I decided the other day I wanna try something different. Becoming a Vegan just sprung to mind. I am gonna do a 'trial' for a month. If I like it...I will be a permanent one...if not....I will go back tonormal.
I was just wondering if anyone else is a Vegan and the good things that they have got out of it?
XX

Hello,
I am not a very strict vegan anymore, but I was for a period of time (about 2 years or so). I have been a vegetarian for much longer though, and still am. I am still MOSTLY vegan, but I eat things that have some dairy or agges in it, like bakes goods.
If you want to become a vegan, two things are important:
1) Do it, PLEASE, for the right reasons. Doing it for weight loss reasons is not a wise decision. I wasn't thinner when I was a vegan than I am now. If you want to be vegan, it is important that you eat enough (as in, enough calories!) so that you get all the nutrients you need.
2) You need to read up on it so your diet can be healthy. Just cutting out all animal foods and living off veggies and fruit will not do it. For example, you need vitamin b12. I take a supplement for that, because in today's world, with the ground being depleted of it, it is almost exclusively found in animal foods. Also, you need to make sure you get enough calcium (especially if you are underweight, because of the risk of osteoporosis!). And you need to eat some stuff that has protein in it, like soy products or beans or nuts.
I must admit that I may not have been the healthiest vegan myself, especially since I am on a very limited budget. I think it is less of a problem for me now, because I am not very strict anymore. Anyway, I always ate lots of whole wheat bread, and stuff like soy yogurt and tofu, and lots of green leafy veggies for the iron and calcium (broccoli has calcium too)(and so do almonds!)...
Well, I hope this helps a little.

Kathrin

Kathrin...thanks so much for your rpely- it helps me a lot. I feel like I am doing it for the right reasons. Instead of starving etc...I am going to try this...you eat v. healthily.
I know doing it for the right reasons is important..I don't think you lose much weight from it anyway (?) but I just wanna give it a go and prove myself I can give up the things e.g. chocolate I loveX