Tired of being a fat vegetarian

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triinityz
triinityz Posts: 146 Member
in Introduce Yourself
I became a veg about 5 1/2 years ago and let me tell you, if you are a true veg, you will lose weight without trying! I lost 60 pounds in about 8 months and kept it off for 3 years. Well, over the next 2 1/2 years, I managed to gain it all back (I think I've yo-yo'd the same 20 lbs about 8 times!) Trust me, it's amazing how much crap you can eat and still stick to being a veg. I guess I'm tired of people looking at me when they find out I am one like "Wow, why is she so fat if she's one of those freaks" lol.

A friend of mine sent me this web site and I was so excited because it's so well put together! I'm hoping that I'll be able to make new friends on here and get back to a healthy weight. I know the only way I can do this is with support of like minded people, so I'm hoping to make new friends on the forums that I can be helped by and help them stay motivated and on the right track. Nice to meet you all :)

Replies

  • IrishChick71
    IrishChick71 Posts: 311 Member
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    Hello and welcome aboard! This is a great place for encouragement and support. Feel free to add me if you like.
  • OLP76
    OLP76 Posts: 768 Member
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    Welcome and enjoy your stay... :smile:
  • JenHollandsworth
    JenHollandsworth Posts: 25 Member
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    I gained weight when I became a vegetarian (almost 3 years ago)... It is because I ate too many carbs. I started eating pasta a lot more. Good luck and welcome. I love this site! :)

    Jen
  • JesaGrace
    JesaGrace Posts: 799 Member
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    Welcome to the site....
  • lucybp
    lucybp Posts: 193
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    Welcome. I am a veg, and yes one can gain weight easily as a veggie ... my issue is carbs, carbs and more carbs. That continues to be my challenge, but I'm facing it and dealing with it. Feel free to add me, we can support each other :)
  • Jaypea15
    Jaypea15 Posts: 71 Member
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    Welcome and feel free to add me if you want.

    I am not a Veggie myself but I married a Veggie, who has a dislike of Vegetables BTW!, anyway, I began eating what he did, because it was easier not to cook two meals daily, and boy did I put on huge amounts of weight.

    Lots of pasta, pizza, chips, chocolate and cheese was no good for anyone. Therefore I joined this amazing site on 1st Jan 2011, and have found an amazing amount of lovely people who offer constant support..........

    Hope you find it as helpful as I have, and good luck with your journey. We all need it!

    J. :flowerforyou:
  • twinwolf
    twinwolf Posts: 165 Member
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    Just for kicks, read the book "Real Food" by Nina Planck if you are a vegetarian or are considering becoming one. Read it if you aren't one also.. It's a great eye-opener. Just my two sense.

    Good luck with the weight loss!
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    Start eating meat, then you won't be a fat vegetarian anymore. LOL :laugh:
  • ShrinkinMel
    ShrinkinMel Posts: 982 Member
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    When people find out I eat a lot of veggies and don't eat a lot of meat they look at me the same way. Just because its vegetarian doesn't mean its low calorie or fat free. There is a lot of processed junk that is veg.

    I know I lose weight easily when I stick to whole foods that are vegetarian. My 7 year old would also like to be vegetarian. I won't be too picky on what she eats away from home but she seems to have a desire to not eat animals. We are both lactose intolerant so we don't drink milk(almond or soy for us) already but we do eat cheese here and there and yogurt occasionally. Both of which I know we could use the occasional supplement.

    I do swap out animal for plant protein in some things like tacos. Where its easier to have 2 options. Sometimes I make separate toppings for my brother. But I don't sacrifice protein. If I run out of veggie options I will eat a small portion of meat. I can't wait to get us stable in our own place again so I can eat how I want all the time.
  • triinityz
    triinityz Posts: 146 Member
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    LOL yea then I'll just be FAT! :sad:
  • TheMaidOfAstolat
    TheMaidOfAstolat Posts: 3,222 Member
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    Start by swapping out the types of carbs you're eating. Eat whole grains in their purest forms....barley, oats, millet, amaranth, quinoa....ect.

    Since you're veg and not vegan...eat plain greek yogurt instead of the regular fruit flavored yogurts.

    It your protein in their purer forms as well...cut out the faux meats. I only have quorn or morningstart products 2-3 times a week...max.

    Feel free to PM me...I've been a veg my entire life and was a strict vegan for a number of years. There are a lot of veg/vegans on this site...so don't feel like you're alone.
  • laurakrowe
    laurakrowe Posts: 52
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    i'm vegetarian and overweight ---- WAY too many carbs!!!
  • bettyboop573
    bettyboop573 Posts: 610 Member
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    Welcome. I am a veg, and yes one can gain weight easily as a veggie ... my issue is carbs, carbs and more carbs. That continues to be my challenge, but I'm facing it and dealing with it. Feel free to add me, we can support each other :)

    I find since I've been eating mostly vegetarian carbs seem to be what i have to watch as well!
  • TabbyJustice
    TabbyJustice Posts: 132 Member
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    I'm on the same "boat" as you and all the other vegetarians that have posted. It's so easy to eat junk and be vegetarian! Cheese pizza, pasta, chinese food, etc. I've been a vegetarian since spring of 2002 and I've managed to put myself in a spot where I need to lose 70 pounds. I wish you the best of luck fellow veggie! I know you can do it!
  • kasandraaa
    kasandraaa Posts: 22
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    I recently went vegan,
    but now I enjoy seafood & egg whites...
    still no dairy or other meat.

    I understand where you're coming from.
    This website is great because it really holds you accountable for what you do eat!
    Maybe we can be friends and motivate eachother....
    BEST OF LUCK!
  • hippiechel
    hippiechel Posts: 170 Member
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    THIS IS MY LIFE. "how can you gain weight if you are vegetarian?" common question asked. feel free to add me! i gained 25lbs last year!
  • erinlyon
    erinlyon Posts: 8
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    Hi~ At the risk of making you hate me right off the bat, I have to admit that is exactly what I think when I meet someone who is overweight and vegetarian. Well, the wow part, not the freak part, I admire that part :) However, in your defense and to those who have food allergies/intolerance I agree. It is very hard to keep weight off with all the other options you start to "allow" youself simply because you know you can't or choose not to eat certain other "bad" foods. My sister, mother and aunt all have an intolerance to Gluten, for them this means so many foods go right out the window. I constantly hear complaints of "I wish I could eat that..." or "i'm so jealous you can eat wherever you want..." Truthfully, so can they, but what bother's me is that for certain people (not naming names or relation) who have this problem, they constantly allow themselves indugences because they feel they are allowed to 'treat' themselves. For those of us who do not have these allergies/intolerances or choose not to be veg. or vegan we too fall into the trap of 'treats'. I think that dieting or a lifestlye change in your food in-take can be problematic for anyone. Ok now that it sounds like i've gone off on a tangent here is what I mean to say; it's always going to be easy to fall into the 'treat trap' it's over coming that and not allowing youself to indulge in the beginning; so that later you can say to yourself "I was able to curb that feeling by doing....fillin the blank with a 'good' food or activity... and I know I can get past this craving now too". I too, wish you the best of luck and I encourage you to encourage yourself. Don't wait for other's to do it! I tend to lean on my husband for the support I have always lacked in giving myself and then hate him/myself in return when I fail. Stay positive and know you are not alone :) It sounds like you have great self motivation already, I think you will lose the weight you want to lose, and in return you will be healthy and happy, maybe even feel sexy for yourself and/or your partner. That's is all I hope for. Feel free to add me as a friend, maybe we can share ideas for what things we treat ourselves to that iaren't food. I could use a hobby!
  • bkofspielman
    bkofspielman Posts: 1
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    Hello everyone. New to the forums.. this will be my first post. I just saw this feed and it resonated with me.. I feel the same way as you!

    I was a vegetarian in 6th grade [many, many years ago,] and then went back to meat shortly thereafter because my family thought I was crazy and I never knew what to eat INSTEAD of meat. At 21, I got pregnant with my daughter. I tried to eat healthy, and I mostly just ate turkey breast sandwiches on wheat bread. I had a lot of energy, a good pregnancy, great delivery, and she was a healthy baby girl. By 23, I just couldn't stand meat anymore, though. The texture, the flavor; everything about it just doesn't sit well with me. So I went back to being a vegetarian. I'm 27 and I weigh more now than I did when I was 8 months pregnant! I am 5'3" and small-boned, so all of my extra weight probably feels double what it actually is, but I hate it. I have a good 60 pounds [of fat] to lose before I'll be happy with myself in shorts again. My biggest issue is not knowing how to eat. I don't eat a ton of Morningstar just because it's expensive, so only 2-3 times a week. Now, however, I am living with my boyfriend of 4 years, and he has two kids of his own that stay with us a lot. No one else is a vegetarian. We end up throwing together meals with a lot of canned veggies that I'm not thrilled with the taste of, and I myself have to scrounge around and figure out how to make up my lack of protein intake. A lot of the issue, much like other posters have confessed to, is consuming too much cheese and carbs. And what's worse is, I'm not even a pasta fan! I don't drink soft drinks or juice, I hate heavy breakfast foods [pancakes, donuts, etc.] and I'm not even a fan of grease or fried food. [Cheese enchaladas really get me, though. ;) ]

    Anyway, I just have NO idea how to balance my nutrition and make healthy meals every day that actually give me energy. Does anyone have any advice they've found is helpful, or good resource sites for planning a vegetarian menu for the week that would suit kids, as well?

    Good luck to us all, I suppose! Thanks for listening =)
  • ajuliagulia
    ajuliagulia Posts: 1
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    I immediately gained about 75 pounds within a year or two of going vegetarian. That was in 1995. i have yet to take off weight and maintain a loss. my weight gain definitely had a lot to do with too many carbs from pasta, pizza, and breads because I wasn't getting enough protein. I didn't and still don't like Tempeh, Tofu, and, Quinoa. I've been told that processed soy proteins like Morningstar Farms products and Yves (which I do like) are not good for you. I'm having a hard time finding enough varied protein sources to keep me from feeling hungry and resorting to carbs to help me feel satiated. The thought of eating meat makes me want to either cry or hurl but my weight coaches are advising me to eat meat again. Help!

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