So... I've dipped my toe in a Vegan diet

[woolybug25]

I'm totally not kidding with this. My wife has been getting on me to lose some weight and I simply am being sick of feeling like crap all of the time. I listened to a great interview with Arian Foster (vegan) the other weekend and he talked about how a switch needs to turn on in your mind where you "eat to nurish your body, not your emotions". That hit me hard. It's absolutely true. In this country, every holiday or gathering is centered around food. So Americans have been programmed to eat out of comfort instead of nourishment.

So I told my wife that I would dip my toe in this diet for the following reasons:

1) To get healthy
2) To do my part to stave off commercial animal farming
3) To do my part to lower greenhouse gases (cow poo is a larger portion of our country's carbon footprint than automobiles.).
4) Because she is doing it and I want to support her

So I started at the beginning of the week and it was pretty tough at first. No milk, no eggs no cheese. I also am constantly looking at labels to not only make sure that there are no animal products, but also to find foods that are high in things like protein, calcium and Vitamin D which are things veggies generally lack. These were the hardest, but now (just like Arian Foster promised) I feel lighter, happier and have WAY more energy after just over one week.

Here is what I had for lunch:

a six inch veggie delight with all of the veggies (sans devil tomatoes) with oil/vinegar, salt/pepper, and sweet onion sauce. I had a side of apple slices and a diet coke. The whole meal was delicious, filling, cheap and under 400 calories.

So... are there any vegan diet folks on here that want to share some of their meals? Anybody want to tell me i'm retarded?

 

[Sherm Sticky]

I think it's pretty awesome that you are doing this.

On that note you should cut soda out of your diet completely.

 

[woolybug25]

dang. I need Dshans to get on my case. Been posting sloppy, yo.

@mods, please change the title to "So...I've dipped my in a Vegan diet".

Please and thank you.

 

[GO IRISH!!!]

My hat is off to you for trying this and for wanting to feel better. I would never call you
"retarded" for trying to improve.

I have dabbled with vegetarian living for short periods, but I wouldn't be able to do full vegan. Plus, I love meat and pasta and cheese. I can't give those three things up. No way, no how.

But good for you. Not to be totally crass, but I hear your BM's go through quite a change when you switch diets as well.

 

[woolybug25]

I think it's pretty awesome that you are doing this.

On that note you should cut soda out of your diet completely.

I agree, but I am gonna do one thing at a time. I already cut myself down to one cup of black coffee a day. (I used to drink about a pot a day with cream and sugar). Ditching caffeine is actually significantly harder than cutting animal products.

Thanks for the encouragement.

 

[Emcee77]

You've inspired me, Wooly! I went to the doctor last week for some blood work and let's just say I'm way too young to have cholesterol that high. I eat way too much meat and cheese. I definitely need to make some dietary changes, and I think cutting back on meat and cheese will be too hard for me ... I gotta cut 'em out altogether or I'm going to be a fat old man with heart disease, no middle ground. So I'll be interested to hear how this goes for you and if anyone else has given this a shot.

 

[woolybug25]

My hat is off to you for trying this and for wanting to feel better. I would never call you
"retarded" for trying to improve.

I have dabbled with vegetarian living for short periods, but I wouldn't be able to do full vegan. Plus, I love meat and pasta and cheese. I can't give those three things up. No way, no how.

But good for you. Not to be totally crass, but I hear your BM's go through quite a change when you switch diets as well.

uhm.... that would be pretty accurate. ha.

I'm already back to normal though. They say that it takes a week or two for your body to normalize to the lack of animal products and significant increase in Fiber.

 

[woolybug25]

You've inspired me, Wooly! I went to the doctor last week for some blood work and let's just say I'm way too young to have cholesterol that high. I eat way too much meat and cheese. I definitely need to make some dietary changes, and I think cutting back on meat and cheese will be too hard for me ... I gotta cut 'em out altogether or I'm going to be a fat old man with heart disease, no middle ground. So I'll be interested to hear how this goes for you and if anyone else has given this a shot.

Right on, my man!

Let's try to support eachother on this. Kinda like BobD's "fat@ss" thread. Try the subway sandwhich above, it really is good with the oil/vinegar and sweet onion teriyaki sauce. Trust me on this part, the first week is hard, but after that you see noticeable differences in your energy levels, how you sleep, your mood and just how good your body feels.

I'll look forward to sharing the journey with ya, homie!

 

[GoldenIsThyFame]

Wooly, I think this is awesome and hopefully you can keep with it. I eat vegan all the time, though I am not completely vegan. I still have the occasional chicken now and again but I definitely noticed a change in mood when I stopped eating so much meat and dairy. My wife however is a hardcore vegan and we have actually found several really good recipes. I'll share some a little later.

One thing though that you will want to do is limit the amount of soy products. Soy in moderation is ok but too much is not that great for you. We always do almond milk over soy milk and always opt for the soy free products when available, like cheese alternatives but still buy the soy products when need like the vegan sour cream, cream cheese and tofu of course.

 

[Rack Em]

If you become a vegan, the terrorists win

 

[yankeeND]

So I don't know if I could do this a inch and a 1/2 medium rare ribeye marinated overnight in JD mesquite is what I had Saturday after celebrating the W. Let me tell you my friend, victory is sweet but bacon is delicious! Good luck to you on your lifestyle change!

 

[Rack Em]

I think it's pretty awesome that you are doing this.

On that note you should cut soda out of your diet completely.

That's huge. My dad starting watching what he ate about 7 years ago. He completely cut caffeine out (soda, tea, etc) and lost like 40 lbs. He was 6'5" about 225.

 

[woolybug25]

Wooly, I think this is awesome and hopefully you can keep with it. I eat vegan all the time, though I am not completely. I still have the occasional chicken now and again. My wife however is a hardcore vegan and we have actually found several really good recipes. I'll share some a little later.

One thing though that you will want to do is limit the amount of soy products. Soy in moderation is ok but too much is not that great for you. We always do almond milk over soy milk and always opt for the soy free products when available, like cheese alternatives but still buy the soy products when need like the vegan sour cream, cream cheese and tofu of course.

Thanks for the support and heads up on the soy. I have been doing the almond milk and actually love it. I would suggest it to anybody, vegan or not. I was wondering how the soy-based sour cream was, do you like it? I haven't tried it yet.

Any meal ideas would be awesome.

 

[fitz_bu47]

Good for you Wooly. Everybody does things differently, and has a different path to success.

Meat is not the problem, fat doesn't make us fat or unhealthy, sugar does. That said, when I say meat, I am talking about grass fed beef, free range chicken, wild fish, etc. etc. Not meat from conventional farming operations. Sorry if anyone on here is a traditional meat rancher/farmer, it's just been shown the free range, organic meats are healthier, and give the animals a better life.
In my opinion the vegan diet leaves out a lot of stuff it shouldn't while including things that should be left out. For instance in that lunch, the bread and diet coke. Calories matter, but what makes up the calories matter a lot more. Diet coke is one of the first things I would ditch if I were you. It's chemicals and dyes, and has been linked w/ alzheimers, migraines and other nervous system disorders.

Didn't write this to rain on you parade though, if what you do makes you feel better, and in turn makes your life better, more power to you! I guess my main point is that for Emcee's situation, meat and cheese are not the main problem. B/c Cholesterol being bad for you has been blown way out of proportion by old, bad science. Inflammation is the underlying cause in all chronic disease, and what causes inflammation is foods our bodies are not adapted to digest, such as sugar, chemicals/additives, etc.

Anyway, like said above, I would never call you "retarded" or anything like that. Just my two cents. Good for you that you are changing your life by improving your health.

 

[WaveDomer]

Eating healthy is great, just make sure you get everything you need in your diet. If you check out Michi's Ladder you will see that there are a ton of healthy choices out there that include meats like turkey and animal products like milk. Don't get me wrong, I think it's good for a variety of reasons, including supporting your better half, but you want to make sure you get what you need. That being said, cutting out junk like soda, snacky junk, fried foods, etc, is always good. I'm not saying you're not getting what you need, I just have experience with some people who have done similar things and didn't do it in a healthy way. From your post it does look like you are doing it the right way.

Another good resource is a book called Superfoods RX. Good luck.

 

[woolybug25]

Thanks fellas. The meat/cheese aspect is not only a health choice, but also one based on my personal morals. I'm not here to dog on anyone that chooses to eat those things, it's just my choice not to.

I also appreciate the feedback on getting my proper nutrition and cutting out soda. As I mentioned earlier, I am slowly weaning myself off of caffiene. It is actually much harder to ditch caffiene than it has been to ditch animal products. As far as the nutritional minimums, I'm on that too. I have nutrional guidelines that I meet every day in order to get the appropriate amount of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. I also am taking vitamin supplements just in case.

Thanks for the encouragement.

 

[Mr. McGibblets]

I live in a part of Philly where Vegan products in stores and on menu's, including beers and wines, are pretty common. Last night I had Vegan wings, which is basically fried seitan, or wheat gluten, with their wing sauce sauce. I order them frequently.

Although, you could fry a piece of sh!t and throw wing sauce on it and it will still taste good to me--so I'm not saying I am converting, but still a solid move for you, Wooly.

 

[tadman95]

Good stuff Wooly, good luck with it. I have a buddy that went Vegan a year or so ago. He had the same experience in feeling better in a week or two. Still very happy.

 

[Old Man Mike]

As "resident scientist" I can say that the human body has a fair amount of tolerance for a variety of foods as long as they are close to their "natural state". An example of this that everyone knows and pays no attention to: our species grew up eating a fair amount of meat, but it was meat that did a lot of running. The amount of crappy fat it contained was way down. The species also grew up eating a lot of carbohydrate, but not so refined a carbohydrate that it flowed right into the system and overloaded pancreas function to balance it out.

We need plenty of protein, so monitor what you're eating to make sure that there's a bunch of good protein in there. Without the protein it's not just the muscles which waste, but the immune system depends on it for, example, building antibodies.

Having said all that, the key to weight loss is to ingest fewer calories than you expend in muscle activity --- that is simple physics. That's why there are only ever two alternatives [beyond cutting off body parts --- a limited program]: consume less ["diet"] or work more ["exercise"]. Sticking to that harder-than-it-sounds basic principle, and not ingesting stuff that the body didn't evolve with over thousands of years, should give everyone the optimal shot at good health.

Intelligent vegetarianism is one way of doing that, but not the only one. You might "study" the egg, for instance --- astoundingly well balanced natural food source, which when LIGHTLY fried in minimal vegetable oil, maintains a highly positive balance of good vs bad fats, and the white is solid protein. Hard-boiling shifts the fat ratio so it's better to lightly fry [or swallow the raw egg straight].

Much of this is logic. We evolved as prehistoric hunter/gatherers, and it must be true that the so-called "Palaeolithic diet" is approved by Mother Nature. If you got a decent deal on the genetics, you'll become a healthy old man.

 

[Walter White]

Good luck.

My girlfriend is vegan and I have adopted some of her dietary ideals. I still eat some crap but not as much. I only eat meat a couple times a week now and it is normally chicken instead of red meat. Never liked cheese that much anyways, but I love eggs which I don't think I could ever give up completely. I recently quit buying milk which was huge for me.

Keep it up Wooly. Its amazing how much better you can feel when you eat more simple foods.

 

[NDinFL]

Go get em wooly!

Not a diet I could ever do, but god bless ya for going after it and sticking to it!

You can't fault anyone for trying to improve themselves, I hope it works for you

 

[Buster Bluth]

I prefer paleo.

 

[Who'saWildManNow]

Wooly, good for you buddy. Weight control is extremely difficult and demands major sacrifice and discipline. If I let myself go I'd eat cool ranch doritos for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Emotions can easily dictate our eating habits and turn us into a salt, sugar and carb craving sloths. I've been there. When I was in the academy training for air traffic I let the stress get to me and gained 50lbs in 6 months eating nothing but frozen foods, mac n cheese and soda.

When I showed up at my facility I felt the worst I have ever felt in my life physically.. It was scary. I went to the doc, she ran tests and told me to immediately stop what I was doing and make a complete 180 before I did irreparable damage. It scared me and changed my mindset forever.

It's a long process changing your mind but it can be done. I just started thinking of my body as a steam locomotive. Food was no longer the focus of my day. It was energy, fuel, plain and simple.

I stopped drinking soda, eating fast food, using butter, extra salt etc etc.. i didn't go vegan but everything I ate was in small portions and usually consisted of a lean meat, vegetable and whole grain carb.

Anyway, there are plenty of healthy options but the most important change is in your mind. I've seen plenty of my friends talk the talk and go out and spend $250 on healthy food to fill up their refrigerator, only to see it go moldy and end up in the trash.

Stay strong buddy and make simple, attainable goals. Once you reach a strong point, treat yourself and continue to do so every now and then. My wife and I eat mostly organic but treat ourselves to wine n cheese every few weeks and things of that nature.

Tell your wife she's gonna see the sickest abs ever in 12 months and go get them!

 

[GoldenIsThyFame]

If you haven't seen it yet, I recommend the documentary "Forks over Knives" which is largely based on the book "The China Study." For those that think there is nothing unhealthy about meat it might change your mind.

 

[PLACforever]

So I'm not saying this to be a prick, but more cause I like you Wooly, you're a funny dude. And anyone who likes the Big Lebowski as much as you is alright by me...
but... thats a terrible idea.

Short Answer:
Michael Clarke Duncan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Long Answer:
Watch this video. Its about an hour, give it five minutes, literally five minutes and then if it has grabbed your attention, give it five more, and five more. You won't be disappointed.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/3vr-c8GeT34" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

I liked MCD a lot, he was great in Armageddon, wish someone who knew what they were talking about spoke up about his diet.

Could Being a Vegetarian Have Contributed to Michael Clarke Duncan’s Untimely Death? | MD Wellness | Dr Michael Rothman | Red Bank, NJ

 

[scUM Hater]

I think egg is an ingredient in subway bread

 

[woolybug25]

So I'm not saying this to be a prick, but more cause I like you Wooly, you're a funny dude. And anyone who likes the Big Lebowski as much as you is alright by me...
but... thats a terrible idea.

Short Answer:
Michael Clarke Duncan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Long Answer:
Watch this video. Its about an hour, give it five minutes, literally five minutes and then if it has grabbed your attention, give it five more, and five more. You won't be disappointed.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/3vr-c8GeT34" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

I liked MCD a lot, he was great in Armageddon, wish someone who knew what they were talking about spoke up about his diet.

I cant see the video because i'm at work, but isn't using Duncan as an example a gross generalization? His death was never attributed to poor diet and he was as healthy as horse outside of his heart condition. His heart attack was WAY more likely to be caused by genetics or the fact that he was a very large man (muscle). The dude that invented the Atkins Diet died of a heart attack too, ya know. What about guys like Arian Foster or Tony Gonzales that are top level athletes that use plant-based diets?

There is a massive amount of research out there regarding the health benefits of a plant based diet. Almost every piece of medical research tells you to limit red meat consumption.

If you haven't seen it yet, I recommend the documentary "Forks over Knives" which is largely based on the book "The China Study." For those that think their is nothing unhealthy about meat it might change your mind.

<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/28121802" width="500" height="281" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe> <p><a href="http://vimeo.com/28121802">Forks over Knives Trailer</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user3114444">Sean Harris</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>

 

[woolybug25]

I think egg is an ingredient in subway bread

Only in it's white bread. Honey Oat and wheat is vegan friendly.

 

[fitz_bu47]

Great video PLAC.

As usual Old Man Mike is awesome, and knows what he is talking about. The egg is about as close to the perfect food as you can get!
I am w/ you Buster, in my opinion and experience the closest thing to a healthy diet that our bodies are made for and adapted to is the "paleo/primal" type of diet. If you are interested in this stuff, check out Mark Sisson at Marksdailyapple.com for a lot of great information.
I also agree w/ what Golden said about meat if you are talking about meat from cows left in pens all day who can't even walk sometimes(traditional beef operations). Grass fed beef allowed to pasture and eat the way they are naturally intended is some of the healthiest food on earth.
Like Old MM said, the physics of losing weight is pretty obvious, but losing weight and being truly healthy can be two different animals.
Also, one thing we for sure agree on Wooly, is plants (2-1 veggies to fruit) should be the main thing in everyone's diet.

 

[PLACforever]

I cant see the video because i'm at work, but isn't using Duncan as an example a gross generalization? His death was never attributed to poor diet and he was as healthy as horse outside of his heart condition. His heart attack was WAY more likely to be caused by genetics or the fact that he was a very large man (muscle). The dude that invented the Atkins Diet died of a heart attack too, ya know. What about guys like Arian Foster or Tony Gonzales that are top level athletes that use plant-based diets?

There is a massive amount of research out there regarding the health benefits of a plant based diet. Almost every piece of medical research tells you to limit red meat consumption.




<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/28121802" width="500" height="281" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe> <p><a href="http://vimeo.com/28121802">Forks over Knives Trailer</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user3114444">Sean Harris</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>

Could Being a Vegetarian Have Contributed to Michael Clarke Duncan’s Untimely Death? | MD Wellness | Dr Michael Rothman | Red Bank, NJ

Atkins died after smacking open his head shoveling. He did have a MI at age 71, and survived.

Heart attack
Atkins suffered a cardiac arrest in April 2002, leading many of his critics to point to this episode as proof of the inherent dangers in the consumption of high levels of saturated fat associated with the Atkins diet. In numerous interviews, however, Atkins stated that his heart attack was not the result of poor diet, but was rather caused by a chronic infection.[9] Atkins' personal physician and cardiologist, Dr. Patrick Fratellone, confirmed this assertion, saying "We have been treating this condition, cardiomyopathy, for almost two years. Clearly, [Atkins'] own nutritional protocols have left him, at the age of 71, with an extraordinarily healthy cardiovascular system". According to reports on CNN at the time of Atkins' convalescence, Dr. Clyde Yancy, a cardiologist at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas and a member of the American Heart Association's national board of directors reported that "despite the obvious irony, I believe there is a total disconnect between [Atkins'] cardiac arrest and the health approach he popularizes".[14]
[edit]Death

On April 8, 2003, at age 72, a day after a major snowstorm in New York, Atkins slipped on an icy pavement, suffering severe head trauma. He spent nine days in intensive care before dying on April 17, 2003, from complications from his head injury.[15] Atkins' work inspired a whole new tendency in dietetics, and many companies released low-carb diets and low-carb foods.[13]