Vegan diet, high carb, low protein/fat & low calorie

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meems
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08 Jan 2013, 8:39 pm

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/17518696/

That's just the first legitimate research paper I found, when I was looking for information about low-calorie and low-protein diets that are vegan. I mean I don't care that it's possibly better than a non-vegan diet, I've tried and failed. Even using non-vegan mascara makes me feel sick, it's not a physical thing on its own. I can't participate in something I consider unethical, I end up borderline obsessively thinking about it because it's important and trying to ignore it is like trying to ignore a glass splinter or something like that. Then I'm fine mentally if I stay vegan.

However, on a vegan diet, I used to try really hard to get a lot of protein. I would end up so full I wouldn't be able to finish eating half of what I intended to. Sometimes I would get really sick when I did that. For a while I was really slim, very low body fat, and felt great, but that was on a really low-calorie and low protein/fat diet. It was mostly vegetables and fruit. Some beans, some rice, etc.

Then I found out I have celiac disease very recently(something I used to scoff at was the gluten free diet fad) so I gather the reason I felt sick on a high protein vegan diet was consumption of foods containing gluten. I feel like every diet article or book focuses on low-carbohydrate and high-protein diets. This doesn't seem to work for me. However I can't find much information about low-protein diets actually being harmful, at least not much with legitimate reference material.

I certainly don't mean to imply that my low-protein diet is healthy for everyone, or that non-vegan diets are the best choice for everyone.

What I'm looking for is information about low-protein, vegan diets being bad in the long-term. I worry I'm just enjoying how it feels and not aware of possible long term damage but I can't find anything to suggest that low protein/fat and high carbohydrate vegan diets are bad for my health.

I have had a much shorter recovery period from workouts since going back to vegetables/beans/rice/fruit. I feel good after eliminating the little bit of goat cheese I was eating for added protein. I feel like I'm actually ready to start working my way toward more intense workouts. My skin looks kind of different, I think because I'm getting so much more beta carotene, my skin is less pale-ish. Everything feels one-hundred times better, physically. One added plus is that since going back on this sort of diet has been that I have lost two inches from my waist in just a few weeks.

But I still fear I could be f*****g up by doing this, despite a lack of evidence. So can anyone offer some info? I feel like I am asking for a debate; believe me, I know why some vegans are hated, for trying to force their lifestyle on others and being sublimely self-righteous etc. I'm not asking anyone else to try this diet(and I am not a professional anything so yeah) but I guess I am asking for people to to tell me this diet is wrong, if it is.

I'm also asking for a why, including sources of information.

OK, sorry if this post is too long

Tell me what you know, tell me what you think, tell me what you eat, tell me anything about this.


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cathylynn
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08 Jan 2013, 9:10 pm

there is a certain amount of protein a person needs to maintain bodily integrity - about .4mg per pound of body weight per day, more if you are very active. most westerners get way more than this, so consuming the minimum is probably considered "low protein."



1000Knives
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08 Jan 2013, 10:38 pm

"Everything works great...for about 6 weeks."



meems
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08 Jan 2013, 11:01 pm

It worked great for well over six years of my life, previously. I just wonder where all the emphasis on protein is coming from. I get maybe 20 grams in a day, tops. I can't figure out what might go wrong with the low protein.

Is that going to sneak up on me after 30 years or something? :\


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