Overweight Vegetarians!

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AlissaChanges
AlissaChanges Posts: 13
in Introduce Yourself
Yes, it is actually VERY possible! In fact, I didn't have nearly the same weight issues before I stopped eating meat about 8 years ago (granted, I have had two kids and gotten older). Any other vegetarians on here struggling with their weight? I am looking for some support. I don't eat grilled chicken breast and fish to stay healthy! I have some fabulous satisfying low calorie vegetarian dishes, but I need some more ideas without over-carbing and without buying everything pre-made. And a salad cannot satisfy a comfort food craving the same way that a dish of cheesy lasagna can! :tongue:

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  • Barelmy
    Barelmy Posts: 590 Member
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    I'm a vegan.:) Not technically overweight - my bmi is fine - but I want to lower my body fat percentage.

    Vegan Dad's fauxages are delicious, and come out to 133 calories each, the way I made them. [ http://vegandad.blogspot.com/2008/03/homemade-sausages.html ]. Those are pretty good sizes too - you could half them, and make twelve, and then you could have two fauxages instead of one (which does wonders for tricking the mind into thinking it's had the same amount of food).
  • tappytaptap
    tappytaptap Posts: 46
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    I've been a vegetarian my whole life and was overweight.. not by much but I still was
  • lindsay145
    lindsay145 Posts: 1
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    I've found the real issue is mindless eating, regardless of whether your a vegetarian or omnivore. I too am a vegan and often find myself binging on carbs and sweets, but I know that the reason I'm eating these foods is usually out of boredom and has nothing to do with hunger. That said I have had alot of success by just leaving out the oil in a lot of my vegan recipes. The latin-baked tofu from viva vegan is great and last time I made it I just omitted the oil from the recipe and it still tasted great.
  • kellykat2
    kellykat2 Posts: 87 Member
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    I was a vegetarian. I was very thin back then. I did not eat any meat, dairy, poultry, eggs, or seafood. I ate mostly only healthy things. I gave up soda, drank water instead. I can tell you, once you eliminate the sugary, fat laden, cheesy items from your diet, you really do not miss them. I ordered pizza without cheese. I ordered off the side menu's. I ate like a pig, yet gained no weight.

    Once I got pregnant with my daughter, I had to be very precise about the amount of protein I was getting. I needed at least 60 grams a day. I couldn't do it without adding dairy back in. Milk and cheese have a lot of protein, but also a lot more fat than you really need. I was fine while pregnant, but continued the dairy products (lots of cheesy veggies, etc) after I delivered and ended up putting on 15 lbs!

    So it has been a struggle since. I need to get to the point where I can eliminate it and then the weight will fall off and you can eat whatever you want. I was very healthy, and I ate CARBS....lots and lots of carbs. Now I try to eliminate them in hopes the fat will fall off but it doesn't work! I think the trick for me might be eliminating animal products altogether.

    So watch out for the dairy products, if you eat too much, you can hinder your weightloss even if you are a vegetarian.
  • LesleyCupcakes
    LesleyCupcakes Posts: 35
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    I'm a veggie, and I'm struggling with my weight too! I cook me and my other half (he's not a veggie) a lot of rice and pasta dishes which is not doing me any good at all, so would also like to hear of any other meal ideas that are healthy but not full of carbs!
  • SaraTonin
    SaraTonin Posts: 551 Member
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    I'm not vegetarian, but I am poor (read: can't afford much meat). Some things to think about are replacing your refined carbs with high fiber ones, so whole grain pasta, bread, brown rice, and so on. It fills you more and longer for fewer calories.

    I can satisfy my comfort food cravings with something hot and "beefy," like a vegetarian chili or tortilla soup. Something that warms the heart!

    Good luck! I'll be curious to check back and see what people post.
  • spunkbeer
    spunkbeer Posts: 60
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    I was overweight as a vegetairan even still when vegan.
    I have been vegetarian since i was 9 years old
    Vegan for the past 4 years
    And try to live a Raw Vegan diet as much as possible.

    My suggestion to all you vegetarians.
    Become vegan! do it for the animals and yourself.
    Youll lose weight and feel 100% better and make a difference in the world.

    My advice is fill your diet with as much raw fruits, veggies, nuts & water.
    As you can. Raw food is so much better for you then cooked food.
  • AlissaChanges
    AlissaChanges Posts: 13
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    Thank you everyone for your help. I am going to try that vegan sausage recipe in the near future. I love cooking for my family, and try to make wholesome homemade food for most meals to avoid all of the chemicals and additives. I only buy whole grain - pastas, breads, rice, quinoa, etc... I have toyed with the idea of being vegan for some time, and do succeed in making at least half of my family dinners vegan. My husband is a meat-eater, but is very accepting of not allowing meat in the house. My sons (1 and 3) love vegetables and will eat most anything I make. So I guess I have no excuses there.

    I agree that most of the issue is still mindless eating. Portion control, binging, sweets are my biggest issues. I am going to take your advice and try to cut out more dairy and really get a better grip on my sugar. I like the idea of ordering pizza without cheese, and I never thought of ordering just sides. Generally speaking, us vegetarians only get greasy pasta or a nasty brown iceberg salad as an option! I have heard that even diet soda can cause some sugar craving issues, so I guess I am going to have to bite the bullet on that one too!

    Thank you all for your help! :happy:
  • AlissaChanges
    AlissaChanges Posts: 13
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    By the way, GREAT vegan recipes in Skinny B!tch in the Kitch. LOVE the vegan meatloaf! My meat-eating family members even request it. My dad likes it better than real meatloaf!
  • emperorsdream
    emperorsdream Posts: 24 Member
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    My husband and I were vegetarians and we went to see a nutritionist. She immediately took us off the vegetarian program and explained insulin intolerance, due to excessive carbohydrates, being the culprit for both of our weight issues and my health problems. All of my friends who became vegan gained excessive amount of weight over the years, starting off with average to small bodies and eventually becoming obese. I was a vegetarian for animal ethics reasons and thought that it was also healthier for me. I have now learned to eat more healthfully and very ethically from the Weston Price Foundation. I have read the Omnivores Dilemma and the Vegetarian Myth to help me better understand how to be an ethical/moral consumer of all products and stay healthy. I love love vegan and raw foods though, and have found GREAT recipes for yummy treats at Navitas.com. Try Whey protein, if you're not vegan, to supplement, and stay way from all processed breads and corn products...those are the worst for weight gain. Stick with whole foods and non soy based protein, and you'll have a fighting chance at long term weight loss as a vegetarian.

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