Transitioning vegetarian macros... WHAT DO I DO?

megnay

I've decided to begin my vegetarian transition, hopefully to become vegan eventually. However, everywhere I look it tells me I need to be eating a super high percentage of protein if I want to lose weight and be healthy. I think it's bull, but I don't know what my macros should be looking like... Today, I was able to hit 50/20/20 (carb/protein/fat). Can anyone give me some advice on if these macros are good, or what I should change? For some basic info, I eat 1200 calories a day, I am 24-years-old (5'2', 170lbs), and doing Turbo Fire. I just finished Insanity Max:30 and have gained lots of muscle and lost a bunch of inches. While doing Insanity, I was eating 1400ish calories a day, but indulging on weekends. I'd like to shed more weight, but as a vegetarian. Thanks!

I eat a lot of chickpeas, beans, lentils, tofu, egg whites, yogurt, hemp seeds, vegan protein powder, for protein. I like making soups but kind of struggle with lunches. I like making Buddha Bowls (grain, bean, veggies, and sauce!)

MarziPanda95

Keeping your protein at an appropriate level won't make you lose weight any quicker (though for many it keeps them feeling full) but it is very important. Keeping your protein at a good level helps to ensure that what you lose is more fat than muscle. Minimum for women is 50g a day.

abatonfan

I ended up getting about 95g of protein today without any meat or seafood (25% of my calories for a 1400kcal goal). 150g of cottage cheese has 21g of protein for 135 calories and is really versatile (you said you eat a ton of yogurt), while 30g of dry roasted edamame gave me 14g of protein for 130 calories.

EXNING

Theres all sort of factors that go into determining your protein intake but I think the levels here are crazy! For me as a 130lb 27 yr old i should be getting about 40-60 grams of protein, not 100 like it recommends. The western diet focuses so much on protein when in reality we are getting way too much and is unnecessary. If youre eating beans and all that sort of stuff you should be fine.
You can always get your levels tested to make sure. I did, and I am 100% healthy as a vegan with enough protein and im allergic to legumes hah

B_TEEN

megnay wrote: »

I've decided to begin my vegetarian transition, hopefully to become vegan eventually. ....I don't know what my macros should be looking like... Today, I was able to hit 50/20/20 (carb/protein/fat).

I'd guess that most vegans whose diet is high in fruits, vegetables and legumes and limited/void in processed foods and processed fats has a macros range of 70-85%/10-20%/5-15% (C/P/F). It's pretty easy to hit those without huge effort eating whole foods but is more challenging when a diet is primarily based on packaged/processed foods and/or includes animal products/byproducts.

AnnPT77

I'm ovo-lacto vegetarian (since 1974 - I'm 59). I don't like fake meat, and am not enthusiastic about protein powder (can we say "highly processed"?). I'm also at 1200 net, eating 1200-1800 most of the time.

I have protein set at 20%, which is 60 gm at 1200, proportionately higher on higher days. I usually get around the goal amount (try hard to do). I've been prioritizing protein more since eating at deficit & joining MFP, so I probably haven't gotten lots more than this in the past.

While I've never been a bodybuilder or the like, I've been active for a decade or so, include multi-year periods of regular progressive weight training. I've also (on occasion) been a competitive rower, on water and on machines (yes, people race rowing machines).

I've never perceived a problem getting stronger or fitter on account of my diet. Would it be easier/better if I weren't veg? No idea. But it doesn't seem to be particularly limiting for me.

If you have specific questions, ask. If you want to friend me to see what I eat (diary open to friends), feel free.

slaite1

When including dairy and eggs I find it super easy to reach protein levels-whatever they are set at. Going vegan makes it a lot tougher-in my opinion. Seitan is your friend. 120 calories for 20g protein. Basically the same macros as chicken

I'm assuming you made a typo-as 50/20/20=90, not 100. Base your protein in grams-not percentages. I think the general minimum recommendation is 1g/kg of bodyweight. When losing weight-it is often advised to increase protein in order to preserve muscle mass. On here you'll often here 0.8-1g/lb of lean mass. This puts you anywhere from 80-170g of protein. Personally, I would aim for somewhere around 100.

Being on 1200 calories makes it a bit tougher. Again, while you have eggs and dairy it should be pretty easy. Being vegan, I think it would be much harder hitting that protein number on 1200.

kshama2001

megnay wrote: »

I've decided to begin my vegetarian transition, hopefully to become vegan eventually. However, everywhere I look it tells me I need to be eating a super high percentage of protein if I want to lose weight and be healthy. I think it's bull, but I don't know what my macros should be looking like... Today, I was able to hit 50/20/20 (carb/protein/fat). Can anyone give me some advice on if these macros are good, or what I should change? For some basic info, I eat 1200 calories a day, I am 24-years-old (5'2', 170lbs), and doing Turbo Fire. I just finished Insanity Max:30 and have gained lots of muscle and lost a bunch of inches. While doing Insanity, I was eating 1400ish calories a day, but indulging on weekends. I'd like to shed more weight, but as a vegetarian. Thanks!

I eat a lot of chickpeas, beans, lentils, tofu, egg whites, yogurt, hemp seeds, vegan protein powder, for protein. I like making soups but kind of struggle with lunches. I like making Buddha Bowls (grain, bean, veggies, and sauce!)

I used to live in vegetarian communities where some of the cooks were vegan (as well as guests and residents). The vegetarians and vegans all did fine with those sources of protein (minus the egg whites for the vegans, of course). Omnivores like me would figure out ways to get meat. Those who were veggie by choice did fine with a lower ratio of protein than works for me.

MsChucktowski

slaite1 wrote: »

When including dairy and eggs I find it super easy to reach protein levels-whatever they are set at. Going vegan makes it a lot tougher-in my opinion. Seitan is your friend. 120 calories for 20g protein. Basically the same macros as chicken

Seconded. Seitan is the bomb.

AnaPaulaKayser

I eat a plant based diet. My goal is to eat 60-20-20 on a 1.200 calories a day. I'm gaining muscle and losing fat! Madonna follows a macrobiotic diet with low protein/low fat and she looks great!
60-20-20 is common among runners. Check it out!

Kalikel

Some people swallow massive amounts of protein because they think it will make their muscles bigger. Maybe it will, but if you're not all that worried about having big muscles, you don't have to swallow all that protein to lose weight.

Some people take more than the general recommendation to help them preserve muscle as they lose weight. It may help a little.

The general recommendation is .8g/kg of healthy body weight/day. You may want to stick with that or go a little higher, depending on your goals.

Most important is getting different kinds of proteins. There are a whole bunch of them and some have to be swallowed because the body cannot make them. Meat and dairy have complete proteins, but as a vegan, you'll be skipping those. Soybeans are a complete protein.

All the other fruits have veggies have some of this kind and some of that kind. Check vegan sites or just visit the library and read up on complete and complementary protein.

B-12 is something else to keep an eye on. If you live in a place where you can get check-ups, visit your doc every year and be sure to let him know at your next checkup that you're now veg/vegan.

Veg/vegan diets can be every bit as healthy (or healthier) than meat eaters' diets. You just have to do a little work...but if we want to be healthy, most of have to do a little work.

Good luck with your path to a veg lifestyle!!

AnnPT77

Seitan: Let us be clear that seitan is gluten. Don't get me wrong, I like seitan, and don't think gluten is the devil. But the celiac folks need to know that that's what it is, and those who *do* think gluten is the devil will not want to adopt it, veg or no. (I don't eat it a lot, mainly because it still seems to me like a highly processed food, and I prefer to eat mainly whole foods, though it's not a religion for me or anything.)

brilliantwords

I do 50/20/30 for carbs/protein/fats, and find Im able to do this quite easily. Some days I eat more fat/protein and less carbs unintentionally, but always hit my protein without a problem mainly with eggs, tofu, protein shakes, and soy based fake meats (I know they're so processed but they taste so good!) I usually get 100+ grams pretty effortlessly, although at 1200 calories your protein goal will end up much lower than mine.

Personally, I never like to go below 70-80 grams as my own minimum where I'm moderately active, but I believe 50g is the bare minimum recommendation for a sedentary woman.

slaite1

AnnPT77 wrote: »

Seitan: Let us be clear that seitan is gluten. Don't get me wrong, I like seitan, and don't think gluten is the devil. But the celiac folks need to know that that's what it is, and those who *do* think gluten is the devil will not want to adopt it, veg or no. (I don't eat it a lot, mainly because it still seems to me like a highly processed food, and I prefer to eat mainly whole foods, though it's not a religion for me or anything.)

You can also make it yourself from vital wheat gluten if you want and stay away from the pre-made. I view it the same way as flour when prepared at home.