General qeuestions, new vegetarian/vegan!

[soulrage25]

Alright. I am a 27 year old male, five foot four, 145 pounds. I have been bouncing around from vegan to vegetarian. I take methyl B-12, I am an A positive blood type if that matters at all, and every time I stay completely vegan for a week or more, I start not feeling right. Just not myself, sort of fatigued, tired, and was wondering if anyone has any suggestions? I have ordered Robert's vegan bodybuilding book, and was also wondering if I should just read that or take any advice from this website? The reason I go back to ovo vegetarian is when I eat egg whites with the occasional yolk, I just automatically start feeling better. I would think my protein intake is adequate. I may get as much as 70 grams of protein a day alone from beans, grains, hemp, and brown rice protein powder. If there is anything anyone wants to say to help me out, I am all ears as I want to be completely vegan.
Thanks,
Brian

[soulrage25]

I have something to add to my last post, I meant that I get 70 grams of protein up to as much as 150 grams, but I do farm work, and don't workout much other than exercises for working the entire back, shoulders, and calistenics like crunches, reverse sit ups, and supermans just to stay in shape.

[damdaman]

It takes more than a week or two for your body to adjust to a new diet, and any time you drastically change your diet away from whatever it is that your body is accustomed to, you're going to feel bad in the short-term as your body tries to adapt.

Stick it out, and make changes gradually. Instead of going "cold turkey" just cut down on the animal products little by little for a couple weeks until they're almost gone. Then cut them out entirely. Give it 3 months. You'll feel better.

[Barb123]

The entire first month I went vegan i just kinda felt "not right". I almost felt achy at times and was really tired and irritable. I think my body was detoxing or something. Also I changed my protein shakes to Vega and not that I'm trying to advertise or anything, it really seems to up the energy. At least for me. Hope you start feeling better soon and find out what works for you. Take care.

[soulrage25]

Ok, I will try the cutting down approach and go from there. If all these other guys can do it, I can do it too!!

[strawberryriddick]

To come at it from the other end, I went vegan overnight from being a "super omnivore" as I call it (I'd eat up to or over a pound of animal products at each of my 6 daily meals). I had no problems, and, in fact, felt better from day 1. My energy increased in a couple days, and my recovery time from workouts went back to pre-disability within a week (I initially went vegan to address a permanent disability I got while in the Marine Corps...no, veganism did not cure it, if anyone's asking that).

Each day, I only felt better. I never had a problem with fatigue, feeling drained, etc.. I attribute this to my approach to making a meal: I ask myself, "What can I add to make this more nutritious?" So many people go vegetarian or vegan just by cutting out animal products from their already shitty diet, leaving them with a shitty diet minus animal products. What did your diet look like before? What does the vegan version look like? You didn't post any sample days of your diet, so it's impossible to assess.

[soulrage25]

Ok, lets say oatmeal for breakfast, a serving of hemp seeds, an apple and a brown rice protein shake.
Snack, a power bar.
Lunch, rice beans, salad with quinoa, olive oil, carrots, and maybe another protein shake.
Snack, a banana
Supper, a protein shake, fruit, peanut butter sandwich.

[sift to the seven]

Hey, how's it going?

That looks like a good diet, i personally find it hard to stick with something once i plan it like that. I Hope its going well.

[soulrage25]

I am still gradually cutting down animal products. I am an A blood type and A's are supposed to be able to do well on a vegetarian diet.
Other things I have going on..... I have popping and cracking so to speak in my joints, flat arches but have special expensive insoles from a chiropractor which help a lot.
I used to take ritalin for adhd, am obviously not taking it and have been off of it for about 3 1/2 years now but still have problems, example, I feel like a zombie or a walking side effect, and have little sex drive and function.
I lost my job and live off of about $700 a month for the gym, food, bills, fuel in my vehicle, car repair..... so on. So, With limited resources, income, and money needed for joint supplements, and a stem cell product to hopefully repair neurotransmitter damage from ritalin. At this time it is difficult to focus on a completely vegan diet when the main worries I have are on fixing my brain, and comfort and repair for my joints.
I will try to at least be semi vegetarian for now, and obviously I need to take care of my main problems, which no one else understands unless you are in my body and walk a few miles in these shoes. When the storm is over and I am back on my feet, I will try to make a go of this vegan diet.
Later people's

[soulrage25]

Ok, pretty much had to switch to being vegan. Had some medical tests done, what they showed is that a crappy diet is not good. Let me explain, I had a parasite, my liver was stressed, and my spleen was slightly stressed. My EDS practicioner is a vegan and what she told me was all the reasons I needed to be vegan.
All I am wondering now is does being vegan affect testosterone levels or is it a myth? My medical doctor did not recommend a vegan diet but did not give much reason other than that it is not a "well rounded" diet which is bullshit since half the world is obese, trying to lose weight and full of toxins. He also said something about fat soluble vitamins?? What does that even mean?
Thanks

[Adena]

I don't see any reason at all why being a vegan would affect your testosterone levels. The silly stuff about soy giving you man boobs is false. I get a lot of health and nutrition information from http://www.veganhealth.org/ and http://jacknorrisrd.com/ if that helps any.

[soulrage25]

Yes that helps. I am guessing that the meat industry makes a killing and they are always looking for ways to target kids with milk and cheese commercials, people with fast food commercials, and slogans that talk about being manly by eating a half pound artery clogging burger. It would make sense that eating that way would kill your testosterone levels.
My EDS practicioner told me that before modernized farming methods came about, B-12 was readily available in top soil in all fruits and vegetables, so were the abundant supply of trace minerals, B-12 was available in old style well water because of bacterial fermentation, and other natural ways also.
She also told me about other countries eating grains and beans as a staple in their diet for sources of protein, and she talked a little about the China Study. Oh wait, she mentioned about how slaughter houses really operate, and the disease infested animals, hormones, and all kinds of other stuff. I just don't understand how people cannot want to be vegan.
Thanks for th einfo, I will be sure to check it out.

[soulrage25]

Here is a new diet example!!
Breakfast Oatmeal, almonds, hemp milk, banana, and flax sprinkles mixed together. A Rice protein shake 15 grams 41 grams protein

10:15 AM 15 gram rice protein shake. 56 grams protein

12:00 Lunch Cup of white rice, 1/2 yam, black beans, kale and lettuce. 22 grams protein 78 grams protein

1:00 PM 15 gram rice protein shake 93 grams protein

supper bowl of pasta, 1/2 sweet red pepper, lettuce, peanuts. 8 grams protein 101 grams protein

1 hour before sleep 15 gram rice protein shake natures way alive rice/pea protein shake 15 grams protein 131 grams protein total

I know it needs tweaking, and I only weigh 145 pounds so I might be able to cut down some of that protein since I don't bodybuild at this time.
Brian