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Old 05-08-2013, 08:21 AM
 
Location: Gorgeous Scotland
4,105 posts, read 5,534,581 times
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I'm about to do an experiment and go vegan (food-wise) for a month. I did this about 20 years ago and managed to do so for 6 months--gave up sugar at the same time. I felt physically better, more energetic, healthier than I've ever felt.

Not really important what I label myself, but it seems that one must not use any animal products whatsoever to be called vegan, right? I don't intend to give up leather, etc, I'm just curious how I'll feel by giving up all the c*ap foods for a month, although I eat mostly healthy now.
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Old 05-08-2013, 12:37 PM
 
Location: Prospect, KY
5,284 posts, read 20,018,009 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ameriscot View Post
I'm about to do an experiment and go vegan (food-wise) for a month. I did this about 20 years ago and managed to do so for 6 months--gave up sugar at the same time. I felt physically better, more energetic, healthier than I've ever felt.

Not really important what I label myself, but it seems that one must not use any animal products whatsoever to be called vegan, right? I don't intend to give up leather, etc, I'm just curious how I'll feel by giving up all the c*ap foods for a month, although I eat mostly healthy now.
I am not really "vegan" in the true meaning of the word but I do eat a plant-based diet and I do have a deep respect for animals. I stopped eating a too-high fat/meat/high calorie diet 13 months ago and it took me about 3 months to really start feeling a major difference in the way I felt. Just as when I went off caffeine, I went through a withdrawal period and I think my body/mind rebelled at such a radical change - just for a few months...so I am thinking after a month, you may feel better - you may not....depending mostly on what and how much you eat and your attitude about eating a plant based diet (resentment, hunger, lack of satisfaction after eating and more importantly lack of a balanced diet with sufficient nutrients).

I have known a number of obese vegans and vegetarian. You can still overeat fat - vegetable shortening and oils, you can still overeat sugar and you can still overeat bread/bagels (dense carbs) - peanut butter, nuts, grains etc. can even be eaten to excess which usually makes us not feel all that great regardless of whether it is plant-based food we are eating or not.

Not sure whether or not if you wish to lose weight. If you overeat even healthy food, you won't see the same benefit as if you eat healthy sized portions of healthy foods like beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, greens, fruits, maybe tofu, oatmeal, 100% whole wheat, etc.

I highly recommend a 100% plant based diet...but do make sure you are eating a diet rich in nutrients - you can want to supplement with a B-12 complex, vitamin D, etc.
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Old 05-08-2013, 12:59 PM
 
Location: Gorgeous Scotland
4,105 posts, read 5,534,581 times
Reputation: 3351
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cattknap View Post
I am not really "vegan" in the true meaning of the word but I do eat a plant-based diet and I do have a deep respect for animals. I stopped eating a too-high fat/meat/high calorie diet 13 months ago and it took me about 3 months to really start feeling a major difference in the way I felt. Just as when I went off caffeine, I went through a withdrawal period and I think my body/mind rebelled at such a radical change - just for a few months...so I am thinking after a month, you may feel better - you may not....depending mostly on what and how much you eat and your attitude about eating a plant based diet (resentment, hunger, lack of satisfaction after eating and more importantly lack of a balanced diet with sufficient nutrients).

I have known a number of obese vegans and vegetarian. You can still overeat fat - vegetable shortening and oils, you can still overeat sugar and you can still overeat bread/bagels (dense carbs) - peanut butter, nuts, grains etc. can even be eaten to excess which usually makes us not feel all that great regardless of whether it is plant-based food we are eating or not.

Not sure whether or not if you wish to lose weight. If you overeat even healthy food, you won't see the same benefit as if you eat healthy sized portions of healthy foods like beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, greens, fruits, maybe tofu, oatmeal, 100% whole wheat, etc.

I highly recommend a 100% plant based diet...but do make sure you are eating a diet rich in nutrients - you can want to supplement with a B-12 complex, vitamin D, etc.
Thanks. I was vegan (6 months) then vegetarian for about 2 years, then pescatarian for about 10 years. Been eating meat again for 7 years. I do eat healthy now and not a lot of meat, but I do eat junk sometimes - processed foods, sugar, artificial sugar. I've done a lot of research on nutrition so do know what I should eat. I've already switched to almond and soy milk and already eat tofu, beans, nuts & dried fruits (in tiny amounts), whole grains, etc. I'll get the B12 from the soy milk and other sources that have added it and I take a calcium/D every day. Planning on keeping sugar to a very minimal amount.

I lost weight over the last year and a half and keep track of calories, weighing my food in grams. I did gain some back and right now just need to lose about 5 pounds.

We travel a lot so it would be impossible to be vegan all the time, especially when visiting families, or eating out.
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Old 05-08-2013, 01:33 PM
 
Location: Prospect, KY
5,284 posts, read 20,018,009 times
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Good for you - you have made many great changed. We travel also...taking our Vitamix with us as much as we can...we have a green smoothie for dinner every night...our main meal is lunch although we have a good breakfast also....my husband has lost 35 lbs....I have lost 70...we do not eat any added sugar or fat/oils and very little bread.....this is a permanent eating plan for us. What is amazing to me is how much more energetic I feel now.

Good luck to you! Post how you are doing so we can all cheer you on.
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Old 05-08-2013, 01:55 PM
 
3,633 posts, read 6,156,018 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ameriscot View Post
We travel a lot so it would be impossible to be vegan all the time, especially when visiting families, or eating out.
I'm close to vegan except for a bit of cheese now and then, but my son has been a strict vegan for over 5 years now, ever since his freshman year of college. It's actually not that hard to eat vegan when traveling, unless you go someplace such as Mongolia like one of his friends did. Many Asian restaurants can omit fish sauce in their stir-fry dishes, for example, if you just ask. There are vegan websites with suggestions where to eat out; when my son was driving back and forth through three states to go to and from school, he swore by Taco Bell's vegetarian non-dairy burritos for a quick meal on the road. When he visits non-vegan family he just omits the animal parts of the meal. American eat far more protein than they need, so if he just eats a couple cups of high-protein cereal with soy milk for breakfast, he's almost gotten his 50 grams just from one meal. (He usually prefers rice or almond milk, but when visiting people he switches to soy for the extra protein.)
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Old 05-08-2013, 02:01 PM
 
Location: Gorgeous Scotland
4,105 posts, read 5,534,581 times
Reputation: 3351
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cattknap View Post
Good for you - you have made many great changed. We travel also...taking our Vitamix with us as much as we can...we have a green smoothie for dinner every night...our main meal is lunch although we have a good breakfast also....my husband has lost 35 lbs....I have lost 70...we do not eat any added sugar or fat/oils and very little bread.....this is a permanent eating plan for us. What is amazing to me is how much more energetic I feel now.

Good luck to you! Post how you are doing so we can all cheer you on.
Thanks, will do. We won't start until next week as we have a meat-eating house guest right now. Then we travel to see family in the US for a month - no chance of being vegan there. We'll have 3 weeks and 4 days before the trip. I do eat homemade whole grain, seeded bread but normally 1 slice a day. My husband agreed to do it with me. He's mainly vegetarian anyway and doesn't eat dairy.

The only sugar I'll have is the small amount added to the plain soy yogurt (can't find any unsweetened), and the tiny amount in the hot sauce I use on curry.

You've both done great! I lost about 35 pounds as well, but I gain a bit when we travel and then have to get it back off.
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Old 05-08-2013, 02:09 PM
 
Location: Gorgeous Scotland
4,105 posts, read 5,534,581 times
Reputation: 3351
Quote:
Originally Posted by ukiyo-e View Post
I'm close to vegan except for a bit of cheese now and then, but my son has been a strict vegan for over 5 years now, ever since his freshman year of college. It's actually not that hard to eat vegan when traveling, unless you go someplace such as Mongolia like one of his friends did. Many Asian restaurants can omit fish sauce in their stir-fry dishes, for example, if you just ask. There are vegan websites with suggestions where to eat out; when my son was driving back and forth through three states to go to and from school, he swore by Taco Bell's vegetarian non-dairy burritos for a quick meal on the road. When he visits non-vegan family he just omits the animal parts of the meal. American eat far more protein than they need, so if he just eats a couple cups of high-protein cereal with soy milk for breakfast, he's almost gotten his 50 grams just from one meal. (He usually prefers rice or almond milk, but when visiting people he switches to soy for the extra protein.)
It's easier to eat out and stay vegan than to do so when visiting relatives. We travel to Australia for a month at a time to see relatives (where dinners are all BBQ meat) and to my family in the US for a month and it would be a major inconvenience to ask them to change everything for us. We do spend about a week at one house with my brother who is vegetarian - but he puts eggs or cheese into everything! Then we just spent a month in Uganda and when visiting people's homes they are very insulted if you don't eat the meat. They serve meat for special occasions and to turn it down would be rude.
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Old 05-09-2013, 11:42 AM
 
18,837 posts, read 37,281,021 times
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One thing that annoys me about the definition of vegan and vegetarian, people assume you want whole wheat bread and brown rice. I loathe both. I have ordered the vegetarian sandwich, and requested white bread, and inevitably, the order comes on whole grain!!!

Just a rant....
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Old 05-09-2013, 02:55 PM
 
Location: Gorgeous Scotland
4,105 posts, read 5,534,581 times
Reputation: 3351
Quote:
Originally Posted by jasper12 View Post
One thing that annoys me about the definition of vegan and vegetarian, people assume you want whole wheat bread and brown rice. I loathe both. I have ordered the vegetarian sandwich, and requested white bread, and inevitably, the order comes on whole grain!!!

Just a rant....
Yes, people do make assumptions about what a vegan/vegetarian eat. I prefer whole grain and try to eat brown rice but much prefer white basmati.
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Old 05-09-2013, 03:40 PM
 
12,535 posts, read 15,173,486 times
Reputation: 29088
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ameriscot View Post
I'm about to do an experiment and go vegan (food-wise) for a month. I did this about 20 years ago and managed to do so for 6 months--gave up sugar at the same time. I felt physically better, more energetic, healthier than I've ever felt.

Not really important what I label myself, but it seems that one must not use any animal products whatsoever to be called vegan, right? I don't intend to give up leather, etc, I'm just curious how I'll feel by giving up all the c*ap foods for a month, although I eat mostly healthy now.
Vegan - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary

The thing with veganism is that many, if not most, people don't realize how many products come from animals, or they don't stop to consider things like gelatin, honey, flu vaccines, or drugs derived from animal parts or hormones. Even cigarettes are not vegan. Then there are personal care effects such as cosmetics, soaps, shampoos and conditioners, and household products like glue, fabric softeners, and motor oil.

11 Items Weirdly Made From Animal Parts - Fabric softeners, cigarettes, sugar, and other meaty products

Honestly? If you want to get down to the strictest sense of veganism, it's dang near impossible and even the most conscientious adherent probably uses animal parts without knowing it.

So if I were you, I would just go with "vegetarian" and leave it at that.
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