We are pleased to announce that on March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor will be introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the upcoming changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!

Gained 40lbs 1 yr HELP!

NikFrik313
NikFrik313 Posts: 3 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Hello All. I am in desperate need of some help. I am extremely uncomfortable due to my recent weight gain and surgeries. I hate having to see people because I am so embarrassed by how much weight I've put on. I'm a vegetarian so it's difficult to find food. I say "find food" bc I am still far from recovering from my 2 back surgeries and I'm not able to cook or get around very well yet. This time last year, I weighed 40-45lbs less than the weight I'm at now. But since I've been dealing with health issues and the surgeries, I've not been able to be active at all. I've gone from training in martial arts 3-4 times a week to now being in bed 90% of the time while I'm recovering. My weight gain started before my surgeries when I originally got hurt/sick. I don't know what to do or what to eat so I end up eating cereal or something else easy. (Thank you to anyone who has read this far into my story.) I know a lot of you will say I need to eat meat for the protein but I've been a vegetarian for 16 years and don't plan to change that. I would love to be healthy AND happy. And right now, I am neither. I also have a moderate gluten allergy. It's an extremely difficult situation even if I didn't have my recent weight issues and recovery limitations. So I'm looking for help with meal ideas because I know if I don't eat the right way to lose this weight, I will just restrict my caloric intake which I am aware is unhealthy. I need help finding recipes that are quick and easy that meet my daily needs. Which I'm not even sure what my caloric intake should be at this point.
So long story short, does anyone have some easy, vegetarian meal ideas you can share? And does anyone know of some extremely low impact cardio I can do that doesn't involve using my lower & middle back? I'm not sure if you can see but I attached a few pictures of normal me versus me today. Thank you all.
-Nzwvj6pp914i3.jpg

Replies

  • hgycta
    hgycta Posts: 3,013 Member
    I'm sorry to hear that you're so frustrated and worried at the moment, but I'm glad you've made it through the surgeries ok and I hope you continue to heal well!
    As for the weight gain, try not to feel too embarrassed. You were going through a lot and dreading about the weight gain won't help it go away any faster, just be glad you're taking steps towards a healthier and leaner you now before you ended up gaining another 40 pounds or so - everyone starts somewhere!
    I know it will be hard, but you have to take it one day at a time. Use myfitnesspal to restrict your caloric intake to whatever it recommends for a healthy and slow weight loss. It doesn't matter really what you eat for now as long as you keep a caloric deficit you will lose weight, just try not to severely restrict anything as it may make healing from the surgeries more difficult for your body and you'll feel more deprived, which can lead to binge eating. If you mess up one day and eat more than you should have, don't feel bad, just jump right back into it with a positive mind.
    If you're a vegetarian and suffer from celiac's, then I strongly urge you to consult your doctor or other registered dietitian to develop a healthy personalized meal plan suitable for your needs. Unfortunately I don't know enough about these specific diets to recommend anything, but just know that a healthy diet should consist of carbs, fats, and proteins; try not to deprive any major macro nutrient as each helps your body to function optimally in its own way. Protein will help you feel full, but the brain needs glucose to function.
    Some great sources of protein are tofu, beans, lower fat cheeses, greek yogurt, etc.
    I wish you all the best of luck, and please be patient and focus on healing well before doing anything you know you probably shouldn't!
  • Krystle1984
    Krystle1984 Posts: 146 Member
    Soya beans are a great source of protein (about 14g per 100g of beans) and super easy to cook. 6 minutes to steam or you can microwave them if that's your thing. Tofu is good too but requires a bit more prep.

    I'm also vegetarian and Coeliac so have to stay gluten free. I eat a lot of lentils and brown rice and plenty of veg and beans. I make a big pot of lentil casserole which makes 6 servings and then freeze some in individual portions so always have something to hand. Three bean chilli is another easy make you can freeze.

    Good luck and feel free to add me if you want. :)
  • NikFrik313
    NikFrik313 Posts: 3 Member
    Thank you so much for your help!
  • NikFrik313
    NikFrik313 Posts: 3 Member
    @Krystle1984 thank you so much for the food advice. I will definitely be taking your suggestions. And @hgytca I appreciate you reminding me that I need to stay focused on healing the right way and not necessarily aggressive weight loss at this point in time. It's just been a really, really difficult struggle. But if I don't take care of my health through out my recovery then my weight will be the least of my problems. Thank you both.
  • SOMMLoser
    SOMMLoser Posts: 1 Member
    I LOVE roasting broccoli, cut it up bite size coat lightly in olive oil little salt and pepper toss on a cookie sheet covered in tin foil. Put in over 450 until it gets a little soft and a little crispy. So EASY and yummy. I eat this like candy.. ALSO works exactly the same with brussel sprouts.
  • spatulathumbs
    spatulathumbs Posts: 125 Member
    My favorite vegetarian meal lately has been taking a nice block of firm tofu, wrapping it in a clean kitchen towel, and setting a heavy plate on it to press out more of the moisture. Then you slice it once across the middle and then into slices. Put those on a baking tin and roast them in the oven, brushing on some tamari, turning to cook and brown all around. Then I put them in some rice paper wrappers with all the veggies I can find, carrots, peppers, cucumbers, sprouts, etc. They make amazing, savory fresh rolls with a ton of great protein in them. You can make a peanut dipping sauce to go with. You can make up a bunch of them because it's not that much more work to chop the extra veggies all at once, and they store in the fridge for a quick snack or for a lunch. I'm not a vegetarian but I like to mix it up a bit and I eat pretty much everything. I think I got this one from the Minimalist Baker website, and they have lots of good things. The sweet potato chickpea bowl looks amazing.
  • Whitezombiegirl
    Whitezombiegirl Posts: 1,042 Member
    When I was vegetarian I loved making veg kebabs. i would squewer chunks of onion, mushroom, baby toms, pinapple and peppers (whatever you fancy) and grill. I'd make a sauce from tinned tomatoes, tom puree and pesto (or just basil) and pour over.

    Or my chunky BBQ sauce with veg- tinned toms, tom puree, worcetershire sauce, mustard powder (english), chunky onions, vinegar (and some sugar/ sweetener if desired). Pour over mixed veg or fake meat etc.

    Sauasage casserole (with veggie sausages) Tinned toms, tom puree, sliced onions and red peppers, dried sage and a really big 'glug' of brown sauce (HP / Daddies etc.). In the UK brown sauce is a date/ apple based smooth chutney type sauce with tomatoes and herbs and spices- kind of sweet and sour and savory. I'm sure there is a US equivalent.

    Another similar variation is roasted veg (peppers, onions mushrooms etc.) in a tomatoe sauce with Old el Paso smokey fajita seasoning (and chillis if desired) with chunks of feta cheese on top. Feta goes really well with the fajita seasoning for some reason.

    Greek salad...mmmm...

    Good luck and hope you are feeling better soon.
  • SoulOfRusalka
    SoulOfRusalka Posts: 1,201 Member
    Hey! I'm a vegan who's gained 40 pounds last year too! 10 of them were intentional but after that... sigh.

    Rice and lentils or tofu is my go-to for protein, with some steamed broccoli to cut the calories. For snacks it's good to cut up fruits and vegetables so they're as easy to eat as anything else. I'm probably not the healthiest example though, considering that I just ate a bar of chocolate with espresso beans for dinner. >_>
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    I often make big pot meals at the weekend that I stick in the fridge for go to meals

    meditteranean vegetable stew is a huge go to - serve it with 100g cooked rice and 10g strong cheddar
    - onion, carrots, mushrooms, pepper, butternut squash, courgette (zuccini), aubergine (eggplant), celery, 2 tins chopped tomato, garlic, bay leaf, basil, oregano, rosemary, salt & pepper and simmer for an hour

    or butternut squash risotto over mixed salad leaves

    both under 350 calories
This discussion has been closed.

Categories