Would you go Vegan?

I could never do it!   I love a good steak too much.  I think you handeled it right.  If you want to be a good sport and try the restaurant, they usually have tofu imitations of meat, or sometimes use mushrooms or beans as subs for meat.  As I type this I know I just couldn't happily do it, and would prob. eat aprotein bar or drink a shake before going into the place and just eat something with may favorite veggies and try to avoid the carbs.  Couldn't a simple "no means no" and lets go watch a game instead talk make him quit trying to convert you?

Im not vegan but there are sources of protein that do not consist of meat like soy, tofu, and TVP. I live in Los Angeles and there are aome really great vegan restaurants around! Although I dont think I can completely become vegan eating at these restaurants once in a while is not bad. Honestly some of these dishes at the restaurant I went to you would not know they were not made with animal products they even had this killer tofu cheese cake it was out if this world good!

 I dont think I would ever be able to go totally vegetarian because I ike meat...and it's good protein  

BUT i have started getting creative with food options and trying different things and I just cooked veggie chicken actually, and it isnt bad. It has 100 cal/serving and 19g protein, with 1 g fat. I can't complain about that! So it is possible, and it might be healthy, but just wouldn't work for me. 

Veggie chicken?  Is it tofu based?

To OG poster:  I'm a carnivore for LIFE!!!  And their ability to EAT more and they get protein from vegetables and other sources.

Ms Shell

I have known many vegans in my life and I was one once upon a time.  I loved eating that way but I did not lose weight (and that was the goal).  It also is a whole different way of cooking and preparying the food ....you have to think differently in the kitchen.  It takes work where grilling a piece of meat is second nature.  I prefer NOT eating animal protein - for many reasons, but the reality for me is that I wont lose weight on it.  Plain and simple.  I have tried it many times only to fail and eventually I will grab a burger or something.  But I do have some vegan meals each week - so I get that fix while still getting my protein. 
Will I do that after I am sleeved?  I dont know.  Probably.  I am sure I could get my protein in but a good veggie burger (fresh or store bought) usually has more carbs in it than I should be having at this point.  So I probably wont buy them again.  But I do yearn to be a vegan.
I cant do whey protein shakes well - cant do dairy at all, so I found a protein shake made from peas that works just great for me - and it doesnt have much taste to it.  I add some almond, soy or coconut milk and I get all the protein I need.  With almost no carbs.  So it can work.  But it just takes more effort and thought.
With that said, I do understand why your friend is trying to convert you - many people do that when they are feeling good about something new they are doing.  That is great that he is having success but his pressure on you is uncalled for.  I would ask him to support you in doing what you need to do and to table the discussion until you are ready to discuss (if ever).  What is right for one person is not right for the world.

No way, Like I told Ruggie above, I like my raw milk & fresh eggs to much. OT, did you see the latest newsletter? Apparently you won a case of Premier protein shakes. If you haven't seen it, check it out and claim that prize.

 I was a vegetarian for about 5 years when I was younger. I went through pregnancy and European travel as a vegetarian. I raised my daughter as a vegetarian the first 2 years of her life. It was not easy. 
For me it was both a health and an ethical thing. I grew up eating beef that my parents bought from someone they knew. The animal was raised well, healthy at slaughter. The chickens my grandfather raised. When I was on my own and faced with the grocery store meat, I was also exposed to films about the meat industry. The antibiotics, chemicals, and bad treatment of the animals is extreem, and the slaughter houses are horrific. The damage and cost to the environment is huge. As a young adult I could not afford meat that did not come out of this twisted industry, so I did without. I was plenty chuncky as a vegetarian. I was healthy and never too thin.

In all my prior attempts to lose weight I had never tried a high protien diet. It went against all nutritional information I had ever believed. Of course, like all of us I think, I have lost and gained tons over the years. 

In getting ready for this surgery, they found that I have a low kidney function. I was worried that I was not going to be able to have the surgery because of the dietary changes. What the usual wls diet and my kidney doctor diet proposed were quite different. I had a freak out in the doctors office one day-complete with tears-and they rushed in a nut to help me figure this out.  I eat on the low end of the protien recomendations for my kidneys. I eat mostly beans,eggs and dairy to meet that requirement. I am not a vegetarian, but I am not going to eat bacon anytime soon. I think in our society a vegan diet is extreemly hard to maintain, and after wls even more so. Your friend most likely has just found a really great way for him to feel healthy and wants to share it with you. There is a certain clarity of mind that comes from abstinence from eating the flesh of another. It sounds weird, but it is true. But it is kinda like any other feat of self discipline you achieve....the high of clarity only lasts awhile. Seems like there are a lot of people in my life, who have not struggled with weight quite the same way I have, who have a lot of advice for me. You call this person a friend, so I bet they just want what is best for you, however misguided they may be. Let your friend have their fault as you have yours. I am just a newbie on here...but that's my 2 cents.

I would not want to do it.....I enjoy protein too much.

Also - and this just my experience....I have yet to meet a "healthy" looking vegetarian/vegan.  They all seem very pale, weak, and without much get up and go.

Of course....it could be that all the vegans I know basically eat junk food and no real vegetables/fruits or healthy protein source.  Their only "dietary guidelines" is don't eat any animals products....but hey....everything else is good to go!

I agree.  I know a lot of pasta and bread vegans.  Lots of carbs with some veggies thrown in.  Not for me!

There is no way to get all the essential amino acids one needs with a plant based diet.  Many vegans are seriously deficient.  Supplements are a must not an option.  It's never a good idea to remove entire food groups from ones diet either.  Not just my opinion either the facts are out there. 

Plus, I LOVE me some meat!

Jennifer