Supersize me- Vegan diet to the rescue
I just watched 'Supersize me' for the 1st time and was suprised to find the bloke lost the pounds he gained when it finished by going on a vegan diet.
There was a guy on Youtube who tried to document 30 days of vegetarianism with 1 week vegan, one week raw.. It was really funny, as he went from nothing but frozen carrots peas and corn to veggie burger and soy milk.. I think he gave up..
I've actually gained weight since becoming vegan (which is good because I'm underweight).
What's everyone else's experience been? Did you gain, lose or maintain?
Also, for anyone that's seen 'Supersize me' (or not), do you agree it's okay to confront an obese person about their weight (as posing a serious health risk)? I always get 'you're too skinny', but I never hear anyone walk up to an obese person and go 'you're too fat'.
-just wondering about other people's opinions..
I buy trader joe's organic ketchup...no corn syrup and CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP! theres other more expensive ketchups that i get at whole foods.
dont know if the sugar is vegan though.
Yes, it is frustrating when doctors tell their patients to "lose some weight" but offer no instruction. My sister's fiance has been trying to eat healthier but honestly has no idea how. He works on the road a lot and therefore eats out a lot. At one restaurant he ordered the chicken strip basket thinking it would be healthier. He was shocked when he read the nutritional information afterwards. Same with my sister, she orders a salad thinking that's healthy then drowns it in Caesar or ranch dressing.
My dad is trying to lose weight (his doctor told him to) and I am always surprised by the (lack of) food choices at my parents house. When my sister and I moved out, my mom cut back on the cooking. I was wanting a piece of fruit for breakfast yet there was not one piece of fruit in the entire house. She said "All we really eat is soup and oatmeal." Geez...and they think my food choices are limited!!!
It is surprising how many doctors know so little about nutrition.
I went vegan about 10 years ago after reading Diet for a New America. This transition literally happened overnight and I didn't go the usual vegetarian then vegan route. As a result I lost 60 lbs. that first year, but I think once I started to lose a little weight I started feeling more energetic and began exercising more--basically my whole lifestyle improved and the weight came off. I've gained probably about 10 of that back and could stand to lose it...if only I didn't love carbs so much. My partner went veg and then vegan about a year ago and has lost almost 50 lbs with very little effort (of course I cook for him, god knows what he would eat otherwise).
In regards to commenting on weight--I don't do it. I think telling someone they look good because they've lost weight (especially women) negatively affirms the constant quest to conform to social/cultural standards of beauty. I think it's nicer to send positive messages all the time in the hopes that people will love themselves enough to take care of their bodies in nondestructive ways.
I've lost like 20 lbs (:
Thank god. I needed it. ahah
I have lost a little bit of weight in the nearly six months of going vegan straight from being an omni. At first my diet wasn't planned well at all. I knew nothing about veganism. I knew I didn't want to eat the fritos and diet coke vegan diet because that obviously isn't healthy for you. As a result I didn't know any subsititutes and lost about 8 pounds in a week (being 6' 3" and 160/165 pounds I do not need to lose any weight). Eventually I figured things out and learned about things to eat and got my weight back almost to normal. Once I get back in the gym I should put on a few more pounds to get back to my original weight.
As for confronting people about their weight...I'm starting to become a little more open to the idea. Whenever I am out with friends and they order an appetizer that's the size of a main course along with half a pound of bloody flesh with onion rings, bacon, and who knows what else on it I say something to them. Then we'll be playing basketball and they'll be winded and I'll poke fun at them and say it's because of what they eat. I take my fair share of vegan jokes as well, so it's all in good fun. Strangers, on the other hand, I don't quite confront yet. I will admit to talking in a louder than necessary voice at times in a restaurant or something when everyone around me is biting into 1,500 calorie hamburgers or something. I doubt anyone notices, but I really cannot help but think that there is someone I am being punished somehow financially (higher insurance premiums) , medically or something because of the growing rate of obesity.
Super Size Me was the catalyst that made me return to a vegetarian diet! I am sooooo thankfull for that movie! When I returned to a vegetarian diet I only lost 2 pounds over 5 months--but I went vegan aprox a month ago and I started losing weight every week I have already lost like 3-4 pounds--I'm hoping this trend continues because I have a good 20 lbs to lose! It would be nice to think that I could be at my goal weight in 4 or 5 months :)
I also think confronting people about their weight is a good idea--I used to be very big (5'2 aprox 210-220 lbs!) and no one said a word even though I was litterally doubleling my weight in front of their eyes--because no one said anything to me i just assumed nothing was wrong--I know that sounds lame--but I just didn't notice that I had gone from 100 lbs to over 200 in 4 years! It wasn't untill I saw photos of myself at my 23 birthday that I was like "OMG I'm a cow!" I mean I knew I was big--but I thought I was chunky not obease! So I really wish my friends would have said something to me! of course now that I have lost a majority of it (I'm down to 135 as of today) my "friends" seem to have dissapeared--guess they wern't saying anything beasue they were fat too...it's all so sad!
Just wanted to say that confronting people about their weight is a horrible idea. People are not going to be receptive to anything you say if you start out by making them defensive about their appearance.
I'm not suggestiong that you walk up to people and say "hey fatty drop the donut and pick up a celery stick you fat a$$!" I'm just saying from my own experience that if one of my friends (not a stranger) came and said to me "Hey Capture, you know, I noticed you have gained a little weight, are you OK? Is there something wrong? Would you like some help or support?" that it would have made a world of difference to me--I understand that weight is a sensitive issure and should be handled with care and sensitivity! Hell! I'm still sensitive about my weight! But letting people you love eat themselves to death is not a good idea either--I believe their is a way to speak to a loved one with a weight issue without coming off like an A-hole.
I think it's nicer to send positive messages all the time in the hopes that people will love themselves enough to take care of their bodies in nondestructive ways.
That is one of the best things I have ever heard, and I totally agree! It's FAR more important to be healthy than to be thin.
I haven't lost a single inch since becoming vegetarian. In fact I think I've gained. Well, I know I have. I don't ever set foot on a scale, but I can tell by looking in the mirror.
It's not a lot, my clothes still fit fine and I certainly FEEL good... but a combination of stress from working retail and a limited choice of food during the daytime has caused me to put on a bit around my problem area: the tummy. :(
I thought I'd lose weight being vegetarian. I didn't decide to stop eating meat specifically to lose weight, but I expected it to happen. After all, no more burgers or chicken fingers....
Pasta, however...... that's vegetarian.
So, I know as soon as work slows down after Christmas and I start looking for another job and feeling better about that part of my life, I'll be much more inclined to buy better food and fit some more physical activity in. But it's still good to know that my diet IS healthier, I feel better, and nothing is dying in order to feed me.
:)
When I first went vegan, I lost 8lbs. I had been eating really terribly up until that point. After losing that 8lbs, I have maintained which is totally awesome because I eat pretty much anything I want. I guess this is just the weight my body likes to be at and that's fine with me!
I think I've maintained my weight for the few years I've been vegan (and when I was vegetarian). I'm constantly adjusting my diet though, seeing how sweets and other "goodies" seem to make their way into my mouth. It's something I need to watch.
I don't necessarily think that it's the weight that matters, it's more so the person's overall health that counts, something that you can't always measure by just looking at their physical appearance.
I think a lot of people need to be confronted about their lifestyles in general, not just their weight or what they are eating.
I always get 'you're too skinny', but I never hear anyone walk up to an obese person and go 'you're too fat'.
While it's not always the case, I think a lot of people have this distorted viewpoint that being "too skinny" is some kind of compliment, whether they are the ones giving or receiving it. Being skinny is something desirable so it's bound to be mentioned while no one wants to talk about an overweight person's weight because fat is seen as unwanted and ugly.
I always get 'you're too skinny', but I never hear anyone walk up to an obese person and go 'you're too fat'.
While it's not always the case, I think a lot of people have this distorted viewpoint that being "too skinny" is some kind of compliment, whether they are the ones giving or receiving it. Being skinny is something desirable so it's bound to be mentioned while no one wants to talk about an overweight person's weight because fat is seen as unwanted and ugly.
It 's the same with smokers--it is now acceptable to tell a smoker that they are disgusting, unhealthy people--but it is not OK to say negative comments to a person who is over weight--again-I don't think it's acceptable to say negative comments in general--I just find it interesting that one thing is OK to bash and another is not...just like people telling others they are too skinny--some how it's OK to comment freely on a thin persons weight but not the other way around. It's interesting what are society see's as acceptable...Hmmmm...
I have gained about 40 pounds since going vegan three years ago. I'm slightly overweight (just barely, actually) now and have been working on getting back into the normal range. My doctor and nutritionalist both say I am very healthy and have nothing to worry about if I can shed 5 pounds.
It 's the same with smokers--it is now acceptable to tell a smoker that they are disgusting, unhealthy people--
I think calling out someone who smokes is a little different only because they aren't just harming themselves but other's also with the second hand smoke.
It 's the same with smokers--it is now acceptable to tell a smoker that they are disgusting, unhealthy people--
I think calling out someone who smokes is a little different only because they aren't just harming themselves but other's also with the second hand smoke.
So if I slip on an overweight person's cheeseburger wrapper and hurt myself is it then OK to tell them they are overweight? :o
If I am outside smoking a cigarette, because I am addicted to them, I really don't need somebody telling me what to do. I know they are bad. If I am in a car with a child, then please yell at me, I deserve it.
I don't mean this to sound combative, I am just a smoker, and I get a lot of negative looks and comments, and it bothers me.
I don't attack every smoker I encounter. If we are in a public place that allows it, I really can't say much. If the smoke is bothering me then I move. I still make a smart *ss remarks but that's because I can be a real jerk sometimes. It's when I have asked that they don't blow it in my face or to open up a window and they don't, then I get pretty angry and rant.
That and I like letting people who smoke certain brands of cigarettes know that they have been tested on animals.
I fully understand how annoying smoke is, it bothers me, and I smoke. :)
I think half of my problem is that I see it is a a class issue, much like criticizing the overweight. Statistically, smokers and the obese tend to be of a loser socioeconomic status I feel that it is OK to criticize these people in our society, because of the class issue.
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