Feeling disappointed

CiaraMDalton
CiaraMDalton Posts: 14 Member
edited November 21 in Getting Started
For a week now by my husband's demand we have been eating vegetarian meals all week. With no pop...which I'm doing fine with no real urges to break this diet. However I keep gaining weight. Like 9 pounds in two weeks. I'm truly confused. I'm also working out on a elliptical 4 days a week. And my job requirements has me on my feet for 4-8 hours 5 days a week. I'm just very disappointed.
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Replies

  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    Eating vegetarian meals has nothing to do with weight loss. There are plenty of fat vegetarians!

    You need to eat in a caloric deficit to lose weight.
  • punkrockgoth
    punkrockgoth Posts: 534 Member
    You're eating more than you're burning. Log everything you eat or drink, weighing and measuring portions. Do that for a few weeks, you'll likely find you're eating a lot more than you think. Just because something is vegetarian/vegan doesn't mean it's not calorie dense.
  • CiaraMDalton
    CiaraMDalton Posts: 14 Member
    My calorie intake is low.
  • debubbie
    debubbie Posts: 767 Member
    Definitely invest in a digital food scale and weigh out all of your foods to get a better idea of how many calories you are consuming. I struggled at first because I relied on the serving size of pre-packaged stuff to be accurate and it was almost always more than what I thought it was! Also, if you just started working out you could have some water weight gain in there for muscle repair and once your body gets used to the new activity you will see a change.
  • CiaraMDalton
    CiaraMDalton Posts: 14 Member
    Thank you
  • bubaluboo
    bubaluboo Posts: 2,098 Member
    It's been one week. You could lose about 2 lb in a (very strict calorie controlled) week but your body weight can fluctuate up to 5lb naturally from water retention so you may not see it so quickly. How do you know your calorie intake is less that you burned? Did you count calories?
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
    You're eating more than you think you are.

    Are you weighing your foods?

    Going vegetarian does NOT mean you'll lose weight. Sorry but nope. I wish it was that simple because I'd have 25 years of being fit under my belt.
  • conniehgtv
    conniehgtv Posts: 309 Member
    maybe yor body is upset by your husbands demands?vegatarian is not for every one. Were you ready to give up pop?
  • farfromthetree
    farfromthetree Posts: 982 Member
    Eating vegetarian meals has nothing to do with weight loss. There are plenty of fat vegetarians!

    You need to eat in a caloric deficit to lose weight.

    This exactly. If you are eating a lot of pasta/rice, you are probably eating more calories than say if you were eating lean meats. You are eating more calories now than before. If you want to continue eating vegetarian and you want to lose weight, you have to start weighing and measuring your foods and eating in a calorie deficit.
    I wont even get into my thoughts on protein...but I would consider looking into a vegan protein powder.
  • CiaraMDalton
    CiaraMDalton Posts: 14 Member
    bubaluboo wrote: »
    It's been one week. You could lose about 2 lb in a (very strict calorie controlled) week but your body weight can fluctuate up to 5lb naturally from water retention so you may not see it so quickly. How do you know your calorie intake is less that you burned? Did you count calories?

    Yes I have I figured it was best. My doctor stated that I'm not eating enough calories so my weight is staying the same...then I've tried this new food choice and gained 5 pounds.
  • bannedword
    bannedword Posts: 299 Member
    edited July 2015
    My calorie intake is low.

    What matters is that your calorie intake is lower than your calories burned. You must eat at a caloric deficit to lose weight.

    So either you are (a) eating more calories than you think, (b) burning fewer calories than you think, or (c) you have a medical anomaly that should be discussed with a physician.

    edited to add that (c) is pretty unlikely. I'd start looking at (a) and (b) first.


  • CiaraMDalton
    CiaraMDalton Posts: 14 Member
    conniehgtv wrote: »
    maybe yor body is upset by your husbands demands?vegatarian is not for every one. Were you ready to give up pop?

    I'm OK without pop. Don't drink much of it any way. But without meat I feel run down... a little weak.
  • CiaraMDalton
    CiaraMDalton Posts: 14 Member
    bubaluboo wrote: »
    It's been one week. You could lose about 2 lb in a (very strict calorie controlled) week but your body weight can fluctuate up to 5lb naturally from water retention so you may not see it so quickly. How do you know your calorie intake is less that you burned? Did you count calories?

    Yes I have I figured it was best. My doctor stated that I'm not eating enough calories so my weight is staying the same...then I've tried this new food choice and gained 5 pounds.

    Sorry 9 pounds
  • carlstokes8
    carlstokes8 Posts: 22 Member
    check you sodium intake. I just switched to eating fruit, no soda real or diet and huge salad at night with protien. I could not find any salad dressing that was healthy they were either calorie dense or low calorie was high in sodium. I use salsa and Flavored Mustard. Tastes pretty good. I hope this helps good luck on your Journey. I am going to send you a friend request. Have a great weekend...
  • CiaraMDalton
    CiaraMDalton Posts: 14 Member
    Eating vegetarian meals has nothing to do with weight loss. There are plenty of fat vegetarians!

    You need to eat in a caloric deficit to lose weight.

    This exactly. If you are eating a lot of pasta/rice, you are probably eating more calories than say if you were eating lean meats. You are eating more calories now than before. If you want to continue eating vegetarian and you want to lose weight, you have to start weighing and measuring your foods and eating in a calorie deficit.
    I wont even get into my thoughts on protein...but I would consider looking into a vegan protein powder.
    I've actually only had pasta or rice once in two weeks. I do vegie pasta.
  • farfromthetree
    farfromthetree Posts: 982 Member
    bubaluboo wrote: »
    It's been one week. You could lose about 2 lb in a (very strict calorie controlled) week but your body weight can fluctuate up to 5lb naturally from water retention so you may not see it so quickly. How do you know your calorie intake is less that you burned? Did you count calories?

    Yes I have I figured it was best. My doctor stated that I'm not eating enough calories so my weight is staying the same...then I've tried this new food choice and gained 5 pounds.

    Your doctor is 100% wrong. That is ridiculous.
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
    Are you measuring and weighing everything you eat?
  • farfromthetree
    farfromthetree Posts: 982 Member
    Eating vegetarian meals has nothing to do with weight loss. There are plenty of fat vegetarians!

    You need to eat in a caloric deficit to lose weight.

    This exactly. If you are eating a lot of pasta/rice, you are probably eating more calories than say if you were eating lean meats. You are eating more calories now than before. If you want to continue eating vegetarian and you want to lose weight, you have to start weighing and measuring your foods and eating in a calorie deficit.
    I wont even get into my thoughts on protein...but I would consider looking into a vegan protein powder.
    I've actually only had pasta or rice once in two weeks. I do vegie pasta.

    It doesn't matter if it is veggie pasta. A calorie is a calorie. check the labels and compare.

  • bannedword
    bannedword Posts: 299 Member

    Your doctor is 100% wrong. That is ridiculous.

    This whole thread is ridiculous. No one is a special snowflake.

    Eat less than you burn and you will lose weight. Maybe not in a linear and predictable way, but you will not gain 9 pounds from eating too little. That is just nonsense.

  • carlstokes8
    carlstokes8 Posts: 22 Member
    I use vega 1 all in one protein powder
  • emdeesea
    emdeesea Posts: 1,823 Member
    So do you have a food scale that you weigh your portions on?

    It'd be helpful if you opened your food diary.
  • CiaraMDalton
    CiaraMDalton Posts: 14 Member
    Like I stated I calorie count it's been two weeks. Thank you for your suggestions. However, Like I stated I was feeling disappointed...in other words looking for encouragement. thank you for those who gave me a boost.
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  • Rehabquilter
    Rehabquilter Posts: 2 Member
    Let me ask an obvious question, are you sure you are not pregnant? I know two women who were dieting and couldn't figure out why they were still gaining weight and neither had a clue they were pregnant...just a thought.
  • CiaraMDalton
    CiaraMDalton Posts: 14 Member
    bannedword wrote: »

    Your doctor is 100% wrong. That is ridiculous.

    This whole thread is ridiculous. No one is a special snowflake.

    Eat less than you burn and you will lose weight. Maybe not in a linear and predictable way, but you will not gain 9 pounds from eating too little. That is just nonsense.

    I'm sorry you feel that way but I put in everything I eat and this is whats happening. If you have no helpful comments then please post elsewhere. Thank you
  • bellaa_x0
    bellaa_x0 Posts: 1,062 Member
    bubaluboo wrote: »
    It's been one week. You could lose about 2 lb in a (very strict calorie controlled) week but your body weight can fluctuate up to 5lb naturally from water retention so you may not see it so quickly. How do you know your calorie intake is less that you burned? Did you count calories?

    Yes I have I figured it was best. My doctor stated that I'm not eating enough calories so my weight is staying the same...then I've tried this new food choice and gained 5 pounds.

    Your doctor is 100% wrong. That is ridiculous.

    that's not "100%" true.. i lost weight once i started eating more since i wasn't eating enough to begin with.
  • carlstokes8
    carlstokes8 Posts: 22 Member
    just remember doctors are not nutritionists and half of them sound like quakes and will get you diet that you don't like. I don't think I could go vegan if I did I know my body would have to adjust to that type of diet. it could take a while..
  • CiaraMDalton
    CiaraMDalton Posts: 14 Member
    Caitwn wrote: »
    bubaluboo wrote: »
    It's been one week. You could lose about 2 lb in a (very strict calorie controlled) week but your body weight can fluctuate up to 5lb naturally from water retention so you may not see it so quickly. How do you know your calorie intake is less that you burned? Did you count calories?

    Yes I have I figured it was best. My doctor stated that I'm not eating enough calories so my weight is staying the same...then I've tried this new food choice and gained 5 pounds.

    Your doctor is 100% wrong. That is ridiculous.

    Well, in fairness it's hard to say if her doctor is wrong. But right or wrong, switching to a vegetarian diet without any real experience in vegetarian cooking can be a recipe for disaster in terms of weight gain.

    @ClaraMDalton - Are you using MFP to track your calories and set up a reasonable and healthy rate of weight loss? Are you logging everything you eat and drink? These are powerful tools that will help you succeed.

    Start with the basics of logging and tracking.
    Let me ask an obvious question, are you sure you are not pregnant? I know two women who were dieting and couldn't figure out why they were still gaining weight and neither had a clue they were pregnant...just a thought.

    Its very well possible.
  • bannedword
    bannedword Posts: 299 Member

    I'm sorry you feel that way but I put in everything I eat and this is whats happening. If you have no helpful comments then please post elsewhere. Thank you

    That's not exactly how the internet works. You can't just dismiss me from an open chat board just because you don't like what I am saying.

    And frankly, every thing I have posted has been helpful.

    Try opening your diary. Try answering the questions you've been asked, like are you weighing and measuring everything you put in your mouth. Try understanding that weight loss is not mystical and mysterious. It's science, and if you aren't getting the expected outcomes, it is generally because one of your inputs is incorrect.



This discussion has been closed.