Vegetarian low carb/high protein diet-Need Help!!!!

ezspangle
ezspangle Posts: 2
in Recipes
Hey guys,

I'm in need of some help with meal plans!

I have recently started strength training and have just had my daily calories dropped back down to 1100 a day to start cutting my stomach, which would be ok if I could keep my carbs intake in check!

I am struggling to keep my macronutrients in check. I have been vegetarian almost my whole life but have always eaten huge amounts of carbs & very little else. My new daily levels allow for 15% carbs, 25% protein & 60% fat, this translates into around 41g carbs, 69g protein & 73g fat.

Is there anyone who could help me put together a 7 day diet plan? Or someone following a similar diet that could open their diary for me?! I'm eating waaaay less carbs for me, but still taking up 40-50% of my days intake.

I should mention that I'm not the greatest cook in the world too!! So go easy on me!!

Thanks in advance!!

Replies

  • rusta
    rusta Posts: 29 Member
    Hi,

    I have been vego for about 3 years - but started weight training with a PT about 2 months ago. She has me on a 1400 calorie diet aiming for 100 plus grams protein a day!

    Honestly - im finding it pretty tough, and damn near impossible without protein shakes / bars.

    Example of a normal day would be - about 200g of 0% greek chobani, with 35g 97% fat free museli for breakfast. Protein shake for morning tea.

    Piece of soy and linseed toast with cottage cheese and tomato - with a bowl of lentil soup for lunch.

    Protein bar in the arvo.

    Quorn / Tofu with 5 bean mix and cottage cheese or feta and salad for dinner.


    Dahl is also really good for a high protein snack.

    Good Luck!!
  • raisydaisy
    raisydaisy Posts: 12 Member
    I am not a nutritionist and am on my own health journey, I've come very far and still have a way to go.
    I lift heavy 4/5 days a weeks, as well as do CrossFit and run.
    I have done this for a year without looking at my diet and have lost about 7 inches from my waist / hips and about 4 from my bust. I haven't lost a single pound in all that time. So that is why I am here - gotta start shifting some excess weight.

    I was also veggie when I first started lifting about a year ago. I found it very difficult to keep up the protein in my diet. So now I eat meat about 4 of 7 days and then veggie about 3 of 7. But my husband, rarely eats meat and does just fine.

    I worry, unless you are both about 5 foot nothing tall, you aren't getting anywhere near enough calories. The gym I use is filled with people who train - not one of them would ever recommend such severe restrictions to caloric intake, especially if you are beginning a lifting programme. You need food to recover. For example currently my caloric intake is about 2200, but I am losing about .5kilo a week. It's a slow process, but I can lose and give my body the nutrients it needs to recover.

    Here are some numbers that will help you figure out meals for yourself.
    1g of protein = 4 calories (this can go as high as 15.8 depending on your source. i.e. fish= 1:4, seeds= 1:14)
    1g of fat = 9 calories
    1g of carb = 4 calories

    or here are some websites that will help:
    www.eattoperform.com offers a free TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) calculator on their site that helps you calculate caloric intake and macros - they also offer meal planning and performance based diet plans (for a fee) - this would be a good place to start.
    Also the blogs on www.barbellshrugged.com are helpful for nutrition advice, but you do have to search for it.

    Good luck ladies!
  • Mini_horse_lover
    Mini_horse_lover Posts: 178 Member
    Just eat lots of eggs...lol.
    Vegetarian eating isn't hard, you're only eliminating meat from your diet.
    (:
  • kirili3
    kirili3 Posts: 244 Member
    The answer seems to be quinoa (18g protein/cup), beans and nuts. Soy products are not the best for you. Also, chia seeds are grand too.

    With the high fats needed, nuts sound like a good option.

    http://greatist.com/health/complete-vegetarian-proteins

    http://vegetarian.about.com/od/healthnutrition/tp/protein.htm
  • KerrymBurgess
    KerrymBurgess Posts: 29 Member
    I've been veggie for years too and very careful about getting enough protein as I do strength training 5 x a week and eat between 1400 - 1600 calories a day. I do eat carbs but keep things like bread and pasta to a minimum.

    My best high protein foods, are:

    Whole Almonds
    Greek Yoghurt
    Cottage Cheese
    Quorn products
    Eggs
    Buckwheat
    Quinoa
    Lentils and other pulses

    It's easy to add a bit more protein in your diet, eg, when I make homemade vegetable soup I always add some lentils, chickpeas or Quinoa, with maybe a dollop of Quark on the top to serve!

    My diary is open if you want to friend me.

    x
  • LessHeavyVeggie
    LessHeavyVeggie Posts: 208 Member
    I can't give you a meal plan but my favourite protein source has to be chickpeas, mainly in the form of homemade hummus and falafels.

    Hummus is sooo simple to make too. Eat it with carrot/cucumber sticks, as a sauce/dip with your normal meal/salad or in sandwiches/pittas or just with a spoon!
    Just put the following in a blender until smooth (this will made a bowl of it which keeps me going for a while!):

    400g can of chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
    1 tablespoon of tahini (sesame paste - find it near greek/middle eastern foods)
    1 or 2 cloves of garlic depending on preference
    Some oil of your choice to get it to the right consistency (I try to keep that as little as possible to limit calories)

    To the above add whatever flavourings you like. Some suggestions are:
    Some lemon juice to taste for more traditional/plain hummus
    Roasted peppers (I use half a jar of roasted pepper antipasti from tesco if you're in the uk - i also use the oil from here as it has a nice flavour)
    (Sweet) Chili sauce
    Pesto
    Have a google and there will be hundreds of ideas!

    I also recently made baked falafels (also a shove it all in a blender type recipe) using this recipe: http://www.instructables.com/id/Baked-Falafel-Recipe/
    I served them with roasted aubergine and a salad, with a tahini dressing - literally just a spoon of tahini mixed with water until the consistency was right!

    Other than those any form of lentils/pulses, eggs, nuts and nut butters.

    [disclaimer: I'm not a nutritionist so you may want to check this fits in with your diet!]

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