10 Possible Side Effects of Going Vegan

by Alena
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Are you afraid of the side effects of going vegan? Here is what might happen if you switch your diet and lifestyle — and what to do about it.

From going bald to losing muscle or having no more friends — there are a lot of rumors about what happens if you go vegan.

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But which of these side effects can honestly be expected? And what can you do about them?

This article covers the most common problems people experience when going vegan and offers helpful tips and free guides to deal with them.

There are so many good reasons to go vegan, and if you know how to do it well, you’ll fall in love with this lifestyle in no time!

Possible side effects of going vegan

Nutrition education

Every healthy diet needs to be well-planned. This is true for plant-based diets as well as for any other!

The American Dietetic Association states that “vegan diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases.”

But this is only true if you know how to cover your nutritional needs! So, you need to educate yourself.

Solution

Eat from all vegan food groups: fruits, veggies, (whole) grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. Take a B12 supplement and check our full vegan nutrition guide here. Grab our printable nutrition sheets below if you like!

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Low energy

Do you feel like you’ve lost your spark or want to sleep all day? While this could have many reasons, it can be diet-related.

A vegan diet consists of many lower-calorie foods, such as fruits and veggies — it’s not uncommon for new vegans to unintentionally eat too few calories by loading up on healthy produce!

Animal-based foods are typically high in fat, low in water and devoid of fiber — all of which makes them rich in calories. These need to be replaced adequately!

Fatigue can be a sign of many things, including insufficient nutrient intake. If you cannot make out obvious reasons for being tired like too little sleep due to stress, investigate it further and seek professional help!

Solution

Low energy is usually due to eating too little. Focus on high-calorie foods, track your food intake over a few days and cover the basics like sleeping enough and reducing stress.

Weight loss

Unintended weight loss is no fun! If you notice that you cannot keep any weight on you since going vegan, remember that there are many calorie-packed foods like chips or chocolate that are vegan — so it’s not due to veganism per se.

Eating plant-based isn’t just about salads or smoothies, there are more vegan food groups to eat from!

Please consult a doctor once you’ve ensured that you eat enough throughout the day and are still losing weight!

Solution

Follow our guide on gaining weight on a vegan diet and choose from this selection of tasty high-calorie vegan meals. Don’t rely on fruits and veggies too much, have sandwiches, pasta, energy balls and more!

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Weight gain

If you’ve been gaining weight since going vegan, this can be due to a couple of factors!

Perhaps you’re intrigued by all the new and exciting vegan foods like ice cream or veggie burgers.

Or you’ve read that you can eat as much as you want on a vegan diet without gaining a pound?

Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Especially if you’ve been eating refined carbs, food drenched in oil or heavy sauces, the calories can add up quickly!

Solution

Check out our plant-based weight loss guide or try these low-calorie recipes to learn how you can create delicious meals that support your weight goals.

Feeling hungry

Constantly feeling hungry and never really satisfied with their food is something new vegans may experience.

Follow a specific (restrictive) vegan diet, such as a low-carb or low-fat vegan diet can lead to decreased satiety in some people!

Jump back to the beginning of the article to learn about the nutrition basics of a plant-based diet and fill your plate with satiating starches, plant-based protein, healthy fats and veggies.

Solution

If you’re always hungry, eat more filling and fiber-rich foods! Combine them with creamy sauces and complex carbs to stay full for hours on end. Check out the links above about higher-calorie foods and meals!

Food cravings

Whenever we switch from one diet to another, we usually experience cravings. They are often just reminders of foods we were used to eating for a long time — and sometimes, we crave the foods we’re trying to avoid the most.

Make sure that you’re eating enough and covering basic nutritional needs by reading about plant-based nutrition.

You can also get in touch with your reasons for wanting to be vegan and ask yourself whether you’ve restricted your diet too much!

Nowadays, there are delicious vegan replacements for anything from pizza to donuts, ice cream, cheese and meat. Try some of them!

Solution

Understand these feelings better and know that they are only temporanry! To prevent cravings, eat enough, eat mindfully, make your food taste delicious and try vegan alternatives if you’re craving animal products.

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Indigestion

Introducing new foods or eating patterns to our belly and gut bacteria can mean trouble!

From belly rumblings, gurglings or other signs of indigestion like flatulence, constipation or diarrhea, everyone reacts a bit differently.

It’s best to stay as close to your former eating patterns as possible when transitioning to a vegan diet and recreate your omnivorous or vegetarian diet in a vegan way before introducing lots of beans or broccoli!

Solution

A slow transition is key to keeping your digestion happy! Drink plenty of water as you increase the fiber in your diet, and cook your veggies and puree legumes if they are hard to digest. Read more about a low-fiber diet and bloating on a vegan diet!

Eating out

Following a fully vegan diet at home is one thing, but finding vegan food outside is a whole different story!

It definitely includes some research and planning — although, luckily, vegan options at most restaurant chains have become much more ubiquitous. 

Bring your own food where it’s socially acceptable, check out vegan restaurants (browse Happy Cow) or do some online research before visiting a restaurant to see if they have vegan-friendly options.

Solution

Most restaurants can provide you with fully vegan meals if you just ask them — this also increases demand! Check the menu for a little (v) next to any meals, which often indicates that they are vegan. Offer to bring something to a party when invited!

Social challenges

Doing something that’s not mainstream can always lead to difficult social situations. People start questioning your decisions and feel the need to defend their diet and lifestyle.

But it’s totally possible to be vegan if your family is not or even become a vegan family together!

Find out how to talk to others about your lifestyle and find answers to common arguments here.

Solution

Stay calm and friendly when discussing your vegan diet. You can also let others know if you don’t want to talk about this subject — find specific tips for being vegan at cookouts or surviving the holidays as a vegan on our website!

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Cooking your own food

Are you used to just grabbing food outside of your home or buying frozen meals? Well, as a vegan, you typically have way fewer options.

Time to start cooking your own meals more often! This also helps if you’re on a budget, and you’ll discover many new flavors and foods that way.

Solution

Check out our vegan cooking guide here and browse these beginner-friendly vegan recipes that pretty much everyone can prepare! Having to cook your own food doesn’t have to be a downside — plus, restaurant options and convenience foods are growing each year.

Tips for going vegan

We want to help make your transition to veganism easy and fun! Check out the following steps.

  1. Learn why it’s a good idea to go vegan and keep your own reasons in mind.
  2. Decide on your pace: do you want to transition overnight or go step by step and more slowly?
  3. Check your mindset and reassure yourself that you can do this and that there is a delicious replacement for any animal-based food out there!
  4. Start with the easiest foods and keep your ultimate favorite non-vegan dishes for last. Replacing milk or yogurt is usually most approachable!
  5. Keep things fun and try delicious vegan food like edible cookie dough, burgers or chocolate ice cream.
  6. Veganize your favorite meals by making food swaps. That way you don’t need to miss out on anything!
  7. Take it one day at a time to avoid feeling overwhelmed and be okay with the fact that you might slip up here and there.
  8. Prepare and stock your kitchen with delicious vegan foods! Follow our vegan grocery list and get rid of as many non-vegan foods as you can.
  9. Choose a few easy vegan recipes and then plan out your week of dinners. Try to stick to your plan!
  10. Learn a few basics about plant-based nutrition but don’t overcomplicate things. Vegan meals can look very simple!
  11. Get blood work done to see what you need to supplement and get a cheap B12 vitamin.
  12. Reach out for support online or in your circle of friends or family! It’s always easier if you have someone else to lean on.

More vegan articles

Have you experienced any side effects after going vegan? Do any of them keep you from this lifestyle? Share with us in the comments and Pin this article here.

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Alena sitting in a cafe with a bowl of fresh plant-based food and a glass of coffee in front of her

About Alena Handwritten FontAlena Schowalter is a Certified Vegan Nutritionist who has been a vegetarian since childhood and vegan since 2012. Together with her husband, she founded nutriciously in 2015 and has been guiding thousands of people through different transition stages towards a healthy plant-based diet. She’s received training in the fields of nutrition, music therapy and social work. Alena enjoys discussions around vegan ethics, walks through nature and creating new recipes.

87 thoughts on “10 Possible Side Effects of Going Vegan”

  1. I have been vegan a long time! Definitely not lacking in energy.
    Vegan “diets” aren’t just about being skinny and amazing – it’s about way more than that. Even if a meat eater was 100% healthy and a vegan (by lack of some nutrients) is 90% healthy I would choose the latter because of the other benefits of the lifestyle – not contributing to the ills of the dairy industry and the slaughterhouses. It’s a spiritual thing for me. BUT luckily the science is there as well. Even the USDA says we need to eat less meat and dairy. Disease can be prevented and even reversed with a plant-based diet. Real studies show this. BUT I know what you mean in this article – I think you did a great job of breaking down why people don’t like it and why it doesn’t work for them. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    • Hey Juli,
      thanks so much for your comment! And thanks for getting what my intention was – I’ve been getting a lot of negative feedback from vegans related to this article. I know that people are looking for this term and want to argue why veganism is so unhealthy… it was actually hard to come up with 7 things that could be “side effects”. And I didn’t want it to be cheesy like “Side effect #1 you’ll be very healthy, side effect #2 you’ll save the environment” etc. There are a few concerns because some people think a vegan diet consists of veggies only and that will make them go back to an omnivorous diet. Just some basics on how to succeed :)
      Thanks again for stopping by!
      Warm wishes,
      Alena

      Reply
      • Hi Alena! This was such a wonderful and eye opening article! I’m glad I came across it today having just turned Vegan 2 days ago! ? Thank you so much for writing it! ? Love from Singapore!

        Reply
  2. I enjoyed reading this article. I have changed to a plant based-diet a couple of weeks ago and I am experiencing the transition that you have mentioned, however, each day I feel stronger than the day before and have not suffered with chronic sinusitis in a week vs everyday of my life that I ate meat and dairy. Thanks for the motivation!!!

    Reply
    • Hey Teri,
      wow that sounds amazing! Thanks so much for sharing. Must be such a motivation to feel better every day :)
      Let us know if you come across any hardships so we can support you.
      All my best,
      Alena

      Reply
  3. Great article especially for the people who may face some difficulties into veganism. I also like the books you propose. Actually i educated myself into veganism reading these books (long after I became vegan) and especially “The Starch Solution” made my life soooo much easier!

    Thanks for sharing :)
    Vicky

    Reply
    • Thanks for the comment, Vicky! We personally have found it easy to go and stay vegan, though this doesn’t that there aren’t possibly any caveats to eating a vegan diet. We love The Starch Solution as well! Great and easy concept. Personally, we don’t stick to a particular diet or concept anymore, just trying to fill up on nutritious whole plant-based foods :)

      Reply
  4. I have changed to a plant based diet for about 2 months now and I am super excited I have never felt more energy and more healthier in my life!! The one side effect that I have been noticing that I am not particularly fond of is my oily skin I have never in my life had oily skin and I have a bunch of bumps across my forehead that bother the crap out of me but I am hoping they go away soon and maybe that it is just bad toxins leaving my body free eating so bad on my life any suggestions as to why this happens?

    Reply
    • Hi Lamonica,
      thanks for your comment. I’m glad that you’ve reaped such amazing benefits from your diet change so far :)
      Regarding your oily skin: do you still consume any oils? Are you heavy on the nuts or coconut milk? We do recommend a whole food plant-based diet with a limited amount of nuts and seeds. Some people need to restrict their fats even more in order to have healthy skin. Check out this video for more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Qdwn2itsgg
      All my best,
      Alena

      Reply
  5. Thank you this was very helpful as I have been svegan for 2 months now and was experiencing serious digestive issues yesterday. Now I know it’s because I was eating way to much fiber all at once, and I know what to do now so thank you.

    Reply
    • My pleasure to help anyone who’s wanting to make a change! Hope you’re feeling better soon and that your body finds a way to adjust. We used to eat over 100 grams of fiber per day thousands of years ago, so our bodies are capable of working through a lot :)

      Reply
  6. Thanks for this info! My husband and I slowly slipped into the vegetarian stage, and hope to eventually become complete vegan. I’m reading everything I can to become knowledgeable as possible. It’s only been a short amount of time, but we’re both seeing changes that we love, and the best part is we’re not constantly hungry!

    Reply
    • Hey Christie,
      thanks for your comment! I was so happy to hear you guys are wanting to transition together :) Great that our little blog has been helpful to you. Have you joined our free e-course in transitioning to a plant-based diet? Could be interesting. Check it out here: http://nutriciously.com/course/
      Let me know if you need any further support.
      Best wishes,
      Alena

      Reply
  7. Thanks for this post. My husband and I decided to go vegetarian about 2 months ago. We would like to go full vegan but with our kids (5, 3, and 1) we are having a hard time figuring out foods to feed them for lunches. The older ones know what animal products taste like so they have been rough to switch. Luckily they no longer drink cows milk and yogurt which has been a huge help with our 3 year olds exzema and our 5 year olds constant constipation.

    Reply
  8. Thank you for this information, I to switched a couple days ago to a plant based foods, I am experiencing lots of hunger pains and am not getting enough to eat. Is this normal when you switched right over from everyday foods?? I am staying away from All meats and dairy product. Is this allowing my stomach to shrink??

    Reply
    • It’s normal when switching from a carnist diet to a plant-based diet to feel an appetite for foods you used to eat, and to not feel totally satisfied by new plant-based dishes. Your body is also going through a change as it begins taking in plant foods versus flesh foods. One rule that I learned a lot from: eat when you are hungry. I can’t stress this enough. As long as they are plant-based and whole foods (fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains), you can’t really go wrong with several meals a day. If you try to adhere to the same macro goals (or visual goals, e.g. a handful of berries, one half of a banana, two tbsp peanut butter, other crap advice like that) as you had with a SAD diet you will feel very differently (negatively) with a plant-based diet. Eat a lot (if you’re hungry for it), just make it whole and plant-based!

      Reply
    • Hi there Kim,
      I hope that you’re feeling better by now! Please don’t just eat veggies instead of meat but make sure to include more calorically dense foods like beans, tofu/tempeh products, nuts, seeds, and whole starches into your diet. These foods should be your staples to which you then add calorically dilute but nutritionally dense fruits and vegetables :) Does that make any sense? Feel free to email me so we can go over what you’re eating and how you could improve this.
      Best wishes,
      Alena

      Reply
  9. Alena, thank you *so* much for this article. Coming up on my three year veganniversary this winter, and I know that I would have had a rough go of a transition if I hadn’t done my research, counted my calories (at first), and was willing to experiment and start cooking. (And if I had wanted to change for my health rather than because I realized how unethical and environmentally devastating carnism is!)

    This is a phenomenal guide, and I’m so glad it has so many external links to various books and cheat sheets. I hope a lot of people find inspiration in this and decide to make the change for real.

    Thanks again!

    Reply
    • Hi Rikki,
      wow – thank you SO MUCH for this comment! Really made my day here. I’m so happy to be able to provide useful information and resources for you. Amazing that you’ve been vegan for 3 years already :) And still no protein deficiency, right?
      Let me know if you ever need further support – you can always reach me via email.
      All my best,
      Alena

      Reply
  10. HI Alena
    I started eating a vegan diet last April and my reason may be different then others. Since 2011 I have reduced the amount of meat and dairy products to try and reduce my cholesterol levels. But I still ate some thinking I needed it for protein. I was able to reduce it a little but not to my doctors satisfaction. So after watching a documentary on eating a plant based diet for a healthy heart and to lower cholesterol levels, decided to give it a try. I bought and read ” Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease “by Dr. Esselstyn. After three months I had my levels tested and they went down quite alot to almost normal. My doctor was amazed. I am continuing with it and feel great. I have lost 20 lbs. and only find it hard when not eating at home. I highly recommend a plant based diet no matter what your reasons are.

    Reply
    • Hey Carol,
      thank YOU SO much for sharing this with us! What an inspiring story – I’m very happy to hear about your results. So well done! Are you continuing this diet now? Did you cut out oils or fatty foods as well? Would be very interesting since my father in law also has pretty high cholesterol.
      Let us know if we can support you in any other way!
      All my best,
      Alena

      Reply
  11. Hey there! My husband and I transitioned to vegan over a year ago after watching Forks Over Knives. I have to say we have been far from perfect.

    I still “cheat” when we eat out, and Rick occasionally has a piece of cheese pizza. However, I have learned a lot about how to cook vegan, including an incredible seitan turkey from the vegandad blog.

    I take comfort in the fact that most people I know who are 100% vegan went vegan slowly over a period of years. My hubby and I tried to go cold turkey. The fact that we’re about 90% vegan is at least better than nothing! :-D

    Reply
    • Hi Anna,
      thanks so much for sharing! Sounds great what you guys are doing – if you treat veganism as a diet, rather than an ethical stance, I get that you want to cheat here and there. Eating 90% plant-based is awesome and you still have time to go all the way :) Already making a great difference at this level, I believe.
      Feel free to reach out via email if you need any further support!
      Best wishes,
      Alena

      Reply
  12. Nice article, its hard to be a vegetarian much less a vegan in Jamaica. Meat is staple here and u can get away from it, ever since I started my no flesh diet I’ve been more active, less sluggish and over all happier. Reading and trying new stuff has been the norm for me now. But like I said Jamaica isn’t vegan and going to a restaurant asking for a vegan meal, will leave you high on carbs and unwanted saturated fats and deeply unsatisfied. I try to stick to the principles of my diet, though its hard being addicted to most of the poison found in process food. Kind of why I started to prepare my food from scratch, the less processes the end product the less chemicals you can’t pronounce are in it. But really my biggest problem is people thinking I’m trying to loose weight,( though I would like to) I didn’t start it to do that. Even got a few try eat fish, advocators, but the thing is if I were to eat fish I really be get fish that are fed on ingredients that are designed to make it bigger faster, it hard trying to explaining myself to people. But if it was easy it wouldn’t be fun right?.

    Reply
    • Great that you’re making changes whenever you can! Preparing vegan meals at home is a good start already and try to make is as plant-based as possible when you’re out. Less processed is always better but don’t be too hard on yourself and tackle one thing at a time!
      Best of luck

      Reply
  13. This November will mark one year “plant based” for me and girlfriend. I work construction and it is difficult to find plant based whe n working on the road. Home is piece of cake. Went from doctor want to put me on high blood pressure meds and borderline diabetic to normal healthy numbers. And all within two months. Investing in healthy food best investment of my life

    Reply
    • Haha loved the “home is a piece of cake” part! Yes, so easy to eat plant-based when preparing your own food – so awesome to know that you kind of healed your body by changing your diet. Very proud of you :)
      When on the road, look out for baked potatoes, rice dishes, pasta marinara, breads, salad, grilled veggies, fresh fruit, veggie pizza without cheese, avocado sushi and more. This could help you: http://nutriciously.com/vegan-fast-food/

      Reply
  14. I just switched to vegan eating 3 1/2 months ago. I read the book “Health Power: Health by Choice, not by Chance” and it really opened my eyes to the unhealthy animal food diet that most Americans eat, so I decided to eat more plant foods and fiber. Then I read the book through again and decided to go vegetarian. After reading the book the 3rd time, I knew that Vegan was the ONLY way to go, and I switched cold-turkey. I am loving it. I used to be pre-diabetec. My labs after just 2 1/2 months showed I was nowhere near any risk for Diabetes anymore. I also lost 20 lbs (while eating LOTS of food) and now weigh what the Metropolitan Life Insurance Weight Table says I should weigh (1st time since I was 28 – I’m 69 now)! My cholesterol went down 44 points, and it’s 145 now. (At one point in my life, it was over 300.) My hubby even lost 12 lbs just eating what I’m cooking. I never in a million years expected to be one of those “weird” vegan people, because I figured I could never really give up meat. Well, it’s a done deal now and I’m never going back. This is definitely a good fit for me, and I’m loving all the whole foods, grains, breads, beans, lentils, fruits, veggies, etc. It’s opened up a whole new world. I was never really into cooking, and now I can’t wait to try the next new vegan recipe. I just discovered your website on Pinterest and will be a regular visitor. This is a great article. So far a few friends have asked the “you don’t eat cheese” question, or they think I’m dieting; but most have been encouraging and are very interested themselves. Making the switch food-wise has been no problem at all. I’ve loved it from “day 1” and it just keeps getting better.

    Reply
    • Hi Kris,
      thank you so much for this beautiful comment and insight! I’m so happy for you and proud of all the changes you’ve made. It’s so amazing to see vegan/plant-based diets work for people over and over again, taking care of many ailments that came from improper diet and lifestyle choices (we’ve all been there…)
      Keep us posted! We’d love to hear back from you some time. Feel free to reach out whenever you have a question.
      All my best,
      Alena

      Reply
  15. Hey,
    I am currently 18 years old and gave up milk for about a month now. I still have yogurt and cheese but in terms of drinking milk, I switched from cow milk to almond milk. This has lead to a lot of digestive problems to the point where I got hammeroids. What should I do? Should I go back to drinking milk?

    Reply
    • Hmm that’s strange. Maybe there’s something in the almond milk you cannot digest well – maybe carrageenan? Try a different plant-based milk, one with the only ingredients being “soy beans, water”, maybe some salt added. Sorry to hear about your problems! Please get checked by a health professional.

      Reply
  16. Hi new vegan. Congratulations in wanting to change your diet. I doubt the almond milk alone gave you hemorrhoid since you are still eating cheese and yogurt, you are still consuming some dairy. I switched to plant-based diet now 10 weeks ago after a friend lent me her copy of “how not to die”. It’s been a gradual adjustment and change in my whole body. I eat a lot more than I used to, but small amounts at a time. A small bowl of stir fry brown rice with tons of vegetables fills you up faster than a huge steak. But you may be hungry a couple of hours later, so you grab a bowl of edamame. So I’m never hungry and constantly eating through out the day.
    And then you start noticing changes in you body. Your body starts purging the toxins you have accumulated all these years. The amount of waste you have increase enormously. You may have a flare of acne even. Your gut flora is changing, your blood and brain chemistry is changing. If you are on medication, make sure you see your doctor if you feel like your medication is not working anymore. I was on hypertension medications and 4 weeks after switching, I felt sick and we had to cut all my medications by half. Now 8 weeks later we cut them off except one I’m on the lowest dosage of it. I lost weight too, trimmed because I really didn’t need to lose much. I started first walking and picked up running again because I felt so much happier and have so much more energy at the end of a 9 hours work day.
    So my advice to you is, once you make the switch, your body will get to work to detox and clean house, just be patient with it. Now I sleep better and my skin is clear. Do take B12 et D Vitamin supplements. Dr Greger book how not to die is a great resource when it comes to what to eat and how much. Good luck.

    Reply
  17. I switched to a vegan diet because I had a heart attack a couple years ago however I have been experiencing horrible bloating after I go to bed I wake up 2 hours later and I look like I’m 11 months pregnant and there is pain right underneath my breast bone it doesn’t happen every night but quite often

    Reply
  18. Hello Alena,

    Thank you for your article! My boyfriend and I switched to a Vegan diet yesterday and I cannot be more like excited! My only concern is that I do not need to lose any weight so I am concerned that I need to be more diligent than he may need to on my consumption of foods. Any advice?

    Thank you!

    Reply
    • Hi there Sarah,
      thanks for reaching out! So awesome that you guys switched to a vegan diet, I’m very excited for you :) Hope it’s been going well so far.
      When it comes to weight control on a vegan (or any!) diet, I’d suggest you make yourself familiar with the concept of calorie density – meaning the number of calories per pound of a food. Eating a whole head of lettuce will fill you up more but give you the same amount of calories as 2 almonds. So, even though eating veggies is a healthy thing to do, make sure to fill your plate with starches first. Baked/steamed potatoes are the much more calorie dilute than whole grains and flour products like pasta or bread even give you more energy per bite. So, you can make it a point to not eat too many veggies, include nuts, seeds, avocados, dried fruit, bread/crackers, smoothies and some treats and you probably won’t lose any weight unless you only eat a small amount of food each day.
      Hope this helps, feel free to email us any time for more support :)

      Reply
  19. Hi. I’m 20 and just jumped into a vegan diet without much of an issue almost 2 weeks ago. Of course, it’s not perfect yet and I have to do some research so I have a greater knowledge of foods I should be eating, but I’ll get there. I’ve heard plenty of arguments for and against veganism though, and I know veganism is the right decision. The anti-vegan argument you mentioned about fatigue and lack of energy from a vegan diet, I haven’t experienced anything like that so I must be doing something right. I feel just as alert and energetic as I did when I was consuming animal products. It didn’t take me long to figure out I need to take in a bigger quantity of food with each meal, so that’s what I’ve been doing with foods that I think I should be eating. I am experiencing a bit of a problem that just started recently though. For the first week I was able to handle how much more I was eating with each meal and felt satiated afterwards. However, when I try to eat the same amount as before my stomach just can’t hold that much down. The first time this happened (yesterday) I had to throw a small portion of it up. I tried to hold it all in but I just couldn’t and it forced it’s way out. Today I wasn’t very hungry at lunch despite not having eaten much for several hours before. I took considerably less than yesterday when it was too much. But my stomach was fighting me and I felt a slight gag reflex as I ate, and had to eat slowly so as to not make it worse. It stayed down, and tonight at dinner my normal appetite was back. But now, after having had some tea, I’m experiencing that slight gag reflex again. What could this be? I don’t believe it’s the food I’m eating. I’ve been choosing a variety of raw and cooked vegetables and for now spinach is my go-to leafy green. I also have things like rice and sometimes pasta. Fries are a guilty pleasure but I try to limit my intake of those. Could I have just been eating too much to begin with and my stomach is saying no more? Because other than this slight blip I feel amazing. How much is too much? I generally only eat two meals a day because of my college meal plan and I just don’t want to become calorically deficient.

    Oh, and I have another question. My family are among the group that believe we are naturally omnivores and think the consumption of animal products is necessary and healthy. I won’t dare tell them I’m vegan because I don’t believe they would let me stay on the diet. This isn’t an issue when I’m at college but it’s much more difficult to manage at home. I just got back from break and when I’m home I get offered animal products multiple times a day. I’m really concerned about being able to maintain the diet over longer breaks like christmas and summer. I was able to deflect by saying I’d have it later, or just flat out lying. For example, my mom told me to finish the ice cream, which I agreed to. But when she left the kitchen I poured it down the sink. This will work for awhile but they might catch on sooner or later. I stress just thinking about all the times we’ll potentially go out to eat. I probably can’t find a way to excuse myself every time and I already know it would be much harder to hide when ordering off a menu. I suppose I could always or most of the time order spaghetti with plain sauce or something, but avoiding the animal products every time might arouse suspicion. I meant it when I said I never want to eat animal products again but my parents would be the contributing factor as to why I would. I hate it when parents think they know best regarding a certain topic and they actually don’t. Do you have any suggestions?

    Reply
    • Hi there Meg,

      thanks for getting in touch! Wonderful that you made an informed choice and went vegan. What other right answer could there be? This article wasn’t at all supposed to be an “anti-vegan argument” and we just wanted to mention a few things that can happen when you don’t transition/prepare properly : )

      Sorry to hear about your struggles with food and portions! Could it be that you’re just eating a whole bunch of vegetables? We’re suggesting a starch-based vegan diet most of the time because that’s the fuel our bodies usually thrive on. So have the potatoes and rice, the beans and pasta and bread on the center of your plate and add colorful, non-starchy vegetables to these filling foods. You’ll find that you have to eat a smaller volume before you’re full and have ingested enough energy that way. I haven’t heard of people accidentally throwing up their food except for when they really force it down or have some type of food poisoning. You might want to have that checked! Good to know that you’re trying to get enough calories in, so make sure to choose denser foods like flour products, nuts, seeds, or dried fruit to achieve that.

      Moving over to your family… no matter if we’re naturally omnivores, there are plenty of examples and studies showing that you can be very healthy on a vegan diet. So human beings don’t have to consume animal products in order to thrive, which is a wonderful thing! It wouldn’t be very ethical to suggest we stop eating something we require to be healthy, right. Aren’t you allowed to choose your own diet? Anyway, it’s a good idea to not tell everybody about this for now until you see good results and know the answers to popular questions or concerns (http://nutriciously.com/vegan-comebacks/)

      I see what you mean when it comes to staying with your family for a longer period of time. Maybe you could frame it in a way that seems like this is just a temporary experiment for you? Having to lie all of the time isn’t sustainable, nor does it give you a good feeling. So you would need to ease their concerns here! Agree to get regular blood tests done and if you’ll get deficient in something, you would do what it takes to stay healthy. They cannot really argue with great blood work.

      I have a few awesome videos that could be helpful to you here:
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqdeEMBXZck
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhKHqRWrKag
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bq0mUCoyBOo
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9VYDG4VRQ4
      There are many sources showing how it has so many health benefits when you eat a whole foods vegan diet, so get them out and show them to your parents someday : )

      Hope this answered some of your questions!
      Wishing you all the best,
      Alena

      Reply
  20. I went vegan a few months ago after being vegetarian my whole life. I feel pretty bad, not gonna lie. As much as I try different recipes and read new info, my stomach hurts, I have bad gas, and just generally not feeling sexy in my body with gas all the time. I might start eating organic (and local) eggs and dairy again. >_< so ashamed.

    Reply
    • Hi Cora,
      sorry to hear about your issues! What exactly do you think eggs and dairy contain that help with your bloating? Anyway, if you’d like to make the vegan diet work for you, here are some tips:
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NASDHywVpB4
      http://nutriciously.com/how-to-get-rid-of-bloating/
      I understand that you want to go back to your old ways if you’re feeling crappy right now. Please don’t be ashamed of it! Maybe it’s a food that you added on your vegan diet that you don’t digest too well? Maybe it’s too much fiber all of a sudden? There’s nothing helpful in dairy or eggs, they are just devoid of fiber.
      Good luck to you x

      Reply
  21. Bunch of crap!! Had cholesterol that was on upper end of normal, so decided to go vegan. Not too much of a change as egg whites, honey, cold water fish and occasionally some cheese was only animal products i consumed before. Always had tons of fresh fruits and veggies and even my own organic herb garden. So went completely vegan for about a year.. Adding vitamin d 3, zinc and b12 supplements. DISASTER!! my periods and hormones went completely whack, energy tanked despite enough calories from all whole foods, ear infections the flu for 1st time ever, bronchitis and pneumonia. At some point in the ICU i decided to put back egg whites and fish in my diet and voila… After about 6 weeks of my pescatarian diet i was feeling back to myself.. 6 months later no issues. It may not have been many animal products that i consumed but they sure were necessary for me!!

    Reply
    • Sorry to hear you had such a bad experience. As you might know, plant-based diets have been shown very effective in the prevention and reverse of detrimental diseases (https://nutritionfacts.org/topics/plant-based-diets/) and the American Dietetic Association even stated that, if well-planned, vegan diets are suitable for everyone at every stage of life (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19562864).
      I cannot know what the culprit was for you but I am sorry that it did not work out. There is nothing found in animal products that is essential to human health which we cannot get from plants (apart from vitamin B12) because all of these nutrients actually come from the plant kingdom – that’s how animals get them, too. Maybe you have a very rare condition that doesn’t allow you to absorb or metabolize certain nutrients correctly but you could work with a trained health professional on that if you wanted.
      Good luck on your health journey!

      Reply
  22. hi, i switched to vegan diet about 3 days ago. i fell much better now than before. but i have constipation problem. i heard this is a side effect of vegan diet. how long does it take to not having this problem?
    please, answer.

    Reply
    • Should have been resolved by now – if you’re struggling with painful digestive problems for more than a week I’d like for you to see a health professional. Slight discomfort most always comes with any diet change. Watch your fiber intake and only increase it slowly while drinking enough! Fiber actually helps with being regular :)

      Reply
  23. Hello Alena.
    I have been vegan for almost 8 weeks now and the transition actually went pretty well. I didn’t miss cheese or meats…hardly really drank milk…so I was ok with my new plant based diet. It surely helped my digestive system and the first 2 weeks I had energy like never before! However, 2 days ago, I suffered from a SEVERE panic attack at a restaurant with my daughter. I felt like I was going to faint, and then became insanely fearful of dying. The manager called 911 and paramedics showed up causing everyone to look at me. I was so scared but embarrassed at the same time. I tried chugging orange juice thinking my sugar levels were down, but the EMT checked my sugar, bp, and did an ekg on spot and he said everything was normal. He said it looked like I was having a panic/anxiety attack. I had not been stressed or worrying about anything but I think perhaps I didn’t have very much to eat the day before and I was binge drinking. I have bought b12 but I am afraid to take it, actually for that reason that I may get anxiety or something from it. I sometimes feel I may go back to eating the way I used to, but even in my most vulnerable state, I stick to my chosen path. I’m happy eating what I do now. I am just now thinking that the panic attack was caused my some sort of imbalance or malnutrition problem? I don’t want to die. Not yet anyway. I thought this was supposed to help my health. Please leave me some supportive advice…I surely need it. Thank you, Missy.

    Reply
    • Hi there Missy,
      thanks for stopping by and sharing your story. Glad to know the transition has been pretty easy but wow, what about that panic attack? Haven’t heard of this before and would love for you to check in with a health professional on this. Magnesium could help with the nerves, try to eat more foods containing this mineral. You could also search on nutritionfacts.org for similar issues!
      Please feel better soon x

      Reply
  24. Hi!
    I’m a 16 year old animal lover, but I’ve been raised on meat and cheese since I was young. I desperately want to attempt going vegan, but being a teenager, I have no idea how that will go. I have PCOS as well, and I don’t have any idea how going vegan will effect my already terrible hormones.
    Having PCOS also makes me completely exhausted and I have no way of getting energy through the day without eating some type of sugar due to my inability to drink coffee. How will I cut that out?
    Lastly, how will I talk to my mom about this? And there are barely any foods I really like besides bread products and various fruits, as well as chicken and different meals with cheese. I rarely eat red meat.
    I’m just lost. I haven’t read any articles for teenagers.
    Yours,
    Elizabeth

    Reply
    • Dear Elizabeth,
      thanks so much for reaching out and using the little energy you have to get in touch. I hope I can help you at least a little bit! Let’s see.
      1. Going vegan and eating a plant-based diet is a healthy thing to do for all stages of life. The American Dietetic Association stated in a paper that it’s safe for everyone. Doesn’t matter if you’re a toddler, teenager, or 80 years old.
      2. A vegan diet doesn’t contain any mammalian hormones which are ubiquitous in meat and dairy products. Not just the added hormones in conventional agriculture but the estrogen in mother’s milk (aka dairy) for example. There are a bunch of articles on people reversing their PCOS on a vegan diet like this: https://nutritionstudies.org/cleared-pcos-kids-lost-weight-plant-based-diet/ lots more resources here: http://www.wholefoodsplantbasedhealth.com.au/medical-conditions/pcos-polycystic-ovarian-syndrome/
      3. Get in touch with a plant-based doctor or nutritionist on this. Some offer online consultation or have a lot of free resources on their website. They can assure you that it’s safe to transition to a plant-based diet and tell you how to do that. Please note that we’re not trained health professionals here, only bloggers :)
      4. Blood sugar roller coaster! Been there, done that. Eating whole starches like oatmeal, potatoes, brown rice, wheat berries etc. helps to give you steady energy. Snacking on fruit gives me a blood sugar spike that’s quite nice – overall, a plant-based diet offers lots of carbs (you choose how whole/healthy you want them to be) and therefore, energy. It’s the #1 preferred energy source for our cells. And nobody says you need to cut out sugar here :)
      5. Tell your mom you want to get healthy and feel better. She loves you and will want to support you in this, pretty sure! If this is an eating plan suggested by doctors and a peer-reviewed study, it makes sense to try it out. As I don’t know anything about your relationship, I cannot tell you exactly how to talk to her… but I know there are lots of YouTube videos on this, so get inspired there. You can also connect with other vegan teenagers on this platform.
      6. Start by eating the vegan foods you already like and then try a new one here and there to see if you like it! There are so many grains, plant-based milks or yogurts, mock meats etc. for you to discover. Your taste preferences will change over time, we tend to crave what we’re used to eating – I never thought I’d enjoy veggies, used to hate them and never ate them as a kid. Now I don’t want a single meal without them. It’s so crazy! Don’t give up your hope.
      Finally, here’s a good resource I found: https://www.brownble.com/blog/2017/10/7/vegan-teens-series-part-2-im-a-vegan-teen-in-a-non-vegan-family
      Please let me know if you need any further support. You can join our group on Facebook to get in touch with others in your situation or email us directly.
      Warm wishes,
      Alena

      Reply
  25. I love this site I have never been a picky eater but for a long time I was mostly eating meat and very little veggies I ended up being sick for over a year vomiting every day multiple times a day constantly in to see the doctors and many times in the ER I had extremely bad acid reflux and max doses of 2 different reflux meds were barely able to control it and often didn’t and then I developed an allergy to sugar so if there is any sugar added to my food it’s really bad my fiancé suggested maybe I should try going vegan and I thought it was a great idea because there is added sugar in most food and if I buy fresh fruit and veggies and cook it myself then no need to worry about it and so I changed instantly over night after watching all the YouTube videos and 4 days in I felt all those transitioning things you mentioned and it wasn’t fun I googled it and found your site and I was eating garlic onion and kale a lot and saw the suggestion to back off a bit so I started eating plain baked chicken breast with mostly veggies eating with less and less chicken each day allowing my stomach to produce the enzymes needed to digest the veggies like you mentioned I did this for about a week and I don’t bloat anymore I haven’t vomited in quite a while my acid reflux has surprisingly vanished I haven’t needed the medicine at all I’ve had a lot more energy I feel great I’ve gotten really lean and I want to thank you for your incredibly helpful site it really made all the difference everything was laid out and easy to find so thank you for making this it has really helped me a ton

    Reply
    • Thanks so much for stopping by! Your kind words mean a lot, we’re happy that you appreciate our work and that it’s been so helpful to you :) Keep at it x

      Reply
  26. Hi Alena,
    Unfortunately I am one of the non thriving whole food plant based vegans. I got plant based certified at Cornell University, read every single plant based book out there, and participate in ongoing audios and webinars with all the amazing plant based doctors and professionals out there. BUT..can’t digest the food! No matter what I do I simple can’t digest any beans or cruciferous veggies or onions and garlic. I have been stubborn however over the many years( 7 years now) and keep eating my “healthy diet” of whole grains, beans veggies, fruit and a little nuts, seeds or avocado and flax and chia. I have tried everything, sprouting, pureeing triple soaking my beans but nothing nothing works. All beans kill me for hours after eating them. It starts about 1-2 hours after eating them and the stomach pain, bloating severe flatulence goes on for about 10 hours. It’s awful. Digestive enzymes do nothing. Beano does nothing. I have had in the past, many many years ago a period of IBS but that went away. I have no trouble digesting low fiber foods or animal products.(but don’t eat them). Now I have come to the crossroads as I’m sick and tired of feeling crappy. My blood tests are perfect. Not low in b12, calcium EFA, or d3. I recently joined over 35,000 people around the world listening to the FOOD REVOLUTION summit with many doctors from both sides. I think I will try to give up all the beans and gassy foods and begin eating fish instead with maybe some eggs and chicken and very infrequently meat. Basically the Mediterranean diet. I feel defeated but holding on to an ideology isn’t a good thing when it doesn’t serve you well. I was following the plant based experts like they were the G-ds of knowledge, Dr michael Greger, Esselstyn, McDougall, Klaper, Goldhamer, Doug Lisle and so many more. The results in addition to chronic stomach issues is more belly fat, more fatigue and depression. I’ve wasted many years of my life with my ideology. I hope my stomach will recover if I haven’t damaged it permanently eating this plant based diet. I feel angry it didn’t work.

    Reply
    • Hi Jen,
      thanks for reaching out and sharing your story! What a rare case, you must feel very exhausted at this point because there aren’t many experiences like yours out there I think. Have you tried working with a plant-based MD or RD on this? People like Chef AJ also don’t eat beans at all I think because she has trouble digesting it. Just lots of cooked veggies, some raw veggies, brown rice, potatoes, fruit. She has great levels as well and some PB doctors claim you don’t have to add beans and lentils to your diet to get enough protein, if that’s your issue. Have you tried an elimination diet like the one Dr. McDougall suggests? I used to get so bloated and struggled on a WFPB diet, then backed off and cut out onions, beans, and high fiber foods. Ate more mashed potatoes, white rice, fruit, some lettuce and tomatoes. These were much easier on my digestion and I added broccoli, brown rice, all that back in. Feeling great now – of course, that’s just my own experience.
      Just wanted to give you some ideas… I understand if you feel defeated and don’t want to keep going. I just thought it doesn’t make sense that your body requires animal products when they bump up your cholesterol which could lead to chronic disease. But if it’s the only logical step right now, just to see if it works or not – try it! It’s your life and choice. Thanks for sharing, my heart goes out to you and I hope you’re feeling better soon x

      Reply
    • For those who are saying they are having trouble eating beans and other sources high in protein, try the 80/10/10 diet and eliminate all the foods you have problems with, instead, load up on anything high-carb such as bananas and sweet fruits, potatoes or rice. Try to get as close to 80% of your calories from simple carbs each day as you can, around 10% from good fats like avocado and around 10% from good proteins if you can tolerate them, like whatever green veggies you can handle, spinach, kale, or whatever.

      Try to eat as raw as you possibly can, even if it’s only until right before supper time.

      Reply
  27. I think people are made differently and we all don’t do well on the same diet. I met with Dr. Esselstyn quite a few years ago and was on a strict vegan no added oil diet for four years. The result was low energy and a constant stomachache. Part of that was finding out later that I do better without gluten. But I think it’s Important to read widely and experiment – tweaking your diet until you find just the right balance.

    Reply
    • Dr. Esselstyn’s diet doesn’t require eating any gluten :) Just skip the wheat, barley, and rye, and replace them with quinoa, potatoes, oats, or millet. Sure, some people don’t digest gluten well – others don’t digest nuts or seeds well, we all have our little differences. But overall, human beings thrive on unprocessed foods and plant foods I’d say. Definitely find what’s best for you!

      Reply
  28. I loved this article. For my heath – less swelling, no more IBS, headaches, skin rashes, or URIs – I’m looking to be full-on vegan. I ate ribs, cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs after sticking heavily to a plant-based diet. With in a day, my ankle was the size of a grapefruit, I have had a headache for three days, my fingers are fat, and I have a yeast rash on my tummy. So, I think it’s time. How do I get the starter kit in a hard copy form?

    Reply
    • Thanks for your feedback and sharing your story! Sorry to hear about your reaction to those foods but now you know, at least. Congrats on trying to make the switch now :)
      We don’t offer a physical version of our products but you could have it printed out if you wish! Other customers did that in the past. Hope you understand that it’s not easy for us to manage the shipment or production of hard copies! Let me know if I can help with anything else.

      Reply
  29. I have to say I have been almost vegan (I use some organic creamer in my coffee, that’s it) for 31 years and feel fine. I have so much energy, I run on the treadmill one hour 6 days a week. You can get everything you need from plants, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Vegetarians that are sick and tired must be eating junk food. I recently had my vitamin B12 tested and it’s fine, I do sprinkle some nutritional yeast on my salad a few times a week, but I just started doing that. Eating meat is eating a corpse, I can’t see anything healthy about it. Health isn’t the reason I am vegetarian though, its my love of animals and the cruel way they are treated.

    Reply
  30. I started my vegan diet about a month ago and just recently I’ve been having pain in my upper stomach, where my intestines are. Should I be concerned or what?

    Reply
  31. I switched my diet to plant based about 3 weeks ago…. I need to work on feeling energized, happy and focused but maybe the transition has me feeling a bit tired or blauhhh …. I am looking for a good menu for holiday meals.
    I am taking a multi vitamin because of the tired feeling. Thinking about doing a cleanse like renew life whole body cleanse. I get the snacks fruits and veggies but I need to find main dish recipes that are good.

    Reply
  32. I always thought of vegans as vegetarians with a moral objection to animal products but my choice to switch to a whole plant based diet came strictly out of necessity. Having a stroke at 42, high BP, diabetes and a myriad of other health issues, I went vegan on the suggestion of my nutritionist and my trainer. Movies like Forks over Knives and What the Health helped me to affirm my resolve to go entirely plant based. Since doing so, I’ve not only lost weight while eating tons but I’ve also had an overall general increase in my sense of well being. People ate under this general misconception we must consume meat or dairy but that’s simply not true, I get all the nutrients I need, plus I plan meals ahead and save tons of $ not eating fast food. For me, going vegan as a health choice has had nothing bu ry positive effecrs!

    Reply
  33. I agree with you… normally vegan people tend to forget they have come from the society of non-vegan..when non-vegan had respected their choice of living…why vegan forced other they should live on their choice of living…respect every one of their choices..

    Reply
  34. What happens to those of us that are already small by nature but want to stop eating animals and other not vegan food. Not at 47 years old. I have stopped using leather and animal products however I struggle with eating.

    Reply
  35. Hello, I’m starting a podcast and one of the topics is going to be Veganism. Whilst I myself am not Vegan, I do plan to start reducing the amount of meat and by-products in my life.
    I was wondering if I could possibly get links/ sources to the facts and figures used and if I could possibly get your personal reason for going Vegan. I would greatly appreciate it :) Your website is extremely interesting and has proved a great source of info.

    Many thanks,

    Ray.

    Reply
  36. Hi, Thanks for your awesome share. Actually, Going vegan has lots of health benefits, like lowering the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and even some cancers. You just need a little planning to make sure you’re getting the fuel you need. A vegan diet excludes all animal products, including dairy.

    Reply
  37. I recently switched to being a Whole Foods vegetarian ( no fake meat, etc). It’s been about 45 days. I’m still suffering my loose stools since my conversion to vegetarianism. Any tips to help with this?
    April

    Reply
    • Have you introduced new foods? Drastically increased the fiber in your diet? These are the 2 most common causes of bloating. Sorry to hear about your struggles, some have an easier time to adjust than others. Typically, it goes away after 1-4 weeks or so. Should you have an underlying gut issue, this won’t be fixed by food and you’ll have to look into it more.
      My tip: fewer cruciferous veggies, onions, garlic and legumes for now.
      Let me know if you need more support!

      Reply
  38. Hi Alena, great article. I have found since becoming vegan (april last year) my hair is just terrible. Just so dry and I am convinced it has thinned also. Do you have any suggestions? I’ve looked at all sorts of supplements and external hair treaments to feed the hair -but I’m at a bit of a loss of what is best. Thanks, Julie x

    Reply
  39. I’ve been going full vegan for a month now.
    beans and rice for every dinner(warmed up) and pb & j with banana for lunch,
    an apple sometimes, and mixed nuts occasionally helps with better stools.

    I’m having an real issue with forming any solid poop, it’s almost like diahrea(almost)
    I’m eating fritos corn chips and other vegan snacks.
    I’m also taking Naturelos’s vegan multivitamins.

    now looking at a vegan iron supplement and other vegetables to help solidify stools.

    What do I need more of?Thanks!

    Reply
    • Hey Zac, thanks for getting in touch! Having proper digesting is definitely important for overall health, absorption of nutrients and more. If I were you, I’d definitely have this checked by a medical professional because nobody on the internet would be able to tell you what exactly is the issue in your specific case :) It could either be a specific food or food group you’re reacting to or something lifestyle-related, such as stress. Only proper testing will tell and just leaving out a certain food forever is dealing with the symptom instead of going for the root cause.
      Wishing you all the best!
      Alena

      Reply
  40. Been plant based 6 weeks now, have more energy than ever before. At 39 years old I regret not doing this much much sooner. Blood pressure And A1c improved a lot.

    Reply
      • I did when I first went vegan. It usually meant that I wasn’t eating enough or I was lacking a nutrient. It was often accompanied by nausea. B12 and iron deficiencies can also cause that type of reaction. I’ve been vegan nearly three years now and I know if my mood drops then I’m lacking B12 while lightheadedness is usually iron for me. It’s worth keeping a food diary to record when you feel that way and see how much you are actually eating compared to what– and the type of things — you should be eating.

        Reply
  41. I’m originally from Texas and went plant based Jan 1. Which means most of my family thinks I’ve lost my mind! I’ve been contemplating it for about a year, so the transition has been relatively easy and fun to discover all the new foods. What was even more fun was seeing a major reduction in inflammation & bloat 3 weeks in. So, I recently went all the way and cut out the remaining dairy. One week in, I’m seeing further reduction of inflammation and starting to lose weight. Energy levels are up and I can’t imagine going back!

    Great info in this article. Thank you!

    Reply
  42. I have just started after watching two documentaries. I am 74 and have no serious health problems other than a lack of energy and blood pressure than is a little higher than normal. My problem is that I haven’t had the time to gather all the ingredients for homemade salad dressing yet. If I eat a brand like Olive Garden Italian am I ruining my whole diet. I am still researching recipes for sauces and dressings. Day 1 I ate smashed avocado on whole grain toast for breakfast, and a hugh wrap with whole grain and flax tortilla ( the inside was beans, lettuce, olives and I mixed avocado with salsa for sauce.) It was delicious, but I ate way too much At least it did away with my cravings for junk food. lol

    Reply
  43. I come from a family that eats a lot of meat especially during the holidays like tamales, posole, menudo (I’m Mexican). My family thinks I’m crazy. My husband (Serbian) also comes from a country where they eat a lot of meat and dairy like cevapi, karagorgiva, burek. Nonetheless we don’t care what anyone says, our health is our priority!

    Reply
  44. I am getting a heartburn sensation around an hour or so after I eat. Thia happened also two years ago when I was on keto.
    I started wfpb about a month, and even before that, I noticed that i got this sensation when I ate legumes or plantain for example.
    When I was on keto, I would take zantac, but that’s not a choice anymore.
    I’ve googled about this, and all I’ve found it’s bloating and gas related to wfpb diet. It’s usually after lunch. I

    Reply
  45. Hi
    Good read. I’ve been making switch to vegetables diet and im pretty skinny already but I now have lost like 10 or 15 pounds and am barely 100 pounds now. This worries me. I am very lethargic now and im also having muscle weakness in legs and trouble swallowing. I get all the amazing health benefits but im struggling with these side effects and am thinking of going back to adding chicken into diet. I have already been doing fish (salmon mainly). Is that okay or like agh I don’t know 2hat to do. I am taking calcium and b12 supplements as well . I dont think I am getting enough calories in day
    Please help!

    Reply
    • Hi Abby,
      we don’t suggest you go on a “vegetable” diet when going vegan — there are more important food groups, especially whole grains, legumes and nuts & seeds which make sure you get enough energy and meet all of your nutritional requirements. Please add as much as you can of these to your current diet or seek professional help because it sounds like you’re becoming malnourished! How did you get the idea that you were supposed to follow a vegetable diet?
      Here’s a thorough guide I wrote a while back: http://nutriciously.com/vegan-food-pyramid/
      All my best!

      Reply
  46. I find it interesting “having to cook” as a possible side effect of going vegan. But I think I understand what you mean. In a way, I think going vegan asks you to get a bit creative in the ways we think of vegetables/grains/fruits etc. and continuously create delicious dishes (I find it super fun and satisfying!).

    In terms of energy, though, I think it’s vital to also get adequate exercise to keep our bodies strong. If we’re going to nourish ourselves so well, why not make time for a bit of exercise? I have had more energy than ever after about 4 months of veganism, with regular light exercise.

    Whenever I’ve told friends/family of going vegan…the main response I get is “why”? And I can’t say I wouldn’t ask them the same if I were in their position, but it also feels slightly narrow-minded. Almost like, “why waste your time” though I don’t think it’s meant to come off that way. Maybe more them just trying to understand the ultimate reasons for this lifestyle. Don’t take things personally, people will always (quietly or not) judge.

    Reply
    • thanks so much for your insight and I 100% agree with everything! it’s an older article which needs some more love from me again, but having to cook is actually something I heard from aspiring vegans why they hesitate to take the plunge. I’ve grown up with homecooked meals each day and learned to cook at an early age, so this was never hard for me but in today’s convenient food society, it is for some people.

      Reply
  47. It’s been almost two years that I have been a vegan. I completely agree with almost all of your points here. However, I am thankful to you for providing me with some great healthy and tasty recipes. I really didn’t face that many difficulties with my food choices and cravings.

    Reply

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