# Any other vegans?



## Ebart (Nov 14, 2015)

Since 1996 myself...

Also straight edge since '94.


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## Cobra (Nov 20, 2015)

I'M VEGAN! sorry, it had to come out that way. I got so excited. I'm kind of straight edge, I just don't fancy alcohol anymore (I bought a beer the other day and I had one sip and poured it down the sink lol) and I've never smoked a sigarete, no drugs etc.


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## odibrom (Nov 20, 2015)

+1 since 1995.

Smoke free, drunk free since ever. Lungs clean and no alcohol in the blood. The hardest part of this was/is acceptance from family...


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## Ivars V (Dec 16, 2015)

Another fellow vegan here!


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## DudeManBrother (Dec 19, 2015)

I'm a newb. I decided to become vegan about 2 weeks ago. I have been eating raw fruits, vegetables, nuts, and local spring water everyday for about two months, but just ate whatever my wife cooked for dinner. I finally had to cut that out. 
It's amazing how people react, like my eating habits have some adverse effect on others.


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## All_¥our_Bass (Dec 19, 2015)

Not vegan myself, but thought this would be appropriate for ya'll.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnUAzdHX-dGibZtyQyRSRF0o4mAA91Ejl

Cool/funny online vegan cooking show.


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## Humanoid (Dec 21, 2015)

DudeManBrother said:


> It's amazing how people react, like my eating habits have some adverse effect on others.



That's normal. For some reason people think you're trying to be better than they are. They cannot accept that and try to attack you for various reasons.

And yeah, stopped eating meat about year ago. No regrets


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## odibrom (Dec 21, 2015)

Aahh, the black metal vegan chef... intelligent stuff there. Well, I must say that I am not totally vegan, I still eat some eggs cheese and yogurts once in a while. I don't cook with those however.

Yep, being vegetarian or vegan is the new outcast... and how about when you start hearing that vegans/vegetarians only eat salads on the radio?


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## Humanoid (Dec 22, 2015)

Yup.. we eat only carrots and salads


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## CaptainD00M (Dec 22, 2015)

Though I can't claim proper vegan status anymore (don't do milk but occasionally eat cheese and soya meets with egg as a binding agent) I was one for 2 years. Mad respect to OP for almost 20 years of Veganism.

I've been a herbivore for ten years now and I remember when I switched I actually lost a friend because of it. It was bizarre. I love it when people assume I'm a militant Vegetarian and say stupid s*** in response, so below are a few reposes I've honed over the years:

Omnivore: 'I could never imagine life without meat.'
Me: 'Funny I feel the same way, I could never imagine life with meat.'

Omni: 'Would it offend you if I ate a stake in front of you?' (reserved for when its a dig not someone asking out of innocence as that does happen.)
Me: 'No but your insensitivity/assumptions/stupidity offends me.' (pick one)

Omni: 'Where do you get your protean.'
Me: 'The same place your protean gets its protean.'

Omni: 'But what do you eat?'
Me: 'Food, wtf do you eat?'

And lets not forget that PETA video where Vegans the same stuff that meat eaters say lol. Anyway thats not to say everyones ignorant but lets be real hear it gets tiring hearing the same stuff OVER and OVER again.


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## Grindspine (Dec 22, 2015)

I am not exactly vegan, but do lean toward vegetarian/meat free whenever possible though I make exceptions for fish and shellfish. 

I gave up red meat while working in the medical field in 2012. My girlfriend and I had both been cutting back on meats for several years prior to that.


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## coffeeflush (Dec 22, 2015)

Born into a vegetarian family, while it wasn't forced on me, I grew up into it. Been vegetarian all my life. Have tasted meat etc but never really been into it. 

I do eat cheese/milk products occasionally. 

I don't really see any issue in it. Because I home cook most of my meals and avoid eating out, the issue does come up quiet a bit. 

The weirdest thing though, is friends who find it offensive that I am vegetarian. As if by not eating meat, I am looking down on their choices. 

For anyone interested, they should check this out
Buy Should We Eat Meat? Evolution and Consequences of Modern Carnivory Book Online at Low Prices in India | Should We Eat Meat? Evolution and Consequences of Modern Carnivory Reviews & Ratings - Amazon.in
Its a book about how much resources are consumed in commercially produced edible meat.


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## olejason (Dec 23, 2015)

Vegetarian for around 12 years. Any of you guys tried doing the low carb thing without meat?


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## austink (Dec 29, 2015)

olejason said:


> Vegetarian for around 12 years. Any of you guys tried doing the low carb thing without meat?



Been vegan for 3 years, veggie for 4. I used to lift weights (that was dumb) and did do the high protein/low carb thing for about a year. I did make progress with actual muscle size, I was constantly eating (5-6) meals a day. It was mostly tofu and roasted veggies with a protein shake on top. I would not do it again as it was so much effort to prep all the meals. But if you are trying to avoid carbs for some other reason, it may be easy.


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## olejason (Dec 30, 2015)

austink said:


> Been vegan for 3 years, veggie for 4. I used to lift weights (that was dumb) and did do the high protein/low carb thing for about a year. I did make progress with actual muscle size, I was constantly eating (5-6) meals a day. It was mostly tofu and roasted veggies with a protein shake on top. I would not do it again as it was so much effort to prep all the meals. But if you are trying to avoid carbs for some other reason, it may be easy.



It has helped me drop some weight but not sure if it will last. Before the switch, I was probably eating 200-300 carbs a day. I lift weights but I'm not super into it and probably never will be.

Just getting tired of tofu + vegetables haha


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## odibrom (Jan 2, 2016)

For those of you who are worried about nutrition on protein and carbs and that stuff, let me tell you how I manage my main meals:
40 to 50% full grain cereals (brown rice mainly, pasta, bread)
25 to 40% vegetables of different types (roots, leaves, fruits, pumpkins...)
20 to 30% of protein, coming from Tofu, beans, chick peas, peas, lentils (my favorites), seitan, tempeh
I also eat seaweed/algae and fermented products like Miso Soups and sauerkraut / choucroute...

I really try not to miss my full grain cereals. Also lots of fruit... and organic whenever possible. Brown rice + lentils and I am happy. I think I could have been from India in another life...


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## Explorer (Jan 3, 2016)

Not technically vegan, because my body doesn't absorb non-heme iron very well, and my iron level was in the single digits. When supplementing, I have to chew and swallow a tiny bit of something with heme iron about five minutes before taking the iron supplement to prime the pump for uptake. However, other than that, everything is vegan. 

A few years ago, I really started developing some new recipes with wheat gluten for my own entertainment, but they continue evolving over time regarding methods of cooking, infusion of flavor and so on. 

It's funny... my previous girlfriend was Buddhist (she was Vietnamese, and literally 5 feet tall) always felt that I wasn't vegan for the right reasons because I have no investment at all in the ethical arguments. She wasn't even vegan, and ate eggs and dairy, but I guess my rapturous unfulfilled longings for juicy prime rib might not fit the vegan stereotype. *laugh*


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## Hollowway (Jan 3, 2016)

I was vegetarian for 10 years (mainly due to the high incidence of heart attacks in my family) but stopped. I'm now pre-diabetic, which means I'm supposed to be reducing/eliminating my simple carbohydrate intake. 

So here's the question: I'd love to do the vegan thing, or at least substantially reduce my meat intake, but what am I going to eat? Salad and nuts? I can't eat much fruit because of the natural sugars, and breads are out. Right now I'm doing a boatload of eggs and chicken. I'm curious what you guys would do. And if you tell me to eat a salads all week I'm gonna punch you in the throat.


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## Grindspine (Jan 3, 2016)

Hallowway, family history of high blood pressure and heart attack is another reason that I gave up red meat.

I see several mentions here of using tempeh, seitan, tofu, etc. for protein. I lean far more to eating a lot of meals with black beans and/or quinoa as my main sources of protein. I supplement with fish and shellfish (I know, not technically vegan or vegetarian). 

I am fortunate to work at a place where the chef tries to put some vegetarian options on the menu, but I do have to lean toward carbs on a lot of days, particularly pastas and rice.

There are days where it is a difficult balance to get all of the calories and protein that I need to make it through a day without resorting to eating all meats and sugars. The occasional protein bar or granola bar helps on those days, but those aren't optimal...


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## blacai (Jan 3, 2016)

Veganism is not just avoid eating but consuming any product with animal origin. 

I am not one, but I know lot of people who claim they are and don't care about their clothes, make up ... 

So please, if you say you are vegan, just be one. 'Attention W_s' are everywhere and they harm the movement, which I respect 100%.


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## UnderTheSign (Jan 3, 2016)

Hollowway said:


> I was vegetarian for 10 years (mainly due to the high incidence of heart attacks in my family) but stopped. I'm now pre-diabetic, which means I'm supposed to be reducing/eliminating my simple carbohydrate intake.
> 
> So here's the question: I'd love to do the vegan thing, or at least substantially reduce my meat intake, but what am I going to eat? Salad and nuts? I can't eat much fruit because of the natural sugars, and breads are out. Right now I'm doing a boatload of eggs and chicken. I'm curious what you guys would do. And if you tell me to eat a salads all week I'm gonna punch you in the throat.


I'm not a vegan nor vegetarian but I've been eating a lot of lentil based stews and curries lately. Nuts or lupin beans in the curries, potatoes/rice and some beef (or seitan or lupin beans as a meat substitute) in the stews. I freaking love simple cooking like this and it allows for a TON of variation with different veggies, herbs/spices, etc.


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## odibrom (Jan 3, 2016)

Hollowway said:


> I was vegetarian for 10 years (mainly due to the high incidence of heart attacks in my family) but stopped. I'm now pre-diabetic, which means I'm supposed to be reducing/eliminating my simple carbohydrate intake.
> 
> So here's the question: I'd love to do the vegan thing, or at least substantially reduce my meat intake, but what am I going to eat? Salad and nuts? I can't eat much fruit because of the natural sugars, and breads are out. Right now I'm doing a boatload of eggs and chicken. I'm curious what you guys would do. And if you tell me to eat a salads all week I'm gonna punch you in the throat.



I am no nutritionist and of course I do not know your eating habits. I'd say to ditch potatoes, dairy stuff (milk, cheese specially), sodas and fried stuff, anything fried and all industrialized food. As for carbs, I'd go for full grain cereals like brown rice (?), pastas, quinoa (which is a cereal, besides being high on protein)... I'd also say to search for small sized leguminous like azuki beans and lentils as a major source of protein. Tofu and Tempeh are both soybean products. Leguminous sprouts are also wonderfull, can be grown at home in 3 to 4 days and can be eaten raw. Take special attention to cooking oils and to their break temperature. I'd also invest in dark green leaves like spinach, broccoli and some cabbages...

For me, the brown rice + SMALL leguminous combo works pretty well. it gives me enough power to endure a work day. Miso soups are top, but most of all, non GMO, non industrialized and ORGANIC FOOD IS KING.


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## Hollowway (Jan 4, 2016)

coffeeflush said:


> The weirdest thing though, is friends who find it offensive that I am vegetarian. As if by not eating meat, I am looking down on their choices.



That's cuz the baby Jesus ate meat! Says right there in the Bible and the constitution of these here U-nited States that you are supposed to eat meat. Not eating meat is what those gays do. Murica! I do not need you shoving your pusssy lettuce agenda down my throat! This is a meat eating country, and if you don't like it, you can move back to whatever towel head country you came from, you terrorist! This is just another affront to the white men in this country! This is why we need to have more babies, to compete with you homosexshul sinner terrorists! You know what? My granny cooked my grandpappy bacon every mornin', and then fried eggs in the bacon grease. And he lived to 62! So don't tell me about living longer by eating those dadgum gay beans! What is ya, a mexican? My grandpappy woulda lived longer, but he was shot on accident by uncle Jesse. If the good lord wanted us to eat all them vegetables and fruits, he would have made them grow on trees! What are ya, a woman? Only women eat salads. Any self respecting man can't maintain a waist of 36" of muscle. Need to hold that holster up! So quit shoving your gay pusssy gun control liberal vegetablitarianism down my throat! Real Muricans don't live on the coast - we live in the middle of this good ole U S of A, and we eat MEAT, dammit! Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna get in my pickup truck, go over to Applebees, and wear my gun outside my shirt, like the good books says!


Edit: MURICA!


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## odibrom (Jan 4, 2016)

Lol... I actually think that the "Jesus gang" was vegetarian and that it is so written in the Bible, BUT I have NEVER read the Bible, thank God... I mean food... I mean, Nature...


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## sakeido (Jan 6, 2016)

Hollowway said:


> I was vegetarian for 10 years (mainly due to the high incidence of heart attacks in my family) but stopped. I'm now pre-diabetic, which means I'm supposed to be reducing/eliminating my simple carbohydrate intake.
> 
> So here's the question: I'd love to do the vegan thing, or at least substantially reduce my meat intake, but what am I going to eat? Salad and nuts? I can't eat much fruit because of the natural sugars, and breads are out. Right now I'm doing a boatload of eggs and chicken. I'm curious what you guys would do. And if you tell me to eat a salads all week I'm gonna punch you in the throat.



Beans. Lots of beans. Very agreeable texture and a lot of varieties out there to change up flavors. They are filling and rich in protein. One of the best burgers I had the past summer was made of beans, not meat.

Tofu takes like food made by people who hate everything that makes food good. Tempeh is made of the same stuff but is much better.

Just simple veggies cooked with coconut oil makes .... I can't normally stand eating (like broccoli) good. 

Try Thug Kitchen cookbooks. They are hilarious and all vegan


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## MLS (Jan 6, 2016)

I used to be hardcore into bodybuilding for over a decade and ate tons of meat. I got to the point where I was sick of eating meat. I weaned myself off of meat over 3 months, then gave 6 months of being a vegan. I think I was the only vegan to get fat...So now its back to a strict low carb diet for me. I do limit my meat intake to 8 oz of chicken a day and 6 oz of beef. The rest are eggs (15 a day) and 8 oz of tuna. I know that still sounds like a scary amount of animal flesh split over 5 meals, but back in the day I had 8 meals a day and I was eating about 5-6 lbs of meat a day not to include a dozen eggs. 

But while meatless I used a lot of lentils, chickpeas (homemade hummus ftw) black eyed peas, black beans, and pintos with jalapenos.


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## aesthyrian (Jan 7, 2016)

Another Vegan here. Was a vegetarian for about 7 years, have been full Vegan for about 8 months. No going back! No straightedge for me, unless exclusive Cannabis use is considered straightedge? lol



Hollowway said:


> So here's the question: I'd love to do the vegan thing, or at least substantially reduce my meat intake, but what am I going to eat?



Indian Food! Plenty of vegan options, and it's just all so damn delicious. Find a good falafel place as well(or just make your own), can't get enough falafel. Check out some hemp tempeh too, I love it and it's very good for you. Plus, it's hemp! 

Dammit I'm hungry now.


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## Konfyouzd (Jan 7, 2016)

odibrom said:


> +1 since 1995.
> 
> Smoke free, drunk free since ever. Lungs clean and no alcohol in the blood. The hardest part of this was/is acceptance from family...



I always find things like this weird. It's not like you've chosen a lifestyle that's unhealthy in some way. I drink, smoke and eat meat like there's no tomorrow and people seem perfectly okay with my desire to kill myself off a bit sooner... Maybe they're trying to tell me something... 

I think some people act strange when you reveal that you eat a certain way and/or are straight edge w/o being prompted because it kind of reminds them of the folks who take the high and mighty attitude about it which certainly isn't the whole of the lot, but some folks don't think about life on a case by case basis. 

In fact, any time you express that you have dietary restrictions in one way or another you tend to raise some eyebrows. I follow the standard ketogenic diet which is more or less the farthest thing I could do from being vegan and people still give me .... when I say, "No. I don't eat that." It's like refusing to share a basket of french fries with them is in some way insulting.


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## odibrom (Jan 9, 2016)

I learned not to judge others, just by becoming vegetarian. In 1995, this country was way close minded on food diets. Those who did not eat the mainstream were either sick and couldn't do it, or were anorectic wanna bee. It was just depressing to get judged just because I didn't eat meat nor fish...

Have I told you that I never ever drunk a cup of coffee? I simply can't enjoy those things (coffee, alcohol, cigars, drugs, etc) and I will not do it just for the whatever social bull.....

I don't see myself as an example, never wanted that label on me. I just don't want mainstream habits/traditions just because everyone is doing it for no matter how long.


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## carvinx (Jan 11, 2016)

I'm not straight edge.. but I been Vegan for over 2 years now. Really helped my stomach issues.


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## odibrom (Jan 22, 2016)




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