We aren't vegan but...

[sarahlorrain]

Hi, my name is Sarah. My husband and I have recently become vegetarians, and I was trying to find a message board like this one, but for vegetarians. I couldn't find one, so I joined here. Unless someone knows of what I was looking for, I'll hang out here a bit if you don't mind? My husband and I both run, he is more of a "runner" - training quite a bit and enjoys doing the occasional 5K or 10K. He is very concerned about not getting enough protein, etc, and he says is is hungry all of the time. So, I thought he should probably try to get some advice from other veg*an athletes.

[AbFab]

Hi, and welcome, sarahlorrain and Mr.sarahlorrain.

Congratulations on making the move to vegetarianism - that's a step in the right direction. You never know - you may even go vegan eventually. I hope you find these forums useful. Welcome.

You needn't be concerned about not getting enough protein. In fact, by eliminating protein that comes to you second-hand through the meat you used to consume, you are also doing away with the saturated fats associated with animal proteins. The proteins in animal products are highly concentrated and meat-eaters usually have too MUCH protein - our bodies aren't designed to handle such large quantities. I've certainly felt sooooooooo much better since I gave up meat. So, protein intake, now you are vegetarian, should not be a concern for you or your husband (as long as you are eating vegetables!). Veggie protein is best! You'll also be getting more dietary fibre by sticking to a plant-based diet.
There is protein in every plant cell. Especially fab sources include nuts, pulses, grains, seeds, green leafy vegetables and potatoes.

Hope this is of some assurance. I am sure some others will pipe in too, especially with regards running. Anyway, congratulations again on the switch - hope it all goes well.

Abi

[tempehmomma]

This forum is not as fitness oriented, however you might find it useful.
http://www.veggieboards.com/boards/
Decent myspace group.
http://groups.myspace.com/VegetariansGettingFit
The person who started this site might know of some vegetarian fitness forums.
http://www.veganbodybuilding.com/phpBB2/index.php

[sarahlorrain]

Thanks!

Yes, I am already a member at veggieboards, I don't know why I haven't asked there yet.

[erske]

I'm generally not to woried about protein, don't feel the need for large amounts since I'm not aiming to gain muscle-mass... Most omnivores eat way more protein than theire actiual need anyway, so even a decrease from your previous levels may not be any problem

But it's not hard to get enough protein as a vegan, like Abfab said, nuts, soy, beans, lentils and such are good sources...

Good luck with the running!

[tempehmomma]

Getting protien from veggie/vegan sources is easy.
http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/protein.htm
Tempeh
Seitan
Soybeans,
Lentils
Black beans,
Kidney beans,
Veggie burger
Chickpeas,
Veggie baked beans
Pinto beans,
Black-eyed peas,
Tofu,
Lima beans,
Quinoa,
Tofu,
Bagel
Peas,
Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP),
Peanut butter
Veggie dog
Spaghetti,
Almonds
Soy milk,
Soy yogurt,
Bulgur,
Sunflower seeds
Whole wheat bread
Cashews
Almond butter
Brown rice,
Spinach,
Broccoli,
Potato

Edited 1 time 6:00 pm EST

[JP]

you are of course welcome to hang around here! Sure, all the advice will be vegan, but it never hurts to try new foods and maximise foods which are animal abuse free even if you would not go fully vegan at this point in time.

Good work on going veggie though!

[Enhydra Lutris]

Hi there!

Welcome to the forum, I am sure you'll find loads of usefull thoughts on both running and food here. I hope you manage to settle into your new habits soon.

Just a thought: If your husband is hungry all the time, is he getting enough energy throughout the day? Are you eating wholegrain foods and other foods that last a long time? (If you just have a green salad for lunch you're bound to be hungry soon again.)

/Enhydra

[Hiking Fox]

Veganism is merely vegetarianism with all the unhealthy bits edited out, so feel free to stick around here, ask questions and share your experiences.

[Fruitbat]

vegan wisdom is applicable to vegans, vegetarians and omnis alike so hopefullly we can help you on your way to an animal-free life!!!!

I think protein is not an issue as long as you have a varied diet and include nuts, seeds and/or pulses and grains in your diet - or go for the convenient soy products like Redwoods meatless and dairy'less ranges, Fry's sausages, burgers etc, Tofu, Tempeh etc.

If your husband says he is always hungry then I would first make sure he is eating enough. In my opinion, because a vegan diet is so much lower in fat and often also more fibre and lower glycaemic index- we eat a lot more than the averae person!

anyway welcome and I hope you stick around!

[Konstantin]

I keep an eye on protein, but it is fairly easy. If you buy packaged, tinend food etc and check the protein content you get to see what's coming in. If I feel I'm under protein in my diet I tend to eat a handful of nuts, a tins of baked beans, some soya beans/chunks or something else just to bulk it up.

It's also worth remembering that you can't handle too much protein at once (is 22g the limit?) so eat a few meals/snacks to get the protein in. I also believe it's beneficial to eat some soon after training so the body can start working with it.

Welcome to the vegan world - I hope you'll find our info helpful.

[jemmyducks]

Being "hungry all the time" could be advantageous: eating more often aids in nutrient absorption and elevating metabolism. I like to eat every 2-3 hours, with a bigger break when I exercise.

So I'd tell your husband that eating often is okay. IF he really feels like he's undereating and his running is getting worse, include more calorie-dense foods at each meal. The previously-listed high-protein foods are mostly calorie-dense too.

Jemmy

[huah]

You might also want to check his healthy fats - I get absolutely starving when I don't eat enough good fats. Olive oil, nuts, seeds, etc - all great

[billyoffspring]

Veganism is merely vegetarianism with all the unhealthy bits edited out, so feel free to stick around here, ask questions and share your experiences.

Exactly. Well put. Veganism is vegetarianism minus all of the fattening and cancer-causing dairy. Congrats on taking a great step in the right direction. Welcome!

[Ava Odoéména]

My husband and me went vegan directly from being omnivore. What you describe about your husband is a purely psychological problem which will vanish over time. In fact it would have been better for you two to go vegan at once, because there's a real danger of trying to respond to the food panic by substituting with huge amounts of dairy and eggs, which is both unhealthy for your husband and the animals that must die for it. (For example male chicks which are not needed for eggs and are gassed or shredded after hatching.)

What your husband should do is just eat a lot! But not trash, the majority should be vegetables which are not so calorie dense as for example beans, lentils or nuts are, so that he doesn't gain weight, unless of course he wants to gain weight.

In given time, his appetite will normalize again. Right now the intestinal brain (yes, there is such a thing) is sending "WTF is going on here, I want the stuff I know about" messages to parts of the regular brain, which in turn is ringing a potential starvation alarm. Once the body has realized that nothing bad is happening, the alert state will fade and a positive feeling will set in. How long this takes is very individual.