Vegetarian keto diet

pbee89

Hi all,

I'm at a loss of how to lose weight and I'm at my highest weight ever. I feel really down so I'm going to do something about it. I've been looking into the keto diet, I'm a new vegetarian (3 months ) so I don't want to go back to eating meat. I'm also on a tight budget due to financial restrictions so. The food I love asides from carbs are cheese, prawns, avocado, eggs, salmon and salad. What sort of basic meals could I eat everyday without having to cook anything fancy? I've heard about the ketone strips to see if you are in ketosis which I'm happy to shell out for. I also have Interstitial Cystitis so drinking half my body weight in water isn't plausible whilst I'm at work. (Too many bathroom trips). Does anyone have any suggestions please? I want to be able to stick to it.

Docbanana2002

Vegetarian here. I lost over 100 pounds and have kept it off by eating a vegetarian diet that is about 60% carb and watching my calories. Personally I think that transitioning to vegetarian is hard enough without piling on a lot of additional unnecessary dietary restrictions that would limit your intake of starchy veggies, grains, legumes, fruits....all healthy foods that staples of a vegetarian diet.

You lose weight by eating fewer calories than you burn, but cutting out calories from carbs won't make you lose weight any faster, it is just one way to reduce calories in your diet. Why not just pick the way of eating that is healthy and that you could sustain for the rest of your life since whatever you choose you will need to keep in order to maintain the loss? Treat this as adopting a new lifestyle. Whatever that is (either low carb or vegetarian) learn to do it well and healthfully and in a way that leads to gradual weight loss.

jemhh

This seems like a way to make things very difficult for yourself. Why not just eat a bit less of what you are eating now?

pbee89

Thanks guys

Gallowmere1984

Hell, eggs alone would pretty much cover you. Throw in a daily spinach salad with some full-fat ranch, and a multivitamin, and you're covered. Boring as hell, but really easy.

charlenekapf

Used to be a vegetarian as well and lost plenty of weight but I was very active and counting every calorie. I ate a lot of bananas, apples, tons of vegetables, squash. My fats/proteins were mostly nut butters, nuts, hummus (didn't like avocado at the time), and I also used a vegan protein powder post workout. I did get leaner and less "thick" when I became veg but when I started eating meat but still very active and calorie counting, I had more muscle definition....upped the strength training too..had more energy for whatever reason.

nvmomketo

There are a couple of keto vegetarians in the Low Carber Daily MFP group. You might want to try there for ideas.

GottaBurnEmAll

Low carbing as a vegetarian is quite easy by eating eggs, cottage cheese and plenty of non-starchy vegetables. Keto is harder because the cottage cheese would add too many carbs. Maybe you could just low carb. You could also add protein powder to your diet.

I'd like to point out that you're a pescetarian, though. Vegetarians don't eat fish.

yarwell

Yep. Fish is meat off a fish. Makes it easier to be keto with adequate protein though.

cwolfman13

I'm a little confused as you say you are vegetarian, but you mention prawns and salmon...are you vegetarian or pescatarian?

I would think keto, while possible, would be a tremendous PITA as a vegetarian...and likely really boring. You're looking at lots of eggs and full fat dairy, avocados, nuts, vegetables, etc...

As far as losing weight goes, a reduction in calories below what you need to maintain is all there really is to it...there are numerous ways to achieve that end. IMO, keto is overly restrictive and I would only consider it if I had a medical condition that would warrant it...even then, most conditions don't require something as overly restrictive as keto.

Orphia

cwolfman13 wrote: »

I'm a little confused as you say you are vegetarian, but you mention prawns and salmon...are you vegetarian or pescatarian?

I would think keto, while possible, would be a tremendous PITA as a vegetarian...and likely really boring. You're looking at lots of eggs and full fat dairy, avocados, nuts, vegetables, etc...

As far as losing weight goes, a reduction in calories below what you need to maintain is all there really is to it...there are numerous ways to achieve that end. IMO, keto is overly restrictive and I would only consider it if I had a medical condition that would warrant it...even then, most conditions don't require something as overly restrictive as keto.

All of the above.

Just eat what you usually eat and keep within your calorie limit.