Vegetarian/Vegan Diet for months and NO weight loss?

4daluvof_candice · May 2014

So is this post the scientific proof that eating "clean" does not gurantee weightloss?

Marcia315 · May 2014

Vegans tend to eat more carbs than a person who eats a omnivore diet, because its a diet based on pulses like beans and lentils, grains, veggies, fruits which are wholly made up of the macronutrient carbohydrate, thus you are probably consuming a low protein, high carb diet. I am not saying this is a bad thing at all, but even if you eat protein rich foods like beans and broccoli - you have to consume A LOT before you get adequate protein levels. Have you ever looked at a macronutrient breakdown of your calorie intake?
I tried veganism and found it hard because not he days my body wasn't burning all those stored carbs, I felt like I had to eat less to compensate. Hence I went back to dairy but no meat just fish.

What does this have to do with lack of weight weight loss?

The reason the OP isn't losing weight has nothing to do with "macronutrient breakdown", but rather the fact they are not consuming less calories than they are burning.

To counteract your little piece of "anectdata"... I have what most people consider a very high carb to protein ratio (55/15) and yet, I'm consistently losing weight, not finding it hard, and not feeling hungry.

P.S. Your body doesn't have any stored carbs, only stored fat. Unused carbs are turned into fat, however, if you're eating at a deficit, you don't have any unused carbs, so problem solved.

It will make a difference if she is insulin resistant or has some other metabolic issue.

I'm insulin resistant. I tried a high carb diet. It was a disaster for me.

bajoyba · May 2014

As others have said, it sounds like you need to count your calories.

If you've been eating this way for months and have neither gained or lost weight, then you're eating maintenance calories... Whether you're eating "clean" or "dirty". Maintenance calories are different for everyone due to a variety of factors, including age, gender, height, weight, and activity level. One way to increase your maintenance calories is to increase your activity level.

I've been a vegetarian for almost 5 years now, and before I started tracking my calories, I gained at least 20 pounds that way. If you maintain your weight at 1850 calories and eat 2500 calories of fresh fruits and veggies, you will still gain weight, because you're consuming more energy than your body needs. And when you consume more energy than your body needs, that energy gets stored.

Being vegetarian or vegan isn't a free ticket to weight loss/maintenance. Calories in vs. calories out. Where you choose to get those calories is personal preference.

rebalee8 · May 2014

Vegans tend to eat more carbs than a person who eats a omnivore diet, because its a diet based on pulses like beans and lentils, grains, veggies, fruits which are wholly made up of the macronutrient carbohydrate, thus you are probably consuming a low protein, high carb diet. I am not saying this is a bad thing at all, but even if you eat protein rich foods like beans and broccoli - you have to consume A LOT before you get adequate protein levels. Have you ever looked at a macronutrient breakdown of your calorie intake?
I tried veganism and found it hard because not he days my body wasn't burning all those stored carbs, I felt like I had to eat less to compensate. Hence I went back to dairy but no meat just fish.

What does this have to do with lack of weight weight loss?

The reason the OP isn't losing weight has nothing to do with "macronutrient breakdown", but rather the fact they are not consuming less calories than they are burning.

To counteract your little piece of "anectdata"... I have what most people consider a very high carb to protein ratio (55/15) and yet, I'm consistently losing weight, not finding it hard, and not feeling hungry.

P.S. Your body doesn't have any stored carbs, only stored fat. Unused carbs are turned into fat, however, if you're eating at a deficit, you don't have any unused carbs, so problem solved.

It will make a difference if she is insulin resistant or has some other metabolic issue.

I'm insulin resistant. I tried a high carb diet. It was a disaster for me.

Not necessarily.

I have the lovely PCOS/Hypothyroidism/Insulin Resistance trifecta.

This is the one area where I will lean toward that what you eat matters... the quality of your carbs when you have insulin resistance. I don't rule out the "white" stuff, but I don't eat a lot of it (but you can pry my morning dark chocolate almond biscotti from my cold dead hand). Most of my carb intake is from fruit, veggies and legumes. Whole grains (quinoa and brown rice especially) make a lesser appearance, and most white flour and sugar is in the form of treats (mmm... chocolate croissant).

So yeah, if you're insulin resistant and make your vegetarian diet all about cookies, crackers, bread and pasta... then, it might make things a bit harder (meaning slower, but still not impossible if you're actually eating at a deficit). But honestly, that's a kind of crappy vegetarian diet (I know, that's the one I got fat on... well, that plus cheese) and even someone who's not insulin resistant is probably gonna feel kinda lousy on that diet long term.

Fit_Chef_NE · May 2014

Macros matter in how full you feel. High carb foods do NOT keep you feeling full for as long. High protein or healthy fats will take longer to break down, won't spike your insulin levels and won't produce the powerful feeling of being hungry as often.

I know this is super unpopular at MFP, so feel free to tell me how wrong I am. But when I eat high protein in particular and low carbohydrate, I feel full on about half the calories.

Everyone is right though. If you eat 2000 calories of lettuce with no dressing in a day and need to eat 1800 to maintain, you will gain weight. What you eat is important to your health, but how much you eat is important to your weight.

Aaron_K123 · May 2014

Okay, so I've been a veggie for months, not to lose weight but for ethical reasons. Then, several weeks ago I decided to become a vegan for the same reasons. But in 6 months time I'm finding it hard to believe that I haven't lost ANY inches since my post Christmas measurements. And let me not kid you, I went through heaps of cookies at Christmas so it's a little discouraging.

I know I don't have any food recorded but I can honestly say I eat very clean. Lots of fruit and whole grains, probably could do with more veg but I definitely eat more than you average person. Lots of beans, some tofu. I've tried limiting my fat/oil intake. I never eat refined flours. And since being vegan I've also hugely regulated my sugar intake (thats excluding fruits).

I havent counted calories for a while but if I'm maintaining I'm eating close to 1850. I just don't get how some people can eat 1850 and be 20lbs lighter and then theres me who eats a majority whole foods diet and I still blubbery.

Mind you, I don't exercise a whole lot but I usually cycle to and from university and I was doing a bit of insanity/T25 for a while. But the point is, I do more exercise now and for the past few months than over winter.

This is extremely frustrating!

Being vegan isn't a diet so I'm not sure why you were expecting to lose weight just by being vegan.

bajoyba · May 2014

Macros matter in how full you feel. High carb foods do NOT keep you feeling full for as long. High protein or healthy fats will take longer to break down, won't spike your insulin levels and won't produce the powerful feeling of being hungry as often.

I know this is super unpopular at MFP, so feel free to tell me how wrong I am. But when I eat high protein in particular and low carbohydrate, I feel full on about half the calories.

Everyone is right though. If you eat 2000 calories of lettuce with no dressing in a day and need to eat 1800 to maintain, you will gain weight. What you eat is important to your health, but how much you eat is important to your weight.

I think most people would agree with you, actually. Protein helps keep you full, fat helps keep you satisfied. Macro and micro-nutrients are important, and eating a balanced diet is the best way to meet your nutritional needs and feel well-fueled. But when it comes to weight loss, you still need to eat fewer calories than your body burns in a day, regardless of which foods you choose.

rebalee8 · May 2014

Macros matter in how full you feel. High carb foods do NOT keep you feeling full for as long. High protein or healthy fats will take longer to break down, won't spike your insulin levels and won't produce the powerful feeling of being hungry as often.

I know this is super unpopular at MFP, so feel free to tell me how wrong I am. But when I eat high protein in particular and low carbohydrate, I feel full on about half the calories.

Everyone is right though. If you eat 2000 calories of lettuce with no dressing in a day and need to eat 1800 to maintain, you will gain weight. What you eat is important to your health, but how much you eat is important to your weight.

I don't know why you think that mindset is unpopular at MFP? It's quite popular. It's only unpopular when you start concern trolling vegetarians/vegans about protein. Then you will get pushback.

As you pointed out FAT provides feelings of fullness, so combining carbs with fats can possibly help those with larger carb allowances feel fuller longer is that's something they're having issues with.

Also, one thing you missed... FIBER also provides fullness, takes longer to break down, doesn''t spike insulin levels and generally won't produce the feeling of being hungry as often.

And no one is going to tell you that your personal feelings of fullness with more protein are wrong; you feel what you feel. And it's great that works for you. Where you're wrong is your first paragraph where you are telling others what their experiences are... in spite of them telling you their experience is to the contrary.

fitness_faeiry · May 2014

Vegans tend to eat more carbs than a person who eats a omnivore diet, because its a diet based on pulses like beans and lentils, grains, veggies, fruits which are wholly made up of the macronutrient carbohydrate, thus you are probably consuming a low protein, high carb diet. I am not saying this is a bad thing at all, but even if you eat protein rich foods like beans and broccoli - you have to consume A LOT before you get adequate protein levels. Have you ever looked at a macronutrient breakdown of your calorie intake?
I tried veganism and found it hard because not he days my body wasn't burning all those stored carbs, I felt like I had to eat less to compensate. Hence I went back to dairy but no meat just fish.

What does this have to do with lack of weight weight loss?

The reason the OP isn't losing weight has nothing to do with "macronutrient breakdown", but rather the fact they are not consuming less calories than they are burning.

To counteract your little piece of "anectdata"... I have what most people consider a very high carb to protein ratio (55/15) and yet, I'm consistently losing weight, not finding it hard, and not feeling hungry.

P.S. Your body doesn't have any stored carbs, only stored fat. Unused carbs are turned into fat, however, if you're eating at a deficit, you don't have any unused carbs, so problem solved.

I think you'll find macronutrient breakdown has everything to do with weight loss results. Lets take two people. both who have a BMRR (maintenance) of 2300 calories, so they start eating at a deficit of 500 calories. Person 1 eats 1800 calories of 80% carbs with 20% of protein and fats in one day. And Person 2 who eats the exact same amount of 1800 calories of 30-40% protein, 30% healthy fats and 30% complex carbs. Which do you think will lose fat the fastest? Yes they will both lose weight as they are eating at a large calorific deficit, but the person who is getting a good 30-40% of their calories from protein will accelerate the fat loss at a much quicker rate.

Why? because protein builds muscle - and more muscle burns fat.

rebalee8 · May 2014

Hahaha... keep believing.

Lives2Travel · May 2014

Vegans tend to eat more carbs than a person who eats a omnivore diet, because its a diet based on pulses like beans and lentils, grains, veggies, fruits which are wholly made up of the macronutrient carbohydrate, thus you are probably consuming a low protein, high carb diet. I am not saying this is a bad thing at all, but even if you eat protein rich foods like beans and broccoli - you have to consume A LOT before you get adequate protein levels. Have you ever looked at a macronutrient breakdown of your calorie intake?
I tried veganism and found it hard because not he days my body wasn't burning all those stored carbs, I felt like I had to eat less to compensate. Hence I went back to dairy but no meat just fish.

What does this have to do with lack of weight weight loss?

The reason the OP isn't losing weight has nothing to do with "macronutrient breakdown", but rather the fact they are not consuming less calories than they are burning.

To counteract your little piece of "anectdata"... I have what most people consider a very high carb to protein ratio (55/15) and yet, I'm consistently losing weight, not finding it hard, and not feeling hungry.

P.S. Your body doesn't have any stored carbs, only stored fat. Unused carbs are turned into fat, however, if you're eating at a deficit, you don't have any unused carbs, so problem solved.

I think you'll find macronutrient breakdown has everything to do with weight loss results. Lets take two people. both who have a BMRR (maintenance) of 2300 calories, so they start eating at a deficit of 500 calories. Person 1 eats 1800 calories of 80% carbs with 20% of protein and fats in one day. And Person 2 who eats the exact same amount of 1800 calories of 30-40% protein, 30% healthy fats and 30% complex carbs. Which do you think will lose fat the fastest? Yes they will both lose weight as they are eating at a large calorific deficit, but the person who is getting a good 30-40% of their calories from protein will accelerate the fat loss at a much quicker rate.

Why? because protein builds muscle - and more muscle burns fat.

Sigh..... you cannot build significant (if any) muscle while eating at a deficit. For this reason, the breakdown of calories does not matter for speed of weight loss.

dcarter1020 · May 2014

You need to eat at a calorie deficit regardless of what foods you chose to eat or not eat. Good luck.

This ^^. I actually gained weight when I became vegetarian. It took me many moons to understand how to properly fuel my body. I also had to add in exercise and lifting. I think it's hard for people to give suggestions when we have no idea the quantity you're eating. Logging has been the most important thing for me on my weight loss journey. It's made me more accountable. If I'm not logging it, then the only person I'm cheating is myself. Add me and you can take a look at my diary. Good luck!

Vegetarian/Vegan Diet for months and NO weight loss?

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