Gaining weight after being a Vegetarian

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ColeyBear88
ColeyBear88 Posts: 6
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey everyone. I'm a little dumbfounded. In an attempt to cut out the amount of fat I was consuming (via meat obviously) I became a vegetarian. The funny thing is, not only have I not lost any weight, I've actually GAINED weight. I log EVERYTHING I eat and exercise for 45 min including cardio that incorporates light hand weights. I'm always within my calorie goal but no weight has dropped. Here is a sample of what I've been eating:

Yesterday:

Breakfast:
Non-fat greek vanilla yogurt (1/2 cup)
4 strawberies
12 grapes

Lunch:
2 cups of homemade 3 bean vegetarian chili

Dinner:
Veggie burger with light wheat bread, onion, romaine lettuce, and spicy pepper spread
veggie stix

Snacks:
1 orange
2 cups baby carrots with fat free dressing
3 cups of coffee with 2 tablespoons non-fat creamer

8 glasses of water

Can anyone tell me where I might be going wrong???
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Replies

  • Iknowsaur
    Iknowsaur Posts: 777 Member
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    Do not become a vegetarian as a diet if you could otherwise eat meat! Unless you don't believe in eating meat, it really will not help you lose weight. I'm a vegetarian, and I struggle with it. I wish I could just eat a piece of grilled chicken!

    I can't stress enough - don't do it!

    Edit - from what you've logged, you should be fine calorically, unless you are piling cheese and avacado and other toppings onto your chilli and burgers without logging them. But you don't need to avoid fat so much. Fat is part of the human diet, and a calorie is a calorie is a calorie.
  • howardheilweil
    howardheilweil Posts: 604 Member
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    You should really open up your diary. One day with no indication of the calorie amounts is really not that helpful. I also agree with the poster above that vegetarianism is not really useful as a weightloss plan. It's just about the calories. Good luck!
  • AliceDark
    AliceDark Posts: 3,886 Member
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    How does your protein intake now compare to what it was when you were eating meat? The sample day you posted doesn't have a lot of protein at all -- beans are actually a really poor source of protein, and depending on the brand, veggie burgers can have almost no protein. What happens pretty often when people go veggie is that they replace the protein they were getting in meat with extra carbs, and since you're also trying to reduce fat, your macros are probably out of whack.
  • tyrsnbdr
    tyrsnbdr Posts: 234 Member
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    How much fats are you getting? Your body needs fats to process the food you do eat. If you are really low in fats, you can be stalling your progress.
  • Iknowsaur
    Iknowsaur Posts: 777 Member
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    How does your protein intake now compare to what it was when you were eating meat? The sample day you posted doesn't have a lot of protein at all -- beans are actually a really poor source of protein, and depending on the brand, veggie burgers can have almost no protein. What happens pretty often when people go veggie is that they replace the protein they were getting in meat with extra carbs, and since you're also trying to reduce fat, your macros are probably out of whack.

    This. Protein is hard as a veggie.
    Greek yoghurt only goes so far, and tofu gets tiring.
    Protein shakes are really crucial to meeting protein goals, at least for me.
  • AliceDark
    AliceDark Posts: 3,886 Member
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    Edit: double post.
  • PRMinx
    PRMinx Posts: 4,585 Member
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    How much fat were you consuming? How much fat are you consuming now?

    Fat is not a bad thing. You need fat in your diet. Unless you were eating a big, fatty steak every day I don't see the point in cutting out meat. Actually, there's no reason to cut meat out at all unless you have a moral obligation. There are plenty of meats that are low in fat.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    Becoming a vegetarian in order to lose weight is a poor plan doomed to failure, I think. Most restrictive diets are.

    Anyway, open your diary. Also tell us how much weight you've gained, over what period of time, and when you started your current exercise routine.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    Being vegetarian does not cause weight loss. You can still eat too many calories.
  • TheGymGypsy
    TheGymGypsy Posts: 1,023 Member
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    Check out my before and after picture. I was a vegetarian in both of them. It is not synonymous with healthy. I had high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and all sorts of junk and I have never eaten meat in my life.
  • firstsip
    firstsip Posts: 8,399 Member
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    In an attempt to cut out the amount of fat I was consuming (via meat obviously).

    I don't follow. What sort of meat were you eating? There are tons of meat sources that don't have much fat, and if they do, it's fine... because fat isn't bad. Fat doesn't make you fat. Too many calories does.
  • Mcgrawhaha
    Mcgrawhaha Posts: 1,596 Member
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    the entire post is silly.

    1) being a vegetarian or vegan or whatever is more of an ethical / moral type of lifestyle. not a weight loss method.

    2) you can eat nothing but fruit, and still gain weight, because it comes down to the amount of calories you are consuming. who ever told you to become a vegetarian without having a moral conviction to do so, just to lose weight gave you silly advice.

    3) if you want to lose weight, you need to control your calorie consumption, not deprive yourself of entire food groups without having a history of education in that type of lifestyle which would direct you on healthy alternatives to the nutriebts that you were depriving your body of.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    In an attempt to cut out the amount of fat I was consuming (via meat obviously).

    I don't follow. What sort of meat were you eating? There are tons of meat sources that don't have much fat, and if they do, it's fine... because fat isn't bad. Fat doesn't make you fat. Too many calories does.
    Also this. And you can eat plenty of vegetarian sources of fat (avocados, potato chips, oils).
  • Cindy781
    Cindy781 Posts: 460 Member
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    I was a vegetarian for many years and did not have a weight problem. I was not getting enough protein so I added fish back a few years ago. You can lose muscle if you aren't careful. More muscle burns more calories. Many of the vegetarian sources of protein are high in carbs. It is hard to say exactly why you have gained, could be too much sodium. Review your diary and see where your numbers are.
  • MrGonzo05
    MrGonzo05 Posts: 1,120 Member
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    You eat more than you think.
  • acarmelo1
    acarmelo1 Posts: 76 Member
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    Just eat Grilled Chicken or Boiled meat to avoid fat, don't stop eating meat just to lose weight.
  • ashleyisgreat
    ashleyisgreat Posts: 586 Member
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    You eat more than you think.

    Yep, it seems like that might be the case.

    OP, how many calories do you eat per day (at least according to your estimates)?
  • ColeyBear88
    ColeyBear88 Posts: 6
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    I measure everything out that I eat. I eat anywhere form 1300-1250 a day and have been consuming around 50g of protein. I have other reasons for being a vegetarian other than the fat consumption, but I don't think I have to explain every reason to people I don't know, so I'll decide to ignore anyone commenting for the soul reason of criticizing my lifestyle choices.
  • Graelwyn75
    Graelwyn75 Posts: 4,404 Member
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    If you are to be a vegetarian, it might be a good idea to get into cooking, as there is a lot of processed vegetarian food out there, including veggie burgers and sausages, that is very high in salt and in carbs. Not that there is anything wrong with carbs, but a vegetarian diet does tend to be more carb heavy compared to a Pescetarian or Omnivore diet and can cause a change in the amount of water your body holds onto. I was vegetarian for a decade, then switched to eating fish and seafood as well. It works for me. 50g of protein is really not an awful lot. I aim for at least 80g, preferably 100g+.
  • RiverDancer68
    RiverDancer68 Posts: 221 Member
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    I measure everything out that I eat. I eat anywhere form 1300-1250 a day and have been consuming around 50g of protein. I have other reasons for being a vegetarian other than the fat consumption, but I don't think I have to explain every reason to people I don't know, so I'll decide to ignore anyone commenting for the soul reason of criticizing my lifestyle choices.

    Actually the first thing you said was that you cut out the meat to reduce your fat intake, not for other reasons? So that is why people are telling you to eat lower fat meats, they are not trying to criticize your lifestyle choices. If you are also an ethical vegetarian, then that is a totally different conversation. :flowerforyou:

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