Vegetarian newbie

WendyBhagwandeen

hi I’m looking for all of the advice to get the scale moving. Eat mostly vegan but not strict. Weight doesn’t budge.

AnnPT77

Hello and welcome!

I'm also vegetarian, but an MFP oldie. 😉 I lost weight with MFP 9+ years ago, have been maintaining a healthy weight since.

You don't mention anything about food logging or calorie counting. Are you doing that? If so, for how long have you been doing it, and what calorie goal are you following (for what height, weight, age, activity level)? It would be easier to suggest ideas for you if we knew more about that stuff.

For sure, from personal experience, vegetarianism isn't special. Weight loss for us is about exactly the same thing for us as it is for anyone: Getting the number of calories we eat daily a manageable number below the number of calories we burn daily in all ways (just being alive, daily humdrum stuff like home chores and job activity, intentional exercise).

As vegetarians, we may have some special issues with getting overall good nutrition compared to omnivores. People always mention protein, and of course getting enough of that is important, but we may also need extra attention to certain micronutrients (calcium, iron, B-12, and more) in order to get enough.

The thing is, nutrition is mainly for health. It's important, but it has only an indirect effect on weight loss: If we get sub-ideal nutrition, we may have low energy, so burn fewer calories than expected; or we may have more cravings, so find it harder to stick to the right calorie level. The direct determinant of weight gain, loss or stability is still calorie balance.

If weight isn't budging, and you've been using pretty much the same eating/activity routine for at least 4-6 weeks or one full menstrual cycle, the issue is probably calorie level. Calorie counting isn't the only way to reduce calories, but it's the most predictable way.

Other options would be some form of cutting back on calorie intake and increasing activity. That could mean eating fewer fried foods, less of calorie-dense things like nuts/seeds (even though they're healthy and eating some is good), avoiding drinking sweetened drinks, cutting back on baked goods and other sweets, etc. Not knowing what your eating details are now, it's hard to stay. I stayed overweight/obese for around 30 years as a vegetarian, including a dozen years while training/competing athletically and staying over-fat, so I know that vegetarianism along doesn't have special powers for weight loss, unfortunately!

Since you're here on MFP, my best advice would be to let MFP give you a calorie goal for sensibly gradual weight loss, stick close to that for the 4-6 weeks or one menstrual cycle, then adjust calorie goal if necessary based on average weekly weight change over that whole trial period.

If you want/need vegetarian-specific calorie reduction or nutritional advice, please ask and I'll try to answer. I'm sure you already know a lot, so it doesn't make sense to me to try to anticipate what your questions might be.

Best wishes!