any vegans on here?

I will keep that in mind, however, I don't usually get that far as I generally love food too much to restrict myself completely. I can see what you mean though. I just went grocery shopping and am going to incorporate a lot more fresh fruit & veg and meat substitutes as well as soy milk into the regular diet. I have also switched to all organic products.

Vegans eat more than salad and being vegan can be very healthy.  Obviously, there are unhealthy vegans (you can get vegan donuts, cupcakes, icecream, etc..), just as there are unhealthy meat eaters. 

If you are interested in losing weight, you may want to check out the McDougall Maximum Weight Loss plan.  It's vegan, but whole foods (no pasta, soy milk, tofu etc..) and its worked in the past for me (I should be on it now as I have pounds to shift!).

Andrea - girl, what weight loss?!  You look fabulous, hon!  You work out, you're fit, your skin glows & you're an awesome Pilates instructor.  Eat to be healthy, but stop worrying about the weight loss bit cos you don't need to change a thing!

ETA:  You're one of the fittest people I know!

Thank you 

I suppose I know that my diet could include more whole fruits and veg and that's what I intend on doing to improve my overall health. It's pretty bad when I got excited about crisps at the grocery store that were "turkey and stuffing flavour" etc... I knew at that point that I was on a downhill slippery slope.

I will have a look at the whole foods diet you mentioned, I also know that just focusing on fewer desserts and more whole foods overall will help me get to where I want to be - more energy and feeling fit.

I know I am late to this due to my erratic online habit these days. Sorry. 

I have been a vegetarian/pescatarian for the last 15 years. I tried veganism once and lasted a whopping 4 days before I was sick of reading labels and trying to figure out what was "legal". I decided it was not for me and the experience has given me the utmost respect for anyone who does make it work. 

Best of luck with whatever you decide.

I have been a vegetarian/pescatarian for the last 15 years. I tried veganism once and lasted a whopping 4 days before I was sick of reading labels and trying to figure out what was "legal".

You beat me by 2 days! I thought I was doing well until I caught myself nibbling a piece of cheese without even noticing it! Now I'm back to eating chicken and fish only (something I've done for 31 years).

Best of luck to you pittpanther! I hope it works for you! 

I am reducing the cheese in my diet to not outwardly eating cheese for right now, but not looking for whey in products. I am drinking soya milk since I am not a big fan of regular milk anyway and staying away from puddings and only eating organic yogurts. Lots of fresh fruit and veg (or frozen) and I think it's helping, at least I feel a bit more engergized

I stopped being vegan from the moment I first landed here. Dietary challenges were something I could do without in adjusting to changes. I have been both vegan or ovo-lacto vegetarian throught my life.

I would go back to being vegan, if I moved back to Canada to a somewhat familiar place.

I think there's no harm in trying it. If it works, great; if not, just adjust things as required.  Seems like you're doing that already. Good luck with it all.