Any plant based success?

carlakringuette

I"ve dabbled with it in 5 year stretches a few times. It makes me feel better because I have a lot of allergies. The first time we got off track was when the kids started school and went on their first field trip. They stopped at McDonalds for lunch and my son came home to announce when he grew up he was going to be a "meat-a-tatian". lol

This last time a hurricane named Ida has us in a tizzy. It's taking forever to get back on track.

Two questions:

What do you do about eating out?

Working full time and dealing with the rebuild time and energy arr major factors.

Is there an easier way to food prep?
(peeling, chopping and keeping things fresh)

Actually, I have 3 questions. I"m allergic to bannanas. What can you substitute in recipes?

Looking forward to your tips.

Snowyro

I’ve been plant based for several years now, eating out can definitely be challenging but I can usually find something on the menu that can work with a few modifications- it can be hard to find healthy food sometimes.

For food prep I try to keep my meals fairly simple, oatmeal and fruit in the mornings, a big salad with beans for lunch and I prep some soups or stews for suppers on the weekends. I buy prewashed leafy greens and that speeds up the salad prep.

AnnPT77

I've been vegetarian (not fully plant-based) for a really long time (feels like a million years, really about 47.5). Restaurants pretty much never had vegetarian options, in the 1970s and quite a bit beyond.

Perhaps you already realize this, but restaurants - here in the US at least - will often give you things that aren't even on the menu, if you ask nicely. I've found that sit-down places with table service almost always will, but so will some casual dining and even fast food places.

Specifically, if the restaurant offers vegetable sides, ask if you can have a plate with all of the different (non-meat-ified) vegetable sides on it. Look over the menu, see if they mention having fruit, applesauce, etc., as sides in diet plates and what not, ask if you can have that without the animal-source stuff. Most places will leave meat/fish off a sandwich (assuming the bread-type thing is plant-based enough for your needs) or off a salad.

I've had good luck with this, if I'm specific about what I do/don't eat, am flexible as long as it fits my requirements (i.e., accept it even if it doesn't thrill me with the anticipated wonderful deliciousness as long as it doesn't conflict with my dietary needs), and (in the US) tip my server well for the extra effort.

I'm not much help with food prep: About the only formal prep I do is making giant batches of cooked dried beans and freezing them; and roasting a big batch of veggies on the weekend, refrigerating, then using through the week with (say) tofu, legume pasta, etc. as a main, or as part of a salad.

Substitute for bananas? Depends on the recipe. Maybe applesauce or pureed prunes or dates, if something like banana bread. If something where the banana is chunked up (salad, muffins, pancakes) . . . I dunno. Varies depending on recipe. Other chopped fruit with a similar juiciness factor, or a dried fruit (maybe lightly rehydrated, if it's one of the totally hard-dry kinds)?

If you asking whether plant-based can be a successful way to eat, sure, why not?

If you're asking whether it triggers or enables weight loss or health, I'm more of a skeptic. (I was thin, got fat, then obese, then unhealthy - high cholesterol, high blood pressure, etc. - then went back to thin and healthy again, and have stayed thin and healthy for multiple years since . . . all of that while eating whole-foods-y vegetarian. I do eat eggs (rarely) and dairy (often), but I don't think those are the Special Evil thing that literally caused the non-success in the middle. I just ate too much of everything. I do eat lots of plants, and plant-sourced protein.

Plant based eating is only slightly more challenging for getting good nutrition, than omnivory - very manageable. I see that you do have some experience with plant-based eating, but I'll recommend this very good source of nutritional guidance anyway, in case it isn't familiar:

https://veganhealth.org/

It's a very level-headed, science-based site, staffed by vegan registered dietitians.

RetiredAndLovingIt

My sister & bil have been very successful on whole food plant based, no oil for almost 5 (?) years, even with an Alaskan cruise. Seem to be thriving. I am beginning to lean that way, but have a big trip coming up in June, so not committing to it yet. I am trying to avoid dairy to see how it affects my allergies & eating less animal products most days. I follow someone on Facebook who does a lot of batch cooking with an Instant Pot, so I have gotten over my fear of it & find I really like things made in it.

A definite challenge for me, if I do commit to it, will be eating out. Not sure how I will manage that.

Zinka61

I've been plant-based for more than 30 years. During that time I've been both normal weight and overweight. I don't eat bananas most days, tbh. What do you want to substitute them in? Also, honestly we don't eat out much, for various reasons, so if you plan to eat out a lot I'd read menus online and choose your favorite places accordingly. Chinese, Ethiopian and Middle Eastern/North African restaurants are your best bet, and there are often vegetarian restaurants or at least health food coops with a good deli counter you can go to. It's pretty easy to cook up a batch of bean and veggie soup or stew for lunches and quick dinners. Lentils in particular cook up really fast, so you can make a quick stew or soup with them. If you can make a lot at once, freeze as much as possible for days when you don't have time to cook. I usually make chopped salads for lunch or roasted veggies just on a sheet in the oven to eat with hummus. I buy frozen veggies and those cartons of baby greens like spinach, arugula and kale to make life easy. To give the salads some weight, I add things like chopped tempeh and chopped sweet potato, and finding a good dressing you like is important. Since the beginning of the pandemic, my favorite breakfast has been a whole wheat flour/oat flour/chickpea flour bannock and unsweetened soy milk. I usually eat it for dinner too, with some crushed walnuts in the bannock and some frozen blueberries, microwaved, on the side. I don't love standing in the kitchen cooking, so I keep it simple. That may be harder for you with kids, but if you figure out some favorite recipes, you will fall into a pattern. There are tons of wfpb cooking videos on Youtube, and lots of great blogs, too, but everyone's tastes are different.

beautyandababe

For everyone who says they have been overweight and who also have been leaner on a plant-based diet, what exactly did you change about the diet between these two extremes? Fat intake? Starches? Were you having issues with higher hunger drive or blood sugar fluctuations? Some people say how easy it is to get skinny on a plant-based diet and "carbs don't make you fat" - but from personal experience, I do much better on a high-protein diet and can easily overeat on starchy carbs like oatmeal or rice - even fruit or vegetables I could eat LOADS of calories of and still be hungry. Looking forward to everyone else's experiences. Thanks!!

Zinka61

When I was a thinner vegan I ate fewer calories overall and was more active. When I was a fatter vegan I added more olive oil and sweets, probably too much bread. I've found better balance by logging on MFP, eating less fat, limiting whole grains to reasonable amounts, eating legumes to bump up my protein, making sure to eat plenty of dark leafy greens and veggies of other colors every day, cutting out added sugars. In the end, it's the number of calories you take in that makes the difference in weight, and even vegans can overeat.

AnnPT77

beautyandababe wrote: »

For everyone who says they have been overweight and who also have been leaner on a plant-based diet, what exactly did you change about the diet between these two extremes? Fat intake? Starches? Were you having issues with higher hunger drive or blood sugar fluctuations? Some people say how easy it is to get skinny on a plant-based diet and "carbs don't make you fat" - but from personal experience, I do much better on a high-protein diet and can easily overeat on starchy carbs like oatmeal or rice - even fruit or vegetables I could eat LOADS of calories of and still be hungry. Looking forward to everyone else's experiences. Thanks!!

Like I said, I'm more "eats lots of plants" than "plant based" (I'm vegetarian, not vegan).

For me, the difference between fat and thin was minding the calories. I didn't change the range of foods I eat; mostly, what changed was portion sizes, proportions on the plate, and frequencies of some calorie-dense foods. I'm sure there are some foods whose frequency has dropped to zero because I didn't enjoy them enough to be worth their calories ever, but I can't think of any offhand. For sure, I didn't intentionally rule out any foods or food groups.

I think I probably eat less of what I'd think of as filler foods, like bread or grains. (I'd been eating whole grains, BTW, when fat, not generally eating refined ones.) Instead of eating a sandwich, I'd probably increase the fillings, skip the bread. I just don't enjoy bread that much, or find it filling: If I did, I'd eat more of it. To me, it was more just a convenient food container, something I'd always eaten. Ditto for pasta, rice, etc. I do eat a fair amount of red lentil pasta now, and some soy pasta. (I occasionally eat wheat pasta, but don't usually have it at home anymore.)

I suspect that some people who automagically lose weight on a plant-based diet have switched from a more "standard American diet" mode, one with more refined grain products, relatively low veggie/fruit intake, etc. . . . and find the plant-based foods more filling. I can't prove it. I know for sure that I was able to overeat enough as a vegetarian to reach and sustain class 1 obese body weight - eventually even while training pretty hard 6 days a week and competing athletically for over a decade; and that I'm able to be full and happy on appropriate calories of the same range of foods now.

I did this:

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10636388/free-customized-personal-weight-loss-eating-plan-not-spam-or-mlm/p1

That won't be perfect for everyone - IMO no one thing is. But it worked for me (and it's not remotely specific to vegetarian, plant based, or anything like that, though it works fine with those eating styles).

Personally, I think a lot of the common food rules (no white foods, no starches, zero sugar, whatever) are a tangent to weight loss and health, can be a distraction from the core issues of finding happy satiety and good nutrition at appropriate calories. I see the core goal as getting the good things I need into my eating, not getting supposedly bad things out of it. With getting positive nutrition at reasonable calories, while staying full and happy, as one's core goal, the less useful/important foods tend to drop out of rotation by themselves.

kittycatowner

ive just started in january 2022 i did bring down my cholesterol from 325 to 186

beautyandababe

AnnPT77 wrote: »

Personally, I think a lot of the common food rules (no white foods, no starches, zero sugar, whatever) are a tangent to weight loss and health, can be a distraction from the core issues of finding happy satiety and good nutrition at appropriate calories. I see the core goal as getting the good things I need into my eating, not getting supposedly bad things out of it. With getting positive nutrition at reasonable calories, while staying full and happy, as one's core goal, the less useful/important foods tend to drop out of rotation by themselves.

Love this.

AmyDahlTorres

kittycatowner wrote: »

ive just started in january 2022 i did bring down my cholesterol from 325 to 186

This is amazing! It gives me hope!

christyc1256

beautyandababe wrote: »

For everyone who says they have been overweight and who also have been leaner on a plant-based diet, what exactly did you change about the diet between these two extremes? Fat intake? Starches? Were you having issues with higher hunger drive or blood sugar fluctuations? Some people say how easy it is to get skinny on a plant-based diet and "carbs don't make you fat" - but from personal experience, I do much better on a high-protein diet and can easily overeat on starchy carbs like oatmeal or rice - even fruit or vegetables I could eat LOADS of calories of and still be hungry. Looking forward to everyone else's experiences. Thanks!!

Chips and portion control ha ha!
I have been a vegetarian (who hates eggs and avoids dairy) for more that 30 years and have been thin and overweight and now just got back to normal bmi. I still eat all the same foods I used to, just now in moderation - I used to eat chips for lunch (and sometimes dinner) and nothing else all day. Now I aim to get 50-60g of protein a day and otherwise just stay within my calorie limit. I havent cut out carbs but I do choose my options better - weight watchers bread at 50 cal a slice vs regular bread for example. I wouldnt be able to get my protein in AND eat chips for lunch every day so now I eat chips as a once in a while treat and then only a few. I dont feel satiated if I dont eat something carby though so pretty much every meal has some carbs in it.

I dont think carbs made me fat I think poor choices and no balance made me fat and I dont think that for people who eat meat, dropping the meat will suddenly make you lose weight. I think everyone just needs to find what works for them.

JaysFan82

I smoke alot of weed. That's a plant?

I don't eat red meat and stick to chicken/turkey/fish. That's being said, most of my meals are meatless. I work 1230pm-830pm so I do all my exercising and meal prepping in the morning. I'm working from home mostly, so I either heat up something that I cooked in the morning, or cook my meal while I'm working in the other room with everything cut up and measured ahead of time. Works like a charm. I also plan out what I'm having the night before to make the process more efficient.

Hollis300

carlakringuette wrote: »

Two questions:

What do you do about eating out?

Working full time and dealing with the rebuild time and energy arr major factors.

Is there an easier way to food prep?
(peeling, chopping and keeping things fresh)

Actually, I have 3 questions. I"m allergic to bannanas. What can you substitute in recipes?

Vegetarian here, who also tries to stay away from eggs and dairy, but once in a while I relapse, so I can't call myself vegan.

Eating out: I live in the USA.
For breakfast, I like Panera's steel cut oats with almonds and strawberries -- I order it w/o the brown sugar/cinnamon crunch topping. They have a few other vegetarian options, but I think most have eggs. Several other chain restaurants serve oatmeal (buried on the menu). McDonald's also has oatmeal, but it is loaded with sugar.
For lunch and dinner, I like the Chinese/Japanese and Mexican restaurants in my area. They have many dishes I can eat --vegetables, beans or tofu and rice, and others.
My favorite: the grocery store salad bar. When I'm exhausted I head there for a huge salad with beans.

One warning about eating out: high sodium! It will up your blood pressure and temporarily make the scale go up.


Is there an easier way to food prep?
It helps to prep in batches -- make a lot of rice or oatmeal or beans and freeze it in packets, for example. I can also make a huge salad at home and eat it for a couple of days.

Bananas:
I'm not much of a cook, so I can't help there. You might google substitutes for bananas. What about plantains?

Hope this helps!