zhidecitta Member

I went vegetarian 4 years ago and vegan about 2 years back. Kind of a crazy family, and they only remember when it gets brought up.

For me, the worst of it is the family pressure. Everything they do, they do around food (part of the reason I'm on MFP to begin with). They pressure you to eat and join them in meals to be a part of the family, and I'm abandoning them or insulting them for not wanting to eat a meal completely covered in meat and cheese.…

It should count as water just fine, even if it is caffeinated. Though there are diuretic effects to caffeine, it's largely over hyped. Even black coffee is a gain of water in your day for essentially the full amount. source: http://www.mayoclinic.org/caffeinated-drinks/expert-answers/faq-20057965

The only measurable difference with organic foods as far as the consumer is concerned is pesticide levels. It doesn't have anything to do with nutrition or weight loss. It's pretty well documented. The only reasons to buy organic are to support different agricultural practices or to reduce pesticides in your diet.

They make me thirsty if I drink them alone. Instead, I drink a tall glass of water with my protein shakes. I alternate drinking between them during my post-workout. It's been working good for me. I drink plenty of water every day though, and haven't had any problems.

As ahoier mentioned, watch the "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead" movie. If you notice, he's not calorie or nutrient deprived, as he has an unlimited budget and is doing it right. He's eating on the order of 10 or 20 pounds of fruits and vegetables a day. The juicer removes the fiber, making you not actually consume that volume…

If you're eating veggies, yeah, it's easy to get your protein. The protein concerns are incredibly over blown by most people. Unfortunately, I have an amazing double dark chocolate brownie recipe that's vegan safe, and could easily fill a day's calorie quota. A person who eats entirely starches and breads is still vegan by…

Hey there, I'm over 50 pounds in, with over 200 to go. I'll be sending you a friend add. And I don't even know what my weight should be because I have been overweight my ENTIRE life. According to BMI, I've got 240 to go to hit healthy, but I set my goal for a target weight of 200 (6' M) for now to be a round number. I'm at…

I believe Sun Warrior Natural Blend might be completely sweetener free. They use cranberry's in the blend, and I don't think need as much sweetening. If there are any sweeteners in it, it isn't on the label. This is a raw vegan mix, so it isn't the cheapest, but other things in that category might also exist without…

Hey, I'm a vegan as well. There are three things I think might be good to keep in mind starting the vegan change. First, it's easy to buy highly processed substitutes. Just because it's vegan doesn't mean it's healthy, and it really helps to know what you're eating. It's a really easy transition because you don't change…

I'm a vegan, and it really isn't that bad to get your protein. Try focusing on eating more beans, lentils, quinoa, soy, nuts, gluten (seitan). and peas. Also, if you're going to be working out, they make vegan friendly protein drinks. Pea, rice, and hemp are all used to make the protein shakes. The problem isn't so much…

Hey there. I'm pretty new to MFP, but I'm a vegan for longer. Feel free to add me. I try to cook and experiment with food a lot if you're looking for ideas.

I'm 50 pounds in, and have another about 200 to go. It's a journey changing your lifestyle, so it's best with company, right?

My suggestion is to learn to use your spices. A traditional Indian style lentil dish (Masoor Dal if you're googling recipes) would use turmeric, cumin, onion, ginger, coriander, red chili powder, and curry powder or leaves. You can make lentils a thousand different ways if you have a selection of good veggies to have with…