Veganish lol (part 2) Becoming a vegetarian

gbro44

So, yesterday I posted a question regarding a “vegan style” diet that I was trying to start. I wanted recipes and encouragement to stay committed. To be clear not a vegan lifestyle which I’m aware is very serious for those who follow it and consists of not only not eating meat, dairy, or eggs (any meat or animal by-products) but refraining from buying any product which consists of animal products, specifically, items like leather. What I was interested in was just the DIET portion, being fruits, veggies, grains, beans, and nuts. I refer to this as vegan since there are AT LEAST A FEW different types of vegetarian diets and I wanted to be clear on what I meant in regards to diet and post my question quickly without having to do any research on what specific vegetarian diet I was referring to. I got a lot of responses and I’m sure I’m still getting some (which I will read after I finish this new post.) I even got a few private messages with advice and encouragement. Unfortunately I did get a bunch of “troll” type comments saying everything from “I don’t know what I’m talking about” to “you have to eat meat because, blah, blah, blah”, etc. So, I figured I would repost my question (with the same title for different reasons) giving more specific information so that I can get better feedback from the community. So here it goes…. (it’s gonna be a long post)


Hello Everyone,

I am a 330lb, 27 year old white male who stands at 5’10”. I am a pretty stalky guy (wide shoulders) but regardless I still need to lose 100+lbs prob even closer to the 150lb neighborhood. I’ve struggled with my weight pretty much my whole life (at least since I was about 12, so the last 15 years.) In high school I was like 225lb and then started getting heavier to about 300lb when I graduated, the in college I slimmed down a little bit prob to about 240-250lbs and then since I graduated college I gained weight all the way up to 350lb and now am at 330lb. So I’ve been all over the board from, overweight to FAT to obese and unhealthy. I’ve tried a couple different diets, primarily Atkins and weight watchers. Both of which I’ve tried a couple times each. Atkins always starts out well, I end up losing like 15lbs but I end up feeling like crap because I’ve been eating just meat and cheese for the past two weeks (duh). I know that you are supposed to eat the “foundation” veggies but it’s hard when you’re not really allowed to have salad dressings or make green smoothies with fruit and spinach etc. So I end up quitting because I feel like crap. Weight watchers is a decent program but I always feel like I am eating too much if that makes sense because fruits and vegetables are 0 points, so if you throw in a couple fruit based green smoothies and a couple bananas, you could easily be eating an additional 500 calories over your daily caloric need and not lose weight. On top of the fact that you have to pay for it and there are great free options like myfitnesspal. The meetings are good and bad, it’s nice to get weighed in by someone else once a week, same day, same time, on a quality scale. The bad part is that I feel out of place being at a meeting with 40+ ppl and I am one of three men, the other two being twice my age.

So, I’ve been doing some independent research and getting info from friends, family and coworkers, just basically trying to be a sponge. So the only way to lose weight is to have a daily caloric deficit, which means you exercise more or eat less or both. I am trying to stick with a regular vegetarian diet consisting of ONLY fruits, veggies, grains, beans, and nuts. No eggs, no fish, no dairy, no chicken, and obviously no red meat. I’m also trying to stay away from processed foods. I’m a compulsive, emotional eater and I find that it will be pretty hard to go overboard on grapes and carrots etc. I’m the type of person who cannot handle having just three cookies or one piece of pizza. It’s all or nothing with me. I know that this sounds a little extreme to some and it is. I believe desperate times call for desperate measures. I am close to my 30’s and I would like to live them all out fit and healthy. At my current size, there is a possibility that I could be “middle aged.” I do work a desk job and I know that I need to exercise more (that’s obvious), which I’m trying to do but right now I just want to concentrate on the diet portion. I’m not planning on staying a vegetarian, maybe just until I lose 50, 75 or even 100lbs but who knows I might become vegan.

So the information that I am looking for is everything from quick (20 min) recipes, like stir fry type dishes, to individual struggles from ppl who are on a plant based diet and ppl who have successfully lost over 100lbs. ALL comments are welcome and thanks for sticking through all that.

nomeejerome

I don't know if these have been shared with you yet, but I will just set them here. It is a ton of information and it will take a bit of time to read, but it is worth it.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/833026-important-posts-to-read

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants?page=1#posts-16625920

xhecate

While I think trying to go "vegan" for a while while you drop the majority of the weight you need to lose is a good idea, it's probably not a sensible idea, and for a few reasons like:

1. Your will power better be strong because once you -cold turkey- start tying to deviate from the foods you used to eat it's going to be extremely hard to stay on track without some serious personal commitment and WILL to change.

2. Now, none of us are robots so that WILL to change may waiver from time to time. Meaning, you will slip up, you will overeat, you will have meat, and you will feel very bad about it.

3. Feeling bad about overeating the wrong things leads back to a viscous cycle of emotional eating and yadda yadda yadda, I think you know where I'm going with this.

Sooooo. To give yourself the best possible start I suggest the following:
1. Calculate your BRM and TDEE.
2. Using those calculations, start to eat at a caloric deficit.
3. Vist MFP everyday for your daily dose of moral support.
4. Allow yourself a "cheat day" or two a week.

Take it one day at a time and don't try to make too many large changes too quickly. That usually leads to failure.

Good luck!

Eastern_Echo23

What I learned over time is diet programs don't want you to lose weight and keep it off because they will lose a customer and profits. I also did weight watchers for a long time with my mother when i was still living at home and had little to no success. Something magical happened when i stopped eating meat. The rest of my diet stayed the same, but suddenly the weight started falling off of me. I stopped getting backed up in the toilet, and i started having more energy. I was a vegetarian for a long time and had success losing weight, but i found myself loading up on carbs, sodas, and way to many dairy products.

I found out i had Kidney disease and I had too much protein in my urine. Doc asked me to lower my protein intake and quit drinking alcohol, and start increasing my fruits and vegetables. Eventually I went (god forbid i say vegan again) on a Plant-Based Diet and suddenly my life changed. I use to have Asthma, don't feel it as much or at all.. I can run for fun now! I have gout... guess what, no more pain in my feet or swelling and i walk over 1 hour per day lately. I use to wake up all groggy and tired, almost feeling hungover. Now i wake up, have a soy milk shake with some ground flax seed, my B12 supplement and fruits... its more effective than 3 cups of coffee.. Btw I don't drink coffee anymore! I also cut out all caffiene products. From time to time i have a glass of tea or a decaf coffee which has minimal traces of caffeine, but i am by no means a junky.

Now like i mentioned in my previous post before WW3 broke out.... you need to consider the following things when choosing a plant-based diet:

Keep in touch with your doctor and make sure your blood levels are safe

Take a B12 supplement because it is the only vitamin that can't be obtained through plants

Get your Omega 3 intake... Ground Flax Seeds are the hero!

Check your Iron and Vitamin D as time goes on. Just to be safe!

Remember that this change of lifestyle is not a diet and it can be hard at first to get started. God knows i wouldn't have made it if my wife wasn't doing it with me. I am also 6'3 and at one point weighed 300 pounds. Now, i am in the 250's. If you would like a friend to help you along the way. I would be glad to talk with you about your diet and help you with whatever i learned from research and working with my doctors.

The most important thing is to not put to much pressure or unattainable goals on yourself. take it slow! Do what you can and ease yourself into this diet. Start by just cutting out your meat for a week or two and see if that is working for you; this would be a good time to try and substitute your soy based products like tofu and soy-sausages and these types of things. Then try cutting back your dairy products, i like soy milk and almond milk! I also use soy cheese when i am making specialty dishes like lasagna. Finally, your going to probably feel hungry. Make sure you eat enough fruits and vegetables. Eat as many as you can put in your mouth. They have a different effect on you then processed foods! Your body is designed to break down natural fruits and veggies so don't worry so much about the calories!

What i do not recommend is loading up on processed foods. Yes there are many ice creams, candies, cookies ect.. that are "Vegan" safe. While these might sound tempting or tasty... you will really lose out on the healthy aspect of this diet. Finally really take water seriously. Drink 3 liters a water a day and you can't wrong. This will help your kidneys out a bunch and will keep filtering out the bad stuff...

Plant-Based-Diets have worked so well for me, my kidney specialist said that i even showed signs of improvement in just a 1 month period of time. But i do things the right way. I know it can work for you. Just take it slow and do what is comfortable about you. Finally don't worry about the label. Your diet is personal for you and you only. So don't worry if people give you crap because you are a Plant-Base "Vegan" Dieter or whatever. Hater's are always going to Hate and Elitist will always come down on you. Do your best and you will help contribute to everyone's cause of helping the animals, the environment, and most importantly your health! And remember, we are all on the same team. We all want the same things!

Lindzpnc

I don't know if these have been shared with you yet, but I will just set them here. It is a ton of information and it will take a bit of time to read, but it is worth it.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/833026-important-posts-to-read

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants?page=1#posts-16625920

seriously... is this your go to post! I noticed that was your answer for when I was seeking support- yes its simple right but obviously we are missing something so we asking for more support.


anyway! I have thought about transitioning into a RAW or PLANT based diet solely for the purpose of losing weight as well.. I can never muster up the courage because I love MEAT too much.. yes I realize how horrible it is for you but I cant imagine living without animal based proteins... lately Ive been trying to eat more veggies and even started buying veggie patties instead (whooooaaaa not huge commitment there)but maybe the more I keep struggling with the weight not coming off I may seriously give this a try- the no animal stuff I mean!

kgeyser

I'm not vegetarian, but here are things that stuck out to me from your post:

1. When looking for recipes, you're going to want to make sure you are getting enough protein. Protein helps retain muscle mass during weight loss, and the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn at rest. Protein intake can be a problem for vegetarians/vegans who don't take the time to research how to meet their nutritional goals on their diet.

2. You say you don't plan on eating vegetarian forever, just until you lose weight, then you'll decide what to do. The most successful people on MFP have lost weight eating in a way that is sustainable for them in the long haul. Cutting things out and re-introducing them has tripped up a lot of people. I'm not trying to deter you from eating more veggies, but if you see your life including burgers and meat in the future, even in limited quantities, you might have better success by focusing on including more plant-based meals in your life rather than eliminating foods completely. Even us non-vegetarians find meatless meals satisfying and enjoyable.

tesstcool

Hey! I dont have a particular label for my "diet" but im pretty sure its pescatarian? I also dont do milk or cheese or yogurt but occasionally ill have ice cream . egg yolks freak me out but ill eat the white part. I dont think you need to have a label for whatever you eat....you have every right to just pick and choose! Since i dont eat meat i have found a variety of options! There are tons of vegan "fake meats" to choose from. Im not sure if youre trying to go all organic or what but my advice would be to thoroughly explore that section of the store or if you have a trader joes pr whatever. I do a lot of mexican as well because its low calorie, filling, and delicious. Taco salad with beans instead of meat. Chipotle also has this vegan tofu "meat" called sofritas which is killer. I also recommend french toast made with non dairy coffee creamer and mashed up banana! So delicious! They also make this killer yogurt from almond milk, almond dream in the coconut flavor. Tastes like coconut cream pie. And chocolate. I love chocolate. You can still totally have dark chocolate and they have a ton of "healthy" options in the organic section of the store. If youre not being too picky just grab regular old dark from the gas station or whatever. Get used to reading labels. Also, prelog your higher calorie items (like the chocolate bar) so you can plan around it ans still stay within your goal! Good luck!

Eastern_Echo23

A large part of the problem people have with their diet is not that they are getting enough protein, but getting to much! Most people who eat meat 3 times a day + cheese + milk + eggs ect. eat 3 times more protein then they really need. Us Plant-Based-Dieters get our protein through soy products, nuts, vegetables, fruits, beans and seeds and all sorts of things. You never really ever hear that you are low on protein because if your eating right it'll never happen. Furthermore, studies show that Plant based protein have a positive and different effect on your body in comparison to animal proteins.

To much protein actually takes calcium out of your body and that can lead to bone disease. So if you start introducing less animal proteins into your diet and start adding nuts, fruits, veggies, and even the occasional soy product.. you might see your health change dramatically.

mank32

:creeps:

yesterdayusaid2morrow

Hey OP, good on you for researching different ideas and trying to discover what works for you. I'm what I call a flexitarian, but Id say about 2/3 of the meals I make for the family are vegan. If I may share a few resources that have been helpful to me, the vegan blog oh she glows is loaded with healthy and adventurous vegan fair, no meat athlete is another great site with simple recipes. My personal go- tos are things like rice and beans with chopped tomato, avocado, steamed broccoli and cafe yumm sauce...tempeh and veggie (peppers, snow peas, onion, mushroom, whatev is in hand) stir fry with rice, oatmeal with shredded apples and toasted walnuts for bfast, or whole grain pancaked with a swirl of natural peanut butter and banana slices...Indian food is my bff, aloo Gobi, veggie masala or korma, coconut milk curries with rice, vegan enchiladas and tacos are pretty simple to throw together as well. More than going veg though, what has truly helped me shed some weight has been portion control, logging helps keep me aware as I too am the type that simply cannot have just one slice if pizza. Best of luck to you, I commend your going veg...better for you, better for the planet, better for animals, even better for the meathead trolls who'd never have the huevos to admit it. Also, check out the site vegan body building for more good info from some amazing vegan athletes.

veganbettie

why do you feel like you have to eat a plant based diet to lose weight? What happens when you go off this diet? You might gain it all back?....There are plenty of hefty vegans out there, we still struggle with weight.

my favorite websites are vegweb.com and ohsheglows.com. Vegweb are recipes that other users have submitted and they are reviewed pretty well, I would really suggest to go there.

I love noodles and rice, and really I just throw everything together and make my own creations....and soup! I love soup.

sparky00721

So the information that I am looking for is everything from quick (20 min) recipes, like stir fry type dishes, to individual struggles from ppl who are on a plant based diet and ppl who have successfully lost over 100lbs. ALL comments are welcome and thanks for sticking through all that.

Quick meal suggestion: cook up basmati rice and add a prepared Indian dish (I have been living off Patel's chick pea curry, lentil curry and aloo mutter packaged food, despite not previously being much of a fan of Indian food). Or mixing whole-wheat or multi-grain pasta with a healthy spaghetti sauce, frozen corn, frozen peas plus chickpeas and whatever fresh vegetables you may care to add.

Stories of individual struggles with a plant-based diet? I have none at all so far, as I have found moving to a strict lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet (I eat eggs and cheese but otherwise no animals) over the last 5 1/2 weeks at age 51 to be fabulous. Weight is coming off pretty well (averaging 3 pounds per week, higher than I intend - I am over 60 pounds overweight currently), but more importantly I am feeling great (way more energy and just generally feeling better).

From personal taste preference, I avoid tofu and the entire range of soy-based fake meat products, but have no problem getting enough protein from diet (largely grains and beans) plus a whey-based protein powder blended with frozen blueberries and almond milk after each exercise session.

Good luck!

yesterdayusaid2morrow

Oh PS I've lost 90 lbs mostly through focusing on healthy plant based meals, being conscious of how much I eat, and increasing physical activity (started very, very slow), don't give up, sounds like you're ready for this commitment.

nomeejerome

I don't know if these have been shared with you yet, but I will just set them here. It is a ton of information and it will take a bit of time to read, but it is worth it.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/833026-important-posts-to-read

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants?page=1#posts-16625920

seriously... is this your go to post! I noticed that was your answer for when I was seeking support- yes its simple right but obviously we are missing something so we asking for more support.


anyway! I have thought about transitioning into a RAW or PLANT based diet solely for the purpose of losing weight as well.. I can never muster up the courage because I love MEAT too much.. yes I realize how horrible it is for you but I cant imagine living without animal based proteins... lately Ive been trying to eat more veggies and even started buying veggie patties instead (whooooaaaa not huge commitment there)but maybe the more I keep struggling with the weight not coming off I may seriously give this a try- the no animal stuff I mean!

Nope. That was not my only answer in your thread. :ohwell: The links provided in this thread lay out the basics and are a good read for anybody, but especially someone who has tried everything under the sun, has multiple failed attempts at losing weight and is open to new information. (vegetarian or not)

gbro44

I also wanted to say that in the previous post (some of you might not have read it yet) that I stated I wanted to do zero fat which is pretty much impossible anyways, I just worded it incorrectly, just low fat, I will eating things like olives and avocados.

jofjltncb6

I was in on part 1...

...so I might as well be in on part 2.

gbro44

I was in on part 1...

...so I might as well be in on part 2.

Right, I wonder if pt 2 will become as intense.

jofjltncb6

I was in on part 1...

...so I might as well be in on part 2.

Right, I wonder if pt 2 will become as intense.

It almost certainly won't be...


...because the sequel almost never is.

FauxFoxx

If you don't have a pinterest already, make one! I love it for finding awesome recipes. Ohsheglows is another good one. I also found that for me, starting a tumblr that was centered around my diet and fitness helped keep me on path. Make sure to not over do it on the carbs and the fats, it's very easy to do so while eating vegetarian! A good source of protein as a vegetarian are nuts, beans and lentils, mushrooms, spinach, broccoli, seitan, tempeh and tofu. I also drink protein shakes, but, it's not a requirement.

There are a few vegetarian groups here that are also really helpful. I wish you a lot of luck!! It's difficult, especially when you go out to eat but you just have to stick with it because you know it's worthwhile in the end.

Eastern_Echo23

Don't do a zero fat diet! That will mess you up or make you sick! Instead you need to focus on your good fats and get your daily recommendations. Poly-unsaturated like dark greens, flax seeds, walnuts and mono-unsaturated fats like olive oil, nuts, avocados and other things will help with the creation of EPA which creates DHA which contributes to lowering heart inflammation and can help prevent heart attacks or heart disease.

Fat is only unhealthy when you consume too much. Your Fat cells are like a glass, and if you overfill the glass then the water will spill onto everything else. When your fat cells are stretched out and overfilled they attach themselves all over the body, causing what we now know in Western Culture as Obesity.

Get your healthy fats bro!

jofjltncb6

Don't do a zero fat diet! That will mess you up or make you sick! Instead you need to focus on your good fats and get your daily recommendations. Poly-unsaturated like dark greens, flax seeds, walnuts and mono-unsaturated fats like olive oil, nuts, avocados and other things will help with the creation of EPA which creates DHA which contributes to lowering heart inflammation and can help prevent heart attacks or heart disease.

Fat is only unhealthy when you consume too much. Your Fat cells are like a glass, and if you overfill the glass then the water will spill onto everything else. When your fat cells are stretched out and overfilled they attach themselves all over the body, causing what we now know in Western Culture as Obesity.

Get your healthy fats bro!

WAITwut? Obesity is caused by excess fat consumption and not excess calories??? This is a gross oversimplification of debunked beliefs from decades ago. High fat consumption (while at an overall caloric deficit) will not lead to obesity and instead will actually result in weight loss.

And fat cells are filled by dietary fat?

I'm just...

I...

No. Just no.

:noway:


TL;DR - Your first paragraph is okay. The rest is bogus.

Eastern_Echo23

Haha yeah your right. Excess Calorie intake is the easiest way to track obesity. However, lets say your daily intake should be 1500 calories and you eat nothing but cake. Of course the fat will be higher, sugar will be higher, carbs will be higher. Calories are a good way to measure (Calories in vs Calories out) but that is not the whole story. You need to get your vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats, carbs, sugars ect...

FauxFoxx

Yeah, focus less on counting calories (while making sure you're getting enough) and focus more on your macro intake.

RodaRose

I can see why you are skittish after that train wreck thread but you do seem a little anxious. Is this really about the plant based diet or something else?

Buy any of Joel Furhman's books, DVDs, or check out his website. Other people are teaching this, but he explains the plant based diet very well for me -- how eating a plant based diet helps with general health and weight loss. Also he has suggestions for meal plans. I started with his "Eat to LIve." Furhman says you can get the benefit of the plant based diet while eating 10% animal products -- for example on a night out with other people who are not on your diet or in a soup flavored with meat. . . .

I only cook once a week or so for myself (my husband cooks fabulous stir fries and soups) and when I do, I throw beans in the crock pot. with some sautéed onions and garlic or some boxed ready made vegetable broth. Earlier tonight, I sliced 7 ounces of tofu and grilled it in a frying pan. It has very little taste so I added mustard. This took ten minutes. The recipes you keep asking for are not complicated. You could even have two meals a day in the beginning in a good quality blender. Add a lot of raw kale and spinach, an apple, a squirt of lemon, and a dash of ginger to coconut milk or almond milk.

Make an account an Pinterest to find recipes like these:
http://www.pinterest.com/klr755/vegan-vegan/


I want you to know that "cooking" with this kind of diet is very easy. For a while at work I was only taking one half cup each of raisins and walnuts for my lunch because I had very little time to eat.
Before work, I had about 11 ounces of Romain lettuce plain. After work, I had some cooked frozen broccoli, some fresh fruit , and canned garbanzo beans or lentils.
Sometimes I feel that i need more oil so I add walnut oil or coconut oil to whatever I eat or take it with a Tablespoon.

I teach August to May -- during which time I eat dairy and eggs but not much meat. This summer I am hoping to establish good patterns for when classes start back in August.

It is going to be ok. This does not have to be perfect.
For an occasional treat -- and if you have the calories -- you might like the chocolate coconut "ice cream" in most grocery stores. It does not taste like real ice cream, but it is nice.


Here are fast food restaurants that have some vegan fare (check a head of time)

http://www.smosh.com/smosh-pit/articles/actually-decent-vegetarian-fast-food-options

http://www.peta.org/living/food/happy-cow/chain-restaurants/

Squishchips

I'm following an 80/20 plant based diet - 80% plant based, no dairy/meat etc and the rest of the time I can have whatever I want - so far working really well and have found myself craving more vegetables/fruit as a result rather than anything meat or dairy.

I think as long as you are actually plant based rather than relying on the vegan subsitutes which are full of processed oils, sugar and wotnot then it's always going to be a healthy way of living.

I got bored of yoyo dieting and constantly going from one diet to another so I feel this is sustainable for life.

Watch Forks over Knives/Fat Sick and Nearly Dead for inspiration and message me if you want to share recipes etc. Also Engine 2 has some great recipes on there.

Forks over Knives cookbook on amazon is great though - used it about 5 times this week, not been hungry once and have really enjoyed my food.

FauxFoxx

Also, chances are your current favorite recipes are already easily customizable.

Bolognese = sub in morningstar crumbles for beef, or just go all veggie!
Chicken stir fry/sesame chicken/beef and broccoli = use tofu! it's such a versatile food.
Tacos/enchiladas/burritos = use beans instead of beef or chicken, or opt for the soy crumbles.

Those are my top 3 and I found it super easy to remove the meat. Found I didn't even miss it, and if I did it was easy to sub in a different ingredient. I found that while cooking as a vegetarian isn't any more difficult than cooking with meat, it does force you to be creative. But, that isn't a bad thing! I personally love not having to chop up chicken anymore.. Bleh. That was always an awful chore. Gimmie a slab of tofu any day.

I know some vegetarians aren't a fan of the "faux meat" alternatives but I personally love them. They aren't that expensive either and it makes me feel like I'm not missing out. Especially during the summer barbeques that will be coming up.. Just bring a pack of veggie burgers and you'll fit right in.

Eastern_Echo23

Fried Tofu with some seasonings on a salad with some nuts is also really good... If i am lazy i'll make soy schnitzel or soy nuggets or a garden burger and throw in a side of fries and a small salad... other days i'm all about rice and pasta!