Any people on any specialized diets here? If so, what diets are you on and what changes have you experienced?

I've heard a lot of conflicting anecdotes concerning how certain diets have affected people. Some people say theey feel they have more energy, some say they feel weaker, etc. Hopefully the intelligent and honest people at VGChartz can give me the real facts.

I'm thinking about trying a series of experiments to see for myself how my body would benefit. It'd be interesting to hear some other opinions before I begin. So what have you experienced?

I'm vegetarian but I didn't feel any physical difference.

I become a vegan for Lent (the 40 days before Easter) every year so I'm currently a vegan. I'm pretty used to it by now but there are definitely noticeable changes when I alter my diet. As long as you manage your diet properly though, your energy shouldn't be any different.

There are a few notes about going vegan. Try and take iron and B12 supplements, especially if you plan on doing it long-term. Also, try and have a diet that includes a breadth of variety, including fats. A lot of vegans drop off in energy and lose a lot of weight because they neglect fats which are an important energy source. Try and experiment with medium-high fat foods like avocados, coconuts, sauces and curries and use oils in your cooking. However, that doesn't mean to include foods high in saturated and trans fats like deep-fried foods, etc.

Also, before you start experimenting, get an idea for the sorts of recipes you want to make. The first week or so can be pretty hard as you can run out of ideas pretty quickly which can make the foods you are eating get boring. And learn how to read the nutrition information panels on packaged food. I don't know if you are planning on trying vegan or not, but there is milk and eggs in nearly all processed foods so you need to be careful.

I'm a studying to be a dietitian (been at uni for 5 years so far) so I have a fair idea of what I'm doing, but if you're not sure try and talk to someone who can help you.

Oh and if you want to go back onto meat after your experimentation, do it gradually. Scoffing down meat (and milk and eggs) after being a vegan for a month and a half is the worst feeling ever EVER!

I'm on the carnivore diet... Been going pretty good for me so far. Got lots of energy from it. Feel like kickin' someone's ass for that matter,... yeah like maybe some vegan's ass.

What the hell is a fruitatarian?

I am vegetarian and I feel normal, my blood exams are fine and I love to run as my main physical activity (plus volleyball).

I'm on a special diet, but I consider it more of a life choice than a diet. I eat meat and all that good stuff, but I keep track of it so I don't eat too much. I count calories and make my own food so I can reduce fat, sugar, calories and other less than healthy stuff.

I'm trying to be vegan, amidst some stress induced slip ups, for almost 3 months now and vegetarian for a couple of years. I eat a wide, varied diet of nutritionally dense foods with a decent amount of it being raw. Depending on my level of activity and stress it has helped prevent gradual weight gain as well as keeps me feeling rather healthy.

It's not easy for me, I have cravings and am doing it for mostly health then ecological and economical reasons not so much ethical reasons.

The most important thing for any diet is nutritional density, and meat and dairy are pretty low on the nutrition per calorie scale. Eating a diet with a diverse set of foods with a close to 50% raw ratio can have dramatic effects on one's health, especially compared to the typical diet. Benefits might feel immediate sometimes, but it will really take months for dense nutrition to really have an affect on the body.

A diet pretty much comprised of just fruit and maybe nuts. Not actually a healthy diet.