Please help me.

I hate when people ask questions on internet forums that could be very easily answered by skimming through the current topics, so please forgive this & just help me on my way.

I would like to do vegan, but I am very worried about getting an appropriate amount of calories with balanced ratios. I just can never seem to work things out.

Anyway, I basically want you (whoever you may be) to help me come up with one single day of simple meals that will equal up to about 2000-2400 calories (I'm 6 ft. tall, 155 lbs, 19 year old boy--I think that is an appropriate daily calorie count, don't you?) that can easily be repeated through the week.

I want to eat light as well as shop light. I like nuts and beans and vegetables and fruits and breads, so I'm not really picky. I don't like to waste time eating.

Anyway, once again, very very sorry about this silly thread. I am just beyond frustrated. Aspiring veganism in a college-life setting is really funkin' difficult.

I can't help you with your food choices, but I'll say that if you're exercising regularly and you're 6ft. tall, 155 lbs, you're going to want 2500-3000 calories a day.  If you're trying to lose weight, go 2000-2400 but certainly no lower than that.

Yep, that calorie count is right for you - if you're completely sedentary! You'll need more if you're working out. Here's a break down of 2400 for you into six meals and snacks:

Breakfast 550
Snack 250
Lunch 550
Snack 250
Dinner 550
Snack 250

Or, five meals and snacks:

Breakfast 600
Snack 300
Lunch 600
Snack 300
Dinner 600

Nothing maths heavy, really. You're just looking to divide that number between either five, or six, with the majority of your calories at your meals and the remainder at your snacks.

Remember, before you convert fully to veganism, to do all the appropriate research in regards to getting all the nutrition you need. As you're under 21, you're still growing and will need to fuel your body with all the vitamins and minerals you will require.

If you like to eat light but want to get enough calories in, try low density, high calorie foods among your meals. These are things like oils, nuts, nut butters, seeds and avocados.

For actual meal suggestions, I'm a little more stumped. I'm not vegan or vegetarian - just lactose intolerant. D; But I thought I might help with a numerical breakdown of 2400 for you, if it's anything!

So, 2900 calories a day if I were to be running for a medium length of time in the mornings? That sounds like a huge, committed number! But I will take your word for it. My previous endeavors ended badly because I got so wrapped up in what I could and could not eat that I stopped having a life outside of food. Aha.

Anyway, thank you, guys!

Yep, 2900 a day. And as I said, try encorporating a lot more high cal, low density foods in. Now I am sat down and settled and can have a think about this, I'll try and give you a sample plan for 2900.

I suggest you give not just this section I'm about to link, but all of the Vegan Society website a good read if you haven't already: http://www.vegansociety.com/food/nutrition/

That above link gives brilliant tips on where to get all the nutrients you may miss in a vegan diet due to the lack of animal sources. One thing it stresses is the importance of a multivitamin, as well as certain fortified foods like soya milk. Another good source of various vitamins in a vegan diet is nutritional yeast, but that's not to everyone's tastes. Still, do make sure to read all of their website's nutrition section.

Moving on! 2900. As that's a fair few calories aim for six meals and snacks total. If you make your snacks 300 a piece, you're left with 2000 calories to divvy between three. One way to do this is:

Breakfast 700
Snack 300
Lunch 650
Snack 300
Dinner 650
Snack 300

That's just an example. You could have one of your snacks larger than usual, your dinner as your biggest meal, etc, etc. 300 for a snack is easily done - that's about 50g of most any kind of nut, closer to 55g if it's cashews or seeds. Similarly, you could make trail mix using nuts, dried fruit, your favourite cereal and some carob chips, which would also easily clock you 300 with minimal fuss or preparation.

Now, recipes!

http://www.chooseveg.com/

http://www.chooseveg.com/vegan-recipes.asp

Ta-daaa. Not only are there bucketloads of recipe ideas on that website, but also tips on switching to veganism and names of certain brands that are vegan.

If you want to cut down on your time in the kitchen, as that was your described downfall before, I'm going to pray you have access to a kitchen even if it's communal. When you get time of a weekend or evening, make large batches of foods - meals or snacks - for your week and then put them in a freezer or in baggies until you want them. For frozen leftovers or portions all you need do is reheat them when you want them. A good way to do this and keep variety going in your diet is to make two recipes and freeze them, so you can go back and forth.

I like to make chilli, for example, because I can then choose if I want to put this in wraps, or in tacos, or on a jacket potato (a baked potato), on rice... etc.

However, if your kitchen IS communal, let the people you're staying with know so there's no cross-contamination of animal products and your food.

Okay, that's me out of ideas, but again I hope this helps!

Hi hi! I highly reccomend 'vegan cooking for one' by leah leneman - fantastic esp if you are the only veg*n in the family or living on your own. And they're all relatively simple and you don't need to buy 'special' stuff to make them.

If you like I could message you some recipes?

Have you heard of Trio bars??  They sell them at Costco and they're great little vegan-friendly snack bars.  They're really yummy and come in a few different flavors.  I know they aren't a whole lot in terms of a diet, but every little bit helps, right?

Good luck with veganism!