vegetarians and food

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adot167
adot167 Posts: 1 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hello, so I am newly vegetarian.. About 6 months and I have gained weight ever since due to surpassing my carbs macros, I also find it extremely difficult to meet my protein intake without a shake or having too much fat. I have tried to look for other meals but I just feel really hungry without the carbs. Any vegetarians with recipes and meals that I can have please let me know :)

Replies

  • MelaniaTrump
    MelaniaTrump Posts: 2,694 Member
    edited April 2016
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    I am high carb and losing weight easily. Good carbs.
    If it fits in your daily calories - you can have it.
    Are you logging all your food?
    Protein minimum for sedentary woman is 46 grams a day.
    What is your goal?
    Mine is 70

    BEANS - high in protein - satisfying - high in magnesium, fiber, potassium, etc, etc.
    What do you mean by carbs? Bread? Chips?
    Google: Bean recipes.

    I have met some vegans that eat nothing but pizza, french fries, muffins, and pasta.
    Don't be one of them. Do it the right way.
    Focus fruits and veggies.
  • sarahkanzalone
    sarahkanzalone Posts: 192 Member
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    I have been veg for a long time and know the temptation of filling up with carbs, but there are a lot of great substitutes.... TVP is a quick/easy thing to make that has protein, and the meat substitutes have really come a long way and are a lot better then they use to be. Try veggie or bean burgers. You can add lots of veggies to a meal to make it more filling without a lot of calories. Check out some vegetarian groups on here a lot of them have some good recipes
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    Unless you have a medical condition that you haven't shared with us, you haven't gained weight because you went over on carbohydrates. You gained weight because you consumed more calories than you burned -- it's the same for vegetarians as it is for everyone else.

    That said, some people find that they feel fuller when they eat more protein -- for these people, eating a lot of carbohydrates may make it harder to meet their calorie goals as they will eat more than they need so that they feel full.

    Plant sources of protein include beans, grains, tofu, tempeh, seitan, vegetables (all vegetables have some -- some, like peas, have a lot), and nuts/seeds (be mindful that the calories on these add up quickly). Most of these don't have much fat. There's also nothing wrong with having protein powder, if you want, to round up your protein consumption.

    You can continue to eat higher carbohydrate, if you want, and lose weight. You just have to consume fewer calories than you are burning. When I was losing weight, I got about 60% of my calories from carbs. You just need to ensure you are also meeting your needs for protein.
  • IceBaroque
    IceBaroque Posts: 10 Member
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    I personally love Wild Harvest and Morning Star veggie burgers and bean burgers. I suck at making my own... Idk if these are shunned by vegetarians but they're relatively "cheap" and so tasty! Both types are high in protein. I think about 13 grams of protein a patty. I still struggle to meet my protein goals but I'm also under carbs usually too lol.
  • Wahlster
    Wahlster Posts: 6 Member
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    There have been some really great suggestions already, but a quick one is to make substitutions to your grains as well -- eating a lot of brown rice, bread, potatoes? Try other grains that are generally far higher in protein like buckwheat (kasha), millet, oats, or quinoa. Wild rice, crazy at it sounds, is actually SUPER high in protein (although it costs a pretty penny, which is why I personally don't eat a lot of it). Try legumes that are as filling but higher in protein -- like lentils!

    As Janet and janejelly both mentioned, high carb is no issue for weight loss -- running high on your carb macros and surpassing your daily caloric allowance is what will crank up the weight. If you don't hit your protein macro, don't eat past your caloric allowance to meet it. Just try to figure out a different configuration of meals that'll get you higher up the next day.
  • MlleKelly
    MlleKelly Posts: 356 Member
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    Low-fat protein sources: Veggie burgers (Boca, Morning Star, etc), meatless alternatives (Gardein, Beyond Meat, etc), eggs, low fat Greek yogurt, low fat cottage cheese, protein shakes (I use a powder mixed with almond milk), beans, lentils, quinoa.

    Those are just off the top of my head. Other sources, not so low fat, would be cheeses, nuts, etc. I also eat fish a few times a week, but you may not.

    I generally hit my protein goal every day, at least 90 grams, by eating these things. I start with a protein shake in the morning or an English muffin with protein powder fortified Neufchatel (low fat cream cheese), snack on a Greek yogurt and a piece of fruit, rice & beans at lunch, then some kind of veggie and fish or veggie burger/meat alternative at dinner.

    Add me as a friend and check out my diary if you want to see some specific examples.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,737 Member
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    I've been ovo-lacto vegetarian for 41 years. If that's what you are, feel free to send me a friend request if you want to see what I eat - my diary is open to friends.

    I almost never eat fake meat, protein powder, or protein bars (not some kind of crusade; I just don't find them tasty/satisfying). On 1200-1400 net calories, which was my deepest deficit period, I was usually getting about 80g of protein, and now at 1800 net (maintenance) aim for 100 (for 120-pound bodyweight). I'm not very recipe-oriented, mostly cook from scratch without a recipe or eat individual foods.
  • itsbasschick
    itsbasschick Posts: 1,584 Member
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    if you're not lacto ovo (which means you're a vegetarian who eats dairy and eggs), fake meat can be a good option. my son isn't a vegetarian, and he loves morningstar farms sausages and riblets. i like quorn brand, myself, but it has egg white. if you do eat dairy and eggs, there's tons of protein options.

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