Does anyone want to try a plant based diet?

[ILiveInSalemsLot]

I want to lose weight and feel healthier. I want to try a more nutritious diet and thought I’d give a vegan way of eating a go.
Anyone else considering this?

Yes! I am wanting to do this too.

I've been trying and I've noticed the times that I've managed to eat vegan, I have more energy and way less migraines. Also much improved digestion.

I've been dairy free awhile now, and it's made a big difference to my health (but not my weight)

I had some success with SlimmingWorld in terms of weight loss but I think all the meat and pasta made me feel really unwell (sluggish digestion). So I stopped going.

I’m vegan (and there’s a vegan board) if you have any qus :)

DuskyMoth great to have your company. I did it for a few weeks after I watched What The Health on Netflix but then Xmas happened and I never got back to it.
When I was doing it, I felt energetic, my skin looked better and I had lost weight. I found I didn’t need as much sleep either. I want that back.

Thank you Oscha. I shall visit the vegan board, even if just for info.

Yes! I've been doing this (whole food plant based) in the main since January. Vegan since September 17 but focusing on whole food since New Year.

It's an amazing way of eating! I've changed so much in this time, lost fat and gained muscle. Can't say enough good things about it.

I'm planning on starting Wednesday (it's a family members birthday tomorrow so not a good time). Not exactly sure how to start or what to eat.

I need to lose 5 stone.

I want to reduce sugar and cut out processed foods. And then eat only plant based. I've already cut out dairy.

I don't think I would be considered 'vegan' as I probably won't fully embrace the whole 'no animal products' lifestyle (although I do actually buy vegan toiletries).

I think the hardest thing is when I'm out. It's almost impossible to buy anything to eat. So, I'm planning on planning ahead more and taking my own.

I definitely also need more exercise

I’m starting on Wednesday too as we have stuff on today and tomorrow.

humanfemale what kind of meals do you have throughout the day?

When I did this before, I ate a lot of chickpea salads, Dahl, veg curries and stir fries. Breakfast was usually porridge with almond milk and frozen fruit stirred through it and sprinkle with some nuts.

I went vegan about 35 days ago! For the sole purpose of losing weight! ... and .... completely amazingly, I've lost nearly 1.5 stone!!!! I am so so happy! 2 more stone to go! I know it'll take longer to shift the next two stone, now the initial is off, but I am really really surprised with how much I've lost in such a short space of time! And I haven't really felt hungry!! I wish I'd gone vegan ages ago!

Not eating chocolate has made a significant difference I think! As has not being able to just finish if the kids fish fingers etc...

I am definitely Sticking with vegan til I've done a year! High hopes for teaching my weight loss goal for the first time ever!!

(I have seen so so many slim, tanned, bikini bodies this summer holiday! I have always felt too self conscious to wear a bikini! But am hoping next summer I will wear one for the very first time in my life (I'm 40!)!)

Ps. Sorry about the typos in the above post!

Pps. You can sign up with the vegan society to pledge to go vegan for 30 days. They send you an inspiring email every day for the full 30 days, which keeps you motivated! I did this and now on day 36 I feel I'm well and truly on the path and happy that I completed the 30 days! (My pledge to myself is 1 year)

Can you tell me, is there any reason why a vegan way of eating is more beneficial in terms of weight loss? I'm curious about it & have been considering it, but I have quite a few food intolerances already, including soy. Wondering if it would be really hard for me. Is this one of those things that has to be full-time to help with weight loss, like low carbing, does it do something to your metabolism? Or is it just generally healthier & would it not make a lot of difference to my longterm rate of weight loss if I slipped up occasionally? Sorry if this is a silly question! TIA.

Awd for me, it’s more about focus on vegetables as being the main part of diet and making my diet as nutritional as possible.
You will cut out a lot of junk if you go strict as many cakes, desserts and chocolates have egg or dairy.
There are also lots of junk foods that could be classed as vegan and you could quite easily gain weight living off crisps and bread and jam.
It’s up to you how you do it. I don’t think the odd lapse here or there is going to make much difference to weight loss.

I’m starting today. I’ve got chick pea curry and flatbread for lunch.
Mushroom pasta for dinner.

Being vegan is definitely not a guarantee for weight loss-after all oreos are vegan 😉

Awd quite a lot of meat replacements are soy based, so just be careful to choose seitan/quorn instead if you’re going down that route. Obviously beans and pulses are nature’s way of giving you all the protein and ‘meatiness’ you need without them though.

Think I'll steer clear of seitan & quorn then, as both of those are likely to disagree with my IBS. But, I do like beans & lentils. I can manage a little bit of soy - soy sauce, for example, if I don't go mad, but if I have much it tends to give me migraines which is annoying.

Seitan and quorn aren’t soy based-seitan is made from viral wheat gluten and quorn is mycoprotein. Both delicious but pretty processed, so if you want to do the plant-based thing, maybe not ideal!

^vital

I would like to try this bu am sorely in need of some help. My cholesterol has gone down from 8.5 to 6. I am sure that is because I have cut down considerably on meat. I would like to take it further but get stuck for what to buy.

Rocky what kind of food do you like?
I really like Indian food so that’s quite easy as veg and lentils feature quite heavily in Indian food.

I prefer raw food and meals that are quite dry. I am not keen on spices sauces or pasta but quite like Gravy type meals. I make a few vegetable casseroles and vegetable pies, but they do get quite boring. Up until now I have been quite limited on what vegetable I buy. Think 1950s housewife and you have got it. I look at other vegetables but don’t really know how to cook them so suggestions on that line would help.