Young Vegetarian - any tips on being healthy?

I used to be a vegetarian when I was younger and it definitely assisted to my weight gain because I also ate a lot of pasta and processed foods.
First of all, try to switch any carbs you eat to wholewheat/"brown" versions. This way you are eating a healthier version already and assuming you cook a lot of meals with pasta and not just plain pasta, you wont notice a taste different too much once you've added a sauce and other bits to it.
Something else to look into is substitutes for meat products, do you eat them? If not, maybe look into it as you'll eat less carbs this way by filling your plate with things a little more nutritious.

It might be a good idea to research some vegetarian cook books or vegetarian diets to see what kind of meals they suggest?
I would imagine in your case you'd need to balance out your meals better so it's less carbs, more fruit, veg and protein.

I'm 20 and have been vegetarian since I was 12, and ate far too much bread and chocolate. I always try to eat a minimum of 5 a day fruit and veg now, and that's made me feel loads better. I used to take iron supplements, but I don't think they made that much difference- I recently started taking Boots 1-a-day vitamin C tablets, and I normally take 2, but the past 3 months I've been taking them for are the longest I've ever gone without getting ill.

Eat more veggies than fruit if you're trying to watch the carbs

Our diets sound so similar! I went through the exact same phase which caused me to gain all my weight ! eek!

Check your multi has b12 and iron, those seem to be pretty essential. Also consider taking a flaxseed supplement which is like fish oil but vegetarian, obviously!

Food like quinoa is good because it's a high protein grain that keep you full

You can add me if you want some ideas, my diary is open to friends.

Other good foods are low fat greek yogurt, eggs, almond milk, veggies and fruit.

Consider adding me as a friend. I am not vegetarian, but I rarely eat meat. My husband is Indian and we cook a lot of delicious Indian curries. Almost any vegetable can be made into a curry and there are a range of fabulous curry pastes, simmer sauces, etc. on the market. If you're serving with rice, just use a small portion of rice or use brown rice. (We use something called "Rose Matta" which can be bought at Indian groceries. It's rich in fiber.)

Trader Joe's has a lot of delicious items that are vegetarian friendly and require little work. For example, hummus with their garlic eggplant spread, some olives, and maybe some sprouts in a whole wheat pita or wrap = DELICIOUS! A lot of their frozen meals are reasonably priced and veggie friendly. (One of my friends on here swears by their masala dosa. I like their bean burritos.)

I have a lot of thoughts on delicious vegetables--too many to write here. For example, today, I had some yummy sauteed kale which was just sesame oil, kale, red onions, garlic, salt, zatar seasoning mix, and black pepper. No recipe and dang, I impressed myself with that one!

For me, the key is to 1) buy vegetables and 2) cook them. I know it sounds silly, but if I don't buy them and don't cook them I end up throwing rotten veggies away and eating crappy snack foods or fast food. I keep fruit around as snacks.

I hope you are well! Yay, vegetables!

I was vegetarian for 17 years, and am still mostly so now. Without animal protein, it's hard to get adequate B vitamins and iron. I take a B-50 as well as a women's multivitamin that contains iron to cover that.

For a healthier diet, fruits, veggies, nuts, tempeh, and seitan are a good start. If you're interested in learning more about vegetarian foods and cooking, The Vegetarian Times magazine is great for a newer vegetarian. It has lots of basic info product reviews, and recipes to get you started.

I think every vegetarian starts out as a pastatarian/cheesatarian, but food's even better once you move on from that. Good luck!

If you got to have season on your veggies do sea salt, but try none at all its better that way. If your a chip lover turn your veggies into chips or fruit perhaps cut up and throw them into the oven little olive oil and cinnamon or whatever you want thats a little sweet not to many calories until they get crisp.I stay away from bread its not our friend.I just began the vegan journey its going well feel free to add me :-)

B12 for sure - it is the one nutrient you can become deficient in.

HappyHerbivore.com - great recipes online and she has 3 books you can order.

Also, www.engine2diet.com or fatfreevegan.com

I started a forum for those eating plant based which is vegan to the 2nd power - I am posting a thing on B12 now and will invite you to the group to learn more.................

Add more fruits and vegetables, aim for at least five servings of them. Stay away from those fake meats because they are very processed and unhealthy. The nutrients added to them are not processed as well as from real whole foods. For protein, try quinoa, dairy, beans, organic soy, etc. Be careful of the b vitamins, most of them are found in meat. As well, try nuts. Nuts contain healthy fats, vitamins and minerals, and protein. Eat omega 3s as well, you can try flax seed and chia seed. Though, there are two forms of omega 3s; EPA and DHA I believe which are found in fish. Your body can convert ALAs into EPA and DHA though it is only a small amount. You can get an algae based supplement which can actually give you EPA and DHA because algae is where fish get there omega 3s from!