Vegan & Wheat Free... with PCOS

ADT83

Hello,

Can anyone help me?! lol...

2 years ago, I started exercising, 5 days a week. I had an awesome job, that gave us extra break-time for wellness, and there was a gym 2 minutes away, that I got a work discount for. Yet, even after 8 weeks, I was still 70lbs overweight and was hovering between a 2-5lb loss.

It wasn't until I started using this site, and really started paying attention to my portions. After doing some research on PCOS, I amped up my proteins while lowering my carbs. I found the sweet spot for my body. I was eating 40% protein 30% carbs 30% fats . . . the lbs started to drip off...

Since then, for complete lack of a better descriptive label- for the past 12 months, I have been shifting into a vegan diet, very gradually. Lately, at present, I still eat cheese, fish, and honey. I haven't been exercising now that I have a new job, which shifts me around to different places, and has me working at different times. I gained most the weight back already.

With the soon to be purchase of a treadmill in a few months, along with an upcoming visit to a naturopath when my health benefits start up in 8 weeks- I've started monitoring my food intake again to ease myself back in the right direction. This also includes trying to eliminate wheat from my diet.

I'm feeling super frustrated though!

Now- I'm not even able to get up to 25% proteins, and feel hopelessly annoyed with trying to find vegan friendly protein sources that aren't also carb laden (ie: garbanzo beans- I love them! Could eat a can a day- but 1 cup has 38 carbs to 12g protein, compare that to a piece of chicken which has 35 grams of protein and 0 carbs).

This is a typical meal plan for one day:

breakfast- smoothie w/ vega protein powder, almond milk, 1/2 cup berries, 1 cup spinach, 1 cup kale 1 tsp spirulina
snack - mixed nuts with cacao nibs, dried cranberries and goji berries
lunch- salad w/ greens, cucumber, carrot, beets, hemp hearts, flax seeds, & homemade dressing
sandwich made w/ sprouted grain bread, cucumbers, peppers, spinach, humus and pesto
snack- 1/2 pepper with humus
dinner- Field Roast sausage w/ garlic, zucchini, mushrooms, tomatoes, fresh basil and quinoa pasta
I always have a big cup of herbal tea with a large tablespoon of honey after dinner...

Anyone have any advice on where I can get more proteins without filling up on too many carbs in return? Or can I increase my carb intake now since I've eliminated the less healthier ones that derive from wheat?

Peacockbutterfly

Hi! I am about your age and have PCOS and cannot eat gluten. I am not currently a vegan but was for years before I found out I had PCOS and for a little while afterwards. I could not maintain being completely vegan and staying low carb. I was the only vegan I knew consistently gaining weight. If you are eating some fish that can help and you should try to keep eating that. I don't think that cutting wheat out will help you in the carb department. I haven't found that wheat free bread or pasta are any better to my metabolism. I have found I can be carb heavy if they are complex carbs. The weight is coming off even if I eat plenty of leafy greens but not from an extra white potato or piece of bread.

LKArgh

Honestly, just count your calories. It is boring, not fancy, not easy, but it is what you need to be doing.

143tobe

Have you heard of 80/10/10? It's a book written by Douglas N. Graham, and the basic concept is that we should be eating 80% carbs, 10% fat, and 10% protein. In the material I read, it is PCOS friendly, and many women claim the diet has been very healing. I don't have PCOS, but have been transitioning (from vegetarian to vegan) into this diet over the past 8 days, and I have to say, I find it very easy to follow. And by easy, I don't mean that I don't overeat on some things, or have a bad food day, but I always found it difficult to consume so much protein that was plant based. Now I don't have to. I started out by googling, (google 80 10 10 PCOS), and went from there. I have one friend on here that is also following this plan and seeing his food diary has really helped me out, and helped me to get started with the limited information I had. I did order the book which arrived a few days ago, and I'm so glad I did. It has been very informative and in reading it, it actually makes a lot of sense, why we should be eating the way the author recommends. I am by far, no expert on this diet/lifestyle, but since I started I've lost about 6lbs (in 9 days). I know that is a lot to lose, and some may see that as unhealthy, but I am staying close my calorie limit, and have been trying to get a little exercise in here and there so I can eat more each day. Sounds crazy, I know, but friend me if you'd like so see how my journey goes. I am committing to this plan for two months, starting April 1st. Oh, and my picture, that was me 7 years ago, I am currently unable to see pictures of myself, how I look now, so my old photo gives me something to work for.

nicki_lynne

Edamame - 11g protein per 100g / 10 carbs
Gardein Beefless Burgers - Protein - 16 / carbs 7 (i don't remember if it has soy - not sure if that's an issue)
Hemp hearts - 10 g protein per serv/ 4 g carbs (you can add them to everything -salad, smoothie, peanut butter toast, fruit etc/ (if you can't get them in your area you can order online - http://manitobaharvest.com/product/2/Hemp-Hearts-8oz.html)
Homemade Vegan Protein bars - Maybe search for a low carb vegan protein bar recipe - if it doesn't yield a high enough protein amount per serving, try and squeeze as many vegan protein scoops into the recipe as possible.
You said you are still eating cheese, and fish - what about cottage cheese (low carb / about 11g protein) and doubling your serving of fish perhaps.
Almonds - 1:1 protein/carb ratio

I tried switching to a vegan diet last year but found it too hard to maintain probably because it didn't do it gradually. I was also skipping on vitamins. I've added fish, cottage cheese, feta, Whey, casein and occasional chicken back in for now. I'm not an expert on nutrition, I only have my own experience to go on but I dropped from 140 lbs to 130 lbs in 4 mths and I was eating a lot of Quinoa, Kamut pasta (10g protein but high carb), garbanzo beans, lentils and sprouted grain bread. I was eating garbanzo beans and Quinoa together very regularly. I was not getting any exercise during that time either. I was very fatigued and recovering from a concussion. I attribute the lb drop to switching out milk for almond milk (which I still do) and eating more whole foods. Maybe if carbs are a concern eat more of the high carb foods on days you do heavy workouts?

For me right now, starting a high intensity work-plan and going vegan is too much for me at once but I may gradually go back to it once I do more research and stock up on the appropriate foods (I got stuck when It came to recipes, realizing I didn't have vegan cheese, sour cream, vegan mayo substitutes etc. I found it too expensive to stock up right now. If you ever having any tips for switching to vegan, I would love to hear them.
sorry for the long response - hopefully something in there was useful .

nicki_lynne

That's interesting. I have never heard of 80/10/10 before but It's sound delicious! I love carbs! Squeezing protein into the day can be quite the ordeal.

143tobe

So far it's been very liberating. The book recommends Vegan raw, but the same theory of 80/10/10 applies even if you do cooked, non vegan, or even eat meat every once in a while. Not 100% vegan, but like you said, a slow transition is probably better than just cold turkey. I'm still using powdered coffee creamer, and just finishing the last of my cheese supply. Even if I eat a non vegan food, I'm not going to beat myself up about it. Slow and steady wins the race, right?

ADT83

Wow! Thank you all- that is some amazing advice from all of you. I really appreciate it. I'm going to have to do some research in the 80/10/10 approach- it seems so contradictory to what I've been taught in regards to PCOSers. Though, that information (like all health related studies!) seems to change on the daily anyhow.

However, I think I've decided for now to just stick to the typical recommended 50% carbs 20% protein and 30% fat. Just until I meet with the naturopath. That will give me time to see if just eliminating wheat/gluten and getting my carbs solely from complex carbs will make any difference.

In changing the ratios, I'm still way under the amount of carbs I should be getting anyway, and am meeting my minimum protein recommendations.

Thanks again, everyone!