Vegetarian Trying To Gain Weight

Stam9012
Stam9012 Posts: 8
in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
Hey there, guys ^_^

My name is Seium, I'm a vegetarian and I'm underweight. I'm trying to gain weight, but I'm having trouble doing that. I'm going to be working on a meal plan but I'm having trouble figuring out the things I need. My diet is mainly consistent of vegan, natural and organic foods. I avoid dairy but still have it occasionally and I still eat eggs. I do not eat meat of any kind, whether it be fish, poultry, or red meats and the like. I am 5'11". I weigh about 134lbs, my goal is 160lbs, and the amount of calories they said I need to consume is about 2,780. I have low protein and I'm currently anemic (taking supplements to fix that). So foods that I can buy or make that are vegetarian and high in protein and/or iron would be fantastic. Also any recommended food plans would be nice too, or anything else that might be helpful. :) Thanks so much! <3 xoxo

Replies

  • Slrajr
    Slrajr Posts: 438 Member
    Hi:).
    I want to say look at my diary but it's been really crappy lately. If you tell me what you like to eat, I'll help you come up with recipes and meals.

    Otherwise I'll just make these suggestions;

    Add a TBS of Earth balance spread, peanut butter, and other nut butters to everything, mashed potatoes, bread, ice cream, cookies, veggies, soups, etc. Fat has nine calories per gram; it is calorie dense making it easier to gain weight. Other high fat foods are oils (olive, safflower, grapeseed... try them all! ) nuts like Brazil nuts, walnuts, cashews (yummy! Keep them on your coffee table with a nut cracker to snack on whenever), and my favourite: potato chips (*sigh*)

    Good sources of vegan protein are:
    seitan, make it yourself and add extra sesame oil to your recipe!
    Tofu, I love scrambled tofu or "egg salad" made with almondaise and tofu.
    Beans
    Quinoa and brown rice
    Peas and lentils
    (Nuts)
    Dark green veggies like broccoli, spinach, chard, kale and brussel sprouts. Roast a variety of veggies and sprinkle with a tbs of red star nutritional yeast (protein, b12... Among other things)
    Make saag! It is a south Asian greens dish made with mustard greens and spinach ( or other greens), ghee (butter), and spices. So yummy!!!! If you don't eat butter replace with hemp spread or Earth Balance.

    Buy some cook books.
    I hope that's a good start and you can take one of these ideas and use it:)
  • mikeabboud
    mikeabboud Posts: 26 Member
    Try Rice and Beans I've read somewhere you the two togther provide alot of the protein you need. I dont eat any meat on fridays so I supliment with whey and rice and beans. change up the beans, I like pinto and black beans. You might want to try red meat once in a while to help with the anemic issue. Might help
  • joelenses
    joelenses Posts: 1
    Hi Seium! I'm a vegan, and although i'm trying to do the opposite of what you're doing (lose weight), i really suggest looking into getting some vegan protein powder. I use the growing naturals pea protein, and it's really great! There are 15 grams of protein in each scoop. Maybe have a smoothie once or twice a day and include that, a banana, nuts, peanut butter, and anything else you might want into it. I also agree with Slrajr, adding earth balance to your foods could definitely be helpful in gaining weight. They also make vegan ice cream and it's REALLY good. :smile:
  • kimrivercity
    kimrivercity Posts: 9
    Hi Seium, maybe you should do the opposite of what I'm trying to do to lose weight, which is I'm eliminating many white type foods. Breads, pastas, Vegan dairy, sugars, white rice, potatoes and Vegan mayonnaise, Veganaise. If you incorporate a lot of these, it might help.

    But, I'm no expert. I just know these things make me gain weight. And they make me crave more foods.

    Another idea is to search the internet for Vegan bodybuilders who usually have a healthy approach to healthy weight gain.

    I met Robert Cheeke at a Veg festival once and he was very kind and down to earth. I'm not a body builder fan. But he does promote a healthy lifestyle, even when he's not training.

    http://www.veganbodybuilding.com/?page=bio_robert

    and

    http://youtu.be/JqZ_liYEFw0

    He supports the Vega supplement products and I love the Vanilla Chai shake. Plant based protein shakes are the only ones my stomach can digest, as opposed to animal proteins, which are very hard to break down. Which I know you wouldn't eat anyway.

    Check this site out. I'm guessing taking a shake daily along with eating may help you gain weight: http://myvega.com/products/

    Most of all, be good and true to yourself. And love yourself no matter where you are in life. That mindset will help you when your weight fluctuates. Good luck!
  • aliu00
    aliu00 Posts: 61
    Yes. add more Protein and fiber into your diet will help. http://bit.ly/1d2HrzG
    Do you eat breakfast? In the morning,drink some nutrition shake. http://bit.ly/1eYtmVP
    Also maybe use digest enzyme as addition to help your body absorb the nutrition. http://bit.ly/1ct9wCo

    Hope this helps?
  • lisalsd1
    lisalsd1 Posts: 1,519 Member
    Nuts/peanut butter/seeds (plenty of fat, calories, protein); rice & beans (complete protein together) add olive oil for fat and calories); sautee veggies with olive oil for added fat/cals; cottage cheese has an awesome amount of protein for a relatively small serving size (if you do eat some dairy); flax oil added to something you already eat (like cottage cheese) will add fat/cals; also chia/hemp seeds added to something like oatmeal adds fat/protein/fiber. As for iron, a supplement would probably be necessary if you are anemic, but for foods: spinach, raisins, beans/lentils, artichokes. I read if you eat vitamin C and iron together, it helps the body absorb the iron.
  • Stam9012
    Stam9012 Posts: 8
    @SIrajr Thank you so much!!! This is so helpful! I actually just got a cook book for my birthday, I have yet to look through it. :3 Any recipes you have would be amazing ^_^
  • Stam9012
    Stam9012 Posts: 8
    @mikeabboud I'm hispanic so there's plenty of rice and beans, haha xD I'll make sure to get some, my dad is always telling me how I should eat them more often :3 As for redmeat, I would but I can't for spiritual reasons :/
  • Stam9012
    Stam9012 Posts: 8
    @joelenses I love Earth Balance, it's so tasty ^_^ I was just cooking with it today, thank you for the suggestion - also vegan ice cream sounds really flippin' good right now! :D It terms of protein powder I have something called Energy Orac (22g protein) or something, I'm not sure, I'll have to double check. As fabulous as it is, it tastes awful. I have a few dietary supplements (my dad's practice provides :3 ) and one whey protein supplement - 32g.
  • Stam9012
    Stam9012 Posts: 8
    @kimintheriver Thanks so much, I will definitely check out those sites and vids, and I'll look into the supplements :) And i will definitely remember to love myself- I'm recovering from a few things including an ED, so gaining weight is a big change, haha xD
    <3
  • Stam9012
    Stam9012 Posts: 8
    @aliu00 Enzymes I can do, breakfast everyday will be difficult, but I think I can do it :3
  • Stam9012
    Stam9012 Posts: 8
    @lisalsd1 I will certainly make those a regular part of my diet, I'll pack them in my lunch box and whatnot so that I can just eat it throughout the day at certain times and when I"m hungry if it's not time for a meal. I am about to get an iron supplement too, maybe I'll make it with orange juice or something, thank you :)
  • chubby_checkers
    chubby_checkers Posts: 2,352 Member
    Try lentils. I made this recipe today. It makes a lot, so you can use it for lunches too. http://pinchofyum.com/crockpot-red-lentil-curry
  • Slrajr
    Slrajr Posts: 438 Member
    First remove extra moisture, then dry fry thinly sliced tofu until it is crispy. Melt 2 tbs of butter or earth balance in the microwave, mix with 1 tbs water and 1 or 2 tbs of hot sauce. Pour this over the tofu. Serve on buttered toast or bread with half a sliced advocado. Yummy:). You can also add lettuce and tomato and make a sandwich or wrap. (Usually whole wheat bread had more protein).

    Wrap brown rice or quinoa and black beans, a little salsa and hummus or advocado in a tortilla with lettuce. (I mentioned advocados twice because they have lots of fat in them)
    Make your own hummus with extra olive oil and sesame paste to make it more calorie dense.
    Dip deep fried tortilla chips in black bean dip with oil ( google this) and guacamole and grated cheese. If you don't want cheese, make a faux cheese sauce with soaked cashews, water, and nutritional yeast.

    I try to keep shredded kale available to add to almost everything.
    Melted butter over popcorn sprinkled with red star nutritional yeast. I love this:)

    For any home made soup recipe: fry onions, carrots, garlic and celery in butter before, add shredded kale and / or spinach at the end. Tahini mixed with your broth then reincorporated into a soup makes a creamy soup. ( think cream of broccoli, cream of potato eye.)
  • foxruddellc1
    foxruddellc1 Posts: 65 Member
    Healthy fats, peanut butter, avacados, coconut milk ect

    Peanut butter vegan shake recipie I LOVE

    2 TBl. peanut butter
    1 Cup soy/almond/rice milk
    ice
    honey or chocolate syrup to taste

    There's an easy 400-500 calorie shake! I'm trying to lose weight right now but it is soooo yummy if you like peanut butter!
  • kimrivercity
    kimrivercity Posts: 9
    You're welcome. Oh, and gaining weight also depends on the amounts you eat, how many times a day you eat and what time of day and night you eat.

    For example, if you're trying to lose weight, don't eat just before going to bed. And I just heard if you want to lose more weight in the morning, then don't eat before you exercise in the morning and you'll lose 20 percent more calories than if you had eaten before exercising. So I guess eating right when you awake helps, too.
  • Stam9012
    Stam9012 Posts: 8
    Question- does nutritional yeast reactivate or anything once it's in your system? Or does it stay inactive?
  • Slrajr
    Slrajr Posts: 438 Member
    I believe nutritional yeast is dead and stays dead. It is not the same as the yeast used to make bread.
  • lisalsd1
    lisalsd1 Posts: 1,519 Member
    It's "deactivated" yeast. I think it's heated and "deactivated." My husband and I use it often as a supplement for extra b vitamins. It hasn't caused either of us any issues.
  • steve_mfp
    steve_mfp Posts: 170 Member
    http://www.nomeatathlete.com/vegetarian-protein-primer/


    I was once a vegetarian and now i will eat fish, sea-bugs, eggs (most egg whites) and dairy.

    I had no issues with weight and putting on muscle since i did a lot of research on complete proteins.

    As was said before, rice and beans is a good one. Basically any grain with a legume.

    To pack on some good calories make pasta with a marinara sauce, add cannellini (italian white kidney beans) and tofu. Kidney beans and tofu are a pretty good source of iron also.
  • kimrivercity
    kimrivercity Posts: 9
    Helpful info. about Nutritional Yeast: http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/health-fitness/healthy-eating/is-nutritional-yeast-good-for-you

    I absolutely love the taste of the brand 'Red Star' nutritional yeast. I put it in soups, salads, mix with Veganaise to put on sandwiches, as dips and as a Caesar style salad dressing. And it's tasty as a Vegan mac-n-cheese. Add olive oil, a dash of salt, your favorite nut milk and nutritional yeast to cooked, drained pasta and you have Vegan mac-n-cheese. Which might help you gain weight. And of course you can add anything to the pasta you like. Spinach is my favorite. Beans are good, too.
  • aetzkorn14
    aetzkorn14 Posts: 169 Member
    there is a video series on youtube that I love. the videos are RAW.VEGAN.NOTGROSS....I personally am not vegan but everything she makes looks phenomenal.
  • mikeabboud
    mikeabboud Posts: 26 Member
    so is my wife, love beans and rice :)
  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
    Eat nuts and nut butters and avocados
  • vicrandom
    vicrandom Posts: 80 Member
    Cast iron pan.
    Probably won't help with the weight gain, but shown to help with anemia.
  • fashionosack
    fashionosack Posts: 94
    Personally think that if a lot of vegetarians eat starches, fats and oils of high-calorie foods, but there is no movement, then, of course, will get fat.
  • fashionosack
    fashionosack Posts: 94
    Vegetarian and meat comparison, it is not easy to gain weight, it is because the multi-fiber intake than meat eaters, while fat intake is also far less than meat eaters. Of course, the most important is to see your choice of food, if a large number of vegetarian eating starches, fats and oils of high-calorie foods, but there is no movement, then of course, will get fat.

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