Greetings

Greetings all, long term carnivorous fat guy looking to make a major change in the new year here.

In 1987 I was 6 foot tall and 135lbs. Yes, really. No muscle mass at all. Today I'm 6 foot tall and 300lbs. Yes, really.

36 year old husband and father of three in Cincinnati Ohio, still in a blue funk after my bengals, and my quarterback, got eliminated sunday.

I've got a personal trainer I'm going to be working with shortly with the goal of building muscle mass, endurance and especially core strength and flexibility.

I'm pondering going whole tofu hog and going full vegan as well.

For the record, I am a carnivore. I am contemplating a vegan diet purely for health reasons. My personal belief system have no ethical problems with the consumption of meat and animal products.

I understand that people do, and I don't have a problem with that. I cling to the middle ground in conversations. I love that people have differing opinions. I won't be standing on a soap box shouting my views, and from what I've gathered while lurking here, I don't see anyone else shouting the ethical side of it.

That said, I do have several questions, but I'll post them separately, as they don't belong in Introductions.

Welcome, Bismarck.

Rather vegan for health reasons than meat eater for "taste".

I'm sure you'll find lots of useful info here.

Cheers,

Daywalker

Welcome!

I began for health reasons and later was educated on the subject and now am an all around health, environment, AR, world hunger, vegan.

I don't mind how people get here, I'm just glad you have arrived.

Reason are here:

http://www.denisenicole.com/about.htm

Welcome DesmondMajestic. Turning vegan was one of the best and healthiest things I've ever done. Turning vegan will definitely improve your health and after a while you'll probably ask yourself why you ever hesitated. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

Welcome to the group!

I feel for you about the Bengals. I went to Oregon State University for a while and that is where my father teaches. I also grew up in Corvallis. We have two former Beavers on the team. Chad Johnson and TJ Houshmansada (don't know how to spell his last name).

It is nice to have you here. We have people on here who became vegan for all kinds of reasons, including health.

Not all of us are bodybuilders, in fact only a handful are, but many of us are vegan athletes and we have one of the nicest vegan groups around so I'm sure you'll feel that vibe.

Thanks again for coming here to learn more about the vegan diet. Explore the forum and website and you'll get a ton of useful info!

Have a great day!

Robert

Hey dude, it's unusual to want to go 100% vegan from being omnivorous, I hope you find the information you need to do it

Sorry bout that football game. I think the lose of Chris Henry was also a factor. (I'm a Steelers fan.)

OK, well a vegan diet can be very healthy. It's a good diet to get a person in the habit of eating more vegetables. I found it really lowered my blood pressure. (Actually took my body a while to adjust to the lower blood pressure.) Lots of people have great cholesterol levels on it. Cancer, etc risks seem to definitely be lower. Make sure to take some flax seed oil for the proper omega 3/6 balance and B-12 and fruits, vegetables and don't try to reduce your fat intake to 0% and it will work good for your health.

You can still be overweight on a vegan diet of course. But that fattening cinci spaghetti chili stuff is out.

Hey dude, it's unusual to want to go 100% vegan from being omnivorous, I hope you find the information you need to do it

I did it. Make sure to eat some nuts and stuff to feel satisfied.

Welcome Desmond.

People begin their vegan journeys for initially one set of reasons, but then cannot be helped but be touched by all the others, as Seasiren suggested. Her story is amazing. She was told by conventional medicine that her fate was to have high cholesteral, etc etc. but she beat her fate with a vegan diet. Check out her story and photos on the home page. There is also a link about her under News and Events "Vegan Fitness Model:Denise Turner" or something like that. You will be pleased to read about all the benefits she is reaping from a vegan diet, where conventional medicine failed.

I also recommend picking up Neal Barnard's "Breaking the Food Seduction" as well as "Thrive" by Brenden Brazier. Very helpful to a newcomer to veganism for health reasons. You might also want to read Howard Lymans "Mad Cowboy" for a real inside look into the cattle industry. Lyman is a former cattle rancher turned vegan.

But as a guide to all you need to know to be a healthy vegan, the book "Becoming vegan" will be an invaluable resouce for you. It is a definite must have.

All these books are available at public libraries.

I myself was the opposite. I became vegan purely for this reason: www.meetyourmeat.com. I saw the realities of the appauling and horrendous conditions under which animals we use for food are raised and killed, and my conscience compelled me to withdraw my support for this torture and abuse of animals by a greedy industry. If pets were treated the same way the abuser would be facing felony cruelty charges. But since going vegan, I have enjoyed the best health. I have never been healthier, and I very rarely catch colds and flus anymore. I used to get them often as an omnivore.

And, just for the record, NOBODY, I repeat NOBODY was a bigger carnivore then myself (never mind omnivore). All I ever ate was meat. I lusted for animal flesh so much that I could and did eat steaks BLUE rare (practically raw), raw ground beef, etc. I could have pretty much carnivored ANYBODY under the table. So if I could do it, ANYBODY could!

Going vegan forces you to explore a whole new cullinary horizon, and opens up your tastebuds that were lying dormant. Check out the menu items and pics of some fabulous vegan food fit for the gods here: www.fressenrestaurant.com, just to get your tastebuds on board with this.

Honestly, when there is so much superb cuisine that did not cost an animal its life, why put death into your body? Enjoy healthy, clean foods that promote your overall health and longevity rather than eating the pesticide laden, hormone and antibiotic pumped, dead muscle tissue of a tortured, abused, violated animal. That description is all fact, not opinion. It's really just common sense!

Enjoy your journey!

In health and compassion,

Compash

Thanks all for your comments. I'm still learning and trying to figure out how to proceed, but I'll be here often.

Be aware Desmond! If you stay on this forum long enough you might get convinced of the ethical reasons for veganism! It is kind of dangerous in here...

Greetings all, long term carnivorous fat guy looking to make a major change in the new year here.

Welcome DM! I beleive there are a few people here looking to shed a few pounds this year, myself included. I think a wholesome vegan diet will be beneficial to reaching your goals. As for the ethical vs health motivation, both end up helping the animals.

welcome mate. sorry the steelers are a little much too much for the bengals. aside from palmer (who's injury was most tragic and upsetting), the bengals really just aren't the same calliber team as the steelers. the sooner you can accept this, the easier it wll be when the steelers win the superbowl.

as far as going vegan, it would be the best decision you have made. i mean, you can' t do anything about being born a bengals fan (certainly no one chooses to become one ), but your health is in your own hands.