The Entrepreneur Forum | Financial Freedom | Starting a Business | Motivation | Money | Success

Welcome to the only entrepreneur forum dedicated to building life-changing wealth.

Build a Fastlane business. Earn real financial freedom. Join free.

Join over 80,000 entrepreneurs who have rejected the paradigm of mediocrity and said "NO!" to underpaid jobs, ascetic frugality, and suffocating savings rituals— learn how to build a Fastlane business that pays both freedom and lifestyle affluence.

Free registration at the forum removes this block.

Vegan / Vegetarians Only (Chat about lifestyle, opportunities, food, whatever...)

Intax

Bronze Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
161%
Nov 27, 2016
180
290
26
Munich, Germany
For those of you who live vegan:
Do you take any supplements(like B12)? I hear a lot of different things. Some say you will naturally consume it if you eat unwashed vegetables from time to time and some say that you will get really sick after some time if you won't supplement it.

What are your experiences?
 
D

Deleted74925

Guest
Switched to veganism in January of this year. I've noticed massive improvements in mood and energy levels. I don't consider myself a "vegan", but I say this at restaurants or when eating out because it's a convenient way of letting others know what I'm going to eat. I think of it more as just making good health choices.

A method that worked for me was reading this book by Tom Brady's nutrition coach, Alex Guerro. If are not familiar with American football, Tom Brady is 42 years old and is still one of the best quarterbacks in the league. He has very low injuries, has set many all-time records, and he attributes much of his success to Alex. This book provides a comprehensive overview of health, eating, exercise, and hydration. It talks about the importance of balancing the body's Ph by eating 80% alkali 20% acidic foods.

I used urine ph test strips to track progress for about 30 days. Score went from 5.5 to 6.0. This gave me a mental "benchmark" to aim for, which was helpful. Ideally, this should be in the 6.5 - 7.5 range. I still have a ways to go, as my health habits are far from perfect!

In Balance for Life: Understanding and Maximizing Your Body's pH Factor: Guerrero, Alex: 9780757002649: Amazon.com: Books

Routine:

* I did the 11-day cleanse vegan diet. The book provides healthy vegan recipies and an eating schedule.
* No fruit... Only banana, grape fruit occasionally.
* No meat, milk or dairy, chocolate, sugar, low salt, etc. Basically, raw foods, nuts, grains, and lots of fruits and vegetibles
* Green drink + 20 oz of water immediately after waking up
* Exercising every day
* Drinking lots of water. Brita filtered water with added lemon juice/apple cider vineger/limes nuetralizes the Ph. Alternatively, I drink purified bottled water.


Advantages
- Insane energy levels
- Better sleep
- I now really enjoy healthy food! It's amazing to have cravings for fresh vegetables
- Reducing sugar lowered my stress and anxiety

Disadvantages
- More expensive. I'm spending 50% more on groceries.
- Mentally tough. Requires meditation/exercise/other healthy habits. It's not possible for me to just focus on diet.
- Lost 15 lbs (over several months, not just the 11 days). I've had to find new ways of getting enough protein. Currently working on this.
- Watch out for binge eating or emotional eating! There were days when I would eat half a jar of peanut butter.

Update:
Just watched "Forks over knives". Highly recomemnded. The food industry is in the business of selling chemicals! This will help to make my diet choices easier. Change the mindset first through education and then healthy eating will follow.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

MJ DeMarco

I followed the science; all I found was money.
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
445%
Jul 23, 2007
38,083
169,517
Utah
Do you take any supplements(like B12)? I hear a lot of different things. Some say you will naturally consume it if you eat unwashed vegetables from time to time and some say that you will get really sick after some time if you won't supplement it.

What are your experiences?

My last blood work had my B12 on the high side.

That said, I do take pre-workout supplements before gym visits which is fortified with B12.

I'm also afflicted with MTHFR which requires a B12 supplementation in the form of methylcobalamin -- I have to avoid cyanocobalamin like the plague.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Tethys

Contributor
FASTLANE INSIDER
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
177%
May 28, 2020
13
23
Chicago
If anyone needs any vegan meal ideas check out The How Not to Die Cookbook by Dr. Michael Greger. I bought it a few weeks ago and I've already made quite a few meals. There is an amazing Lentil Shepards Pie and Mac and Cheese recipe. Also- I never realized how awesome nutritional yeast is! It gives things that cheesy umami flavor.
 

Saavedra

Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
92%
Aug 4, 2013
84
77
For those of you who live vegan:
Do you take any supplements(like B12)? I hear a lot of different things. Some say you will naturally consume it if you eat unwashed vegetables from time to time and some say that you will get really sick after some time if you won't supplement it.

What are your experiences?

Seems some people inject it?

Can you compete with big pharma on supplements for vegans? What is the profit margin?
 
Last edited by a moderator:

unaided

Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
140%
Mar 5, 2011
60
84
38
Scottsdale, AZ
there's subniches that can be important from a marketing avatar perspective when it comes to allergies, not just morality or science arguments for/against eating meat

vegetarians AND non-vegetarians who don't want to eat milk/cheese and/or eggs will buy "vegan" or look for it on a menu and customize from there by adding meat of their choice etc. It doesn't necessarily mean they're inherently against eating animals but its a good filter to stay away from hidden sources of dairy or eggs when they have an allergy.

If someone is gluten free, there's a higher chance they're dairy-free too, and because these foods are naturally addictive and palatable, companies like to keep at least one of them in the food. This means GF and DF options are lacking. GF is obvious on most menus at this point, but for those simultaneously DF, we look for "vegan" not because we dislike animals but we're trying to avoid hidden cheese/butter, etc.

I think there's opportunity for providing more GF/DF combined options. Big grocery stores may not be able to devote shelf space to foods that only appeal to subpopulations, so they offer products that are one or the other when it comes to GF/DF - but restaurants, online grocery, bakeries who want GF/DF options may find they'll expand their customer base, or reach an untapped market by having a few more options or communicating the substitution options more clearly on the menu with these concerns in mind.

There's a "healthy" bakery in central Phoenix called Urban Cookie Bakeshop that offers gluten-free and vegan donuts that rotate flavors seasonally, they also offer a gluten-free dairy free cookie, and a GF/DF cupake and because of the subniching, we are willing to travel 25 minutes one way for a treat on a weekend or to celebrate an occasion. They offer mainstream stuff too as a general rule but they're sure to include these other options.. It's still not Celiac friendly as it's not a dedicated GF kitchen but it gives some options to a wider base of allergy-conscious individuals and that attention is important. Coffee shops may have a GF cookie or brownie that still contains milk, or a vegan pastry that's still wheat...having at least one GF/DF pastry can boost upsells for any business like that.

Picazzos in Arizona is a gluten-free pizza and Italian restaurant that caters to keto, gluten free, dairy free, vegan, non-vegan, and vegetarian and have been able to build some 5 locations with their model and they end up getting a LOT of regulars because there's only a few places you can have those needs met when eating outside of the home. Because it's pizza and Italian - they get a good amount of mainstream folks too.

Some vegan and vegetarian places hurt themselves by being a little too self-righteous, but and I think should offer some real chicken/real steak options for those that want it but I guess that can be wishful thinking but I've seen it done well - there's lots of families that are mixed eaters where the wife or a kid has an allergy, morality, or other concern but they need a place the whole family can enjoy. I like vegetarian restaurants to try new takes on things and some new flavors, but I'm not a regular because I'd like at least the option to throw some meat into certain dishes. Often I go out because I just had a workout, I don't want to eat "crap" but I'm tired to make something myself - but then the options quickly get limited.

Smoothie places often use whey protein as an add-on for protein and this also blocks the DF folks who otherwise might be vegetarian etc - the fix is a neutral-flavored vegetarian protein like pea protein/hemp/rice protein blend etc as an option and the companies that offer the option get the extra business and upsells.

Much of the vegetarian craze also came from the low cholesterol craze of the late 90's/2000's where meat = saturated fat = high cholesterol = proposed health problems, and that has since been changed and adapted with research through 2000's and culminating with the 2015 US dietary guidelines (30-year statin drug patents ended in 2012).

My point is another marketing angle....many middle-age/older vegetarian converts are still cholesterol-concerned, whereas the younger generation of vegetarians are more of environmental charged/animal welfare or Plant-based eating and not so much concerned about cholesterol in my opinion. Or, thy'ey do it for periods of time to cleanse, or "meat-free monday's" etc.

Just some random thoughts for those that might be in a business the discussion relates.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.
Last edited:

unaided

Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
140%
Mar 5, 2011
60
84
38
Scottsdale, AZ
As for health opportunities...

Fish oil source (Krill, Flax, ALA - genetic testing on how well you convert from plant sources), B12, Zinc, Iron, pre-formed Vitamin A (eggs, liver, cod liver oil, and other supplements - not everyone converts plant sourced beta-carotene to vitamin A very well genetically and would be at risk here if vegetarian), Vitamin D (converting plant-based D2 to D3 is also an example where many do not do it very efficiently), and complete amino acids are the concerns that come to mind most nutritionally for vegetarians.

Too much dependence on soy, corn, wheat, too many grains associated with their own issues and also high sugar. Juicing also popular gets rid of the fiber and can be like drinking a soda or orange juice with sugar content - and mainstream juice recipes are often predominantly high-sugar juices and not as much the dark greens/ginger/turmeric/beet root type mixes. So opportunity for prebiotic (inulin, PHGG, arabinogalactan, oligosaccharides, etc) supplements adding back some of this that may be lost.
 

MTF

Never give up
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
455%
May 1, 2011
7,560
34,430
I've been vegetarian for 12-13 years (don't remember exactly) and recently decided to become vegan (July 30 to be exact).

At first I just wanted to experiment and implement a full plant-based diet for health and athletic reasons.

Then I started reading about the problems of the dairy and egg industry. I was appalled that by being a vegetarian I still caused a lot of animal suffering. I wasn't aware of the horrible reality and thought that veganism was too difficult (particularly in the sport context) and vegetarianism was enough. But I found some examples of successful vegan athletes (particularly Tia Blanco, a vegan surfer who promotes the vegan lifestyle) and decided to give it a try.

I used to buy organic eggs ("0" in European Union) and was so sad to learn about chick culling and debeaking.

Then I learned about the horrible reality of daily suffering of dairy cows, the constant impregnation, the separation of calves from their mothers (and subsequent slaughter), and the slaughter of "spent" cows.

I wasn't aware of any of it so it was easy to think that just by skipping meat I wasn't contributing to the problem. Now that I know the horrible reality it's extremely unlikely I'll ever eat any animal products again.

And yes, I'm so convinced of it that I can say that after only a week and a half being vegan. I refuse to hurt even tiny insects and I don't want to contribute to any type of animal suffering and exploitation. This makes veganism the only logical choice to cause as little impact as possible. It's also the only way I can feel congruent with my values.

The fact that I can actually improve my health through implementing this lifestyle change (as evidenced by many sources, including Game Changers and Dr. Greger's work) is only a great bonus.
 

MJ DeMarco

I followed the science; all I found was money.
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
445%
Jul 23, 2007
38,083
169,517
Utah
was so sad to learn about chick culling and debeaking.

Then I learned about the horrible reality of daily suffering of dairy cows, the constant impregnation, the separation of calves from their mothers (and subsequent slaughter), and the slaughter of "spent" cows.

Now that I know the horrible reality it's extremely unlikely I'll ever eat any animal products again.

Pretty much sums up my decision that I made 3+ years ago. . . my decision was 75% on the humanitarian side, 25% health (the health aspect is still debatable of course).

I refuse to hurt even tiny insects and I don't want to contribute to any type of animal suffering and exploitation.

I do my best but sometimes it will drive you insane if you take it to the extreme. I find myself saving bees drowning in the pool, tossing scorpions out of the house (instead of shoeing them) and other stuff that borders neurosis.

I try to maintain perspective on a universal scale, if any of these insects were found on Mars (or the Moon) it would be the greatest discovery of humanity. Of course, agriculture itself kills a lot a life so again, it can get pretty neurotic.

Thank you for sharing your story.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

ronczka

New Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
240%
Aug 1, 2019
5
12
Australia
The fact that I can actually improve my health through implementing this lifestyle change (as evidenced by many sources, including Game Changers and Dr. Greger's work) is only a great bonus.

Another great set of books to check out with regards to veganism and plant based living with a heavy science basis are:

  • Whole by T. Colin Campbell, PHD
  • The Starch Solution by John A. McDougall, MD
  • The China Study by T. Colin Campbell, PHD & Thomas M. Campbell II, MD
  • How not to die by Dr. Greger
  • How not to diet by Dr. Greger
Be warned that "The China Study" is super dense with specific insights into how plant-based dietary changes affect a whole range of health conditions in detail with examples. And any book by Dr Greger is crazy referenced and detailed.

Background on myself, been vegan for 2+ years and 1 year prior to that of being plant-based. I wasn't fully down with the animal welfare side of things till I did more reading and watched Dominion. That change everything for me personally, not for the faint of heart. The wife was trailblazer with regards to the change over from omni diet & lifestyle.
 

MTF

Never give up
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
455%
May 1, 2011
7,560
34,430
@ronczka, thanks for the book recommendations. I read both Greger's books (okay, I stopped reading How Not to Diet after 1000000 pages of scientific references I just couldn't read anymore).

I'm most interested in reading about veganism and peak fitness performance. I'm now even tempted to write a book myself (about veganism and surfers).

Background on myself, been vegan for 2+ years and 1 year prior to that of being plant-based. I wasn't fully down with the animal welfare side of things till I did more reading and watched Dominion. That change everything for me personally, not for the faint of heart. The wife was trailblazer with regards to the change over from omni diet & lifestyle.

There's no way I would be able to watch it (or any other similar documentary). I was completely appalled after merely reading about abuses in Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer (by the way, I fully agree with one review saying that it settles on the safest possible non-conclusion). I saw one short video showing a calf being separated from the mother and being taken to the slaughterhouse and it was already too much for me even though it wasn't violent, just heart-breaking.

A question for @MJ DeMarco and anyone else who's vegan and is investing in public stocks - what's your approach to being a shareholder in companies that might contribute to the abuse? I'm not talking about investing in meat companies but food companies in general that use animal products, say Nestle, Unilever, or General Mills?
 

ronczka

New Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
240%
Aug 1, 2019
5
12
Australia
There's no way I would be able to watch it (or any other similar documentary).

I find that Dominion is more a documentary for people on the fence about trying veganism or like myself were plant-based but held low priority for animal welfare beyond not consuming animal-based foods or products. The first 15 minutes of Dominion is heavy with the overview of methodology that is taken with pigs and the production of products made with their corpses.

I *almost nope'd out of watching more after the carbon monoxide gas chamber section, I didn't even know it was a method of dispatching them & that is coming from someone that grew up with exposure to liveleak style content before it got more ceensored.

So to recap, there is little to gain from watching Dominion or related films if you're already vegan. It just adds to the mental load for most people, when they're trying to live a low harm lifestyle.

For vegan related peak fitness performance content, look at Brian Turner's YouTube channel - his a vegan bodybuilder.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.
Last edited:

Timmy C

I Will Not Stop!
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
230%
Jun 12, 2018
2,921
6,727
Melbourne, Australia
I tried vegan for 2 months a while ago and couldn't do it.

Low energy.
I Ate twice as much as before.
Lethargic during workouts and martial arts training.

I literally couldn't physically finish classes because I thought I would pass out.

If I new how to fix it I would have stayed vegan.
 

ronczka

New Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
240%
Aug 1, 2019
5
12
Australia
Low energy.
I Ate twice as much as before.
Lethargic during workouts and martial arts training.

Quick question about your diet at the time, were you trying veganism as mainly plant-based or by using vegan substitute products that were mainly processed?

No shade intended but I found when I initially start converting over to a plant-based diet, one of my major "sins" was allowing in too many vegan products trying to replace animal products I was use to having. Made me feel like crap, heavy in the guts and cloudy.

When I focused on eating mostly whole-food plant-based, I felt so much better. Look into Dr Greger's YouTube channel and check out this plant -based diet playlist for some great overview information about targeted dietary intake requirements.

Additionally, my wife has been following Plantiful Kiki YouTube Channel who is starch based vegan, using Dr McDougall's work as a dietary basis.

And just a helpful tip I got was, if in doubt beans, rice, peas and corn, with a mexican style sauce will do in a pinch and man, do they kick your energy levels into high gear.
 

The-J

Dog Dad
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
264%
Aug 28, 2011
4,199
11,079
Ontario
My subjective experience:

Been vegetarian (no meat, no milk, no eggs) since March now.

Almost everything is the same with a few differences:
  • I need less caffeine in the morning.
  • My digestion is so much better. I'm actually regular!
  • Cardio seems to be a little easier.
Energy levels are slightly higher. Only slightly. Sleep hasn't changed (cannabis and caffeine impact sleep waaaay more than this diet ever has).

The biggest change is that I used to have stomach pains pretty much all the time. Now they're very rare.

I lost about 10 pounds in a month and have been the same weight since. This might explain the easier cardio.

I don't think there's anything special about vegetarian/vegan restrictions unless you have an intolerance unique to you. Similarly, some people will get a great benefit from not eating grains or vegetables because they're intolerant to certain plant proteins.

It turns out that I'm lactose intolerant and I don't digest fatty meat very well. The added digestion bonus is due to me replacing my protein with other protein sources that are higher in fiber.

So why would I cut out meat and eggs? After all, I'd get the same health benefit from simply eating leaner meats and more fiber.
  1. Environmental concerns. I've looked at the data, and it seems to conclude that eating meat is not sustainable for our environment as our population grows. We use a lot of water to grow plants to feed animals when we could just be using that water to grow plants for us to eat. The math doesn't add up: it just doesn't make sense.
  2. Animal welfare. I often say that I don't give a hoot about animals, but it's not true: I find killing animals to be a waste of life, and if I don't have to eat meat, then why should I engage in that practice? It just doesn't make sense.
  3. General wastefulness. It's easy to justify eating meat if you live in a culture that uses every last bit of the animal. Especially if you hunted that animal. Dry the flesh, prepare the organs, use the bones to make weapons, feed the marrow to the dogs, use the hide as clothing... but most of us don't eat the organs, and the bones just end up as feed for animals that probably shouldn't be eating them. There's a difference between giving a bone to a dog and putting the bone in feed for animals that don't typically eat bone. This is a weird argument and it's not an easy one to explain... but neither is defending one's desire to eat meat.
  4. Economic concerns. It's cheaper to eat rice and beans than it is to eat rice and chicken... but not just for ME. It's cheaper to produce beans than it is to produce chicken. A cheaper calorie contributes to an easier time feeding the world.
I get my protein from legumes, lentils, chickpeas, tofu, and grains. It's surprisingly easy to get large quantities of protein. Bulking is easy on a vegetarian diet: you just gotta be careful with the amount of fiber you're eating. However, I'd posit that cutting on a vegetarian diet would be extremely difficult since every protein source is also a source of either carbs, fat, or both. Maybe bodybuilders shouldn't be vegetarian.

Ultimately, this was a test. I wanted to see what one month of being on this diet would do to me. Now it's been 5 months, going on 6. Yes, I crave meat sometimes, but only when I'm hungry. They tend to go away. If it's REALLY bad, then I'll get a meat substitute and that solves the problem. I don't like eating a lot of fake meat though.

Not a doctor or dietitian, do your own research
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

MJ DeMarco

I followed the science; all I found was money.
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
445%
Jul 23, 2007
38,083
169,517
Utah
I tried vegan for 2 months a while ago and couldn't do it.

Did you go junk food vegan? My first few months was a shitshow. I replaced meat and cheese with meat and cheese replacements. Fast food with fast food replacement. In other words, I started eating more processed food. I ended up gaining weight and not feeling any better. Once I went truly plant based and my palate changed, things fell into place.

The good/bad news is, the industrial world is catching up to the shift. There are a ton of vegan choices now that allow you to replace whatever you crave. Of course these replacements tend to be processed.

Mykos has discovered the art of cheese replacement.
Alpha has discovered the art of chicken replacement.
Impossible has discovered the art of burger replacement.

There are even Pringle-style chips, Beyond brats, and all kinds of other goodies that tempt your decision making. Going plant-based is easier, but eating purely plant-based is still difficult.

My niece who has been staying with us over the summer is a new vegan ... but a junk food vegan... eats nothing but junk save an avocado or two or a home prepared meal. She has received some benefit but to be honest, not to the extent she can. She likes the idea she is not contributing to animal atrocity.

A question for @MJ DeMarco and anyone else who's vegan and is investing in public stocks - what's your approach to being a shareholder in companies that might contribute to the abuse? I'm not talking about investing in meat companies but food companies in general that use animal products, say Nestle, Unilever, or General Mills?

It's a significant negative value skew. I generally don't buy their crap anyway cuz it's junk food. When given a choice, I pick the better option. I also tend to avoid "instigating" activities. For example, I won't buy a new car if the seats are leather, I only can buy a car used where the production happened it the past. (My Raptor has leather seats, but I bought one that was 2 years old)

We saved our family pet from the rescue and it really added some perspective to the whole animal thing, he was scheduled for euthanasia. I find it hard to fathom that such a loyal, smart, lovable and incredible creature was minutes away from being killed, for no reason other than the pound was overcrowded. And then I'm reminded that pigs are just as loyal, smart, and lovable.

My "next retirement" might be something in the animal welfare realm. Sadly, I think I might enjoy helping animals more than humans lol.
 

MTF

Never give up
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
455%
May 1, 2011
7,560
34,430
For vegan related peak fitness performance content, look at Brian Turner's YouTube channel - his a vegan bodybuilder.

Thanks but I'm not into bodybuilding. The guy, like pretty much every other bodybuilder of this kind, looks grotesque to me. I prefer people who train for a specific sport and who exhibit real, useful strength, mobility, endurance, etc.

Tia Blanco, one of the best female surfers, has some interesting resources, for example this video on her diet (she has many more on her channel):

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gx4ALiEOB58


Alana Blanchard and Jack Freestone, both pro surfers, also have some great videos:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1GrYEQ_oJY

edit: sorry for the clickbait thumbnails LOL. There are relatively few well-known vegan surfers who talk about their diet and lifestyle even though there are quite a few (even the best surfer in the world, Kelly Slater, is vegan as far as I know). It seems like on YouTube it's often attractive women and well, certain types of thumbnails sell better...

Not everyone wants to be a surfer obviously but they IMO look much healthier and and nimble than the bodybuilder. But to each their own.

I tried vegan for 2 months a while ago and couldn't do it.

Low energy.
I Ate twice as much as before.
Lethargic during workouts and martial arts training.

I literally couldn't physically finish classes because I thought I would pass out.

If I new how to fix it I would have stayed vegan.

I'm pretty sure your diet wasn't particularly rich in whole foods of different kinds (as they say, you should eat the entire rainbow). I primarily eat fruits, vegetables, and nuts - stuff that's super nutritious and energy-boosting. I don't eat and don't like any ultra-processed vegan or vegetarian junk food and usually find fake meat, cheese, etc. nasty (and it has nasty ingredients). At the moment, the closest thing to "junk" food I eat is probably dark chocolate (85-100%), 100% peanut butter, and air-popped popcorn. I also often use date syrup instead of honey but that's soooo much healthier than table sugar.

Also, did you supplement B12?

No shade intended but I found when I initially start converting over to a plant-based diet, one of my major "sins" was allowing in too many vegan products trying to replace animal products I was use to having. Made me feel like crap, heavy in the guts and cloudy.

100%. That's why it's better to think of it as whole food, plant-based diet than looking for vegan replacements. Why would you need vegan replacements for stuff that's bad for you anyway?

Been vegetarian (no meat, no milk, no eggs) since March now.

That, plus no honey and no fish, is actually vegan, not vegetarian :)
 

MTF

Never give up
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
455%
May 1, 2011
7,560
34,430
My "next retirement" might be something in the animal welfare realm. Sadly, I think I might enjoy helping animals more than humans lol.

Forgot to reply to this - I'm now seeing so many opportunities in the general vegan realm that I'm tempted to start a business just because of the immense growth ahead.

And I do enjoy helping animals more than humans (through planting forests and creating new habitats for them).
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

tonibob

Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
107%
Jun 22, 2020
46
49
London
I would like to suggest great book for those people who are looking on the side of longevity than anything else. Check out Lifespan: Why we age ... by David Sinclair.

Regarding vegan, vegetarian and carnivore diets/way of life I believe it should be tailored according to every person health issues, body requirements etc. I don't think being only vegan or carnivore is the answer or the solution to, so many issues with our diets, health and specially obesity. Vegan diets don't work for everybody as there is a lot of deficiency and inflammations. We should all take tests to see how our bodies react to any diet change, blood tests regularly, then we would know if we are on the right path and if it is suitable for us.
I am not vegan at the moment as after being one for about 1 year, I had many issues, inflammations etc. My friend has been vegetarian for more than 25 years and now for more than 1 year he is vegan after watching so much on the internet. He has never recovered from his shoulder issue, whatever the diet is. The biggest change was stoping sugar, which has made him a lot more calmer, more content and kind of pleasant the have a conversation :smile2:.
I see so many famous people who swear by it and suddenly after many years being vegan started eating meat again. These people pay to the most educated and advanced doctors, scientists to find the best foods to eat and to have longer, healthier lives. There is no right way, there is no right food, there is your way only, what works for you!

I wish all vegans, vegetarians and every type good luck with their choice and please, always test yourselves after you change your diet, after 1 year and so on as a lot of things change in our bodies and if today being vegan is the best for you, tomorrow might not be.

Best of luck to all!
Pete
 

peterb0yd

Bronze Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
220%
Dec 30, 2019
174
382
Hey guys, I've been vegan for about two years now. Still loving it.

I'm seeing a lot of people wonder about B12 and other deficiencies. One thing to note, if you're eating a properly balanced plant-based diet, you don't need any supplements (Bookmark this - Daily Dozen Checklist by Dr. Greiger)

I wanted a way to save time making breakfast in the morning after my workouts, so I bought the Huel meal-replacement powders. It's like Soylent with only natural ingredients and non-GMO. It tastes better too.

It has pretty much every nutrient you can think of in each serving. I don't drink it every day because whole food is better for your digestion. I typically only drink it on the weekdays for breakfast and will have a small bowl of granola and berries afterward. I had to recommend it though, it's a great product.

 

ronczka

New Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
240%
Aug 1, 2019
5
12
Australia
Thanks but I'm not into bodybuilding. The guy, like pretty much every other bodybuilder of this kind, looks grotesque to me. I prefer people who train for a specific sport and who exhibit real, useful strength, mobility, endurance, etc.

Not an issue, I linked him more because as a snapshot of physical fitness people tend to envision fitness activities like bodybuilding as not aligning with veganism / plant-based diets because of the lack of sufficient intake of dietary elements such as protein, targeted amino acids, fats and whatever activity specific nutrient they're looking optimizes.

Regarding vegan, vegetarian and carnivore diets/way of life I believe it should be tailored according to every person health issues, body requirements etc. I don't think being only vegan or carnivore is the answer or the solution to, so many issues with our diets, health and specially obesity. Vegan diets don't work for everybody as there is a lot of deficiency and inflammations.

For additional insights in to the benefits of a plant-based diet, not a vegan diet, you should check out "Whole" by T. Colin Campbell.

As MJ pointed out with his niece being a "junk food" vegan and that:

She has received some benefit but to be honest, not to the extent she can.

That tends to be the experience of a lot of new vegans experimenting with the dietary changes and ethical shifts of mind sets but overall till they dive into the subject more and begin the process of going whole-food plant based, they never get to the health benefits of an animal product free lifestyle.

Specifically replying to the aspect of your quote dealing with nutrient deficiencies and then inflammatory markers.

With regards to nutrient deficiencies and calling out B12 deficiencies specifically. B12 is a fascinating vitamin, hugely complex from chemical perspective and important for a functioning nervous system due to it's role maintaining myelin sheathing.

Not to get to nerdy into the method of production but B12 is created in gastrointestinal tract by a process of fermentation of certain bacteria found in top soil. Now for cows and sheep, who are foregut (first stomach) fermenters, they can femented their stomach contents prior to getting to their last stomach (abomasum) where they can absorb the synthesized B12 without consuming their faeces like other animals who like humans are single stomach organisms.

Now addressing B12 sourcing for humans, because as stated as we're not foregut fermenters though we do produce B12 within our colon. We are normally required to source it from our dietary stack, which in a omnivorous diet comes animal sources via consumption of their flesh and organs, which contains B12 due to their aforementioned fermentation process. But due to factory farming practices, most livestock do not graze in a natural method and are instead fed via caloric dense means such as grains and simple sugar waste products, to increase their mass prior to slaughter, thus they're nutrient deficient and require supplementation by way of injections. One of these common supplementation injections is B12, because they're unable to natural produce B12 due to industry practices.

The highlighting of this is to introduce a baseline, that both vegans and omnivorous people (in the western world), are unable to naturally obtain B12 without supplementation (for most cases) in a variety of forms. Due to having a lack of exposure to contaminated food sources that natural contain B12 because of faeces not being presented due to have a clean production environment.

And thus, anyone looking to or is currently practicing a "vegan" diet should ensure that they supplement at least B12 regularly via tablets or injections, and if you have a MTHFR mutation you should source B12 in the form of methylcobalamin at least.

Now with regards to inflammatory markers, a whole food plant-based diet (not a low harm vegan diet) has been shown to extensively reduce overall inflammation due to reduction in the consumption of inflammation producing food stuffs and lifestyle practices. It really is the only scientifically documented diet to reduce inflammatory markers across the board for a whole host of health conditions.

Like all things in life, understanding the aspects of any practice that are deficient and correcting them to access the positive gains they enable is worth the effort.

I see so many famous people who swear by it and suddenly after many years being vegan started eating meat again. These people pay to the most educated and advanced doctors, scientists to find the best foods to eat and to have longer, healthier lives.

You have to remember that for a lot of celebrities there is a constant battle of staying in the public eye to ensure that their "brand" value stays relevant and allows them to negotiate for their desired roles thus maintaining their over all income streams. The fact is, outside of a few "hardcore" vegan celebrities, the vast majority of one time vegans were all trying to leverage public interest to stay relevant and increase brand value.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

MJ DeMarco

I followed the science; all I found was money.
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
445%
Jul 23, 2007
38,083
169,517
Utah
Ugh, once again...

Going to remind people in this thread, this is not a thread to discuss your opinion or "empirical data" on veganism. This is for people who are committed to it and don't care that some YouTuber went back to eating meat. I. Don't. Give. A. Shit.

but vegans usually do not tolerate anybody else.

It's absolutely the opposite. This thread is for VEGANS in the lifestyle, and yet here you are, injecting your opinion -- it appears you are the one uncomfortable with the discussion. You weren't invited, but somehow, the thread drew you in. In my experience, vegans don't get preachy until the carnies pop in to give their "opinion" and drop in the cliched "mmmm bacon" line like a ten year old on a playground...

ou can delete the reply if it is to much

Yes , your comment was deleted.

The thread is for anything vegan related, and of course, any opportunities we see in the space, which still is pretty formidable. You're not here to discuss that.
 

Sethamus

Silver Contributor
FASTLANE INSIDER
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
179%
Sep 13, 2019
425
759
Northshore area, New Orleans
Edit: I just saw your post MJ, but I do really want to know vegans opinions on this. I love eating healthy and anything I can eat that is natural (deer, ducks, pheasants, fish, etc) I try to do.

I really do not care about people's lifestyle choices as long as it doesn't directly affect me or flaunted in my face as something superior.
If the majority of the people on this thread (huge generalization as I only read like 3 pages) are vegan for the animal cruelty and partially health....

Why not source a farm that has been raising chickens ethically for many many years and buy a few hens to eat those tasty eggs? With no rooster the eggs will go rotten and be a waste of energy by the chicken that you feed and treat as a pet. No harm no fowl.

Same for a milk cow that you never slaughter until it does of natural causes or you need to put down ethically because it was injured.
 

MJ DeMarco

I followed the science; all I found was money.
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
445%
Jul 23, 2007
38,083
169,517
Utah
Same for a milk cow

You mean a cow that's been forcibly impregnated 200 times so it keeps producing milk and lives pregnant two-thirds of its life? And when it produces babies from that impregnation, we'll just send those calves to slaughter, or perhaps, more "milk cowing"?

flaunted in my face

Please, stay out of the thread if you don't want it flaunted.

Again, like the others, you're most likely not here to discuss the lifestyle, you're here to pontificate about something it seems you know little about. If that hurts your feelings, remember, you entered this thread on your own volition, you weren't invited ... so the "in your face" is self-administered.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Sethamus

Silver Contributor
FASTLANE INSIDER
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
179%
Sep 13, 2019
425
759
Northshore area, New Orleans
To contribute to the thread more aligned with the topic, does anyone grow their own greens at the house? I just got some stuff to test a few methods of growing microgreens without soil and once I experiment more I'll do baby greens like lettuce, spinach, kale, mustard, etc.
 

Attachments

  • FB_IMG_1597108070076.jpg
    FB_IMG_1597108070076.jpg
    80.4 KB · Views: 9

Sethamus

Silver Contributor
FASTLANE INSIDER
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
179%
Sep 13, 2019
425
759
Northshore area, New Orleans
Please, stay out of the thread if you don't want it flaunted.
That was generalized for many things like religion, diet, whatever, not just not veganism. I do not know any vegans personally so it has never been flaunted in front of me.

I never said artificial insemination, if you have a couple of cows and a bull you would naturally have milk for an extended period of time after the calf was born...maybe this is vegan 101 and I just do not know...sorry for even attempting to join a conversation that I was curious about.
 

Timmy C

I Will Not Stop!
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
230%
Jun 12, 2018
2,921
6,727
Melbourne, Australia
@MJ DeMarco @MTF @ronczka

My diet consisted of these items.
(Veggie burgers, Tofu, Falafel) - from what I can tell these are all processed and they would go with veggies and lentils for dinners.


I had plenty of lentils, brown rice, mushrooms, crushed tomato, pumpkin, broccoli, peas, chickpeas.

That was all usually mixed up into one sort of like a vegan curry and stored in the fridge for a few days worth of lunches.

I tried the vegan version of mince for Bolognaise and using vegan pasta but it was absolutely disgusting to be honest and I didn't have it again.

I found anything vegan that tried to be meat was absolutely disgusting.

Breakfast was muesli with blueberries and banana.

I didn't supplement with B12 at all.

I would get headaches frequently, and I was generally tired all the time. I literally ate twice as much as when i was eating meat but felt way more tired all day everyday. I was eating every 2 hours.

I would have a banana every time before i went to the gym, but i only occasionally had other fruit like oranges and apples.

I ate lots of almonds.

It was the opposite for me, I was losing weight, losing all of my strength and muscle mass as well.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

MTF

Never give up
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
455%
May 1, 2011
7,560
34,430
Why not source a farm that has been raising chickens ethically for many many years and buy a few hens to eat those tasty eggs? With no rooster the eggs will go rotten and be a waste of energy by the chicken that you feed and treat as a pet. No harm no fowl.

Same for a milk cow that you never slaughter until it does of natural causes or you need to put down ethically because it was injured.

I'll answer that because I think you're motivated by curiosity and not just arguing for the sake of arguing.

The main principle of veganism is that we have no right to exploit animals. Vegans oppose anthropocentrism which states that humans are more important than other animals, particularly when it comes to eating them merely for the taste (as many examples show, we don't need them for optimal health).

As PETA says on their website, "Animals are not ours to experiment on, eat, wear, use for entertainment, or abuse in any other way. All beings desire freedom to live a natural life, according to their inherent desires and instincts."

Particularly as for the cow, you can't milk it ethically - the milk is for its calf. If you take it, you jeopardize the calf's health. By the way, this is something I wasn't aware of for a long time so it's not like I'm a saint.

As for the eggs, this article also answers your question:

(Veggie burgers, Tofu, Falafel) - from what I can tell these are all processed and they would go with veggies and lentils for dinners.

Yeah, most of this stuff sucks.

I didn't supplement with B12 at all.

Sounds like textbook B12 deficiency:

What harm can having too little of vitamin B12 do? Consider this: Over the course of two months, a 62-year-old man developed numbness and a “pins and needles” sensation in his hands, had trouble walking, experienced severe joint pain, began turning yellow, and became progressively short of breath. The cause was lack of vitamin B12 in his bloodstream, according to a case report from Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

Vitamin B12 deficiency can be slow to develop, causing symptoms to appear gradually and intensify over time. It can also come on relatively quickly. Given the array of symptoms a vitamin B12 deficiency can cause, the condition can be overlooked or confused with something else. Vitamin B12deficiency symptoms may include:

  • strange sensations, numbness, or tingling in the hands, legs, or feet
  • difficulty walking (staggering, balance problems)
  • anemia
  • a swollen, inflamed tongue
  • difficulty thinking and reasoning (cognitive difficulties), or memory loss
  • weakness
  • fatigue
source: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/vitamin-b12-deficiency-can-be-sneaky-harmful-201301105780
 

Timmy C

I Will Not Stop!
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
230%
Jun 12, 2018
2,921
6,727
Melbourne, Australia
Hey guys, I've been vegan for about two years now. Still loving it.

I'm seeing a lot of people wonder about B12 and other deficiencies. One thing to note, if you're eating a properly balanced plant-based diet, you don't need any supplements (Bookmark this - Daily Dozen Checklist by Dr. Greiger)

I wanted a way to save time making breakfast in the morning after my workouts, so I bought the Huel meal-replacement powders. It's like Soylent with only natural ingredients and non-GMO. It tastes better too.

It has pretty much every nutrient you can think of in each serving. I don't drink it every day because whole food is better for your digestion. I typically only drink it on the weekdays for breakfast and will have a small bowl of granola and berries afterward. I had to recommend it though, it's a great product.


Thanks for the resources.

I want to give this a shot again.
 

Post New Topic

Please SEARCH before posting.
Please select the BEST category.

Post new topic

Guest post submissions offered HERE.

Latest Posts

New Topics

Fastlane Insiders

View the forum AD FREE.
Private, unindexed content
Detailed process/execution threads
Ideas needing execution, more!

Join Fastlane Insiders.

Top