Overwhelmed and not sure where to start

[Lillibby]

I’m trying to go from semi vegetarian to fully vegan. I rarely eat chicken, maybe once a month and then I just pick at it and can’t bring myself to eat it. Tuna once a week in pasta. So I eat more veggie meals than meat. Dairy is huge in my diet, cheese, sour cream, soft cheese etc and I want to cut these out and go vegan for my health as I’ve had issues with cholesterol in my 30s which was strange but I went vegan for 6 months and my cholesterol went from 6.9 to 4.3 my Gp was astonished. It was bizarre it went high at a young age. I wasn’t eating burgers or fatty food.

I didn’t keep up vegan as I have CFS/ME and my fatigue worsened on a vegan diet so I returned to mainly being veggie with a bit of tuna. I’ve slipped back into eating too much dark chocolate, dairy, cake etc and I know I need to get this under control for my health. I just feel overwhelmed. My brain due to fatigue issues gets mixed and overwhelmed with so many options and I never know which to stick at and fail. For example I’ve a bookcase full of books but I get so overwhelmed and don’t know which to start first so I avoid reading. I think should I read a self help book for my CFS, or anxiety or read a book on crystals or meditation so I end up reading nothing as I get overwhelmed by which to start first haha, it’s annoying. Its the same with diet, I get so overwhelmed by options and advice. Which diets better, you hear such conflicting advice for any diet that helps CFS and the body in general so I get swayed in all directions. Low fat, high carb or vice versa, veggie, vegan, slimming world type diet.... but deep down my heart lies with wanting to be vegan.

I probably sound a loon but I never know which to do for the best, but that’s me in general the last year or so. So I end up stuck not reading any books or not eating great.

Can anyone advise on starting out vegan what type of meals to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner? I don’t eat gluten, soya or nuts.

Thank you
Libs

 

[shyvas]

Hello and welcome to our forum.

Firstly, I think that the information and questions that you have posted should be broken down. I do understand why you are overwhelmed as you are dealing with many health related issues and it would seem also a lot of anxiety. You certainly are not a loon and only seem slightly confused as you wish to have a more healthy lifestyle. There is so much information out there that it's easy to get muddled up.

If I have full understood you wish to go from a flexitiarian lifestyle to a vegan one for health reasons, i.e. to lower your cholesterol. However, you suffer with CFS and when you went fully vegan your fatigue worsened.

Some useful facts about cholesterol as it does have something to do with one's gene setup :

Cholesterol in the Blood

The cholesterol in your blood comes from the foods you eat and your liver. Your liver makes all of the cholesterol your body needs.

www.hopkinsmedicine.org

An unhealthy lifestyle/smoking/alcohol/ high trans fat die/high sugar diet can also contribute to high cholesterol levels. I know many people who eat very low cholesterol foods and still have high levels.

From what I have read it that your diet( lifestyle and not a diet to lose weight) contains high amounts of fat due to your dairy intake as well as too much sugar i.e cakes, sugar etc. A high sugar diet will lead to more fatigue and anxiety hence reaching out to more sugar and you end up in a vicious circle.

You don't say what a typical day or two meal plan looks like. It's sometimes easier to give suggestions as you should eat food that are healthy, satisfying and also include some treats.

Have you ever tried a Mediterranean based lifestyle diet? This type of diet is based on eating large amounts of fresh vegetables, fruit and and also including whole grains and pulses/legumes, olive oil(virgin rapeseed also lowers cholesterol) and nuts which you an omit as you don't eat the latter.


Mediterranean Buddha Bowl Recipe | Culinary Hill




Your protein sources (very important to get enough protein but omit seitan) could also include the following which omit soya products :

9 Vegan Proteins to Eat When You’re Allergic to Soy

What can you eat when you're vegan but allergic to soy? Seitan, vegan meat, and plant-based ice cream can be good soy-free food alternatives .

www.livekindly.co

As you are based in the UK, you can find many plant based foods including protein that are soya free even including
plant based cheeses (Violife) and yogurts/ice cream/chocolates. Have you tried Quorn products which are excellent and make a substantial meal. They can be found in both the frozen and chilled sections. Alpro also have a range of soya free milk products. Just take into account that coconut products are quite high in cholesterol.

8 Gluten-Free Grains That Are Super Healthy

If you have celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity, it's important to avoid the protein gluten. Learn about 8 gluten-free grains.

www.healthline.com

Language Selector

Enjoy healthy, low fat vegetarian versions of your favourite recipes - browse our product range and find out why Quorn is a healthy source of protein.

www.quorn.ph

It's difficult to give you meal suggestions as you don't mention your likes and what you usually eat. However, it shouldn't prove
difficult to come up with a few meal suggestions by just substituting f animal protein and dairy with plant based protein. As you should be careful not to have sugar spikes which make chronic fatigue and anxiety worse, it's important that you eat food that keeps you full and releases sugar slowly i.e.
pulses/legumes and protein plus fibre. It would also be helpful to include 2 snacks in between meals if you tend you feel hungry or anxious. The latter being healthy and full of fibre/processed fat and sugar free. Have you tried peanut butter (it's a legume not a nut) as this helps with low sugar levels when hungry?

We also have quite a large selection of recipes in the Food & Drink section which could give you an idea of some basics and more elaborated meals. Do you cook or prefer to make quick meals ? There is also a thread called Favourite Food Blogs in the F&D forum. There are tons of different types of vegan lifestyle plans and ideas.

If you could tell us more about the kind of food/meals you like, I'm sure that many of us will be able to help you out.

Another important factor is vitamin B12 when going vegan. Please read:

What Every Vegan Should Know About Vitamin B12

The critical importance of vitamin B12.

www.vegansociety.com

Gentle excercise i.e walking in a park or cycling can also help with anxiety and chronic fatigue.

I hope this helps and hasn't confused you more. We aren't medical specialists on this forum so please do continue to follow any medical advice given by your doctors.

 

[Lillibby]

Hello and welcome to our forum.

Firstly, I think that the information and questions that you have posted should be broken down. I do understand why you are overwhelmed as you are dealing with many health related issues and it would seem also a lot of anxiety. You certainly are not a loon and only seem slightly confused as you wish to have a more healthy lifestyle. There is so much information out there that it's easy to get muddled up.

If I have full understood you wish to go from a flexitiarian lifestyle to a vegan one for health reasons, i.e. to lower your cholesterol. However, you suffer with CFS and when you went fully vegan your fatigue worsened.

Some useful facts about cholesterol as it does have something to do with one's gene setup :

Cholesterol in the Blood

The cholesterol in your blood comes from the foods you eat and your liver. Your liver makes all of the cholesterol your body needs.

www.hopkinsmedicine.org

An unhealthy lifestyle/smoking/alcohol/ high trans fat die/high sugar diet can also contribute to high cholesterol levels. I know many people who eat very low cholesterol foods and still have high levels.

From what I have read it that your diet( lifestyle and not a diet to lose weight) contains high amounts of fat due to your dairy intake as well as too much sugar i.e cakes, sugar etc. A high sugar diet will lead to more fatigue and anxiety hence reaching out to more sugar and you end up in a vicious circle.

You don't say what a typical day or two meal plan looks like. It's sometimes easier to give suggestions as you should eat food that are healthy, satisfying and also include some treats.

Have you ever tried a Mediterranean based lifestyle diet? This type of diet is based on eating large amounts of fresh vegetables, fruit and and also including whole grains and pulses/legumes, olive oil(virgin rapeseed also lowers cholesterol) and nuts which you an omit as you don't eat the latter.


Mediterranean Buddha Bowl Recipe | Culinary Hill

View attachment 20755


Your protein sources (very important to get enough protein but omit seitan) could also include the following which omit soya products :

9 Vegan Proteins to Eat When You’re Allergic to Soy

What can you eat when you're vegan but allergic to soy? Seitan, vegan meat, and plant-based ice cream can be good soy-free food alternatives .

www.livekindly.co

As you are based in the UK, you can find many plant based foods including protein that are soya free even including
plant based cheeses (Violife) and yogurts/ice cream/chocolates. Have you tried Quorn products which are excellent and make a substantial meal. They can be found in both the frozen and chilled sections. Alpro also have a range of soya free milk products. Just take into account that coconut products are quite high in cholesterol.

8 Gluten-Free Grains That Are Super Healthy

If you have celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity, it's important to avoid the protein gluten. Learn about 8 gluten-free grains.

www.healthline.com

Language Selector

Enjoy healthy, low fat vegetarian versions of your favourite recipes - browse our product range and find out why Quorn is a healthy source of protein.

www.quorn.ph

It's difficult to give you meal suggestions as you don't mention your likes and what you usually eat. However, it shouldn't prove
difficult to come up with a few meal suggestions by just substituting f animal protein and dairy with plant based protein. As you should be careful not to have sugar spikes which make chronic fatigue and anxiety worse, it's important that you eat food that keeps you full and releases sugar slowly i.e.
pulses/legumes and protein plus fibre. It would also be helpful to include 2 snacks in between meals if you tend you feel hungry or anxious. The latter being healthy and full of fibre/processed fat and sugar free. Have you tried peanut butter (it's a legume not a nut) as this helps with low sugar levels when hungry?

We also have quite a large selection of recipes in the Food & Drink section which could give you an idea of some basics and more elaborated meals. Do you cook or prefer to make quick meals ? There is also a thread called Favourite Food Blogs in the F&D forum. There are tons of different types of vegan lifestyle plans and ideas.

If you could tell us more about the kind of food/meals you like, I'm sure that many of us will be able to help you out.

Another important factor is vitamin B12 when going vegan. Please read:

What Every Vegan Should Know About Vitamin B12

The critical importance of vitamin B12.

www.vegansociety.com

Gentle excercise i.e walking in a park or cycling can also help with anxiety and chronic fatigue.

I hope this helps and hasn't confused you more. We aren't medical specialists on this forum so please do continue to follow any medical advice given by your doctors.

Thank you so much for your helpful reply.

I think I overwhelm myself as I have CFS, anxiety, ptsd and I just always want to find ways to help myself and I get overwhelmed. Same with diet.

I want to go vegan not just for cholesterol even though I know it works but more just for a healthier lifestyle and I’m a huge animal lover and want to do it for that reason also.

I like quorn but can’t eat the vegan options as they currently contain wheat I’ve noticed so I do use their vegetarian option of quorn pieces and mince which contain egg I believe. I love pasta, curries, casseroles, beans, lentils, potatoes, sweet potatoes any veggies and fruit. I am not fussy haha. I was just trying to think of an easy type of meal plan to start with that will give me all the protein etc I need as I worry about not having the amino acids my body needs. It feels like so much to learn to make sure the body doesn’t lack anything.

I take vitamins already so I’m pretty clued you on those.

Thanks again for your advice. I do get overwhelmed easy as to what to do for the best. I think that’s just the fatigue I suffer from it makes me overwhelmed easily.

 

[shyvas]

Thank you so much for your helpful reply.

I think I overwhelm myself as I have CFS, anxiety, ptsd and I just always want to find ways to help myself and I get overwhelmed. Same with diet.

I want to go vegan not just for cholesterol even though I know it works but more just for a healthier lifestyle and I’m a huge animal lover and want to do it for that reason also.

I like quorn but can’t eat the vegan options as they currently contain wheat I’ve noticed so I do use their vegetarian option of quorn pieces and mince which contain egg I believe. I love pasta, curries, casseroles, beans, lentils, potatoes, sweet potatoes any veggies and fruit. I am not fussy haha. I was just trying to think of an easy type of meal plan to start with that will give me all the protein etc I need as I worry about not having the amino acids my body needs. It feels like so much to learn to make sure the body doesn’t lack anything.

I take vitamins already so I’m pretty clued you on those.

Thanks again for your advice. I do get overwhelmed easy as to what to do for the best. I think that’s just the fatigue I suffer from it makes me overwhelmed easily.

That's great as you have narrowed it down and answered some important questions. Great that you are also a huge animal lover.

I do understand your sense of being overwhelmed which is most probably due to the extreme fatigue. Do you have anyone that can help
you with the grocery shopping and cooking ? You also seem to have a tendency to be a perfectionist which isn't negative. Homeophatic remedies can also help to reduce anxiety levels.

I didn't realise that Quorn products contained wheat. They may come up with some gluten free products one day as they are quite
innovative with their range. You should write and ask them to do so.

Here is a list of plant based proteins (just skip the nuts) which will also help you to base your meals plans as it also contains the amount of grams of protein.

Vegan Gluten-Free and Soy-Free Diet Guide

Do you have food allergies? No matter what your allergies are, you can eat a healthy plant-based diet with this vegan gluten-free and soy-free diet guide.

ordinaryvegan.net

" I love pasta, curries, casseroles, beans, lentils, potatoes, sweet potatoes any veggies and fruit. I am not fussy haha. "

Pasta dishes : I gather that is using gluten free types. Did you know that soba ( buckwheat) is GF and delicious?

Idees : Lentil & vegetable lasagne made with bechamel using cornflour and rice milk topped with Violife cheese.
GF spaghetti or soba noodles with bean or lentil stew made with onions, tomatoes and mushrooms.
Pasta bake ; Tiny GF pasta in a rich tomato and roast vegetable sauce, baked and topped with Violife cheese.
Mac & Cheese ; GF baby macaroni in a sweet potato/ plant based cheese sauce.

Bean/lentil/chickpea curries with added vegetables e.g. spinach, kale, sweet potatoes served with GF grains such as quinoa/buckwheat etc
Black bean chilli mole style with sweet potatoes served with guacamole and quinoa.
Two bean & kale chilli served with corn bread.

Casseroles made with sliced tortillas, beans, passata, root vegetables served with buckwheat.
Goulash style casserole with root vegetables/jackfruit and GF herb dumplings.

Sweet potatoes; spicy roast /baked with Oatly cream and chives/ oven baked chips/ pureed/ scalloped and topped with Violife cheese.

Jackfruit : pulled spicy jackfruit in a warm soft corn tortilla or on a GF bun with slaw.
Chick peas : hummus, falafel, burgers etc

Chickpea flour (GF and high in protein) used in baking; bread, muffins, crumbles and for making savoury pancakes.

The Best Damn Vegan Nachos

Once I discovered the secret to Cashew-Less Vegan Queso, I wanted to put it on everything within reach; starting with nachos, of course. And based on

minimalistbaker.com

There must be a 1001 recipes for vegetables and fruit and potatoes. Soups, salads, roast vegetables, pureed etc. Fruit; salads, stewed, roast,smoothies
frozen berries and or bananas with pb yogurt 'ice cream' style dessert. Crumbles, pies etc.

If you like avocados, they are very versatile and can be made into guacamole, sliced and served in Buddha bowls. You can also add them to smoothies and use them for baking.

The following blog also has a GF section which could inspire you as her recipes are quite easy and original :

Recipes

Filter through all Minimalist Baker Recipes by season, diet, cuisine, recipe type, simple factor, or ingredients!

minimalistbaker.com

 

[shyvas]

More and more brands as well as store brands include a few plant based and gluten free options. They will always have the V and GF on the back of the package.
Check out Sainsbury's, Linda Macartney and Waitrose.

Sainsbury's online Grocery Shopping and Fresh Food Delivery - Vegan/Gluten Free

Quorn Vegan Ham Free Slices

Quorn Vegan Smoky Ham Free Slices provide a delicious vegan lunchtime option. A vegan ham free slice, with smoky overtones whilst being low in saturated fat. Add to sandwiches, salads and more for a delicious vegan meal. For recipe inspo using vegan ham click...

www.quorn.co.uk

Vegan gluten-free recipes

If you're following a plant-based and gluten-free diet, try our selection of sweet and savoury dishes, starters, mains and desserts - we have them all

www.bbcgoodfood.com

 

[Lillibby]

More and more brands as well as store brands include a few plant based and gluten free options. They will always have the V and GF on the back of the package.
Check out Sainsbury's, Linda Macartney and Waitrose.

Sainsbury's online Grocery Shopping and Fresh Food Delivery - Vegan/Gluten Free

Quorn Vegan Ham Free Slices

Quorn Vegan Smoky Ham Free Slices provide a delicious vegan lunchtime option. A vegan ham free slice, with smoky overtones whilst being low in saturated fat. Add to sandwiches, salads and more for a delicious vegan meal. For recipe inspo using vegan ham click...

www.quorn.co.uk

Vegan gluten-free recipes

If you're following a plant-based and gluten-free diet, try our selection of sweet and savoury dishes, starters, mains and desserts - we have them all

www.bbcgoodfood.com

Wonderful. Thank you so much.

So you can get all the amino acids and protein you need eating those types of meals? They seem like my kind of thing and I shall take a look at all the links you’ve provided, I love to learn more, thank you for your help.

 

[Lillibby]

Hello and welcome to our forum.

Firstly, I think that the information and questions that you have posted should be broken down. I do understand why you are overwhelmed as you are dealing with many health related issues and it would seem also a lot of anxiety. You certainly are not a loon and only seem slightly confused as you wish to have a more healthy lifestyle. There is so much information out there that it's easy to get muddled up.

If I have full understood you wish to go from a flexitiarian lifestyle to a vegan one for health reasons, i.e. to lower your cholesterol. However, you suffer with CFS and when you went fully vegan your fatigue worsened.

Some useful facts about cholesterol as it does have something to do with one's gene setup :

Cholesterol in the Blood

The cholesterol in your blood comes from the foods you eat and your liver. Your liver makes all of the cholesterol your body needs.

www.hopkinsmedicine.org

An unhealthy lifestyle/smoking/alcohol/ high trans fat die/high sugar diet can also contribute to high cholesterol levels. I know many people who eat very low cholesterol foods and still have high levels.

From what I have read it that your diet( lifestyle and not a diet to lose weight) contains high amounts of fat due to your dairy intake as well as too much sugar i.e cakes, sugar etc. A high sugar diet will lead to more fatigue and anxiety hence reaching out to more sugar and you end up in a vicious circle.

You don't say what a typical day or two meal plan looks like. It's sometimes easier to give suggestions as you should eat food that are healthy, satisfying and also include some treats.

Have you ever tried a Mediterranean based lifestyle diet? This type of diet is based on eating large amounts of fresh vegetables, fruit and and also including whole grains and pulses/legumes, olive oil(virgin rapeseed also lowers cholesterol) and nuts which you an omit as you don't eat the latter.


Mediterranean Buddha Bowl Recipe | Culinary Hill

View attachment 20755


Your protein sources (very important to get enough protein but omit seitan) could also include the following which omit soya products :

9 Vegan Proteins to Eat When You’re Allergic to Soy

What can you eat when you're vegan but allergic to soy? Seitan, vegan meat, and plant-based ice cream can be good soy-free food alternatives .

www.livekindly.co

As you are based in the UK, you can find many plant based foods including protein that are soya free even including
plant based cheeses (Violife) and yogurts/ice cream/chocolates. Have you tried Quorn products which are excellent and make a substantial meal. They can be found in both the frozen and chilled sections. Alpro also have a range of soya free milk products. Just take into account that coconut products are quite high in cholesterol.

8 Gluten-Free Grains That Are Super Healthy

If you have celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity, it's important to avoid the protein gluten. Learn about 8 gluten-free grains.

www.healthline.com

Language Selector

Enjoy healthy, low fat vegetarian versions of your favourite recipes - browse our product range and find out why Quorn is a healthy source of protein.

www.quorn.ph

It's difficult to give you meal suggestions as you don't mention your likes and what you usually eat. However, it shouldn't prove
difficult to come up with a few meal suggestions by just substituting f animal protein and dairy with plant based protein. As you should be careful not to have sugar spikes which make chronic fatigue and anxiety worse, it's important that you eat food that keeps you full and releases sugar slowly i.e.
pulses/legumes and protein plus fibre. It would also be helpful to include 2 snacks in between meals if you tend you feel hungry or anxious. The latter being healthy and full of fibre/processed fat and sugar free. Have you tried peanut butter (it's a legume not a nut) as this helps with low sugar levels when hungry?

We also have quite a large selection of recipes in the Food & Drink section which could give you an idea of some basics and more elaborated meals. Do you cook or prefer to make quick meals ? There is also a thread called Favourite Food Blogs in the F&D forum. There are tons of different types of vegan lifestyle plans and ideas.

If you could tell us more about the kind of food/meals you like, I'm sure that many of us will be able to help you out.

Another important factor is vitamin B12 when going vegan. Please read:

What Every Vegan Should Know About Vitamin B12

The critical importance of vitamin B12.

www.vegansociety.com

Gentle excercise i.e walking in a park or cycling can also help with anxiety and chronic fatigue.

I hope this helps and hasn't confused you more. We aren't medical specialists on this forum so please do continue to follow any medical advice given by your doctors.

I meant to say earlier I haven’t tried a Mediterranean diet as I don’t really like fish. So it’s never been a diet I’ve tried.

I am only 9 stone so not over weight at 5ft tall but I wouldn’t mind losing a few pounds lol. It’s not my main reason though to change things, I just want to be healthier.

A typical day is
Breakfast - porridge with linseed, cows milk, geeks yoghurt on top and honey or agave syrup.
Lunch - jacket potato with beans and cheese or beans on toast. Something simple.
Dinner - tuna pasta with tomatoes, onions, mushrooms and broccoli. Or chicken, boiled potatoes and veg. Vegetable curry, veggie spag bol, quorn fillet, jacket potato and broccoli...

During the day I will have sometimes a couple of squares of 70% dark chocolate. Mrs Crinbles GF small cake, vegan crisps or banana. I don’t have them all in a day but they’re examples, maybe 2 a day. Sometimes I don’t snack at all.

I don’t eat red meat or pork, I haven’t seen I was in my teens so over 25 years

 

[shyvas]

I meant to say earlier I haven’t tried a Mediterranean diet as I don’t really like fish. So it’s never been a diet I’ve tried.

I am only 9 stone so not over weight at 5ft tall but I wouldn’t mind losing a few pounds lol. It’s not my main reason though to change things, I just want to be healthier.

A typical day is
Breakfast - porridge with linseed, cows milk, geeks yoghurt on top and honey or agave syrup.
Lunch - jacket potato with beans and cheese or beans on toast. Something simple.
Dinner - tuna pasta with tomatoes, onions, mushrooms and broccoli. Or chicken, boiled potatoes and veg. Vegetable curry, veggie spag bol, quorn fillet, jacket potato and broccoli...

During the day I will have sometimes a couple of squares of 70% dark chocolate. Mrs Crinbles GF small cake, vegan crisps or banana. I don’t have them all in a day but they’re examples, maybe 2 a day. Sometimes I don’t snack at all.

I don’t eat red meat or pork, I haven’t seen I was in my teens so over 25 years

My fault, I meant a vegan Mediterranean lifestyle diet without meat/fish. It really is a very healthy diet which is beneficial for the heart/arteries.

I'm not a dietician so won't give you any advice concerning your wish to lose weight. The only tips that I could give you is to try and
do some gentle excercise, ditch highly processed food, sugar, trans fats and too many white carbs. Drinks plenty of fluids; water or cold
infusions.
Perhaps you should also just focus on one thing at a time if not you'll start to get overwhelmed?

You could also try and eat smaller meals by dividing your lunch or dinner so that you don't feel hungry in between.

Do you always have a sweet style of breakfast or do you also like savoury breakfasts ?

Breakfast - porridge with linseed, cows milk, geeks yoghurt on top and honey or agave syrup.

Experiment with other gf grains, add plant based milk ; oat, coconut or rice milk. Add berries and linseed. Ditch the honey and reduce the agave or add some more fruits. Try adding either pumkin/sweet potato puree with coconut milk plus a sprinkle of cinnamon..
Have you tried peanut butter with porridge ?

Lunch - jacket potato with beans and cheese or beans on toast. Something simple.

Add a leafy/kale salad. Buy beans (if using tined in sauce) that are sugar free. Substitute a sweet potato for a white one on some days.
Have you ever tried making Buddah bowls ? Add some GF grains, hummus, olives, plenty of vegetables and or fruit.
A soft corn tortilla wrap with GF vegan 'ham slices' plus plenty of vegetables with vegan cream cheese.

Dinner - tuna pasta with tomatoes, onions, mushrooms and broccoli. Or chicken, boiled potatoes and veg. Vegetable curry, veggie spag bol, quorn fillet, jacket potato and broccoli...

Ditch the meat/fish with plant based protein and make sure you have enough servings of vegetables plus either a GF grain (quinoa, buckwheat etc) or a potato. I would add some lentils or beans to the vegetable curry. Have a piece of fruit or a bowl of berries with coconut yogurt for dessert plus a sprinkle of linseed.
Experiment by making lentil and or bean burgers, falafel. Try and vary your meals and experiment and try to batch cook as in the long run it saves time and energy.

Eat more vegetables and fruit that help with anxiety ; bananas, red peppers, kale and other leafy vegetables. Try and consume at least 1 tbs of virgin olive oil or rapeseed oil as a dressing for salad or drizzled over vegetables.

When you crave a sweet treat, try and eat something that has no trans fat or sugar. Do you know how to bake ? Shop bought cakes even if they're vegan aren't always healthy and contain a lot of sugar and often trans fats.

You can easily make some apple/banana bran muffins , berry crumbles and freeze them. You can also buy baked crisps and sweet potato crisps for a snack. Energy bars made with oats/dried fruit cans also be eaten in small quantities when you have a craving.

 

[Emma JC]

welcome to the forum @Lillibby

@shyvas has some given you great advice

My advice would be to keep it simple and expand your food choices as you get more comfortable.

You love oatmeal, perfect, add frozen berries and banana and other great toppings.

You love potatoes and sweet potatoes, perfect, have more of them at a time and make a simple bean chili to have over them so you don't miss cheese and butter etc.

Make soups, you can easily pile in the veggies, and potatoes and/or pastas or rice and a can of tomatoes and a can of rinsed beans.

Keep some apples and citrus and nuts for snacking.

Plan ahead so that you aren't hungry and scrambling to make something and make extras and put them in the fridge or freezer to later in the week.

All the best with your transition, I hope we are all able to help you!

Emma JC

 

[shyvas]

I would also like to add the following. Perhaps, it would be better that you go from being a flexitarian to having a plant based diet, gradually.

Don't do anything that will rise your anxiety levels and try and control your fatigue. Your health and well being is your N° 1 priority.

 

[Lou]

The Mediterranean diet X vegetarian diet - Julieanna Hever, coined the term Vegiterranian in her book The Vegiterranean Diet

Want to Live Longer? Eat 'Vegiterranean' | PETA

These "Vegiterranean" recipes can help you get that healthy Mediterranean glow.

www.peta.org

As far as I can tell no one is using the word "Veganiterranean", but I think i will.

Following a vegan Mediterranean diet is totally possible if you remember these 3 guidelines

It's not that much different...minus the fish, of course.

www.wellandgood.com

 

[Lillibby]

I would also like to add the following. Perhaps, it would be better that you go from being a flexitarian to having a plant based diet, gradually.

Don't do anything that will rise your anxiety levels and try and control your fatigue. Your health and well being is your N° 1 priority.

Thank you so much for all your advice, it’s very kind of you.
Yes, I’m going to take the transition very slowly.

I love your meal ideas and I will throw myself into them this week. My husband helps with cooking every day so that I don’t overdo things and he is always happy to help me. My daughter loves to bake, I used to bake all the time but now only do when I can, I can’t stand for too long as I get issues with my feet since having POTS and CFS. I was cooking a lot more but recently been having to let hubby take the reins which is hard I’m for me but he’s getting better at it lol.

Thank you again for your help x

 

[shyvas]

Thank you so much for all your advice, it’s very kind of you.
Yes, I’m going to take the transition very slowly.

I love your meal ideas and I will throw myself into them this week. My husband helps with cooking every day so that I don’t overdo things and he is always happy to help me. My daughter loves to bake, I used to bake all the time but now only do when I can, I can’t stand for too long as I get issues with my feet since having POTS and CFS. I was cooking a lot more but recently been having to let hubby take the reins which is hard I’m for me but he’s getting better at it lol.

Thank you again for your help x

Happy to help.

How wonderful that you have a chef at home and also a baker. At least you don't have to do all of the work yourself and can focus on feeling less stressed.

A few more ideas for easy meals :

Cottage pie with mashed sweet potatoes or a blend of sp & cauliflower. The pie is made with a vegetable and red lentil stew.
Sweet potato, carrot and potato pasties made with GF flour.
A lemon & elderflower sponge cake filled with plant based lemon curd and coconut cream. I made a GF version last year for a friend.
For snacks; oat cakes with either peanut butter or mashed bananas.

Please do keep us updated with your new lifestyle and if you have any other questions/concerns/remarks, don't hesitate to post them in this thread.

We also have a UK Product thread which contains a lot of useful information and a list on plant based products.

Just remember - keep calm, stay safe.

UK - Product Thread

They're really nice 🤤 Lucky you. I remember back in the 70's, cheese and onion crisps were the rave. :D

www.veganforum.org

 

[Lillibby]

welcome to the forum @Lillibby

@shyvas has some given you great advice

My advice would be to keep it simple and expand your food choices as you get more comfortable.

You love oatmeal, perfect, add frozen berries and banana and other great toppings.

You love potatoes and sweet potatoes, perfect, have more of them at a time and make a simple bean chili to have over them so you don't miss cheese and butter etc.

Make soups, you can easily pile in the veggies, and potatoes and/or pastas or rice and a can of tomatoes and a can of rinsed beans.

Keep some apples and citrus and nuts for snacking.

Plan ahead so that you aren't hungry and scrambling to make something and make extras and put them in the fridge or freezer to later in the week.

All the best with your transition, I hope we are all able to help you!

Emma JC

Thank you so much for all of your advice. It’s so helpful.

I have been worrying about making this work for me. Incase I don’t get enough protein or amino acids, its a worry. I will be transitioning slowly and see how my body reacts.

 

[Lillibby]

Happy to help.

How wonderful that you have a chef at home and also a baker. At least you don't have to do all of the work yourself and can focus on feeling less stressed.

A few more ideas for easy meals :

Cottage pie with mashed sweet potatoes or a blend of sp & cauliflower. The pie is made with a vegetable and red lentil stew.
Sweet potato, carrot and potato pasties made with GF flour.
A lemon & elderflower sponge cake filled with plant based lemon curd and coconut cream. I made a GF version last year for a friend.
For snacks; oat cakes with either peanut butter or mashed bananas.

Please do keep us updated with your new lifestyle and if you have any other questions/concerns/remarks, don't hesitate to post them in this thread.

We also have a UK Product thread which contains a lot of useful information and a list on plant based products.

Just remember - keep calm, stay safe.

UK - Product Thread

They're really nice 🤤 Lucky you. I remember back in the 70's, cheese and onion crisps were the rave. :D

www.veganforum.org

Thank you so much, you’re really kind. Your advice has really helped my overwhelm about transitioning to vegan. I’ve worried about whether it’s right for me for a while now. Whether I could get all the nutrients and amino acids I need incase my fatigue worsens. I feel I’ve learnt a lot here today so thank you.

 

[Lillibby]

The Mediterranean diet X vegetarian diet - Julieanna Hever, coined the term Vegiterranian in her book The Vegiterranean Diet

Want to Live Longer? Eat 'Vegiterranean' | PETA

These "Vegiterranean" recipes can help you get that healthy Mediterranean glow.

www.peta.org

As far as I can tell no one is using the word "Veganiterranean", but I think i will.

Following a vegan Mediterranean diet is totally possible if you remember these 3 guidelines

It's not that much different...minus the fish, of course.

www.wellandgood.com

Thank you so much

 

[shyvas]

17 High Protein Vegan Breakfasts That Are Easy to Make | Yuri Elkaim

High-protein, low-carb, and satisfying: you'll love these vegan breakfasts, which will start your day with great taste and plenty of plant-based nutrition.

yurielkaim.com

A few more ideas for high protein meals. Just ignore the tofu, gluten and nut options:

11 High Protein Post-Workout Vegan Meals for Strength Training

11 vegan recipes high in plant-based protein and perfect for athletes; these post-workout foods are rich in plant protein and perfect for strength training.

www.livekindly.co

 

[shyvas]

Thank you so much, you’re really kind. Your advice has really helped my overwhelm about transitioning to vegan. I’ve worried about whether it’s right for me for a while now. Whether I could get all the nutrients and amino acids I need incase my fatigue worsens. I feel I’ve learnt a lot here today so thank you.

Take it one step at a time.
Do a full plant based day with 3 meals and 2 snacks and see how you feel. I'm under the impression that it's the food that contains sugar that is also contributing to making you feel tired.

We are all here to help.

 

[Lillibby]

Take it one step at a time.
Do a full plant based day with 3 meals and 2 snacks and see how you feel. I'm under the impression that it's the food that contains sugar that is also contributing to making you feel tired.

We are all here to help.

It could well be. I mean I don’t eat a lot of sugar but I do have a small cake most days, but of dark chocolate, honey on porridge ... maybe that is enough to affect me. I always worried about going vegan and eating too many carbs because of the risk with diabetes and a high carb diet. My father in law is a diabetic and he has to eat a low carb diet as carbs = sugar and my friend said vegan diets are too high in carbs, but after a lot research I’ve seen why a vegan diet helps glucose levels and higher carbs in a clean vegan won’t lead to diabetes. I’d say my current diet is more likely even though it’s not particularly bad meal wise but I do eat sugary snacks some days.

It could well be why my fatigue levels are worse.

Thank you for helping me.

 

[Emma JC]

@Lillibby just a quick update for you regarding Type II diabetes and carbs - it is not the starches/carbs that cause Type II diabetes it is the oils and the high fat content on our diets that does so - you can check out the research out there on various websites including the Physician's Committee and Dr Neal Barnard etc - fat in our cells in our bodies block the ability of insulin to do the work of changing sugars into glucose for our body to use and therefore the sugars stay in the blood which leads to high blood sugar levels.... so it isn't the starches that you should cut out it is the oils and the high fat content foods - good starches like potatoes, and whole grains, brown rice, etc are a good source of energy - it is processed foods like donuts which are a combo of starch/sugar/oil that are called "carbs" that are the issue and it isn't the flour in the donut that is the issue, nor is it really the sugar, it is the oil/sugar combo

our bodies need fats and you can get that from whole foods like avocado, nut butters, tahini, nuts and seeds (in moderation) and it is possible to recover from Type II diabetes by cutting back on the oils/fats, maybe you can pass this info to your FIL and see if it is helpful to him - he should inform his doctor as he may need to gradually cut back on any medications that he may be taking for his diabetes

here is a link to Dr Barnard's webpage on the topic Diabetes

Emma JC