Going Vegan

What are some of the benefits of going Vegan and remaining that way? also what can i take instead of yogurt because i am very close to my stonyfielf yogurt? I am trying to going Vegan

You can get all kinds of non-dairy yogurts.

If you are a healthy vegan who eats a variety of food and plenty of it, there are lots of benefits.  You will consume no dietary cholesterol and, generally, very little saturated fat.  Some studies suggest you will live longer and be healthier. 

However, it is easy for people with restrictive eating tendencies (ahem) to fall into bad habits and justify them on the basis of veganism.  Doing so invites malnourishment and vitamin/mineral deficiencies, vitamins b12 and d probably being the most common.  In light of your history, you need to be extra-careful to ensure you are getting adequate nutrition.

ok, i am a simple vegetarian that eats no meat and eggs, are there some vitamins that contain the b vitamins and vitamin d. I shop in target, trader joes, and whole foods a lot.

Yeah, there are lots of multivitamins with both of them.  Soy foods like soy milk and meat substitutes are often fortified with B12 since they're marketed to vegans.  You can get vitamin D from the sun on your skin, assuming you don't live in the super-far north.  It's also in many fortified foods like cereals, soy milk, etc.  Whole Foods and Trader Joes will both have tons of options.

thanks

I eat Whole Soy and Co. yogurt, it's delicious and vegan!

I noticed on your profile that you're both male and fairly young.  it may be difficult at this stage for you to get all the calories you need, especially if you're still at home and you exercise a lot, and your parents may or may not be willing to help you eat vegan.  If you're doing it for humanitarian reasons, then good for you, but you'll probably be eating constantly to get everything you need, unless you're really loading up on the nuts and other calorie dense vegan foods, like peanut butter.

There are plenty of guides here and in the vegetarian forums for eating correctly.  Stoneyfield is made with organic products and from what I understand, take good care of the cows they use and do not inject them with hormones and whatnot... if you really enjoy the product, and you don't object to cows giving milk / (being taken from them), then phase it out slowly and enjoy it for now.

I would recommend just taking your everyday vitamin with food.  The only vitamin that you cannot get on a Vegan diet is B12 which is included in most vitmains and a lot of "vegetarian meats."  As someone else said, you can get vitamin D from the sun.  If you spend 15 -30 minutes in the direct sunlight w/o SPF then you will get your daily dosage.  They recommend 15 for fair and up to 30 for farker skin.

As to the yogurt...I have yet been able to find a soy version that I like b/c I was obsessed with Greek Yogurt.  Also, if you would like some more information about going vegan then I would recommend the book "Skinny Bitch".  The authors are vegans and push that lifestyle but it is informative with an edgy spin.  It is a quick read as well!

Eh, the only thing that happened to me was that I got really, constantly, sick, no matter what protein and B12 supplements I tried.  It requires a lot of fake foods, like soy products (soymilk, soy meats, etc.) and vitamin pills, and there are very few naturally vegan recipes out there, so you have to do a lot of subsituting (often with TVP and soy...).

I stuck it out for eight months, but it just wasn't worth it.  Now I just aim for humane, organic, and local, and it's all good.

Just remember to eat some coconut and nuts and stuff, so you don't completely cut yourself off from saturated fat, which is actually nessecary. c:  Try the Post Punk Kitchen for some really good vegan recipes.

Especially since you're male, watch out for too much soy, which often contains a lot of estrogen and can upset your hormonal balance.  It's cool in moderation, though, especially fresh tofu 'n stuff.

Being vegan doesn't actually "require" a lot of fake foods. I have been vegetarian for almost 10 years, vegan for one year. I am the healthiest I have ever been. My coworkers are always sick. I have had one cold since going vegan. I used to be sick on and off all winter (I live way up North.) I do not eat a lot of fake meats or soy products because I like to stay away from heavily processed foods in general. I find that I am able to get most of my vitamins from eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, with whole grain breads, pastas, quinoa, etc. I take a simple multivitamin most days, just to ensure that I am getting enough iron and calcium.

If you have any more questions, just ask. There are plenty of informed veg*ns on this site that can help. I also second the suggestion to read Skinny Bitch.

If you have Wildwood brand soy yogurt in your area, you might want to try that.  It's vegan & super-delicious.  It's the best-tasting vegan yogurt I have ever found.