Wow. I'm just dazzled by the lack of generalisation here.

Well then, share your "dazzlement" with the authors. I'm just reporting on what I've read thus far.

-- Nephele

I was veggi for over 10 years and vegan for 2 of them and i actually started to eat meat again after reading the paleo-diet- which says that fat and meat is GOOD for you and that too many carbs/ sugars are harmful to you- one thing I found with being evggi was that most of my diet was high in carbs - even so called protein rich foods like pulses and quorn contain huge amounts of carbs. I am still trying to overcome carb addiction.

Tish, I thought the same thing: carbs = bad. But the authors actually state that the "low-carb" diet trend is "ridiculous" -- that carbs are actually vital for providing energy for our bodies and brains. They do go on to differentiate between the two types of carbohydrates -- simple and complex. Simple carbs are the kind that we don't want in our diets.

EDIT: I wasn't going to ask this, because I was afraid it might be too personal. If it is, then just ignore it. But: Did you notice a difference in your ability to maintain a good weight, between being a vegetarian and meat-eater?

-- Nephele

From what i read it's too many carbs that are bad- the vegitarian diet practically forces you to eat far too many carbs which go onto cause systemic inflamation and yeast growth- simple carbs are bad, complex carbs in moderation are okay- but according to paleo-diet / caveman diet/ primal health (it has many names) we haven't evolved to eat grains (think toxic grass seeds) yet and the lectins they contain are harmful to us.. my scientific background is in paleoethnology so it wasn't news to me but i never really took any notice of it..

but the bad new is that i have put LOADS of weight on eating this way because of all my monthly carb-binges!

Okay, you just answered the question I had edited into my previous posting, before I saw this posting of yours! But are you experiencing these monthly carb-binges because you're now on a diet that includes meat? What was it like for you when you were strictly vegetarian?

-- Nephele

No, I'm bingeing because I'm addicted to carbs, the protein and fats just doesn't seem to 'hit the spot'- I take any excuse to eat rubbish- bread, pasrty, chocolate, cake, chips/crisps etc. and once I start its hard to stop. I'll often take the veggi option over the meat option when I go out as I know it will make me 'happier' ie. the carb-hit. I don't eat much meat really...

I think I need to go cold turkey because it was never like this when I ate meat in a proper and sensible way as part of a proper meal. Back then I was also quite under weight because i 'used' food differently- it was just food- but as I got older I could buy my own candy and pizza etc. and I put weight on at university (also all the drinking)- but it was the vegitariansim which really actually messed up my metablism- I never craved carbs that bad till then.

I don't know... I think indulging in candy, pizza, and alcohol are going to pack on the pounds, regardless of whatever else you eat. The authors of Skinny Bitch nix all three of those consumable items.

Anyway, I'm giving this a try for at least a week. If I lose any weight by next Saturday, I'll let y'all know. Right now, I don't feel any better or worse for being off meat and dairy products. But then, it's only been a couple of days.

I be experimenting on myself!

-- Nephele

I commend you and anyone else who can do that, Nephele! Personally, I don't think I could (Or would even want to) give up eating meat. Can't wait to hear how it goes.

I'm a real meat-lover, too, Midi! So this is really just an experiment for me. If I'm pleased with the results (anticipated weight loss, etc.), then I think I can give up the meat and dairy products. Once you start exploring the alternatives, it's amazing how much tasty stuff is out there that's completely meat-free! Plus, I'm already a fruit-addict, so that's a help.

One thing about the vegan life-style that has really struck me, is that it seems almost like a religion -- all these dietary restrictions are kind of like in Judaism. And I'm not fooling myself -- I know a lot of it has more to do with a philosophy of non-violence towards animals than it does with merely eating healthily.

-- Nephele

In terms of losing weight, it really and truly is a matter of "calories in vs. calories out". That dude that did the Twinkie diet proved that. Now, not to say it's a good diet (even the professor that did the experiment on himself says that) but it does prove that basic overall point of it being all about calories in and calories out. If you eat a shitload of vegetables that equals 500 calories a day more than you expend, you're gonna still gain a pound by the end of the week. Doesn't matter how good it is for you. Anything in excess is eventually bad. *steps off soap box*

As far as being vegan... it's hard! I did a vegan diet for about three months with my mom. She had really bad arthritis and wasn't able to get a hip replacement right away. Sometime suggested that a vegan diet might help (it didn't but she was desperate). She asked if I would do it with her, and I did. OMG, talk about having to look at labels! And while I'm not a big meat eater, I really do love my cheese. I felt VERY deprived those three months.

Another thing - if you go into eating these vegi-foods (burgers, hot dogs, etc.) with the mindset it is going to taste the same, you're very likely going to be disappointed. It is way better to go in with the mindset that it might taste similar, and there won't really be that disappointment. I noticed certain foods had a grainy texture about them that really made them unappealing (the thought of grainy meat is just... revolting). I much prefer to get my protein via other methods (beans are really an awesome food).

And a bit more on topic... Now I want to read this book, lol.

Oh, absolutely. Thing is, I don't think I could eat 500 calories worth of veggies as quickly and easily as I could eat a 500-calorie meat lasagna!



Cheese is going to be a tough one for me to give up, too.



I love kidney beans in chili sauce. As for the meat substitutes, I agree they don't quite taste the same. I'd mentioned earlier that I'd tried one of Gardein's products, as the authors highly recommend Gardein. I think spices help a lot, too.

Must get Spidey on board here to recommend some stuff.



Cool! You can be part of my experiment! Bwa-ha-ha-ha!

-- Nephele

If you guys are determined to follow it through, all I would personally ask is that you be careful.

I'm always wary of new-fangled diet plans (particularly those where the author indulges in generalisations which sound about as scientifically thought through as a snake-oil recipe)

Can't speak for others, but I doubt I'd ever go 100% vegan again. And I personally don't do "diets" though (occasionally) I do try to eat healthier. I don't think fats and carbs are as evil as some do. There are some scientifically proven facts regarding types of carbs and fats. So I wouldn't call them new-fangled necessarily. The refining process (of any food) does strip away anything that is good about it, which is why "enriched wheat" is also bad for you. I guess what makes it "bad" specifically is that you are eating empty calories (no nutrients as they've all been stripped).

And as Nephele mentioned earlier, it's not really a diet plan, but a lifestyle change. And truly, it is. You don't realize how much your life revolves around animal products until you don't get to use them anymore. Those that are truly 100% vegan don't even use animal products of any type (not just the things they put in their mouths).

Oh, agreed. I identify as vegetarian, and have little to do with animal products of any kind.

But, if people are happier eating meat, I see no point depriving themselves. From everything that's been said so far, the author of this book seems to be a bit of a vegginazi, if you ask me.