What about Vegetarians? Any weight loss tips?

mrslang051008
mrslang051008 Posts: 7
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey! I am a chubby vegetarain. Yes, there is such a thing. Does anyone have any good meal plans or tips on getting protein without meat?

Replies

  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
    Eat a normal balanced veggie diet and you should easily get enough protein.
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,605 Member
    Quorn, pulses. Nuts. Soya. Eggs. Greek yoghurt. Plenty of protein
  • mrslang051008
    mrslang051008 Posts: 7
    Thanks! It's so hard to stay away from the carbs !!!
  • mrslang051008
    mrslang051008 Posts: 7
    I need a good meal plan too !
  • touchafaith
    touchafaith Posts: 112 Member
    Hi! I'm a chubby vegetarian too. I eat alot of quorn meals which helps as there naturally low in fat and high in protein. I'm not doing low carb though just calorie counting and I've lost 19lb in 50 days so far. Breakfast I tend to have cereal (without milk as I hate the taste), lunch I'll have a quorn filet (55cals) with a sprinkle of cheese and put them toasted on a sand thin which are the new 100 calorie things. This meal is 235 calories and really filling too. My tea is any meal with quorn really and I tend to keep it below 600 as I snack in the day. Hope this helps a bit and feel free to add me if you'd like support and motivation :smile:
  • LottieLou13
    LottieLou13 Posts: 574 Member
    Feel free to check out my diary for so far today, just for fun I compared my (meat free) breakfast to the exact same one with meat. As a vegetarian I've never had an issue getting enough protein :)
  • Ophidion
    Ophidion Posts: 2,065 Member
    Thanks! It's so hard to stay away from the carbs !!!
    Why stay away from carbs...are you diabetic?

    Plenty of vegetarian protein supplements out there and you could also Google plant based high protein sources.

    As for losing weight and maintaining fitness the basic formula is the same no matter what your dietary preference is.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819925-the-basics-don-t-complicate-it

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think

    You could also join groups like...

    Happy Herbivores-http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/45-happy-herbivores

    Plant Strong Support Group!-http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/13017-plant-strong-support-group
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,605 Member
    Well, I do think veges tend to overdo it on carbs - I know I do, and that if I'm not tracking, carbs are where my problems creep in, weightwise. So it's not an unreasonable concern to want to watch that.

    Rose Elliot does some nice low cal recipes in her various diet books. There's a Cranks vegetarian diet book which is good too. But generally, I just cook normally, make sure I eat plenty of veg (at least half, probably more, on my plate is vegetable), and weigh dairy and carbs, so I'm sure of my intake, I'm usually fine.

    A good strategy for me, for getting decent protein has been to make sure I have something protein-y with lunch - often the meal I historically left protein out for. Easiest is a homemade vege soup, including 25g of dried lentils. Easy as pie to make - just chop up the veg, add the lentils, cover with water, add a bit of veg stock (marigold bouillon is best). Either mush it a bit with a masher, or blend it if you prefer smooth. Tasty, low cal, filling, and good on protein.
  • lisalsd1
    lisalsd1 Posts: 1,519 Member
    My daughter has an allergy, so I often make vegan meals. I have a cookbook: Veganomicon, which I really like. We aren't big meat eaters anyway. I tend to cook a lot of beans (black beans, chickpeas), tofu, hummus, quinoa, whey protein, nuts, eggs, greek yogurt, cottage cheese.
  • aquarabbit
    aquarabbit Posts: 1,622 Member
    Get a good list of recipe blogs (even non-vegetarian ones have some great veggie alternatives), join one of the vegetarian groups on this site (lots of great info and great if you want recipes and substitution advice), and try to stock up on a few ontray items that are veggie friendly and freeze well, that way you'll always have a quick, healthy meal even if you're short on time. I'm not a vegetarian, but I still make a lot of vegetarian meals or use vegetarians substitutes to stretch my meat (phrasing!) since it's so expensive where I live. Some of the frozen meals I always have on hand is zucchini lasagna (I'm baking this tonight! No pasta, just zucchini slices), spinach and mushroom ravioli (I use super thin wonton wrappers for the ravioli, so it's much lighter than the thick normal pasta), felafel (which I bake instead of fry), and a collection of soups that I can just throw in a pot, heat up, and add some cheese for a full meal. There are lots of vegetarians and vegans on this site, so I'm sure that you'll find lots of great tips!
  • cadaverousbones
    cadaverousbones Posts: 421 Member
    I am not vegetarian now, but I used to be and still eat some vegetarian meals. I like to have eggs for breakfast with whole grain toast on days I have time. Greek yogurt is great for extra protein. Also, I like to make stir fry with veggies and tofu. Legumes and other nuts, beans, etc have protein in them.. You could also do a google search for veggies or foods high in protein.
  • celadontea
    celadontea Posts: 335 Member
    I'm a chubby vegetarian, too. Carbs are great for you, but the key is to avoid processed and refined carbs and go for veggies, fruits, and whole grains. Avoid white rices, pastas, candies, sodas. And look around for some exercises that appeal to you and start doing them often.
  • Eastern_Echo23
    Eastern_Echo23 Posts: 198 Member
    I am a vegetarian!
    i cook lots of pasta, rice and couscous. Always use BIO-Grade produce (Organic) if possible and reasonably priced, and eat lots of things like nuts and fruits as well. I like making chili a lot which is basically beans, onions, bell peppers, and tomato. I also like cooking with Tofu.
  • jayjay12345654321
    jayjay12345654321 Posts: 653 Member
    exactly why do u feel you need Protein?
    C.L.
    and if you are a Chubby Veggie..you are doing it wrong:)

    huh?x2

    lol! i had the same reaction, Ophidion. i wasn't expecting to find a meathead on a vegan post.

    so Slang, what kind of vegan are you? regular, ovo, lacto or pesco? all three of the latter have great animal protein sources. if you're a straight vegan, though, then soy, nuts and legumes are probably the most obvious sources. i'm vegan, but i'm also raw. i don't cook anything, so it's all eaten fresh. no packages, cans, jars or boxes except for the tofu container. though my protein source is plant-based, i'm over my minimum every day with no effort. one place i regularly fall short though is carbs according to MFP. i'm not sure why considering the sugar in some of the fruits and the fiber in the veggies, but either way, i'm dropping fat rapidly under my doctor's supervision and getting a 2 thumbs up on my bloodwork results. i'm sure there are other sources, too.
  • suziepoo1984
    suziepoo1984 Posts: 915 Member
    I know what you mean. I am chubby vegetarian too, you don't need meat to be overweight. Just loads of any food :D
    Anyway, i have the same problem with high carbs and low protien. This is how our family has been eating forever, so its hard for me to make the change.
    I have just started trying these things. I eat eggs(not sure if you do), Greek yoghurt, nuts, muscle milk(20g protien) , milk, string cheese, lentils, tofu, hummus. But I still fall below the normal protien range.
    I have seen lot of people use whey protien, never used it myself though.
    Good luck :)
  • arl1286
    arl1286 Posts: 276 Member
    I've been a vegetarian for 6 years and my diary is open. Feel free to take a look.
  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
    If I did I'd pass them along but just eating less is all that's helped me.
  • kapoorpk
    kapoorpk Posts: 244 Member
    I have detailed my entire process, including food choices, around the 70 pounds of weight I have lost while being a vegetarian and am now focused on building lean muscle mass. Feel free to read the details at my blog that can be found at:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/kapoorpk/view/updated-my-journey-to-reclaim-fitness-70-lost-pounds-later-558817
  • Cait_Sidhe
    Cait_Sidhe Posts: 3,150 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/926789-protein-sources

    ^written by a vegetarian who has done her research. It's really not that hard to get protein from vegetarian resources. I am a pescetarian but I eat mostly vegetarian. My food diary is always open if you think it might help.
  • benol1
    benol1 Posts: 867 Member
    Hey! I am a chubby vegetarain. Yes, there is such a thing. Does anyone have any good meal plans or tips on getting protein without meat?

    Give up sugar, fructose, all processed foods, and go completely vegan. When you've done that and you are comfortable with the lifestyle, then take carbs out of your diet.
    Protein isn't an issue - you'll get plenty of high-quality protein in tofu, beans, tempeh and nuts.
    You'll also feel a million times better and have heaps of energy.
    Try this invaluable resource: http://nutritionfacts.org/topics/vegans/
    kind regards,

    Ben
  • ssm_1972
    ssm_1972 Posts: 396 Member
    Oh......being a veggie I can understand your problem of taking enough Protein along with other vitamins & minerals keeping your Carb goal under. It is tough to go for Tofu, Legumes, same Beans - Nuts etc on regular basis. You can't eat more nuts - tofu even, really bit tough !

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