Vegetarian life helps lose weight?
araya510
Posts: 10 Member
Is it true that being a vegetarian helps you lose weight? I'm a new vegetarian any recipes that are good??
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Replies
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My sister-in-law gained a lot of weight as a vegetarian. It's still all about burning less than you eat.0
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My son gained a ton too... Ate10 of those veggie burgers a day. The only thing that matters is a calorie deficit and if it is eating vegetables, then you will lose weight. You can eat nothing but bacon and lose weight.0
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Theoretically, if you're eating only vegetables, it would be much easier to lose weight because most vegetables are lower in calories than other foods. You'd be getting full on less calories so would have an easier time losing weight.
However, I've actually known several overweight vegetarians in my life but they were more "junk-food-atarians" than vegetable eaters. Their diet consisted of things like potato and corn chips, salsa, candy, cake and french fries. Technically, it was vegetarian but it wasn't low calorie and it was certainly not a healthy diet. The fact is, if you're eating more calories than you're burning then you will gain weight whether that food is vegetarian or not.
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No. Calorie deficit is what will cause weight loss, some people use vegetarianism as a tool to achieve a calorie deficit, but you still need to eat less calories overall. I know many "healthy" vegetarians, and I know some that are obese. Again, a calorie deficit is what you need.0
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I do incorporate a lot of vegetarian meals into my diet, just because I love vegetables, beans, etc. But, I've lost 41 lbs also eating lean white meats and the occasional red meat. So, I wouldn't necessarily say it helps you lose more than another type of diet. calories in, calories out.0
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No. Calorie deficit is what will cause weight loss, some people use vegetarianism as a tool to achieve a calorie deficit, but you still need to eat less calories overall. I know many "healthy" vegetarians, and I know some that are obese. Again, a calorie deficit is what you need.
This right here. A person can still overeat on veggies, and they do.
Rigger
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I gave up meat for lent once. I gained a ton of weight cause all I ate was pasta and potatoes....0
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There's lots of calorie dense foods with no meat in them. My boyfriend is a vegetarian but eats way too much mac n cheese. Baked goods, pie, cake, cookies.... Nothing wrong with that stuff in moderation, but if you eat too many calories it won't matter that none of the calories came from meat. As everyone has said, it's all about eating less than you burn.0
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No, it is not true that being vegetarian helps you lose weight. However, you may save on your grocery bill depending on how you do it. Meat is fairly expensive. Beans are less (especially if you buy dry). But, no, you will not automatically lose weight eating vegetarian. It will still be an effort.0
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Thanks guys! This really helped me out!0
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Theoretically, if you're eating only vegetables, it would be much easier to lose weight because most vegetables are lower in calories than other foods. You'd be getting full on less calories so would have an easier time losing weight.
However, I've actually known several overweight vegetarians in my life but they were more "junk-food-atarians" than vegetable eaters. Their diet consisted of things like potato and corn chips, salsa, candy, cake and french fries. Technically, it was vegetarian but it wasn't low calorie and it was certainly not a healthy diet. The fact is, if you're eating more calories than you're burning then you will gain weight whether that food is vegetarian or not.
Agreed. I've been a vegetarian for eight years, but I struggle with bingeing mostly with junk food.
If you can adopt and maintain a whole food, plant-based diet... I think you'd be golden!0 -
Theoretically, if you're eating only vegetables, it would be much easier to lose weight because most vegetables are lower in calories than other foods. You'd be getting full on less calories so would have an easier time losing weight.
However, I've actually known several overweight vegetarians in my life but they were more "junk-food-atarians" than vegetable eaters. Their diet consisted of things like potato and corn chips, salsa, candy, cake and french fries. Technically, it was vegetarian but it wasn't low calorie and it was certainly not a healthy diet. The fact is, if you're eating more calories than you're burning then you will gain weight whether that food is vegetarian or not.
Agreed. I've been a vegetarian for eight years, but I struggle with bingeing mostly with junk food.
If you can adopt and maintain a whole food, plant-based diet... I think you'd be golden!
Except you can still be overweight... I know quite a few overweight raw vegans.0 -
I gained weight as a vegetarian. I packed on ~50 lbs eating a strict lacto-ovo vegetarian diet. I've now lost 68 lbs as a lacto-ovo vegetarian.
Potatoes, pancakes, avocado, cheese, butter, olive oil, ice cream, pizza, cake.. all vegetarian, with various levels of nutritional value and satiety. A lot of vegetarian dishes in restaurants and frozen food aisles use high calorie fats to make their foods tasty. I can make a 500 calorie broccoli dish, easily.0 -
Sadly sugar is vegetarian... you gotta be careful whatever your diet choices are! Moderation is key!0
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Sure0
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Theoretically, if you're eating only vegetables, it would be much easier to lose weight because most vegetables are lower in calories than other foods. You'd be getting full on less calories so would have an easier time losing weight.
However, I've actually known several overweight vegetarians in my life but they were more "junk-food-atarians" than vegetable eaters. Their diet consisted of things like potato and corn chips, salsa, candy, cake and french fries. Technically, it was vegetarian but it wasn't low calorie and it was certainly not a healthy diet. The fact is, if you're eating more calories than you're burning then you will gain weight whether that food is vegetarian or not.
Agreed. I've been a vegetarian for eight years, but I struggle with bingeing mostly with junk food.
If you can adopt and maintain a whole food, plant-based diet... I think you'd be golden!
There is nothing about eating whole foods that will automatically put you at a calorie deficit. People who eat whole foods can still eat to excess.0 -
Maybe for some, but not for me. In my own personal case, the opposite is what works. I pump heavy iron, eat a ton of meat, fish, bacon, butter, eggs, veggies and very little else, no cardio, and the fat is coming off and I am gaining lean body mass (muscle). The saturated fats and proteins keep me satisfied which keeps overall calories and cravings low, testosterone and muscle production high, and forces me to burn off fat for fuel. I tried a vegetarian diet and started to grow moobs--not for me.0
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CICO is what makes you lose weight- not being vegetarian or eating meat or being paleo or fruitarian etc.
I was vegetarian for 12 years (vegan for 6 months ) and gained 30 pounds- I was eating a diet high in carbs (which made me hungrier- and it's easy to much more cals in carbs than in protein, for most people) - and all the cheese, ALL the cheese.........
Once I went back to meat I did'nt crave so many carbs and have vitually eliminated all grains from my diet because i just don't fancy them anymore. I think I OD'd on rice and pasta and baked potatoes. But anyway- CICO. Nuff said!0 -
Calorie deficit helps you lose weight. If you eat less calories by being vegetarian you'll lose weight. If you eat more calories you'll gain weight. I know fat vegetarians and skinny meat eaters. It's all about the calories.0
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YES, calories in, calories out, as far as overall weight gain and weight loss. Bottom line. However, if gaining or maintaining lean body mass is one of your goals, good luck doing it with a vegetarian diet, as you are swimming upstream there--even more so if you are a vegetarian who does cardio instead of weights. That said, hormonally speaking it seems to me that women often have an easier time going vegetarian than men because of the differences in our body compositions and metabolism. Moreover, the type of exercises you do and your body composition objectives are factors too.0
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It still all comes down to calories...you can be vegetarian and still overeat and get fat. I know a few overweight vegetarians.0
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Nope. Vegetarianism is not a weight loss plan. Hell, I gained weight as a raw vegan.0
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YES, calories in, calories out, as far as overall weight gain and weight loss. Bottom line. However, if gaining or maintaining lean body mass is one of your goals, good luck doing it with a vegetarian diet, as you are swimming upstream there--even more so if you are a vegetarian who does cardio instead of weights. That said, hormonally speaking it seems to me that women often have an easier time going vegetarian than men because of the differences in our body compositions and metabolism. Moreover, the type of exercises you do and your body composition objectives are factors too.
Why would a vegetarian be swimming upstream when it comes to maintaining lean body mass?0 -
Good answers. I work with a vegetarian who is as wide as she is tall... but then again, I've seen what she eats...
a whole pizza for breakfast will put weight on anyone, veggie or not!0 -
As others have said, it's all about calories in vs. calories out. You can be the healthiest eater on the planet but if you eat more than your maintenance and don't burn off the excess, you will end up gaining weight. With that said, when I started losing weight the second time around, i went vegan (had been thinking about trying it out for a while anyways). In combination with using MFP I feel like being vegan helped me lose more weight, mostly because I can eat a lot of vegetables and fruit and feel satisfied and full and not use up tons of calories. Just removing the option of meat and dairy frees up a lot of calories for me.0
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YES, calories in, calories out, as far as overall weight gain and weight loss. Bottom line. However, if gaining or maintaining lean body mass is one of your goals, good luck doing it with a vegetarian diet, as you are swimming upstream there--even more so if you are a vegetarian who does cardio instead of weights. That said, hormonally speaking it seems to me that women often have an easier time going vegetarian than men because of the differences in our body compositions and metabolism. Moreover, the type of exercises you do and your body composition objectives are factors too.
I think you need to look at @Sarauk2sf before you say anything about vegetarianism and lean body mass.
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Nuts are very calorie dense. I could easy binge on nuts if i was thinking about the calories.0
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Why would a vegetarian be swimming upstream when it comes to maintaining lean body mass?[/quote]
Because it is difficult to get enough bioavailable protein from plant sources alone. I didn't say impossible--just difficult. Also, vegetarian diets are not exactly good for testosterone production. Personally, I've never seen a vegetarian get the kind of results I've gotten in the last 18 months with my quasi-routine.
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