Very New At This

June 15, 2009

I've been watching the post for a couple weeks. I'm trying my best to

transition to a FF Vegan lifestyle for several reasons, not the least of which

is a history of heart disease in my family. My 56 y/o uncle died suddenly a

couple weeks ago from a massive heart attack (no, he was not a vegan!). So that

is yet another wake up call. It's hard to give the bad stuff up, especially

when your favorite foods are bacon and ice cream. But the results/benefits both

short and longterm I think are well worth it. I've tried a couple different

recepies already and liked both (chili and soup). I was wondering if anyone has

a good shopping list and a good week or two week meal plan. I suck at building

my own meal plans. I would prefer 5 to 6 smaller meals throughout the day

rather than 3 big ones. Also, any suggestions on getting thru the inevidible

cramps, etc. that seem to come from eating a vegan diet? Thanks for any/all

input/advice...

June 15, 2009

Welcome, Scott.

Some resources you might check out:

John McDougall's free

program, which includes a 12-day meal plan. (My

favorite.) He has many books, including several cookbooks written by

him and his wife Mary, and most of them are available used, often at

minuscule prices on e-Bay and the like.

The Engine 2

Academy (you will probably have to register -- it's free and they

don't spam) has a 28-day program with menu plans and shopping lists.

Rip Esselstyn's The

Engine 2 Diet book has a phase-in plan where, if you want,

you still eat animal products for a week or two, but the online version

is all plant food, I think. Check your library for the book if you're

interested in easing into a "plant strong" (as they call it) diet.

This is a fairly new book and is probably not readily available used

yet.

Since you are concerned about heart disease, I also recommend

Caldwell Esselstyn's, Prevent

and Reverse Heart Disease (Caldwell is Rip's father). The diet

part is similar to the others, but he writes a lot more about the

specifics of a low-fat vegan diet in relation to heart disease. Rip

learned his diet at his father's knee so they most closely resemble

each other's. I don't recall if there is a menu plan specifically, but

there is a large recipe section. The elder Esselstyn does not have a

strong online presence, but his book is well worth seeking out.

The Eat to Live program

-- Joel

Fuhrman does not offer his program online for free (as far as I know),

but his books are readily

available and your library probably has a copy at least of the Eat

to Live

book -- if I remember correctly there are meal plans in this book, but

it's been a while since I looked at it. This book is also often

available used.

McDougall emphasizes a starch-based diet, Fuhrman emphasizes

nutrient-dense but low-calorie vegetables, particularly greens. Rip

and Caldwell Esselstyn's diet seems more in line with McDougall's

approach. All of these plans are very low fat, none of them advocating

any fats other than what is in the food itself, and allow slightly

varying amounts of higher fat foods such as nuts, seeds, olives, and

avocado.

I don't recall experiencing any cramps, but I was a vegetarian decades

before becoming a vegan.

Good luck, and enjoy the journey!

Debbie

Scott wrote:

I was wondering if anyone has a good shopping list and a good week or

two week meal plan. I suck at building my own meal plans. I would

prefer 5 to 6 smaller meals throughout the day rather than 3 big ones.

Also, any suggestions on getting thru the inevidible cramps, etc. that

seem to come from eating a vegan diet? Thanks for any/all

input/advice...

__._,_.

..

June 15, 2009

I went from omni to vegan in just six weeks and didn't have any side effects apart from my stomach gurgling really loudly for a while! Best wishesAlice Leonard On 15/06/2009, at 4:50 PM, Debbie wrote:I don't recall experiencing any cramps, but I was a vegetarian decades before becoming a vegan.

June 15, 2009

Kudos to you for trying to reduce your risk of heart attack. I can give a few ideas what works for me, but everyone’s tastes are different. But I never had any “inevitable cramps” or any other side-effects. I went vegan overnight – I just cut out all animal products in one fell swoop, but it wasn’t necessarily healthy. There is a lot of vegan junk food, and at first, I found it all! But gradually I found great recipes and started trying new foods, so I’m eating a lot healthier now.

I plan my meals out for the whole week – I make dinners that make 3-6 servings, and use the leftovers to take to work for lunch. Makes it real easy!

It’s probably better to tell you the vegan things I make that my omnivore hubby enjoys — his new favorite is my scrambled tofu burritos. I sauté chopped onion and green pepper with chopped vegetarian sausages. Then I mash up some tofu with seasonings – usually a bit of mustard, nutritional yeast, dill, onion powder and garlic powder. Stir that through and toss that in with the veggies and sausages. Scramble and heat through another 5 minutes or so. I then scoop some into a whole wheat tortilla, add some salsa, roll up and eat. Yum!

He also loves My Favorite Lasagna from Susan’s Fat Free Vegan Blog (http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2006/03/my-favorite-lasagna.html) -- and I gotta add to this, this is NOT a man who would willingly eat tofu a year ago. I don’t tell him what’s in it anymore, I just cook stuff and offer it to him – he lets me know if he doesn’t like something and then I don’t make it for him again, but most everything he’s liked just fine.

While you’re on Susan’s blog mentioned above, have a look around – we actually eat quite a few things from that site, it’s a wonderful resource! May I suggest another of my hubby’s favorites, the Mexican Lasagna (http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2006/07/mexican-lasagna-or-enchilada-casserole.html).

I also make home made vegan Italian sausages and slice them on on pizzas – you don’t need cheese to make a wonderful, quick and easy pizza – just add your favorite pizza sauce, slice veggie sausages on top, then add sliced peppers and onions, kalamata olives, mushrooms, or whatever you like best, and bake them up. I tend to use tortillas rather than pizza bases and just roll them up like burritos – delicious!

Good luck to you!

Anna

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296 / 214 / 130

http://eatbreathemove.blogspot.com/

P.S. I’ve started adding links to the recipes for things I eat on a regular basis to my site if you’d like more ideas.

On 15/6/09 12:38 PM, " Scott " <rssavell wrote:

I've been watching the post for a couple weeks. I'm trying my best to transition to a FF Vegan lifestyle for several reasons, not the least of which is a history of heart disease in my family. My 56 y/o uncle died suddenly a couple weeks ago from a massive heart attack (no, he was not a vegan!). So that is yet another wake up call. It's hard to give the bad stuff up, especially when your favorite foods are bacon and ice cream. But the results/benefits both short and longterm I think are well worth it. I've tried a couple different recepies already and liked both (chili and soup). I was wondering if anyone has a good shopping list and a good week or two week meal plan. I suck at building my own meal plans. I would prefer 5 to 6 smaller meals throughout the day rather than 3 big ones. Also, any suggestions on getting thru the inevidible cramps, etc. that seem to come from eating a vegan diet? Thanks for any/all input/advice...

June 15, 2009

Hi Scott,You have already received some really good resources to help with the transition.I found out I had high blood pressure, which was a big surprise. The doctor wanted to put me on medication and I said "you don't even know what is causing it" I want to try some changes myself without medication and see. First we did the echo, stress test, which was all good. So I mad the vegan change. I already did not eat meat. Just had to dump the dairy and I adored cheese. Gone and don't miss it. Blood pressure is good now.I never experienced any cramping, but everyone is different. I also increased my exercise and wear a pedometer to make sure I get 10,000 steps a day, ride bike hike and am very active.It is hard to eat this

way, no two ways about that, but I think it is what one needs to do to protect your health and feel good. Everyday is a learning opportunity. I find that if you have a few staple things to keep you going to get a good balance of nutrients, you can experiment along the way. Pizza - I use those bololi whole wheat crusts in the store - but currently on a search for a easy recipe to make my own pizza dough - so if someone has one, please share. Then I put tomato paste, a brushetta mixture from the blender of calantro, tomatoes and garlic, asparagus spears, mushrooms, black olives, purple onion and whatever else. We just love this and have turned many on to it and they can't believe how good it is. Don't need cheese.I have a smoothie each morning consisting of flax seed, water, kale or spinach - which ever the garden is producing, banana, blueberries - or whatever berry I have. I will make other or

variations of this, but pretty much stick to this one and takes me through to mid morning and then I have oatmeal at work about 10-11 with cinnimon, walnuts pieces and some soy milk and blueberries/blackberries. Love organic/natural peanut butter and banana sandwiches on whole wheat.Anyway, you will find your way.Also, very important to shop organic. Find the farmer markets where you are and shop there. I am lucky to be in CA, there is one everyday somewhere close. If you are vegan, or not, and eat alot of fruits/veg, important not to have chemicals. Mansanto is trying to kill us in the name of economy.good luckJanisScott

<rssavell Sent: Sunday, June 14, 2009 7:38:16 PM Very New At This

I've been watching the post for a couple weeks. I'm trying my best to transition to a FF Vegan lifestyle for several reasons, not the least of which is a history of heart disease in my family. My 56 y/o uncle died suddenly a couple weeks ago from a massive heart attack (no, he was not a vegan!). So that is yet another wake up call. It's hard to give the bad stuff up, especially when your favorite foods are bacon and ice cream. But the results/benefits both short and longterm I think are well worth it. I've tried a couple different recepies already and liked both (chili and soup). I was wondering if anyone has a good shopping list and a good week or two week meal plan. I suck at building my own meal plans. I would prefer 5 to 6 smaller meals throughout the day rather than 3 big ones. Also, any suggestions on getting thru the inevidible cramps, etc. that seem to come from eating a vegan

diet? Thanks for any/all input/advice...---Check out our recipe files at http://www.fatfreevegan.com .

June 15, 2009

Oooh, that pizza sounds good! On 16/06/2009, at 4:38 AM, spence wrote:Pizza - I use those bololi whole wheat crusts in the store - but currently on a search for a easy recipe to make my own pizza dough - so if someone has one, please share. Then I put tomato paste, a brushetta mixture from the blender of calantro, tomatoes and garlic, asparagus spears, mushrooms, black olives, purple onion and whatever else. We just love this and have turned many on to it and they can't believe how good it is. Don't need cheese.

June 16, 2009

Thanks for all the input/advice! I obviously have a lot of homework to do. But

the E2 site looks interesting. I think my biggest challenge will be not blowing

it a breakfast (I don't have a lot of time in the mornings and don't want to get

up any earlier). I had a sausage biscuit this morning....but stuck to the diet

the rest of the day. In fact, made a delicious soup tonight (even my wife

thought so!). Maybe I'll post the recepie later. Thanks again!

June 29, 2009

Scott,

I find the Eat to Live book is great for making meals in bulk. There is also an

Eat to Live group here on and they are great at offering advice on how to

make food in batches.

Good luck!

Janel

, " Scott " <rssavell wrote:

>

> I've been watching the post for a couple weeks. I'm trying my best to