This might help... https://www.reddit.com/r/vegetarianketo

@boohooboo try this info: http://www.healthfulpursuit.com/2015/04/video-low-carb-vegan-keto-plant-based/

boohooboo wrote: »

thanks! from the posts, it looks like cheese, cheese, peanut and almond butter, and cheese. and eggs

I feel your pain! I've been trying Keto for just over a month and it's been a real struggle here too since nearly every meal or recipe I've come across seems to involve lots of meat, dairy and eggs. The truth is, I don't care for meat either (the idea of chewing something that used to be alive messes with me psychologically) and I have an intolerance to dairy and legumes.

I've been forcing myself to eat bacon, chicken, salmon and eggs but I'm not sure how much longer I'll be able to keep it up. My perfect world would include a vegan Keto plan but no luck so far coming across any such thing that is effective and/or sustainable long term.

Boohoo I am pretty sure I wrote you about hempseed protein, and pumpkin seeds too as meat replacement.

I am on a veggie based (but NOT vegetarian) LCHF diet and lost equal amounts of weight with meat, and without. And my kidney function improved without meat, and goes down when I do have it.

here is just one of many sites: (several links are inside this one)
http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/vegetarian/a/Low-Carb-Vegetarian-Diet.htm

403Isaiah-
There is actually a lot of information, just look for it, and there are MANY pubmed studies showing the benefits of a low/no meat protein diet for obesity.
there is a world of foods you can eat that are not meat

Hi...I'm new to this group, but I did see a recipe the other day about a keto hot breakfast "cereal" Maybe this would help you out? It's from Reddit : https://www.reddit.com/r/xxketo/comments/3gdsba/keto_newbie_best_alternative_for_porridge/

The one I am referring to is this one: <quote> I've had good luck with using hemp hearts as an alternative to oats - if you put 1/4 cup of hemp hearts in 1/2 a cup of almond milk (or coconut, or whatever suits your fancy) and bring them to a simmer for a few minutes, it's a really good alternative! A little cinnamon helps, too <unquote>

Hope that helps a lttle!!

Flax seed cereal! Google recipe. So yummy. Equivalent of oatmeal. I add a little protien powder to keep me full in the morning.

I'm kinda useless for the rest. Bacon is my friend! Lol. Good luck tho!

How to Eat Low-Carb as a Vegetarian or Vegan
By Joe Leech, Dietitian | June, 2015 | 41,497 views
Cutting back on carbs is not very complicated.

Just replace the sugars and starches in your diet with vegetables, meat, fish, eggs, nuts and fats.

Seems pretty straightforward, unless you don’t eat meat.

Conventional low-carb diets rely heavily on meat, which makes them unsuitable for vegetarians.

However, this does not need to be the case.

Everyone can follow a low-carb diet, even vegetarians and vegans.

This article shows you how to do it.

Why Low-Carb?

In the past 12 years, at least 23 studies have shown that low-carb diets can help you lose weight (without calorie counting).

One of the main reasons is that these diets can significantly reduce appetite, making you eat fewer calories without having to consciously try to eat less (1, 2).

Low-carb diets also improve health in other ways.

They are very effective at reducing harmful belly fat, and tend to reduce triglycerides and raise HDL (the “good”) cholesterol significantly. They also tend to lower blood pressure and blood sugar levels (3, 4, 5, 6, 7).

Although low-carb diets are not necessary for everyone, they can have important health benefits for people people with obesity, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes and certain neurological disorders.

A low-carb vegan diet can be very healthy as well. Studies on eco-atkins (vegan, 26% of calories as carbs) have shown that such a diet is much healthier than a regular low-fat diet, as well as a low-fat vegetarian diet (8, 9).



Different Types of Vegetarians

Fruits

There are several different types of vegetarians. None of them eat meat or fish.

The two most common types are lacto-ovo vegetarians and vegans.

Lacto-ovo vegetarians (or simply “vegetarians”) eat dairy products and eggs, but vegans do not eat any animal-derived foods.

Dairy Products and Eggs Are Low in Carbs

Eggs and dairy products, without added sugar, are low in carbs, but high in both protein and fat. For vegetarians (not vegans), they are perfect for a low-carb diet.

Eggs: Contain only trace amounts of carbs. Choose pastured, omega-3-enriched or free-range eggs if you can.
Yogurt, Greek yogurt and kefir: Choose unsweetened, full-fat versions. Find ones with live cultures for an additional probiotic benefit.
Grass-fed butter: Butter from grass-fed cows is healthy, and fine in moderation on a low-carb diet.
Cheese: Highly nutrient-dense and tasty, and can be used in all sorts of recipes.
These foods are also rich in vitamin B12, which is not found in plant foods. Vegetarians can get all the B12 they need from these foods, while vegans need to supplement.



Low-Carb Friendly Plant Foods (For Both Vegetarians and Vegans)

There is actually a massive variety of low-carb foods from plants.

Many of these foods are also high in protein and fat.

Vegetables: Many vegetables are low in carbs. This includes tomatoes, onions, cauliflower, eggplant, bell peppers, broccoli and Brussels sprouts.
Fruits: Berries like strawberries and blueberries can be eaten on a low-carb diet. Depending on how many carbs you want to eat, other fruits may be acceptable as well.
Fatty fruits: Avocados and olives are incredibly healthy. They are low in carbs but high in fat.
Nuts and seeds: Nuts and seeds are low in carbs, but high in protein and fat. This includes almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts, peanuts and pumpkin seeds.
Soy: Foods like tofu and tempeh are high in protein and fat, but low in carbs. This makes them acceptable on a low-carb vegetarian/vegan diet.
Legumes: Some legumes, including green beans, chick peas and others.
Healthy fats: Extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil and coconut oil.
Chia seeds: Most of the carbs in chia seeds are fiber, so almost all of the usable calories in them come from protein and fat.
Dark chocolate: If you choose dark chocolate with a high (70-85%+) cocoa content, then it will be low in carbs but high in fat.
How Many Carbs Should You Eat?

There is no fixed definition of exactly what “low carb” means.

Weird Chef Playing With Vegetables

It is important to experiment and figure out a way to match your carb intake to your own goals and preferences.

That being said, these guidelines are reasonable:

100-150 grams per day: This is a decent maintenance range, and is good for people who exercise a lot.
50-100 grams per day: This should lead to automatic weight loss, and is a good maintenance range for people who don’t exercise that much.
20-50 grams per day: With a carb intake this low, you should lose weight quickly without experiencing much hunger. This carb range should put you into ketosis.
Vegetarians could easily go into the lowest range, but such a diet would be impractical for vegans. The 100-150 gram range would be more suitable for vegans.

It is recommended to use a nutrition tracker (like Cron-o-meter) for at least a few days/weeks while you are fine-tuning your carbohydrate intake and making sure to get enough protein and fat.

A Sample Menu For a Low-Carb Vegetarian Diet

This is a one-week sample menu for a vegetarian (not vegan) diet that is low in carbs.

You can adapt this based on your own needs and preferences.

Monday

Breakfast: Eggs and vegetables, fried in olive oil.
Lunch: Four bean salad with olive oil, and a handful of nuts.
Dinner: Cheesy cauliflower bake (gratin) with broccoli and potato.
Tuesday

Breakfast: Full-fat yoghurt and berries.
Lunch: Leftover potato bake from the night before.
Dinner: Grilled portabello mushrooms, with buttered vegetables and avocado.


Wednesday

Breakfast: Smoothie with coconut milk and blueberries.
Lunch: Carrot and cucumber sticks with hummus dip, and a handful of nuts.
Dinner: Tempeh stir fry, with cashew nuts and veggies.
Thursday

Breakfast: Omelet with vegetables, fried in olive oil.
Lunch: Leftover stir fry from dinner the night before.
Dinner: Chilli beans with sour cream, cheese and salsa.
Friday

Breakfast: Full-fat yoghurt and berries.
Lunch: Quinoa salad with some olive oil and a handful of nuts.
Dinner: Feta cheese salad with pumpkin seeds and macadamia nuts, drizzled with olive oil.
Saturday

Breakfast: Fried eggs with baked beans and avocado.
Lunch: Carrot and cucumber sticks with hummus dip, and a handful of nuts.
Dinner: Eggplant moussaka.
Sunday

Breakfast: Strawberry smoothie with full-fat yogurt and nuts.
Lunch: Leftover moussaka from the night before.
Dinner: Asparagus, spinach and feta quiche (with or without egg).
You can find numerous delicious low-carb vegan recipes on this site.

Plus, there is a massive amount of free recipes available on the internet. Try typing “low carb vegetarian recipes” or “low carb vegan recipes” into Google.

There are also cookbooks on Amazon that are dedicated to low-carb and plant-based eating.

Take Home Message

There are many delicious plant foods that are low in carbs, but high in fat and protein.

Clearly, you don’t need to be a meat eater to reap the benefits of low-carb eating.

boohooboo wrote: »

thanks. i was frustrated because there's no way i can be vegetarian and stick to 25 carbs/day, but maybe if i raise my carbs a bit, i can do it. here goes...

You don't have to be before 25 g a day for your body to produce ketones or to see the benefits of low carb. 60-70 is a great range and will allow you many more options

You may not be in deep ketosis and reading levels on a meter but the body will produce ketones when it runs out of glucose, once stores are depleted if one is only ingesting 60 - 70g a day the body will start burning fat for its daily needs thus producing ketones. It just may not be at the level that personally makes you feel the best, so lower carbs and more ketones works best for you. Someone who is struggling to stay that low on carbs can still gain the benefits of lc and ketone production eating a slightly higher level, even higher if they are active.

I agree with above. The point of my post to boohooboo was to give another option to deep ketosis and such a low carb count. I know a lot of people in this group think LCHF is the way to go but it's not the only way. This group is for low carb and anything under 150g a day can be considered low carb and for many people, especially vegetarians a higher carb level is what is more sustainable as well as more enjoyable. I'm vegetarian for ethical reasons and would never compromise just to loose weight. As I said before you'll never stick to a diet long term that you don't enjoy or are struggling with. With a higher carb allowance we will still loose, ok perhaps not quite as fast as keto but in a much more enjoyable and sustainable way.