Tried being vegan & failed!
kmariev213
Posts: 21 Member
Hello to whoever is interested in reading this!
I have watched tons of documentaries and feel like *kitten* whenever I eat any type of animal. I mostly eat chicken and fish
( I mostly stay away from pork or beef because it really hurts my stomach ) although I’m highly allergic to shell fish!
After watching documentaries I was able to go vegan for a full month. HOWEVER, I lost a lot of weight that I did not want to lose. I am a very tiny woman 5’ 3” now weighing 105lbs. I WAS 120.
Anyways.. I have joined a gym a month ago and I have been going faithfully 4-5 days a week! Nothing less! On the days I cave in and eat chicken/fish I notice the difference when I run. I cannot run longer than a minute or two without feeling overworked. When I do not eat this much I can run for about 5-7 minutes non stop. I DO feel stronger! I also take a plant based protein. I love it so much that if I could I would drink just a big gallon of this every single day and be done with meal prepping!
I mostly have an issue with hunger pains. They get the best of me and I end up buying fast food chicken burgers or a fish platter somewhere.
I am anemic deficient in both iron and b12.
I guess I have horrible self control... but I am mostly saddened that I cannot gain enough weight on a vegan diet! I must be doing something wrong. I’ve read tons of posts/blogs but I guess I’m not registering it in my mind.
I am hoping someone can help.. or someone is going through the same issue and we can connect and find a solution together! Anyways.. thank you for taking the time to read this long post. Good day!
I have watched tons of documentaries and feel like *kitten* whenever I eat any type of animal. I mostly eat chicken and fish
( I mostly stay away from pork or beef because it really hurts my stomach ) although I’m highly allergic to shell fish!
After watching documentaries I was able to go vegan for a full month. HOWEVER, I lost a lot of weight that I did not want to lose. I am a very tiny woman 5’ 3” now weighing 105lbs. I WAS 120.
Anyways.. I have joined a gym a month ago and I have been going faithfully 4-5 days a week! Nothing less! On the days I cave in and eat chicken/fish I notice the difference when I run. I cannot run longer than a minute or two without feeling overworked. When I do not eat this much I can run for about 5-7 minutes non stop. I DO feel stronger! I also take a plant based protein. I love it so much that if I could I would drink just a big gallon of this every single day and be done with meal prepping!
I mostly have an issue with hunger pains. They get the best of me and I end up buying fast food chicken burgers or a fish platter somewhere.
I am anemic deficient in both iron and b12.
I guess I have horrible self control... but I am mostly saddened that I cannot gain enough weight on a vegan diet! I must be doing something wrong. I’ve read tons of posts/blogs but I guess I’m not registering it in my mind.
I am hoping someone can help.. or someone is going through the same issue and we can connect and find a solution together! Anyways.. thank you for taking the time to read this long post. Good day!
5
Replies
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PS I do not drink milk! I try hard to stay away from cheese and it works most of the time since I believe I am lactose now. Cheese really messes me up and if I am running around town I definitely don’t eat it if ya know what I mean LOL! I do eat eggs from time to time but I have been substituting for tofu now! Which is wonderful!3
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Sorry to hear that you're having a rough go. I wish I knew more about nutrition, so I could give a few tips. Iron supplements used to give me pain in the stomach.
It just makes me wonder if the vegan conscience is more ambitious than our bodies' requirements.2 -
To gain weight, you need to eat more, and to feel better, you need to eat better. There really is no way around that. I think you have to decide for yourself what's most important, your health or the animals.11
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perhaps you should stop being vegan and do the halfway thing and become vegetarian until you learn how to properly feed yourself protein/carbs and fat from plants .... in 6 months to a years time, you should have learnt enough to start swapping to vegan freindly foods ???11
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@kommodevaran That’s a tough way to put it.. health or animals. An altruists way would definitely to be sacrifice their wants or needs for the animal. I wish I could be strong enough to be an altruist for the sake of animals.1
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@WorkerDrone83 thanks for your reply! I could try to see how I feel without taking iron supplements and try a different source of iron! Thanks for your insight! As for our vegan conscious mind... I believe it’s for the greater good. But I only wish my body would follow.1
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@h1udd Very great and honest suggestion! I like your bluntness! I feel pressured because I feel like I am wrecking havoc on my body. My family has a history of all types of cancers and I am trying my best to avoid them! My mother is a survivor of colon cancer but is still hypoglycemic! Which I believe I’ve been close to becoming as well until I cut meat out completely and started eating more fruits and veggies.
I will take your advice. It seems to be the most logical at this point. Maybe I will feel less overwhelmed & it will return make me feel happier to eat healthy. Appreciate your honesty!2 -
I'm not vegan, but if you don't mind my asking, but what and how much you were eating? What would a full day of eating look like? I think a common mistake with new vegans is not realizing just how much they would need to eat to function and maintain their weight. X calories on a vegan diet should look very different to that of a non-vegan diet.3
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@dannosaur Great question! So for me to gain weight I have to eat 2100 calories a day. It WAS tough to reach this daily but ever since I have been working out for a whole month my appetite has increased and I am able to reach this calorie intake, sometimes surpassing slightly by 200. Do you believe I should eat more or less than this recommendation?0
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I'm not vegan, but if you don't mind my asking, but what and how much you were eating? What would a full day of eating look like? I think a common mistake with new vegans is not realizing just how much they would need to eat to function and maintain their weight. X calories on a vegan diet should look very different to that of a non-vegan diet.
Interesting perspective. I always thought a calorie was a calorie is a calorie no matter the source... lol
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@kmariev213 to be honest I think you will feel overwhelmed for a while I dont beleive for a second that people can become vegan overnight, its a minefield of knowledge to get your head around
I knew nothing of being vegan until I joined this place and started looking at my friends food diarys ... some are vegan, some are vegetarian. I suddenly realised that I knew NOTHING about either. I just thought being a vegetarian was as simple as not eating meat and a being e vegan was simple not eating animal products like milk as well.
but its quite obvious from the diets of others that more thought goes (or should go) into it .... if you are serious about getting stronger you need to eat a full protein profile and get decent fats as well ... thats not too bad as a vegetarian using things like peas, beans, lentils and supplementing with dairy produce ontop of fatty plants like avocado
but then you look at the vegen menu of the athletes, those that lift, run, jump .... they eat stuff I have never heard of .... I google the vegan menus most days .. there is a lot to learn. I have no intention of becoming either .. but have respect for the knowledge of those that are and are successful in there training !4 -
You need to eat more as a vegan due to plant calories generally being lower in calories compared to animal products. And plant foods are cleaner sources of protein and healthy fats so your body will need more of this. Eat lots of grains, legumes, lentils, oats, avocados and fruit to get in enough calories.9
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xbowhunter wrote: »I'm not vegan, but if you don't mind my asking, but what and how much you were eating? What would a full day of eating look like? I think a common mistake with new vegans is not realizing just how much they would need to eat to function and maintain their weight. X calories on a vegan diet should look very different to that of a non-vegan diet.
Interesting perspective. I always thought a calorie was a calorie is a calorie no matter the source... lol
I think they mean more that vegan foods are not as calorie dense as meat-based foods.
I would suggest meal planning to start and maybe counting macros/calories to ensure that you're getting what you need. I've been vegan for two years and I've never had problems gaining or losing or maintaining weight during this time, it was just a matter of understanding my nutrition.4 -
@kmariev213 I would eat more calories, like, really smash it in. I don't know what your vegan values are (rawtil4, high-fat, high carb low fat, etc) but adding some more calorie dense foods like avocado and olive oil can add more calories without adding tons of volume.
And @xbowhunter , a calorie is a calorie no matter the source, but a piece of chicken worth 200 calories is a lot less volume than 200 calories of spinach.1 -
@h1udd At least you are honest with yourself. But the fact that you are curious and researching makes me wonder if you have a vegan conscious mind ready to come out? Lol just kidding. So in your opinion.. what is a full protein profile look like? Since my fitness pal has a recommendation of how much protein I should intake daily.. should I base how much I need off of this? Or do believe a person should increase the amount in order to get the desired muscle gains?0
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I think you should consult a sports nutritionist. They can help you on the right amount of macros for your body and your goals (Vegan or not). There is tons of protein in tofu, tempeh, lentils, beans etc. A can of tuna with pasta should give you a good portion of protein and carbs. Weight training will help build your appetite and so will swimming. Also be aware of the important antioxidants, vitamins, minerals etc apart from the macros.1
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@kmariev213 to be honest I think you will feel overwhelmed for a while I dont beleive for a second that people can become vegan overnight, its a minefield of knowledge to get your head around
I knew nothing of being vegan until I joined this place and started looking at my friends food diarys ... some are vegan, some are vegetarian. I suddenly realised that I knew NOTHING about either. I just thought being a vegetarian was as simple as not eating meat and a being e vegan was simple not eating animal products like milk as well.
but its quite obvious from the diets of others that more thought goes (or should go) into it .... if you are serious about getting stronger you need to eat a full protein profile and get decent fats as well ... thats not too bad as a vegetarian using things like peas, beans, lentils and supplementing with dairy produce ontop of fatty plants like avocado
but then you look at the vegen menu of the athletes, those that lift, run, jump .... they eat stuff I have never heard of .... I google the vegan menus most days .. there is a lot to learn. I have no intention of becoming either .. but have respect for the knowledge of those that are and are successful in there training !
This man is crushing it! Listen to him.2 -
Once you throw avocados into the mix you're golden. So high in calories. I would suggest a vegan protein powder, lots of good fruits and TONS of greens (plus chia) into the blender on a Sunday night, make smoothies for breakfast for the week, and then you should be able to smash your goals. Those leafy greens really get your iron taken care of, and with the protein powder, a vegan milk, AVOCADO, fruits/veg of your flavor favors, plus chia seeds, that smoothie will be all you need to get your calories where you need them. H1udd is right--get more friends like him.1
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@josiebanks18 You are gorgeous! And thank you for your insight! Since I have been trying to input some vegan meals in here I realized the difference in calories in my foods! That’s what made it so tough in the beginning to get to my daily calorie goal! I found that eating assorted vegetables was filling me up quickly however it did not last for a long time. It’s becoming a little easier now that I am understand. But I definitely need to get used to eating more legumes and lentils! This is a struggle since I only like black beans and chick peas! I’ve been trying!!0
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xbowhunter wrote: »I'm not vegan, but if you don't mind my asking, but what and how much you were eating? What would a full day of eating look like? I think a common mistake with new vegans is not realizing just how much they would need to eat to function and maintain their weight. X calories on a vegan diet should look very different to that of a non-vegan diet.
Interesting perspective. I always thought a calorie was a calorie is a calorie no matter the source... lol
it is but think of what 500 calories of vegetables looks like compared to 500 calories of pork chop. Vegan diet is a very bulky diet lol. Theres a reason the bulk eaters eat alot of fruit/veg2 -
@dannosaur I’ve been on the verge of just reaching into my fridge and eating my veggies raw (After I wash them of course) to curb hunger pains. I’m always hungry now!0
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@Knoxvilla5 Amazing suggestion. I had not thought of preparing smoothies for the week. Would they go bad after a certain amount of days? Since I like to mix greens and berries... should I place these in the freezer? And I know right @h1udd has given me some great information and suggestions. But everyone else has definitely put in their perspective! Interesting to see people here that are not vegan!!1
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@madarahr see the way my bank account is looking... lol just kidding but I truly wonder how much a nutritionist would be? And if they would be willing to take insurance! I would definitely need to research this! Thank you for your input!0
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Do you eat any legumes (for protein and calorie-density) or starchy veggies (for calorie-density), or just mostly fruits and non-starchy veggies? How about fats? If you cut out fat from meat, dairy, and eggs (mostly, I think you said you still eat eggs occasionally), without adding plant-based oils or fat-rich plants like avocado, olives, seeds, and nuts, you're likely not getting enough fat for a host of bodily processes (including hormone functions, processing fat-soluble vitamins, neurological processes, etc.). Plus, fats help bring your calorie-intake up without having to increase the volume and mass of food you're consuming.2
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@lynn_glenmont Yes i do eat legumes but not much and not on a daily basis! Although this is making much sense to me now that you put it the way that you did! Another person suggested this as well. I will try to increase my intake of this. Do you know the daily recommendation? A cup or more ? As for healthy fats... I did not realize how important of a role it plays in our bodies. Thank you for this love !!!0
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Without knowing exactly what you're eating, it sounds like you're not focusing on getting sufficient protein and fat.
Healthy vegans are eating more than just low calorie fruits and vegetables. We're eating high quality protein sources like beans, tofu, tempeh, and seitan, we're eating grains, we're eating starchy vegetables, we're eating calorie-dense fruits like coconut and avocado, we're eating plant oils and plant milks/cheese/yogurt, we're eating nuts and seeds. If you're not exploring these foods, you may struggle with hunger and weight loss and you may struggle to meet your fitness goals. It sounds like you're experiencing all these things right now.
Stop thinking of veganism as something where you have to choose between your own wellbeing and the wellbeing of animals. With some basic diet planning, you can have both. A vegan who is struggling due to self-imposed nutritional issues doesn't help animals in the long run.9 -
JaydedMiss wrote: »xbowhunter wrote: »I'm not vegan, but if you don't mind my asking, but what and how much you were eating? What would a full day of eating look like? I think a common mistake with new vegans is not realizing just how much they would need to eat to function and maintain their weight. X calories on a vegan diet should look very different to that of a non-vegan diet.
Interesting perspective. I always thought a calorie was a calorie is a calorie no matter the source... lol
it is but think of what 500 calories of vegetables looks like compared to 500 calories of pork chop. Vegan diet is a very bulky diet lol. Theres a reason the bulk eaters eat alot of fruit/veg
I think this is one of the problems with just jumping in head first into a vegan diet. Your nutritional needs don't change just because you're vegan. You need more than just veg and fruit...a lot of people that just jump in head first simply don't have the nutritional knowledge to do vegan properly and healthfully and it's an overload of low calorie veg and fruit and they don't get enough protein or fat.
I'm not vegan, but as someone who does place a big emphasis on plants, I do eat quite a few vegan meals...it's more than just some vegetables or fruit. I make a lot of vegan Indian curries with lentils as well as some vegan Thai curries...they are typically as many, if not more calories than if I ate some chicken, veg, and rice because those dishes are full of good oils and in the case of my Thai curries, plenty of coconut milk.
I have a couple of vegan friends who are also athletes...they cook with fat and eat lots of lentils, legumes, make seitan, eat plenty of nuts and nut butters, avocados, etc. They need the calories as well as the protein and fat for good health and to maintain their training load.4 -
kmariev213 wrote: »@Knoxvilla5 Amazing suggestion. I had not thought of preparing smoothies for the week. Would they go bad after a certain amount of days? Since I like to mix greens and berries... should I place these in the freezer?
@kmariev213 Yes--they definitely don't stand the test of time! I freeze mine same-day and take them out the night before use. Making sure you have a frothy consistency is key, because that aeration helps it defrost much easier. If it were solid juice you'd have an icecube. Speaking of which--you can also make smoothie ice-cubes and toss them in the blender if you wanted. I have yet to try that, but it's another option to consider.
Also: I also tried going vegan and failed, but I'm being as vegan as I can until I can go full throttle.
I wish you the best!1 -
@kmariev213 I'm not sure if anyone has said it yet, but naturally you've got to get your macros right, too. That always goes without saying.2
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JaydedMiss wrote: »xbowhunter wrote: »I'm not vegan, but if you don't mind my asking, but what and how much you were eating? What would a full day of eating look like? I think a common mistake with new vegans is not realizing just how much they would need to eat to function and maintain their weight. X calories on a vegan diet should look very different to that of a non-vegan diet.
Interesting perspective. I always thought a calorie was a calorie is a calorie no matter the source... lol
it is but think of what 500 calories of vegetables looks like compared to 500 calories of pork chop. Vegan diet is a very bulky diet lol. Theres a reason the bulk eaters eat alot of fruit/veg
Not necessarily. Plant protein/fat are pretty dense. Nuts, Avocado, etc.1
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