My cheap, easy, filling 1200 cal/day vegetarian diet!

2

Replies

  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    How long have you been eating like this? And are you sticking to it? What's your height and weight? It sounds unbalanced (too little protein and fat) and repetitive (are you eating the same every day?), and there are so many inexpensive foods you can eat in addition to ramen. Aren't Powerbars expensive for an everyday snack? And be aware that Furikake may contain "dried and ground fish", according to Wikipedia.
  • dustedwithsugar
    dustedwithsugar Posts: 179 Member
    This diet sounds terrible but I'm totally eating ramen tomorrow, thanks for giving me craving lol
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    Another US/UK quirk. What you call ramen we just call noodles. There is a variety of noodle called ramen but it's not the generic. Same as we don't call pasta noodles, because pasta isn't noodles!
  • staticsplit
    staticsplit Posts: 538 Member
    edited February 2017
    I've eaten around 1200 calories today, which is less than I usually eat--my usual goal is 1500 to 2000--but I've not had much appetite lately:

    Breakfast: chocolate banana protein pancakes (it's pancake day!) which consist of: 2 eggs, 1 banana, 15g chocolate whey protein and 15g oat bran, fried in a little butter and topped with a bit of a sesame carob spread I bought

    Lunch: Veggie scrambled eggs from Starbucks and a grande skinny caramel misto (it's half filter coffee and half steamed milk. Tastes just as nice as a latte but isn't as filling. I find normal lattes a bit cloying)

    Dinner: Linda McCartney veggie roast, baked sweet potato, stir fried broccoli and mushrooms (I meal prepped 4 servings of this today so it'll last as a lunch or a dinner for a few days)

    Dessert: A dried apricot and almond bar thing

    Plus tea and coffee - I tend to log 200 ml per day of milk to allot for those as I can't be bothered to measure my milk each time.

    Totals: 1189, so just under 1200 (will probably have another snack later to get it over, maybe an apple or something). 109g carbs, 71g fat & 79g protein. Probably significantly lower in sodium, and a bit more varied. I personally can't get by on 25g of protein a day, especially as I'm pretty active. I start to feel really tired.

    I really like ramen as part of my diet, and I bought some black rice ramen noodles which are awesome, but I tend to make my own broth with curry powder and a bit of chili oil.

  • MelanieCN77
    MelanieCN77 Posts: 4,047 Member
    I love ramen but I think twice a day is a recipe for that getting old real fast.
  • Muscleflex79
    Muscleflex79 Posts: 1,917 Member
    you said yourself 45g protein is recommended amount and you are eating half that??? why???
  • LiveLoveFitFab
    LiveLoveFitFab Posts: 302 Member
    I'd be sad if I had to eat like that. I can do 1200 calories, that's not a problem, but where's the food? Yikes!
  • Treece68
    Treece68 Posts: 780 Member
    I think OP has left the building.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    This reminds me of the Easy Mac diet threads. Although I like Ramen a lot better than easy mac - and especially authentic Ramen from this restaurant near me. It's so yummy but not vegetarian - at least not the kind I get. But just packets of ramen from the grocery - I wouldn't last long eating that twice a day.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    Stella3838 wrote: »
    I'm no longer vegetarian, bacon lured me back.

    Bacon is almost solely my purpose in life.

    12BLGCegS5WEaQ.gif

    Me too, me too.

    OP appears to only be on the second day of this plan. I expect her enthusiasm to wane in a few days.......

    Ya, I did the "fruit for breakfast" thing for a few days in the 90s before realizing it was unsustainable for me. I need protein and fat as well to feel satisfied.

    And calories. I wish I could waive a magic wand and have women who don't need to torture themselves with a mere 1200 calories realize they can eat more and still lose weight.
  • Theo166
    Theo166 Posts: 2,564 Member
    Now I'm wanting a big bowl of Pho, love the noodles and excellent broth.
  • Stella3838
    Stella3838 Posts: 439 Member
    Theo166 wrote: »
    Now I'm wanting a big bowl of Pho, love the noodles and excellent broth.

    Pho rocks
  • endlessfall16
    endlessfall16 Posts: 932 Member
    mitch16 wrote: »
    Doesn't that put your sodium levels through the roof???

    i was just going to ask the same thing!

    Doesn't that depend on how much of the seasoning packet you use?

    I tend to use less than a whole packet or a lot more water.

    I like ramen variety. Haven't tried tofu with it. I prefer to add meat balls, fish balls, peeled shrimps and some cabbage. :)

  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    Just to echo everyone else OP, you're on a one way track to malnutrition. You could be doing irreversible damage to yourself, meaning health issues that will stick with you for life.

    Please, please educate yourself on proper nutrition. And by that, i don't mean YouTube or blog sites. I strongly recommend making an appointment with a Dietician who will be able to steer you in the right direction.

    God Speed.
  • MissHempy
    MissHempy Posts: 27 Member
    Not every metabolism is the same, not every body type is the same and some people need more protein than others. There is no set rule that suits every person. A lot of emphasis is put on protein and I eat very little, sometimes none at all for weeks. I have my bloods tested twice a year and not even my B12 is low... only thing that has been low is my phosphate of recent (nothing to do with protein intake). Get bloods done at least once or twice a year and see where your body is really at.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,598 Member
    Your target of 45g+ protein is, IMO, low and your failing to even hit that. :(

    Yeah, that. ^^^

    And I'm saying this as a 43 year vegetarian - yeah, since 1974. Personally, I target a.minimum of 100g daily now that I'm in maintenance, though it was a little lower when losing - say, 75g and up.

    Around 0.6-0.8g per pound of a healthy goal weight is a reasonable, conservative daily target IMO for most people here - well above the RDA, but reseach suggests we benefit from more when in calorie deficit, or if we work out, or as we age (among other cases). And extra won't hurt a healthy person, within reason.
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    MissHempy wrote: »
    Not every metabolism is the same, not every body type is the same and some people need more protein than others. There is no set rule that suits every person. A lot of emphasis is put on protein and I eat very little, sometimes none at all for weeks. I have my bloods tested twice a year and not even my B12 is low... only thing that has been low is my phosphate of recent (nothing to do with protein intake). Get bloods done at least once or twice a year and see where your body is really at.

    I'm guessing you haven't had body fat tested? Every body is the same, there are no special snowflakes who can escape the long term consequences of poor nutrition. HUman physiology is largely the same for every single person, variables are pretty small even when considering health conditions. Eating zero protein is a terrible terrible idea (must be noted though that protein comes from many sources, not just animal products).
  • LiminalAscendance
    LiminalAscendance Posts: 489 Member
    Another US/UK quirk. What you call ramen we just call noodles. There is a variety of noodle called ramen but it's not the generic. Same as we don't call pasta noodles, because pasta isn't noodles!

    That's most definitely not a "US/UK quirk."

    I'm an American, and I don't indiscriminately refer to pasta as "noodles."

    Perhaps it's a socioeconomic "quirk."
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    Another US/UK quirk. What you call ramen we just call noodles. There is a variety of noodle called ramen but it's not the generic. Same as we don't call pasta noodles, because pasta isn't noodles!

    That's most definitely not a "US/UK quirk."

    I'm an American, and I don't indiscriminately refer to pasta as "noodles."

    Perhaps it's a socioeconomic "quirk."

    I've seen it from a few Americans (various vloggers most recently), first time ever being on Friends and as a teen I was so confused as to why there were noodles in a lasagne!
  • mjffey
    mjffey Posts: 72 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Your target of 45g+ protein is, IMO, low and your failing to even hit that. :(

    Yeah, that. ^^^

    And I'm saying this as a 43 year vegetarian - yeah, since 1974. Personally, I target a.minimum of 100g daily now that I'm in maintenance, though it was a little lower when losing - say, 75g and up.

    Around 0.6-0.8g per pound of a healthy goal weight is a reasonable, conservative daily target IMO for most people here - well above the RDA, but reseach suggests we benefit from more when in calorie deficit, or if we work out, or as we age (among other cases). And extra won't hurt a healthy person, within reason.

    In the Netherlands that's 0.8 gram PER KILO bodyweight, not per pound, so it all depends where you live.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    mjffey wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Your target of 45g+ protein is, IMO, low and your failing to even hit that. :(

    Yeah, that. ^^^

    And I'm saying this as a 43 year vegetarian - yeah, since 1974. Personally, I target a.minimum of 100g daily now that I'm in maintenance, though it was a little lower when losing - say, 75g and up.

    Around 0.6-0.8g per pound of a healthy goal weight is a reasonable, conservative daily target IMO for most people here - well above the RDA, but reseach suggests we benefit from more when in calorie deficit, or if we work out, or as we age (among other cases). And extra won't hurt a healthy person, within reason.

    In the Netherlands that's 0.8 gram PER KILO bodyweight, not per pound, so it all depends where you live.

    It's .8 grams per kilo to maintain a positive nitrogen balance for the average (not overweight, not losing weight) sedentary individual eating 2,000 calories per day. It's the same in the US.

    Unfortunately, as we exercise, are active, AND as we're in a calorie deficit we require more protein to discouraged muscle catabolization. In addition, this is a poor indicator of total protein needs as it accounts for total body weight (i.e. obese individuals will be eating significantly above their needs while underweight individuals may not be getting enough).

    This is why it's recommended according to certain studies to consume .8-1.2 grams of protein per pound of LEAN BODY MASS (around 1.7-2.2 grams per kilogram). See below for more information.

    Increased protein intake reduces lean body mass loss during weight loss in athletes.
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19927027

    Dietary protein for athletes: From requirements to optimum adaptation (2011)
    http://www.olympiatoppen.no/fagomraader/idrettsernaering/Fagstoff/artikler/media39080.media

    Beyond the zone: protein needs of active individuals. (n.d.).
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11023001

    Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015–2020 8th Edition. (n.d.). https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/

    Essentially if you follow the dietary guidelines for americans which advises 45-65% carbs, 25-35% protein, and 25-35% fat while consuming a calorically adequate diet you'll be reaching the above statistics for maintaining a positive nitrogen balance. This is why I personally recommend most people consume around 40/30/30 as it seems to meet the needs for adequate amino acid profile, essential fats, and enough carbs to not be a jerk. ;)


  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,598 Member
    mjffey wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Your target of 45g+ protein is, IMO, low and your failing to even hit that. :(

    Yeah, that. ^^^

    And I'm saying this as a 43 year vegetarian - yeah, since 1974. Personally, I target a.minimum of 100g daily now that I'm in maintenance, though it was a little lower when losing - say, 75g and up.

    Around 0.6-0.8g per pound of a healthy goal weight is a reasonable, conservative daily target IMO for most people here - well above the RDA, but reseach suggests we benefit from more when in calorie deficit, or if we work out, or as we age (among other cases). And extra won't hurt a healthy person, within reason.

    In the Netherlands that's 0.8 gram PER KILO bodyweight, not per pound, so it all depends where you live.

    Not a national difference. In my previous post, I mentioned that what I was suggesting was well above the RDA. The RDA here and the RDA in the Netherlands are equivalent.

    I am intentionally, explicitly recommending 0.6-0.8g per POUND of a healthy goal weight (not per kilo, not an overweight/underweight body weight, not anything other than what I said - I'd put it in terms of lean body mass, which would be a higher g/lb, but most regular people don't have a reliable estimate of LBM).

    It's just my opinion. I said why I believe it's sensible/conservative. Others may differ.

    @rainbowbow has helpfully posted cites, which I appreciate. Personally, I haven't found it necessary to go to 40%p in my MFP profile (I'm at 20%, which gets me close to the 100g number I personally actually use as a minimum), but that's probably partly a mathematical peculiarity of my higher-than-average NEAT for my weight. And she may reasonably target more protein than I do. There's plenty of room for interpretation.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    edited March 2017
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    mjffey wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Your target of 45g+ protein is, IMO, low and your failing to even hit that. :(

    Yeah, that. ^^^

    And I'm saying this as a 43 year vegetarian - yeah, since 1974. Personally, I target a.minimum of 100g daily now that I'm in maintenance, though it was a little lower when losing - say, 75g and up.

    Around 0.6-0.8g per pound of a healthy goal weight is a reasonable, conservative daily target IMO for most people here - well above the RDA, but reseach suggests we benefit from more when in calorie deficit, or if we work out, or as we age (among other cases). And extra won't hurt a healthy person, within reason.

    In the Netherlands that's 0.8 gram PER KILO bodyweight, not per pound, so it all depends where you live.

    Not a national difference. In my previous post, I mentioned that what I was suggesting was well above the RDA. The RDA here and the RDA in the Netherlands are equivalent.

    I am intentionally, explicitly recommending 0.6-0.8g per POUND of a healthy goal weight (not per kilo, not an overweight/underweight body weight, not anything other than what I said - I'd put it in terms of lean body mass, which would be a higher g/lb, but most regular people don't have a reliable estimate of LBM).

    It's just my opinion. I said why I believe it's sensible/conservative. Others may differ.

    @rainbowbow has helpfully posted cites, which I appreciate. Personally, I haven't found it necessary to go to 40%p in my MFP profile (I'm at 20%, which gets me close to the 100g number I personally actually use as a minimum), but that's probably partly a mathematical peculiarity of my higher-than-average NEAT for my weight. And she may reasonably target more protein than I do. There's plenty of room for interpretation.

    for clarity, i was stating 40% carbs, 30% proteins and fats. ;)
  • dietstokes
    dietstokes Posts: 216 Member
    As a vegetarian myself, I would add some nuts and tofu in there to up the protein.
  • jessiferrrb
    jessiferrrb Posts: 1,758 Member
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    mjffey wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Your target of 45g+ protein is, IMO, low and your failing to even hit that. :(

    Yeah, that. ^^^

    And I'm saying this as a 43 year vegetarian - yeah, since 1974. Personally, I target a.minimum of 100g daily now that I'm in maintenance, though it was a little lower when losing - say, 75g and up.

    Around 0.6-0.8g per pound of a healthy goal weight is a reasonable, conservative daily target IMO for most people here - well above the RDA, but reseach suggests we benefit from more when in calorie deficit, or if we work out, or as we age (among other cases). And extra won't hurt a healthy person, within reason.

    In the Netherlands that's 0.8 gram PER KILO bodyweight, not per pound, so it all depends where you live.

    It's .8 grams per kilo to maintain a positive nitrogen balance for the average (not overweight, not losing weight) sedentary individual eating 2,000 calories per day. It's the same in the US.

    Unfortunately, as we exercise, are active, AND as we're in a calorie deficit we require more protein to discouraged muscle catabolization. In addition, this is a poor indicator of total protein needs as it accounts for total body weight (i.e. obese individuals will be eating significantly above their needs while underweight individuals may not be getting enough).

    This is why it's recommended according to certain studies to consume .8-1.2 grams of protein per pound of LEAN BODY MASS (around 1.7-2.2 grams per kilogram). See below for more information.

    Increased protein intake reduces lean body mass loss during weight loss in athletes.
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19927027

    Dietary protein for athletes: From requirements to optimum adaptation (2011)
    http://www.olympiatoppen.no/fagomraader/idrettsernaering/Fagstoff/artikler/media39080.media

    Beyond the zone: protein needs of active individuals. (n.d.).
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11023001

    Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015–2020 8th Edition. (n.d.). https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/

    Essentially if you follow the dietary guidelines for americans which advises 45-65% carbs, 25-35% protein, and 25-35% fat while consuming a calorically adequate diet you'll be reaching the above statistics for maintaining a positive nitrogen balance. This is why I personally recommend most people consume around 40/30/30 as it seems to meet the needs for adequate amino acid profile, essential fats, and enough carbs to not be a jerk. ;)


    this is maybe the most helpful clarification i've encountered here. and makes my protein goal seem actually manageable. shooting for .8 per pound was driving me insane.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,598 Member
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    mjffey wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Your target of 45g+ protein is, IMO, low and your failing to even hit that. :(

    Yeah, that. ^^^

    And I'm saying this as a 43 year vegetarian - yeah, since 1974. Personally, I target a.minimum of 100g daily now that I'm in maintenance, though it was a little lower when losing - say, 75g and up.

    Around 0.6-0.8g per pound of a healthy goal weight is a reasonable, conservative daily target IMO for most people here - well above the RDA, but reseach suggests we benefit from more when in calorie deficit, or if we work out, or as we age (among other cases). And extra won't hurt a healthy person, within reason.

    In the Netherlands that's 0.8 gram PER KILO bodyweight, not per pound, so it all depends where you live.

    Not a national difference. In my previous post, I mentioned that what I was suggesting was well above the RDA. The RDA here and the RDA in the Netherlands are equivalent.

    I am intentionally, explicitly recommending 0.6-0.8g per POUND of a healthy goal weight (not per kilo, not an overweight/underweight body weight, not anything other than what I said - I'd put it in terms of lean body mass, which would be a higher g/lb, but most regular people don't have a reliable estimate of LBM).

    It's just my opinion. I said why I believe it's sensible/conservative. Others may differ.

    @rainbowbow has helpfully posted cites, which I appreciate. Personally, I haven't found it necessary to go to 40%p in my MFP profile (I'm at 20%, which gets me close to the 100g number I personally actually use as a minimum), but that's probably partly a mathematical peculiarity of my higher-than-average NEAT for my weight. And she may reasonably target more protein than I do. There's plenty of room for interpretation.

    for clarity, i was stating 40% carbs, 30% proteins and fats. ;)

    Oops, sorry - misread. Apologies! Thanks for the correction. :)
  • Afura
    Afura Posts: 2,054 Member
    Treece68 wrote: »
    I think OP has left the building.

    Diary still shows the diet going on though!
  • fitmom4lifemfp
    fitmom4lifemfp Posts: 1,572 Member
    I just couldn't manage on that level of protein. ( Besides I could never be a vegetarian.) But glad it works for you.
This discussion has been closed.