Are you a Vegetarian?

[craig1985]

I'm 6 weeks full raw vegan ..... and I'm gaining muscle and my body fat appears slightly less. But I have no scientific way of measuring this , nor am I interested in doing so. I don't weigh myself much, but I think the last time I did I was a couple of pounds heavier.

It's winter so I'm doing things off the bike to strengthen myself, and I feel better and recover faster than I can ever remember. Since I have enough input of calories(80-90% from fruit and greens) I have the energy to want to do more. I want to do more because I don't feel like slug after working my body anymore. I've not felt like that in a very long time.

I have what could be described as an underweight, tall lean body that could use more muscle though, so take my sample with a grain of salt! I want to gain strength, that's the most important thing. The number of my weight really is irrelevant to me.

What's funny is that with all the protein I used to take in from eggs, fish, legumes, dairy, grains and occasional meats...... I always felt run down and slow to recover. I couldn't build any strength.

Now that I'm getting my energy form all the raw food enzymes ...... I feel . . good physically and mentally..... maybe balanced is a better word. Something I have not felt as long as I can remember in my life of 4 + decades.

I'm honestly starting to consider making big changes to my diet as well. I'm always on the go, I work more then 43-44 hours a week in a physically demanding job, I ride too and from work (a 31km round trip, and once a week after work, I do an extra 30km (usually a Thursday), plus the riding I do the weekends, and last week, I felt absolutely stuffed. I've only missed two days of work in the last 10 months, so I'm feeling the pinch a little bit, just a good thing that my holidays start tomorrow afternoon

 

[Polyarmour]

I'm honestly starting to consider making big changes to my diet as well. I'm always on the go, I work more then 43-44 hours a week in a physically demanding job, I ride too and from work (a 31km round trip, and once a week after work, I do an extra 30km (usually a Thursday), plus the riding I do the weekends, and last week, I felt absolutely stuffed. I've only missed two days of work in the last 10 months, so I'm feeling the pinch a little bit, just a good thing that my holidays start tomorrow afternoon

I went vegetarian over 4 months ago now and I have to say I've been feeling very good. On all facets that I measure my cycling has improved. I've lost about 2-3kgs in weight, my appetite is under control, have plenty of energy. I've been slowly working my way towards a vegan kind of diet because I believe the dairy has given me problems over the years. It was easy for me to ditch the eggs because I was always a bit dodgy about them anyway. I could only ever eat them scrambled and even then I had to disguise the flavour with salt and pepper. The rest of my family still want the meat and dairy and I'm the cook so I've found it difficult at times to balance everyone's demands. I did this initially because I wondered what effect it might have on my cycling after reading many of the posts on this forum. I wasn't motivated by cruelty to animals etc. (although who supports cruelty to animals anyway?) I always liked the taste of meat. In fact the family meals I cooked were basically a huge piece of meat as centre stage.. and a few token vegetables to keep my wife happy. I remember also having a brief flirtation with vegetarianism in my early 20's and how good I felt doing it. I think there is no turning back for me now. Your taste buds change, you start to like what you are eating, appreciate it and look forward to it and meat starts to turn your stomach. Just as the highlight of Ivan Denisovich's day when he was in the Gulag was eating the eye of a fish, something even most meat eaters would find distasteful. You get used to what you are eating. As the family cook I now find it difficult to even handle the meat. I particularly notice all the grease I'm constantly cleaning off my hands. You have to be more organised no doubt. Your options for fast food are somewhat limited as a vegetarian which I view as a good thing. If I'm driving down the road and I get hungry I used to stop in at KFC or Maccas but now I have to wait because there is almost nothing in any fast food place I can eat (except for falafel kebabs, thank God for them). I buy lots of bananas like others in here do, but I only eat about 3-4 per day. I prefer to eat other things as well. Food bill has gone down too. You should just try it Craig, you have nothing to lose.

 

[craig1985]

I went vegetarian over 4 months ago now and I have to say I've been feeling very good. On all facets that I measure my cycling has improved. I've lost about 2-3kgs in weight, my appetite is under control, have plenty of energy. I've been slowly working my way towards a vegan kind of diet because I believe the dairy has given me problems over the years. It was easy for me to ditch the eggs because I was always a bit dodgy about them anyway. I could only ever eat them scrambled and even then I had to disguise the flavour with salt and pepper. The rest of my family still want the meat and dairy and I'm the cook so I've found it difficult at times to balance everyone's demands. I did this initially because I wondered what effect it might have on my cycling after reading many of the posts on this forum. I wasn't motivated by cruelty to animals etc. (although who supports cruelty to animals anyway?) I always liked the taste of meat. In fact the family meals I cooked were basically a huge piece of meat as centre stage.. and a few token vegetables to keep my wife happy. I remember also having a brief flirtation with vegetarianism in my early 20's and how good I felt doing it. I think there is no turning back for me now. Your taste buds change, you start to like what you are eating, appreciate it and look forward to it and meat starts to turn your stomach. Just as the highlight of Ivan Denisovich's day when he was in the Gulag was eating the eye of a fish, something even most meat eaters would find distasteful. You get used to what you are eating. As the family cook I now find it difficult to even handle the meat. I particularly notice all the grease I'm constantly cleaning off my hands. You have to be more organised no doubt. Your options for fast food are somewhat limited as a vegetarian which I view as a good thing. If I'm driving down the road and I get hungry I used to stop in at KFC or Maccas but now I have to wait because there is almost nothing in any fast food place I can eat (except for falafel kebabs, thank God for them). I buy lots of bananas like others in here do, but I only eat about 3-4 per day. I prefer to eat other things as well. Food bill has gone down too. You should just try it Craig, you have nothing to lose.

I get what you mean about the food bill. A couple of weeks ago I spent $80 on groceries without trying, and hat was that spent on? Meat. At the moment it is still sitting in the freezer.

 

[Archibald]

with all the xmas silly season going on, I've found it hard to keep the plant-food on the high and keep the meat/dairy reduced...
I find it interesting that I now feel like crap to the extent that I've picked up a nasty chest infection. I was "flying high" a few weeks ago with almost no animal products consumed.
very disappointing, but can't wait til xmas is over and the meat/dairy goes back out the window!

 

[craig1985]

I went vegetarian over 4 months ago now and I have to say I've been feeling very good. On all facets that I measure my cycling has improved. I've lost about 2-3kgs in weight, my appetite is under control, have plenty of energy. I've been slowly working my way towards a vegan kind of diet because I believe the dairy has given me problems over the years. It was easy for me to ditch the eggs because I was always a bit dodgy about them anyway. I could only ever eat them scrambled and even then I had to disguise the flavour with salt and pepper. The rest of my family still want the meat and dairy and I'm the cook so I've found it difficult at times to balance everyone's demands. I did this initially because I wondered what effect it might have on my cycling after reading many of the posts on this forum. I wasn't motivated by cruelty to animals etc. (although who supports cruelty to animals anyway?) I always liked the taste of meat. In fact the family meals I cooked were basically a huge piece of meat as centre stage.. and a few token vegetables to keep my wife happy. I remember also having a brief flirtation with vegetarianism in my early 20's and how good I felt doing it. I think there is no turning back for me now. Your taste buds change, you start to like what you are eating, appreciate it and look forward to it and meat starts to turn your stomach. Just as the highlight of Ivan Denisovich's day when he was in the Gulag was eating the eye of a fish, something even most meat eaters would find distasteful. You get used to what you are eating. As the family cook I now find it difficult to even handle the meat. I particularly notice all the grease I'm constantly cleaning off my hands. You have to be more organised no doubt. Your options for fast food are somewhat limited as a vegetarian which I view as a good thing. If I'm driving down the road and I get hungry I used to stop in at KFC or Maccas but now I have to wait because there is almost nothing in any fast food place I can eat (except for falafel kebabs, thank God for them). I buy lots of bananas like others in here do, but I only eat about 3-4 per day. I prefer to eat other things as well. Food bill has gone down too. You should just try it Craig, you have nothing to lose.

What has been the support from your wife been like, and other friends and family? Has she gone vegetarian as well? What also prompted you to change your diet habits?

 

[Polyarmour]

What has been the support from your wife been like, and other friends and family? Has she gone vegetarian as well? What also prompted you to change your diet habits?

My wife was always a small meat eater. She still eats meat but probably even less than before, she has been quite supportive. I get plenty of flak from the teenage boys and a few other friends but as a non drinker I'm pretty used to that. I was inspired to try it out by many of the posts on this thread. It's amazing to me that we can fly a man to the moon but we're not really sure what we should be eating. Being vegetarian is a more natural thing to do I think. I'm not sure that we're all that well designed to process meat. We certainly can't eat it raw without risking death. A dog doesn't have that problem. The only way we can survive in the wild is to take our Weber BBQ with us apparently. Our bodies run on glucose, a constituent of plant food only. Eat nothing but plant food, you'll be perfectly healthy, eat nothing but meat (like Shackleton) you'll be in serious trouble. There is a message in that for me.

 

[jiashahood]

not a pure vegetarian, but I don't like meat so much, so you can call me a vegetarian

 

[lostintime]

It's amazing to me that we can fly a man to the moon but we're not really sure what we should be eating. Being vegetarian is a more natural thing to do I think. I'm not sure that we're all that well designed to process meat. We certainly can't eat it raw without risking death. A dog doesn't have that problem. The only way we can survive in the wild is to take our Weber BBQ with us apparently. Our bodies run on glucose, a constituent of plant food only. Eat nothing but plant food, you'll be perfectly healthy, eat nothing but meat (like Shackleton) you'll be in serious trouble. There is a message in that for me.

It is amazing. There are as many opinions on what to eat as there are people. My conclusion is we don't know because it's impossible to know. We are but a mirror of the nature we are a part of, and what do we know of nature? The same .... very little. We don't know if we're just along for the ride or actually have an influence on creation.

I wonder if meat eating would be the same if people were hunted down like prey . . . or if they were bunched in the back of flatbed truck for a week and led to a slaughterhouse. I mean go through the motions. Eat crappy grains.... recycled leftover processed food . . . . defecate where you stand . . . and eat some more. How is that proper food? Crap man..... you're eating fear. Why are most pro cyclists big meat eaters? ..... Well, this may not go too well here .... but it's fear. They're all afraid. Pro athletics is fueled by fear(then again, most of are).. . so eating meat keeps it going.

Yeah, it's just my opinion.

 

[JohnTyler]

Yes I am vegetarian. I like boiled vegetable.

 

[daviel]

Beef - it's what's for dinner.

 

[craig1985]

What are people's views on foods like dried apricots, cashews, and almonds as snack food to eat whilst not riding? A good way to get the calories up without eating a packet of chips instead.

 

[krebs303]

Be careful with dried apricots as they can be treated with sulfur and give you the "winds"

 

[lostintime]

Craig,

Keeping up the calories is a good thing . . . but carbohydrate is what we need for the body as well as the mind.

We really only need 5-10% of our calories from fat. Nuts and all get the calories up . . . but they're all fat and do little, if anything for us. They may taste good, but one must ask .... are they doing the body any good?

I like dried Apricots, but only get the Organic ones because they are not treated with anything. They taste so much better than the gummy-bear bright orange treated ones. They taste like apricots. I prefer organic dates though, as they are not really dried, so they digest better. Dried fruit requires a lot of water . . and I'd rather just eat fresh if I have the choice.

Eating too much fat and not enough good carbohydrate is one of the top reasons many vegetarians are unhappy campers and abandon it. They blame it on everything but their own lack of understanding and knowledge. I've been there. Just my take.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

There's a new documentary film coming out soon called Forks over Knives about the benefits of a plant based diet. It's going to get limited release in the next few weeks, and officially releasing nationwide on March 11th.

Official Site.

 

[durianrider]

All I know is that Ive been vegan for coming up 10 years and last season was my best ever for cycling/running.

I stay lean, fit and strong and get to eat as much as I want each meal.

Here is a good youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqK2YwBYhOg

 

[craig1985]

I eat meat, I'm lean, I've come off a 560km week of training, and last week I smashed my old p/b on a 6.5km climb (18:23) and I reckon I can lower it even more. Whatever works I guess.

 

[lostintime]

I take what durianrider is saying is howerver good you think you're riding today .... you can ride better.

Say you've always eaten meat... and you 're riding the best you have. Since you've only eaten animal protein, you really don't know if you could ride better if you didn't. You have nothing to compare it to.

I resisted the myth of animal protein for many many years. I finally took a leap into the unknown. Where would my precious protein come from? My body would surely start breaking down immediately and I'd lose all my muscle! Right? Wrong. Did not happen. I have more energy and am fitter and stronger than I've been in a long time. I'm eating about 85-90% carb from fruit.

It's real easy to knock .... but until one tries it in earnest ..... you'll never know.

 

[runninboy]

I take what durianrider is saying is howerver good you think you're riding today .... you can ride better.

Say you've always eaten meat... and you 're riding the best you have. Since you've only eaten animal protein, you really don't know if you could ride better if you didn't. You have nothing to compare it to.

I resisted the myth of animal protein for many many years. I finally took a leap into the unknown. Where would my precious protein come from? My body would surely start breaking down immediately and I'd lose all my muscle! Right? Wrong. Did not happen. I have more energy and am fitter and stronger than I've been in a long time. I'm eating about 85-90% carb from fruit.

It's real easy to knock .... but until one tries it in earnest ..... you'll never know.

Just wondering if your weight stayed the same when you went from meat to veg. For most there is quite a weight loss.
In my experience, being a meat eater/ vegetarian is secondary to your muscle to fat ratio.
I am much faster when i am lighter, no matter my diet.
Also if i am carrying 20 extra pounds being vegetarian or vegan has no advantage.
Just stating my own experience
I am a vegetarian who is eating alot of meat currently and loving it


Seriously i live in CA and i know quite a few women who claim to be vegans and i say "don't you eat fish? and eggs? and cheese? and chicken?"
Yes but i never eat beef
what about IN N OUT burger?
well yes....

Not saying anyone is like that here just that there seems to be alot of intellectual dishonesty in regards to this subject in my area.

 

[lostintime]

Just wondering if your weight stayed the same when you went from meat to veg. For most there is quite a weight loss.
In my experience, being a meat eater/ vegetarian is secondary to your muscle to fat

My weight has been about he same. The key is to simply eat enough calories .... carbohydrates in particular. I'm still learning how much I need, it's all still new to me ... so I'm takin' it a day by day. Some days I need 4000-6000 calories from modest riding(for me) .... and I'm not used to that... let alone eating that much carbohydrate!

This is where I always failed in the past .... not eating enough, and certainly not enough carbohydrates. Now that i know how to eat properly ....I feel great. I do not miss animal food at all. Protein is not a concern at all, and one of the most misunderstood and over rated aspects of diet today. Most people are afraid of carbohydrates, they think eating fruit will rot your teeth , give you diabetes .... all sorts of maladies! Funny! Even if you want to carb up on a cooked carbs .... people think they'll make you fat and spike your blood sugar etc. etc. None true.

I chose this way of eating out of being sick of feeling like crap. Low energy. Gas, bloating, mind fog ... etc. I was very skeptical to say the least. I really thought I had to have animal protein! ... but was willing to find out if it was true .... that the enzymes in fruits and veg are amino acids . . amino acids are the building blocks of protein... hence they have all you need. 3 months in and yes .... it is true. .. and no , I don't need animal protein.

I just feel so much better. Like a fog lifted. All the energy I need.

I'm eating mostly fruit, a few nuts sometimes, and some leafy greens lettuces, spinach, celery and some seedless cucumbers right now.

 

[durianrider]

I eat meat, I'm lean, I've come off a 560km week of training, and last week I smashed my old p/b on a 6.5km climb (18:23) and I reckon I can lower it even more. Whatever works I guess.

Imagine the extra blood flow to your legs that isnt being taken up by digesting meat in your gut Craig?

Im riding a 9.5kg bike with Tiagra and blowing doors off people. Doesnt mean a 9.5kg bike is better though...

Does that make sense?

LIT with the profound insights! Good work mate!

 

[stephens]

Well, I certainly can't argue with those results!

As for me, I was a vegetarian for five years and though I felt better about the impact I was having on the rest of the planet's occupants, I didn't really notice any big impacts on my own body when I switched to vegetarian, nor when I went back to eating meat. Contrary to what everyone told me, I didn't get sick when I ate meat, didn't feel any changes at all in my energy levels or any of that stuff. It was just a seamless transition off and back on to a meat diet.

I'm not a huge fan of meat though and don't eat much these days. I track every thing I eat (i'm just a data junkie) and really do find it hard enough to get all the protein I want if I didn't have meat that day. I can always supplement with whey protein shake. (sorry vegans).

 

[WonderLance]

My girlfriend just went raw vegan, Its the best thing that's ever happened to out relationship. We get it on like a million times a day, only problem is I'm running out of brown paper bags.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

durian's girlfriend is pretty hot actually

 

[WonderLance]

durian's girlfriend is pretty hot actually

Are you saying mines not? I don't know where you live but I might be able to find out!

 

[flyor64]

My girlfriend just went raw vegan, Its the best thing that's ever happened to out relationship. We get it on like a million times a day, only problem is I'm running out of brown paper bags.

Holy Taco!