Shell shocked new vegan.

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  • chaitrex
    chaitrex Posts: 94 Member
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    I've never been vegan for long, but I've done a few vegan detox things and have a lot of vegan friends. It's easy to eat processed carbs when you're a vegan, because they're perhaps the most easily accessible vegan food. Just make sure that your grains are whole grains :)
    Also, I'd recommend taking spirulina supplement. It has every single amino acid, so your body will get everything it needs. This should help with the transition.
    Protein's a tough one. A lot of people are a little intolerant to soy, but even if you're not, it's a good idea not to rely on this sole source of protein. Lots of legumes, lots of leafy greens, whole grains, etc. I found this to be the biggest challenge of vegeterianism and my vegan stints.
  • rudegyal_b
    rudegyal_b Posts: 593 Member
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    1800 calories is not that much when you work out for 90mins
  • lilyflor
    lilyflor Posts: 123 Member
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    congrats on going vegan!!! :drinker: I am mostly vegan, and I found that at the beginning I lost weight without even trying, just make sure you are eating lots of vegetables as well and not just grain, plan your days ahead, when I first started to log my food here on MFP I found that it was hard to go over 1200 calories but I increased those calories to a healthier 1598 because that is what I am supposed to consume at my goal weight I don't consume my calories from exercise I count that as my deficit and that has been working for me so far. good luck on your new compassionate and healthy way of eating!!! :flowerforyou:
    I'm adding you! I love to add more vegan friends to my friend list!
  • HotKanye
    HotKanye Posts: 103 Member
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    I'm vegan. I don't really find it relevant to how many calories I eat other than that I automatically nix the cheese and fatty meats that might add up on someone else's diary. As others have said 1800 with an hour workout doesn't seem bad to me as long as the intensity was there on the workout. If you want to eat less make a big pot of soup and have some soup before your meals. Or try intermittent fasting as I do. I don't eat from nine pm till noon the next day and then I have more calories left for two bigger meals and that works quite well for me.

    Congratulations on taking the plunge and become vegan. It's a good life!
  • onawho
    onawho Posts: 196 Member
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    Why are you going vegan? No grains, no meat, no sugar, no dairy, no eggs that's a lot to give up.


    Grains are meat? why is grain (which the last time I checked, a plant on the list of No-No's)


    I am sorry, I guess I really dont see the difference in being a vegetarian and then going vegan. cutting out dairy and eggs should not be that difficult.
  • MichelleRenee13
    MichelleRenee13 Posts: 363 Member
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    I am also transitioning from vegetarian of 20 years to vegan. I am losing weight and having a lot more energy. Quinoa and lentils are staples and are very filling and can be used countless ways.

    Here are some helpful websites with lots of healthy recipe ideas.

    http://vegnews.com/

    http://www.theveeword.blogspot.com/

    http://peasandthankyou.com/

    http://www.vegan-heartland.com/

    www.fatfreevegan.com
  • MichelleRenee13
    MichelleRenee13 Posts: 363 Member
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    Why are you going vegan? No grains, no meat, no sugar, no dairy, no eggs that's a lot to give up.


    Grains are meat? why is grain (which the last time I checked, a plant on the list of No-No's)


    I am sorry, I guess I really dont see the difference in being a vegetarian and then going vegan. cutting out dairy and eggs should not be that difficult.

    GIving up dairy, at least cheese for me, is extremely difficult. It is one of my favorite things to eat. Just think of how many dishes one eats that contains cheese/dairy....especially comfort foods. It is very difficult to give up...just like any food someone loves and eat on a very regular basis.
  • amoeba15
    amoeba15 Posts: 38 Member
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    Why are you going vegan? No grains, no meat, no sugar, no dairy, no eggs that's a lot to give up.


    Grains are meat? why is grain (which the last time I checked, a plant on the list of No-No's)


    I am sorry, I guess I really dont see the difference in being a vegetarian and then going vegan. cutting out dairy and eggs should not be that difficult.

    GIving up dairy, at least cheese for me, is extremely difficult. It is one of my favorite things to eat. Just think of how many dishes one eats that contains cheese/dairy....especially comfort foods. It is very difficult to give up...just like any food someone loves and eat on a very regular basis.

    It really isn't that hard if you're motivated to go vegan.

    As to the OP: you really need to start eating grains. The fiber will make you feel fuller and if you include a decent mix of grains you'll get all of the essential amino acids you need. Carbs are not your enemy at all, the animal products are. You don't need saturated fat, you need essential fatty acids. Eat some walnuts in your oatmeal, toss some ground flaxseed into a smoothie, put some quinoa on your salad, enjoy some brown rice with steamed veggies, and you'll get your essential fatty acids and your essential amino acids. (Don't forget to make sure you get enough B-12!)
  • misslissa555
    misslissa555 Posts: 135 Member
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    Why are you going vegan? No grains, no meat, no sugar, no dairy, no eggs that's a lot to give up.


    Grains are meat? why is grain (which the last time I checked, a plant on the list of No-No's)


    I am sorry, I guess I really dont see the difference in being a vegetarian and then going vegan. cutting out dairy and eggs should not be that difficult.

    GIving up dairy, at least cheese for me, is extremely difficult. It is one of my favorite things to eat. Just think of how many dishes one eats that contains cheese/dairy....especially comfort foods. It is very difficult to give up...just like any food someone loves and eat on a very regular basis.

    There's something in cheese that makes it addictive like caffeine. Once you give it up, you won't remember what it tastes like! It was hard for me, but I'm glad I did. I use to eat a lot of cheese as a vegetarian and it made me fat and unhappy! Come to find out, most cheese isn't even vegetarian because of the rennet in it.
  • nnoland
    nnoland Posts: 15 Member
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    don't be a vegan it's really not healthy for you. Sorry but it's true.
  • ilookthetype
    ilookthetype Posts: 3,021 Member
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    Why are you going vegan? No grains, no meat, no sugar, no dairy, no eggs that's a lot to give up.


    Grains are meat? why is grain (which the last time I checked, a plant on the list of No-No's)


    I am sorry, I guess I really dont see the difference in being a vegetarian and then going vegan. cutting out dairy and eggs should not be that difficult.

    She said she doesn't eat grains or sugar. Gluten is generally a pretty hearty aspect of a vegan diet, it's a wheat and thus grain biproduct.

    I'm gluten free and I am starting a vegan/GF bakery, I know it can be done, but giving up gluten, grains, sugar, meat, eggs, dairy is REALLY limiting what one can eat. I can't imagine it's terribly sustainable.
  • amoeba15
    amoeba15 Posts: 38 Member
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    don't be a vegan it's really not healthy for you. Sorry but it's true.

    No, a vegan diet can be just as healthy, if not healthier, than an omnivorous diet if properly planned out. Your information is wrong.
  • kittenmitton
    kittenmitton Posts: 231 Member
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    I was a vegan for a few years. I should have probably found out I had low blood pressure before starting a vegan diet, since I was dizzy all the time rsrs. I didn't really have that hard of a time adjusting though, since I never ate milk products anyways, I don't like most meat, and I've never eaten eggs. I still keep to a vegan diet almost all of the time, with the occasional fish here and there, and some yogurt.

    Just make sure you get enough protein. If you like Indian food, you can use tofu and soymilk to make delicious fake paneer recipes (mattar "paneer," palak "paneer," etc). I've also found that seitan really fills me up and it can replace beef or chicken in a lot of dishes. Tempeh is another good filling food, although I have yet to find a way to cook it so it tastes amazing.

    Oh yeah: lentils. Lentils and couscous. I basically lived an entire summer eating lentils, couscous, and oatmeal. It was soooo good. Lots of different ethnic foods have lentil dishes that you might be interested in trying: egyptian (koshari), lebanese (mo'jadara), indian (dal makhani), ethiopian (misir wot)...so many more I can't think of but mmmmmm lentils.
  • misslissa555
    misslissa555 Posts: 135 Member
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    Tempeh is another good filling food, although I have yet to find a way to cook it so it tastes amazing.
    I loveeeeeeeeeee using Braggs Amino Acids on tempeh! So good!
  • glenndanzig
    glenndanzig Posts: 8 Member
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    don't be a vegan it's really not healthy for you. Sorry but it's true.

    hate to be the one to tell you this, but you don't know what you're talking about.
  • mamagooskie
    mamagooskie Posts: 2,964 Member
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    Marking thread for later......I am vegan and love it.
  • kittenmitton
    kittenmitton Posts: 231 Member
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    Tempeh is another good filling food, although I have yet to find a way to cook it so it tastes amazing.
    I loveeeeeeeeeee using Braggs Amino Acids on tempeh! So good!

    I'll for sure have to try that sometime. I'm not totally sure if I don't like tempeh because of the taste or just because of the texture, but I guess trying it in a tasty way will solve that issue.
  • chipaddict
    chipaddict Posts: 53
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    I don't eat grains usually, though I have had a few cliff bars, (Which are hidden now. :ohwell:) I don't eat sugar either... well, I have moments of weakness every now and then....
    Sorry to be ignorant about this, but I've googled and found nothing. Vegans can eat grains and sugar, right??
  • amoeba15
    amoeba15 Posts: 38 Member
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    Yes, vegans can eat grains and sugars. The OP merely avoids them.
  • onawho
    onawho Posts: 196 Member
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    Ok I did not see where you said you avoid grains and sugars. My bad.



    Sugars I can understand but grains? Sure, I avoid corn, wheat, and some soy products mainly because they are GMO's and they are not real. When I have access to REAL corn, soy, etc I do eat them.
    Quinoa, organic grains, barley, rice, these grains are your friends. Eating rice with beans creates a complete protein when eaten together. I think you need to really read up on what you should and shouldn't consume before you start a vegan diet and fail because you have hit a wall.

    I am Lactose intolerant so avoiding diary is easy for me, and after reading what is going on in labs made me avoid commercially produced grains and other products.

    Start shopping at farmers markets and organic farms, met your farmers, ask them how to make dishes using Kale, swiss chard, leeks, etc.

    I eat a near vegan diet because I have a really tight budget and I found that I can stretch veggies and grains out further.




    And to the poster who wrote that a vegan diet is not healthy, .....Humans were vegan before they learned how to hunt and they survived! other wise you would not be here to post that its unhealthy. ! They ate roots, bark, berries, veggies, etc.

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