Plant based diet

Jkowals123
Jkowals123 Posts: 133 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I am thinking of doing a plant based diet for at least a month and see how my body feels. Has anyone lost weight or decreased cholesterol etc on the plant based diet? Thanks!

Replies

  • Zinka61
    Zinka61 Posts: 523 Member
    I went plant based 28 years ago, and my cholesterol dropped about 20 points. i was thin then and didn't get any thinner, and as I aged, the weight crept up just as it does for everyone else. :I am eating wfpb as much as possible now, but I still struggle, mainly because of sugary, carby binges now and then. Weight comes down to calories, but there is more to health than weight, and wfpb can be a very good diet. My cholesterol and BP are normal, despite a family history of problems in those areas, for example. Be aware that vegans need to pay attention to getting enough B12, calcium, vitamin D and omega 3 fatty acids, though.
  • bcedl1982
    bcedl1982 Posts: 140 Member
    Yes! I married a vegan and made the switch about a year ago. Feel fabulous! Here is a good website to check out. This doctor doesn't hawk vitamins or supplements and profits from his book go to charity.
    https://nutritionfacts.org/

  • jnk000
    jnk000 Posts: 1 Member
    Hello! I have been a vegan for well over 20 years. Pootle is correct, there are plenty of fat vegans, as well as fat, vegetarians and fat SAD eaters. It boils down to balance. Sure you can have a piece of cake-- but do you eat 1/4 of the cake? No-- that is common sense for how ever you eat.
    My husband had all the high stuff and was overweight in his late 20's-- he was following in his dads footsteps to heart disease. We had to make drastic changes. I am in my mid 50's, and I have never had high BP, high cholesterol, etc. I'm on no meds. My husband is now in the same boat. Can someone on a SAD diet say that? Sure, some can. A plant based diet CAN lower BP, cholesterol, etc-- but it can also raise them. again what are you eating on a plant based diet? If you're eating those meat analogs loaded with sodium and preservatives
  • _Poetic_Serendipity_
    _Poetic_Serendipity_ Posts: 4 Member
    bcedl1982 wrote: »
    Yes! I married a vegan and made the switch about a year ago. Feel fabulous! Here is a good website to check out. This doctor doesn't hawk vitamins or supplements and profits from his book go to charity.
    https://nutritionfacts.org/

    Thanks for sharing this, @bcedl1982 !!
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
    I have been veg for a year and went WFPB about 30 days ago. I have dropped a few pounds and feel great. Check out Forks over Knives for a starting point. And my tip: buy an Instant Pot for food prep
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
    edited February 2018
    Jkowals123 wrote: »
    I am thinking of doing a plant based diet for at least a month and see how my body feels. Has anyone lost weight or decreased cholesterol etc on the plant based diet? Thanks!

    Plant based doesn't default to weight loss...there are plenty of overweight vegans and vegetarians.

    I lost weight and decreased my cholesterol still eating meat...mostly fish and chicken and eating more plants and more whole foods in general and exercising regularly. I also feel great...pretty much any move away from the SAD is going to make you feel great, particularly when combined with regular exercise.

    Long term you'll need to supplement B12 and Omega 3 as you won't be getting any of that in your diet. You'll also need to watch your iron as anemia is more prominent with a plant based diet. I only know a handful of vegans, and all of them have been anemic at some point or another. A lot of vegans get blood work done annually or semi-annually to keep an eye on that.
  • Jkowals123
    Jkowals123 Posts: 133 Member
    jnk000 wrote: »
    Hello! I have been a vegan for well over 20 years. Pootle is correct, there are plenty of fat vegans, as well as fat, vegetarians and fat SAD eaters. It boils down to balance. Sure you can have a piece of cake-- but do you eat 1/4 of the cake? No-- that is common sense for how ever you eat.
    My husband had all the high stuff and was overweight in his late 20's-- he was following in his dads footsteps to heart disease. We had to make drastic changes. I am in my mid 50's, and I have never had high BP, high cholesterol, etc. I'm on no meds. My husband is now in the same boat. Can someone on a SAD diet say that? Sure, some can. A plant based diet CAN lower BP, cholesterol, etc-- but it can also raise them. again what are you eating on a plant based diet? If you're eating those meat analogs loaded with sodium and preservatives
    jnk000 wrote: »
    Hello! I have been a vegan for well over 20 years. Pootle is correct, there are plenty of fat vegans, as well as fat, vegetarians and fat SAD eaters. It boils down to balance. Sure you can have a piece of cake-- but do you eat 1/4 of the cake? No-- that is common sense for how ever you eat.
    My husband had all the high stuff and was overweight in his late 20's-- he was following in his dads footsteps to heart disease. We had to make drastic changes. I am in my mid 50's, and I have never had high BP, high cholesterol, etc. I'm on no meds. My husband is now in the same boat. Can someone on a SAD diet say that? Sure, some can. A plant based diet CAN lower BP, cholesterol, etc-- but it can also raise them. again what are you eating on a plant based diet? If you're eating those meat analogs loaded with sodium and preservatives

    What is SAD
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,386 MFP Moderator
    edited February 2018
    Jkowals123 wrote: »
    jnk000 wrote: »
    Hello! I have been a vegan for well over 20 years. Pootle is correct, there are plenty of fat vegans, as well as fat, vegetarians and fat SAD eaters. It boils down to balance. Sure you can have a piece of cake-- but do you eat 1/4 of the cake? No-- that is common sense for how ever you eat.
    My husband had all the high stuff and was overweight in his late 20's-- he was following in his dads footsteps to heart disease. We had to make drastic changes. I am in my mid 50's, and I have never had high BP, high cholesterol, etc. I'm on no meds. My husband is now in the same boat. Can someone on a SAD diet say that? Sure, some can. A plant based diet CAN lower BP, cholesterol, etc-- but it can also raise them. again what are you eating on a plant based diet? If you're eating those meat analogs loaded with sodium and preservatives
    jnk000 wrote: »
    Hello! I have been a vegan for well over 20 years. Pootle is correct, there are plenty of fat vegans, as well as fat, vegetarians and fat SAD eaters. It boils down to balance. Sure you can have a piece of cake-- but do you eat 1/4 of the cake? No-- that is common sense for how ever you eat.
    My husband had all the high stuff and was overweight in his late 20's-- he was following in his dads footsteps to heart disease. We had to make drastic changes. I am in my mid 50's, and I have never had high BP, high cholesterol, etc. I'm on no meds. My husband is now in the same boat. Can someone on a SAD diet say that? Sure, some can. A plant based diet CAN lower BP, cholesterol, etc-- but it can also raise them. again what are you eating on a plant based diet? If you're eating those meat analogs loaded with sodium and preservatives

    What is SAD

    Standard American Diet.. a diet high in calories, carbs and fat, and is associated with low activity.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
    Jkowals123 wrote: »
    jnk000 wrote: »
    Hello! I have been a vegan for well over 20 years. Pootle is correct, there are plenty of fat vegans, as well as fat, vegetarians and fat SAD eaters. It boils down to balance. Sure you can have a piece of cake-- but do you eat 1/4 of the cake? No-- that is common sense for how ever you eat.
    My husband had all the high stuff and was overweight in his late 20's-- he was following in his dads footsteps to heart disease. We had to make drastic changes. I am in my mid 50's, and I have never had high BP, high cholesterol, etc. I'm on no meds. My husband is now in the same boat. Can someone on a SAD diet say that? Sure, some can. A plant based diet CAN lower BP, cholesterol, etc-- but it can also raise them. again what are you eating on a plant based diet? If you're eating those meat analogs loaded with sodium and preservatives
    jnk000 wrote: »
    Hello! I have been a vegan for well over 20 years. Pootle is correct, there are plenty of fat vegans, as well as fat, vegetarians and fat SAD eaters. It boils down to balance. Sure you can have a piece of cake-- but do you eat 1/4 of the cake? No-- that is common sense for how ever you eat.
    My husband had all the high stuff and was overweight in his late 20's-- he was following in his dads footsteps to heart disease. We had to make drastic changes. I am in my mid 50's, and I have never had high BP, high cholesterol, etc. I'm on no meds. My husband is now in the same boat. Can someone on a SAD diet say that? Sure, some can. A plant based diet CAN lower BP, cholesterol, etc-- but it can also raise them. again what are you eating on a plant based diet? If you're eating those meat analogs loaded with sodium and preservatives

    What is SAD

    Standard American Diet...very generalized, but namely lots of heavily refined carbohydrates and sugar and high fat with little in the way of fruits and vegetables.

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