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Korn
May 5th, 2005, 10:14 PM
Hi,
we already have a poll about health/sense of wellbeing after switching to a vegan diet here. (http://www.veganforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=376).

But apart from how you feel and how healthy you are, do you feel that you have more or less energy after going vegan (for example, do you need more or less sleep etc)?

Kiva Dancer
May 5th, 2005, 10:22 PM
Way more energy.

Waaaaayyyy more. :)

littleTigercub
May 6th, 2005, 03:18 AM
I would believe that it is depending on how you eat.

YOu can eat an unhealthy, toxic vegan diet or a healthy omnivore one.

littleTigercub

kriz
May 6th, 2005, 07:26 AM
More energy and I only need 5-6 hrs of sleep each night. :) I used to get colds quite frequently but I haven't had one since I turned vegan 1 1/2 ago. As I turned vegan I also started to make healthier food choices.

sylkan
May 8th, 2005, 09:24 PM
More energy and I only need 5-6 hrs of sleep each night. :) I used to get cold quite frequently but I haven't had one since I turned vegan 1 1/2 ago. As I turned vegan I also started to make healthier food choices.

I certainly don't get sick as often the more vegan I eat. Unfortunately I do need more sleep. 'Course that could just be stress too. It's hard to say. I'm very susceptible to anemia (insufficient iron) so I tend to have lower energy levels anyway.

Gorilla
May 9th, 2005, 01:49 PM
i'm not really sure....my energy levels are dependent on so many other factors, such as depression, anxiety, stress, even the weather. it's hard for me to figure out whether this has been helped at all by my switch to a vegan diet.

Roxy
May 10th, 2005, 08:01 AM
I noticed (especially within the first couple of months of going vegan) that I had loads more energy! I am sure my new diet had a lot to do with me not feeling so tired and lethargic all the time. Also, I have found that I can generally operate well receiving approximately 7 hours sleep per night (with the occaisional sleep in). In my pre-vegan days, I used to require 9 hours sleep at night.

TheFirstBus
May 17th, 2005, 11:26 PM
I am not sure about more energy, but then I have all but forgotten my omni energy level. But I will agree with other vegans here saying I almost never get sick. In fact the only time i remember getting sick is when I first became vegan. It was like within a week of becoming a vegan I became sick.

littleTigercub
May 17th, 2005, 11:29 PM
My energy level has not changed in 3 weeks, but I dare to say that I already feel less sluggish. This may, of course, be all in the mind.

littleTigercub

Happiness
May 18th, 2005, 12:54 AM
I was already pretty energetic before (with old nicknames like spaz and tweak how could you doubt? ;) )but now I still feel energetic but I dont have that typical "crash" around dinner-time. I can go all day and be productive. Would it be too far out to say that my mind doesn't wander as much anymore? It also takes me less time to study. :D That means more time to run in circles!!

RockyRaccoon
May 18th, 2005, 09:57 AM
More energy. Especially in the morning. It used to take me ages to wake up and get active in the mornings, now I have no trouble. I wake up and seem to bounce out of bed full of life. I also don't get so tired during the day either and can sleep better at night. I'm not saying it is entirely down to a vegan lifestyle though, I also cut a load of processed rubbish out of my diet, and became generally happier about that time, although it's all interconnected. Unfortunately I haven't found the energy yet to do more exercise, but then again I havn't been looking very hard! :D

terrace max
May 18th, 2005, 10:25 AM
Loads of energy.

I'm looking after our 3 pre-schoolers so sleep is at a premium. There are loads of nasty childhood illnesses about the place.

Being vegan is getting me through this testing time!

tasha
May 25th, 2005, 04:53 AM
I've only been vegan for a little over a week; however, I have been a vegatarian for many years and I haven't had a bad cold or the flu since becoming one, which is amazing considering I use to get a cold at least twice a year. I also got married a few months before becoming vegetarian, so that could be a factor as well. Not sure if it is the diet, the happiness I recieve from my husband or just pure luck--could be a mixture!

Mshummus
May 25th, 2005, 05:19 AM
When I became a lacto ovo vegetarian, I didn't notice much of a change in my energy level. When I went vegan, my energy is sky high! It's amazing how much dairy can sap energy.

Pilaf
May 25th, 2005, 06:21 AM
My stamina is off the scale now. Before going vegan I was getting fat and could barely run a mile. Now, a short two months later I'm jogging three, easily. I also require less sleep and get more rejuvination from what sleep I get.

Nivvie
May 25th, 2005, 07:42 AM
At first, I didn't notice much difference, but then my life was about the same.

At the moment I am living this ridiculous existence as my final exam is coming up, of college and work during the day, and working nightshifts as well.
Sometimes I get maybe 3 hours sleep in a 24 hour period, and whereas that used to kill me, I don't feel half bad. I rarely have to reach for the caffiene, and my brain at work seems more alert than before.

Caitlin
Jun 28th, 2005, 09:11 AM
No change really.

highlandh
Jul 3rd, 2006, 11:27 AM
My wife and I have just recently switched to a vegan diet. I'm presently 37 years of age; I used to be a practicing vegan from 1989 through 1997. I'm now switching back. (This is the first time that my wife has gone vegan.)

The one thing that we are both noticing after being on the vegan diet for about 2-3 weeks is a significantly decreased energy level. We are both getting plenty of sleep (no changes in sleep cycles), we are both very careful about maintaining a well-balanced vegan diet (fruits, vegetables, grains, pulses, herbs, daily vitamin, etc.), we both are getting regular exercise, and so forth.

The only change during the past 2-3 weeks has been the removal of meat, eggs and dairy products from the diet. (To offset the removal of some protein from the diet, we are both supplementing with soy protein.)

But the stark difference in energy levels remains.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Is it fairly common for energy levels to decrease following switching to a vegan diet? (I really don't remember this happening the first time I switched over to a vegan diet, but then again it has been some time and I must confess that I really don't remember all that well.)

Any suggestions for maintaining proper energy levels? More B-vitamins?...

Thanks for any and all contributions to this question/discussion!

Vagetarian
Jul 4th, 2006, 04:14 PM
I've had the opposite effect. My energy has gone up after switching to vegan! My two friends who just recently switched said theirs went up too. I would not recommend you taking any protein supplements. That's going to make you feel tired and it is not necessary unless you're bodybuilding. Generally, a high healthy carb diet, eating small meals frequently, and exercising every day should make you feel very energetic. Here's an example of my daily routine:
7am Breakfast: Whole grain cereal with blueberries in fortified soymilk
9:30am Snack: Fruit
10am Snack: nuts
11am-12pm: Exercise (I have on office job and a gym nearby)
12pm Light vege lunch loaded with vegetables (not too much protein)
2pm Snack: A piece of dark chocolate or fruit
4pm Snach: Fruit and nuts
6pm Snack: celery/carrots or whatever I can find when I get home
7:30pm Heavy Dinner (This is when I eat the most proteins of the day. Unlike every other time of the day I eat til I'm full at dinner)
9:30pm: Cereal again (I've been trying to cut this out at night as it does sometimes effect my sleep)
That works for me. Something similar should work for you provided you're eating whole foods as much as possible (don't be a junk food vegan) and you are getting a good variety. I know in AK its hard to get a good variety of vegetables. Maybe you should move to a southern state:)

terrace max
Jul 4th, 2006, 04:36 PM
Even if it wasn't an ethical necessity - I'd still be vegan simply because of the extra energy it gives me - I do manual labour & look after my four kids so I need all the energy I can get...:rolleyes:

There are so many variables determining energy levels - ranging from your physical and mental disposition to your exposure to sufficient light levels...it may help to look beyond your new diet...

One thing that puzzles me, though ... if your vegan diet is balanced - why are you supplementing with soya protein?

Old Wolf
Jul 4th, 2006, 04:43 PM
I went to a vegan diet from a vegetarian one and noticed an increase in energy. I'm not now how sure it was energy related, and I think had more to do with a scenery change.

I find the biggest contributer to my energy level is actually my mental well being. When very bored and inactive I feel incredibly sapped of strength. Rarely is my physical energy lacking! If I let stressful thoughts dominate while, say, hiking solo in the mountains, I also notice a similar loss of energy.

There are so many conflicting reports about ex-vegans getting more energy upon returning to a broader diet, and to the opposite, that I'd suspect a good part has to do with one's expectations.

But honestly, a few weeks doesn't seem like enough time for any serious change in health to occur. I've done bicycle tours for longer periods of time, and have often have had to subsist on bread and peanut butter alone, yet was still able to peddle all day.

I'd say experiment a bit with your diet for a few months to try eliminate seasonal influences. I'm actually interested in doing this myself, but am vegan half because of ethical reasons.

Anyway, if you do experiment, report back with your results!

Korn
Jul 7th, 2006, 11:53 AM
Hi Highland, we actually have a poll (http://www.veganforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3749&highlight=energy) about that topic. 5% have said that they have less energy after going vegan, 12.5% have replied 'no change', and 67.5% have answered that they have more energy now than they had when they were eating animal products.

herbwormwood
Jul 7th, 2006, 12:01 PM
You probably need more calories and to eat more varied "meat replacements".
Are you having a heatwave in Alaska, if so this could contribute to your decreased energy.
Post some of your typical daily menus and we can probably suggest what changes could be made.
I realise this may be sensitive but are you both fully keen to be vegan? If not, you could be feeling tired as a subconscious "protest"? Maybe not, but its worth considering. I think the first 2 suggestions are more likely.

Haniska
Jul 7th, 2006, 05:37 PM
Maybe you are having some food allergies.
Or, if you believe in detox, perhaps your body is purging itself and you need rest as it does this. Accordingly you will regain your energy later. Maybe the shift in fiber is upseting your stomachs and sapping your energy?
Lastly, maybe you are not getting enough calories.

Korn
Jul 25th, 2006, 08:27 AM
The one thing that we are both noticing after being on the vegan diet for about 2-3 weeks is a significantly decreased energy level.

I saw this thread again, and wonder how you are doing (are you still around?)

Energy levels are often mentioned when veg*ns are being interviewed - (vegan celebrities, that is, because regular vegans don't get interviewed that often).

Shania Twain mentioned that she has more energy now, after she became a veg*n. Clint Eastwood, who is often asked about how he can be is so good shape at his age (he is 80 in four years) said that he tries to stick to a vegan diet. Darwin, the scientist, recognized that the vegetarian miners of Chile were the most energetic workers he had encountered in his world travels.

We have a thread about high energy vegan foods here (http://www.veganforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2864&highlight=energy).

From Veganism in a Nutshell: Human Health (http://www.goveg.com/veganism_health.asp)

As I said, I adopted a vegan diet in 1987 At the time, I was running cross country, and when I dropped meat and dairy products from my diet, my 10k time plummeted from about 46 or 47 minutes down to between 42 and 43 minutes. Basically, when I stopped forcing my body to expend so much energy processing saturated fat, cholesterol, and animal protein, I had more energy, my metabolism sped up, I dropped a few pounds that I didn’t even know I had, and I got faster. I also found that I needed less sleep, had far more energy, and felt happier, just in general. Of course, I am not unique. Vegans are always telling me that they need less sleep and less coffee and have more energy than they ever had before. They also tell me that their newfound energy has made them happier.

From Health Benefits of Veganism (http://library.thinkquest.org/C004833/health_en.shtml):

Having more energy is another benefit. By not eating high portions of fat and sugar you will naturally have more energy. Most people who consume a lot of high fat and sugar foods have less energy and tend to drag all day long. Instead, by eating a lot of vegetables and grains you will have more energy.


From Being a vegan is nothing of mythic proportions (http://www.kansan.com/stories/2006/may/05/roberts/)

From personal experience, I can vouch for the health benefits and energy I have gained from switching to veganism. I’ve lost weight in a healthy way, without reverting to starving or strange, cardboard flavored diet bars. I have more energy. An acne problem that I had for more than three years and visited multiple dermatologists about is gone.

Bobby Rock, (http://www.bobbyrock.com/veggiezone.html) strong man :).

My personal experience with vegetarianism has been dramatic. In over 15 years on the path, the numerous physical benefits have resulted in an overall greater level of health, with more energy, power and endurance in all of my daily activities, including weightlifting, drumming and cycling.



George Bernard Shaw, Nobel Prize winner:

I am on the verge of 85 and still work as hard as ever. I have lived quite long enough and am trying to die; but I simply cannot do it. A single beef-steak would finish me; but I cannot bring myself to swallow it. I am oppressed with a dread of living forever. That is the only disadvantage of vegetarianism

Slovenian President Janez Drnovsek, vegan: (http://engforum.pravda.ru/showthread.php3?s=&threadid=164935)

Question: After changing to vegetarian food do you feel better, healthier?

Answer: I feel great - they say I have too much energy.


From veg.ca (http://www.veg.ca/older.html):

Donald Watson, founder of The Vegan Society and inventor of the word vegan, passed away on Nov. 16 at the age of 95. Watson had not eaten meat for 80 years and had been vegan for over 60 years. He celebrated his birthday last year by climbing a mountain.

And finally, a little reminder about where the energy in the animals actually come from:

John Coleman: Comparative Anatomy & Taxonomy (http://www.tierversuchsgegner.org/Gesundheit/taxonomy.html) (check the table):

[...]all animal tissues are made up of broken down plant tissues.


You can also read about energy levels and diet at vegfamily.com (http://www.vegfamily.com/dietician/0606b.htm).