Am I eating enough?

curlygirl513

I've been looking around about veganism and being that I'm eating whole foods, and gave up sugar, several long term vegans have posted that vegans on this diet do not need to restrict calories, much less restrict them as much as I am. These long-term vegans say that calorie restriction causes health problems and people give up because they don't feel good.

Honestly, I think that may be happening to me. I'm losing weight very quickly. Much faster than 2 pounds per week. I'm a big woman, 230 pounds, and I getting a ration of 1200 calories.

any of you friends got thoughts on this matter? Fruitarians eat a ton of calories and they are not fat at all.

curlygirl513

My 5'1 friend came by with some magazines for me and I spoke with her. She is a long term vegan. She things 1250 calories for a no sugar eating whole foods vegan is fine for a female. I'm 5 feet 7 inches tall. I feel better after talking to her.

Perhaps I have lost a lot of water weight. I'm a lot less puffy than I was.

proximateplatypus

I've been vegan for almost 3 years, but was about 2 pounds overweight for the first year and a half. Then I started to "only eat what I need" and lost about 5 pounds, and stayed at that weight for a year. I've only started losing weight again once I started counting calories on MFP.
I don't have personal experience with that much calorie restriction and i'm not a nutritionist, but what I've read on healthy weight loss, says you should calculate your BMR (how many calories your body naturally burns per day just keeping you alive--mine is about 1200 calories) and Total Daily Energy Expenditure (total calories you burn each day, including from eating, walking around and exercising--mine is about 1900 calories), and eat somewhere between there. so I aim for 1590/day.

If you don't eat more than 1200 calories/day, in the long term I don't think you will feel very good. on the other hand, it's completely possible to gain weight as a vegan, so you should make sure you're eating a little under your TDEE. also don't forget to eat a balanced diet and include a light amount of exercise! i think that is most important to feeling good.

sam88keys

1200 is the absolute minimum number for any diet. Was that number from myfitnesspal's calculations? My starting recommendation (I started out at 180 lbs) was 1400-1600 calories, so I would at least go for that number, if not a bit higher depending on how you feel. 1200 is really not a sustainable number for long-term weight loss, especially if you are immediately starting out at that number (I know I have lasted at 1200 calories/day for maybe a week or two at most before becoming absolutely ravenous). And especially for vegans, I've noticed that I've had to eat a lot more as a vegan, contrasted to an omnivore diet, in order to get the same satiety and energy levels. You may be different than me in that aspect, but just something to keep in mind when determining your optimum calorie goal.

The people who say that you don't need to restrict calories as a vegan are most likely referring to the 80/10/10 diet, or 100% raw, or raw till 4 (fairly closely related although not quite). That diet is entirely different than the standard vegan diet (having been on both, currently on 80/10/10), with massive amounts of fruits, veggies, pure carbs/starches, and no added fats. I'm on 80/10/10 because I feel better on it and prefer to not have to count my calories (although I still do so I can monitor my nutrient levels), but you can be completely okay on a "regular" vegan diet as well.

If you are not going to go on a raw or 80/10/10 diet, I would recommend continuing to monitor your calories but certainly increase your calorie allowance until you are at a comfortable level. Start with 1400, or even 1600, and see what works for you from there.

curlygirl513

I appreciate your comments my fellow vegans. Your insight and experience is helpful to me and thank you for sharing yours.

I do realize I'm not eating enough. 1200 calories is not fair because I want to eat more fruit and I don't believe for one minute a fruit snack at night is going to harm my weight loss.

Hence, tonight I ate another serving of the awesomely delicious pineapple I cubed up this morning. I swear it tastes like rainbows, flowers, and all pretty things. I'm going to allow myself to eat fruit at night if I'm hungry.

I believe by limiting my intake so severely I'm causing some harm. Likewise, my being a healthy whole foods diet following vegan, allows me more slack.

I've given up dairy, meat, and eggs. My only fats come from good sources, like raw nuts or healthy oils and those are limited. I looked back on my diary, and for the most part it looked fantastic.

Thank you for your support. You have mine too. And yours means so much to me.

curlygirl513

And I forgot to mention that in addition to giving up dairy products and other animal proteins, I am not eating refined sugar. That is making a huge difference. So few empty calories and I am not having food cravings. I love that.

littlekitty3

If you're losing more than 2 lbs per week then yes, eat more.

KatyFace9801

Do you FEEL hungry. I know that sounds like a stupid question, but we so often eat because it's time to eat. Since I've switched to a mainly raw diet I've found it's so easy to LISTEN to my body and know when I feel hungry.
Now, if you feel hungry... EAT MORE!

I think for 230 pounds 1200 calories is too low. Also, are you exercising?

I just eat when I'm hungry-- mostly raw plants-- and I workout every day and I usually fall somewhere between 1300- 1600 calories. I'd say up it a little bit. Maybe shoot for 1300 and see how you feel

curlygirl513

I do eat when I'm hungry since this post. I was wating to eat, but being hungry for some time. I've done well spacing out food throughout the day so it is never a long time between food, (snacks and meals)

I realize I need to eat when I am hungry, and it will be snacks that are healthy. I will nibble some nuts or eat some fruit, or some vegetables. Thank you for your input. I appreciate it.

balanceandnirvana

when I first started being vegan i tried to eat very little (1400 calories ish) and minimal sugar/ carbs and it was awful and left me feeling horrible and tired all the time and made me binge. I'm a fruitarian now and eat tons of fruit without gaining actual weight. The sugars in fruits and natural carbs are very good for you! You don't need to restrict your intake and feel tired and hungry all the time (:

aldousmom

I read thru all of the posts and seems as if you're figuring it out! good for you!!

I found that I didn't necessarily have to eat more calories as a whole foods plant based vegan, but I did have to eat a little bit more frequently. Not really a whole meal, but a little nibble of something here and there between meals.