Hi, i've decided to go vegan for multiple reasons and today was my first day which went well i have to say i ate more carbs than anything, but i know i need to balance it out. I have  a few questions about what to expect during the first few weeks. Detox maybe? I for one think i have a b12 deficiency and i know half of america has a b12 defiency, but i have all of the symptoms, white spots on fingernails, numbness/ tingling sensation in arms and fingers, confusion, maybe even depression who knows. My "normal" diet has been terrible lately and i know it all contributes to that, so, i was wondering if i should take b12 supplements? Another question is how long did it take for your body to detox and for you feel better? I feel like death and look like it too. Sorry for the long text, advice would be grately appreciated. :D I am basically tired of feeling tired and want to feel happy and healthy with energy.

Sorry for the long text, advice would be grately appreciated

Hi Laura!  B12 supplements are always a good idea.  You can't overdo it, your body will simply flush  away what it doesn't want. 

If you have had a bad diet you can expect some detox symptoms for sure, though it is different for everyone.  You might do best with a gradual transition just to slow down the detox a bit.  But if you are a cold turkey kind of gal then just stick with it and you will get past the detox and feel better and better!

Hello Laura.

Transitioning cold turkey can be tough but rewarding. I transitioned cold turkey about 2 months ago and I felt so much energy and was vibrant. I went through a bit of a difficult time during that time period and fell off the wagon and started eating dairy again. I was depressed but continued to eat cheese. (even though I could see it was making me miserable and I noticed extra pounds that took residency on my hips.)--- I am not transitioning back to being vegan, but slowly so I don't crazy if I encounter a problem again. For the most part at the moment I am vegan, but I am not 100% eliminating everything all at once for fear that something will stress me and I will revert back.

I think it is an amazing accomplishment if you can do it cold turkey.-- But you also have to remember if you slip up you can't be mad at yourself, it is the way you have eaten for your whole life. I think the best way would be the way Alicia describes in her book- Be a flirt, until you are really confident you cant make the change.

Correction--- I am now transitioning back to vegan, not not****

I would suggest reading as much as you can .... re-read TKD constantly, blogs, other books ... anything that helps you stay on track and informed.  It will also make you feel better about the detox part and give you lots of ideas of what to cook and how to do it.  Good luck!

balance your carbs, you wont feel energetic with too many starch based carbs. Have like fruit and vegtable juices and smoothies in the morning to start your day, you'll feel the benifits throughout the day. promise, it also makes you feel healthier, which i think helps with feeling happy. good luck.

and if you have a bad day and eat dairy, start again. even when i was going vegetarian i had "bad days", evenually they stopped. and now i'm a vegie for almost 6 years :)

A good book for transitioning would be Kimberly Snyder's Beauty Detox Diet.