not eating nearly "enough" calories (vegan)

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gsodano
gsodano Posts: 3
in Food and Nutrition
my daily goal is 1920 calories per day. on a day where i'm really hungry for whatever reason, i consume about 1000. i know im in a different situation because i'm a vegan, but i'm not sure if i should try to eat more or if i'm okay with 1000 calories. i mean i feel like the lower caloric intake would help me lose weight but realistically i don't know if thats correct. help me

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  • MorgueBabe
    MorgueBabe Posts: 1,188 Member
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    Can you open your diary?
  • taytay9955
    taytay9955 Posts: 23
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    You should be trying to get at least 1200 calories a day I am a vegan as well and when I have trouble getting enough cals I eat peanut butter, or other nuts.
  • gsodano
    gsodano Posts: 3
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    i just started this website today so i only have todays food entries. but i mean generally i eat the same type of foods.
  • eep223
    eep223 Posts: 624 Member
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    I know lots of vegans with this problem. Nuts and avocados and oils are your friends!
  • gsodano
    gsodano Posts: 3
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    i've been trying to avoid peanut butter lately but i guess its a double-edge sword haha
  • waterfaeriegirl
    waterfaeriegirl Posts: 22
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    1000 cal a day is not enough. You will make yourself sick/unhealthy (from person experience) and slow down your metabolism
    Open your diary. There are plenty of delicious ways to get enough calories on a vegan diet (I ate vegan for several years)

    Trail mix
    Various nut butters on whole grain bread. Add bananas or sliced strawberries or apples or just some good jam.
    Avocados! Make guacamole and dip pita chips (or delicious tortilla chips, you've got the calories! Just be reasonable on your amount)
    Hummus. Again with pita or other veggies
    Rice and beans
    Winter squash (pumpkin/butternut/acorn) cooked in coconut milk and flavored with curry and ginger. Add any other veggies you like - fantastic with some chard or kale thrown in for the last 5 min.

    You are low enough that I would add a smoothie at least once a day. Almond/hemp/rice/coconut milk for the liquid. Coconut milk will be the highest in calories. Add any fruits you like - banana, berries, peaches when they are in season, mangos, pineapples - fresh or frozen. Add some veggies - greens like kale/chard/spinach and/or root veggies like carrots or beets. Ground flax seeds for omega fats. Avocado. Nut butters. Get a vegan protein powder for added protein. You can easily make a smoothie with 200 calories or all the way up to 1000+ cal if you need.

    Message me if I can help further


    P.S. Beer is an easy source of calories and vegan ;-)
  • SuperFig86
    SuperFig86 Posts: 1
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    I would recommend reading the book "My Beef with Meat" by Rip Esselstyn. It is a great book for vegans! Also if you do not want to eat peanut butter there are alternatives such as Almond butter. :-)
  • ffargynnig
    ffargynnig Posts: 60 Member
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    Plant fusion, plant based, vegan friendly protien powder. I swear by it!
  • kb145
    kb145 Posts: 5 Member
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    I'm not a Vegan but I'm trying to add more Vegan meals to my week. I have to be very careful with fat because of an issue. Any suggestions on good online reading on how to balance nutrition while getting enough calories? I'm trying for 1500 a day and it's hard even if eating meat or seafood.
  • salembambi
    salembambi Posts: 5,585 Member
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    pasta
    rice
    beans
    quinoa
    rice cakes
    peanut butter
    trail mix / nuts
    avocado
    faux meats
    tofu .. quiches ,omelets,baked,bbq whatever
    make more sandwiches
    vegan protein powder
    banana!!!!!!!!!!!
  • ariesangel41
    ariesangel41 Posts: 1
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    Use coconut oil! That will boost your calories in a healthy way, and bonus, it's good for your hair and skin too!
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
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    as a vegan you're going to find it harder to get enough protein to maintain your lean body mass. If you're eating only 1000 cals a day, then that's going to put you at an even higher risk of losing lean body mass. So yes, I think you need to eat a lot more. Add in vegan friendly sources of fat, e.g. avocado, vegetable oils (cold pressed ones retain more nutrients), nuts and seeds. Also, be sure you're getting enough protein. Lentils, chickpeas, beans etc are quite high in carbs, so they should bump up both your protein and calorie levels. it's possible to get all the nutrition your body needs on a vegan diet, but harder. You should supplement with vitamin B12 and D2 if you're not already.
  • veggiebuckeye
    veggiebuckeye Posts: 115 Member
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    I was vegan for four years and you definitely need to be open to nuts (peanut butter as a vegan is a friendly food), beans and pastas. I saw whole grains mentioned like quinoa, definitely a staple!
  • enigmadiet
    enigmadiet Posts: 1
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    This is an amazing group of real people with real results.
    https://www.facebook.com/groups/VeganBodybuildingAndFitness/10152145451364859/?notif_t=group_comment_reply
  • TigerBite
    TigerBite Posts: 611 Member
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    Are you an ethical vegan?
  • Fullsterkur_woman
    Fullsterkur_woman Posts: 2,712 Member
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    as a vegan you're going to find it harder to get enough protein to maintain your lean body mass. If you're eating only 1000 cals a day, then that's going to put you at an even higher risk of losing lean body mass. So yes, I think you need to eat a lot more. Add in vegan friendly sources of fat, e.g. avocado, vegetable oils (cold pressed ones retain more nutrients), nuts and seeds. Also, be sure you're getting enough protein. Lentils, chickpeas, beans etc are quite high in carbs, so they should bump up both your protein and calorie levels. it's possible to get all the nutrition your body needs on a vegan diet, but harder. You should supplement with vitamin B12 and D2 if you're not already.
    I weep for the amount of muscle I lost when I was in my early 20s and lost 50 pounds on a (first vegan and then) vegetarian diet.
  • Negative_X
    Negative_X Posts: 296 Member
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    i've been trying to avoid peanut butter lately but i guess its a double-edge sword haha

    Switch to almond butter.
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
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    It's really not hard getting enough calories as a Vegan I struggle to understand why people have such a problem. I hit 2000 -2500 calories daily with no problems. Beans, nuts, Oils, pulses all calorie dense. A banana is on average 100 calories. Make a smoothie with some fruits Almond or soy milk and a spoon of peanut butter and you can easily hit 300 calories. A little olive or rapeseed oil as part of a dressing. Or just eat something like a peanut and oat trek bar which is 250 calories.
  • GingerLolita
    GingerLolita Posts: 738 Member
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    You should aim for at least 1200 calories, but try to get the goal MFP sets for you; you probably shouldn't eat under what MFP says for a loss of 2 lb/week.

    Lots of meals are improved if you top with 2 tablespoons of nuts, especially Asian meals with tofu and veggies. :) I also love dipping miscellaneous fruits and veggies in peanut butter. Also, this vegan recipe is so delicious that all your omnivore friends will love it too: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/aromatic-noodles-with-lime-peanut-sauce-recipe/index.html. I love stirring a tablespoon of creamy peanut butter into a serving of vanilla almond-based ice cream. Add avocado to sandwiches and pasta salads. You don't need to douse your meals in oil, but be generous. Also, I love making oatmeal with 1/2 cup rolled oats, 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, a sprinkle of cinnamon, 2 teaspoons of peanut or almond butter, 1 banana, and 2 tablespoons of chopped nuts; it's a decent amount of calories too!
  • FlaxMilk
    FlaxMilk Posts: 3,452 Member
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    Do you have a lot of food rules for yourself outside of the vegan ones? The reason I ask is that it's easy to get tons of calories on a vegan diet. If you have a lot of other rules, like limiting added fats in cooking or grains like pastas, it can be a little harder. But you should be able to hit whatever calorie goal is appropriate on a vegan diet.

    Banana (100) + Cherries (90) + peanut butter/almond butter/cashew butter (200) + protein powder (120) + nondairy milk of choice (50) = 560 calories. (You can add spinach and not taste it.) Add in chia seeds (150) or ground flax (70) and easily surpass 600 calories.

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