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eimat
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Hi !

 

I am not (currently) a Vegan, or even a Vegetarian, although I've read a lot of stuff that would lead me to believe that this is the healthier way to eat, for myself and the planet. Unfortunately, every time I take a step in that direction, I end up listening to friends and relatives that are adamantly against the idea. So, here I am, 100 lbs overweight, on zantac (just switched from nexium) lactaid tabs, pepto bismal, anti-depressants and concerta (a slow release ritalin). I don't feel like I have enough energy to move without two cups of coffee. I've turned into a big blob.

 

Up until 2001 I used to go to L.A. Fitness after work and work out for hours, until I was too tired to continue, then swim until I was asked to leave. I was still fat, but I was hopeful. At 180 lbs, 5'7", size 8 - I could believe that with enough work I could eventually look and feel better.

 

I moved back to Canada in 2001 and had a much harder time finding a job than I anticipated. I've never actually been unemployed before. Finding a job became my first priority, (and re-learning business French) and I basically did no exercise. The crummy, frustrating, depressing jobs I took to "hold me over" until I got something good took any other remaining time. After 6 years, I got a job at Michaels (a craft store) - totally out of my field - making frames for art, and stocking shelves, and I had a great time. I stopped looking for a better paying gig. I was lifting lots of heavy boxes, making things with my hands, talking to nice people. Since I didn't have time to cook a meal, I'd re-use a litre yogurt container and pile it with green salad, sesame seeds, a little vinegar and whatever was around. All veggie stuff because I was suspicious of how much bacteria would accumulate in any egg/diary/meat products until lunch time. As I was running out the door I'd have my bagged lunch and a "shake" of water, a little juice and a spoonful of some powdered veggie stuff that had spirulina, and lots of other veggies in it. I got so healthy I actually (finally! - at 40) got pregnant. Then I started catching colds - a lot - and I couldn't lift anything over 5 lbs without endangering the baby. My doctor insisted I stop working. Instead I got another job where I could sit: data entry (yuck) and caught pneumonia. Finally, I had to give up, go home, stay in bed or at least take it easy, and take lots of antibiotics.

 

Bruno was born at 10.5 lbs, healthy and happy in Dec 2007. But I had ballooned up to 250. My lungs never really recovered. I've been using an inhaler, but not as often as I should (one of those things I really need to change). I became really sedentary. The worse I feel and look, the worse my self-esteem gets. I barely leave the house. Now I'm 264 lbs. This is awful. I want to start exercising again, but I really want it to *work* this time. I can put a lot of time and effort into it, years worth, but if I don't see good results, like getting down to a decent fat percentage, and having some more energy, I won't be able to stick with it forever.

 

Meat, dairy (esp. cheese) and eggs (esp. yolks) are very calorie dense. Staying under 2000 calories with these things in my diet leave me still hungry. My Dad is a beef farmer, so the meat I get from him, I don't have to be as suspicious of - I know these cattle are ``organic``, but this is still calorie dense, and I don't believe I'm doing my GIT any favours (I have IBS on top of everything else.)

 

I believe that if I change the way I eat I can clear up a lot of my health problems, or at least make them less bad, especially my weight. I need to figure out how to get enough protein, and B12 to stay healthy. And, I want to do all this surreptitiously at first, at least until I have some numbers on my side - concrete evidence in the form of blood test results, decreased meds, lower BMI etc. I need to make an effort not to get hung up on the scale (it's really depressing to see that dial go all the way around and back to 0) and just concentrate on getting healthy.

 

On the up side: My arms have been getting bigger from just lifting my son - he's now 40 lbs, and for the first time in my life I can do a real push up! OK, just one, but that's a start. My sister has equipment in her basement and yesterday I walked to her house and worked out for a bit. She's in the army and has to stay in shape. I'll go again on Saturday, and hope to eventually go every day. My husband starts work at 9:30, so if I can get back before 9 AM every day, there will be no static.

 

In the past I was never a ```hard gainer`` and put muscle on pretty quickly - it was burning the fat that was the hard part, but now I'm in my forties, so I know I have to be really committed to this to get anything done. If I don't discuss this with anyone here - my sister is not a proponent of abstaining from meat. ```You need protein`` she'll say. (I know I can eat beans and rice and get more protein without the fat and hormones.) And, I mentioned being proud of myself for doing 1 pushup properly last night to my husband and got a loud, long lecture about how I'm ultimately going to break my back and get no sympathy from anyone if I do it to myself. He says to just stick to bent knee push-ups. (What I call ```Girl push-ups``! Ugh - anyone can do those. I want to work up to doing 25+ *real* push-ups, from the plank position. How could this put stress on my *back*??!!!) I shouldn't let him get to me - but he's my husband, and it's a total downer to hear that he's against any part of this plan of mine. So, I need to keep my big trap shut. I feel kind of alone. I had no friends outside work - so now I have *no* friends aside from family members, and they are very close minded and critical. I will need some kind of support, and hoped to find some here.

 

I've joined some other weight loss groups in the last week but, of course, they all have their own ideas about what people should eat, so I'll take what works, and leave the rest. Ultimately, though, there's only so many hours in a day. I hope I've found the one forum that will replace time spent at all these other places that don't really fit.

 

Apologies for length. Thanks very much for maintaining an active vegan bodybuilding & fitness forum - I wish I'd found this sooner.

 

eimaT

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Hell of a story.

 

A few things to keep in mind:

 

1. You don't need as much protein to "survive" as most people think. Now if you are an athlete or trying to build muscle, that's a different story. A normal person who isn't into that kind of performance can get their daily protein from something like 5 almonds a day. Getting a ton of protein will just damage your kidneys and urinary tract if your body isn't using it for something. Plus meat carries the double edged sword known as Cholesterol. Plants don't have that problem.

 

2. Your family will obviously be concerned about any lifestyle changes you make that they haven't attempted to educate themselves about. You need to do what is right for you. Just because they believe they have your best interests in mind doesn't mean its correct.

 

3. You don't need milk. Babies need milk. You're not a baby.

 

4. You mentioned B12. Look for Nutritional Yeast, either online or in a health food store.

 

5. Take even this advice with a grain of salt. You've got to figure out what's best for you.

 

But welcome to the forum. I'm sure we're all glad to have you.

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4. You mentioned B12. Look for Nutritional Yeast, either online or in a health food store.

 

 

Just wanted to add - recently read an article about b12 in nutritional yeast. Red star and and twinlab are the only ones that carry b12 fortified nutritional yeast. B12 is also light sensitive so if its not in a black container than the b12 isn't going to do any good.

 

If you look for non-dairy enriched drinks though, many of those have 50% b12 per serving.

 

Personally, I take a vegan b12 suppliment daily just so i've got my bases covered.

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  • 2 weeks later...

4. You mentioned B12. Look for Nutritional Yeast, either online or in a health food store.

 

 

Just wanted to add - recently read an article about b12 in nutritional yeast. Red star and and twinlab are the only ones that carry b12 fortified nutritional yeast. B12 is also light sensitive so if its not in a black container than the b12 isn't going to do any good.

 

If you look for non-dairy enriched drinks though, many of those have 50% b12 per serving.

 

Personally, I take a vegan b12 suppliment daily just so i've got my bases covered.

 

Good job, I do that too! I take a B12 sublingual tablet whenever I remember, and it's the ONLY vitamin I supplement with. I don't even have protein shakes after I work out, and I'm still gaining muscle. You're right on track, knowing that you can get enough protein and amino acids from whole grains and legumes.

 

Welcome to the forum. I hope you find it as encouraging as I have.

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Good job, I do that too! I take a B12 sublingual tablet whenever I remember, and it's the ONLY vitamin I supplement with. I don't even have protein shakes after I work out, and I'm still gaining muscle. You're right on track, knowing that you can get enough protein and amino acids from whole grains and legumes.

 

Welcome to the forum. I hope you find it as encouraging as I have.

 

holy cow ! I take a *lot* of vitamin supplements. We're talking major cash outlay here - and I can barely swallow these stupid things without wanting to barf (esp. the B complex one - that stinks). Maybe I should just forget about them for a while and see if I feel any different.

 

Thanks everyone for the support & info.

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Gentle Care Formula Vegan Vitamins. Has b-12 in a non cyano-form. as far as BMI, and glucose leves, I'm going to cut and post a research article I just reviewed for my anatomy class.

 

B-12 is really important to supplement, lack of it isn't evident right away but more years down the road. Lack of it will lead to nerve degeneration.

Edited by Jason Morris
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vegan group was significantly different from that of the

omnivore group (Appleby et al, 1999). The vegan group had

significantly higher intakes of carbohydrate, PUFA and NSP

and significantly lower intakes of protein, SFA and a lower

overall GI(GLYCEMIC INDEX). Similar intake profiles have been reported by

others (Appleby et al, 1999). The nutrient profile of the vegan

diet would be expected to be less atherogenic than the

omnivore intake (Dwyer, 1988; Appleby et al, 1999), and the

biochemical profile of the vegan subjects substantiates this

hypothesis. The vegan subjects were found to have signifi-

cantly lower triacylglycerol levels and fasting glucose con-

centrations when compared to omnivore controls and a

trend towards a lower total cholesterol level. The MRS of the

plasma lipoproteins demonstrates that there was a signifi-

cantly lower amount of total triacylglycerol carried in the

lipoprotein particles of the vegan group, and the triacylgly-

cerol in the lipoprotein particles, when controlled for the

total amount of fat in the vegans’ diets, had a higher amount

of unsaturated fat; again supporting a less atherogenic (blood vessel hardening)

picture in the vegans. Also of note is the lower systolic

blood pressure, an observation which has been reported

elsewhere (Dwyer, 1988; Key et al, 1999a). These findings are

supported in other larger cohorts where vegan/vegetarian

cohorts were shown to be at a lower atherogenic risk

(Appleby et al, 1999). It has to be remembered that these

observations are made in two well-matched healthy cohorts,

and may further emphasise the positive observations made

in the vegan group.

In this study, we used an indirect method of assessing

insulin sensitivity. The HOMA has been shown by others to

have a close correlation with insulin sensitivity measured

through the hyperinsulinaemic glucose clamp (Hermans

et al, 1999). In our study, we were not able to demonstrate a

significant difference in HOMA %S between vegans and

omnivore controls. However, we did detect a significantly

improved beta-cell function (HOMA %B) in the vegan

subjects, which is suggested to be protective against type II

diabetes (van Haeften, 2002). If we consider, in addition, the

lower plasma triacylglycerols and fasting glucose concentra-

tions that were found in the vegan cohort, it would suggest

that veganism may be protective for the beta-cell and

decrease the risk of diabetes. Such an hypothesis is supported

by the data showing a lower incidence of type II diabetes in

vegan subjects compared to meat-eaters (Dwyer, 1988; Key

et al, 1999b).

It is of interest that the soleus muscle had a significantly

lower IMCL in the vegan cohort compared to omnivores.

The soleus muscle fibres, in the main, are oxidative muscle

fibres and therefore a major site of glucose metabolism. If

lipid storage in myocytes has effects on glucose disposal and

insulin sensitivity, then a decrease in IMCL in the soleus

muscle should have a major effect on insulin sensitivity.

However, similar findings to ours have been previously

reported in which subjects who are predisposed to insulin

resistance have increased IMCL compared to healthy con-

trols; however, no difference is measured in their insulin

sensitivity (Szczepaniak et al, 1999). Their increased deposi-

tion of IMCL appears to occur prior to a measurable demise

in their insulin sensitivity. McGarry discusses this finding in

his 2001 Banting Lecture and proposes that the lipotoxicity

that is occurring in the muscles, liver and pancreas of these

‘at risk’ individuals is what predisposes and causes the beta-

cell failure that characterises type II diabetes (McGarry,

2002).

Similarly, in cohorts of teenage children whose parents

have conditions related to insulin resistance compared to

teenagers whose parents do not, higher levels of IMCL have

been observed before detectable changes in insulin sensitiv-

ity (Jacob et al, 1999). It is possible that the lower circulating

TG and the high ratio of polyunsaturated fat in the vegan

volunteers played a role in the lower IMCL values. It is

possible that high background IMCL levels are the initial

metabolic abnormality that initiates insulin resistance, when

the person is exposed to an adverse environment such as an

excessive energy intake. The observations that beta-cell

function appears increased in the vegan volunteers is of

interest and it could be argued that it fits in with McGarry’s

theory of lower circulating TAG and higher polyunsaturated

fatty acid ratio having positive effects on beta-cell function

(McGarry, 2002).

Our results support the hypothesis that chronic changes in

nutritional intake, specifically fat and carbohydrate, lead to

changes in IMCL and beta-cell function. The higher intake of

low GI carbohydrates, low intake of saturated fat and higher

intake of polyunsaturated fat lead to an improved beta-cell

function and a low level of IMCL, which would be expected

to reduce the risk of the insulin resistance syndrome. The

nonsignificant differences in traditional lipid risk factors are

possibly due to the well-matched control group; it is also

possible that at high levels of BMI, the observations between

the groups may be greater.

In conclusion, we have demonstrated that the vegans have

a food intake and a biochemical profile that will be expected

to be cardioprotective and that veganism is beta-cell (insulin producing cell)

protective.

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the MRC and Philips

(Cleveland, OH, USA) for their assistance during this study.

We would also like to thank Ms Cherie Tong for her help

with the vegan dietary analysis.

References

Albano JD, Ekins RP, Maritz G & Turner RC (1972): A sensitive,

precise radioimmunoassay of serum insulin relying on charcoal

separation of bound and free hormone moieties. Acta. Endocrinol.

70, 487–509.

Appleby PN, Thorogood M, Mann JI & Key TJ (1999): The Oxford

Vegetarian Study: an overview. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 70, 525S–531S.

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Thats a good recall on terminology, however in this context it is not referring to color. It is returning to small amounts of cyanide released, so if you already have high levels of cyanide from smoking, or second hand smoke this can be not as healthy to supplement.

 

That said the best/most efficient form is methylcobalamin(b12). I'd suggest googling the difference between the two.

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Hi !

 

I am not (currently) a Vegan, or even a Vegetarian, although I've read a lot of stuff that would lead me to believe that this is the healthier way to eat, for myself and the planet. Unfortunately, every time I take a step in that direction, I end up listening to friends and relatives that are adamantly against the idea. So, here I am, 100 lbs overweight, on zantac (just switched from nexium) lactaid tabs, pepto bismal, anti-depressants and concerta (a slow release ritalin). I don't feel like I have enough energy to move without two cups of coffee. I've turned into a big blob.

 

Wait, so you're a 100lbs overweight, on all kinds of medications, and have no naturaly energy, and being a *vegan* is the unhealthy lifestyle? People drive me nuts sometimes.

Up until 2001 I used to go to L.A. Fitness after work and work out for hours, until I was too tired to continue, then swim until I was asked to leave. I was still fat, but I was hopeful. At 180 lbs, 5'7", size 8 - I could believe that with enough work I could eventually look and feel better.

Size eight isn't exactly fat, but that's okay. And you can still feel better, and be healthier.

I moved back to Canada in 2001 and had a much harder time finding a job than I anticipated. I've never actually been unemployed before. Finding a job became my first priority, (and re-learning business French) and I basically did no exercise. The crummy, frustrating, depressing jobs I took to "hold me over" until I got something good took any other remaining time. After 6 years, I got a job at Michaels (a craft store) - totally out of my field - making frames for art, and stocking shelves, and I had a great time. I stopped looking for a better paying gig. I was lifting lots of heavy boxes, making things with my hands, talking to nice people. Since I didn't have time to cook a meal, I'd re-use a litre yogurt container and pile it with green salad, sesame seeds, a little vinegar and whatever was around. All veggie stuff because I was suspicious of how much bacteria would accumulate in any egg/diary/meat products until lunch time. As I was running out the door I'd have my bagged lunch and a "shake" of water, a little juice and a spoonful of some powdered veggie stuff that had spirulina, and lots of other veggies in it. I got so healthy I actually (finally! - at 40) got pregnant. Then I started catching colds - a lot - and I couldn't lift anything over 5 lbs without endangering the baby. My doctor insisted I stop working. Instead I got another job where I could sit: data entry (yuck) and caught pneumonia. Finally, I had to give up, go home, stay in bed or at least take it easy, and take lots of antibiotics.

e-hugs, I'm sorry

Bruno was born at 10.5 lbs, healthy and happy in Dec 2007. But I had ballooned up to 250. My lungs never really recovered. I've been using an inhaler, but not as often as I should (one of those things I really need to change). I became really sedentary. The worse I feel and look, the worse my self-esteem gets. I barely leave the house. Now I'm 264 lbs. This is awful. I want to start exercising again, but I really want it to *work* this time. I can put a lot of time and effort into it, years worth, but if I don't see good results, like getting down to a decent fat percentage, and having some more energy, I won't be able to stick with it forever.

You say you can't stick with it forever, but you're not going to see instant results. It does take time. And patience. Definitely if you're not seeing results in 6 weeks, try another plan. I look at this paragraph, and I see a lot of "buts" and "wants". It's not about that. it's about "Needs" and "Cans" Because you NEED to lose weight, and you CAN do it.

Meat, dairy (esp. cheese) and eggs (esp. yolks) are very calorie dense. Staying under 2000 calories with these things in my diet leave me still hungry. My Dad is a beef farmer, so the meat I get from him, I don't have to be as suspicious of - I know these cattle are ``organic``, but this is still calorie dense, and I don't believe I'm doing my GIT any favours (I have IBS on top of everything else.)

You don't need dairy, and eggs, and meat. My father was 309lbs, he is now 180lbs at 51 years old, he used to have stomach problems, not anymore. He used to feel sick, lacked energy, not anymore. Meat, and dairy, and eggs no matter how "organic" or how you package them are still cholesterol laden time bombs waiting to explode your insides.

I believe that if I change the way I eat I can clear up a lot of my health problems, or at least make them less bad, especially my weight. I need to figure out how to get enough protein, and B12 to stay healthy. And, I want to do all this surreptitiously at first, at least until I have some numbers on my side - concrete evidence in the form of blood test results, decreased meds, lower BMI etc. I need to make an effort not to get hung up on the scale (it's really depressing to see that dial go all the way around and back to 0) and just concentrate on getting healthy.

Protein is the opposite of a problem, as most americans consume WAY too much of it, until it actually harms you on the inside. for B12 you can take a supplement (do research so you're not just taking pills that rot in your intestines), I drink a juice called Vitajuice by RW Knudsen and it has 100% of 12 vitamins I need, and it's digested and absorbed in a snap.

On the up side: My arms have been getting bigger from just lifting my son - he's now 40 lbs, and for the first time in my life I can do a real push up! OK, just one, but that's a start. My sister has equipment in her basement and yesterday I walked to her house and worked out for a bit. She's in the army and has to stay in shape. I'll go again on Saturday, and hope to eventually go every day. My husband starts work at 9:30, so if I can get back before 9 AM every day, there will be no static.

That's awesome. And I wouldn't go every day, you need one or two days off for your muscles to recoup and heal.

In the past I was never a ```hard gainer`` and put muscle on pretty quickly - it was burning the fat that was the hard part, but now I'm in my forties, so I know I have to be really committed to this to get anything done. If I don't discuss this with anyone here - my sister is not a proponent of abstaining from meat. ```You need protein`` she'll say. (I know I can eat beans and rice and get more protein without the fat and hormones.) And, I mentioned being proud of myself for doing 1 pushup properly last night to my husband and got a loud, long lecture about how I'm ultimately going to break my back and get no sympathy from anyone if I do it to myself. He says to just stick to bent knee push-ups. (What I call ```Girl push-ups``! Ugh - anyone can do those. I want to work up to doing 25+ *real* push-ups, from the plank position. How could this put stress on my *back*??!!!) I shouldn't let him get to me - but he's my husband, and it's a total downer to hear that he's against any part of this plan of mine. So, I need to keep my big trap shut. I feel kind of alone. I had no friends outside work - so now I have *no* friends aside from family members, and they are very close minded and critical. I will need some kind of support, and hoped to find some here.

You need to tell him to STFU. It's your body, and you're life and he is being detrimental to your self esteem and he has NO right. He is supposed to be your supporter, and your partner. And as for your sister, if this is the one with the exercise equipment, I would just as soon not go there and do stuff either at home, or at the gym. Or outside, it's almost summer

I've joined some other weight loss groups in the last week but, of course, they all have their own ideas about what people should eat, so I'll take what works, and leave the rest. Ultimately, though, there's only so many hours in a day. I hope I've found the one forum that will replace time spent at all these other places that don't really fit.

I hope so too

 

 

My name's Taylor, I'm a Vegan Personal Trainer. If you have any questions feel free to email me at [email protected] or call me any time, you can get my number if you email asking for it.

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Thank you for your time and input, Lyric. I need to tell a lot of people to STFU. (Most of all my inner critic, of course.)

 

So far, I've joined "The Running Room" walking clinics (my sister signed me up) and have been working up to doing 10,000 steps per day. I find this (rapid walking) seems to be the best thing for my back - and the most strenuous cardio I can do right now. My weight lifting has been limited to my sister's basement, and she's in exams right now, so that will be on hold till next week..... well - I can still lift my son. I could probably get creative, and keep him entertained at the same time... hmmm....

 

I'm using my inhaler less - not avoiding using it, just not needing it, lately. Also, generally getting out of the house more.

 

I'm not looking for quick fixes, or anything magical. I know I can lose the weight - I've done it 3x before, and it takes time and effort. I just want to avoid the heartbreak of putting it all back on again, and I'm convinced that becoming a vegan, putting on some more muscle, and continuing to work on cardio and endurance is the mostly likely route to maintaining a healthier BMI.

 

I did finally tell my sister what I was thinking of doing. I'd like to give myself a birthday present (I have a b-day coming up next week) of going vegan. She wasn't against it for any health/nutritional reasons -she thinks that it's too big a step, and that I should set attainable goals. She believes that if I switch to vegan eating 100% really quickly, instead of making a gradual change, that I'm going to feel awful. While I think that it's possible that I might end up 'detoxing' - how bad could that be? A few weeks ago I felt horrible - how would switching to eating vegan make me feel worse?

 

Well, I've been off the wagon, as it were, and after typing this I feel I won't have any problems going back to eating healthy, living food, right now, right this minute. I need to tell anyone who tells me to do things differently to stick it. (Or smile, and say "thanks for sharing" maybe?) Ok, I need to get a spine.

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I went to 100% Vegan after watching 'Earthlings' http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6361872964130308142#

 

I was really hungry the first week, I couldn't eat enough. I would eat, and feel full, then be painful hungry two hours later, but that changed. I dunno if I just learned how to eat, or if my body was going OMG OMG OMG. Probably both. You can do it. You *can* do it. I usually hit people with facts. Like fat people that are clearly unhealthy who tell me being a Vegan is unhealthy (that drives me INSANE). I used to be fat. I'm not anymore, and it wasn't ice cream and chips that got me where i am, It was broccoli and carrots lol.

 

I'm sorry if I may have seemed a little bit harsh on my first post, i didn't meant to

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Lyric: re: "harsh"

 

No problem. (What the heck - *they* won't be reading this, right?)

 

Actually, it's nice to feel like someone is on my side, and sticking up for me. Thank you.

 

I will check out the Earthlings video when I get a private moment, which might be after the holiday weekend (hubby's off till Tuesday.)

 

I am refraining from eating dead people (animals are people, too, really. Human beings are a kind of animal - from the primate family. Seeing it this way really makes it easier for me.) Now I need to kick the artifical sweeteners (spenda and aspartame.)

 

Tamie

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Lyric: re: "harsh"

 

No problem. (What the heck - *they* won't be reading this, right?)

 

Actually, it's nice to feel like someone is on my side, and sticking up for me. Thank you.

 

I will check out the Earthlings video when I get a private moment, which might be after the holiday weekend (hubby's off till Tuesday.)

 

I am refraining from eating dead people (animals are people, too, really. Human beings are a kind of animal - from the primate family. Seeing it this way really makes it easier for me.) Now I need to kick the artifical sweeteners (spenda and aspartame.)

 

Tamie

 

I saw a show on PBS the other night about monkeys, some mourned their dead and had a language ever bit as intricate as humans, it was AMAZING to watch.

 

I use agave nectar to sweeten things like tea and such, its pricey so I dont use much of it, but its delicious.

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@ Lyric: re: agave nectar

 

I will have to try that !

 

Right now I have some apple juice in the fridge, and I'll put a little in my tea.

 

Chocolate Bunny day with Bruno's Grandparents/Grand Aunts/Uncles coming up (all weekend, really.) I will have to reread your STFU post a few times before heading out. I plan on just smiling and saying "no thank you" and "I don't feel like it" if pressed for a reason. It's weird, I have 2 cousins who have been vegetarian for many years, but no one bugs them. I get offered alcohol (I haven't had a drink for almost 10 years) and sea food (allergic) etc. all the time, with arguements. "Just try it," etc. (Husband's family is actually much more tolerant.) Oh, well. With any luck my will power really will get stronger with exercise.

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I wanted to reply to your post Your story is not so different than so many North Americans. You are not in the minority. I think taking a look at *why* you want to move towards veganism is important. How do you feel about the ethical side of things? That is what keeps me on track in addition to the health aspect. I know I feel strongly about my ethics so it makes choosing foods easier for me.

 

It sounds like you are active again which is wonderful. I think many women don't make time for themselves especially after marriage and children. Now is the time to do that, you'll be showing your child a great example of health. Depending on drugs is not a fun way to live from the sounds of it.

 

I personally have never given 2 hoots about what anyone says about how I eat. I used to eat and diet strictly to compete so I'm used to it. I think the less information you share about what you are doing the better off you are.

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Lyric: re: "harsh"

 

No problem. (What the heck - *they* won't be reading this, right?)

 

Actually, it's nice to feel like someone is on my side, and sticking up for me. Thank you.

 

I will check out the Earthlings video when I get a private moment, which might be after the holiday weekend (hubby's off till Tuesday.)

 

I am refraining from eating dead people (animals are people, too, really. Human beings are a kind of animal - from the primate family. Seeing it this way really makes it easier for me.) Now I need to kick the artifical sweeteners (spenda and aspartame.)

 

Tamie

 

I saw a show on PBS the other night about monkeys, some mourned their dead and had a language ever bit as intricate as humans, it was AMAZING to watch.

 

I use agave nectar to sweeten things like tea and such, its pricey so I dont use much of it, but its delicious.

 

Not to step on your toes or anything, but there's a lot of info out there about how agave nectar is just as bad for you as high fructose corn syrup. I think the most important thing is to train oneself to have less of a sweet tooth, haha. (It's pretty hard for me, so lately I've just been doing a cheat day thing. I allow some pancakes and cookies and stuff like that on Saturday and Sunday, but that's about it!)

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Lyric: re: "harsh"

 

No problem. (What the heck - *they* won't be reading this, right?)

 

Actually, it's nice to feel like someone is on my side, and sticking up for me. Thank you.

 

I will check out the Earthlings video when I get a private moment, which might be after the holiday weekend (hubby's off till Tuesday.)

 

I am refraining from eating dead people (animals are people, too, really. Human beings are a kind of animal - from the primate family. Seeing it this way really makes it easier for me.) Now I need to kick the artifical sweeteners (spenda and aspartame.)

 

Tamie

 

I saw a show on PBS the other night about monkeys, some mourned their dead and had a language ever bit as intricate as humans, it was AMAZING to watch.

 

I use agave nectar to sweeten things like tea and such, its pricey so I dont use much of it, but its delicious.

 

Not to step on your toes or anything, but there's a lot of info out there about how agave nectar is just as bad for you as high fructose corn syrup. I think the most important thing is to train oneself to have less of a sweet tooth, haha. (It's pretty hard for me, so lately I've just been doing a cheat day thing. I allow some pancakes and cookies and stuff like that on Saturday and Sunday, but that's about it!)

 

You're not, sugar really is just sugar, which is why you should never use much of it.

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