Fatigue Prevents Vegan Diet

I've tried to go vegan several times, but always stop because I get very tired. Three weeks ago, I tried again.

Week 1: felt good.

Week 2: sleepy most of the time, but still managed to do a moderate fitness routine.

Week 3: so tired I don't want to move.

Breakfast: 20-gram protein drink, steel cut oats and a few raw macadamias.

Lunch: grains + legumes, such as split pea soup and barley, with some fat like avocado or peanut butter.

Snack: half a low-sugar granola bar with sunflower seed butter + a little 70% dark chocolate.

Dinner (typical): brown rice, beans, tofu, veggies, salsa and avocado.

Snack: half a low-sugar granola bar with sunflower seed butter.

I also make a big green smoothie every day, and drink 14 ounces at each meal: 8 ounces spinach or lettuce, 1/2 c peas, 2 T flaxseed, 1 T hempseed, 2 T coconut shreds, 1/2 t bee pollen and 3 cups fruit (berries, grapes, banana, orange).

Supplements: magnesium, ubiquinol, fish oil, borage oil, curcumin, vit E, chromium, selenium, zinc, lots of B vitamins, vit C, beta carotene, vit D (keep my levels at 40-50 ng/mL), probiotics, digestive enzymes, HCL.

Has anyone else gone through this? How did you get past it?

Thank you!

Elaine

Hi!

Sorry for your struggles. Thanks for posting up what it is you typically eat when you've tried going vegan. That helps! A few observations/questions:

1) your listed foods looks pretty complete, though I can't tell from the list a general calorie count per day? What are your goals?

2) that's a LONG list of supplements that with a balanced, plant-based diet you should not need, except for possible exception of B-complex and the Vit D you listed. Generally, supplements aren't very bio-absorbable, they need other components to make them effective. You should be getting plenty of your micro nutrients directly from the foods you're eating.

3) Curious what is your typical diet when you're not vegan? Trying to figure out where fatigue might be coming from. If typical diet is high in processed carbs/foods, a sugar crash might not be too unexpected about 3 weeks in. I think it will take about 4-6 weeks for your body to adjust to the new normal. Maybe need to power through the 4th week and see how you feel then. Kinda like detoxing I think.

4) not sure about your 20gm protein drink in the morning? What is the source? Generally, I'd ditch that. Add in a spoon full of peanut butter to your steel cut oats. I make mine as breakfast bowl most mornings. Cinnamon, 1/2 rolled oats, 1/2 steel cut, fresh fruit (berries, strawberries, raisins, whatever you have handy) serving of peanut butter.

Might be helpful to have better idea of your stats? Age, height, weight, and goals. You should also be watching your calorie count as you make the transition. It's possible you're not eating enough. Do some online searches for BMR calculators and your Harris Benedict numbers to see how much food you need just to exist, and then how much you need to reach your goals.

Will be standing by !!!