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Original poster

to try Veganuary wit dietary limitations?

39 replies

miniaturepixieonacid · 28/12/2024 23:40

I really want to try a vegan diet. I've thought about it on and off for years but never done it and am now obviously seeing Veganuary everywhere and am suddenly quite excited to give it a go (maybe just because I can't sleep, I don't know!)

But I don't know if it would even be possible with these challenges:

I already don't eat red meat but I am hugely reliant on chicken and eggs - hard boiled egg every day for lunch and chicken or tuna almost every evening. Replacing them would be really hard, I think.

I hate nuts. All nuts, including peanut butter and almonds. I also hate beans and pulses, including baked beans and chick peas. I hate tomatoes, onions and avocadoes.

I have a long history of anorexia, bulimia and OSFED. Possibly ARFID too. Fairly stable for years now but it's always a factor.

Would I be unreasonable to give it a go regardless of the above or do you think it couldn't be done healthily? I know I'd be ok for a month but, I presume, the point of Veganuary is that you are then inspired to keep it going long term.

OP posts:
AquaPeer · 29/12/2024 01:03

Hskatkat · 29/12/2024 00:13

As a life rule aren't you meant to consult GP before big dietary changes?
Vegan is fairly easy, loads of information easily accessible and loads of options
I personally don't like a lots of the fake meats esp those with added bamboo fibre to me it's like gristle, fake chicken isn't my thing either.
I could live off bang bang tofu /cauliflower
Lots of foods are surprisingly vegan by chance.
Most vegan cheese takes some getting used to and have weird melting points.
A lot of trial and error in deciding what works for you
There's a vegan board on here too
Waitrose/sainsburys own brand tofu is nice

Edited

Can you actually imagine waiting 5 weeks for a GP appointment and when you get your 8 minute appointment being like “oh hi I want to be vegan the internet said consult your doctor first?” And your GP being like what the actual fuck I have people dying in the waiting room

Hskatkat · 29/12/2024 01:02

You can pm if you want any information or ideas , not saying I know everything but the offers there @miniaturepixieonacid and if I can help I will

HereForTheAnimals · 29/12/2024 01:02

@miniaturepixieonacid yes, as @Hskatkat says, you can make your own meat with seitan using vital wheat gluten - not UPF at all. There are loads of videos on the internet for seitan. I made donner meat and it was amazing. There are so many vegan recipes online now for virtually anything, I made vegan Jaffa cakes.

Oh and there are thousands of tofu recipes on the internet. Good luck to you ❤️

Original poster
miniaturepixieonacid · 29/12/2024 00:56

@Hskatkat I wouldn't have thought about talking to a GP, to be honest. I'd feel like I was wasting their time. But I will check out the vegan board, I didn't know there was one here, I mainly only use AIBU. Thank you.

OP posts:
Hskatkat · 29/12/2024 00:55

Seiten can replace chicken
'Frys' make things like popcorn chicken ( Iceland sells it )
You can buy vegan "chicken " strips in most supermarket freezer sections

Original poster
miniaturepixieonacid · 29/12/2024 00:52

@HereForTheAnimals thank you. For a fully grown adult, I am pathetic about pushing through with things I don't like. I also do that annoying thing of 'just knowing' I won't like things without even trying. 😳But yes, there are things I could persevere with that I don't completely hate. Not peanuts though, even the smell makes me gag. I used to like Macadamia nuts but they're so a) expensive and b) full of fat that they didn't seem like something worth having in my diet. I don't know what satay is but will look into it and I think I could eat tofu without a problem.

My issue with the fake meats is that I don't eat bacon or sausages or any processed meat products at all. Just plain chicken breast that I cook myself. So the fake meats feel like a step backwards (nutritionally, that is, I get that they are more ethical).

OP posts:
HereForTheAnimals · 29/12/2024 00:41

Every vegan wants you to try vegan @miniaturepixieonacid but we want you to do it safely. Are you able to get through the foods you dislike and try to enjoy them? I love peanuts, but if you don't like them, have you tried satay? Absolutely delicious.

When I first saw tofu I was like no fucking way am I eating that shit 🤣, but then I started marinating it in different things, frying, baking and more recently air-frying and I absolutely love the stuff. Tempeh not so much - looked at it once.

I do eat fake meats, and whilst they are the devil at the moment, little and occasionally is no worse than eating bacon or sausages.

Like PP said, a B12 supplement is essential, and I also loosely take a multivitamin and sometimes omega 3, I haven't died from being vegan yet and it's been 9 years.

Hskatkat · 29/12/2024 00:13

As a life rule aren't you meant to consult GP before big dietary changes?
Vegan is fairly easy, loads of information easily accessible and loads of options
I personally don't like a lots of the fake meats esp those with added bamboo fibre to me it's like gristle, fake chicken isn't my thing either.
I could live off bang bang tofu /cauliflower
Lots of foods are surprisingly vegan by chance.
Most vegan cheese takes some getting used to and have weird melting points.
A lot of trial and error in deciding what works for you
There's a vegan board on here too
Waitrose/sainsburys own brand tofu is nice

lifebyfaith · 29/12/2024 00:09

Just to say I'm not a fan of nuts either but for some reason I can handle nut butters- I think it's the texture of nuts I dislike

Original poster
miniaturepixieonacid · 29/12/2024 00:06

I do love mushrooms.

I guess I could try the 'halfway house' option, yes. It somehow feels like more of a cop out than not bothering at all but I do have a tendency towards all or nothing thinking!

Maybe I'll try making some plans over the next couple of days and see if they look realistic and healthy. I don't really want to eat the 'fake' meat alternatives as I feel like they're not healthy but I haven't actually looked into them much.

OP posts:
Birdscratch · 29/12/2024 00:05

I have a long history of anorexia, bulimia and OSFED. Possibly ARFID too. Fairly stable for years now but it's always a factor

It’s not a good idea to radically change your eating habits with that history.

Fishmas · 29/12/2024 00:01

I thought I could never be vegan for similar reasons. I’ve now been vegan for almost ten years! Honestly what did it for me was that I forced myself to watch videos of what happens to animals who are bred for meat/eggs etc and then I knew I couldn’t continue paying for animal products.

I’ve got sensory issues with food and have also had eating disorders. I actually went vegan while I was recovering from bulimia- I found it helped me as I felt less ‘guilty’ eating plant based foods.

I used to eat the same thing every day for lunch- poached eggs on toast. I replaced it with tofu scramble on toast. Black salt gives tofu a really eggy flavour! There’s loads of meat alternatives that taste like chicken- I think it’s the easiest meat to emulate.

I found my tastes changed quite quickly after going vegan- I used to absolutely love cheese but now even the smell of it makes me feel ill. I didn’t like beans to begin with but now I eat them every day! I think not enjoying pulses etc is your biggest hurdle. Maybe you could try preparing them in ways you’ve never tried before? Lentils are a very neutral tasting pulse which can be really versatile, there’s loads of recipes online.

I think you should give it a go- and remember a b12 supplement is essential!

Lammveg · 28/12/2024 23:52

I'll be honest here - with the restrictions you have already and history of ED, I'd suggest this isn't the best idea.

Maybe try to be vegan 2 days a week instead?

Nothanks17 · 28/12/2024 23:50

Looks like tofu and tempeh and processed vegan shit are your options. Nuts canbbe a base of a sauce with nutritional yeast and silken tofu (plus milk) which does not taste like eggs but makes a nice creamy protein rich carbonara like sauce - just an example of hiding the ingredients.

Mushrooms

Tbh the main thing is that you keep healthy and well. Why not try a bit of vegan whilst maintaining a healthy diet? I am vegan but due to health conditions, in the past I have had to add in a few things to exist.