Going vegan - Day one.

Before reading the comments below, please be aware that my original post said nothing to the means of "I went vegan to lose wight!" Today, I have started a vegan life style, as it does have many health benefits (please, do actual research before arguing this, like from medical journals, etc. not from what you see some idiot posted their opinion on some other site, or from hearsay). I was curious to see, however, if anyone had lost weight after going vegan, and maybe if they'd share that story with me.

You dont lose any more weight being vegan than you do being a carnivore.

Vegans have to force themselves to find alternative means to obtain the same nutrition that is found in meat. To me, it sounds like humans should probably be eating meat.

Also, every vegan and vegetarian I know is overweight.

Okay... not really what I heard, I was just looking more for personal stories and advice. I have the feeling that you're against veganism... but hey, any other advice? btw. Most people are omnivores.... not carnivores.

Okay, forget my post.. apparently it's mostly going to be a-holes and bigots that respond. "forcing" isn't a good word. It's actually rather easy, much easier than you think.. I've been readily and happily making alternatives for months..

Technically a calorie is a calorie, but even though I'm only a lacto-ova veggie and not a vegan, I find that it is much easier to eat the right amount of calories thanks to lots of veggies and fruit.  Plus because you have to be careful about what you eat in order to be healthy you are more aware (in my humble opinion, and not that omnivores always don't) of what you put in your body so you can still get all of the nutrients for what your body needs.

Hey I just also wanted to add that perhaps this post would be better received in the vegetarian forum so people who understand your reasons better than the average Joe can take a look.  Just trying to be helpful though.  :)

Thanks- I just realized that- I just figured these forums were for "support" and didn't know i would be assaulted so readily. Thanks, Sweet.

I have lost weight eating vegan for the last week or two, about five lbs. I have many reasons for deciding to go vegan, and I am not unhappy that consuming a plant-based diet has allowed me to lose five of the elevenish lbs I wanted to discard.

I'd talk more about it, but people are more ready to attack it than consider it most of the time. So I will add you as a friend and if you want a buddy as you make the transition to veganism, I would love to talk about it with you.

Original Post by xwadea:

Okay... not really what I heard, I was just looking more for personal stories and advice. I have the feeling that you're against veganism... but hey, any other advice? btw. Most people are omnivores.... not carnivores.

That was kind of my point, someone who is a vegan does not lose more weight, per say, than someone who eats meat 24/7--aka a carnivore, you know both ends of the extremes. Seems you missed the point in my statement. heh.

And why are you so sensitive? Yikes. Assaulted? Ouch. You're awefully tender. Just like sweetjuney said, a calorie is a calorie, which was my point exactly.

Dont be so touchy, we're just providing info.

Thanks pumpkin. I also posted that in the vegetarian section, where it belongs. :D

xwadea, there are many excellent reasons a person might choose a vegan diet.  Weight loss is not one of them.  That doesn't mean you can't lose weight on a vegan diet; of course you can.  Make sensible choices, sticking to whole foods as much as you can, and you'll be fine.  You will likely need to supplement your diet with vitamin B-12 as that is obtained primarily from animal products.

Thanks, I already have the supplements.  I did not choose going vegan because of weight loss. However, I did choose it for many the many health benefits. I know that weightloss is usually a side effect, so I was hoping to maybe get a few personal stories.. but it isn't my main concern. My main concern is my health, I do want to be around to see my daughters graduate. Thanks!

And back to the "calorie is a calorie" comments, on a nutritional level, that is not true. A calorie from soda is not the same as a calorie from fruit. Calories from sodas are like empty nutshells, while calories from fruit can actually give you energy. About this time last year, I ate about 1400 calories a day, my weight hardly fluctuated. Some of my calories came from soda, some from hamburger helper, etc. Today, I still eat 1400 calories a day. However, I am 32 pounds lighter. If a calorie is a calorie, how is that possible? Well, quality, not quantity is what counts. I'm sure that most of you know this. Many vegans have an even cleaner way of eating (such as eating mostly "whole" or natural, foods, as mentioned above), and many people have lost weight after going vegan.  So I was just looking for some nice stories. But please- not all calories are created equal.

A little off-topic but just had to have a listen to the late, great Steve Goodman.

 The Chicken Cordon Blues

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dY_bQtdt3rg

I went vegan for a month (I already didn't eat meat except for the occasional fish, so it wasn't too hard). I did it as a challenge for myself (not for ethical reasons), and was only planning on doing it for a month. I didn't gain or lose any weight, it did however mess with my stomach a bit.

I know plenty of vegetarians and vegans that are in very good shape. I don't think going vegan will necessarily help you lose weight (that doesn't mean you can't lose weight being vegan!), but as long as you still count your calories and educate yourself on what to substitute into your diet instead of meat products, you'll be fine. There's plenty of books and sites that can help you figure out how to do this in a healthy manner, so I'm sure you'll do just fine.

I've been a pescaterian since a very young age, and I've never had problems with being overweight.

Good luck!

Sorry about the confusion, I wasn't trying to start a snowball effect honestly.  All I meant was that in terms of scientific calories, which are units of heat energy, one calorie is equal to another calorie because they have the same potential in latent energy.  I would never insinuate that all calories are created nutritionally equal because that's obvious not valid.  Better fuel = healthier body :)

I wish all the best in your life change!

I gained weight....  but I was not watching my calorie count at that time..

Wow really? Evey vegan I know is wire thin

I've known fat vegans.  After all, lots of junk food is perfectly vegan.  So, those who go vegan for moral reasons but like junk food can easily be overweight on a diet of Doritos and chocolate bars (exaggerated, but you get the idea).  And there are healthy vegan foods that are high cal (like nuts, avocados, etc.) that one could get overweight eating if one didn't watch their portion sizes.

The rail-thin vegans tend to be people who'd be rail-thin anyway as they have the natural ability to control portion sizes and lean toward healthier whole-food choices (of which many are vegan-friendly).

That described me to a T.   I loved french fries!!!  I tried vegansim as a teenager. I was looking for a get skinny quick trick. I was wrong. Too bad its taken me 10 years to figure out how to eat a healthy wholesome diet.