Questions about being a Vegan!

[kris]

Originally Posted by Fikre

I have terrible problems getting my proteins and calories from vegan diet.
The protein powders cost like 3x whey proteins do, soy (when I make it) tastes terrible and isn't good when eaten everyday in large amounts, beans, lentils, peas taste terrible. Basically all protein is excluded from a tasty diet for me because I can't make food.
Does anyone else have these problems?
Vegetarian diet is so easy, this is hard as anything can be.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/0...n_6600108.html

Originally Posted by athribiristan

Read the Secret Life of Plants. Clearly plants experience the full range of emotions the same as we or other animals do. Erring on the side of compassion, when one is fully informed, means we need to stop eating altogether.

This is an old, tired argument. The fact is that we need to eat plants to survive. We do not need to eat other beings to survive.

Moreover, the "experiments" by Bird and Tompkins have not been independently replicated. For any research to be taken even slightly seriously, independent replication has to take place.

To Fikre:
Humans don't need nearly as much protein as the food animal industry would have us believe. There is protein in nearly everything.

Scroll down to the chart:
Protein Chart

And there's this one:
Another protein chart

Even potatoes have about 4.5 grams of protein (about 8-10%).

Too much protein leaches calcium from bones. This is why Asian cultures with low-protein diets (compared to the standard diet in western cultures) show very little incidence of osteoporosis.

[Fikre]

Originally Posted by knightofalbion

This fellow is vegan and a true inspiration ...
(LINK)

I don't understand why you can't get all the protein you need, and more, from your food?

There are a couple of vegan bodybuilding forums. I would advise signing up to one of them. They'd be able to give you advice on shakes and formulas and the like, if that is your thing.

Nothing worth doing is ever easy. Stay with it ...

I just suck at making food, I don't have motivation to train and getting enough protein is so hard because whenever I make beans, lentils etc. (all the protein stuff) it tastes terrible. But now I've been searching for certain foods that are easy to eat (like soups) and have enough calories and proteins.

Originally Posted by athribiristan

My suggestion is not eating a vegan diet. Bunch of nonsense. Read the book I suggested.

I'm disgusted by eating animal flesh (except fish), I really dislike the taste, smell and texture of fish, I can't stand eggs and I love dairy but my body can't handle it.
I'm feeling better on a vegan diet but for a moment I've been experiencing lack of energy during workouts since I have problems getting enough proteins and calories. Overall my mind, stomach and overall body has been better and I guess I'm gonna feel awesome when I can up the calories with this diet.

[athribiristan]

Originally Posted by Everly

This is an old, tired argument. The fact is that we need to eat plants to survive. We do not need to eat other beings to survive.

My point is that plants are other beings. The book merely points us in that direction, I personally don't need a book to tell me that there is more than biology happening in plants. Use your intuition if you don't trust the book. Just the fact that they respond to music should tell us everything we need to know abou them.

athribiristan, even if plants are other beings (and I don't entirely disagree), the absolute truth of the matter is that we do not need to eat other animals to survive. At this point in our collective evolution, we do need to eat plants to survive. My choice is the most compassionate one I can make. We should each do the best and most we can in our unique situations. There is simply no good reason to eat other animals.

Your argument is the same as saying that because we can't do it all, we should do nothing.

[athribiristan]

Originally Posted by Everly

athribiristan, even if plants are other beings (and I don't entirely disagree), the absolute truth of the matter is that we do not need to eat other animals to survive. At this point in our collective evolution, we do need to eat plants to survive. My choice is the most compassionate one I can make. We should each do the best and most we can in our unique situations. There is simply no good reason to eat other animals.

Your argument is the same as saying that because we can't do it all, we should do nothing.

We are the only species on the planet that feels the need to apologize for our survival. I don't have anything against vegans, or vegetarians or whatever diet. I was a vegetarian for most of my life until I started fishing. I found that no amount of food on a vegetarian diet could keep me going through a 16 hour work day. I started eating meat just so I could make it through the day. Now that I'm back on land I have reverted to a mostly vegetarian diet, though my body still asks for meat sometimes. Veganism just doesn't make sense to me logically. I totally understand the desire to not harm other living things. But things like milk, eggs, honey and other by products that vegans refuse to eat can be harvested without harming the animals. I mean by the same logic a vegan shouldn't be wearing wool or leather either but I know vegans who do.

The lion does not apologize for eating the gazelle and I don't apologize for eating a fish or a hamburger.....provided it was free range and not raised in a stall, no creature deserves that. I think much of the meat production in my country is appalling and would certainly not buy Foster Farms or Tyson etc. I try not to judge, and I have met vegans whose reasoning is solid and well considered. But more often I find that they are just hopping on the bandwagon without any personal understanding of the 'why' or even the 'how'.

Originally Posted by athribiristan

But things like milk, eggs, honey and other by products that vegans refuse to eat can be harvested without harming the animals. I mean by the same logic a vegan shouldn't be wearing wool or leather either but I know vegans who do.

There isn't a way to get milk without keeping a cow pregnant virtually all the time. And then what happens to the calves? The cruelty involved in milk production is an entire chain of sadness and torture. Plus, we simply don't need milk.

Commercial eggs are never, ever from a cruelty-free source. If one were to keep hens and use those eggs, an argument could be made for a lack of cruelty, provided the chickens were well cared for.

I know of no way to get honey without killing bees. (And bees have enough trouble these days!)

And why is it necessary to exploit other beings, anyway? There is no need for milk, eggs or honey. One can like those things, but they are absolutely not necessary for survival or even good health.

"Vegans" who wear leather are not vegans. They might be strict vegetarians, which refers to diet only, but not vegans. Veganism refers to an entire lifestyle, not just diet. Real vegans, not the trendy fake ones, do not eat or wear other animals. Vegans do not use products (household, personal hygiene, etc.) that contain animal-derived ingredients or that have been tested on animals. Vegans do not go to zoos or attend circuses, etc.

A genuine sore spot for vegans is the co-opting of the word by people who are not vegan.

Vegetarian - Does not eat flesh, but may consume dairy and/or eggs. This can be a choice for ethical, health or environmental reasons. May choose to wear leather, wool, silk, etc.

Strict vegetarian - Does not consume any animal products at all, but may wear leather, silk, wool, etc. This is usually for health reasons.

Vegan - Does not eat or wear other animals. Refers to entire lifestyle, not just diet. Always for ethical reasons. See above.

So you can safely tell those folks that they aren't vegan by any stretch of the imagination.

[Lucyan28]

I want to start on this path of vegetarianism, this thread is really helpful.

Thanks :)