Carb Conscious Vegetarian....Please Help!!

achbarrow

Hello all!
I love MFP for helping me eat healthier. The carb/sodium/fat etc. goals are awesome. Before I was just making sure I stayed under my calories but was still eating pretty badly. Now I'm very conscious of what I put in my body. That said I'm having a lot of trouble keeping under my daily carb goal and meeting my protein goal. I'm vegetarian which also makes this more difficult. I'm looking into protein shakes (someone suggested Vega and genisoy) for the low protein but I have no clue what to do about the carb problem. Any help is appreciated.
~Ayla

DancingDreamer

I'm a vegetarian too so i get you there! have you tried fake meat products? some of them have high carbs but alot of them dont (just find the right ones) they're more delicious then a protein shake anyway and in reality probably better for you (less sugar) just try eating protein when you have a food craving and not carbs.

good luck.

ChristieisReady

I find most vegetarian diets are too high in fat, rather than carbs, so if it's "just" a carb overshoot, I think you're doing pretty well. Are your carbs refined carbs (breads, sugar, pasta) or complex carbs (vegetables and fruits)? If it's the latter, I'm inclined to say "don't worry about it".

You may want to look up nutritional guidelines for vegetarians, rather than omnivores. Just stay away form the 30 banana a day people. They're, well, bananas.

sara_m83

I've been a vegetarian for a long time and I don't find it much different controlling carbs and fat than a meat-eating diet. Eat more vegetables. If you make a pasta, put a heap of vegetables in it. I like to add asparagus, broccoli, and tomato to my pesto sauce and end up having a bowl that's half veggies and half pasta. The same with any rice dishes is true - instead of using the carbohydrate as the entirety of your meal, make it a side or complement to your veggies.

Also, instead of sandwiches, eat wraps.

greyhoundmommy

As far as shakes go, I use a Hemp Protein + Fiber by Manitoba Harvest. It's not cheap, but great protein and fiber. It has a nutty taste, but really emphasizes the flavor of whatever fruit I use to mix. I think it would be yucky without any fruit.

I also eat lots of vegetables, including dark leafy greens that have a nice protein content (for vegetables). I get a lot of my protein from tofu, non-fat plain yogurt, cottage cheese, lite mozarella cheese, and beans - but they are carbs.

DancingDreamer

Also, instead of sandwiches, eat wraps.

NOOOOOOOOOO THIS IS A LIE! D8

wraps may be lower in carbs but tortillas are SO FULL of calories and bad fats that they're actually worse for you then two slices of bread are! D8 i found this out the hard way!

if you're really trying to cut down the carbs by not eating sammiches get the "sandwich rounds" or "thin buns" that are coming out and quite popular now. only 100 calories, less carbs then two slices of bread and made perfectly for a delicious sandwich to be made with them.

please please look at things before you eat them, just because someone says they're healthier for you doesnt mean they are, the wrap fad is focusing SOLELY on carbs and not looking at the fact that tortillas are full of lard and sugar.

scotlanded

I second the voice in favor of some of the fakemeats out there - I'm a huge fan of the black bean burger and it's full of noms and protein!

I also really like those bolthouse farms chocolate protein shakes but there's about a trillion calories in those. I'll toss back a shake for lunch or something when I notice I'm consistently under my protein/iron goals for a few days and I start to feel sluggish.


Not becoming a carbotarian is the absolute hardest part about being veg for me. It's so much easier to be like "Oh, no meat? HOW ABOUT WE HAVE ALL OF THIS BREAD AND RICE AND POTATOES INSTEAD!!!!NOMNOMNOM" (<-- how my brain sounds, it's like the cookie monster but with mashed potatoes)

Before I joined MFP I wasn't really looking at how much protein & iron I was getting each day, so I have to admit that it's made me a whole heck of a lot more conscious of not just what I'm putting in my mouth but what my body is sorely lacking as well. Good times!

achbarrow

Thanks guys!
I looooove morning star products! Yay for fake meats! And I will definitely be more careful about tortillas in the future. I eat them and pita bread rather than regular bread most of the time. I have definitely been trying to look at the nutrition labels on things before they make it into my cart at the store.

astridfeline

Also, instead of sandwiches, eat wraps.

NOOOOOOOOOO THIS IS A LIE! D8

wraps may be lower in carbs but tortillas are SO FULL of calories and bad fats that they're actually worse for you then two slices of bread are! D8 i found this out the hard way!

if you're really trying to cut down the carbs by not eating sammiches get the "sandwich rounds" or "thin buns" that are coming out and quite popular now. only 100 calories, less carbs then two slices of bread and made perfectly for a delicious sandwich to be made with them.

please please look at things before you eat them, just because someone says they're healthier for you doesnt mean they are, the wrap fad is focusing SOLELY on carbs and not looking at the fact that tortillas are full of lard and sugar.

There are a zillion kinds of tortillas out there these days. True, traditional flour tortillas are made with lard. But lots of brands use vegetable oil, olive oil, are low carb, whole grain, etc.......one just has to read the label.

Dom_m

... I have no clue what to do about the carb problem. Any help is appreciated.
~Ayla

It depends what the carb problem actually is. Do you find that you eat a lot of heavily refined carbs (chocolate bars, candy, lollies, chips, soda, cordial, white bread / pasta, pizza etc)? If you do, then answer is pretty simple: don't eat stuff you know is crap.

If you're getting lots of carbs from whole grains and fruit, the answer is still simple: don't worry about it. People demonise carbs because Opera or whatever makes a fuss or has some 'low carb "expert" ' on her show. Medical guidelines recommend around 70% of calories come from carbs. Unless you're doing serious resistance training or have a medical issue you don't need very much protein at all.

I'd focus on eating a wide variety of healthy foods in moderation. You can use the calorie counter to make sure you get the moderation right. Don't get too hung up on particular % for each macro nutrient as long as you aren't going completely over the top (if you do the 'variety' part, this shouldn't be a problem)

somethingvague

When I was vegeterian I was a pretty big fan of Yves veggie bacon, protein and only 25 calories a peice. Or veggie burgers or dogs with no buns. Also, PC fake chicken breasts. Lots of fake meat with lots of fruits and veggies will help you limit your bread, pasta,etc

Although I don't know if any of that stuff is only in Canada, but I'm sure you can find things close to it.