What do I do for protein? My body is very sensitive to lack of protein.
Any veggies or fruits high in calories? All the ones in my house are like 15 tops so...
And just out of curiosity what is your personal reason for going vegan?

I chose to go vegan for a very selfish reason. I felt guilty and heartbroken being part of the reason something had to die. I have pets, and thought about how I would feel if it were them.

As for protein, beans and legumes are a huge part. There are also protein supplements that you can get that are meat-free, dairy-free, etc, that you can mix in a morning shake.

I do WW, so I don't calorie count. I eat a ton of raw fruits and vegetables, and it hasn't hindered my weight loss. However, I have also completely cut out any form of junk food/processed food snacking, and plan if I'm going to have some soy ice cream, etc.

Good luck!

I'd recommend using something like myfitnesspal.com so you can track your protein. Basically every plant based food has protein in it, some have more than others. Fruits are on the lower end of the scale. Legumes (beans, lentils) and leafy greens are on the higher end of the scale. Quinoa and amaranth are also decent sources. Tofu and tempeh falls into the legumes pile and seitan falls into grains pile.

You might want to look at some cookbooks to help you, appetite for reduction is a good one.

I've been a strict vegetarian for almost six years, now, but I was vegan for a little while. I had to quit simply because I couldn't afford vegan food anymore- and I dislike most fresh veggies and have so little time to cook.

The best place I pick up protein is nuts, beans, and soy products. Soy milk takes a bit of taste adjustment, but a good fortified soymilk can beat out regular milk in protein.

Something else you'll need to be aware of is the vitamin B12; this is something that can almost exclusively be found in animal products, but is essential for the brain. Many fortified vegan foods can contain it, but I also suggest a vitamin supplement.

In addition: congratulations on your decision! I hope it works out well for you. Remind yourself regularly why you do what you do; I have a print-out of reasons to not eat each individual animal product- this is more so I can give people convincing reasons why I do what I do whan people start to get judgemental.

Personally, I became a vegetarian for a hundred thousand reasons that I researched in high school. However, after all these years, it's sort of come to a question of morality and right:

1: Raising a single cow to become someone's steak dinner takes up more land over several years than it takes to grow food for a family of five. How many acres of land do we dedicate to raising livestock- when instead we could be feeding hungry people? I forget exact numbers, but look it up. It's astonishing.

2: I have no qualms with hunters. In fact, I have no qualms with meat eaters if they are willing to kill their own food and it doesn't aggravate their conscience. I have a great deal of respect for hunters, in fact. But I CAN NOT kill an animal, skin it, clean it, and eat it. So- what right do I have to eat it? I feel that I have none. Now, people who seperate themselves from the fact- like my own mother- and pretend that meat is grown on store shelves, I have very little respect for in that regard. I mention at all that what she is eating was once a living creature- and I'm no longer allowed at the dinner table because she doesn't want to hear it. I feel that if someone needs ignorance to stomach what they eat (when they have so many guilt-free options, I'm not including people who MUST eat meat to survive) then they are blind and hypocritical.

Interesting, I've only heard strict vegetarian to mean someone who eats no meat, no eggs or dairy but may not necessarily try to buy vegan non-food products. I'm guessing you eat eggs and/or dairy?

I also think vegans can eat cheaply but again it depends on your tastes. I know many that spend $60-$100 on food per month. I tend to buy a lot of organic fruits and veggies so my budget is a bit higher ($250-$350/month for my husband and myself). I could certainly spend less but I choose not to.

I'm lacto-ovo- I eat eggs and dairy- I specify "strict" because too many people think that you can be a vegetarian and eat meat every once in a while. No joke. People ACTUALLY assume that. I also don't eat anything with stock or animal fat (lard). So, for example, I could eat Ramen for the noodles- but I can't for the flavoring (contains stock).

I'm sure a vegan could eat cheaply- I just know I can't! I'm a bad kind of vegetarian: I DESPISE most fresh veggies and a few fruits. I absolutely can't (well, don't have the stomach or willpower to) live without cooked food- and like I said: no time to cook. The idea of raw veganism (AGAIN!) terrifies me. A day on fruits and veggies has me violently ill by the end of the day. I know that there are vegan breads and vegan pre-made meals, but that's where it gets expensive. xC

Also: I'm lucky enough that even though I live away from my parents, they still are in the habit of grabbing MorningStar products when they shop, and no one else in their house eats them. Asking them to look for vegan foods would probably not be in my stomach's- or wallet's- best interest! Haha.

Oh I wouldn't do raw veganism. I eat a lot of grains and beans. I use a rice cooker to cook my grains and the pressure cooker for cooking beans. I also steam veggies in a microwave steamer. I'm all for eating inexpensively but I think you also need to make things easy for yourself.

http://www.veganbodybuilding.com/?pa...ritionprograms

check this out for a sample daily menu. the menus come in between 120g and 180g of protein per day. you can always add in extras of certian types of nut etc if you feel the need to increase this. If you google vegan bodybuilding there is loads of info on getting protein.