Vegetarian

Ok folks, here is the place to put all your best tips for those considering a veg*an lifestyle.  Feel free to add links, copy and paste replies from other threads, or anything you think would be useful to a newbie. 

 

Some of my favorite websites:

http://www.wvda.org/calcs/fcals.htm Calorie calculator for females (calories you should take in to maintain or lose weight. They also have a calculator for men)

http://www.carb-counter.org/ Carb Counter online.

http://www.diet-blog.com/  Diet Blog.

http://www.sustainabletable.org/  Sustainable Table was created in 2003 by the nonprofit organization GRACE to help consumers understand the problems with our food supply and offer viable solutions and alternatives. Rather than be overwhelmed by the problems created by our industrial agricultural system, Sustainable Table celebrates the joy of food and eating. Lots of recipes, cookbook reviews, teachers’ resources, “Sustainable Dictionary,” free newsletter, and forum. Lots more. Great website.
http://www.sustainabletable.org/blog/ Their blog with the latest news about food and eating healthy.

http://www.veganfitness.net Good forum for vegans staying fit through diet and exercise.

http://www.tastebetter.com Lots of vegan recipes. Also check out Jason’s videos (The Eazy Vegan) showing him preparing tasty dishes and his views on various subjects.)

http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/  Fat Free Vegan – lots of healthy recipes, plus a discussion board.

http://www.lime.com/tv  Lime TV  –  “Healthy living with a twist.”

I have found this page to be very helpful ...

 

http://vegweb.com/

I read "Skinny Bitch." As of one week ago,  I am a pesco-vegetarian. I haven't actually had any fish yet, but it is the only thing I cannot give up. Perhaps as I get more used to this lifestyle I can take the plunge into a totally meatless world, but I haven't the balls yet. I feel lighter and happier. It is a great feeling.

Here's a good film for folks considering being a vegetarian. It's called The Meatrix:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEkc70ztOrc

 

I'm sorry if it has already been shared here. I don't have time to read 43 posts now.

Read vegan blogs; it's where I get a lot of my inspiration. 

 Especially good blogs:

http://howtogainweightonavegandiet.blogspot.c om/

http://rubyredvegan.blogspot.com/

i am thinking about being a Vegetarian and hopefully one day get advanced enough to be vegan but i would be taken a huge step just eating fish!! ( i love steak !!!) i know it's not good for me and my family has a lot of health issues so im goina try!!! just a little advice and personal motivation would help.

Hey girl,

This is a great resource:

http://howtogainweightonavegandiet.blogspot.c om/2008/02/help-for-omnivores-interested-in.h tml

Hope it's helpful!

 

Starting to wean off of meat for the last two months. 4 days a week Fri-Mon I am a strict Vegan. No Meat of anytype, no eggs, cheeses, milk (unless soy). I really don't even do bread or noodles and stick with rice or lentils and beans. The reason I only do it 4 days a week is because it was too much for me to go cold turkey, but the main problem I have is finding alternatives I like to replace the meat I am doing without. I have tried numerous brands such as Boca, Gardenburger, St. something or other, and Quorn (I hate this one) still haven't gotten a taste for tofu either anyone got any suggestions? I know they exist out there somewhere, I have had some good meat like substances that unfortunately would not be sold to me over at the Vegan bar at Whole Foods.

Hi Everyone!

 

I'm a "new" vegetarian; this forum is awesome and very helpful! Ahaha, I especially like the lunch box lunches -very tasty looking and so humanly possible to make! Thank you all for sharing!

 

^_^Gracelynn

I have put very little chicken into my diet.  I eat more salmon than chicken.  I noticed my hair thinnning .  Was this lack of protien?  I love beans eat every kind of beans every day.  Salmon last week twice this week none.  Chicken once this week and once last week. (breast only)

I've noticed that a lot of vegans don't eat white flour... Why is that? I didn't think it came from an animal?

i'm a *newish* veggie - mostly pescetarian, really. although, i don't think i'm as healthy about it as i could be. i did mainly for health reasons - although i'd like to say it was the morals that pushed me to it. i love seafood, don't eat too much of it but when it's available i scarf it. i eat lots of peanut butter. lots. lol. i recently was given "omnivore's dilemma" but have yet to read it. i hear only good things about dr. fuhrman's book..

i've only recently delved into this website, but so far, i like :)

 

namaste, all.

I have to take slight issue with VeganLove's statement regarding the Raw Food Detox Diet.  VL states this is a very hard diet to follow.  I disagree.  The author, Natalia Rose, breaks Raw Foodists into five levels, each level more strict than the next.  Some, including the author, continue to eat cooked foods including meat-  infrequently.

Having read this book, and been a parallel "program" (because I also don't like the term "diet"), I think the title of the book is very misleading.  I don't consider this a detox program, nor do I consider it a diet (this often is interpreted as a short term, weight loss program).  I consider it a lifestyle choice...  A long term commitment  I think anyone who reads this book would see the author considers this a long term commitment, but suggests to get there in small incremental steps over the span of years.

I don't follow her program completely.  She agrees with "quick exit foods" where as I go for the high fiber and proteins found in whole grains.  I try to eat mostly uncooked plant matter.

Original Post by zoeb:

I'm vegan- no eggs, dairy, refined sugar, honey or any animal product but I'm still chunky. yuck! My boyfriend said, "woah honey, I never met an overweight vegan...ever" and I was like, 'I've met plenty. It's a total stereotype that vegans and vegetarians are thin. It all depends on what you're eating" so that's why i'm here. Trying to count the calories...I sometimes go overboard on hummus and soymilk and peanut butter and all those high fat foods. Any vegan weight loss tips?

I know, that stereotype sucks.  Everyone was telling me that I was going to lose loads of weight when I switch from vegeterian to vegan. Just the other day a friends dad said to me ; That's odd, most people drop loads of weight when they turn vegan but that doesn't seemed to have happend to you.

Now I can't seem to shake that comment off.

 

Original Post by zoeb:

I'm vegan- no eggs, dairy, refined sugar, honey or any animal product but I'm still chunky. yuck! My boyfriend said, "woah honey, I never met an overweight vegan...ever" and I was like, 'I've met plenty. It's a total stereotype that vegans and vegetarians are thin. It all depends on what you're eating" so that's why i'm here. Trying to count the calories...I sometimes go overboard on hummus and soymilk and peanut butter and all those high fat foods. Any vegan weight loss tips?

I know, that stereotype sucks.  Everyone was telling me that I was going to lose loads of weight when I switch from vegeterian to vegan. Just the other day a friends dad said to me ; That's odd, most people drop loads of weight when they turn vegan but that doesn't seemed to have happend to you.

Now I can't seem to shake that comment off.

 

Hetta,

I'm struggling as well. I've only gone vegetarian for the past month - and I have lost a few pounds.... But I get the comments about being vegetarian and instantly going thin. I didn't even choose this lifestyle based on size more for the confiction of animal cruelity and enviromental effects for keeping up with the large demand to supply the worls animal protein. However, I would invite anyone who has gone before us to suggest some low-fat, high protein ideas. I know I have started to eat lentils or lentil soup on a daily basis which is helping.

Also, if anyone has a low-fat homemade hummus recipe that would be great - guilty as charged I love the stuff.. but it is high in fat.

 

Thanks all

Thank God for that post you sent Cj27. This is exactly where I am. I seem to be riding the line between Vegetarian and Pescatarian. I don't really like chicken, pork, or other meats anymore. They make my digestive system "screwy" to say the least. But I can tolerate fish and other seafood very well. At the same time, there's an awareness of the amount of Mercury I must be taking in everytime I have tuna. I've been able to be a vegatarian for long periods. My longest try was a period of about 7-8 mos about 2 yrs ago. Off and on, I've had periods of 3-4 mos. before I'll get a taste for fish and voila... I don't think I'll ever be vegan. But hopefully one day I'll be fully Vegetarian. There is definitely a learning curve with this.  

YAY FOR VEGANS!!

I'm a vegetarian by choice... vegan by accident, I'm allergic to all things dairy! I feel so much better, have way more energy and less moody when I don't eat meat!!

 

This forum rocks!

I have a recipie for lower fat hummus in my recipies.. I think that one of the big ways to get hummus lower fat would be reduce the amount of olive oil and replace it with either lemon or lime juice..

The recipe pretty much goes like this

1 can of chickpeas - drained and rinse
garlic - how much is up to you, but I love garlic so I add about 4 cloves
1 tablespoon of Olive Oil (could try unsweetned apple sauce, but I haven't tried that one yet.. but I think that the flavours might work)
1 tablespoon of Tahini
Lemon Juice  - to taste
salt and pepper

I've got another book to ad to the list:  Skinny Bitch. by Rory Freedman and Kim Barbouin.   It's great if you can handle the way they 'talk'.  Personally I feel it is entertaining as well as a good read.  We had a Bitchin Birthday theme for a friend!