Earth Balance margarine, soy or almond milk, and I also purchased Veganaise mayo right away. I use all of them sparingly.

I also use Happy Herbivore's cookbook, and I also love Peas and Thankyou recipes (watch the cookies though, they're sinfully good, and not low in fat lol).

I focus on adding at least 50% veggies to my food.So every starch has the same amount of veggies. It keeps you healthier and the food lighter. For example, if I'm making spaghetti I add broccoli, peas, spinach, and bell peppers to the noodles. Same with anything else I make.

Good luck, it's a lot easier than you'd think, mostly it's a mental game. Focusing your mind on what you CAN eat instead of what you CAN'T is key to success.

Hi,

I've been a vegetarian for two years and want to make the transition to vegan. I'm looking for advice, meal ideas, common mistakes, success stories, and support.
I am typically the one making meals at home and would also like tips on some "kitchen essentials" that will make dinners easy for when my hubby or sister are in charge of cooking. I love variety and would be disappointed with salads every day!

Thanks

Regarding kitchen essentials, I keep cooked beans in my freezer in 2 cup portions and use those rather than canned beans. I usually have black, red, cranberry, white, pinto, and garbanzo beans in there at any given time. They are cooked with no salt or other seasoning, so they can be seasoned for the dish. I freeze them flat in freezer bags and they thaw very quickly.

I keep lots of grains on hand - bulgur, quinoa, brown rice, whole wheat couscous, etc. Loads of veggies in my freezer. Lots of fresh produce, too, but I have to be careful to not go crazy and over-purchase what I can use before it spoils. I'll make a vegan chili and (if I can keep my kids from devouring it) freeze that for quick lunches.

I also keep raw nuts and seeds on hand as well as nut butters.

And I rarely EVER eat a salad!

Don't bother.

First off Congratulations .. this is an amazing decision. My #1 vegan lifesaver is : I love to make big pots of chilis with beans for protein and tons of veggies, they are in expensive, healthy , easy to make, and taste delicious. Good luck!