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Active vegetarians: how do you eat enough to maintain?!

Posts: 30
edited February 25 in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Hi, this is kind of a weird question...
Basically, I've been in maintenance since January and have been slowly increasing my calorie intake. I'm female, 18, 5"4 and 121lbs. The thing is, my weight has stayed about the same since I started maintaining, but the other day, my mum commented in passing that I was looking kind of skinny and needed to remember that I wasn't fat anymore. I checked my body fat, and it's dropped to 17%! I can only assume that this is due to the fact I''ve started lifting heavier weights and doing more extensive cardio now my exams are done. Now, I like the whole visible abs thing- I don't want to INCREASE my fat levels- but it seems to me that 1700 cals a day isn't going to cut it if I want to keep exercising in this way. The problem is, after years of barely 1200 I'm struggling to eat enough! I'm not a big 'junk' food fan and am a bit strapped for cash, and I don't eat meat of any sort. I was wondering if there are any other veggies around here with the same issue...?

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  • Posts: 4,397 Member
    Cheese and peanut butter. :love: (not together, though)
  • Posts: 3,218 Member
    Eating enough is not a problem for me. Avocados, nuts, olive oil, yogurt, and sometimes ice cream are my suggestions, in addition to the cheese and peanut butter mentioned above.

    How did you measure your body fat? Most self-measurements typically aren't too accurate.
  • Posts: 30
    Eating enough is not a problem for me. Avocados, nuts, olive oil, yogurt, and sometimes ice cream are my suggestions, in addition to the cheese and peanut butter mentioned above.

    How did you measure your body fat? Most self-measurements typically aren't too accurate.

    I used several different calculators, most of which used tape measures, some more accurate than others. I know it's difficult to get an accurate reading; last time I used them, it came out as 22%...even if the reading wasn't accurate, the drop is kind of scary :cry:
    Thanks for the advice, though! I tried avocado the other day and it was pretty good, so I'll try adding it in more :smile:
  • Posts: 8
    I'm vegan and have no problem hitting goals.

    Avocados, nuts, seeds, chickpeas :love: oils, wholegrains etc.
  • Posts: 354 Member
    Agree with the posters above ^^^

    Avocado, Pulses like chickpeas are quite calorific, Hummus, Any cheese, Full Fat greek yoghurt, Coconut milk, coconut based anything, dark chocolate, Almond and Peanut butter. Any type of nuts are extremely high in calories, its easy to eat 400-500 cals of just nuts alone.

    I eat all of the above regularly on maintenance.
  • Posts: 417 Member
    I used to be the fattest vegetarian ever. I assure you, it is quite possible to maintain and gain weight even as a vegan.

    Eat 2 veggie dogs instead of one at the family event. Eat all the rice you want. Have 3 bowls of cereal in the morning. Have more chips. Really dress those salads! Also, as others have mentioned: nuts, peanut butter on everything, avocados, and if you're lacto/ovo, eat as much cheese as you like. And cake. And cookies. Omg cookies... (dang it, now I'm hungry)

    PS I'm not currently vegetarian, nor am I trying to gain, but I've got a lot of experience gaining/maintaining weight as a vegetarian (I was veg for 12 years), so I thought I'd add my voice to the conversation.

    Good luck!
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  • Posts: 1,093 Member
    I'm vegan and experiencing the same thing (we're even about the same size and bf%). Add some more olive oil to your food, it would help without you even having to "eat more".
  • Posts: 265 Member
    I'm a vegan and I mostly eat fruit. I just shove more food in my mouth....not kidding.
  • Posts: 963 Member
    PEANUT BUTTER!!!

    my kryponite :(
    ^^^This
  • Posts: 86 Member
    The good fats mentioned already are all great... I cook with olive oil and coconut oils... I am not big on wheat, but I do love Millet, whole grain rye breads with no wheat, and quinoa... all high in protein as well. Broccoli is surprisingly high in protein.. I'll eat 3 stocks, steamed al dante, then top with either fresh squeezed lemon or Bragg apple cider vinegar and olive oil... toss like a salad and eat... OMG... so yummy! Also the line Garden of Life (I get thru vitacost.com) is a great line... some products are all organic, some are not... most vegetarian base, some are vegan based.... I use their protein based products with much success.... Don't be afraid to try new things!!!
  • Posts: 198 Member
    Calorie Dense Foods like Nuts... Increase intake of things like pasta and rice.... Peanut Butter sandwhiches are yummy
  • Posts: 1,720 Member
    show previous quotes

    I used several different calculators, most of which used tape measures, some more accurate than others. I know it's difficult to get an accurate reading; last time I used them, it came out as 22%...even if the reading wasn't accurate, the drop is kind of scary :cry:
    Thanks for the advice, though! I tried avocado the other day and it was pretty good, so I'll try adding it in more :smile:
    I doubt you gained that much muscle in that short of time. I think your measurements were off.
  • Posts: 41 Member
    I am also vegetarian: no warm-blooded meat at all, but from time to time I eat fish, especially salmon. If you are building muscle, you will need to eat more protein. Tofu is all protein and fat, although I have recently been alerted to the problem with phytates in unfermented soy which prevents maximal absorption of nutrients. Tempeh is a good source of all soy's goodness, plus lots of fibre, and it’s fermented. Unlike other pulses, soybeans have a lot of fat in them, so they will be more calorific than others. As others suggested: nuts and avocados and oils. Do not go the route of cookies and cakes as one person recommended, or you will find all your hard-lost weight returning. Your body will tell you if you aren’t getting enough.
  • Posts: 6 Member
    I'm pretty sure about half my calories come from peanut butter and almonds xD
  • Posts: 30
    Thanks for all the advice :) I think I'd been low cal for way too long and gotten into some weird habits :laugh: Just went ahead and bought some calipers so my measurements are more consistent (yes, I know these aren't 100% accurate, but they're better than tape measures, even if I am rather obsessive about accuracy of measurements etc.) just so I don't freak myself out again in future :blushing:
  • Posts: 1,584 Member
    eat more protein, and there's always potatoes - baked with light sour cream or mashed. tempeh is delish, and can be prepared in a wide variety of ways, and avocados rock as they're packed with healthy fats and you can make all sorts of tasty things with them or spread them on bread instead of mayo. lots of bodybuilders eat clean breads, oats and pasta.
  • Posts: 55 Member
    I used to be the fattest vegetarian ever. I assure you, it is quite possible to maintain and gain weight even as a vegan.

    Eat 2 veggie dogs instead of one at the family event. Eat all the rice you want. Have 3 bowls of cereal in the morning. Have more chips. Really dress those salads! Also, as others have mentioned: nuts, peanut butter on everything, avocados, and if you're lacto/ovo, eat as much cheese as you like. And cake. And cookies. Omg cookies... (dang it, now I'm hungry)

    PS I'm not currently vegetarian, nor am I trying to gain, but I've got a lot of experience gaining/maintaining weight as a vegetarian (I was veg for 12 years), so I thought I'd add my voice to the conversation.

    Good luck!


    You were vegetarian for 12 years and you just all of a sudden stoped? What changed your mind? did you get sick when you started eating meet? I ate a steak for my birthday after being vegetarian for only a year, and it was so hard to get down, and I got real sick after.
  • Posts: 218 Member
    1/4!cup of walnuts is 200 calories.
  • Posts: 417 Member
    show previous quotes


    You were vegetarian for 12 years and you just all of a sudden stoped? What changed your mind? did you get sick when you started eating meet? I ate a steak for my birthday after being vegetarian for only a year, and it was so hard to get down, and I got real sick after.

    When I got pregnant, I craved meat like a BEAST. Just smelling it drove me insane with hunger. So I went back to the dark side. Never got sick from re-introducing it either. :smile:
  • Posts: 831 Member
    Corn Chips with cheese, avocado and salsa always pushes me over my calories. OR Buttered popcorn popped on the stove with oil. Oh, and there's this AMAZING trail mix at the grocery store that I buy in bulk with banana chips and dark chocolate chips in it... yummm...Those always bring me over my calories!
  • Posts: 171 Member
    Rice, avocados, peanut butter, cheese, bread ...
  • Posts: 17 Member
    I am also vegetarian: no warm-blooded meat at all, but from time to time I eat fish, especially salmon.

    I think you mean pescatarian. Vegetarians don't eat any animals.
  • Posts: 306 Member
    Eating enough is not a problem for me. Avocados, nuts, olive oil, yogurt, and sometimes ice cream are my suggestions, in addition to the cheese and peanut butter mentioned above.

    How did you measure your body fat? Most self-measurements typically aren't too accurate.

    Seriously! Calorie-dense foods like beans, oils, PEANUT BUTTER, etc., is not that hard to add into meals you may already have. As a last resort, meal shakes/protein shakes work wonderfully as well.

    Your body fat decreasing isn't necessarily reason to worry, unless you're also losing muscle mass and it doesn't drop too low. As you build more muscle, your BMR goes up and therefore you lose a bit more fat. So just keep eating enough and if need be, start the day off with a few tbsp of peanut butter and you'll be alright. ;P
  • Posts: 306 Member
    I used to be the fattest vegetarian ever. I assure you, it is quite possible to maintain and gain weight even as a vegan.

    Eat 2 veggie dogs instead of one at the family event. Eat all the rice you want. Have 3 bowls of cereal in the morning. Have more chips. Really dress those salads! Also, as others have mentioned: nuts, peanut butter on everything, avocados, and if you're lacto/ovo, eat as much cheese as you like. And cake. And cookies. Omg cookies... (dang it, now I'm hungry)

    PS I'm not currently vegetarian, nor am I trying to gain, but I've got a lot of experience gaining/maintaining weight as a vegetarian (I was veg for 12 years), so I thought I'd add my voice to the conversation.

    Good luck!

    THIS. Vegetarian/vegan doesn't mean weight loss, and a lot of people tend to gain weight on those types of diets since they reach for carbohydrates to fulfill their energy needs, when they lack protein.

    It's possible to gain weight/body fat on any diet if you eat the proper amount of calories. Weight/body fat = calories in vs. calories expended. :)
  • Posts: 2,560 Member
    Go to the dollar store by a loaf of bread and eat it. Problem solved.
  • Posts: 20 Member
    if only i had this problem :cry:
  • Posts: 466 Member
    Basically stop eating any 'diet' foods - full fat milk cheese yogurt - google calorie dense foods- many are already mentioned.

    Also remember that you're living a healthy lifestyle - that means have an ice-cream or bar of chocolate as long as you're hitting your other macros and getting enough veg/nutrients you're grand.
  • Posts: 1,885 Member
    I gained weight over the past few days eating vegan. Black beans from the crock pot was the primary culprit (so delicious!) helped by the fact that olive oil + potatoes + salt = french fries.
  • Posts: 60 Member
    I always am amazed at the people who find it hard to maintain on a vegetarian diet - butter, ice cream, avocados, nuts, oil, chips, cake, simple carbs, and sweets, to name a few, are all vegetarian. My entire family is vegetarian (born and raised) and we all range from normal to overweight.

    I eat a 60g whey protein shake after every workout. Plus almond milk, it comes to about 300 calories, and is a perfect dietary add-on.

    I work out 2-3 hours a day 6 days a week and don't have a problem maintaining as an ovo-lacto.
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