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Thread: Vegan transition - what changes did you notice?

  1. #1

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    Default Vegan transition - what changes did you notice?

    Hello everyone, I'm interested in knowing what health / psychological changes came into your life when you went vegan?

  2. #2
    Vegtastic EpicLibrarian's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vegan transition - what changes did you notice?

    Hi Didigogo!

    I must say that going vegan is the best choice I ever made on so many levels. First, I have lost 25 lbs and feel spectacular. I get to eat all I want, and I snack all day. I always struggled with weight because I love to eat! Now I can eat all the tasty, healthy food I want to. My whole system has cleared up, including digestive, and my skin is clear and my hair is shiny now instead of dull. I used to be exhausted at work all the time, and now I can run circles around my coworkers. I have also been on hormones for years, and every time they would make me sick and so I would stop them, and then it woud take a month or more for them to balance back out. When I went vegan, I also stopped the hormones at the same time, and I never even noticed a shift. It was just such a smooth transition.

    Mentally, it has completely changed my outlook. I just feel so positive all the time. I don't feel weighed down, and I don't feel like food controls me anymore. It is easy for me to say no to unheathy things at work. And this is from a person who always grabbed a cupcake every time she passed the snack table at work, and couldn't resist fast food almost daily. I do splurge on ocassion and get some vegan ice cream or bake a tasty vegan cake, but I now understand that these are treats, and generally I need to eat the good things. I have beat my food addiction. The neatest thing is that, in the past when I tried to cut out animal products, it was a struggle and I felt deprived when others were eating. But that hasn't been a problem. My food is always much tastier and more complex, and I know it will not leave my body, mind, or conscience logey!

    It has made me much more conscious of what I put into my body and how I feel based on what I ate. It makes me connect to the food I eat, as well as understand my small role in the world. I am more globally conscious as well, and very informed on nutrition now.

    It has helped me organize my life. Before, I always made some excuse why I couldn't cook or exercise. Now, I still work full time and attend graduate school full time, but I cook all my own meals and exercise at least three times a week! Instead of grabbing fast food and sitting in front of the tv, I have energy that I need to burn!

    It has been a lovely journey, and I have only recently gotten started!

  3. #3
    Deb
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    Default Re: Vegan transition - what changes did you notice?

    Hi, Didigogo:

    I did go through some changes. I've been a vegan for four months now, so they are fresh on my mind. Some of them may be related to supplements I took, so I'll note them if so. This describes the past four months:

    -I've worked for four years to get my cholesterol level down. After going vegetarian (I still ate fish/dairy/eggs) my level went from 250 to 221. Then, it wouldn't budge. After six weeks as a strict vegan, it dropped 51 points!!! to 170. I added zero exercise. Actually, I exercised LESS. My weight remained constant all four years. The only thing I changed was my diet. Not how it was cooked, but that it was vegan.
    -My kidneys ached as though I was getting the flu, for 3 weeks. (I was taking protein powder). It may be a coincidence, but it went away when I stopped the powder.
    -I was very gaseous, and it smelled AWFUL. (I was taking vitamin C tablets). It may be a coincidence, but it went away when I stopped Vit C.
    -Food became much more enjoyable. It just tasted.... BRIGHTER. Simple things now had extraordinary flavor
    -my weight stabilized, I no longer had yo-yo weight and was able to consume more calories than with meat/dairy. Meat calorie did not equal Vegan calorie. I could eat more.
    -I was more emotional and freaked out abnormally the first month or so, which was very uncommon for me.
    - I required less sleep
    -I haven't had any of those periodic "gloomy-day" depressed-days that I have experienced from time to time.

    What I HAVEN'T EXPERIENCED that I was hopeful for:
    -better skin complexion
    -superwoman energy

    What surprised me: that I never craved the food I left behind... and that my cholesterol level dropped so much so quickly.

  4. #4
    TheHRchannel's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vegan transition - what changes did you notice?

    My skin started to clear up and I have more energy than I normally do. Another thing I noticed is that I became more spiritual with the thought of knowing that I am doing my best to avoid cruelty and the thought of feeling free feels great! =)

  5. #5

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    Default Re: Vegan transition - what changes did you notice?

    I went vegan in April, after being a vegetarian for years. And so far I lost 6 kg (almost a stone) without trying. I am overweight so as you can imagine I am extremely happy. I do eat desserts, but I cook/bake everything myself and try to follow healthy recipes from websites like this one:

    http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/

    I now realize I had a serious diary addiction, but facing the truth about diary industry was an instant wake up call. I went vegan overnight and it was the best choice I ever made. I used to be constantly bloated and felt sick after most meals. These days I eat until I'm full, but it doesn't drain my energy (I don't feel like I have to nap afterwards)

    So yeah, overall I feel great

  6. #6
    BH
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    Default Re: Vegan transition - what changes did you notice?

    Hi Didigogo,

    I am 68, and I went vegan on 14 Jan 2012 and so far lost more than 50lbs. My reason for going vegan was to get off medications for high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol, also to lose weight. I feel better not going to the doctor's office every one or two weeks to see if the meds he give me works.
    Some of those meds gave me side affects like, swollen legs and feet and some where found to cause other illnesses. I just got tired of "try this, come backe next week for a blood test so we could check the dosage,"
    I mostly eat raw green salads(collard greens, kale greens and spinach. homemade coleslaw with vegan mayonaise and relish made with no sugar, and use apple cider vinger in it also. I also eat homemade vegetable soup. For snaks I have grapes, cherries,bananas,rasberries,blackberries, strawberries, oranges and apples, sometimes watermelon, cantelope and avocado. I also eat peanuts, walnuts, pecans,pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds.
    Sometimes I miss regular eating, but not much! Not enough to slip to the old way of eating.
    I've tried lots of diets even vegan and vegaterian and they didn't last long before temtation got the best of me and I slipped backe to meat, quite quickly in a matter of weeks.
    This time it was easy. Seven months so far. A lifetime more to go being VEGAN.
    If my diseases go away when I reach 160lbs ( I started at 285-290lbs) I don't think I'll ever go back to animal food products again!
    I feel better knowing that I'm eating healther. Now I have to get in the habit of exercing more that I do now.
    Too bad I didn't start this when I was in my twenties.
    Last edited by BH; Jul 17th, 2012 at 06:42 AM.

  7. #7

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    Default Re: Vegan transition - what changes did you notice?

    All of your posts are so inspiring!!

  8. #8

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    Default Re: Vegan transition - what changes did you notice?

    Like others here, I too am no longer in need of meds for high blood pressure nor diabetes Type 2. Find some support, especially if your significant others want homeostasis with your old ways of eating. It has taken years for mine to accept that I will not be returning to my old ways of eating.

    Take what a want and leave the rest!

    Charlie

  9. #9
    avocadobeet's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vegan transition - what changes did you notice?

    I have been vegan for just over a week (formerly vegetarian) and so far the major difference I have noticed is that I am always hungry, I feel like I am constantly eating. Did anyone else go through this?

  10. #10
    blondebunnies
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    Default Re: Vegan transition - what changes did you notice?

    I'm still only a few weeks vegan, but I've felt physically a ton better since starting. I've had stomach problems since like forever, and only now are they under control. I used to eat at night a snack before bed but everything I ate wound up making me sick later. I tried the diet for GERD, didn't help. I tried not eating at night and was hungry and awake all night--not a fun feeling.lol It really is only now that I've transitioned that I feel better. I can eat a vegan snack at night and not get sick. Normally though, I don't feel 'hungry'--you know, like kinda hungry and just wanting a little snack--I just don't get it anymore.

    There's so much variety to the diet that if you're eating the right things throughout the day, you don't get starving hungry, like when you eat meat...Before I went vegan, I would get hungry between meals and before bed and at other times--and I can't count the times I would finish a good sized meal and want to snack after.
    The vegan diet makes me feel comfortably full to the point where I eat smaller portions too.

    In the last few weeks, I've noticed that I'm losing belly fat...I wasn't obese by any means, but I've got a little more tummy than I used to have--All this healthy eating has started to change that. I'm not stuffing anymore fatty foods in that are going to turn into tummy fat.
    Oh and what's really cool too is that I'm cooking much more than before, like breakfast and dinner, but the meals are really simple and easy and don't take long at all--plus the leftovers make great lunches at work!

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