Vegitarian Diet Challenge

Hi J!
I was pescetarian (vegetarian + fish) a few years ago and realized I felt best on it and so I've been one again for the past few months. I love it and feel great so far! It's definitely a lifestyle choice to consider, I don't necessarily eat less cals (I didn't do it to cut my cals too low), but I make healthier choices and don't feel as overly stuffed/lethargic as I did on a meat-based diet. I eat more fruits and veggies for sure, less processed food, and when not eating fish (I only have it 1-2x/week), I eat the food combos needed to get complete proteins needed in my diet (tofu/soy products, egg whites, some cheese, beans+rice, nuts/legumes + grains, etc) If you ever need any recipes/recommendations to try let me know, I've got tons I've been collecting that I think are delicious!

A vegetarian diet can be very healthy (more so than a non-vegetarian diet), but it can also be unhealthy. If you eat lots of chips, dips, crisps, chocolate, candy... all of that can be eaten on a vegan diet (I know, I'm vegan and have done this). You can easily munch your way through thousands of calories on a vegetarian diet and get close to no nutrients.

If you actually eat lots of grains, legumes, beans, vegetables, fruit, water, seaweed, nuts, tofu, tempeh... all of which can be eaten unprocessed (except tofu & tempeh obviously, which are processed) in their whole form... then you're really gonna struggle not to loose weight if you have any to spare. And you'll find your energy level goes up, your skin looks better, you feel cleaner on the inside.

Tracking it on mfp is a good way to learn to do it properly. You need to watch iron and calcium (although if you're planning on eating cheese you're not going vegan, so calcium probably wont be a problem - if it is, soy milk and Chinese cabbage / pak choy are excellent sources). I doubt you'll have any problem with protein (the idea that vegetarians need to be careful of their protein level is basically a myth promulgated by the meat & livestock industry, though if you keep eating the same food every day you may find it lacks one or two amino acids which can be a problem over time).

If you're interested in the ethical reasons for being vegetarian, get hold of one of Peter Singer's books. "Pratical Ethics" was the first of his I read, and I found it very convincing (largely because it articulated things I already believed). I've been vegan for about 10 years since then.

Good luck.

ive been a vego(no fish or eggs) for 18 years, its the reason im on a diet no, you have to be really carfull guys... cheese and bread are a killer as im sure you know, but its hard to feel satisfied on pure veggies/salad, and theres a desire to jazz them up by oven roasting etc which will introduce oil calories. eat plenty of tofu (i know its processed but it fills the gap), a long term vego diet is a hard thing to get right, especially if you like to eat out (limited menu options etc)
good luck! - hope i wasnt stating the obvious!

I am a vegan and thank you, dom_m, for your post. you are exactly right. i started the vegan diet to be healthy but it is easy to be unhealthy on a vegan diet --- there are a lot of yummy vegan junk foods!! so you have to balance it and make sure you are eating in a healthy way. you will have an easier time than I do with protein as i am allergic to tree nuts and want to limit soy intake. but it can still be done. try to eat a lot of raw fruits and vegetables... i have never felt healthier than when i am eating mostly raw. i am a preschool teacher and watch as colds and viruses run through the school ---- they typically avoid me... i think all the carrot juice (non-pasteurized) plays a big part in that!! )
but to answer your question - YES! you can be very very very healthy as a vegetarian/vegan!
Good luck!!

Hi, I've been a lacto ovo vegetarian from day 1 and have had no problems.

You can easily get your protein from from lentils and rice, soya products, wild rice, tofu, pita brea, houmous, breakfast cereals, nuts, seeds, beans (kidney beans, baked beans, black beans, lima beans ) , broccoli, spinach, oats, rye crackers, whole wheat crackers, mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, quinoa, couscous

Good luck!

My daughter and I both lost a bunch of weight when we first went vegetarian. I went from eating take out twice a day to no take-out, and that made a huge difference. I put the weight back on after I stopped trying to be a healthy vegetarian, and basically ate nothing but junk food.

I added chicken and turkey back to my diet after a couple of years, because I was having a hard time finding sources of protein I liked. I still find that not eating beef and pork helps with weight loss- particularly if fast food is an issue for you.

I think there's nothing inherent about any particular diet that is 'healthy' or 'unhealthy.' I'm a lacto-ovo vegetarian. I spent two months on veganism, convinced by the ethics (other Singer read: The Ethics of What We Eat), but was very disappointed with the sharp rise in caloric intake for myself. Soy milk has significantly more calories than skim milk, for example, which made my daily lattes hard. Additionally, I found I was putting a lot more carbohydrates in my diet to make up for other foods I had normally eaten, and was gaining weight rather quickly.

However, I am convinced that had I stuck with it, I could have found a balance that worked for me - particularly if I was using MFP! Whether you're eating meat, fish, animal products of any kind, or none, it's all about the calorie deficit.

If you are interested in learning more about vegetarian/vegan lifestyle and diet, the Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine (http://www.pcrm.org) is running their 21 day challenge again. They promote a low-fat, plant based diet. They've got great resources online to teach you more about the "basic four food groups" (grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables) and the "Power Plate". Lot's of good recipes too. And if it floats your boat, there are celebrities encouraging you along the way (athletes, doctors, actresses, authors, etc). Go check it out. I've been eating vegetarian (almost vegan) for six months. It's easy to get off track without resorting to meat though--especially if you're dealing with emotional eating/holidays, etc. GOOD LUCK!