Going vegan?

[dancing_joker]

I’ve recently decided to adopt a vegan lifestyle…not only for the welfare of animals, but for my own health benefits as well as the environmental impacts. Has anyone out there converted? If so, what were the challenges you faced?

 

Please do not comment if you’re here to campaign against this choice. I have no desire to debate you on this, nor am I here to preach to you how to live your life. 

[PromoTheRobot]

Good for you. I don't think I could go full vegan. I have made one change: I stopped drinking alcohol. Two months now. Made a difference in my blood pressure.

Edited February 27, 2023 by PromoTheRobot

[Nextmanup]

I would imagine a full vegan diet is actually worse for your health, but I'm not really into this sort of thing.

 

Protein is important and you'll need to figure out how to get it into your diet.

 

And keep an eye on your skin.  I know vegans who have a sickly, pale, translucent quality to their facial skin that makes them look like ghouls or zombies!

 

Get some sun FFS.

 

 

[Gugny]

12 minutes ago, Nextmanup said:

I would imagine a full vegan diet is actually worse for your health, but I'm not really into this sort of thing.

 

Protein is important and you'll need to figure out how to get it into your diet.

 

And keep an eye on your skin.  I know vegans who have a sickly, pale, translucent quality to their facial skin that makes them look like ghouls or zombies!

 

Get some sun FFS.

 

 

 

You're really good at following instructions.

[Success]

I went vegan for 3 full years a ways back (about 15 years ago).  It was honestly the best I've ever felt in my life. I had a crazy amount of energy, and my head felt more clear.

 

Eventually, I really missed cheeseburgers and chicken wings, so gave it up. But I'm glad I did it. It felt like a mid-life tune up for my system.

 

It's easier to be a vegan today than ever. They have great cheese & meat substitutes (some of which I still use, just to cut down on meat when I can).  And there are some amazing cookbooks out there. If you like to cook or there is a good cook in the family, you can design a weekly menu where you won't even notice the difference.

 

As far as challenges, some restaurants can be limited in terms of options.  And you do have to make sure you get enough protein & things like B vitamins and iron, but there are plenty of recommendations for substitutes and supplements on that front.  

 

Best of luck!

 

Edited February 27, 2023 by Success

[PromoTheRobot]

23 minutes ago, Nextmanup said:

I would imagine a full vegan diet is actually worse for your health, but I'm not really into this sort of thing.

 

Protein is important and you'll need to figure out how to get it into your diet.

 

And keep an eye on your skin.  I know vegans who have a sickly, pale, translucent quality to their facial skin that makes them look like ghouls or zombies!

 

Get some sun FFS.

 

 

 

I'm not a nutritional expert but legumes and nuts can provide a decent amount.

[Big Turk]

My one daughter is vegan the other is pescatarian. I went lacto-ovo for about 6 months several years ago, but didn't notice any differences so went back to eating meat.  Funny part was I didn't actually miss eating meat at all.

[dancing_joker]

2 hours ago, Gugny said:

 

You're really good at following instructions.

Haha it’s okay. Ghost makes a really good vegan protein powder you can grab at gnc or wherever you want. Obviously that won’t be my only source of protein, but it helps if you’re into counting your macros. 

2 hours ago, Success said:

I went vegan for 3 full years a ways back (about 15 years ago).  It was honestly the best I've ever felt in my life. I had a crazy amount of energy, and my head felt more clear.

 

Eventually, I really missed cheeseburgers and chicken wings, so gave it up. But I'm glad I did it. It felt like a mid-life tune up for my system.

 

It's easier to be a vegan today than ever. They have great cheese & meat substitutes (some of which I still use, just to cut down on meat when I can).  And there are some amazing cookbooks out there. If you like to cook or there is a good cook in the family, you can design a weekly menu where you won't even notice the difference.

 

As far as challenges, some restaurants can be limited in terms of options.  And you do have to make sure you get enough protein & things like B vitamins and iron, but there are plenty of recommendations for substitutes and supplements on that front.  

 

Best of luck!

 

Thanks for the reply!! I do agree with you that making the switch today vs even 5 years ago is way easier. Back in 2017, I failed miserably…thinking I could just flip a light switch and “figure it out” haha. 
 

Restaurants will be challenging for sure…but I’m thinking about family and friends. Judgment by them. Let’s face it…when you decide to do something in our society that is against the norm, you get ridiculed. If it succeeds, you’re praised in the end…but the road there is not cupcakes and rainbows. 

[Wacka]

Forgot how long ago, but someone on here decided to just eat lentils.  Didn't last that long. Don't know if it is still in the archives.

[Johnny Hammersticks]

11 minutes ago, Wacka said:

Forgot how long ago, but someone on here decided to just eat lentils.  Didn't last that long. Don't know if it is still in the archives.

@SageAgainstTheMachine

[US Egg]

3 hours ago, Nextmanup said:

And keep an eye on your skin.  I know vegans who have a sickly, pale, translucent quality to their facial skin that makes them look like ghouls or zombies!

Guessing you would know this, are Vampires vegan?

[Johnny Hammersticks]

A vegan diet CAN be healthy if done correctly.  My wife was a vegan for over a year, but has gone back to eating meat and fish occasionally as she found herself to feel “fatigued” and not herself at times.
 

You need to be careful to consume foods that give you protein, calcium, iron, and other essential vitamins such a B12.

[Augie]

1 hour ago, dancing_joker said:

Haha it’s okay. Ghost makes a really good vegan protein powder you can grab at gnc or wherever you want. Obviously that won’t be my only source of protein, but it helps if you’re into counting your macros. 

Thanks for the reply!! I do agree with you that making the switch today vs even 5 years ago is way easier. Back in 2017, I failed miserably…thinking I could just flip a light switch and “figure it out” haha. 
 

Restaurants will be challenging for sure…but I’m thinking about family and friends. Judgment by them. Let’s face it…when you decide to do something in our society that is against the norm, you get ridiculed. If it succeeds, you’re praised in the end…but the road there is not cupcakes and rainbows. 

 

Vegetarian is fairly doable, full vegan is a real challenge! 

 

Our DIL is vegetarian and we manage to have them over for meals with little effort. It’s often a boatload of chopping, or a trip to Whole Foods to see what they have out. My BIL and his wife tried vegan for a while as she’s battling stage 4 cancer. Desperate times can lead to desperate measures. After a year or so I know he’s back to eating meat again. 

 

It’s every individuals choice, but it can make things tough on friends and family who have to accommodate. It’s just one small thing to consider, not to change your plans but it’s just a little different if you have a group who wants to go out for a bite to eat. 

 

Good luck with it! 

[Johnny Hammersticks]

25 minutes ago, Augie said:

It’s every individuals choice, but it can make things tough on friends and family who have to accommodate. It’s just one small thing to consider, not to change your plans but it’s just a little different if you have a group who wants to go out for a bite to eat. 

 

Good luck with it! 

In other words, don’t go out to eat at restaurants at which you aren’t completely certain there are vegan options.  Call in advance.  No one wants to sit there for 25 minutes while the waitress goes back and forth to the kitchen trying to figure out if your meal can be made vegan.  I’m trying to help 😉 

[dancing_joker]

3 hours ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

A vegan diet CAN be healthy if done correctly.  My wife was a vegan for over a year, but has gone back to eating meat and fish occasionally as she found herself to feel “fatigued” and not herself at times.
 

You need to be careful to consume foods that give you protein, calcium, iron, and other essential vitamins such a B12.

Totally agree. I already take multivitamins and fish oil for my own health reasons. So now it’s just a matter of switching to a vegan version of those.

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

8 hours ago, dancing_joker said:

I’ve recently decided to adopt a vegan lifestyle…not only for the welfare of animals, but for my own health benefits as well as the environmental impacts. Has anyone out there converted? If so, what were the challenges you faced?

 

Please do not comment if you’re here to campaign against this choice. I have no desire to debate you on this, nor am I here to preach to you how to live your life. 

Have you ever read any of Dr. fuhrman’s stuff? It’s basically vegan, with a heavy emphasis on just eating super clean. We have done his thing for small stretches. One of our friends has eaten clean like that for about a year and has lost like 75 pounds.

 

Good luck! I wish I could stick to something like that. That said, as I get older, I just feel grosser when I eat a lot of meat. I went out with friends for BBQ last night and didn’t even really enjoy it. 

[muppy]

my niece is a Strict "ethical" vegan (checks for rennet in cheese which is  an enzyme from stomachs of some mammals) she wouldn't eat cheese that had it 

 

My DIL was vegan, then vegetarian, then pescatarian but now eats more animal based proteins as advised by her Dr during pregnancy. Their eating style is super healthy, flexible, mostly vegetarian. They are both fabulous cooks and shop locally grown fruits and vegetables in season.

 

I don't judge their choice and respect it. But I eat almost everything and that works for me In Moderation

 

whatever is best for you , your lifestyle and healthy. Best to you.

 

 

[ExiledInIllinois]

Can you wear leather shoes and sit on leather seats in a car?

 

 

[Augie]

5 minutes ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

Can you wear leather shoes and sit on leather seats in a car?

 

 

 

Umm, seriously……where is the line? I’m sure there’s a spectrum. 

[ExiledInIllinois]

2 minutes ago, Augie said:

 

Umm, seriously……where is the line? I’m sure there’s a spectrum. 

No. Full vegan is no animal products at all. 

 

I think BMW went full synthetic leather now with their car seats and trim...