Uh... hate to break it to you, but veganism is not really a "damn good healthy choice". Assuming you hadn't changed your dietary habits other than cutting out meat/dairy/eggs/anything else that comes from animals, then you were probably not getting enough Calcium, due to you not consuming any dairy (especially if you are still growing), Protein from not eating any meat (unless you ate a Lo-HOT of nuts) and probably some other things that my brain can't think of at 1:30 in the morning.
tl;dr
You need to eat quite a lot more to have a healthy diet if you are a vegan.
It'd be easier just to cut out fatty foods. Not that you don't need to eat fat anyway.
And if you don't mind possibly gaining weight, but getting fitter and healthier then just more/better exercise.
see, that's the thing, there are plenty of subsitutes that provide the same coverage of nutrients. Soy beans...and well beans in general provide more than enough proteins and amino acids...without the fat involved like in all meats. calcium is available through cereals and soy milk.
And eating more? not really. you eat just enough to stay satisfied. that's what most people don't even understand yet, proportions of food meals. have you heard your parents tell you to eat everything on your plate? did you know that one plateful, given the size of the plate is like 9in or whichever the general standard is, filled with food can actually feed two people.
the whole reason why most americans are fat isn't wholly because of the diets they eat, it is because they are ignorant of proportions on their plates. People eat to get stuffed and bloated, but don't realize that people need to eat just enough to stay alive and energetic after a meal. but that's beside the point \rant\
Rapid weight loss =/= Healthy
Anorexics, bulimics, and people who are infected with parasites also lose weight rather quickly. Would anyone say that they are healthy?
[out of context]fyi; those are eating disorders and usually tied in with today's culture, but i really don't know why your bringing that up in the first place. rapid weight loss usually means that something is WRONG within a person's body, and parasites aren't usually a good sign altogether
You can get protein and the amino acids present in meat from other places, but, not in sufficient levels to meet the bodies demand. you can get protein from nuts, eggs, etc, but no where near the levels from beef, Pork, fish or poultry
Humans evolved as omnivores, eating meat and plants. Always have always will. If you want to go ahead and become vegetarian/Vegan go right ahead. ^_^ i will continue to enjoy steak and cheeseburgers.
Yes, you do get more proteins and such from meats but you also get the lovely bonus of fat as well, i do know that fat is beneficial towards a human body, but not in ridiculous amounts. and some meats, like sausages and [vomits] hot dogs are actually higher in fat than they are in proteins. *shudders*
you wouldn't enjoy a cheeseburger anymore if you actually knew what it was made of. then again, I live in california, and thereby, we have the best burgers in the west made at
In n Out, so i can't complain XD