Overweight Vegetarian! Yes it is possible.

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  • maidentl
    maidentl Posts: 3,203 Member
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    melimomTARDIS wrote: »
    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
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    melimomTARDIS wrote: »
    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
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    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
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    melimomTARDIS wrote: »
    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
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    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
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    AshleyCMoody wrote: »
    melimomTARDIS wrote: »
    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    vinegar_husbands wrote: »
    AshleyCMoody wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    AshleyCMoody 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.
  • 1HappyRedhead
    1HappyRedhead Posts: 413 Member
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    Yeah, I work with a vegetarian who eats a whole pizza for breakfast, so it's no surprise to me since she's as wide as she is tall....
  • JoeyFrappuccino
    JoeyFrappuccino Posts: 88 Member
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    I don't know how much I subscribe to the idea that your macros significantly, though indirectly, affect your weight, but vegetarian diets do seem to trend more towards high-carb than high-protein or -fat. And the large majority of vegetarians and particularly vegans I've known have been overweight or obese. I think the diet has maintained its association with health-freaks and continues to appeal to people looking to be healthier, and some probably think that as long as they're not eating meat, they'll be healthy (and not overweight).
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    JoeyFrappuccino wrote: »
    I don't know how much I subscribe to the idea that your macros significantly, though indirectly, affect your weight, but vegetarian diets do seem to trend more towards high-carb than high-protein or -fat. And the large majority of vegetarians and particularly vegans I've known have been overweight or obese. I think the diet has maintained its association with health-freaks and continues to appeal to people looking to be healthier, and some probably think that as long as they're not eating meat, they'll be healthy (and not overweight).

    I can't speak to the vegans that you've known, but studies tend to indicate that vegans -- on average -- have a lower BMI than lacto-ovo vegetarians or omnivores. Of course, individuals can vary significantly from trends. I am unaware of any studies showing that vegans are -- as a group -- heavier than omnivores.

    http://www.veganhealth.org/articles/dxmarkers#bmi
  • JoeyFrappuccino
    JoeyFrappuccino Posts: 88 Member
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    janejellyroll wrote: »
    JoeyFrappuccino wrote: »
    I don't know how much I subscribe to the idea that your macros significantly, though indirectly, affect your weight, but vegetarian diets do seem to trend more towards high-carb than high-protein or -fat. And the large majority of vegetarians and particularly vegans I've known have been overweight or obese. I think the diet has maintained its association with health-freaks and continues to appeal to people looking to be healthier, and some probably think that as long as they're not eating meat, they'll be healthy (and not overweight).

    I can't speak to the vegans that you've known, but studies tend to indicate that vegans -- on average -- have a lower BMI than lacto-ovo vegetarians or omnivores. Of course, individuals can vary significantly from trends. I am unaware of any studies showing that vegans are -- as a group -- heavier than omnivores.

    http://www.veganhealth.org/articles/dxmarkers#bmi

    Interesting! That's definitely contrary to what I've seen, must be confirmation bias on my part. It doesn't look like the BMIs of vegans have increased at the rate of meat-eaters from 2003-2009 either.
  • angelexperiment
    angelexperiment Posts: 1,917 Member
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    Well cutting down on prepackaged meals and processed stuff. I realized my husbands diet (vegetarian) was very unhealthy the way he eats anyway. He barely eats veggies! He likes the fakin bacon, chicken patties, veggie burgers, bread, chips, hashbrowns, eggs, cheese, sour cream, yogurt, soda. So I stopped eating it bc I found that too much soy is not good for pcos. It was heavy in soy protein, soy milk tempeh tofu seutan. Tons if carbs too.

    try making your own veggie burgers, quorn products are low carb, eggs, yogurt or cottage cheese if u eat them. Lentils, beans, quinoa is a complete protein. Edamame is a good protein source and som other veggies. Lots of good stuff in sea vegetables. Make kale chips! Possibility is endless!
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
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    My vegetarian co-worker hates all vegetables so there's that for you - not all vegetarians eat only veggies. She's actually not really over weight though. I am pretty convinced she eats chocolate for 99% of all her food intake.

    My other vegetarian friend is quite overweight.

    When I'm eating vegetarian entrees it is usually Indian food or Thai food - so not always the lowest cal or healthiest either probably. So not much help there.
  • AshleyCMoody
    AshleyCMoody Posts: 144 Member
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    angelexperiment wrote: »
    Well cutting down on prepackaged 10-14s and processed stuff. I realized my husbands diet (vegetarian) was very unhealthy the way he eats anyway. He barely eats veggies! He likes the fakin bacon, chicken patties, veggie burgers, bread, chips, hashbrowns, eggs, cheese, sour cream, yogurt, soda. So I stopped eating it bc I found that too much soy is not good for pcos. It was heavy in soy protein, soy milk tempeh tofu seutan. Tons if carbs too.

    try making your own veggie burgers, quorn products are low carb, eggs, yogurt or cottage cheese if u eat them. Lentils, beans, quinoa is a complete protein. Edamame is a good protein source and som other veggies. Lots of good stuff in sea vegetables. Make kale chips! Possibility is endless!

    Yeah, I think the key is making the time to make my own food. I'm pretty bad about that because I work 10-15 hours a day 5 days a week, but I need to stop making excuses and get back in the kitchen. Thanks for the feedback!
  • Nony_Mouse
    Nony_Mouse Posts: 5,646 Member
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    AshleyCMoody wrote: »
    Lol. I actually pretty much did until I joined this app. People have this crazy notion that vegetarians only eat vegetables for the most part. I have a huge sweet tooth. How many sweets can you think of that have meat in them?

    I can think of loads. Not meat, but gelatine is a by-product of the slaughter process, so...I remember an ex-partner being really annoyed when they took gelatine out of Skittles and he had to share them with me :p. Every now and then I pick up packets of old favourites to see if the manufacturer has got with the programme and switched to something veg-friendly.
  • Nony_Mouse
    Nony_Mouse Posts: 5,646 Member
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    D'oh! Rainbow beat me to it!! I see Skittles on her list though, NZ ones definitely changed to pectin or something.

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