Weight loss for Vegetarians
sjsowter
Posts: 2
I have been a vegetarian for nearly two years. But since that time I have only gained weight. Whether it's because of my lack of exercise and a high carb diet I don't know. Would love some advice from anyone who has successfully lost weight as a vegetarian? Would love some more energy too, that would help with the exercise side of things!
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Replies
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A problem with a lot of vegetarian food is what is in it. A lot of them use starches to make up for other stuff. That can wreck havoc on your blood sugar and lead to gain. I eat a mostly plant based diet and whole grain carbs. I eat meat but very limited and ethically sourced. A lot of snack foods are designer junk foods. Read the ingredients. Watch for weird additives. A little is fine as treats but make the bulk of calories from whole foods.0
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Lissa_Kaye wrote: »A problem with a lot of vegetarian food is what is in it. A lot of them use starches to make up for other stuff. That can wreck havoc on your blood sugar and lead to gain. I eat a mostly plant based diet and whole grain carbs. I eat meat but very limited and ethically sourced. A lot of snack foods are designer junk foods. Read the ingredients. Watch for weird additives. A little is fine as treats but make the bulk of calories from whole foods.
Are you saying that starches will lead to weight gain even if one is eating within a calorie deficit?0 -
It is exactly the same rules as for anyone else ...weigh your food and count your calories
Carbs have diddly-squat to do with it
It's overall calories, portion control and activity that counts0 -
Lissa_Kaye wrote: »A problem with a lot of vegetarian food is what is in it. A lot of them use starches to make up for other stuff. That can wreck havoc on your blood sugar and lead to gain. I eat a mostly plant based diet and whole grain carbs. I eat meat but very limited and ethically sourced. A lot of snack foods are designer junk foods. Read the ingredients. Watch for weird additives. A little is fine as treats but make the bulk of calories from whole foods.
Nope
Calories!0 -
i've lost over 40 lbs being vegan
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I've lost 46lbs since September 2014 and am vegetarian, its all about calories 0
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Don't buy any crappy veggie food and make your own. Get OCD with the golden rule: weigh, measure and don't over do the cheese mmmmmm cheese
Also don't get dragged down the quorn route, if leave out the quorn you will end up using more veg and getting more flavour, vitamins, less calories and cheaper shopping bills plus more energy (trust me on the energy, I'm a tad hyper most of the time lol) x0 -
Natural unprocessed is the best. Avoid junk food0
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rodsteph777 wrote: »Natural unprocessed is the best. Avoid junk food
There is nothing wrong with either of those as long as you are in a calorie deficit.0 -
You gained weight because you were eating more calories than you burned. I am vego, and have successfully lost weight as a vegetarian. Same advice I'd give to anyone trying to lose weight: weigh and log your food, log accurately and consistently. Also, make sure you are getting enough protein as this will make you feel fuller. Eggs are wonderful!0
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lemonlionheart wrote: »You gained weight because you were eating more calories than you burned. I am vego, and have successfully lost weight as a vegetarian. Same advice I'd give to anyone trying to lose weight: weigh and log your food, log accurately and consistently. Also, make sure you are getting enough protein as this will make you feel fuller. Eggs are wonderful!
Eggs typically aren't considered vegetarian.0 -
lemonlionheart wrote: »You gained weight because you were eating more calories than you burned. I am vego, and have successfully lost weight as a vegetarian. Same advice I'd give to anyone trying to lose weight: weigh and log your food, log accurately and consistently. Also, make sure you are getting enough protein as this will make you feel fuller. Eggs are wonderful!
Eggs typically aren't considered vegetarian.
if vegetarian is a diet that excludes the consumption of animal flesh then technically eggs aren't animal flesh
so many would eat eggs and dairy and say they are
the people I have issues with are the ones who think tuna is vegetarian
(I'm not veggie)0 -
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lemonlionheart wrote: »You gained weight because you were eating more calories than you burned. I am vego, and have successfully lost weight as a vegetarian. Same advice I'd give to anyone trying to lose weight: weigh and log your food, log accurately and consistently. Also, make sure you are getting enough protein as this will make you feel fuller. Eggs are wonderful!
Eggs typically aren't considered vegetarian.
if vegetarian is a diet that excludes the consumption of animal flesh then technically eggs aren't animal flesh
so many would eat eggs and dairy and say they are
the people I have issues with are the ones who think tuna is vegetarian
(I'm not veggie)
haha, yes, tuna is certainly not vegetarian.
and eggs and dairy are not vegan, but are vegetarian.
anyways, i've been a vegetarian for more than six years now, and have never gained a lot of weight because of it, but have always fluctuated from 55 to 59 kg. so, i've been doing this logging thing for about a month now and have successfully lost 2.3 kg. it's pretty effective. and i eat all the same things - just less of it.
so, count your calories, exercise (even if it is for only 150 calories a day) and stay within your calorie range. it takes a while to get used to eating less, but, drink lots of water and chew gum. it's what i do
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I eat predominantly non-meat (often non egg and other things - still sorting out what I am). Anyway, I agree with the others calories in calories out. I have treats, I eat carbs, I eat fruit sugars I even eat normal sugars. As long as I burn more than I use I lose. Water, lot's of water. Seriously, eat whatever you want. I regularly use Quorn and am 21lbs down.0
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Nony_Mouse wrote: »
You are right. I was thinking vegan. My bad!0 -
To answer the OPs question, I am overweight and vegetarian and I think it is because it is very easy to over eat things like bread, pasta and rice when you are a vego. I don't mean that carbs as such are the problem, just that you have to be diligent with making sure you get lots of veg and protein. In my case things like a peanut butter sandwich or two were "easier" (read I was lazy) than making real food. Just like a big bowl of pasta with tomato and veg and cream or tomato were. You really need to make sure you eat protein to keep yourself full.
In the end though you can eat what you want as long as it is within cals.
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OP - if you're lacking in energy I would suggest getting your iron levels checked. If deficient try to up your intake of iron-rich foods (actually not as hard for vegetarians as some people will have you believe - I've been 100% vege for 22 years and my iron levels are rock solid, and that's not just 'me' cos they used to be abysmal when I was younger!). Eggs are an great source
(scramble them with some parsley for even more!). I track my iron intake just out of curiosity and I'm getting pretty close to my RDI most days. 0 -
I have been a vegetarian for nearly two years. But since that time I have only gained weight. Whether it's because of my lack of exercise and a high carb diet I don't know. Would love some advice from anyone who has successfully lost weight as a vegetarian? Would love some more energy too, that would help with the exercise side of things!
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OP, it's all about calories, as others have said. If you're lacking in energy, pay attention to your protein intake. If you consume eggs and dairy, it's easy to get a lot of protein through things like eggs, cottage cheese and Greek yogurt. Don't forget plant sources rich in protein like beans, legumes, spinach, mushrooms, kale, and broccoli.0
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I'm eating vegetarian and, as other posters have said, I find that it's important to get enough protein in order to stay full. Aim for the RDA of protein, which is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of weight. I achieve this with beans, greek yogurt and nuts.0
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I was a fat, junk food eating, cheese loving vegetarian just a few years ago. When I cut out all animal products and went vegan (no dairy/eggs/honey as well as meat), I lost approx 50lbs, rid myself of asthma, anemia, and acne to name a few NSVs.
I'm open to answering any specific questions, but I can absolutely say that any diet that focuses on whole foods in their raw, natural state will help with weight loss and boost your energy. My problem as a vegetarian was that I was merely replacing meat with processed substitutes and over-doing it on the fatty dairy products. Now I never limit my intake of fresh, whole foods and I feel fabulous and my bloodwork has never looked better. 0 -
I was a fat, junk food eating, cheese loving vegetarian just a few years ago. When I cut out all animal products and went vegan (no dairy/eggs/honey as well as meat), I lost approx 50lbs, rid myself of asthma, anemia, and acne to name a few NSVs.
I'm open to answering any specific questions, but I can absolutely say that any diet that focuses on whole foods in their raw, natural state will help with weight loss and boost your energy. My problem as a vegetarian was that I was merely replacing meat with processed substitutes and over-doing it on the fatty dairy products. Now I never limit my intake of fresh, whole foods and I feel fabulous and my bloodwork has never looked better.
You can still have fat vegans0 -
I was a fat, junk food eating, cheese loving vegetarian just a few years ago. When I cut out all animal products and went vegan (no dairy/eggs/honey as well as meat), I lost approx 50lbs, rid myself of asthma, anemia, and acne to name a few NSVs.
I'm open to answering any specific questions, but I can absolutely say that any diet that focuses on whole foods in their raw, natural state will help with weight loss and boost your energy. My problem as a vegetarian was that I was merely replacing meat with processed substitutes and over-doing it on the fatty dairy products. Now I never limit my intake of fresh, whole foods and I feel fabulous and my bloodwork has never looked better.
You can still have fat vegans
ANYTHING is possible; but bodyzen looks and feels terrific! Nice job!
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Oh absolutely! Veganism does not necessarily equal a clean diet. I know lots of chubby animal lovers too - and man I wish I could binge on some vegan cupcakes!!! lol. As I said, it's all about what you eat.I was a fat, junk food eating, cheese loving vegetarian just a few years ago. When I cut out all animal products and went vegan (no dairy/eggs/honey as well as meat), I lost approx 50lbs, rid myself of asthma, anemia, and acne to name a few NSVs.
I'm open to answering any specific questions, but I can absolutely say that any diet that focuses on whole foods in their raw, natural state will help with weight loss and boost your energy. My problem as a vegetarian was that I was merely replacing meat with processed substitutes and over-doing it on the fatty dairy products. Now I never limit my intake of fresh, whole foods and I feel fabulous and my bloodwork has never looked better.
You can still have fat vegans
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I've been a vegetarian for 20 years. Rule #1: KNOW WHAT YOU ARE EATING. Read labels and know what you are eating. Just like with any diet, you need to watch your calories, and also other vital nutrients. Carbs aren't bad, it's just easy to eat a lot of them. Anything in excess is bad.
Complex carbs and whole grains make you feel fuller and are higher in fiber, which helps with regularity and also helps you feel fuller. Same with protein. Fresh veggies and fruits can make you feel fuller even though they are usually very low in calories. If you snack before dinner, reach for a banana or some carrots dipped in hummus. You will eat less at dinner if you do.
Wait 20 minutes after a snack or sensible portion before getting seconds. 9 times out of 10, the urge to eat more will go away.
Watch out for processed foods, too much sald dressing, too much cooking oil, ect.
Read, read, and read some more.0 -
rodsteph777 wrote: »Natural unprocessed is the best. Avoid junk food
There is nothing wrong with either of those as long as you are in a calorie deficit.
Wrong. Junk food is full of fat so you could eat 10 burgers an dB be in the calorie limit but be wat over on unhealthy fat and cholesterol which goes right to your butt and stomach. Do this everyday and let see where that takes you. Its easier to lose weight when going all natural. Meaning cooking your own food. Veggies preferably steamed with lean meat on the side and some whole grains. Bodyforlife.com program works wonders as I have done so in the past and I started yesterday again.0 -
Oh absolutely! Veganism does not necessarily equal a clean diet. I know lots of chubby animal lovers too - and man I wish I could binge on some vegan cupcakes!!! lol. As I said, it's all about what you eat.
I have been vegan for eight years. Unlimited consumption of "whole foods" doesn't guarantee a healthy weight. Without focusing on portions and calories, I have always, always gained weight. It isn't just what you eat - - how much you eat is a crucial factor.
Whole grains, potatoes, nuts, avocados, fruits, coconuts - - these are foods that are full of nutrients but are also very easy for some of us to overeat in whole form. Neglecting portion control isn't going to help maintain a healthy weight.
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rodsteph777 wrote: »rodsteph777 wrote: »Natural unprocessed is the best. Avoid junk food
There is nothing wrong with either of those as long as you are in a calorie deficit.
Wrong. Junk food is full of fat so you could eat 10 burgers an dB be in the calorie limit but be wat over on unhealthy fat and cholesterol which goes right to your butt and stomach. Do this everyday and let see where that takes you. Its easier to lose weight when going all natural. Meaning cooking your own food. Veggies preferably steamed with lean meat on the side and some whole grains. Bodyforlife.com program works wonders as I have done so in the past and I started yesterday again.
Wrong. Cos that's not the way it works.
There's a reason you've 'started yesterday again' .. deprivation diets suck and lead to yo-yoing0 -
I'm not saying I have the magic answer or anything, every body is different, but for me - when I was eating 1200 -1400 calories a day as a vegetarian trying to lose weight, it was awful. I went vegan (with a strong focus on low fat, raw foods) started increasing my calories and I lost weight easily. Now I focus on getting at least 2000-2500 calories a day from whole foods. It works for me and I get to eat all I care for. 0
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