8 things you only understand once you go vegan

From vegoutmag.com

By Avery White

Switching to plants changes more than your plate—it rewires how you shop, snack, and show up in social settings

Ever notice how some experiences only click after you’re in the middle of them? Switching to a vegan lifestyle is one of those shifts. 

I went in thinking mostly about animal welfare, yet within weeks I was puzzling over changes in my taste buds, my grocery budget, even my social life.

Those “aha” moments kept piling up, each rewriting a tiny piece of how I relate to food, culture, and my own body.

Curious what actually changes once the plant-based train leaves the station?

Below are eight lessons that only seem obvious after you’ve made the leap—and each one comes with a practical nudge so you can sidestep the rookie potholes and keep the ride smooth.

1. Your palate is far more flexible than you thought

“Taste buds are adaptable little fellas,” nutrition expert Dr. David Katz jokes, “when they can’t be with foods they love, they learn to love the foods they’re with."

Give it two to three weeks and the kale that once tasted like lawn clippings starts whispering sweet nothings. The science is simple: receptors for salt, sugar, and fat down-regulate when those stimuli drop, making subtler flavours pop.

Action step? Taper—not nuke—salt and added sugar. You’ll stay motivated long enough for your biology to catch up.

2. Grocery trips morph into scavenger hunts—then routines

The first plant-based shopping run feels like decoding a secret map.

Five trips later you glide past the dairy aisle because you already know which oat-milk brand steams best for lattes and which frozen edamame costs half as much when you buy the bulk bag.

I keep a running list on my phone of “wins” (nutritional yeast by the kilo, hello) and rotate stores monthly to restock.

Treat the learning curve like an adventure: you’ll build a personalized supply chain that makes weekday meals faster, cheaper, and less wasteful.

3. Social meals trigger hidden psychology

Ever been teased with “Come on, one bite won’t hurt”?

Social psychologist Dr. Melanie Joy captures the dynamic: “How we feel about an animal and how we treat it has much less to do with the animal than with our perception of it.” 

People often defend shared habits because they symbolize belonging. Instead of debating ethics over appetizers, I re-route the focus: “I’m here for the company—tell me about your new project.”

It preserves connection while normalizing your plate as just one personal choice at the table.

4. Planning beats willpower—especially for protein

Contrary to myth, plants aren’t protein ghosts.

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics states that well-planned vegan diets are “healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide benefits in preventing and treating disease.”

Translation: as long as you stock daily sources—beans, lentils, tofu, tempeh, seitan, nuts—you’re covered. My shortcut is prepping a double batch of lentil-walnut taco “meat” every Sunday.

Half goes into jars for salads; half hits the freezer for emergency dinners. It’s easier to open a jar than to open a delivery app.

5. Labels teach miniature lessons in critical thinking

Scan a package of cookies and you’ll see “vegan” in bold—right next to 20 g of added sugar.

Plant-based doesn’t equal healthful by default. I read front labels for quick filters (dairy-free, egg-free), then flip to the back where the truth lives.

Aiming for mostly whole-food ingredients keeps me honest and prevents the processed-food pothole that derails many beginners.

6. Energy levels shift—but timing matters

Week one you might feel lighter; week two a little sluggish as your microbiome recalibrates to extra fibre.

Around the one-month mark many people report steady energy and fewer afternoon crashes.

I track sleep and mood in a simple spreadsheet so I can match dietary tweaks (like adding B-12 or iron-rich greens) with how I feel.

Data beats guesswork, and noticing upward trends fuels motivation.

7. Compassion spills into unexpected corners of life

The longer I stay vegan, the more I catch myself extending patience—toward co-workers, stray cats, even my own inner critic.

Psychologists call this moral consistency: aligning values across domains once a big value shift locks in.

A practical move?

Volunteer at an animal-rescue event or plant a pollinator-friendly herb bed. Reinforcing compassion through action cements that wider mindset.

8. The conversation never ends—and that’s a good thing

Friends will ping you for recipe tips, parents will worry about calcium, and someone at a barbecue will quiz you on quinoa protein math.

Each chat sharpens your knowledge or reveals a gap to research. I keep a running “FAQ” note on my phone: favourite documentary links, beginner cookbooks, quick stats on land use.

Sharing from a place of curiosity rather than superiority keeps relationships warm and the dialogue evolving.

Conclusion

Going vegan isn’t a finish line; it’s a collection of pivots that keep unfolding—from taste buds recalibrating to deeper empathy sneaking into daily choices.

If you’re new to the fold, remember that adaptation is wired into your biology and your psychology: flavours adjust, habits settle, and social circles learn to meet you halfway.

Bank on planning over sheer resolve—batch-cook proteins, jot quick comeback lines, stock that emergency dark-chocolate bar.

And if you’re already a seasoned plant-lover, maybe one of these eight reminders nudged you to level-up: track energy, volunteer locally, or finally master homemade seitan.

The takeaway is simple: change rewards consistency more than perfection.

So lean into the small wins—today’s satisfying lunch, tomorrow’s confident reply, next month’s grocery bill that’s mysteriously lower.

Stack enough of those victories and you’ll look back wondering how something that once felt radical became your new normal. 

https://vegoutmag.com/food-and-drink/ain-8-things-you-only-understand-once-you-go-vegan/

"Why I went vegan at 40 – and how it transformed my energy levels"

From prima.co.uk/diet-and-health

Claire Ruston, now 44, explains what happened when she became vegan in midlife (including a whole new career) 

"'I could never give up cheese...'

"That was me, five years ago. I'd never met a cheese I didn't like – even if it came in foil triangles. I'd tiptoed towards vegetarianism for many years, reducing my meat intake but never officially taking the plunge (the barbecue ribs always got me). I’d even floated the idea of going vegan a few times, whenever my partner Rob and I would watch the latest documentary about factory farming. But I always talked myself out of it.

"In the end, it wasn’t a hard-hitting exposé that prompted the change. It was a bout of Covid that left me feeling not quite myself. I was keen to get back to full health and frustrated it was taking so long. Then I happened to watch The Game Changers, a documentary about the impact of a vegan diet on athletes’ strength and recovery.

"At first, we didn’t picture ourselves going strict vegan."

"‘It’s worth a try,’ I said to Rob. He was sceptical but agreed, ‘Let’s give it a shot.’

"We were already used to taking on challenges. We moved from the UK to Bulgaria together in 2011, bought a run-down house in the mountains and spent years renovating it. We immersed ourselves in local life and adjusted to living in a village, where the nearest supermarket is a 50-mile round trip.

"At first, we didn’t picture ourselves going strict vegan. The plan was to eat a plant-based diet during the week and perhaps indulge in a bit of dairy – cheese, obviously – on the weekends. But we loved our vegan weekday meals. I felt more creative in the kitchen, learning how to make a creamy dressing with tahini or a rich pasta sauce from roasted squash.

                                                                                                                                  Claire Ruston

"There were kitchen disasters, of course. My first vegan pancakes were terrible and I’ve made my fair share of disappointing vegan cakes. I quickly learned to read the comments on recipes online and seek out food writers I trust, such as Nisha Vora, Yotam Ottolenghi, Hetty Lui McKinnon and Joe Yonan. The benefits were obvious. I had more energy and felt healthier by the week. If I indulged in a dairy-heavy dish, I’d feel sick and have an upset stomach.

"Very quickly, cheesy ‘treats’ stopped being treats at all. I also noticed that my asthma was worse after eating dairy.

"Almost by accident, I’d become vegan. If there’s a stereotypical image of a vegan, I’m pretty sure I’m not it. I’m middle-aged and I couldn’t give a stuff about protein powder shakes. But here I am, living my best plant-based life.

" I had more energy and felt healthier by the week."

"Do I miss cheese? Sometimes, especially if I see a picture of an oozing brie. But I don’t miss it enough to eat it.

"Friends and family have been supportive. When I fly home, Mum cooks me a vegan roast dinner with veggie sausages. I don’t mind people eating meat around me – I ate meat for 39 years – but I draw the line at cooking bacon sandwiches for guests!

"People tend to view veganism through the lens of ‘giving up’ foods. But I have gained far more than I’ve given up. I eat a more varied diet than ever and, most importantly, it has reignited my passion for food. It’s even led to a new career.

"After years of blogging about life in Bulgaria, I began writing more and more about food. When I won the Guild of Food Writers Newcomer Award in 2023, it encouraged me to properly pursue food writing as a career. I now write about plant-based eating and growing my own food at auntiebulgaria.substack.com.

"I’m not out to convert anyone. But I do enjoy sharing my journey, and if it encourages a few people to eat a few more plants, then that’s great."

https://www.prima.co.uk/diet-and-health/diet-plans/a64069323/vegan-at-40-transformed-energy-levels/

Vegan Power: Back to our roots

From ecotricity.co.uk

Vegan energy? Are we STILL talking about that?! Of course – and this year we’re proud to be celebrating our six-year anniversary of our energy being vegan-certified by the Vegan Society.

It’s a great USP but, really, we think all energy should be vegan – why do animals and their by-products need to be involved in the process of generating energy anyway?

Back to where it all began

When we first announced that we were the world’s first vegan-certified energy supplier, it’s fair to say that the reaction was pretty mixed.

Back in 2018, we reported that a number of the Big Six energy companies (as well as some so called ‘green’ suppliers) were using animal by-products to make electricity and gas in the UK. From dead salmon to pig slurry, we shed new light on what was really being used to generate the electricity and gas being pumped into UK homes.

Fast forward to 2024, and we’re still the only vegan-certified energy supplier in the world. If you make conscious decisions about the food you eat and the clothes you wear, it makes sense to be aware of what’s powering your home too.

We have all the right ingredients

The best recipes are the ones which are easy to follow, and which don’t have obscure ingredients you’ve never actually heard of. Our energy fuel mix is much the same – no animal by-products, no nasties, just green energy.

Some people don’t see the problem with using animal by-products in energy production, using the argument that it’s better to use the waste products than not – but the problem is much bigger than that. By relying on waste products, these energy companies are actually relying on the factory farming industry continuing – and we don’t agree with that at all.

We’re committed to building a greener Britain and to end the use of fossil fuels. That’s why we use our profits to build more sources of green energy ourselves, rather than just using up what’s already out there – we call this Bills into Mills. We know that building new green infrastructure is integral in fighting the climate crisis.

https://www.ecotricity.co.uk/our-news/2024/vegan-power-back-to-our-roots 

World Vegan Day: What happens to your body when you switch to a vegan diet?

From healthshots.com

Have you recently switched to a vegan diet? Scroll down to know the advantages and disadvantages of following a vegan diet

Vegans eat a plant-based diet and avoid all animal products, including meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, dairy, eggs, and honey. Many people also avoid purchasing animal-derived products (for example, leather and reptile skin). Veganism, in general, opposes any form of animal exploitation, including the use of animals for entertainment and product testing. Ingredients derived from animals such as gelatine, albumin, casein, carmine, and pepsin can be found in marshmallows, gummy candies, chewing gum, and so on. Hence, reading food labels carefully when shopping becomes important.

Of course, there are advantages and disadvantages to being vegan. Adopting a vegan lifestyle necessitates careful planning and awareness of what you put in your body.

Switching to an all-plant diet, for example, may help you lose weight and improve your gut health, but it may also put you at risk of nutrient deficiencies. Here’s everything that can happen to your body, both good and bad, if you go vegan.

Pros of a vegan diet

Here are the advantages of following a vegan diet:

1. You get more fibre

This is one of the most noticeable dietary changes you will observe. Meats are devoid of fibre. Plants, on the other hand, are high in this nutrient, so eating less meat and more quinoa, black beans, chickpeas, and edamame increases your fibre intake significantly. Dietary fibre is essential for heart and gut health, as well as blood sugar and weight management.

2. Reduces risk of heart diseases

When we eat more plant-based foods and fewer animal products, it lowers the risk of stroke, heart attack and other heart-related conditions. This is because plant-based eaters consume more fruits and vegetables, fibre and polyunsaturated fats while consuming less saturated fat, all of which are dietary factors that support heart health.

3. Great for weight loss

Eliminating meat, dairy, and other animal products can help you lose weight and lower your cholesterol because they contain more fat and calories than plant-based foods. Vegans have a lower body mass index and blood pressure. 

Benefits of a vegan diet. Image courtesy: Shutterstock

Cons of a vegan diet

Here are the disadvantages of following a vegan diet:

1. You might feel low on energy

A vegan diet is deficient in iodine and choline. Iodine is required for thyroid health, which regulates energy, metabolism, and mood. Choline helps your brain by influencing your memory and mood. However, vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and sweet potatoes can provide choline, and iodine can be obtained from fortified (iodized) table salt. Still, supplementation for these nutrients may be beneficial. Plant-based foods are low in calories, a vegan diet can cause fatigue if you don’t eat enough to maintain your mental and physical energy levels.

2. You might become bloated

Fibre resists digestion when we eat it. We cannot digest fibre and must instead rely on the gut microbiota in our Gastrointestinal tract to do so. It eventually makes its way to the colon, where it ferments, releasing short-chain fatty acids and gases. This causes bloating. Everyone is affected differently. Drink plenty of water and slowly increase your fibre intake.

3. May face vitamin and mineral deficiencies

Veganism can cause anaemia, hormone disruptions, vitamin B12 deficiencies, and depression due to a lack of omega-3 fatty acids. That is why it is critical to consume a variety of proteins, vitamins B12 and D, iron, calcium, iodine, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids. Veganism can cause anaemia, hormone disruptions, vitamin B12 deficiencies, and depression due to a lack of omega-3 fatty acids. Fortified cereals, plant milk, tofu, and nutritional yeast contain some of these nutrients. Iron and calcium are found in legumes and dark, leafy vegetables, while tofu contains protein, calcium, and zinc. Finally, walnuts, canola oil, soy products, and ground flaxseed contain omega-3 fatty acids such as DHA and ALA.

Veganism entails more than just abstaining from animal products. After weighing the advantages and cons of a vegan diet, make sure to follow up with regular dietitian visits and blood tests.

https://www.healthshots.com/healthy-eating/nutrition/world-vegan-day-pros-and-cons-of-following-a-vegan-diet/

CO2 shortage: Why the gas crisis shows veganism is needed, now more than ever

From inews.co.uk

The CO2 shortage should encourage Britons to reassess their meat consumption and consider adopting a more plant-based diet

This week’s gas crisis has shown exactly why more people need to take veganism seriously.

The UK's carbon dioxide (CO2) shortage prompted fears among meat producers that they would soon have to call a halt to production, putting supplies of pork and poultry at risk.

The rhetoric from the meat industry suggested the farmers would be the ones unfairly affected by the energy crisis, when in fact the animals would suffer the most.

This is because if farmers are unable to slaughter the animals, millions of pigs and chickens are at risk of being culled due to overcrowding and welfare concerns.

“If birds can’t be slaughtered, they must be kept ‘on farm’. Then there’s going to be the potential for welfare issues to arise, so to avoid that flocks can be culled,” the British Poultry Council (BPC) said.

“They can’t enter the food chain, and so then there’s an issue about food waste.”

The RSPCA was extremely concerned by this, and urged the Government to intervene to help prevent animal “suffering on a huge scale”.

The crisis that faced the meat sector, which has been temporarily averted now the Government has struck a multi-million pound deal with a fertiliser plant to restart CO2 production, shows Britons need to seriously consider adopting a vegan diet to reduce meat consumption.

Every year in the UK approximately 2.6 million cattle, 10 million pigs, 14.5 million sheep and lambs, 80 million fish and 950 million birds are slaughtered for human consumption.

Of the millions of pigs sent to slaughter each year, almost 90 per cent are stunned using high concentrations of CO2.

This method, though considered humane, has raised ethical concerns for years.

Tor Bailey, Campaign Manager of Animal Aid, described the practice as “horrendously cruel” as pigs are shown to be in distress when first coming into contact with the gas.

He told i: “Many people are unaware of the horrendously cruel practice of using high CO2 concentrations to stun pigs.

“Studies have shown pigs gasp for air, their airways burning as they squeal, panic and struggle to escape for up to a minute before losing consciousness.

“As a ‘nation of animal lovers’, we cannot continue to condone and financially support this horrifyingly cruel practice. A better solution to this issue is for people to choose a vegan diet and spare animals this unimaginable suffering.”

Last year the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published a report on the welfare of pigs at slaughter, and concluded CO2 stunning was a “serious welfare concern”.

The scientists said: “Exposure to CO2 at high concentrations [defined in their opinion as higher than 80 per cent by volume] is considered a serious welfare concern because it is highly aversive and causes pain, fear, and respiratory distress.”

The EFSA panel recommended replacing CO2 with other gas mixtures that are less aversive.

Additionally, a scientific study conducted by the University of Bristol also found concentrations of more than 30 per cent are highly aversive for pigs.

They concluded pigs endure “moderate to severe respiratory distress” from CO2 stunning as the animals are not rendered unconscious immediately.

Even the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), which released a report on the topic in January, condemned the method saying: “There are longstanding concerns about the negative welfare impacts of high concentration CO2 stunning systems for pigs.”

As a result the director People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) has called on Britons to re-examine their relationship with meat.

Elisa Allen told the i: “The carbon dioxide shortage is an opportunity the UK should seize to re-examine how this ‘animal-loving’ nation slaughters the objects of its affection and to start respecting animals for who they are, rather than for their utility.”

High meat consumption is proven to be bad for the environment, with the industry being the single biggest cause of deforestation globally; contributing to climate change through the emission of greenhouse gases and using up 75 per cent of the world’s agricultural land.

Whereas, if everyone were to eat a plant-based diet, 75 per cent less farm land would be needed – the equivalent to the US, China, Europe and Australia combined.

This is because it takes significantly less land to grow food directly for humans than to feed animals, which humans then eat.

Research suggests making just slight tweaks to our diet, such as going vegan for just one day a week, can have a huge impact on the planet.

By swapping red meat for plant-based meals just once a week, UK greenhouse gas emissions could be cut by 50 million tonnes – the equivalent of taking 16 million cars off the road – and resulting in up to an 8.4 per cent reduction in the UK’s total greenhouse gas emissions.

The analysis, carried out by University of Oxford researcher Joseph Poore, also found switching just one red meat meal to plant-based a week could result in a 23 per cent reduction (eight million hectares) in the UK’s domestic and international farmland use, and a two percent reduction in the UK’s water use – the same as taking 55 fewer showers per person per year.

Eating a vegan diet, even if just once a week, can have huge benefits for the environment and could help reduce the UK’s reliance on CO2 production.

A spokeswoman from The Vegan Society said: “People are often surprised to hear that they can reduce their food-related carbon footprint by up to 50 per cent just by going vegan and cutting out all animal products.

“A vegan diet requires about a third of the land and a third of the water compared to a traditional western diet. We need to think differently about what we eat to save the planet.”

https://inews.co.uk/opinion/co2-shortage-why-the-gas-crisis-shows-veganism-is-needed-now-more-than-ever-1212334

Ask the Dietitian: Bloating and Energy on a Vegan Diet

From vegoutmag.com

We get a lot of questions about cruelty-free nutrition from new plant-based eaters and long-time vegans alike. With the help of our sponsor, Sugarbreak, we’re addressing two trending nutrition topics—bloating and energy on a vegan diet.

Disclosure: Material presented here is intended to serve informational purposes regarding the topics of food, nutrition, and wellness. This content is not intended to substitute for medical advice or diagnosis. If therapeutic attention is warranted, alert your care team.

Q: What can I do to feel less bloated after I eat?

A: While some bloating after meals is totally normal, it can be uncomfortable and frustrating. You can reduce post-meal bloat by making mealtime modifications surrounding what you eat and how you eat it. Food triggers often vary from person to person. While keeping a food-and-symptom journal is a good way to identify your irritants, some common trigger foods may include fried and high-fat options, sugar alcohols, and certain types of fibre.

Generally speaking, when it comes to fibre, take the Goldilocks approach. Too little fibre over a long period of time may lead to tummy distress while the consumption of too much fibre at once may also cause bloating and discomfort. It is a good idea to opt for balanced meals that include both fibre-rich and low-fibre foods.

Beyond the amount of roughage, the type of fibre can also play a role in GI comfort. Highly fermentable carbohydrates, known as FODMAPs, tend to spend a little extra time in your system feeding your gut bacteria. This extended staycation allows these substances more time to swell with water and cause bubbles, which may lead to gas and bloating. Foods rich in FODMAPs include, but are not limited to, apples, garlic, kidney beans, and cashews.

In addition to the type of foods you eat, try to also consider the size and spacing of your meals. Skipping meals may cause overeating later in the day. Large meals, especially if eaten quickly and not chewed well, can lead to stomach pain and bloating. Try slowing down when you eat, chewing your food well, and incorporating mindful eating exercises.

Beyond dietary changes and behaviour modifications surrounding meals, Sugarbreak’s line of dietary supplements may also serve as a helpful tool against abdominal bloating. Specifically, the Stabilize supplement may help facilitate digestion and reduce bloating when taken prior to consuming any meal with carbohydrates.

Q: What diet changes can I make to maximize my energy and minimize blood sugar crashes?

A: Beyond good sleep hygiene, your diet has a big impact on energy levels. For stable blood sugar and consistent energy, it is encouraged to opt for regularly spaced, balanced meals that include energizing carbohydrates, plant-based proteins, and satisfying fat sources.

While carbohydrates are the body’s preferred source of energy, when eaten alone, they can metabolize quickly, causing an energy spike followed by a drop. To reduce these peaks and pits, opt for fibre-rich carbohydrates and pair them with protein and fat. These added macronutrients tend to digest slower, therefore leading to a more stable energy aftermath. While consuming “naked” carbs like sports drinks does provide a quick boost of energy and may be helpful during long sweat sessions, this type of carb loading is likely not beneficial to your day-to-day energy goals.

Although important for blood sugar stability and stable energy, not all fibre is created equal. Soluble fibre may help improve glucose metabolism the most. Sugarbreak Reduce contains soluble fibre from fenugreek seed extract which may help further level out blood sugar levels.

In addition to choosing balanced meals and snacks, hydration is important for good energy, and sipping water throughout the day may help keep you from feeling sluggish. When paired with nutritious foods and good water intake, caffeinated beverages can help with daily energy. However, too much caffeine is not a good idea. It might be tempting to grab another sugar-sweetened latte as your energy dips mid-afternoon, but overdoing the caffeine and sugar can make you feel jittery and lead to a crash. Try to enjoy your caffeinated barista concoctions in moderation and paired with nutritious foods.

https://vegoutmag.com/food-and-drink/ask-the-dietitian-bloating-and-energy-on-a-vegan-diet/

One Twin Went Vegan. The Other Didn't. Here's What Happened Next

From menshealth.com

Professional explorers Hugo and Ross Turner wanted to find out how veganism would affect their training. The results are in...

Hugo and Ross Turner – or is that Ross and Hugo? – have earned the nickname “the adventure guinea pigs”. In 2015, the twins scaled Europe’s highest peak, Mt Elbrus in the Caucasus, to compare traditional mountaineering gear with modern equipment (the latter proved to be mostly marketing). They’ve been to Greenland, where a replica of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s 1914 expedition kit uniformly outperformed the contemporary equivalent, from the Sunspel jumper and Crockett & Jones boots to a wooden sled.

Most recently, they embarked on a trial of a vegan diet versus a typical omnivorous one, with their body composition monitored by Virgin Active and their biomarkers tested by King’s College London’s Department of Twin Research. We caught up with them two months in to see what they'd learnt.

MH: This isn’t the first time you’ve compared diets...

Ross: At the end of last year we did a test of high-fat vs high-carb. I was on a high-fat diet and I shredded. I lost about 3kg of fat; Hugo was on high-carb and he put on 3kg.

Hugo: Ross has always been slightly heavier, so, we met each other in the middle. At the end, we were 85kg each.

Ross: But I was much, much leaner.

MH: How fun – or not – were those diets to follow?

Ross: I did miss carbs. I really did miss carbs. But as soon as I had them, I felt bloated, straight away.

MH: So, what are the main takeaways from meat versus veg?

Ross: My cholesterol has stayed the same – about 6.5, quite high – and Hugo [on the vegan diet] is down to 4.9.

Hugo: I was about 5.9 at the start, so it’s dropped drastically.

Ross: As well as your libido.

Hugo: Yeah, my libido went out the window. But my energy levels [were better]. I didn’t get that sugar drop. Most snacks – chocolate, biscuits, sweets – I couldn’t have. I was pretty much just on nuts and fruit.

Ross: We had Mindful Chef delivering our food, so we had exactly the same calories going in – give or take 50 calories across the day.

MH: How did going vegan affect your training?

Hugo: My energy levels in the gym were much, much better. We were going to the gym five, six times a week and I didn’t have a session where I thought, “I don’t really have any energy.”

Ross: I was the opposite. I was very hungry at 10 or 11 o’clock. I had those big spikes of energy and then I’d crash. But then the results [of our training] have been very different – I put on weight, and Hugo has lost it.

Hugo: I’ve shredded. I lost 4kg of fat in the first two or three weeks.

Ross: We wore continuous glucose monitors: they go on the back of your triceps and connect to your phone. I was spiking, going down, having that sugar low – or meat low – and Hugo was far more satiated.

MH: What kind of training were you doing?

Hugo: It’s endurance-focused, so high-rep, low-weight, rather than trying to build up mass. On our expeditions, we don’t want to be carrying extra weight.

Ross: One of the ways we measure how fit we’re getting is with a submaximal test: what resistance you’re on when you get to a certain heart rate on a Wattbike. It’s simple but quite effective if you want to find out what your fitness level is.

MH: And less unpleasant than a VO2 max.

Ross: I don’t mind the VO2 max. It’s quite fun. An effective way we’ve found [to track] our endurance training is to count the “total” mass lifted. We’ve gone from about three tonnes – which sounds epic – to 10 or 11 tonnes in an hour. If you add the weight up, it becomes really motivating.

MH: “How much do you bench?” “A tonne…”

Ross: It is, though – if you lift 100kg, 10 times, that’s a tonne. If you’ve lost weight and you’ve doubled your lifting capacity, you’re getting “expedition fit”.

Hugo: Half of it is looking after your body. What’s the chassis like? Is it healthy? We’ve got quite rusty chassis in the sense that we’ve always got painful backs, tight hamstrings and quads. So, it’s using a good proportion of a gym session on stretching, rolling and core.

Ross: And the other 10% is mindset. I’ve been to the gym over the past few months and gone, “I really can’t be bothered.” That’s the point at which you become expedition “mind fit”. Even if you do very little, but you do the full hour, you’re training your mind not to give up. It’s so easy not to flex the mental muscle.

Crunching the Numbers

On the vegan diet: Hugo lost 1kg of fat and gained 1.2kg of muscle mass
On the omnivore diet: Ross gained 2.8kg of fat and 4kg of muscle mass

https://www.menshealth.com/uk/nutrition/a32449942/veganism-meat-eating-test/

5 Nutrition Myths That Are Stopping You from Turning Vegan

From menshealth.com

Yes, you will consume enough protein to build muscle

According to the Vegan Society there are now a whopping 600,000 vegans in the UK, which represents a 400 per cent rise since 2014. Given that so many of us are now happy to eat a meat-free diet, chances are you've considered it too. But can a vegan diet and a muscle-building regime ever live in harmony?

We're here to tell you that can, and what's more, a vegan diet can actually enhance your bulking credentials. So you're able to separate fact from all the bull, here are five myths, debunked by science. If any of these are the reason you're hesitating about swapping to a vegan diet, then perhaps you should rethink your position on going green.

Myth #01 Sticking to a Vegan Diet Is Expensive

With trend-hopping celebrities queuing up to crow about their lavish plant-based lifestyles on Instagram, it’s not surprising that the vegan diet is often linked to overpriced food. Your increased appetite for vegan ice creams, cheeses and imitation meats does come at a cost but, in reality, a normal plant-based diet is one of the most inexpensive and sustainable ways to eat, explains PT Callum Melly.

The best ways to cash in? First, fruit and veg can be purchased frozen or canned, cutting down on costs and reducing food waste with minimal nutritional downsides – another enduring food myth. If you have a bit of time to cook them, grains and legumes are better value dried than canned. Meanwhile, go and visit your grocer – their local, in-season produce will be cheaper than off-season produce at supermarkets.

Bottom Line: If you’re willing to splash your cash on vegan meat alternatives to ease your transition, by all means fill your boots with vegan mayonnaise, coconut cheese and soya nuggets. But they aren’t a necessity; nor do they have many health benefits. Get back to the basics of a plant-based diet with dried, frozen and seasonal ingredients and you will easily trim the fat from your weekly expenses – and possibly your waistline, too.

Myth #02 You'll Be Hungry and Tired All the Time

Slicing steak from your diet might be a blow, but the simplest way to dispel the myth of veganism’s negative impact on hunger and performance is to remember that elite athletes such as Lewis Hamilton, Jermain Defoe and the UFC’s Nate Diaz have made the switch successfully. And it makes sense. A diet of wholegrains, pulses and starchy vegetables is associated with improved gut health and satiety. A lack of red meat may make vegans susceptible to deficiencies in energy-boosting B vitamins and iron, but these can be supplemented in pill form or, even better, by eating extra portions of leafy greens and nuts. Plant protein is associated with better insulin regulation, too, which stops blood sugar spikes and afternoon energy slumps.

Bottom Line: Greens and grains may not seem satisfying to former carnivores, but the science disagrees. According to the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, fibre
from starchy vegetables and beans increases satiety, curbing hunger and keeping energy levels steady through the day.

Myth #03 You Won't Consume Enough Protein to Build Muscle

Your favourite macro actually originates from plants. Only our green allies can take nitrogen from the air, break apart those molecules and transform them into amino acids. Essentially, animals have become the middlemen between us and protein, says Melly.

So, you don’t need to consume animal tissue to get your protein fix. Indeed, many plants boast more protein per calorie than meat. Take broccoli: 100kcal contains about 11g of protein, whereas 100kcal of lean steak offers around 6g. Obviously, you’d have to eat a forest of broccoli to reach 100kcal, but the benefits of cutting out the excess calories, fat and cholesterol that come with animal protein are certainly worth chewing over.

Bottom Line: Grains, pulses and vegetables offer a perfectly adequate amount of protein to fuel performance and maximise growth and recovery. The key, however, is to use a variety of sources to ensure you consume the full range of amino acids.

Myth #04 For Strong Bones You Need Calcium from Dairy

Plant-based “milk” is now the go-to for almost 25 per cent of Britons, with sales of oat alternatives surging by 70 per cent. Studies have shown that cutting out dairy can cause deficiencies that lead to aches, pains and more potent DOMS, but you can ensure long-term bone strength by using a calcium-enriched, plant-based substitute in your post-session shake. Most soya-based drinks contain 120mg of calcium per 100ml: about the same as cow’s milk.

Bottom Line: Preventing calcium deficiency and weak bones is simple: drink a calcium-fortified nut milk and make sure you’re topped up with vitamin D. The NHS advises that the sunshine vitamin is essential to metabolising calcium in your diet, supporting a strong skeleton.

Myth #05 Fish Are the Only Good Source of Omega-3 Fats

When someone mentions omega-3 fatty acids and their benefits to your body and brain, the first things that spring to mind are salmon and fish-oil pills. But seeds such as chia and hemp are potent sources of the omega ALA, as well as being rich in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, fibre and protein. For the other two – EPA and DHA – algae supplements will meet your needs. In short, there are scientifically sound, plant-based ways to maintain your intake and take a bite out of your heart disease and Alzheimer’s risks.

Bottom Line: Nuts and seeds are equal to any salmon fillet when it comes to supporting weight loss, joint health, recovery and physical and mental performance. They’re a game-changing addition to your shopping list and will boost protein in any breakfast, from smoothies to overnight oats. It couldn’t be easier to plant the seeds of holistic health.

https://www.menshealth.com/uk/nutrition/a30428986/vegan-myths/