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i was just wondering/ contemplating on becoming vegan, but all the vegans i know are skinny and pale and unhealthy looking. anyways is it healthyand if u do become vegan is it harder to keep uo a high performance body? ,

I personally don't think Veganism is the healthiest life choice.

But read up on it yourself just be prepared both sides are pretty hard core against each other be prepared for a lot of misrepresented and exaggerated information.

The only thing I'll say is

scarycemeteryall the vegans i know are skinny and pale and unhealthy looking

Let the anecdotal evidence speak for it's self, it's a whole lot less tainted that the actual science. You already answered your own question

I eat very little meat - maybe a couple times a month - mostly I eat lean chicken breasts or fish (salmon and tuna mostly). I have to say - the few guys I know of who are vegan don't look quite as healthy as they might - a bit of a yellow pallor. This isn't a big sample - I know only a few guys in this category.

I hate that stereotype. I've been vegan for almost 3 years and I gained weight when I made the change and I keep up a nice tan. I took a foods and nutrition class this summer and we had to do a diet analysis. All my nutrients were at the right levels. You just have to know what you are doing.

Why are you thinking of going vegan in the first place? Do you have trouble digesting certain types of foods?

If someone is looking off-color it may be because they aren't keeping their body properly maintained. Being vegan isn't unhealthy...just when you don't make sure you have a balance of nutrients it is. You can take protein pills that will keep you having the nutrients that meat would have in it...or eat nuts in copious amounts and you'll be fine. You just have to make sure you know what you are and aren't putting into your body and make sure that everything stays maintained.

Also consult a nutritionist about it and/or your doctor and they can give you a bit of information as well.

scarycemetery saidi was just wondering/ contemplating on becoming vegan, but all the vegans i know are skinny and pale and unhealthy looking. anyways is it healthyand if u do become vegan is it harder to keep up a high performance body? ,

How would a vegan diet make you pale? I think that has more to do with exposure to sunlight, which in moderation , is actually good for vegans who need vitamin D.
If a high performance body is important to you, you can certainly maintain it on a vegan diet as long as you are thoughtful about what you are putting into your body.
CarL Lewis was vegan when he competed in the Olympics.

Like any lifestyle choice, approach it gradually and develop good, sustainable habbits and listen to your body. I have been vegetarian the last 15yrs and just in the last 9 months I am vegan 5 to 6 days a week and have one "cheat day" where I have cheese... and I am actually losing my taste for it. I have been cooking and improvising a lot so it doesn't even really feel that hard. I have discussed this with my doctor and didn't enter into it on a whim.
The only real downside is that it costs a fortune at the grocery store and you really need to be a good cook if you want to keep on it. I would also avoid having soy products like tofu being the only 'meat" alternative in your diet.

If your goal is to be a huge body builder than no, a vegan diet isn't the best idea. It would not be impossible, but it would be difficult.
But if you want to bulk up a little and get good definition , you should not have a problem on an animal free diet.
On a side note, I have noticed I can lift the same amount as guys who are much bigger than me, but I just can't get that bulky. But that isn't my main agenda, so it doesn't really bother me much.

I think it might depend on your blood type!!

discuss:



"Eat Right 4 Your Type" - Blood Type Diet



The concept to "Eat Right For Your Type" - or "Blood Type Diet " is based on research conducted

by Peter D'Adamo, ND, who claims that people fare better (including with weight management) when
tailoring their diet to their specific blood types. He advises:



Type A typesshould basically stick to fruits and vegetables (high carbs / low fat).

They have thicker blood than other blood types, a sensitive immune system,

and should not consume dairy products, animal fats and meats. They are at

a heightened risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer.



Type B typesshould consume a balanced diet (fruits and vegetables, grains, fish, dairy, meat,

but avoid chicken). They have the best chance of bypassing or overcoming

everyday types of diseases, including heart disease and cancer.



Type AB typesshould consume a mostly vegetarian diet, and only on rare occasions some

fish, meat (no chicken), and dairy.



Type O typesshould basically stick to a high protein diet (including red meat), low carbs, and

enriched with fruits and vegetables. They should limit the intake of wheat germ,

whole wheat products, corn, and avoid dairy products and most nuts.

Type O types are commonly affected with hypothyroidism, high stomach acid

(leading to ulcers), and thinner blood with greater resistance to blood clotting.



Additional research on blood types beyond the basic ABO group may be forthcoming in the future.

In support of his theories, P. D'Adamo proposes that lectins cause agglutination (clotting) of blood cells
in an individual with the wrong blood type, and which in turn may create serious liver or kidney problems
as visible under a microscope (lectins are sugar-containing proteins found on the surface of some
foods that may cause various molecules and some types of cells to stick together).



He theorizes further that elevated urine indican levels - prevalent in many gastrointestinal diseases such

as celiac disease, diverticulitis, pancreatic insufficiency, inflammatory bowel diseases and others - can

also be attributed to specific blood types affecting the interactions of foods with intestinal bacteria, and

creating polyamine abnormalities.



In addition, different blood types - according to P. D'Adamo - affect the body's secretory performance

in respect to digestive juices, whereby a blood Type O for instance is capable of producing higher than

average stomach acid levels, which could lead to a greater incidence of gastric ulcers.



How do different Blood Types compare to various medical conditions?



There are some known blood type / disease-risk associations, such as pernicious anemia, diabetes,

or certain types of cancer being slightly more prevalent with Type A compared to Type O individuals,

while in contrast to Type A, Type O individuals have a marginally higher incidence of ulcers / H. Pylori
infections. Types O and B also have greater susceptibility to infectious diseases such as scarlet fever,

cholera, typhoid, or the bubonic plague, while Type A shows greater susceptibility to the smallpox virus,
and it is more prone to blood clotting. Blood-sucking insects (that carry diseases) prefer Type O blood.



How does that help doctors and their patients?



Unfortunately, it doesn't. For instance, gastritis modestly prevails in blood groups A and O, so with

more than 80% of the world population being part of the A or O group, not only would it be impractical

or pointless to suggest dietary changes for preventative or therapeutic purposes, but what should the
recommendations be? Since there is such a wide variety of possible causes for gastritis, there are

no universal therapeutic or dietary solutions that can be safely applied to such a large percentage of

the population. The same circumstances apply when trying to formulate diets around blood types for
any other medical disorders, as not one single disease is exclusive to one particular blood type.



Ever since first becoming aware of the "eat-right-for-your-type" proposition, I was as curious and

intrigued as many other researchers and practitioners to clinically apply those theories by comparing

patients' blood types to their medical disorders - looking for trends or a pattern.



It quickly became apparent that high blood sugar, high blood pressure, or high stomach acid types

shared the same blood groups with those exhibiting low blood sugar, low blood pressure, or low

stomach acid. As expected, the same applied to people with a lifelong tendency for weight gain,
weight loss, nearsightedness, farsightedness..., as well as other "hyper" versus "hypo" conditions.

So the verdict on a blood type / disease connection hasn't changed from a "reduced resistance"

to some diseases noted by the scientific community all along.



How do different Blood Types compare to a patient's chemical / nutritional profile?



Since the "eat-right-4-your-type" concept mainly focuses on dietary lifestyles being matched to blood
groups, it would stand to reason that blood types should match the chemical and nutritional profiles of

an individual - sort of like the Metabolic Typing of patients - where diets are adjusted according to
someone's biochemical or genetic make-up.



Unfortunately, there is no practical or clinical match whatsoever - just like eye color and hair color

are not a practical or clinical indication of a person's present or future medical risks (other than those

with blue eyes or red hair being more prone for sun damage). Years ago, plotting the Biorhythm of an

individual was another popular concept that had its followers track someone's physical, intellectual and
emotional well-being (to identify critical days), although this method equally lacked scientific support.



===================================================================



Blood Groups:Type OType AType BType AB



Global Distribution: 62 % 21 % 16 % 1 %



Europe: 45 % 42 % 10 % 3 %



Africa: 68 % 17 % 12 % 3 %

Arabia: 34 % 31 % 29 % 6 %

East Asia: 32 % 30 % 28 % 10 %

India: 37 % 22 % 33 % 8 %



America (US): 46 % 40 % 10 % 4 %

American Natives: 98 % 1.7 % 0.3 % 0 %

Australian Aboriginals: 69 % 30 % 1.0 % 0 %



===================================================================



Of course there are people who claim that since following the "eat-right-4-your-type'' recommendations

they had lost some weight, or otherwise felt better, however when asked about any specific changes
made, they invariably consisted of lifestyle changes that are universally considered to be beneficial -
regardless of someone's blood type - such as cutting out junk food, and/or eliminating foods which

either cause, or have an unfavorable impact on specific medical problems one is suffering from.



The decision to increase certain foods, or to eliminate food sources that someone has an intolerance

or allergy to (dairy, wheat, eggs, meat, nuts, seafood, certain fruits or vegetables...) will definitely have

a positive impact on someone's health and is clinically necessary and important, but the need to do so

has mostly a genetic basis and has nothing to do with blood types A, AB, B, or O.



Some patients' medical complaints improve, or completely clear up after avoiding dairy products, or

other suspect foods such as wheat, shellfish, nuts, etc., however this happens with all blood types -
not just certain blo

I'm vegan; well, 99% vegan since I have pizza with cheese once in a blue moon.

Some vegans look weak because they don't workout or they don't know how to eat properly. Other vegans who workout and know how to eat properly, look buff, like me Vegans can be great athletes, Carl Lewis being the most famous.

If you're protein-conscious, vegans can get their protein from various plant foods. For example soy products are comparable to meat in terms of protein content and quality.

Not to mention, veganism is kind to animals ("I love animals but I eat them", wtf?), and is the single biggest effect a person can have against global warming.

That said, what you eat is a very personal thing. Do what you think is best.

Check out www.veganfitness.net for more info

Newsflash, - a 'doctor' of Naturopathy is not a doctor.

This could have to do with the type of vegans you know as well. If they're vegan hipsters, then they may well just be skinny and pale because they're hipsters.

Most of the vegans I know are pretty outdoorsy. I would refer to many of them as "lean" but most aren't pale or weak looking.

I have been mostly vegetarian for two years. I say mostly because I still eat cheese. It is the hardest thing to give up.

After I stop eating meat and becoming health conscious of my diet, I lost tremendous weight.

I recommend it.

There are people who eat meat and other animal producuts who are far from healthy too. It's like any other way of eating. You just gotta know how to eat right.

I'm vegan. (...and before someone decides to point it out, yes, once in a blue moon I too will allow myself some sort of dairy product...typically cheese)...most people who meet me seem surprised when I tell them I am....because I'm not pale white and pencil thin.

To reiterate what some people have said, why do you want to become a vegan? I have nothing against a romantic stint as a vegan, just chalk it up to youthful indiscretion. But if you are in this for the long haul you need to have some pretty good reasons to do it as it is a complete pain in the ass.

Vegans that are pale, scrawny, and unhealthy looking - that is, vegans who are not in it for the long haul - look so because they have no idea what they are doing. Learning how to combine plants to create a complete protein will dominate your life. Vegans who do this as a hobby usually have no idea how to do this. I would do some research on nutrition and spend a few days both during the week and the weekend to see if you like it.

MunchingZombie saidTo reiterate what some people have said, why do you want to become a vegan? I have nothing against a romantic stint as a vegan, just chalk it up to youthful indiscretion. But if you are in this for the long haul you need to have some pretty good reasons to do it as it is a complete pain in the ass.

Vegans that are pale, scrawny, and unhealthy looking - that is, vegans who are not in it for the long haul - look so because they have no idea what they are doing. Learning how to combine plants to create a complete protein will dominate your life. Vegans who do this as a hobby usually have no idea how to do this. I would do some research on nutrition and spend a few days both during the week and the weekend to see if you like it.

In my experience, I don't think it's a pain in the ass, and learning how to combine plants certainly doesn't dominate my life! Last time I was in the US, the local grocery stores had LOTS of vegan-friendly foods.

Even if it were very inconvenient, so what: being sane in an insane world is not always easy.

Just my P.O.V.

Coolrabbit said

MunchingZombie saidTo reiterate what some people have said, why do you want to become a vegan? I have nothing against a romantic stint as a vegan, just chalk it up to youthful indiscretion. But if you are in this for the long haul you need to have some pretty good reasons to do it as it is a complete pain in the ass.

Vegans that are pale, scrawny, and unhealthy looking - that is, vegans who are not in it for the long haul - look so because they have no idea what they are doing. Learning how to combine plants to create a complete protein will dominate your life. Vegans who do this as a hobby usually have no idea how to do this. I would do some research on nutrition and spend a few days both during the week and the weekend to see if you like it.

In my experience, I don't think it's a pain in the ass, and learning how to combine plants certainly doesn't dominate my life! Last time I was in the US, the local grocery stores had LOTS of vegan-friendly foods.

Even if it were very inconvenient, so what: being sane in an insane world is not always easy.

Just my P.O.V.

The products, and therefore the effort needed, depend on where you live. Consider yourself lucky that you're not in France.

Here taking the ham off a ham pizza after it's been cooked is considered turning it into a vegetarian pizza, so you can imagine what it's like for vegans.

You know, its not really been as difficult as I had been warned it would be...I didn't do this because I woke up one day and decided to save all the animals in the world or anything like that...I just went from meat eater, to lacto-ovo-vegetarian to vegan.

I guess since I don't have that "Save the Animals" mentality (though I am a animal lover) I don't have anxiety attacks when I consume dairy or an egg on rare occasions...no flesh in quite awhile though.

There are two really good vegan cafes within 5 miles of where I live (Cosmic Cafe & Spiral Diner) and between Whole Foods and even Kroger, I can eat really well...

I'm a personal trainer and teach a Boot Camp 3 times a week and from a fitness point of view, I can keep up with the best of them that eat meat and are half my age...I don't even take alot of supplements and I certainly don't obsess on my protein intake...but yeah, its certainly easier not to be vegan or vegetarian for that matter....free choice, free will, I'm all about it.

Quote: "Here taking the ham off a ham pizza after it's been cooked is considered turning it into a vegetarian pizza"

That's funny. Kinda like, the health-conscious who considers the tomato sauce to be a serving a vegetables.

Coolrabbit said
That's funny. Kinda like, the health-conscious who considers the tomato sauce to be a serving a vegetables.

Wasn't that the Reagan administration? No wait, they classified ketchup as a vegetable.

Murder!!!!! Tasty Tasty Murder!!!!!!

Coolrabbit saidIn my experience, I don't think it's a pain in the ass, and learning how to combine plants certainly doesn't dominate my life! Last time I was in the US, the local grocery stores had LOTS of vegan-friendly foods.

It isn't a pain in the ass if you know what you are doing, which was my point. I hope scarycemetery does his research before diving into this.

scarycemeteryis being vegan healthy?

It is if you eat healthy vegan food.

I think the blood type diet is a load of bollocks. My blood type is A+, and I do terribly on a high-carb diet. The more paleo my diet, the better I feel.

As for vegan diets, they certainly can be healthy. Just make sure to supplement with Vit B12. Vegans and vegetarians generally have higher levels of serum homocysteine, and it's due to reduced intake of B12, which is a keystone of the folate metabolism that keeps homocysteine levels low. Vegan activist types, in their zeal to portray the vegan diet as the natural and ideal human diet, tend to downplay or dismiss the importance of Vit B12 and the need to supplement with it. Just because acute B12 deficiency is relatively rare doesn't mean mild deficiency can be ignored.

It's also possible to eat an unhealthy vegan diet of fattening junk food. I know some obese vegans like that, and it is sad to see them destroy themselves like that.

The short answer is yes.. it can be

But it's more difficult to get the right amt of essential vitamins and amino acids you body requires
it'll just take some extra planning and preparation

I suggest that if you are interested in a vegan diet and looking as a bodybuilder you go to this site.

http://fitness.scoobysworkshop.com/veg.htm

As soon as you see the guy on the front page that is an obvious bodybuilder you will forget all about this silly idea that vegans are skinny and unhealthy looking. Also, scooby has a whole page of pictures of other guys who are vegan bodybuilders and plenty of information on nutrition and diets.

Enjoy your new adventure!!