Overweight Vegetarian! Yes it is possible.

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  • hrclark87
    hrclark87 Posts: 2 Member
    I love edamame as a snack - pretty high in protein and with some kosher salt kind of helps my cravings for snacks like chips etc!
  • SnarlToothSeether
    SnarlToothSeether Posts: 4 Member
    I'm a very overweight vegetarian. Just because I love animals. Not because I don't love cookies, ice cream, and other sweets that don't contain meat. I think if I could go vegan, I'd be a rail, but I love cheese. I get a lot of the shocked "Omg, YOU'RE vegetarian?????" comments and gape mouthed faces when I tell people. I think the stereotypical image of a vegetarian is healthier and thinner than I am.

    It isn't necessarily easier for vegans to be thin -- we still have access to all kinds of sweet and savory foods that are easy to consume in excess.

    You're 100% right...but for me if I committed to being vegan I would have to give up, for example, ice cream. They do make vegan ice cream, but it's freaking expensive, so that would deter me. I would have to give up, another example, pizza. Since I hate to cook I wouldn't make it myself...lol. And being unable to pick up the phone and order it from any number of places would cut that out of my diet. I know there's soy cheese, but most pizza places don't offer it. That's all I was saying.....personally for ME, I hate to cook and bake and I'm too broke to buy tons of specialty ready made stuff...so it would definitely help ME.
  • her4g63
    her4g63 Posts: 284 Member
    edited May 2015
    TR0berts wrote: »
    fevrale wrote: »
    So I have been a vegetarian for 6 years, for moral reasons, not weightloss. However, I never thought I would reach my highest weight of my life being a vegetarian. People often say they don't believe me because vegetarians can't get this "thick". Any tips on how to maintain weight without meat?

    People really react that way? I gained 60 pounds as a vegetarian. Cake is vegetarian. Pizza is vegetarian. I'm just really surprised...do people think it's all vegetables?

    Anyway, maidenti has it right. :)

    Exactly, people are just ignorant. I know obese vegetarians that keep donuts in the house daily. Junk food everywhere. I think people get vegans and vegetarians mixed up a lot too. Big difference there.

    There's really no need to insult omnivores for not understanding how this all works, any more than there would be a need for an omnivore to come barging into this thread to tell you to start eating keto.

    Now that I got that off my chest, I'm a vegetarian, and the way that I keep my calories down is to focus on my macro distribution. I get .6 x my body weight in grams of protein, I'm working up to .4 times my body weight in grams of fat, and the rest is carbs. This combination keeps me sated and usually works out to being a lot of dairy like cottage cheese and Greek yogurt, plenty of veggies and some berries, and some beans.



    She's not insulting anyone, as far as I can see. She stated that certain people are ignorant of what vegetarianism is. And that's true - many people (especially omnivores, although I've seen supposed vegetarians, too) don't know what vegetarianism entails. Ignorance literally means that you (or whomever) don't know - that's it.

    This. Ignorance is just a lack of knowledge or information.

    Ashley, come hang out with us vegans/vegetarians over here: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/45-happy-herbivores and the vegan group is: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/46-team-vegan

    I eat a lot of beans, rice, pasta, veggies, fruits, quinoa. I have become completely obsessed with Pinterest and get 99.9% of my recipes and meal ideas from there.

    (:
  • sandryc79
    sandryc79 Posts: 250 Member
    "Healthy" foods that are [or can be] Vegetarian

    Peanut butter
    Fruit
    Vegetables (I love roasted veggies)
    potato, including the more vitamin rich sweet potato
    Eggs
    Dairy products (greek yogurt, low fat milk, cottage cheese, cheese, etc)
    seitan - I like to make my own
    tofu

    Of course the real key is to track calories. You can have less nutritionally valuable foods like potato chips as long as you measure and track everything accurately and you eat at a calorie deficit.

    Everything is about modeation. It is hard to over eat raw spinach. Peanut butter can be a great high protein part of a vegetarian diet but it is calorie dense.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    edited May 2015
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Lol. Yeah, that's the goal. I'm looking for more specific foods that vegetarians can eat and still be full and get the proper nutrients without going over on calories.

    eat the same things you eat now, just less...

    Yeah the problem is I often barely reach fiber goals and protein goals now. Looking for foods high in these and low in calories.

    more legumes/lentils, oats, and other whole grains to up fiber. Legumes/lentils will also help with protein and if you have the with some rice it will make a complete amino chain. Also, more actual fruit and veg will help. What are your protein targets? Protein can be trickier when you're a vegetarian, especially if you have lofty protein targets. Maybe incorporate some Greek yogurt, tofu, eggs and egg whites, etc.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    I'm a very overweight vegetarian. Just because I love animals. Not because I don't love cookies, ice cream, and other sweets that don't contain meat. I think if I could go vegan, I'd be a rail, but I love cheese. I get a lot of the shocked "Omg, YOU'RE vegetarian?????" comments and gape mouthed faces when I tell people. I think the stereotypical image of a vegetarian is healthier and thinner than I am.

    It isn't necessarily easier for vegans to be thin -- we still have access to all kinds of sweet and savory foods that are easy to consume in excess.

    You're 100% right...but for me if I committed to being vegan I would have to give up, for example, ice cream. They do make vegan ice cream, but it's freaking expensive, so that would deter me. I would have to give up, another example, pizza. Since I hate to cook I wouldn't make it myself...lol. And being unable to pick up the phone and order it from any number of places would cut that out of my diet. I know there's soy cheese, but most pizza places don't offer it. That's all I was saying.....personally for ME, I hate to cook and bake and I'm too broke to buy tons of specialty ready made stuff...so it would definitely help ME.

    I tried to be vegan and dairy is the only reason i couldn't do it. No icecream, not good cheese (daiya is OK), no butter, no yogurt, etc.

    It made it practically impossible for me to hit my protein goal as well. I started substituting soy for everything to hit my protein goal. This caused a thyroid problem for me because i was eating "excessive soy" in the form of soy yogurt, soy milk, soy cheese, faux soy-meat, tofu, edamame, etc.

    I'm not saying it's impossible for others to be strictly vegan, but for me, i just couldn't do it.
  • raceengr
    raceengr Posts: 3 Member
    Good discussion overall. I lost a bunch of weight as an Omni, gained a little back before going vegetarian (both health and ethical reasons). I maintained a healthy weight with some ups and downs for 11 years before going vegan for the last 8 years. I now weigh more than I did before I lost weight the first time. For most of the overweight people I've known, it is not about the type of diet we eat. It's about what makes us put the food in our mouths. I love to eat. It is comforting. I also do it when I am stressed...and when I am bored. When I think about (or track) the foods that I eat, I do better.

    The best I have ever felt (and dropped over 30 pounds in about 4 months) was when I first went vegan and ate unprocessed foods and whole grains. After that, stress drove me to eating more and unhealthier foods (still vegan, mind you). Too many calories in mashed potatoes with soy milk and Earth Balance is just as bad as too many calories in sweets.

    Regardless of whether we eat paleo, vegan, raw, or Snickers bars, the comment "eat fewer calories than you burn" is the simple truth for anyone wanting to lose weight. The hard part is getting (and staying) there.
  • jaga13
    jaga13 Posts: 1,149 Member
    I'm not a vegetarian, but I do try to eat a lot of meatless meals (usually only dinner includes meat, and that's not even every day), so I think I can help with some meal ideas. Here are some things I eat that stay within both my calorie and macro needs:

    - 1/3 cup oatmeal, 1 tb peanut butter, 1/4 cup blueberries, 80 calorie container of lowfat greek yogurt (total is about 300 calories)
    - 2 eggs (do you consider eggs meat??), 1 cup spinach, whole wheat toast, 1 tb butter
    - salad with lots of veggies, 1/4 cup sunflower seeds (or nuts), 1 tb salsa, 1/3 avocado. Side of fruit and/or string cheese
    - 2 or 3 mission corn tortillas topped with 1/4 cup or less red sauce (or other type of sauce), 1/4 cup shredded lowfat cheese, and a serving of beans (bake for 10 minutes)
    - brown rice and beans (look up rice and beans recipes - add a whole lot of veggies).
  • belindagreenberg
    belindagreenberg Posts: 8 Member
    Am an overweight veggie too, been veggie over 20 years, stir fry some with no oil help me and just started with courgetti, find I'm stumbling with the nuts um eating to increase the protein as can't help eating the who,e pack
  • fevrale
    fevrale Posts: 170 Member
    edited May 2015
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    gdelrosa wrote: »
    I am no expert since I still haven't lost the 10 lbs I'm trying to lose. But I'm trying to reduce my sugar intake and processed carbs. Pita chips and hummus are my downfall. Today I ate pretty healthy. 3 pita crackers with a smidge of hummus. Then the rest of my food. I exercised alot today too. Hopefully, tomorrow I can resist more processed carbs. And I didn't eat dessert today either.

    I can eat an entire bag of stacy's pita chips and container of sabra hummus "spicy" in one sitting. that's 700 calories in hummus and 1050 calories in chips.... >_>

    Measuring out 28g 100+ calorie servings of hummus gets depressing really quickly. It's like 3 dips worth. But it does put proper portions in perspective...I could've eaten 1750 calories of hummus and pita chips too...
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Lol. Yeah, that's the goal. I'm looking for more specific foods that vegetarians can eat and still be full and get the proper nutrients without going over on calories.

    eat the same things you eat now, just less...

    Yeah the problem is I often barely reach fiber goals and protein goals now. Looking for foods high in these and low in calories.

    I'm a big fan of bean pastas. The brand that I buy has 25g of protein and 12g of fiber. Are you tracking your B12 and iron intake as well, or do you get that from a supplement?

    What brand do you get and what kind of bean pasta? I'm a big fan of them too.

  • salembambi
    salembambi Posts: 5,585 Member
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    I'm a very overweight vegetarian. Just because I love animals. Not because I don't love cookies, ice cream, and other sweets that don't contain meat. I think if I could go vegan, I'd be a rail, but I love cheese. I get a lot of the shocked "Omg, YOU'RE vegetarian?????" comments and gape mouthed faces when I tell people. I think the stereotypical image of a vegetarian is healthier and thinner than I am.

    It isn't necessarily easier for vegans to be thin -- we still have access to all kinds of sweet and savory foods that are easy to consume in excess.

    You're 100% right...but for me if I committed to being vegan I would have to give up, for example, ice cream. They do make vegan ice cream, but it's freaking expensive, so that would deter me. I would have to give up, another example, pizza. Since I hate to cook I wouldn't make it myself...lol. And being unable to pick up the phone and order it from any number of places would cut that out of my diet. I know there's soy cheese, but most pizza places don't offer it. That's all I was saying.....personally for ME, I hate to cook and bake and I'm too broke to buy tons of specialty ready made stuff...so it would definitely help ME.

    I tried to be vegan and dairy is the only reason i couldn't do it. No icecream, not good cheese (daiya is OK), no butter, no yogurt, etc.

    It made it practically impossible for me to hit my protein goal as well. I started substituting soy for everything to hit my protein goal. This caused a thyroid problem for me because i was eating "excessive soy" in the form of soy yogurt, soy milk, soy cheese, faux soy-meat, tofu, edamame, etc.

    I'm not saying it's impossible for others to be strictly vegan, but for me, i just couldn't do it.

    no vegan ice cream? lolol tell that to my stomach that ate an entire tub of amazing vegan ice cream yesterday there are soo many vegan ice cream options out there and same with everything else

    but anyway yeah mmm vegan ice cream
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    salembambi wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    I'm a very overweight vegetarian. Just because I love animals. Not because I don't love cookies, ice cream, and other sweets that don't contain meat. I think if I could go vegan, I'd be a rail, but I love cheese. I get a lot of the shocked "Omg, YOU'RE vegetarian?????" comments and gape mouthed faces when I tell people. I think the stereotypical image of a vegetarian is healthier and thinner than I am.

    It isn't necessarily easier for vegans to be thin -- we still have access to all kinds of sweet and savory foods that are easy to consume in excess.

    You're 100% right...but for me if I committed to being vegan I would have to give up, for example, ice cream. They do make vegan ice cream, but it's freaking expensive, so that would deter me. I would have to give up, another example, pizza. Since I hate to cook I wouldn't make it myself...lol. And being unable to pick up the phone and order it from any number of places would cut that out of my diet. I know there's soy cheese, but most pizza places don't offer it. That's all I was saying.....personally for ME, I hate to cook and bake and I'm too broke to buy tons of specialty ready made stuff...so it would definitely help ME.

    I tried to be vegan and dairy is the only reason i couldn't do it. No icecream, not good cheese (daiya is OK), no butter, no yogurt, etc.

    It made it practically impossible for me to hit my protein goal as well. I started substituting soy for everything to hit my protein goal. This caused a thyroid problem for me because i was eating "excessive soy" in the form of soy yogurt, soy milk, soy cheese, faux soy-meat, tofu, edamame, etc.

    I'm not saying it's impossible for others to be strictly vegan, but for me, i just couldn't do it.

    no vegan ice cream? lolol tell that to my stomach that ate an entire tub of amazing vegan ice cream yesterday there are soo many vegan ice cream options out there and same with everything else

    but anyway yeah mmm vegan ice cream

    Believe it or not... ice cream is made of.... cream.... iced. By definition you can't have vegan ice cream.

    But if it makes you less salty, sorry, i meant no good "ice cream".
  • maidentl
    maidentl Posts: 3,203 Member
    So I have been a vegetarian for 6 years, for moral reasons, not weightloss. However, I never thought I would reach my highest weight of my life being a vegetarian. People often say they don't believe me because vegetarians can't get this "thick". Any tips on how to maintain weight without meat?

    I just remembered that I have a cookbook by Isa Chandra Moskowitz called Appetite for Reduction. I believe all of her recipes are actually vegan. I've tried a few of the recipes and they were good. I especially like the Kidney Bean & Butternut Jamba Stew. :smile:

  • AshleyCMoody
    AshleyCMoody Posts: 144 Member
    Wow guys this is an incredible amount of feedback. I can't tell you how much I appreciate your advice, understanding, and recipes. You guys rock!
  • Carnivor0us
    Carnivor0us Posts: 1,752 Member
    edited May 2015
    Lol. Yeah, that's the goal. I'm looking for more specific foods that vegetarians can eat and still be full and get the proper nutrients without going over on calories.

    Full-fat yogurt with chia seeds. Eggs cooked in coconut oil. You will not want to eat for hours.

    EDIT: I posted this with the assumption that you weren't vegan. Apologies if I misunderstood.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    rainbowbow wrote: »

    Believe it or not... ice cream is made of.... cream.... iced. By definition you can't have vegan ice cream.

    But if it makes you less salty, sorry, i meant no good "ice cream".

    I have actually had some very tasty coconut milk ice cream (or ice coconut milk, if you prefer). You may want to disregard that because I am vegan, but I thought it was quite tasty.

  • melimomTARDIS
    melimomTARDIS Posts: 1,941 Member
    my doctor told me vegetarians are incapable of overeating, because we don't have the enzymes to break down larger quantities of food. That's why vegetarians are so thin. (I am a vegetarian binge eater, fwiw.)
  • Carnivor0us
    Carnivor0us Posts: 1,752 Member
    my doctor told me vegetarians are incapable of overeating, because we don't have the enzymes to break down larger quantities of food. That's why vegetarians are so thin. (I am a vegetarian binge eater, fwiw.)

    Hmm.

  • maidentl
    maidentl Posts: 3,203 Member
    my doctor told me vegetarians are incapable of overeating, because we don't have the enzymes to break down larger quantities of food. That's why vegetarians are so thin. (I am a vegetarian binge eater, fwiw.)

    I once knew a very overweight vegan. So there goes that theory. :laugh: She said that whenever she told someone that she was vegan they'd always assume she was new to it and tell her it would help her lose weight. She'd been vegan for years.
  • Merkavar
    Merkavar Posts: 3,082 Member
    my doctor told me vegetarians are incapable of overeating, because we don't have the enzymes to break down larger quantities of food. That's why vegetarians are so thin. (I am a vegetarian binge eater, fwiw.)

    That doctor sounds ignorant :smirk:
  • ravikrishna
    ravikrishna Posts: 51 Member
    I've been an overeater, more specifically Binge. I weighed 99kgs.

    Believe it or not, the key is in controlling the sugars. Now-a-days, we've sugar in almost each and everything. The best way to lose the fat is to control the sugar intake and have a caloric restriction. From 99kgs I came down to 74kgs (a total loss of 25kgs). Now i'm aiming for 60kgs. I'm a vegetarian (except I do eat eggs).
  • AshleyCMoody
    AshleyCMoody Posts: 144 Member
    my doctor told me vegetarians are incapable of overeating, because we don't have the enzymes to break down larger quantities of food. That's why vegetarians are so thin. (I am a vegetarian binge eater, fwiw.)

    What the heck? I'm sure many of us wish your doctor was right, but he is not.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    Merkavar wrote: »
    Saying a vegetarian can't be overweight is stupid.

    especially as many vegetarians are crapatarians who eat junk food, candy and drink full sugar sodas. I work with one, she's double my weight.
  • melimomTARDIS
    melimomTARDIS Posts: 1,941 Member
    my doctor told me vegetarians are incapable of overeating, because we don't have the enzymes to break down larger quantities of food. That's why vegetarians are so thin. (I am a vegetarian binge eater, fwiw.)

    What the heck? I'm sure many of us wish your doctor was right, but he is not.

    I just let that one slide. So wrong, in my experience (as someone who BINGE eats), that I dont even know where to begin correcting her.
  • JalynRose1
    JalynRose1 Posts: 30 Member
    I am in the same position.. vegetarian, mostly vegan for five years and at my highest weight ever. my goal right now is to stick with vegan food and to cut out unhealthy snacking. Also I know many people that are overweight and vegetarian. Often you fill the need for nutrients that you're feeling with sugars/carbohydrate ..
  • moodyfam9
    moodyfam9 Posts: 10 Member
    edited May 2015
    Guilt vs. motivation . . .

    Reading through this thread I felt minor guilt running through a fast food joint getting traditional burger, fries, and drink telling myself it was just this one time. Three days in a row with guilt didn't change a thing. In fact, I felt more guilt and ate more at night. I read through a few more and by noting so many making efforts to eat better I felt a sense of motivation. On my way to a fourth fast food trip I stopped by the grocery store and picked up a salad and zero calorie drink. I was reminded of the last time I dropped 30 pounds and combined with reading your messages and . . . motivation instead of guilt!

    Thank you all. There are plenty like me that don't traditionally post a ton that still read and find encouragement and some entertainment here.

    Thanks Ash for starting this one.

    BTW - approx 800 calorie difference in lunch assuming I ate the salad with dressing(which I did not) and the salad was more satisfying to me. Cheeseburger went by too fast, cost more money, and high in calories. Onward!
  • AshleyCMoody
    AshleyCMoody Posts: 144 Member
    moodyfam9 wrote: »
    Guilt vs. motivation . . .

    Reading through this thread I felt minor guilt running through a fast food joint getting traditional burger, fries, and drink telling myself it was just this one time. Three days in a row with guilt didn't change a thing. In fact, I felt more guilt and ate more at night. I read through a few more and by noting so many making efforts to eat better I felt a sense of motivation. On my way to a fourth fast food trip I stopped by the grocery store and picked up a salad and zero calorie drink. I was reminded of the last time I dropped 30 pounds and combined with reading your messages and . . . motivation instead of guilt!

    Thank you all. There are plenty like me that don't traditionally post a ton that still read and find encouragement and some entertainment here.

    Thanks Ash for starting this one.

    BTW - approx 800 calorie difference in lunch assuming I ate the salad with dressing(which I did not) and the salad was more satisfying to me. Cheeseburger went by too fast, cost more money, and high in calories. Onward!

    I'm really proud of you, Dad. That is soooo awesome to hear. I met my calorie goal for the first time since I have been on this app yesterday. Sounds like we both had a good day.
  • AshleyCMoody
    AshleyCMoody Posts: 144 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Lol. Yeah, that's the goal. I'm looking for more specific foods that vegetarians can eat and still be full and get the proper nutrients without going over on calories.

    eat the same things you eat now, just less...

    Yeah the problem is I often barely reach fiber goals and protein goals now. Looking for foods high in these and low in calories.

    I'm a big fan of bean pastas. The brand that I buy has 25g of protein and 12g of fiber. Are you tracking your B12 and iron intake as well, or do you get that from a supplement?

    I am tracking my iron, but not b12. I have some b vitamins but they taste nasty so I never take them. Probably should.
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