ps check out my blog
http://veganetc.blogspot.com/
ps check out my blog
http://veganetc.blogspot.com/
losing like 40 lbs. and feeling great pretty much all of the time!
^ That's awesome!
"To reduce suffering means to reduce the amount of ignorance, the basic affliction with us." -Thich Nhat Hanh
Unexpected effect of veganism: I have found a very nice forum community to hang out with! Y'all rock! This is definitely my favorite forum, and it's a nice feeling to be truly in harmony with an entire community.
"To become vegetarian is to step into the stream which leads to nirvana." - Buddha
^ Good one! Besides the fact that I can live my life with a clear conscious, being a part of this community is my favorite benefit of being vegan. I just wish you could all be my "real life" friends.
"To reduce suffering means to reduce the amount of ignorance, the basic affliction with us." -Thich Nhat Hanh
I'm feeling so great these days, and I'm completely new to the whole vegetarian/ vegan thing. I love it, and never had i been so unaware of what was going on around me, food wise. I've lost over 40 lbs, and 4 inches off my waist, and I've never felt greater in my life. The army had me at my smallest, but of course I was 18, duh. After going vegetarian almost a year now, and vegan 5 months ago, I feel fabulous. No more headaches, no more nexium, no more just feeling generally bad. I ate some fries one time at Whataburger, just for what I thought was a "treat," and I felt so bad afterwards, and the next day. I'm vegan forever now.
thx new recipe posted....and comment forum is open now....not sure why but it was closed before. http://veganetc.blogspot.com/
The ability to levitate, walk through walls, read minds and a greater love of this beautiful, fragile and wonderous planet.
* only the last bit is true ... so far.
Well, for one thing... I find it fabulous that I can eat rather whatever I like, whenever I like, and not experience any weight gain whatsoever! I just seem to stay at my current size, regardless of how much I consume... In fact, I find that when I reduce my caloric intake even just a little bit my weight seems to plummet, which is not a good thing as I'm already quite skinny after having been veg for a couple years now.
Also, I love the effects it has on my capacity for meditation! My thoughts are more clear, my mind less cluttered, my conscience so much more liberated and at peace. Its wonderful.
Kind of OT, so I apologize, but I am looking to incorporate 1-2 raw vegan meals each day, but I wish to do so without excessive weight loss... any tips?
Thanks!
Tiff
I get to avoid all the disgusting junk food people bring into work and share. They force other people to have some by keeping on, but as they know I am very strict and vegan they bring me some nice fruit or something which is far better than biscuits, cakes and donuts in my view. I would not say no if the odd slice of vegan cake passed by but it never does so I am always well chuffed to get some nice grapes.
Go confidently in the direction of your dreams
I've noticed something else - my shape is changing. I haven't actually lost or gained weight because due to lucky genetics I've always been close to an ideal weight naturally. However I always had a bit of a bloated fat stomach which I really hated. But since going vegan it has gradually flattened. It is still not perfectly flat but it is much flatter than it was. It is weird, but I'm not complaining!
"Be the change you want to see in the world." - Mahatma Gandhi
hee hee, Chiaroscuro, you have eliminated your belly quite literally.
A meal based on Avocado or nuts, Tiffany, won't starve you. Oh, how about an avocado almondmilk smoothie?
the only animal ingredient in my food is cat hair
an unexpected benefit of becomeing vegan for me was the connection I began feeling with all living creatures no matter the species. I even felt a lack of hatred for those in the human species that I hated before. It is just an undescribable all around feeling of peace, Im sure you all know that peace that I am talking about.
I am the Devil, and I'm here to do the Devils work.
i had Psoriasis all my life and when i turned vegan it was gone.
Mm, for me there's lots of unexpected gains!
Firstly the weight loss that I've had, which is pretty fab if I do say so myself! Last time I went vegan I didn't actually lose any weight, so losing a load this time was a nice shock!
Then there's having the moral highground over everyone I know...
I generally feel (and look) healthier, and happier, perhaps even more energetic, though I get less sleep, it would seem!
I'm far more open to trying new foods! (Vegan ones, of course!) I've found newfound love for a lot of things, and a new obsession with fruit! I now most definitely get my five a day - and more! Plus I drink a lot more water now, and love it!
Also, if I'm honest, I have a new respect for all animals. Obviously, I adored them before I came vegan (they are, after all, the reason for my change of lifestyle!!) but now it's like I have an even more intense love for them!
^ I completely get what you mean on that last one about animals. I've been vegan for a few months now and I feel the same thing happening to me. I love breaking down the barriers of speciesism
I use to suffer from really bad anxiety attacks at least 3 times a month and those have completly disappeared. I've been Vegan for 7 months now and haven't had once since.
^ Yeah it's amazing how the food we eat can affect our emotions and all that.
A lot of people don't realize it. Like, I totally believe that mental disorders are very real and debilitating (I've been undergoing treatment for mental disorders for the past two years), but I also believe that the modern epidemic of mental issues is related to the modern epidemic of processed foods...just an opinion though.
(Arg totally off-topic...hehe...)
^ Never actually saw that one but I'd totally believe that.
Well, I'm a newbie, only a few weeks without meat, coffee and sugar and a week without eggs & dairy, but I already can feel an amazing difference within my heart and soul.
I have crazy amounts of energy & stamina, am sleeping better, my skin is clearing up and am thinking clearer. Plus dropping 5 lbs doesn’t hurt either
I feel lighter, empowered and honest.
^ Aw yeah I remember the first few weeks. Liberating isn't it?
My health drastically improved when I became a vegan. My acne cleared up, my chronic bronchitis went away, and my grades went up by a 2 point average. Woo... I never had any inclination to go back to being a non vegan.
^ welcome! that's great!
cleaning out the food collector in the sink isn't disgusting anymore! it used to make me gag
This is my first post of many I'm sure!
I have been vegan for 7 weeks and there are many unexpected things to mention:
The first one is my bowel activity .. which seems to be a common thread around here .. but I have had problems with irregularity all my life , and since becoming vegan .. I go everyday! I tell everyone if that's the ONLY benefit I ever get from this .. I will never touch animals again!! (Which I doubt I will anyway)
The second thing is definitely my energy levels. I feel so super charged most of the time! I was a bit low on stamina at first, but now I feel so full of energy! I run most days, and now I am back to where I was before becoming vegan and I feel lighter on my feet!
The third thing is my interest in cooking. I have never enjoyed cooking but now I am forced to be aware and conscientious of what I am eating so I have actually begun to enjoy it!
Finally I have lost 20 pounds in 7 weeks! I feel like a whole different person .. inside and out
I can't wait to live the rest of my life this way! I'm hooked!! People say to me that is must be so hard to live this way, and I answer that it has been the easiest thing I've ever done! It must be the right choice for me
^ Yay for veganism!
Welcome to the forum btw
Hello, I've been vegan for over 20 years now and people are always questioning my health/ strength/ life etc ( even though I look the picture of health!). Anyway, I had my bone density tested at the Vegan festival in Bristol last year and it was excellent - way above average ,even for the average 18 year old - and I'm 36.....hooray! I was delighted to have a printout to show to people and say hah! proof that dairy consumption is not necessary for bone health. (p.s my teeth are in excellent condition too according to my dentist). ok I am sounding smug now! x
Hmm...I've been vega for a good while now, about 3 months now, without "cheating", i.e. ice cream with milk etc..but I havent seemed to lose ANY weight!!
Do oyu guys have any ideas for how to/what to eat or not eat in order to lose weight??
For me it was weight loss (lost over 50lbs now), discovering a new way of cooking, and inspiring people to have a try and at least consider cutting down on meat, fish, eggs and dairy...
I too find it easier to work out and don't get half as sore the next day... Never thought to put it down to my diet...
Well that depends on how much you're trying to lose. I would suggest to try to stop consciously trying to lose weight and let your body take care of itself. If you give your body the right fuel, it will lose weight when it needs too. Just eat right and be active. Simple. It does take time, but it does happen. It worked for me
And look in the health section of VF. There's a subsection about weight issues and I'm sure there's a lot of great advice there.
^ Yeah, what she said.
ok...maybe I'm a bit slow: what do you mean by processed foods? Like, fake meats...or prepackaged meals (ew..!)???
^ really anything that comes packaged. It's easier to say what's not processed. Fruits, veggies, grains, beans, etc.
"To reduce suffering means to reduce the amount of ignorance, the basic affliction with us." -Thich Nhat Hanh
Being able to eat raw cake and cookie mixture.
"Mr Flibble - forum corruptor of innocents!!" - Hemlock
^ i did that when i wasn't vegan doesn't appeal to me now.
'The word gorilla was derived from the Greek word Gorillai (a "tribe of hairy women")'
oh, so you were just doing it for the thrill of potential salmonella?
"Mr Flibble - forum corruptor of innocents!!" - Hemlock
Finding true compassion within myself and learning how to apply it to more than just animals.
My whole approach to people has changed.
Feeling at peace within myself and just feeling content.
Lisa @ http://www.facebook.com/earthsista
I've began to notice synchronicities happening more often.
I expected to feel better physically after going vegan. (When you think about how much nastiness is in dairy--hormones, preservatives, pus...how could you not expect to physically feel better after getting all that out of your system? ) I expected to lose a few kilos, have more energy, healthier skin, etc.
What I didn't expect was the mental and emotional benefits I got ever since giving up dairy and egg products, as well as high-fructose corn syrup, alcohol, hydrogenated fats and other processed crap (meat has already been off the menu since about age 13).
It's much less stressful at school-- since going vegan it's easier to think, comprehend, focus, reason, write... I've always gotten good grades, but my mind is clearer now and it all comes to me faster and more easily.
Speaking of clear, I didn't expect that going vegan would have such a dramatic effect on my voice. I sing opera, and I notice that I haven't got that clogged-up mucus feeling anymore. Breathing is easier, and my tone is clear, pure, resonant and bright. I am so grateful for that. I can even get up and sing first thing in the morning. It's fantastic to not have to wonder or worry about whether or not my voice is going to be in good form, and never feeling like there's glop in my throat.
Emotionally I feel steadier, more optimistic, more confident, with a renewed interest in God and desire to engage in prayer, meditation and other spiritual activities.
I didn't expect that going vegan would cure me of a decade-long battle with bulimia either. But it did. I can't even attempt to explain it; I just lost all desire to binge/purge within a few days of going vegan. It's been a month now, and still no urges, no temptation. Before, I would sometimes manage to go a few days without, but it was always a struggle and I never managed to have more than a few 'good days' in a row (and often not even that!) Now, I don't have to struggle to try and stop; the desire is completely gone. Words cannot describe how wonderful it feels to finally be free.
so yeah...I expected physical benefits, but had no idea there would be such awesome mental, emotional and vocal benefits as well!
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