So I talked with a nutritionist today...

And he's telling me that losing weight is going to be exponentially more difficult because I'm a vegan, because plant-based foods are considered 'carbs' and that my body currently has an overabundance of carbs because of the way I eat, which has sent me into fat-storing mode, instead of fat burning mode. In order to change that, I'm supposed to cut carbs and increase protein, but if I'm not willing to compromise and eat grass-fed, natural organic meat or non-gmo dairy and eggs, then I'm not going to be able to lose weight as effectively. THEN he said the only way to be effective at losing weight on a vegan diet was to dramatically cut calories - starting at around 1200 (which, okay, is what MFP says I should be eating to lose weight), and then eventually getting down to around 900/day.

So before I have a freaking panic attack over the thought of starving myself and being in 'fat storing' mode because all I'm eating are carbs, I thought I'd check in with you lovely people.

How's the losing weight going with the vegan diet? Are you having to increase your protein intakes dramatically or are you eating like normal, in smaller portions? Are those of you who have spoken with nutritionists/know a lot about this kind of stuff surprised at all by what he said? Is it valid, or is it your typical 'meat eater who can't relate' problem?

Help!

Lils

Replies

  • LifeNewandImproved
    LifeNewandImproved Posts: 125 Member
    I mostly eat vegan - oddly I still have animal based products around the house bought months ago I'm still going through sloooowly but I'd say 90-95% vegan. My weight loss has been averaging about 1 lb/wk. Not as fast as I like and not as fast as it should be (calorie deficit math says it should be more) but it is happening.

    I make a very active effort to get in enough protein and amino acids though. I have a smoothie nearly every day (Yes Every Day - even took a blender on a road trip with me) and I toss in both pea and rice protein powder to make sure I am most of the way there every day. On a bad day my protein levels are at about 60 grams. Over 100 on a good day. Every meal you eat should have a significant protein source. If it doesn't, I agree that your results may not be as good, or you may lose muscle along with fat.

    Oh yeah and it will be pretty tough to cut carbs and eat more protein - just because nearly every vegan protein source also has carbs in it. Not impossible but for me - I always go over on carbs. I just stress eating enough protein more though.

    So TL;DR - it's possible but imho you will need to actively monitor your protein intake and your results may be slower than advertised.
  • KerrymBurgess
    KerrymBurgess Posts: 29 Member
    Sounds ilke what you said, a typical meat eater reaction who can't understand a Vegan diet.

    Unless you're eating pasta and rice all day I can't understand why a Vegan diet would be higher in Carbs than eating animal products. I eat between 8 - 10 pieces of fruit and veg a day and my protein I get from chia seeds, nuts and green veg then if I feel the need after a heavy work out I'll have the pea protein. It's worked for me so far!

    Please don't starve yourself everyone knows this is not the answer to healthy long term weight loss, sounds like your nutritionalist has a not uncommon descrimination against the Vegan diet and trying to frighten you!
  • mathmatt
    mathmatt Posts: 58 Member
    It sounds like this person doesn't have a clue as to what they're talking about. I'd suggest getting with a registered dietitian. Let me guess, he said something like 'I'd like to start you on a plan where you come on [X] times per week until [vague unspecified length of time].'

    The diet of a vegan can be high in carbs. Fruits, vegetables, and legumes contain a lot of fiber which is technically a carbohydrate but does not function in the body the way that sugars do. Fiber does not contribute any calories as it is not burned as fuel. In counting macro nutrients, it does count as a carbohydrate so you can easily exceed the recommended amounts of carbs with fiber and sugars in combination.

    This person suggesting that you can't lose weight as a vegan unless you eat 1200 cal/day then drop to 900 cal/day is nuts. Drastically dropping your calories like that lowers your BMR making it harder to lose weight.

    In my 8 years as a vegan, not once have I been concerned about not getting enough protein and fat or too many carbs. Personally, I'm at my ideal weight, 60 lbs down from where I started and I did that in 4 months about 5 years ago (I don't suggest this either as it was a bit extreme and I know better now).


    Edited because I can't spell...
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
    Well I eat around 60% carbs (around 400-500g most days) as you can see I've no problem losing weight. I got fat as a Vegan and I'm now a thinnish Vegan. I hope you didn't pay any money to see that nutritionist. Just eat less food at a calorie deficit that's it it's that simple
  • bigblues11
    bigblues11 Posts: 203 Member
    Complete rubbish! Nobody with half a brain would want you eating 900 calories a day! That's not healthy at all. 1200 should be your absolute minnimun. I am a vegetarian and eat a high protein, lower carb diet (50-100 per day) and am losing weight. Protein shakes are an easy way to increase your intake. Please don't panic. Eat healthy, log everything, exercise and try not to stress over it too much. :)
  • Thank you everyone! That helps a lot (especially in trying to figure out what my macro percentage should be!) Yeah, he was hinting pretty heavily towards a Paleo Diet ("we have canines for a reason" actually came out of his mouth at one point). I think I'll just focus on the calorie deficit and building a healthy relationship with exercise and the gym, and trust the process.

    Thanks again for the responses!
  • aedreana
    aedreana Posts: 979 Member
    I am a strict vegan. I eat high-carb/high-fat/low-protein. I lost 10 pounds in July, from 121 to 111, in 25 days by eating 600 to 700 calories per day..I am sedentary so a low-cal diet works fine for me. I have successfully maintained my weight loss for over 2 months. I average a little over 1700 calories/day. I am 61 and 5' 3 1/2" and 111 pounds.
  • Jennikitten
    Jennikitten Posts: 142 Member
    well if I stick to about 2,100 cals a day I can drop about 3lbs a week (I have 5ft8.5 and weight 208lbs and relatively active)
  • tanek747
    tanek747 Posts: 37 Member
    edited October 2014
    I think your nutritionist is getting his brainwashing from bad websites. Stopped all medication, fixed my back, dropped bad cholesterol nearly 50% then went on to lose 80 lbs so far as a vegan eating lots of quality whole plants ie. masses of carbs.
    Just log your exercise and weigh food by the gram not inaccurate cups etc. Eat whole plant foods, get some B12 and have a deficit, preferably choose to deficit by increasing exercise where you can as the more cals you eat the better you surpass all vitamin etc goals.
    Avoid nutritionally empty cals like oils when you could have nuts and avocados etc instead.
    You'll be fine!
  • Gemini159
    Gemini159 Posts: 30 Member
    I went to a nutritionist that said something similar. Actually she said she was OK as long as I ate some sheep cheeses and some eggs! Random! I told her I wouldn't be coming back (and why), and found a new person. I actually asked whether the new one can support me in a plant-based diet before the first appointment. The answer was yes, and I love her. She knows a lot about plant-based nutrition. Look around and screen them first if you still want a nutrition consult. They are out there!
  • 15off
    15off Posts: 48 Member
    The obsession with carbs is out of control. No one gets or stays fat eating produce...unless its so excessive that its well over reasonable calorie limits. I was vegetarian (for 25 years) through two pregnancies with NO problems and have been vegan for almost 10 years. The ONLY reason I have a few pounds to lose is a sugar addiction...plain and simple. If I cut out all the processed garbage, the weight falls off..that is WAY easier said than done. I have read many articles written by "former vegans" lots of them were females, looking to "shred" and they followed VERY restrictive diets which lead to problems (hair loss, stopped periods, skin problems) of course if you have no fat in your diet your hair and skin and eventually monthly cycle will suffer. Add coconut oil or avocado to your high quality low sugar vegan smoothies (taking the extra calories into account and leaving out maybe a piece of fruit later) and you will be getting your required protein and fat..there are carbs in EVERYTHING, so unless you would like to live on water and air..get over the no carbs thing. Additionally carbs supply energy, so no carbs=no energy (ie- I felt like crap on a vegan diet). If you want/need a nutritionist find a nutritionist who's values align with your own, or do your homework and find some well balanced plant based (not 100 bananas a day and nothing else) program, follow and you will be healthy and lose weight. If you have underlying medical issues then of course find an expert to guide you safely. So much anxiety and focus over what can I what can't I eat..its enough to drive you nuts! ENJOY life, the food you eat and your journey to making the world a better place for all beings! Go vegans!! :)
  • stefa711
    stefa711 Posts: 196 Member
    Please don't listen to that foolishness! I LOVE eating. A little too much. As an omni, I was slightly overweight and I was constantly dieting/watching my weight.
    Now I am 30 lbs lighter and I don't diet, I can basically eat whatever I want (within reason- plant based-foods, not talking vegan junk-food) and stay within the same 1-3 lb weight fluctuation.
    If you eat all vegan junk food, you won't see the same results, but if you eat a whole foods plant based (or close to it) diet, you will more than likely lose weight and stay at a lower weight without having to restrict yourself like crazy.
  • PinkNinjaKitty
    PinkNinjaKitty Posts: 32 Member
    it would be impossible to NOT lose weight if you ate a vegan diet, as long as you are eating whole foods and not processed vegan garbage (oreos are vegan). Listen to your body. Once you start eating more fruits/veggies that is what you will crave. I eat different beans and grains like quinoa, farro, couscous almost every day. I can drink fruit smoothies every day. I have lost weight! Not saying I dont eat the occasional junk food and sometimes I eat something non-vegan due to not properly preparing but I am getting better. I don't sweat it. I just try, that is all we can do. Don't go below 1200 either. I found that when i was sticking to 1200 I didn't lose, I had to increase to almost 1800 to start losing. Don't know why but my body needed more calories because of my heavy workouts. Don't give up :-)
  • Please consider consulting a vegan dietician. Non-vegan dieticians will just frustrate you, if you are following a vegan diet.
  • Thank you everyone! That helps a lot (especially in trying to figure out what my macro percentage should be!) Yeah, he was hinting pretty heavily towards a Paleo Diet ("we have canines for a reason" actually came out of his mouth at one point). I think I'll just focus on the calorie deficit and building a healthy relationship with exercise and the gym, and trust the process.

    Thanks again for the responses!

    Thought I'd add, more like "we chose to call them 'canines' for a reason", so we don't feel bad about belonging "lower on the food chain". While I was studying for my Anthropology degree I made sure I got a solid evolutionary reason for the shape of our teeth and what they are for. It's to hold food in our mouths as our heads got rounder and faces got flatter. From square to rounded, with a need for a conical tooth in the now round corner. Carnivores have snouts and pointy teeth.
  • HeidiHirtle
    HeidiHirtle Posts: 126 Member
    When I went plant-based, I dropped weight more easily than I ever had in my life, and I was not going hungry by any means! This was also without any exercise. I stuck to whole unprocessed foods, lots of veggies, beans, lentils, some nuts and seeds, and fruit, and the weight came off fairly quickly. Felt so much better too!
  • mizmichele
    mizmichele Posts: 23 Member
    Its my understanding that it takes 3500 calories to either gain or lose a pound. So keep burning more than you are eating and it will come off. Its simple math. I don't eat the extra calories that mfp adjusts because of exercise because I figure it's difficult to be accurate with counting calories and measuring what we burn so it works out in the end. If you feel you need a nutritionist find one that is vegetarian or vegan. They'll be able to relate to you better and will have experience in what they are taking about.
  • bmannen1
    bmannen1 Posts: 77 Member
    I have been eating high carb low fat most raw vegan, not for overly long, but I am steadily losing... Research 80 10 10
  • DeliriumCanBeFun
    DeliriumCanBeFun Posts: 313 Member
    I'm sure it's already been said, but please don't back to that idiot. I lost quite a bit of weight when I was still an omni and during my transition, but since I have gone completely plant based in the last 2 months I have been able to further reduce my body fat significantly after being in a "plateau" for a few months. I was already very active as a cyclist, and I have also taken up running recently so that may be a factor. But I get so frustrated with the masses being so anti-carb. My macros are pretty much the same as they have been for a long time (60-65c/20-25f/15p), and I have no trouble maintaining muscle and losing fat. I recognize the importance of the good advice I've gotten along the way, but it's most important to figure out what works best for you through your own trials and errors.
  • Katzedernacht
    Katzedernacht Posts: 266 Member
    Nonsense :expressionless: unless you eat refined rice and pasta all day long . What is it with people and "carbs", we do need them .
    Also,I've been a vegan for..eh 2 years now, I was a vegetarian before, now I'm doing pretty well, of course I work out heavily and eat properly ;)
  • vegeemma
    vegeemma Posts: 6
    edited March 2015
    I'm not a long term vegan (Vegetarian for over 2 years and vegan for about 6 months) but I can say if anyone ever tells you to eat under 1600 calories (which is actually considered a starvation diet) a day or restrict your carbs, then don't listen. I eat between 2500-3500 calories a day living a high carb/low fat lifestyle. I lost all the weight that my fad diets and eating disorders piled up on me over the years and am now maintaining the weight that my body should be at naturally. My body and mind have never been healthier and I love it. The fact that a "professional" nutritionist is telling you to start at 1200 calories a day and cutting back to as low as 900 a day is.. Beyond ridiculous. I would not be going back to see him, ever.
  • fat2fitvegan
    fat2fitvegan Posts: 30 Member
    900 calories per day is wrong by any nutritional standard, vegan or not, and I'm surprised to hear a nutritionist tell you that.

    I'd recommend doing your own research on vegan nutrition (not implying that you haven't already, so everything I say might be old news to you) so stuff like this doesn't dissuade you. Jack Norris and Ginny Messina (known as The Vegan RD) are both registered dietitians and vegans, so they are very knowledgeable. Their websites are an excellent reference, and they have also written a book "Vegan for Life." Another registered dietitian, Brenda Davis, has written several books on a veggie lifestyle, including vegan diets, raw food diets, and vegetarian diets.

    As far as medical doctors go, my personal favorite is Dr. Joel Fuhrman and his extensive library of books on plant-based diets. He encourages a whole foods diet and provides a ridiculous number of studies and research to back up his statements, and you can't get much better than scientific studies. He also even wrote a book, "The End of Dieting," which actually debunks a ton of the common dietary myths (including the dangers of severe calorie reduction like trying to live on 900 calories a day). In "Eat to Live," he also writes about the dangers of excessive protein and that you should actually be eating a high-carb low-fat diet in the form of plenty of fruits and vegetables, beans, and other legumes, with minimal refined sugars or grains. And that whole foods diet works for several people (myself included).

    If you go through those books, you will probably end up knowing quite a bit more than that nutritionist and certainly more about vegan nutrition.
  • eabiss9
    eabiss9 Posts: 14 Member
    edited March 2015
    Sounds ilke what you said, a typical meat eater reaction who can't understand a Vegan diet.

    Unless you're eating pasta and rice all day I can't understand why a Vegan diet would be higher in Carbs than eating animal products. I eat between 8 - 10 pieces of fruit and veg a day and my protein I get from chia seeds, nuts and green veg then if I feel the need after a heavy work out I'll have the pea protein. It's worked for me so far!

    Please don't starve yourself everyone knows this is not the answer to healthy long term weight loss, sounds like your nutritionalist has a not uncommon descrimination against the Vegan diet and trying to frighten you!

    My thoughts exactly. The "meat is for man grass is for cows" ignorant mind set. Absolute rubbish. And 900 calories!? Whoever this person is knows nothing of proper nutrition. Run away from this guy! He needs to get his knowledge from sources other than non reputable veg bashing web articles.
  • xbecauseican
    xbecauseican Posts: 2 Member
    No!! Please check out Freelee the Banana Girl. She is Raw til 4... which means she eats raw fruit all day long (omg, the sugar!) then carbs the f--- up at night (omg, the carbs!). She was once overweight and is now is AMAZING shape. And eats over 3,000 calories a day! IMHO, the nutritionists of the world are owned by big food... and sadly, most have no idea! Good luck on your journey! :)
  • econista
    econista Posts: 26 Member
    OK. I didn't read all the replies but here is what i have observed over 30 plus years of paying attention. if you eat a whole foods plant based diet and focus on eating enough fresh (and lightly cooked) veggies and fruits and whole grains with high quality proteins you WILL lose weight. don't listen to that nutritionist. Try the full plate diet techniques with a vegan menu. avoid fake meats and highly processed stuff. Eat soy primarily in the forms of tempeh and tofu. avoid TVP and all forms of isolated soy protein at all costs. Eat food that you know what all the ingredients are if you eat pre-made foods. Eat small frequent portions and eat your veggies first mostly. Drink filtered water first when you feel hungry, then snack 15 min later veggies first (preferably use a ceramic filter like a berkey brand water filter is best. reverse osmosis water leaches minerals from your body, and use a glass or stainless container. Plastic leaches pba's into you which are bad...)
  • Vixenmd1
    Vixenmd1 Posts: 146 Member
    I lost 75 lbs in 2007/2008 (over 13 months) on WW. I kept it off for a few years and then it is my fault I put it back on (too much vegan food is still too much food). I have been a vegan for now 25 years then18 years. I was 36 when I lost the weight and now I am

    No offense but most of the medical field do not know anything about plant based diets so they wing it based on their own bias. In the late 80's I once had a doctor tell me to eat fish because they were stupid and if I didn't I was going to get some strange disease and die like "in those third world countries". I was seeing him on a totally unrelated issue. He just figured he would open his mouth prove that he had NO idea what he was talking about and that he was a racist all in one sentence.

    I walked out.

    Find a new person to work with you or just turn to people who are actually vegan. Often when pros don't know something they are going to steer you away from it.

    I would never give up being vegan. And I don't expect losing weight to be any harder for me then anyone else this time around. It never has been before. And I was 17 when I became vegan.
    Good luck.
  • lddfsu
    lddfsu Posts: 38 Member
    I follow a way of eating suggested by Dr. John McDougall. He's similar to Dr. Fuhrman, who was mentioned in an earlier reply. They both have great info. You also might want to watch Forks Over Knives.
  • SecretZombie
    SecretZombie Posts: 7 Member