Vegan/Vegetarian Update – Not found

So, I didn’t find the article my friend was referring to, but I did find this old article : Vegetarian diet leads to weightloss

I also found other articles that said that vegans seem to have a slightly higher metabolic rate than non-vegans (it doesn’t say how slightly). There is a lot of information that supports this idea out there, but you have to steer clear of the propaganda from certain groups and make sure it is backed up my scientific studies from reputable sources.

I think the information is pretty much common sense: if the average American, on an average American diet that includes meat and full fat dairy products abstains from these foods and replaces them with vegan foods the odds are that less calories would be consumed.

*Lean chicken and fish, cooked in a low-fat manner, are probably not what makes up the meat in the average American diet. So, if your current diet already consists of lean proteins turning vegan or vegetarian would probably not have as dramatic effect on your weight, but I don’t know that for a fact.

I have always been interested in veganism as I attempted to be vegan freshman year of college (after a co-worker gave me this pamphlet about how horribly the animals we eat are treated – I think it was from PETA or some similar group). I was totally on board after reading it, but I had no idea what I was doing. I think I ate a lot of cereal and rice and never made an effort to replace animal protein with plant based proteins. I was dumb. Needless to say I couldn’t do it for long (girl cannot live on bread alone). I’ve always felt like I failed. But, I am hesitant to go vegan because I realize how difficult it is to be vegan in a non-vegan environment. I don’t want to have to change the restaurants the BF and I frequent or subsist on dry salads when we travel. After reading the China Study I have a lot to think about. I know I want to make healthy changes in my life and influence the people I love to do the same. I need to figure out what I am willing to do long term and plan out how I will be successful and incorporate healthy changes in my life while still being normal (kinda) and having fun.

I don’t want to be the person in the Natalie Dee cartoon above and be self righteous about it or weird. I am not saying vegans are weird, but they are weird to my Mexican family who already think I am a “crazy running hippie”. The moral of the story is I am going to start making healthier choices and make an effort to cut back on animal proteins. Between that and my own smug self-importance I think I’ll be fine.