Beginning vegan

Is this for life, or a short term diet? If for life, start slowly. ex: start with not eating red meat but eat chicken, fish.

Our story is very similar. Been having stomach issues for several years. Severe bloating, painful gas, pressure, etc. Tried low carb several times. Hard to stick with, but did help somewhat with bloating. Just watched the same documentary this afternoon and I am going to go vegan as well. Hoping it clears my belly issues also, good luck!

First things first, congrats! Fantastic decision!

I was vegetarian for 10 years with being on and off vegan but as of two months ago I am fully vegan! Something that has really helped me is having a journal with my reasons for becoming vegan! As long as you know why you're doing it, you can use those reasons every time you have a craving for animal product. For me personally, I was beginning to be lactose intolerant so that was the biggest factor in strict veganism, but the benefits don't stop there! Think about how you're decreasing your personal carbon footprint by becoming more sustainable! Of course you also are no longer supporting the torture of innocent animals, as well as the general phenomenal health benefits!

Tip-wise, I personally try to stay away from as much processed food as possible as I personally am just too lazy to check if things are vegan, lol! Eating all plant based has been great for me personally, I have lost 40lbs since becoming vegan and starting back on MFP.

Totally use your recourses! If you end up going out with friends or just need a quick meal, PETA (not the best organization) has a TON bloggers who write about vegan options at most chain restaurants. More options than most people think and the list continues to grow!

I wish you well with your vegan journey friend!

And yeah I've lost over 25 pounds on a healthy vegan diet but you got to make sure it's a healthy whole food diet and not a junk food vegan diet cause you can definitely still gain weight as a vegan if you're eating alll processed food. My diary is open btw

Some people need time to transition from one style of eating to another. I'm one of those all-or-nothing people. It was the same when I quit smoking...I had been a smoker for over 15 years and quit cold turkey with no pills, gum, or any other tobacco substitute. That was 11 years ago! Anyway, I literally went from a cheese-bacon-fried chicken loving person one day to complete vegan the next. I started out doing it for Lent and a way to kind of cleanse my body.

TOO MUCH INFORMATION ALERT!

I had my gall bladder removed almost 17 years ago. For the first 11 solid years, I had to take powdered medicine mixed in water (yuck!) to "bind" me because my gall bladder stem wouldn't make bile. I suffered from horrible ongoing stomach cramps and if I didn't take my medicine each morning by 10 am, I would have to run to the bathroom once every couple hours. I suffered from constant diarrhea. By the 10th year of taking the medicine, it was losing its effectiveness and I had to add on a second medication. This time, it was a pill I had to take 20 minutes before eating ANYTHING. What a pain. And it gave me cotton-mouth.

I "went vegan" on February 22, 2012. By March 1st, I wasn't having any stomach cramps or diarrhea. I stopped taking the pills before eating. I felt wonderful! By the end of March, I stopped the powdered medicine and told my doctor. I don't know who was more ecstatic - him or me! Changing my diet has been a Godsend and I feel WONDERFUL.

During the whole time, I was learning more and more about the ethical side of veganism. The more I learned, the more steadfast I became in my decision. It's not a matter of "I CAN'T eat that", but instead "I WON'T eat that". Between my health and the animals, I will never go back to eating animal products. It's crazy how time flies - sometimes I can't believe over 5 years have passed...yet I still remember what cheese and bacon and fried chicken taste like. BUT, I don't miss it!

I knew immediately that this way of life was best for me and I have not had any regrets. You are going to feel so good! You are welcome to send me a friend request. I keep an open diary and I'm on here daily.

RedheadedPrincess14 wrote: »

And yeah I've lost over 25 pounds on a healthy vegan diet but you got to make sure it's a healthy whole food diet and not a junk food vegan diet cause you can definitely still gain weight as a vegan if you're eating alll processed food. My diary is open btw

You can gain weight on any type of vegan diet if you're consuming more calories than your body needs. That can happen on a whole foods diet, it can happen on a junk food diet, it can happen on a diet that combines different types of food.

A "junk food" vegan would maintain their weight if they consumed the calories their body needed. The amount of processing is irrelevant.

My best advice:

Read up on vegan nutrition. Veganhealth.org is a great site, it's run by an RD who is also a long-term vegan. It contains real science-based recommendations and avoids some of the "woo" that can pile up on some other websites.

Learn how to cook, if you don't already. Having a regular rotation of meals that you love will save you money and it also can make veganism a lot more enjoyable. If you aren't yet ready to invest in cookbooks, Pinterest is a reliable site for recipes. Just search for "vegan [whatever you're wanting to eat]" and you'll probably find several recipes.

Don't have an unnecessary fear of processed foods. Processing, in and of itself, will not harm your health and it will not cause you to gain weight. Just learn how to read labels so you understand what you're eating. Foods like seitan, tempeh, canned beans and tomatoes, pasta, breads, plant milks, tofu, and nutritional yeast are all processed, but they can all be convenient, tasty, and part of a healthy vegan diet.

I had to do research first to figure out where I get my protein sources for and fun meals to keep me engaged. I was previously vegetarian and made the transition to become a vegan due to health reasons.


There are a lot of vegan cookbooks make foods fun and tastes amazing too.


Keep going and don't give up!!