I’m going vegan.
It’s something I’ve been thinking about for some time now, but I can first remember considering it when I learned of Daniel’s challenge to the king to eat a vegan diet. I recently thought of it again because of my renewed vigor for the spiritual, enlightenment, and harmony…how could I live in harmony with the world when I ate the life in it, especially such tortured life that goes on in our slaughterhouses? Certainly, I would be much more comfortable hunting my own meat, because I could at least ensure that the animal doesn’t live a life of suffering, and that honor and thanks would be given for the life instead of just an electrical zap to the brain and into a vat of boiling water.
What really pushed me over the edge is a book I bought dealing with the diet of people who have fibromyalgia (FM), a syndrome I developed in the Marine Corps. It doesn’t advocate vegetarianism specifically (it mentions fish and also has recipes with meat), but does speak of vegetarian, vegan, and raw diets tested on FM patients, with the greatest results coming from the vegan and raw diets.
So that’s the back story. I have a few questions for you experienced vegans out there…keep in mind that I will not only be on a vegan diet, but a natural diet, so pre-packaged, over-processed, additive-filled animal-free products are off-limits to me.
1. What are any tricks, tips, etc. that you’ve learned/discovered?
2. Do you grow your own food? Where do you live that you do this, and how hard is it? I usually end up killing plants…I don’t have a green thumb. I have heard of little communes where people come together and have a patch of garden, would this be advocated?
3. I come from a bodybuilding background. It died with my diagnosis, but I like to maintain as much muscle as possible. I have already made the switch to soy protein from whey for my post-workout protein shakes. Are there any other ways to ensure that I am getting complete protein? I do know that grain + legume = complete protein.
4. Do you take any supplements? I hear that vitamin B12 is an animal-only supplement. How do you ensure that your supplements are vegan?
5. What does your daily diet look like?
6. I am not specifically looking to lose weight, but especially considering my concern with muscle mass, how much weight am I anticipating to lose? I exercise several times a week (cardio, weights, yoga).
Thank you in advance. Namaste.
cin2win: I should probably have also stated that I will be eating an extremely varied diet that will be rice in various enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Do I still need to worry about hair loss and whatnot?
Thanks, tmkt, for reminding me of my delicious sushi. 🙁
However, I would prefer specific answers to the questions from everyone who answers. Thanks.
Hypertrophy: It's funny you mentioned that. I am a huge fan of Indian food, especially admiring how tasty it is without adding a bunch of junk. I have some pre-packaged Indian cuisine for convenience…it's kosher, vegan, and more, while also providing whole food with no added crap.