Turning Vegan??

[passtheflask]

I'm considering becoming vegan, mostly to lose weight. But i have a few questions,, do i have to take extra vitamins on a vegan diet? and are all protein shakes vegan if mixed with water? i have soy protein shake mixes and i was thinking of drinking them before my workout, but i'm a girl and i don't want to bulk up, just lose wait and tone,,so i'm not sure if protein shakes will benefit me? I'm thinking they might not help me lose weight because most protein shake mixes that i've seen are high in sugar

[JP]

hello flask! Welcome to the board!

Could you add your location to your profile please? Cheers!

Hmmm... well, going vegan is not a way to lose weight. Losing weight comes from calorie deficit and veganism doesn't have anything to do with cutting calories Like many of us here, there are some pretty damn big vegans around as a solid evidence of that.

So for losing weight you need to look at your diet and exercise, rather than doing something whats essentially an ethical choice, avoiding animal products to stop giving support to the animal abusing industry and to create a culture free from animal abuse.

The reason why i'm being difficult about this here is that i'm afraid you will start your road to veganism with a wrong step and i wouldn't like to see you trying veganism thinking that it is based on something temporary (weight loss) and is not sufficient base for a balanced, normal way of eating.

regarding the protein shakes, the ready mixes rarely are vegan, and very true, they might not even be that good for you. But as a post workout shake simple mix of protein (like soy, pea etc protein isolate powder) and some simple sugar like glucose, maltodextorine etc will be same than those expensive ready mixes you can buy.

[Malcolms Billy]

hi passtheflask!

Cool name btw (what's in the flask then? got me curious now! ). Great that you're considering going vegan, I know it's the best thing I've ever done! However, "just" switching to a vegan diet won't let you lose much weight as such, you'll need a healthy vegan diet! That includes a variety of fruit and veg, beans, pulses, grains, tofu etc, and drinking enough fluids, preferably water. That's the very basics, I'm sure many other people will be happy to throw in their 2p's worth when it comes to that. I wouldn't know whether all soya protein mixtures are vegan. I'm in the UK and I use Holland and Barretts, which isn't particularly nice, but vegan, and if it's at all available Twin Lab, which is a lot nicer and vegan too. I mix them with fruit (juice), soya milk and yoghurt and throw in some seeds for my omega fats. Whizz it in blender and there you go. I'm just wondering why you'd want to use protein shakes in particular? If you're worried about protein intake, there are plenty of foods which are rich enough in protein, without having to take shakes. Don't get me wrong, nothing against shakes, just wondering. Protein shakes as such won't make you bulk up either. It really is a myth that, as soon as you start working out and taking stuff like protein shakes, you'll bulk up like a balloon, unless you're very lucky - or in your case, unlucky. It takes a helluva lot of work to become big - ask any of the weightlifters on this site!

Personally I don't think that protein shakes as such would be particularly helpful with losing weight; the only advantage I can think of is that they fill you up (I sometimes have one as an evening meal, a litre of shake after a workout does the job for me!). But it might not be the best thing if you want to lose weight. Check the packaging to see how many calories an average serving contains, that should give you some idea.

I'm sure you know that the basis for losing weight is dead simple: your calorie expenditure should be more than your intake. So having an active life, with regular exercise, combined with a varied, lowfat diet should give you the desired results. If you eat lots of fresh fruit and veg they will fill you up, without giving you too many calories.

Personally, I'm very sloppy with taking any supplements, just can't be asked and I still seem to be healthy for it, so it doesn't bother me, but many people supplement their diet with a multivitamin (just check and make sure it's suitable for vegans!).

Right, that was way more than my 2p's worth, hope that you're getting some more input - but I'm sure you will!

See ya,

Malcolms Billy

[Strix]

Hi!

I also agree that vegan doesn't always = thinner. Some people gain weight.
Veganism isn't a "diet" as defined by a program you go on then go off.

So be careful. I wouldn't want you to gain weight or not see the results you want and then give up veganism . But, really, then it comes down to your motives for going vegan...
You can do it; you can lose weight eating vegan; but just like any other lifestyle you choose, you have to be mindful of your health and of what you intake! You can't snack on vegan potato chips, chocolate -- junk! -- and lose weight

[passtheflask]

Thank you for the compliment on my name -Malcolms Billy- and my name actually is the name of a band's "The Bled" album. Let me rephrase what i said earlier. I am looking for a healthy alternative diet where I can lose weight. There are many different kinds of diets out there and the reason I may try out "veganism" is because a friend suggested it and suggested this forum. My interest in Veganism has nothing to do with animal rights, but I do agree that animal abuse should be put to a stop, such as this article I read in the paper about these horrible people who are disgustingly abusing chickens. But I'm not deciding on becoming Vegan based on ethics, and I don't believe a person's reason for becoming Vegan should matter. Thank you to JP and Malcolms Billy for your input. I will take your advice into consideration.

[Strix]

... Thank you to JP and Malcolms Billy for your input. I will take your advice into consideration.

You're welcome.

Strix

[Mary]

but i'm a girl and i don't want to bulk up, just lose wait and tone,,so i'm not sure if protein shakes will benefit me?

Hi there! Glad you are thinking of going vegan. One thing, most common misconception women have is that they are going to bulk up. How hard do you think the blokes have to work to look like Arnold? Answer, too damned hard! Women have less testosterone, and have to work even harder. You will not turn into a man, lose your breasts, grow a beard, if you excercise and eat right. Believe me, I have been trying to get some muscles beyond my tidgy wee bits for yonks, and am not really in danger of turning into a bloke.

If you eat protien in every meal it helps regulate your periods. But it doesn't have to be from shakes. It can be from all sorts. I eat nuts and bananas for snacks. Folks in America can tell you more about what is okay at your end.

Are you veggie already? And why do you want to lose weight? How tall are you, what do you weigh, and what excercise do you do? If we have some idea where you are coming from then we can give you better advice. Increased excercise and decreased calories will do it, not just going vegan. If you go junk food vegan you can eat just as much shite as a regular meat eater - though at least you will be less likely to get food poisoning.

If you go wholefood vegan on the other hand you will feel fuller quicker, as you will have more fiber in your diet, and this will help regulate blood sugars, decrease the chance of diabetes and other problems. Vegans are, on average, ten percent lighter than the rest of the population.

Read up as much as you can on other reasons to go vegan. It should open your eyes to a whole different world. I know you say a persons reasons don't matter - they certainly don't matter to the animals - however, remember that reasons change.

Anyway, great to see you on the board! Hope you get some useful info, and that you like it here.

[kettlebellnut]

passtheflask wrote: But I'm not deciding on becoming Vegan based on ethics, and I don't believe a person's reason for becoming Vegan should matter.

Mary worte: ...however, remember that reasons change

I became a Vegan for health reasons. I did care about agricultural pollution and animal treatment, but they weren't my primary reasons. I wanted to lose weight, get fit, and stay healthy. Being a Vegan has allowed me to do all those.

As I've learned and lived as a Vegan in the past 7 - 1/2 months, I will stay Vegan because I care not only about me but about the senseless deaths and brutal mutilations of animals used for food.

Reasons do change.

[Mary]

And Vegmason really did make the diet work from a health point of view. He has lost tonnes of weight!