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Lack of energy

1K views 18 replies 14 participants last post by  ToriannB 
#1 ·
I'm almost two weeks into my new life as a vegan but I'm struggling with a lack of energy. I feel drained all the time. I've started eating tofu and increased my legumes input to try and bring protein into my system but still struggling to find energy. Any one else have this issue or any ideas?

Thanks.
 
#3 · (Edited)
Hi Matt,

At least once a month on VeggieBoards, we hear from someone asking this exact same question.

Because vitamin and mineral deficiencies take a while to develop, the most likely reason for your fatigue is simple lack of calories. Not eating enough calories is one of the most common mistakes made by new vegans. This mistake is very easy to make, because vegan staple foods (legumes, whole grains, fruit, vegetables) are low in calories, compared to meat and dairy products. On a low-fat vegan diet, it's possible to eat until you're full, yet still not get enough calories.

Here's how to fix it.

First, use a calorie-requirements calculator to estimate your calorie needs: http://www.cancer.org/healthy/toolsandcalculators/calculators/app/calorie-counter-calculator

Next, just remember this calorie rule-of-thumb:

One cup of cooked beans/legumes contains about 230 calories

One cup of cooked grains/pasta contains about 190 calories

One cup of fresh (not dried) fruit contains 40-100 calories

One cup of non-starchy vegetables contains 5-40 calories

One cup of nuts or seeds contains 650-1000 calories

For example, I need to eat about 2500 calories per day to maintain my weight. Can you see how much beans, grains etc. I have to eat to do this? I have to stuff myself! Including nuts, nut butters, and/or seeds in your diet is an easy way to make sure you're getting enough calories.
 
#4 ·
Protein has nothing to do with your energy. But as stated above most people don't eat enough when first going vegan. People always comment on how much I eat and how often. Instead of a normal bowl of oatmeal I have a giant bowl with added bananas and dates. For my dinners I make enough for at least 3 plates of food. And I snack. I'm really thin and bike with some calisthenics I have to make sure I'm eating the more calorie dense foods like rice, oats, lentils, bananas, peanut butter, ezekial bread. I stick with starches for most of my food but add a little bit of fatty stuff like peanut butter and avocado when I find I haven't eaten as much as I'd like. I love non starchy fruits and vegetables don't get me wrong. I can down 2 heads of cauliflower wings like no ones business but my body wont get much calories out of that. Add more grains, pasta, legumes, and nut butters. I see a lot of vegans first starting saying "I'm tires/weak how can I get more protein" when sadly they just are not eating enough.
 
#11 ·
Matt:

As the other posters have noted, it sounds like you are not getting enough calories. I highly recommend that you research Dr. John McDougall's ideas about a starch-centered vegan diet (see his TEDx talk here: ). Dr. McDougall likes to point out in almost every talk he makes that throughout history, all healthy, successful, large populations of people have centered their diet around whole-food starches, like corn, potatoes, rice, barley, wheat, etc. I have adopted a diet that is a blend of Dr. Joel Fuhrman's ideas and Dr. John McDougall's ideas. For lunch I usually have a giant salad which includes some added legumes, a quarter cup of chopped walnuts, and two slices of whole-wheat bread. Then, for dinner, I usually have a more McDougall themed dish, heavily emphasizing a whole-food starch. I am pretty active, but find I have plenty of energy eating like this.
 
#13 ·
#14 · (Edited)
A full grown adult doesn't need much proteins. The average vegetarian food contains more than enough proteins.
If we believe in the theory that we need proteins, then we will get to the conclusion that the human or ape flesh would be the best meal, since it is similar to our own flesh. And this is absolutely insane. Also cannibalism leads to the mad cow disease, and yes, it is transmitted through prions, which are proteins.

What you need is energy. The best source of energy is raw, vegetable fat and there is only one food having it - Avocado.
If Avocado is not available to you, then starch based food is what you need: Potato, lentil, chickpea, beans etc.

Fat is better than starch. Animal (and human) cell membrane are made of protein and fat, while the vegetable cell membrane is made of cellulose, which is a type of sugar, just like starch.
 
#16 ·
When I went vegan in September 2014, for the first 6 weeks I was bloated, lethargic, sick to my stomach. I was detoxing from all the crap. The worse your diet was previously the longer and more difficult the detox.
 
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