Hi all,
So, I'm new here and signed up, because I'm looking for some support and also insight. I've been vegetarian for a little over 3 years now. One of the best things I ever did for myself was give up meat. About a year ago I started experimenting with transitioning to fully vegan after educating myself more and discovered the horrors of the whole meat AND dairy industry. I would say I've flirted with it over the past year. Last year, I went a week eliminating dairy and eggs, and I felt amazing during it. Lighter and fresher. It was almost like my body was ready for me to make that change. Then I added it back in out of convenience -- and I'll admit for some indulgence reasons, too -- but still continued to eat less dairy and eggs. Then back in April I went about 8 weeks fully vegan. It went well overall. I had some detox symptoms at first, but after those started fading I felt good. Then one day I felt terrible -- like I was going to pass out, tingling in my leg, brain fog. In hindsight, I think I was dehydrated. I live in Arizona, so it's easy to happen. I had coffee that morning and a glass of wine with friends the previous night and didn't drink enough water. Anyway, it was scary and my neuroses took over, attributing it to my new veganism, and I ate an egg and actually felt a little better, which was weird to me, because I would think it would be the opposite. After that I decided to add eggs and some dairy back in and still felt good (health wise, that is, not so much ethically), but I actually felt more balanced.
I'm transitioning again. It's been about 2 -- almost 3 weeks -- with one exception (cheese in some nachos, which made me feel terrible. I find cheese makes me feel terrible but eggs don't). But, it's been about a week since then. So, I've been fully vegan for a week so far. I was feeling really good, and then tonight, a little before and then after dinner, I crashed. I felt really low energy, slight brain fog like I wasn't thinking clearly. I met friends at a pub and just felt out of it. Like I wasn't myself. It was weird.
I know nutrition is personal, and for a solid opinion I should see a veg-friendly doctor, but I want to stress that I know it's important to avoid processed vegan food, or at least limit it, and eat lots of whole grains and vegetables and fruits and beans. I have been doing that. I want to be vegan the healthy way. I do throw in maybe a frozen veggie burger every now and then, but for the most part I make veggies (esp. dark leafy) and whole grains (quinoa is my favorite) my main sustenance along with beans or tofu or tempeh, and fruit. So, here is what I ate today for an idea:
Breakfast: Steel cut oatmeal with banana, mixed berries (strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries), a tbsp of peanut butter
a B12 vitamin right before breakfast (I've been paranoid/neurotic about it. This was only my second time supplementing)
Lunch: A big vegan bowl of quinoa, kale, roasted sweet potato, chickpeas, carrots, avocado, and hummus (it was really good!)
Afternoon Snack: a plum and Ezekiel toast spread with avocado and hummus
Dinner: a veggie burger (store bought from Trader Joe's) and some steamed kale
Desert: vegan chocolate peanut butter cup I made (I've wanted to treat myself in the first week of transitioning)
A few hours after lunch and before the snack was when I started feeling off. The vegan food I've been eating isn't that bad. I also got plenty of sleep the previous night and felt really good up until the afternoon snack. I'm wondering if I need to eat more? I've felt full from these meals though and have reasonable portions. The problem isn't hunger but feeling like I'm crashing. Honestly, it's felt like the effects of some crash diet -- feeling super energized and then feeling awful. I'm just a little disappointed and am conflicted. I'm wondering if maybe it's detox symptoms? Or maybe it's some adverse affect from the B12 pill? (as in, I know they can give you energy, but then on the other end, do you come down and crash from it? Or is that out of left field?). I'm mainly trying to think of different possibilities that would cause this.
Driving home, I was thinking, I hate the way I'm feeling. Maybe I'll eat an egg tomorrow morning instead of my oats or the tofu scramble with veggies I prepared. I want to be vegan though, not just for the health benefits reported from it but also for so many ethical reasons (environmental and the disgusting animal cruelty prevalent in the entire industry). I'm not sure what I'm looking for out of posting this. Mainly any support or encouragement or any tips for transitioning (I know everyone's experience is different, so that may be difficult). Has anyone else felt like this when transitioning? Great energy and feeling your best and then crashing (while eating fairly healthily)?
So, I'm new here and signed up, because I'm looking for some support and also insight. I've been vegetarian for a little over 3 years now. One of the best things I ever did for myself was give up meat. About a year ago I started experimenting with transitioning to fully vegan after educating myself more and discovered the horrors of the whole meat AND dairy industry. I would say I've flirted with it over the past year. Last year, I went a week eliminating dairy and eggs, and I felt amazing during it. Lighter and fresher. It was almost like my body was ready for me to make that change. Then I added it back in out of convenience -- and I'll admit for some indulgence reasons, too -- but still continued to eat less dairy and eggs. Then back in April I went about 8 weeks fully vegan. It went well overall. I had some detox symptoms at first, but after those started fading I felt good. Then one day I felt terrible -- like I was going to pass out, tingling in my leg, brain fog. In hindsight, I think I was dehydrated. I live in Arizona, so it's easy to happen. I had coffee that morning and a glass of wine with friends the previous night and didn't drink enough water. Anyway, it was scary and my neuroses took over, attributing it to my new veganism, and I ate an egg and actually felt a little better, which was weird to me, because I would think it would be the opposite. After that I decided to add eggs and some dairy back in and still felt good (health wise, that is, not so much ethically), but I actually felt more balanced.
I'm transitioning again. It's been about 2 -- almost 3 weeks -- with one exception (cheese in some nachos, which made me feel terrible. I find cheese makes me feel terrible but eggs don't). But, it's been about a week since then. So, I've been fully vegan for a week so far. I was feeling really good, and then tonight, a little before and then after dinner, I crashed. I felt really low energy, slight brain fog like I wasn't thinking clearly. I met friends at a pub and just felt out of it. Like I wasn't myself. It was weird.
I know nutrition is personal, and for a solid opinion I should see a veg-friendly doctor, but I want to stress that I know it's important to avoid processed vegan food, or at least limit it, and eat lots of whole grains and vegetables and fruits and beans. I have been doing that. I want to be vegan the healthy way. I do throw in maybe a frozen veggie burger every now and then, but for the most part I make veggies (esp. dark leafy) and whole grains (quinoa is my favorite) my main sustenance along with beans or tofu or tempeh, and fruit. So, here is what I ate today for an idea:
Breakfast: Steel cut oatmeal with banana, mixed berries (strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries), a tbsp of peanut butter
a B12 vitamin right before breakfast (I've been paranoid/neurotic about it. This was only my second time supplementing)
Lunch: A big vegan bowl of quinoa, kale, roasted sweet potato, chickpeas, carrots, avocado, and hummus (it was really good!)
Afternoon Snack: a plum and Ezekiel toast spread with avocado and hummus
Dinner: a veggie burger (store bought from Trader Joe's) and some steamed kale
Desert: vegan chocolate peanut butter cup I made (I've wanted to treat myself in the first week of transitioning)
A few hours after lunch and before the snack was when I started feeling off. The vegan food I've been eating isn't that bad. I also got plenty of sleep the previous night and felt really good up until the afternoon snack. I'm wondering if I need to eat more? I've felt full from these meals though and have reasonable portions. The problem isn't hunger but feeling like I'm crashing. Honestly, it's felt like the effects of some crash diet -- feeling super energized and then feeling awful. I'm just a little disappointed and am conflicted. I'm wondering if maybe it's detox symptoms? Or maybe it's some adverse affect from the B12 pill? (as in, I know they can give you energy, but then on the other end, do you come down and crash from it? Or is that out of left field?). I'm mainly trying to think of different possibilities that would cause this.
Driving home, I was thinking, I hate the way I'm feeling. Maybe I'll eat an egg tomorrow morning instead of my oats or the tofu scramble with veggies I prepared. I want to be vegan though, not just for the health benefits reported from it but also for so many ethical reasons (environmental and the disgusting animal cruelty prevalent in the entire industry). I'm not sure what I'm looking for out of posting this. Mainly any support or encouragement or any tips for transitioning (I know everyone's experience is different, so that may be difficult). Has anyone else felt like this when transitioning? Great energy and feeling your best and then crashing (while eating fairly healthily)?