Going vegan trying to stay low carb. Help please.

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robynjohnston3
robynjohnston3 Posts: 4 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I’m on day 6 of transitioning to vegan but I’m worried about carbs. I also cycle 3 times a week and try to get some weights in so what’s everyone’s advice on how much carbs to intake

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  • RuNaRoUnDaFiEld
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld Posts: 5,864 Member
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    Why are you worried about them?
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
    edited November 2017
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    If you explain why you are concerned about carbs then perhaps people can see the context of your "worry".

    When I tracked macros I really only concerned myself with hitting protein and fat minimum goals and carbs fell wherever they happened to fall within my calorie allowance.

    The exception is when I'm cycling a long distance when carbs become a priority for their awesome fuelling ability and I'm hitting 90g an hour for multiple hours.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
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    Why do you want to keep carbs low? How low is low to you? Being vegan and low carb is quite restricting and challenging, and likely wouldn't be sustainable. It means limiting your eating to very few foods as you wouldn't have the luxury eating of what makes up the majority of a low carber's diet. If you really need to be low carb for medical reasons and there isn't any other option, maybe reconsider veganism and go for vegetarian instead? If you think you need to be low carb to lose weight, then don't worry. You can lose weight just the same on any carb level if you keep calories in check.
  • lucerorojo
    lucerorojo Posts: 790 Member
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    Impossible. Vegan means eating all plant foods and no animal products. With the exception of plant derived oils, which are fats, everything you eat as a vegan is a carb of some sort. Some may have more sugar than carbs on the mfp macros but a vegetable is still a carb.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    robynjohnston3 wrote: »
    I’m on day 6 of transitioning to vegan but I’m worried about carbs. I also cycle 3 times a week and try to get some weights in so what’s everyone’s advice on how much carbs to intake

    I would not worry about carbs. I would worry about protein (figure out a good goal and make sure you meet it) and maybe fat (it's easy to accidentally end up very low fat depending on the foods you choose, some think that's a feature, but many feel and do better with more fat). How many carbs you should intake is simply what's left if you are hitting good numbers for protein and fat.

    Other things I personally would worry about (I am currently experimenting with 100% plant based and have done it from time to time, but there are vegan posters here I would say are great founts of information, like janejellyroll) is supplementing B12 and (IMO) DHA (a type of omega-3, you can get it from algae).
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    Do you have a medical reason to limit carbohydrates?

    While vegans can eat *lower* carbohydrate, it's more rare for a vegan to be truly low carbohydrate. It's possible (I even know some vegans who do keto), but it's going to seriously limit your options. Unless you have a medical reason to limit carbohydrates, I would recommend just focusing on getting enough protein and fat and letting your carbohydrates fall where they fall.

    I get 50-60% of my calories from carbohydrates and it's never interfered with my weight loss, maintaining my weight, or hitting my fitness goals.
  • robynjohnston3
    robynjohnston3 Posts: 4 Member
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    My worries came from just wanting to have the right balance to lose weight. You guys are all very helpful. Just trying to find a healthy balance to it all
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    robynjohnston3 wrote: »
    My worries came from just wanting to have the right balance to lose weight. You guys are all very helpful. Just trying to find a healthy balance to it all

    Losing weight is about calories, although some people find that it's easier and more pleasant to sustain a deficit on certain macro goals (like higher fat or higher protein, although it can vary per person). As long as you're consistently hitting a deficit, you'll lose weight. There is no such thing as "too many carbs" to lose weight and we have people here who have had success on all sorts of macronutrient goals.

    So I would say just focus on getting sufficient protein and fat and if you find tweaking those up or down makes it easier to hit your calorie goals, then do that. But otherwise, I wouldn't worry too much about the "right balance" because . . . it doesn't really exist.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    robynjohnston3 wrote: »
    My worries came from just wanting to have the right balance to lose weight. You guys are all very helpful. Just trying to find a healthy balance to it all

    Weight management is about calories, not carbs. Being vegan and low carb don't really go hand in hand...not that it can't be done, but your food choices would be extremely limited. Most vegans have diets relatively high in carbohydrates as it's plant based and also, protein sources like beans, lentils, etc are also high in carbohydrates.
  • sympha01
    sympha01 Posts: 942 Member
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    janejellyroll wrote: »
    robynjohnston3 wrote: »
    My worries came from just wanting to have the right balance to lose weight. You guys are all very helpful. Just trying to find a healthy balance to it all

    Losing weight is about calories, although some people find that it's easier and more pleasant to sustain a deficit on certain macro goals (like higher fat or higher protein, although it can vary per person).

    This is put very succinctly and elegantly. x1000 yes.

    Macro % are really mostly about finding a balance that you FEEL GOOD about, physically and psychologically. I found I need more protein to physically feel good (esp w exercise), other people find they need more carbs. I also found my "floor" for fat % minimum to feel good. I also find that managing my diet / meal plan around macro tolerances kind of forces me to make more mindful choices and helps keep me from spending all my calories on nuts and candy lol.
  • LearningToFly13
    LearningToFly13 Posts: 329 Member
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    Vegan AND low carb? Wowza :|
  • geltner1
    geltner1 Posts: 85 Member
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    Long time vegetarian here. Maybe it's better to focus on the quality of the carbs. Aim for nutritious whole grains of various types and all the good recipes you can make. Lower on the sugar. (my problem is my sweet tooth)
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
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    <-- Used to be a vegan
    1. Eat lentils, chic peas, black beans, pinto beans, edamame, broccoli, asparagus, kale
    2. Quinoa, Steel cut oatmeal, rice,
    3. Get enough fat: coconut oil, flax seed, nuts, tofu, avocados.

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