The KInd Life Community Forum

Okay gassy from soy is possible for some people. I try to limit my soy intake to prevent it. Bloating from soy is also possible. You may be sensitive to soy especially if your lactose intolerant. I sympathize with you. I gained 5 lbs in a week but I was eating vegan but the wrong foods. I am not saying you did, please don't miss understand. I find if I don't soak my beans, or rinse them from a can well they can make me gassy. You digestive system needs time to adjust too if this is new for you. I also try to balance my carbs. I eat only whole wheat now and no white sugar less fruit and more vegetables(greens, squash, low glycemic veggies). I gained 5lbs before I read this book and it was because I was eating the wrong carbs and to many of them. Cookies( I am a cookie junkie) lots of sugary or sugar added things. Lots of processed vegan too.
I hope this helps. I kind of crammed alot in one paragraph. I also only drink water and green tea in the morning. Otherwise thats all I drink. So no juice or, pop. If I drink juice its counted as a fruit for me. I try to drink low sugar juice.
Don't worry it takes time to adjust to a new diet. Again I hope this helps.

Hm. Are you eating in the "superhero" way Alicia described? Or are you doing regular vegan? I doubt you are eating tons of desserts, but are you having a lot of veggie transitional products like veggie bacon, veggie meatballs, veggie cheese, tofu sour cream, tofu cream cheese, soy milk, etc? I know this isn't the case for all, but I feel kind of sensitive to too many processed foods, and I can't really eat all the meat and dairy substitutes. I didn't feel so good after eating a hunk of vegan cheese on my burrito. Perhaps processed soy foods are the culprit? Another hypothesis is that the weight gain could be your body rebelling against letting go of meat and dairy. If it was a sudden transition of meat 2 or 3 times a day with lots of cheese to strict superhero vegan, I bet your body is having trouble adjusting! Perhaps the bloat is caused from backed up meat and dairy in your system trying to get out! It sounds to me like you are going through a detox. I think soy is fine as long as it is tofu, tempeh, miso, shoyu...Those are soy products that have been around for many years. Soy sausage has not. It's hard not to eat too much of one thing. When I went "vegetarian," all I ate was grilled cheese and spinach. You learn as you go. You could try a new recipe from Alicia's book every day if you are feeling ambitious, or perhaps at first just make sure to eat 3 different kinds of grains a week along with some beans, tofu, tempeh, and new kinds of vegetables. Next time you go shopping, pick out a few things you haven't tried. I think you should stick with the diet for at least a month before you make a decision to quit. I think it will be helpful!

Hello,

It could be portion size, ingreadients, too much fat, lack of filling fiber etc. It may help to know what you normally eat in comparison to what you ate this past week on your new vegan diet? Did your activity level change over the past week or so? I know a good amount about soy, I've never heard of soy bloating someone so much they gain weight that much weight but many things are possible. What type of soy protein did you have? If it isn't basic soy products it may be irritating you, or you may have a sensitivity to soy or too much soy.

Adjusting to a new way of eating can often cause changes in your digestion. Eating a more vegetable based diet may or may not cause more gas that is strong smelling but really only in the short term. You may have a little more gas on average than you did before but it probably should be less smelly. Did you read page 58 "Beans and Fartiness"?

I hope you do stay with a vegan diet and I hope this helped.

Maybe it is the peanut butter and nuts? i just thought of that. I need to lose weight, and the weight gain was shocking. I can lose weight, and I have lost a lot of weight before on diets. So, I know that is not the problem. I am eatinga lot of peanut butter, and whole grain ezekial bread, oh and Hummus from whole foods. I made the peanut butter cups in the book (OMG TO DIE FOR) and i did overindulge in those and ate 3 in one day. Then 2 days later I ate 5, and then I gave the rest away because I was eating way to many of those. Oh, I also ate the whole bag of eddie's vegan cookies in a few days. Maybe that is what it is, but I thought it would not count because i have been eating so little of all the other food. That is allIi could think it is. Do you think it is okay to eat the pre-made food from WHOLE FOODS ready to go and serve section as VEGan OPTIONS? i have been googling the food in order to find nutrition information, but i cannot find anything about there food! hmmmmmmmm
it is hard for me to cook. I am a single mom, and i work etc.....I really have no time, and I am not vegan experienced yet. Plus, it all seemed so overwhelming to change to vegan eating all at once that I assumed it would make it an easier transition to switch into vegan eating when i purchase fesh already made food from WHOLE FOODS!
THANKS FOR ANY HELP ON THE WEIGHT GAIN! It is freaking me out! it is a lot of weight!

I'm experiencing the same thing (weight gain, bloated, gassy) and I too am not eating processed foods, sugar, etc. I use agave syrup, soak beans and grains and do sprouting. I think maybe I'm just eating too much??? She doesn't talk about portion sizes and says "go nuts" on the grains, but my old programming is telling me otherwise. The only other thing is that i'm probably eating too late (close to bed)....My menu is similar to yours except less fruit and more grains in the morning and I make most of my food rather than pre made (although I would get items at Whole foods if I was out of time). I also will drink Vega Meal Replacer (1/2 the serving) and add a kale leaf (so good!). I've been doing the diakon/carrot drink in the morning...how does that help you drop weight? It's not doing it for me. I'm committed, but stumped and a little bummed my clothes are not getting looser. :-( Any suggestions would be welcomed!