Vegan today and trying to lose weight, any tips?

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bonnybunny4865
bonnybunny4865 Posts: 10 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I've lost 6st so far but need to lose another 5st I've been stuck for the last 3months but I'm hoping the vegan life will give me a boost. I am a little nervous I will miss some vitamins although I love all grains beans fruit veg and nuts and seeds so I should be OK. Other then vit b12 what does everyone do? Does anyone know of good grab food that's vegan? I live in the uk

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  • bonnybunny4865
    bonnybunny4865 Posts: 10 Member
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    robbobdee wrote: »
    Going Vegan isn't going to push you over to weight loss territory. If you're not losing weight then you're not in a caloric deficit. You need to track everything you eat.

    That said, if you do go Vegan, take a daily multivitamin at the very least.

    Hi yes the problem was before I was eating non processed then slowly added junk in. I've mainly gone vegan due to my buddhist beliefs and practises but it is good to up those veggies again. 😊
  • LyndaBSS
    LyndaBSS Posts: 6,964 Member
    edited June 2019
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    I've been weaning over to pescatarianism (plant based with fish and dairy). My fridge looks like a community garden. 😀

    I keep chicken (bought before I decided on a path) and fish in the freezer, so if I feel that desire or craving for "meat", it's available. I do take B12.

    When I joined MFP two weeks ago, I tossed all junk in my house. I live alone, so my rules. LOL.

    Good luck on your journey. ❤

    PS Not sure if anything I've said will be helpful. I opened my mouth and that's what came out. 😳
  • bonnybunny4865
    bonnybunny4865 Posts: 10 Member
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    Yes I still have fish in my freezer so if the time arises that I must then I can lol totally agree with getting rid of all junk in the house that is my task tomorrow as it's already tempting me. Thank you for your kind support
  • phrancly
    phrancly Posts: 10 Member
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    Yay for going vegan! Nutritional Yeast is a great source for B12. I've struggled with going through "junk food vegan" phases and am working on being more plant-based. I was really good about this a few years ago and lost weight without trying, even when I felt like I was eating constantly because it was all nutrient-rich. Good luck to you!
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,127 Member
    edited June 2019
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    Veganism isn't going to be weight loss magic, unless you find plant foods especially satiating. (I've been vegetarian for 45 years, from thin to fat to obese and back to thin. Vegans can follow that same course. And there are plenty of vegan junk foods: Oreos are vegan, for example. ;) For nutrition and satiation, it matters what you eat, but vegans, vegetarians and omnivores can all have healthy, filling diets. For weight loss, it's all about calories, except insofar as food choice affects satiation, appetite, and therefore long-term compliance with calorie goal.)

    Besides B12, there are other nutrients that can be more challenging (not impossible) on a 100% plant based diet (calcium, iron, and more). It just takes some extra attention, until you get into a well-balanced eating routine. There are also potential pitfalls from getting too much of certain plant foods (like oxalates).

    A decent, science-based source of nutritional information is https://veganhealth.org/ .

    I'd suggest staying away from vegan advocacy sites and things like Netflix "documentaries" as sources of nutritional guidance. They sometimes misrepresent nutritional needs in order to persuade people toward veganism. As a vegan, your nutritional needs are exactly the same as an omnivore's. What differs is the food choices you'd make to meet those needs.

    Good grab food? Maybe dry-roasted soybeans or crispy chickpeas, if it needs to be shelf-stable. If refrigeration is an option, hummus (and sometimes you can find single-serve shelf-stable hummus, even) and crackers.
  • cathipa
    cathipa Posts: 2,991 Member
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    Vegan only says what you don't eat. Oreos and some Doritos are vegan. Focus on whole plant based foods and make sure you are in a calorie deficit.
  • grimendale
    grimendale Posts: 2,154 Member
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    I've been vegetarian for over a decade now (although I was a fat junk food vegan back in the day). I take iron, B12, and algae-based Omega 3. My iron levels are always good per my bloodwork, and I get most of what I need through diet, but the supplement is a nice precaution. There are a lot of great options available now (way more than when I went veg), so there's all kinds of substitutes for the things you're used to eating. Feel free to check out my diary, which is public, if you want to find ideas.

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