Vegan Weight Loss (Not as Easy as You Think)!

shmerek

Yikes just googled PKU that sounds like an incredibly difficult diet regime to maintain. My hat goes off to you.

FlaxMilk

I'm a vegan-in-training, but I think I've been "in transition" for the last year and it's time to pull the trigger. If anyone wants to be a vegan battle buddy, please add me.

(I think my key problem is that Oreos, Ritz crackers, potato chips, and beer are all still vegan. I could use some encouragement sticking with healthier vegan foods.)

If it helps, beer is often not really vegan. http://www.barnivore.com/

veaghan

Going vegan doesn't mean you will lose weight. I actually gained weight after going vegan because of all the vegan replacement foods I was eating. I dropped about 35 pounds in 5 months after I started eating primarily raw foods and steamed vegetables. I cut gluten, soy, and basically all processed food out of my diet. It was the best I have ever felt. I am working towards doing that again. I couldn't do it over the winter in Portland because it was too cold and I love my hot soup! The easiest way to get fit being vegan is to stick to the whole foods. I wasn't counting calories or carbs when I was eating raw, but I would eat about 6 or 7 bananas for breakfast, about 4 apples for lunch, and then a giant salad with Raw meal for dinner... Probably about 500 carbs a day but all complex carbs! Once you cut gunk out of your diet, you will see results. Good luck!

natthetiger

Whole, plant-based foods all the way.

I've been vegan for maybe five months now and I really didn't experience rapid or easy weight loss--

It has honestly only been easy now that I have been logging my meals on MFP and realizing I was overeating SALT, processed wheat products and on oils when cooking my veggies. After three months I found that an abundance of soy products messes with me, most processed (even whole) grains make me sleepy and too much nut-milk/butter products are the enemy!

Long story short, I have to make sure I'm eating unprocessed foods, low soy, low salt, oil-free and sprouted grains. When this was the priority the weight loss has been pretty steady.

floatingnomad

Fellow vegan of 17 years. Don't flame me but I have cut out rice, potatoes, pasta and a lot of other carbs. I'm working with a doctor and she was horrified at how many carbs I eat and she said so many vegans are like that. Not that carbs alone make you fat, of course, but she said it makes your cravings horrible and spike your blood sugar. And cravings and binge eating are my major problem, so I'm changing up my diet. This is why I have to say, I do think weight loss for vegans is a bit different and not easy at all. Getting protein isn't a simple thing but over eating your daily carbs is.

spamantha57

I started adding some animal foods in my diet last year (Greek yogurt & egg whites) but before was eating vegan except for cheese (the 1 thing I wouldn't give up.) The #1 thing that helped me lose weight eating vegan was cutting out processed foods, like white rice & processed pasta (quinoa etc pasta was ok) and things like chips & french fries, which I had a huge addiction to.
It's not really about carbs as a total, but about the KINDS of carbs. Good carbs are good, bad carbs are bad.

_HeartsOnFire_

There is no reason to give up rice, potatoes and whatever else that person said to give up. What are you going to give them up for the rest of your life? Nope. So you need to make them fit into your lifestyle. Make sure you are eating the right amount of calories (NOT 1200), it's about making lifestyle changes that are sustainable. Weigh all of your foods. Log. Etc.

floatingnomad

There is no reason to give up rice, potatoes and whatever else that person said to give up. What are you going to give them up for the rest of your life? Nope. So you need to make them fit into your lifestyle. Make sure you are eating the right amount of calories (NOT 1200), it's about making lifestyle changes that are sustainable. Weigh all of your foods. Log. Etc.

Well she wasn't just a person, she's my doctor lol. And honestly, I've given up meat, fish, and dairy for the rest of my life. I'm pretty sure I'd survive never eating another french fry too. For me and my personality it is sustainable. But thanks for your input.

tracydr

I would consider becoming vegan but I would miss eggs, dairy and seafood away too much.
Moving to NC in a month. Looking forward to all that fresh seafood!

tracydr

Fellow vegan of 17 years. Don't flame me but I have cut out rice, potatoes, pasta and a lot of other carbs. I'm working with a doctor and she was horrified at how many carbs I eat and she said so many vegans are like that. Not that carbs alone make you fat, of course, but she said it makes your cravings horrible and spike your blood sugar. And cravings and binge eating are my major problem, so I'm changing up my diet. This is why I have to say, I do think weight loss for vegans is a bit different and not easy at all. Getting protein isn't a simple thing but over eating your daily carbs is.

i totally agree! Even not as a vegan, I have a hard time getting enough protein.
I am really horrified at the amount of carbs the average toddler or child eats! I doubt they eat more than a few grams of protein on the average toddler's diet. All that juice, granola bars, sweetened yogurts and cereal. I have no doubt that this contributes to childhood obesity and early onset of type 2 diabetes.
I worked at an Indian Hospital for quite awhile. We would have contests to see who had the heaviest child patients! I once had two brothers, age 4 and 6. The 4 year old weighed 85 lbs and the 6 year old weighed 125. I diagnosed the 6 year old with type 2 diabetes. His blood sugar was running in the high 300s but, because he wasn't type 1 the pediatrician refused to treat him with medication.
I never saw those two boys ( ER regulars), without a 64 once Sonic Soda or milkshake in-hand. The day I diagnosed the 6 year old, he returned to the ER with another complaint. He had another 64 ounce soda, after I had just spent tons of time educating the parents.
Man, am I ever glad that I'll be working with military patients soon! Their worst problem is becoming obsessive with your instructions. I have to take the glucometer and strips away sometimes!

_HeartsOnFire_

There is no reason to give up rice, potatoes and whatever else that person said to give up. What are you going to give them up for the rest of your life? Nope. So you need to make them fit into your lifestyle. Make sure you are eating the right amount of calories (NOT 1200), it's about making lifestyle changes that are sustainable. Weigh all of your foods. Log. Etc.

Well she wasn't just a person, she's my doctor lol. And honestly, I've given up meat, fish, and dairy for the rest of my life. I'm pretty sure I'd survive never eating another french fry too. For me and my personality it is sustainable. But thanks for your input.

I was actually referring to MangoPIckles post who was flat out Drop potatoes, rice and something else...It's one thing for a doctor to tell you, that's a completely different issue. Being that most people don't have the same medical issues, they don't have to give up those things. You were expressing what you're doing, you weren't flat out telling people to drop certain foods.

thepetiterunner

Feel free to add me if you like

AliEaker

Yes, I am vegan. You still have to cut calories in order to lose.