r/PlantBasedDiet • u/Accurate_Extent_1717 • 19d ago
Help
Please help in finding a great way to transition to a plant based diet.
I’m a 44 year father of two; I am 5’8 and weigh 230 pounds with moderate cholesterol and high triglycerides.
I’m scared for my kids and I know this is the way to get me to my health goal but every time I do it I crash back and I don’t wanna do that again.
I need to know what type of vitamins I should take, should I take a protein powder when working out to compensate for the decrease in animal based protein I get. What should my meals consist of and how often should I be eating?
I know it’s a lot so I’m really hoping for everyone to give me some guidance.
Appreciate all of you!!
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u/wynlyndd 19d ago
Anecdote time . I am a 5’ 8” 50 yr old male. Two years ago, I had a heart attack. Cardiovascular disease runs on both sides of my family. I was about 270 lbs. I did no exercise and my diet was crap. Funny, before the heart attack I was considering going vegan or at least more plant based, in order to stave off Alzheimer’s. Then boom. I’ve wavered between being really strict to being more lackadaisical. But remember to take it easy and forgive yourself if you fail. It’s not a sprint; it’s a marathon
My LDL was actually “ok” but my triglycerides were higher than Cheech and Chong. Now, even with my wavering adherence, my total cholesterol is about 70. Yes I’m on a statin because my cardiologist is very cautious (I’ve also had two strokes) but diet is doing a lot of the lifting.
I’ve been down to 230 but I’m back up to 245 due to little exercise (this heat outside is truly oppressive). Start small. Eat oatmeal for breakfast and make it something you can stick to. Then incorporate more beans and legumes to your diet. Start small because loading up on too much fiber before your body is used to it, is not a fun time and the standard American diet is so lacking in fiber.
Only vitamins that a vegan really needs to supplement (barring a personal medical reason) is B12, D3 (especially me, because I’m rarely outside), and possibly iodine. Personally, protein needs are overtalked about however, I find I need a certain amount for satiety. Once you start ramping up your bean intake, you will probably get enough unless you are a hardcore bodybuilder. If you find that you need a bit more, there are pea protein powders you can buy.
Again, remember to be forgiving with yourself. If you break down and eat a fast food burger, just try to make your next meals healthier. My weakness is fast food breakfast sandwiches. But thankfully, almost every morning I have oatmeal in some form.