Weight Loss on a Vegan - Plant based - Vegetarian diet. I need help!

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  • VeganGirlAbroad
    VeganGirlAbroad Posts: 6 Member
    edited March 2019
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    estherdragonbat wrote: »
    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.)


    Can I ask you how you came to your deficit number?
    I am a 5'6, 86 kilo, 48 year old woman. When I did TDEE, it said 2,300 calories. I read to only subtract 500 to lose but I made it -800 so my deficit number is 1,500. I tried to do 1,200 yesterday but it felt too low. I'm not sure if 1,500 is still too low or too high. I want to lose as fast as I can without compromising my metabolism.

  • cathipa
    cathipa Posts: 2,991 Member
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    janejellyroll wrote: »
    cathipa wrote: »
    amobailar wrote: »
    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.

    I agree with you. It is all about the calories no matter what diet you are following. You have to be in a calorie deficit to lose.
  • VeganGirlAbroad
    VeganGirlAbroad Posts: 6 Member
    edited March 2019
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    kshama2001 wrote: »
    VeganGirlAbroad wrote: »
    How about trying for 60% carbohydrates, 20-30% fat, 20-30% protein? (See Jane's post above.)


    Thanks!
    That's where I get confused... is 30 fat and 30 protein ok?
    Do you buy into the, 'body type' hype? Meaning, some people should eat more carbs or protein?
    It makes some sense because I am insulin resistant and have an apple shape.

    I am not a new vegan, just trying to make this lifestyle change — meaning I don't treat this like one of my diets. :)

    I never bought into the low or high carb fads. I've always just ate whole foods but at the moment, I just want to shift the weight because the last couple of years, I've admittedly been drinking too much wine and eating too much vegan junk food and just big portions in general. I'm already ahead of the game stopping all of those but I am not opposed to adjusting macros for some months. Although, I never bought into carbs are bad as a vegan, admittedly, I am afraid to overdo it — as I do. :)
  • VeganGirlAbroad
    VeganGirlAbroad Posts: 6 Member
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    janejellyroll wrote: »
    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.

    Yes, like I said, I did not enjoy vegan keto and will never do it again. 🙈
  • VeganGirlAbroad
    VeganGirlAbroad Posts: 6 Member
    edited March 2019
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    estherdragonbat wrote: »
    VeganGirlAbroad wrote: »
    estherdragonbat wrote: »
    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.)


    Can is ask you how you came to your deficit number?
    I am a 5'6, 86 kilo, 48 year old woman. When I did TDEE, it said 2,300 calories. I read to only subtract 500 to lose but I made it -800 so my deficit number is 1,500. I tried to do 1,200 yesterday but it felt too low. I'm not sure if 1,500 is still too low or too high. I want to lose as fast as I can without compromising my metabolism.

    I'm 5'3, sedentary, with less than 10lbs to reach a healthy weight. When I started, I was on 1710 to lose 1lb per week. Now, it's 1340 for 1/2lb. But then I exercise and eat back at least half of those calories. So most days, I close out my diary at more like 1700. (Going by TDEE, I'm active. But since all my activity is deliberate exercise, going by MFP, I'm sedentary.)

    ETA: 500 calorie-deficit puts you on track to lose 1lb per week. That's safe if you have at least 15-25 pounds to lose. If you have over 50, you can (not necessarily saying should) lose 1.5lbs per week. At my heaviest, I could have gone with 2lbs, but I didn't want to feel hungry and deprived, so I set it for 1 and it's worked well for me. At this point, I can safely manage a 250-calorie deficit.

    Thanks! That's helpful!
    Yes, I am trying to lose 20 kilo, so I guess around 40lbs, give or take?
    I definitely want to go with 2lbs a week if I can. I hope 1,500 does that since my TDEE said 2,300 to maintain.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,902 Member
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    VeganGirlAbroad wrote: »
    estherdragonbat wrote: »
    VeganGirlAbroad wrote: »
    estherdragonbat wrote: »
    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.)


    Can is ask you how you came to your deficit number?
    I am a 5'6, 86 kilo, 48 year old woman. When I did TDEE, it said 2,300 calories. I read to only subtract 500 to lose but I made it -800 so my deficit number is 1,500. I tried to do 1,200 yesterday but it felt too low. I'm not sure if 1,500 is still too low or too high. I want to lose as fast as I can without compromising my metabolism.

    I'm 5'3, sedentary, with less than 10lbs to reach a healthy weight. When I started, I was on 1710 to lose 1lb per week. Now, it's 1340 for 1/2lb. But then I exercise and eat back at least half of those calories. So most days, I close out my diary at more like 1700. (Going by TDEE, I'm active. But since all my activity is deliberate exercise, going by MFP, I'm sedentary.)

    ETA: 500 calorie-deficit puts you on track to lose 1lb per week. That's safe if you have at least 15-25 pounds to lose. If you have over 50, you can (not necessarily saying should) lose 1.5lbs per week. At my heaviest, I could have gone with 2lbs, but I didn't want to feel hungry and deprived, so I set it for 1 and it's worked well for me. At this point, I can safely manage a 250-calorie deficit.

    Thanks! That's helpful!
    Yes, I am trying to lose 20 kilo, so I guess around 40lbs, give or take?
    I definitely want to go with 2lbs a week if I can. I hope 1,500 does that since my TDEE said 2,300 to maintain.

    Two pounds a week is an overly aggressive rate of loss with only 44 pounds to lose.

    9kjwnia17qv9.jpg
  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
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    VeganGirlAbroad wrote: »
    estherdragonbat wrote: »
    VeganGirlAbroad wrote: »
    estherdragonbat wrote: »
    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.)


    Can is ask you how you came to your deficit number?
    I am a 5'6, 86 kilo, 48 year old woman. When I did TDEE, it said 2,300 calories. I read to only subtract 500 to lose but I made it -800 so my deficit number is 1,500. I tried to do 1,200 yesterday but it felt too low. I'm not sure if 1,500 is still too low or too high. I want to lose as fast as I can without compromising my metabolism.

    I'm 5'3, sedentary, with less than 10lbs to reach a healthy weight. When I started, I was on 1710 to lose 1lb per week. Now, it's 1340 for 1/2lb. But then I exercise and eat back at least half of those calories. So most days, I close out my diary at more like 1700. (Going by TDEE, I'm active. But since all my activity is deliberate exercise, going by MFP, I'm sedentary.)

    ETA: 500 calorie-deficit puts you on track to lose 1lb per week. That's safe if you have at least 15-25 pounds to lose. If you have over 50, you can (not necessarily saying should) lose 1.5lbs per week. At my heaviest, I could have gone with 2lbs, but I didn't want to feel hungry and deprived, so I set it for 1 and it's worked well for me. At this point, I can safely manage a 250-calorie deficit.

    Thanks! That's helpful!
    Yes, I am trying to lose 20 kilo, so I guess around 40lbs, give or take?
    I definitely want to go with 2lbs a week if I can. I hope 1,500 does that since my TDEE said 2,300 to maintain.

    Just over 44. That's makes 1.5lbs per week okay starting out, but you'll need to go down to 1lb soon. 2lbs sounds like it's probably going to be too aggressive; that's a 1,000 calorie deficit.

    Teabea posted this chart in https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10019216/1-or-2-lbs-per-week/p1:

    Pound per week goals
    75+ lbs set to lose 2 lb range
    Between 40 - 75 lbs set to lose 1.5 lb range
    Between 25-40 lbs set to lose 1 lb range
    Between 15-25 lbs set to lose 1 -.50 lb range
    Less than 15 lbs set to lose 0.5 lbs range
  • jyi468
    jyi468 Posts: 1 Member
    edited March 2019
    Options
    Hello,

    I've been vegan for about a year and I've both cut and bulked on a vegan diet. I weigh a little over 170 right now and I'm trying to cut back down to about 160-155. I was 185 then dropped to 150 and then back up to 175. I am 5' 10", average build.

    You don't have to do extremely lopsided macro diets (keto, high carb, low carb, etc.) as long as you are hitting all the right cylinders.

    In the end, it is the always about the calories. BUT - you can make it as painless as possible. I still suffer a bit here and there, but it is pretty manageable for me using my below strategy. This is not the only way to do it but this is what works for me (I am assuming you are already counting calories):

    Time Restricted Eating: Basically the same as intermittent fasting but with more forgiving time scales. My first meal is always after 12 PM and I stop eating between 9 PM and 10 PM, so I'm eating for only a 9 to 10 hour time window. It can be difficult at first if you eat breakfast, but you honestly get used to it pretty quickly. It's easier to stretch out all your calories if you eat for a shorter duration.

    Diet: The best thing is obviously cooking everything as you can track what you put in your mouth more accurately. For myself, I have a meal I don't really get sick of that has good macros and I try to eat that every day when I'm cutting. In general, I can say is you can eat almost whatever you want but make half of it veggies / greens. I always buy 50/50 mix, spring mix, baby kale, etc. Yeah, it's not the best tasting thing but if you eat it with something tasty, it leaves you full and gives you a lot of nutrients. For example, instead of eating a burger and fries, I could eat a burger and some spring mix. Still get to eat a burger and you're still satiated, but with half the calories.

    Macros: Since I'm cutting, I keep my protein intake as a higher percentage of my macros, around 25-30%. I'm pretty liberal with fat and carbs as long as I hit my protein and calorie goals. It keeps me full and lets me keep my muscle mass. Studies have shown you don't need more than 0.82 g/lb for protein: https://mennohenselmans.com/the-myth-of-1glb-optimal-protein-intake-for-bodybuilders/. I use this with my estimated lean mass, 135 lb, so I am consuming around 110 grams of protein per day. I have to use protein shakes for this (Orgain Brown Rice and Pea Protein). My macros are set to 40% carbs, 30% fat and 30% protein. But, again, I mostly just focus on the protein intake.

    Exercise: I exercise and track my exercise, which gives you some breathing room for calories. If you are exercising, make sure you do this because the hunger might become unmanageable and you're at risk of binging. MyFitnessPal estimates are decent but now I'm using a FitBit, which gives you more accurate information.

    I say time restricted eating is a simple way to start consuming less calories. If I had to pick one to start with, I'd choose that. But I'd say choose at least one of those and go from there.
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
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    Since it has come up a few times, "body types" are a myth. All people lose weight by being in a calorie deficit. Human nutritional needs vary somewhat, but that variation comes from things like medical conditions or specific fitness goals, not because you have a particular "body type."
  • Dgil1975
    Dgil1975 Posts: 110 Member
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    amobailar wrote: »
    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

    So, I'm new to plant based, and one of the things that stood out is the not counting calories thing. I've lost 20lbs since I started in January on plant based, and at first the weight was flying off, and this was after I was already regular dieting for two months, needless to say I thought this was going to be a cake walk. However here is what I think about the not counting calories advice. If you are truly eating whole foods, plant based with a good dose of greens it is going to be really hard to overeat, as there is only so much food that fits in your belly before it's uncomfortable. However if you love starches(count me in), then I think you have to count calories just to ensure your staying within the range you are allotted. If you love items processed foods like pasta and bread you would very easily overeat if not careful. Also what is your oil intake like, one tablespoon of olive oil is 120 calories, it has the highest calorie density there is at 4000 calories per pound, where as greens like spinach and lettuce come in at about 100 calories per pound.

    Basically as much as counting calories can be a nuisance, I think it is probably essential for anyone that has had weight issues as we have a clear history of overeating.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,170 Member
    edited March 2019
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    I've been vegetarian (ovo-lacto) for 45 years, thin to fat to obese and back to thin again. Now in year 3 of maintaining about a 50 pound loss after about a year losing, before that.

    Nutrition for vegetarians/vegans isn't any different than it is for anyone else, nor is weight loss.

    Some strategies that helped me on lower calories were thinking in terms of getting at least a bit of protein in most of the more calorie-dense foods I eat throughout the day, because (for me) that's filling for me, and is also one of the macros I have to focus on to get enough of (I target 100g daily in maintenance, though it was a bit less during loss: I'm a believer in the range of 0.6-0.8g of protein daily per pound of healthy goal weight). Though I'm ovo-lacto, I eat eggs only rarely, and often hit 10+ servings of plant foods daily (not counting "plant derived" ones like tofu, tempeh, oy/legume pasta, etc.).

    A lot of what works for an individual is going to depend on what s/he enjoys most. For example, I was in the habit of eating quite a bit of whole wheat pasta, wrap sandwiches and that sort of thing, but realized I personally didn't find those foods particularly satiating or especially tasty (it was habit, mostly), so one strategy that worked well for me was to reduce consumption of wheat pasta and bread, and increase the portions of the stuff I would've put on the pasta or inside the bread. (Please note: I'm not even remotely low carb; I probably ate 150g+ of carbs most days while losing weight. I just preferred getting those carbs from legumes and such, that were more filling and tasty to me.) If I were a bread lover, this would've been a dumb strategy for me.

    I wrote up the general approach I followed to remodel my eating and lose weight in this thread, which applies to vegetarians, vegans, or anyone else:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10636388/free-customized-personal-weight-loss-eating-plan-not-spam-or-mlm
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    Dgil1975 wrote: »
    amobailar wrote: »
    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

    So, I'm new to plant based, and one of the things that stood out is the not counting calories thing. I've lost 20lbs since I started in January on plant based, and at first the weight was flying off, and this was after I was already regular dieting for two months, needless to say I thought this was going to be a cake walk. However here is what I think about the not counting calories advice. If you are truly eating whole foods, plant based with a good dose of greens it is going to be really hard to overeat, as there is only so much food that fits in your belly before it's uncomfortable. However if you love starches(count me in), then I think you have to count calories just to ensure your staying within the range you are allotted. If you love items processed foods like pasta and bread you would very easily overeat if not careful. Also what is your oil intake like, one tablespoon of olive oil is 120 calories, it has the highest calorie density there is at 4000 calories per pound, where as greens like spinach and lettuce come in at about 100 calories per pound.

    Basically as much as counting calories can be a nuisance, I think it is probably essential for anyone that has had weight issues as we have a clear history of overeating.

    This post sets up eating a WFPB diet and eating starches as somehow in opposition and that's a false dichotomy. WFPB starches exist. Many appropriately planned WFPB diets includes starches like potatoes, whole grains, and legumes.
  • VeganGirlAbroad
    VeganGirlAbroad Posts: 6 Member
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    kshama2001 wrote: »
    VeganGirlAbroad wrote: »
    estherdragonbat wrote: »
    VeganGirlAbroad wrote: »
    estherdragonbat wrote: »
    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.)


    Can is ask you how you came to your deficit number?
    I am a 5'6, 86 kilo, 48 year old woman. When I did TDEE, it said 2,300 calories. I read to only subtract 500 to lose but I made it -800 so my deficit number is 1,500. I tried to do 1,200 yesterday but it felt too low. I'm not sure if 1,500 is still too low or too high. I want to lose as fast as I can without compromising my metabolism.

    I'm 5'3, sedentary, with less than 10lbs to reach a healthy weight. When I started, I was on 1710 to lose 1lb per week. Now, it's 1340 for 1/2lb. But then I exercise and eat back at least half of those calories. So most days, I close out my diary at more like 1700. (Going by TDEE, I'm active. But since all my activity is deliberate exercise, going by MFP, I'm sedentary.)

    ETA: 500 calorie-deficit puts you on track to lose 1lb per week. That's safe if you have at least 15-25 pounds to lose. If you have over 50, you can (not necessarily saying should) lose 1.5lbs per week. At my heaviest, I could have gone with 2lbs, but I didn't want to feel hungry and deprived, so I set it for 1 and it's worked well for me. At this point, I can safely manage a 250-calorie deficit.

    Thanks! That's helpful!
    Yes, I am trying to lose 20 kilo, so I guess around 40lbs, give or take?
    I definitely want to go with 2lbs a week if I can. I hope 1,500 does that since my TDEE said 2,300 to maintain.

    Two pounds a week is an overly aggressive rate of loss with only 44 pounds to lose.

    9kjwnia17qv9.jpg


    Thanks for the chart! Very helpful. Since starting at 41 lbs 1.5 a week is a suggestion, I'm going to go with 2lb a week working for me. I am very active so it'll probably happen anyway.
  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
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    Honestly, with 41lbs to lose, 2lbs per week is going to be too aggressive. You simply don't have the fat reserves to sustain it. And if you're exercising on top of that, you're going to find that you aren't burning as much because your body won't be moving as vigorously. Your energy will probably decrease and your hunger signals will probably increase. That's going to mess with adherence to plan.
  • savithny
    savithny Posts: 1,200 Member
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    Confession:
    I just record what I eat. My macros vary a lot from day to day, but Its interesting to see how they average out after you've got a month or so of data.

    Start there: Don't worry about a program that gives you strictt macros or exchanges. Write down what you eat, as accurately as you can (food scale matters a lot when you're learning). See where you're overdoing it. DO it AS YOU GO, not at the end of the day, so you can adjust as you go.
  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
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    There's a vegan/vegetarian group in the community that has been around for awhile. It's still active, but it also has lots of old discussions to read through as well that may have some helpful information.

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/45-happy-herbivores
  • JRSINAZ
    JRSINAZ Posts: 158 Member
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    I eat whole food plant-based and my diary is open if anybody wants to send a friend request.130# lost

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