New vegetarian protein support

christieraehealing

Hello everyone,
I’ve switched from an omnivorous diet to vegetarian/light pescatarian some dairy products such as kefir; and fish infrequently) 3 months ago and am finding I’m increasingly fatigued, lack of mental clarity and decreased retention, and unstable blood sugar.
I attempted to switch to vegetarian 10 years ago but oddly enough found around the 3 month mark I was too fatigued and gave up. I do not want to give up again.

Any advice?

Thank you in advance.

LyndaBSS

Hi! I'm pescatarian and meet my protein most days. I do love my shrimp and fish, though. I eat eggs, too. Is their a reason you don't eat much fish?

PAV8888

What is your caloric balance like? Are you losing or gaining weight, or maintaining?

chris89topher

Same here. I've been doing the vegetarian thing about 6 months and recently started feeling fatigued. Also developed edema suddenly. I went to the doctor to get checked and I had extremely low protein levels and quite a few other low things. Was sent to a dietician yesterday and she gave me some good recommendations. First is that I was eating lots of protein bars to help replace protein but she said since those are highly processed they aren't complete protein sources. I also over exercise (compulsively) which is a separate issue but that requires more protein I wasn't adjusting for.

Over the last few days I've stopped the protein bars and started adding beans and grains that are high in protein to my diet. I've noticed a slight increase in energy but it's too early to tell so far.

Hope this helps a little.

kimny72

christieraehealing wrote: »

Hello everyone,
I’ve switched from an omnivorous diet to vegetarian/light pescatarian some dairy products such as kefir; and fish infrequently) 3 months ago and am finding I’m increasingly fatigued, lack of mental clarity and decreased retention, and unstable blood sugar.
I attempted to switch to vegetarian 10 years ago but oddly enough found around the 3 month mark I was too fatigued and gave up. I do not want to give up again.

Any advice?

Thank you in advance.

Are you losing weight, and if so how many lbs per week? How many grams of protein do you typically get? Are you supplementing B vitamins?

TarzanMoo

I've been a vegetarian for over two years now and had these exact symptoms, accompanied with hair loss! I now take Iron pills, vitimin D and B12 and have noticed a huge difference in myself. I have to admit I still struggle to meet protein goals but I've heard eating protien bars or taking protein shakes help. We've started adding a lot more beans and lentils to our diet too. Hope this helps!

MikePTY

A lot of new meat replacement products, like beyond meat, are high in protein.

darshemail

Vegetarian all my life. I get protein from beans and lentils and yogurt and cottage cheese my fav snack.

Harebelle

I've been trying a soya protein powder - unadulterated, no sweetener etc - to make smoothies and stirred into soya or dairy yoghurts. So far it seems to be working well for me; it's an easy way to get 9g of protein per 10g powder and keeps me satiated and feeling well. Also been cooking with tofu more frequently as it has a high protein content and works well with a big plate of filling vegetables.

LenGray

I've been a vegetarian for about 6 months now. The only times I've felt fatigue have been if I wasn't taking my daily vitamin (for iron and B12) or if I wasn't hitting my protein goal of 70-ish grams.

Focus on getting some quality protein from your chosen sources and hitting the goal MFP has set for you. If you find it tough to reach your protein goal, it might be a good idea to check out how much protein is in your favorite foods. I'm fond of broccoli, peas of all kinds, pulses of all kinds, tofu, squash, cheese, grains, and eggs. They all have decent protein and so I'm always looking to add them to my meals. You might also look into some meat substitutes or seafood until you get the hang of hitting your protein goals with your preferred foods.

Also, if you haven't already, invest in a good one-a-day multivitamin and take it every day to supplement your nutrition. It might also be helpful for you to eat some B-12 fortified cereal. I like Raisin Bran because it has 90% of your daily recommended B-12 and high iron per serving. It's also super tasty ;p

If you're not feeling better after a few days of hitting protein goals+taking supplements, you might want to see your doctor and get some tests run to make sure there's not something serious going on.

MohsenSALAH

Im not vegetarian but greek yogurt drinks contains 30g of protein in one bottle and its cheap. I guess it is good source of protein =>

kshama2001

christieraehealing wrote: »

Hello everyone,
I’ve switched from an omnivorous diet to vegetarian/light pescatarian some dairy products such as kefir; and fish infrequently) 3 months ago and am finding I’m increasingly fatigued, lack of mental clarity and decreased retention, and unstable blood sugar.
I attempted to switch to vegetarian 10 years ago but oddly enough found around the 3 month mark I was too fatigued and gave up. I do not want to give up again.

Any advice?

Thank you in advance.

I'm wondering if you are not getting enough protein and/or calories.

1. What is your protein goal and are you hitting it?
2. How much weight do you have to lose and what weekly weight loss goal did you select?

grimendale

I've been veg for over a decade now, and fatigue really shouldn't be a part of it. Several people have asked what your protein and calorie goals are, and these are the most likely culprits. If both are fine, I'd get blood work done to check your levels checked (especially iron, B12, and D3). I take supplements for all three, although the first two are preventative. My D levels were a little low last time (I hadn't been spending much time outside due to personal issues), so my doctor recommended a supplement and more sun time. As for protein sources, there are lots of great options on the market now, including tofu, seitan, tempeh, textured vegetable protein (TVP), liquid amino acids, vital wheat gluten, and more. My diary is open if you want to poke around for ideas.

vaultdwellerjill1

I’m a new vegetarian too. Started out with giving up meat for Lent & had read that meat & dairy could be a source for my chronic migraines. I eat a lot of eggs, beans( there are so many yummy types of beans🙌) cottage cheese occasionally, and even buy the fake meat products for ease of cooking. Best of luck my friend! I will add you! I’m no expert but I’m trying to find my way & stick with it

nooshi713

I recently gave up most animal products and have the opposite reaction, more energy! But, I can imagine if you don’t eat the right balance of foods that anemia could become a concern. Make sure you’re getting enough iron and protein. I started drinking a protein shake a day and added way more green leafy veggies, beans, lentils, soy, and other meat replacement products. There are also fortified protein nut mills and soy milks available. Also, make sure you’re getting enough calories.