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.

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...

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.

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.

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!

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!!

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 :-)

cuspofqueens wrote: »

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.

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.

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.

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.

KerrymBurgess wrote: »

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.

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...)

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.