Weight Loss on a Vegan - Plant based - Vegetarian diet. I need help!
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amobailar
Posts: 7 Member
I've been on a plant based diet for nearly two years. I've been tested and I'm doing good as far as nutrition and such; I'm healthy. However, I've gained a LOT of weight before and during the last two years. I admit, I am a junk food vegan - I eat way too much pasta and bread and my portions are too big. I read books like The Starch Solution and I ate a bunch of potatoes and it just went downhill from there. All the plant based doctors and other vegan people say "You don't have to count calories on a vegan diet, it's so easy". Not counting calories or macros has not worked for me; I need structure. I can't find any kind of vegan exchange/macro program like I can in the Keto-South Beach-Paleo- worlds. The closest I come to finding something similar is Dr. Gregor's Daily Dozen. I want to get this weight off because it's making my life miserable and frustrating but I need help. I would like to hear from someone who lost at least 50 or more pounds while being plant based and how they did it in great detail! Is there anyone like that out there?
Thanks,
Brandi
Thanks,
Brandi
3
Replies
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I've been on a plant based diet for nearly two years. I've been tested and I'm doing good as far as nutrition and such; I'm healthy. However, I've gained a LOT of weight before and during the last two years. I admit, I am a junk food vegan - I eat way too much pasta and bread and my portions are too big. I read books like The Starch Solution and I ate a bunch of potatoes and it just went downhill from there. All the plant based doctors and other vegan people say "You don't have to count calories on a vegan diet, it's so easy". Not counting calories or macros has not worked for me; I need structure. I can't find any kind of vegan exchange/macro program like I can in the Keto-South Beach-Paleo- worlds. The closest I come to finding something similar is Dr. Gregor's Daily Dozen. I want to get this weight off because it's making my life miserable and frustrating but I need help. I would like to hear from someone who lost at least 50 or more pounds while being plant based and how they did it in great detail! Is there anyone like that out there?
Thanks,
Brandi
I hear you say you need structure, but really all you need to do is work on the problems you've already identified like that your portions are too big.
When you say calorie counting didn't work, how did it not work?- Were you using a food scale to measure food and scrupulously logging?
- Did you give it enough time?
- Did you have a calorie deficit appropriate for the amount of weight you need to lose? (Overly aggressive deficits can lead to binging and burnout.)
Paging @janejellyroll13 -
I've been vegan for over ten years now. I didn't quite lose 50 pounds, but I'm hoping it's okay for me to chime in. I lost over 40 pounds counting calories in 2015 and have been maintaining that loss by continuing to count calories.
What worked for me: I started with the MFP default calorie goal and macros. I wound up adjusting the macro goals slightly once I'd been logging for a few months because I like to have more carbohydrates. I don't shoot for exact goals each day, but generally I'm around 60% carbohydrates, 20-30% fat, 20-30% protein. I found a food scale to be really helpful, especially for more calorie-dense foods like grains, bread, and pasta. I ate pretty much what I wanted within my calorie goal. I did tend to limit grain-based foods just because they were not as satisfying to me as things like tofu, vegetables, and beans. Now that I'm maintaining, I eat more of them.
If you have any other questions, feel free to ask. I feel like counting calories liberated me from the cycle of gaining and losing weight I'd been on for most of my adult life.9 -
Adding: I would say that portion size was my major problem too. I was eating the "right" things (i.e. meeting my nutritional needs with foods I enjoyed), I just don't have a great "off switch" when it comes to eating.4
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Jane is wonderful and I’m glad you got her advice
I would add that you don’t need an exchange program or any other named diet. Any weight loss plan that works, works the same way: by creating a calorie deficit. You can create a calorie deficit yourself without following any of those plans.
The structure you’re looking for is most likely going to involve simply using a food scale to weigh all your food, and tracking your food to be sure that you’re consistently in a calorie deficit. Almost no one can estimate calories very accurately without a food scale.
I have been vegetarian for about 14 years; I was an obese vegetarian for most of that time. I lost 100 pounds and have maintained that loss for a year and a half now.4 -
I go back and forth with being a vegetarian (last go round was about 5 years) and always feel my best and drop the weight quickest on a plant based diet. I have successfully lost 60 lbs on a vegetarian diet and just incorporated daily exercise. I have never bought into fad diets or gimmicks that promise quick weight loss. THEY DO NOT WORK LONG TERM. You MUST engage in a lifestyle change.
You MUST burn more calories than you consume to lose weight. There is no magic pill or formula. Consume good calories, engage in daily activity, log your meals/count calories if necessary, etc.
You already know what your issue is - portion control and as you said, junk food. Address that and then you will begin to see the results you're looking for!!3 -
I've been on a plant based diet for nearly two years. I've been tested and I'm doing good as far as nutrition and such; I'm healthy. However, I've gained a LOT of weight before and during the last two years. I admit, I am a junk food vegan - I eat way too much pasta and bread and my portions are too big. I read books like The Starch Solution and I ate a bunch of potatoes and it just went downhill from there. All the plant based doctors and other vegan people say "You don't have to count calories on a vegan diet, it's so easy". Not counting calories or macros has not worked for me; I need structure. I can't find any kind of vegan exchange/macro program like I can in the Keto-South Beach-Paleo- worlds. The closest I come to finding something similar is Dr. Gregor's Daily Dozen. I want to get this weight off because it's making my life miserable and frustrating but I need help. I would like to hear from someone who lost at least 50 or more pounds while being plant based and how they did it in great detail! Is there anyone like that out there?
Thanks,
Brandi
It's easy for me to overeat pasta, so I'm careful with it, and have it about once per week or less.
While I like rice and beans very much, I find them very filling, and am not tempted to overeat them, and have been having them almost every day for breakfast.
Speaking of legumes, I don't see any mentions of higher plant-based proteins in your post - I tend to overeat when my protein is low.0 -
Thank you, thank you, thank you to all who responded; I truly appreciate your feedback. I hear you all saying to use a scale; I've got one but I've never used it honestly. I do need structure because I'm an emotional eater but at the same time I don't want my food/diet to take over my life so, I think this is great. The last 3 years have been incredibly stressful for me as I made a difficult life transition. It became much easier and more satisfying to reach for a bowl of pasta than a bowl of kale. However, I'm at the point now that I feel I am handling everything better and want to make some good changes. There used to be a time several years ago when I would go for a run when I got stressed instead of reach for food; I hope to get back to that point someday. I feel like I had just gotten lost somewhere.4
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Just commenting to say thanks for your post and everyone else for the replies.
I am a vegan who just began her weight loss journey (obviously, not the first but hopefully the last!) and have the same questions about macros.
I feel quite lost to be honest.
I tried keto vegan last year and it was a nightmare for me. I was always obsessing about food yet had very little variety to choose from, didn't feel well and in the end, lost a lot of hair (which I am still trying to fix a year later!).
Note: I brought this up because I agree with you about keto macros being set and making sense. Although, the lifestyle did not suit me, I liked the matter of fact macro counting and guidelines.
Like most, I have researched a lot. My latest, is trying to figure out if 'body types' make a difference in how I should set my macros...
Everyone says something different; High carb or high protein, etc..., etc...
I just want to get the weight off without doing any harm to my metabolism, whilst feeling satisfied and also have enough energy for strong workouts.
I'd like to lose about 20 kilo.
I work out on my cross trainer two times a week (60-80 minutes, depends on what I want to watch) and do a full body workout with hand weights (with light cardio as I do the routines) 3 times a week (routines from YouTube).
I'm only on day 2 so no advice to give but I wanted to share and say thanks for the post!0 -
Vegan here, for about 10 years (not the same as plant-based). Lost over 70 pounds. Put on about 15 lbs of winter weight, which I am now losing. Down around 5-8, with fluctuations.
Food scale is a great place to start. Maybe that, along with preplanning will give you enough structure. My carbs are high, but like janejellyroll, if I don't get enough protein, I notice I'm much hungrier the next day. Enough for me means at least 60g or so, but I'm usually in a higher range, it's my weekends that can be low.
You might want to check out the book From Fat to Thin Thinking. I recently finished that with its program and the author puts forth a lot of ideas that I already subscribe to after years of trial and error, but I still learned useful tips. I didn't like the way she talked about "fatty" foods, but I didn't think it was a central point and overlooked it.
ETA maybe someone else mentioned protein. Hard to respond on a phone.2 -
I haven't lost 50 pounds, but I've found that the best way for me to consistently lose weight on a vegetarian diet is simply to count the calories in what I'm eating, and make sure that about 20% of them come from protein. I don't waste any time worrying about fat or carbs, although I notice that generally when I'm watching what I eat my carbs will be a bit low. It's hard work making sure you get enough protein while watching calorie intake! I'm not vegan, so many of my meals include Greek yogurt, eggs, cottage cheese. The days where I hit my fiber goal, it's a lot easier for me not to overeat.
I'm sure that a scale is useful but so far I lost 20 pounds without one; I'm just not willing to commit to that level of discipline, honestly. I just try to be as active as my day allows, and err on the side of overestimating how much I ate if I'm in a rush and can't measure. It works for me.1 -
I've dropped 108lbs as an ovo-lacto vegetarian who doesn't cook a lot of dairy (has to do with also being strictly kosher, married to a meat-eater; there are laws about mixing meat and dairy and needing separate utensils for each, upshot is that with so many vegetarian cookbooks being heavily slanted toward dairy, I tend to buy vegan cookbooks).
I don't think I did anything fancy. I decided to keep my desserts to 200 calories or fewer per serving, upped my activity, and kept logging. Invested in a good food scale. Weighed and measured everything.
I admitted to myself that I wasn't going to cut out treats or carbs or sugar, so I'd need to make them fit.
Over time, I will say that I've mostly cut out large bakery treats. (Cake pops still fit my plan, as do small cookies and mini cupcakes. 600-calorie cherry turnovers are a different story). But it's not that I feel I "can't" have it; it's that with 1340 calories to lose 1/2 per week before exercise, I'm not willing to expend such a large chunk of my budget on them. (300 calories for half a turnover is still a bit steep. A quarter of a turnover won't be enough.)
I tend to choose snacks that help me hit protein, iron, and/or fiber. Which means I've cut back on the low-cal treats that are basically starch and salt (pop chips, veggie straws; Popcorn's got some fiber, but not as much as some other choices.) So, dry cereal, roasted chickpeas, Fiber One bars. I'll eat cold veggie dogs out of the package sometimes.
When going out to eat, I plan in advance, looking up comparable menu options in the database. Sometimes I'll message a restaurant by email or Facebook page asking about lower-calorie options. While they haven't been able to give me calorie counts, they have been able to tell me what the lighter options are and how they can be made more plan-friendly. (Example: "Our shakshuka—Middle Eastern poached eggs in spicy tomato sauce—is served in a bread bowl, but we can bring it to you in a pan instead; Our eggplant comes with a tehina sauce, but you can request it on the side instead of drizzled over the top.")
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Vegetarian for 25 years, been up and down in weight at least three times. Most recent significant loss was 45 pounds in 2016, which I have mostly kept off (had a hysterectomy at the end of 2017 which led to 7 weeks with little to no exercise, so gained a bit back) simply by counting calories.
I pay not one bit of attention to macros but would guess that I am higher on the carb side of things (whole grains instead of refined as often as possible). Too much structure and too many rules make me fail because it messes me up a bit if I do something wrong and then I scrap the whole thing. I mean, it is one thing to go 50 calories over at a restaurant, as if I really want to I can go down to my basement and ride my recumbent bike for under 10 minutes and be back under my goal for the day (realizing, of course, that restaurant calories are inherently estimates and may not be that great). But like, if you go way over on fat and under on protein and you're obsessing over macros, I don't even know how I'd fix that and it would cause me a lot of stress. So I just don't pay attention to macros. (FWIW my bloodwork is great so I guess I am doing something right. I also do exercise quite a lot.)0 -
Thank you, thank you, thank you to all who responded; I truly appreciate your feedback. I hear you all saying to use a scale; I've got one but I've never used it honestly. I do need structure because I'm an emotional eater but at the same time I don't want my food/diet to take over my life so, I think this is great. The last 3 years have been incredibly stressful for me as I made a difficult life transition. It became much easier and more satisfying to reach for a bowl of pasta than a bowl of kale. However, I'm at the point now that I feel I am handling everything better and want to make some good changes. There used to be a time several years ago when I would go for a run when I got stressed instead of reach for food; I hope to get back to that point someday. I feel like I had just gotten lost somewhere.
How about pasta, beans, some form of fat, and kale?
Do look at your protein.0 -
Vegetarian, cut out dairy and eggs this year.
Trade bread and pasta for chickpeas and lentils.
I occasionally eat pitta or wraps, but avoid loafs. Just too many easy carbs.0 -
VeganGirlAbroad wrote: »Just commenting to say thanks for your post and everyone else for the replies.
I am a vegan who just began her weight loss journey (obviously, not the first but hopefully the last!) and have the same questions about macros.
I feel quite lost to be honest.
I tried keto vegan last year and it was a nightmare for me. I was always obsessing about food yet had very little variety to choose from, didn't feel well and in the end, lost a lot of hair (which I am still trying to fix a year later!).
Note: I brought this up because I agree with you about keto macros being set and making sense. Although, the lifestyle did not suit me, I liked the matter of fact macro counting and guidelines.
Like most, I have researched a lot. My latest, is trying to figure out if 'body types' make a difference in how I should set my macros...
Everyone says something different; High carb or high protein, etc..., etc...
I just want to get the weight off without doing any harm to my metabolism, whilst feeling satisfied and also have enough energy for strong workouts.
I'd like to lose about 20 kilo.
I work out on my cross trainer two times a week (60-80 minutes, depends on what I want to watch) and do a full body workout with hand weights (with light cardio as I do the routines) 3 times a week (routines from YouTube).
I'm only on day 2 so no advice to give but I wanted to share and say thanks for the post!
It's much easier to be vegan if you don't fall for the current pop culture of carbs being the enemy
How about trying for 60% carbohydrates, 20-30% fat, 20-30% protein? (See Jane's post above.)3 -
I guess I didn't really answer your question!
All I've done is count calories and play with food combinations to find what satiates me. A combination of fat and fiber in a meal are important for my personal satiation.
I minimize "treats." Sometimes I will have something after dinner with a cup of tea, but I will often save treats for the weekend, by saving 50-100 calories a day during the day week to use on Saturday. Mostly I don't want to spend calories during the week and would rather have larger meals, but occasionally I might have something in the 150-250 calorie range.
It's okay, and actually very important to experiment and find what works for you, so long as it's healthy.1 -
kshama2001 wrote: »VeganGirlAbroad wrote: »Just commenting to say thanks for your post and everyone else for the replies.
I am a vegan who just began her weight loss journey (obviously, not the first but hopefully the last!) and have the same questions about macros.
I feel quite lost to be honest.
I tried keto vegan last year and it was a nightmare for me. I was always obsessing about food yet had very little variety to choose from, didn't feel well and in the end, lost a lot of hair (which I am still trying to fix a year later!).
Note: I brought this up because I agree with you about keto macros being set and making sense. Although, the lifestyle did not suit me, I liked the matter of fact macro counting and guidelines.
Like most, I have researched a lot. My latest, is trying to figure out if 'body types' make a difference in how I should set my macros...
Everyone says something different; High carb or high protein, etc..., etc...
I just want to get the weight off without doing any harm to my metabolism, whilst feeling satisfied and also have enough energy for strong workouts.
I'd like to lose about 20 kilo.
I work out on my cross trainer two times a week (60-80 minutes, depends on what I want to watch) and do a full body workout with hand weights (with light cardio as I do the routines) 3 times a week (routines from YouTube).
I'm only on day 2 so no advice to give but I wanted to share and say thanks for the post!
It's much easier to be vegan if you don't fall for the current pop culture of carbs being the enemy
How about trying for 60% carbohydrates, 20-30% fat, 20-30% protein? (See Jane's post above.)
Yes, while vegan keto is theoretically possible, the food choices are going to be restrictive enough to make it non-practical for most people (the main exception, I think, would be those who are using it to manage a specific medical condition). Moderate or high carbohydrate is more practical for most of us -- it allows us to eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, along with higher protein foods like soy products, seitan, and beans. There's just not a compelling reason for most people to limit their food choices so much.0 -
I've been on a plant based diet for nearly two years. I've been tested and I'm doing good as far as nutrition and such; I'm healthy. However, I've gained a LOT of weight before and during the last two years. I admit, I am a junk food vegan - I eat way too much pasta and bread and my portions are too big. I read books like The Starch Solution and I ate a bunch of potatoes and it just went downhill from there. All the plant based doctors and other vegan people say "You don't have to count calories on a vegan diet, it's so easy". Not counting calories or macros has not worked for me; I need structure. I can't find any kind of vegan exchange/macro program like I can in the Keto-South Beach-Paleo- worlds. The closest I come to finding something similar is Dr. Gregor's Daily Dozen. I want to get this weight off because it's making my life miserable and frustrating but I need help. I would like to hear from someone who lost at least 50 or more pounds while being plant based and how they did it in great detail! Is there anyone like that out there?
Thanks,
Brandi
I think you are missing what they are saying. If you are strict PLANT BASED (meaning only foods that are plants) then you do not need to count calories. They are not saying eating you can eat what you want if it comes from a plant. Most WFPB docs do not recommend eating meat analogues (i.e. Gardein, Beyond Meat, Tofurkey) either. I don't think they are talking about vegans because most of these docs say "vegan only says what you don't eat".
It still is about calories. They would recommend eating until satisfied, but the majority do not know what that means. Count your calories and if you are in a deficit you should lose. Best of luck!7 -
I have been vegan for 2 or 3 yrs and was pescatarian for like 4 yrs prior to that. I have lost a little over 50 while doing these diets, and I had lost some before hand unhealthily. It has been a learning experience for me.
I do have my diary set to show my protein, carbs, sugar, iron, and calcium because these are all areas I struggle with sometimes. I only have one serving of "starch", which I would consider potatoes, rice, bread, or pasta once per day. I try to make sure all of it is whole grain. I try to stay away from prepackaged foods. I stick to fruits, hummus, or nuts for snacks. Honestly the occasional treat wont hurt, but right now I have given up sugar for lent.
I feel like I am at a point where I am not going to lose any more weight by just my diet alone. Exercise is super important too. Even if it is just something little.0 -
I've been on a plant based diet for nearly two years. I've been tested and I'm doing good as far as nutrition and such; I'm healthy. However, I've gained a LOT of weight before and during the last two years. I admit, I am a junk food vegan - I eat way too much pasta and bread and my portions are too big. I read books like The Starch Solution and I ate a bunch of potatoes and it just went downhill from there. All the plant based doctors and other vegan people say "You don't have to count calories on a vegan diet, it's so easy". Not counting calories or macros has not worked for me; I need structure. I can't find any kind of vegan exchange/macro program like I can in the Keto-South Beach-Paleo- worlds. The closest I come to finding something similar is Dr. Gregor's Daily Dozen. I want to get this weight off because it's making my life miserable and frustrating but I need help. I would like to hear from someone who lost at least 50 or more pounds while being plant based and how they did it in great detail! Is there anyone like that out there?
Thanks,
Brandi
I think you are missing what they are saying. If you are strict PLANT BASED (meaning only foods that are plants) then you do not need to count calories. They are not saying eating you can eat what you want if it comes from a plant. Most WFPB docs do not recommend eating meat analogues (i.e. Gardein, Beyond Meat, Tofurkey) either. I don't think they are talking about vegans because most of these docs say "vegan only says what you don't eat".
It still is about calories. They would recommend eating until satisfied, but the majority do not know what that means. Count your calories and if you are in a deficit you should lose. Best of luck!
I think I could eat more calories than I use even on a WFPB diet. I really enjoy foods like pineapple, avocado, coconut, cashews, and whole grains. I know some people have success managing their weight on a WFPB diet, but I know other people who didn't lose or even gained some weight.
Even beyond the WFPB thing, there are vegan organizations and individuals who explicitly link veganism to weight management. PETA is one that comes to mind, although I know there are many others. I personally disagree that this is 1) accurate and 2) a good idea for promoting veganism, but it's out there.0
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