20 days in, needing help getting right nutrients in a vegetarian diet, and how much exercise

Just to point out, since the last two posters seem to have misunderstood - OP isn’t vegan, she’s vegetarian. Not the same thing at all.

There are lots of vegetarian sources of protein outside of beans or eggs, though. There is now all manner of ‘meat’ replacements on the market these days made from all sorts of vegetable protein sources. Ranging from soy, pea protein, mycoproteins, lentils, vital wheat gluten etc etc.

You’ve mentioned your budget is limited so those might not be your answer on a daily basis, I understand that. But dried lentils, split peas etc are really cheap and mostly quick to cook and can take on many different flavour profiles. When cooked and served with vegetables and a higher protein grain or seed side provide a complete amino acid profile. Try buckwheat, quinoa, pearled spelt, freekeh etc. As already mentioned, all forms of dairy are reasonable sources of protein (and fat). Don’t limit yourself to Greek Yoghurt!

gionrogado wrote: »

i have never tried going vegan, but i googled " vegan bodybuilding diet" and unfortunately, i think your options are limited, specially you need protein during weight loss. either you supplement with protein shakes, eat lots of beans and tofu, or learn to eat fish or chicken. most vegans i see go the supplement route, because getting protein from veggies is like squeezing water from a stone. this will be expensive though. so think about this for a while

There are lots of vegetarians on here that have lost weight and work out. However, the OP didn't say she was into bodybuilding--or did I miss something?

babymin1 wrote: »

Hello! I am currently 20 days into a new diet and lifestyle changes, trying to lose about 90-100 pounds in 12-13 months. At the moment I am 223 pounds and I am 5'3, 20 years old. and I seem to be hitting a bump in the road. So far I have lost 13 pounds (a big thing for me!) by trying to cut out many carbs and I have started to each fruits and vegetables. For the past 20 days my food mostly consists of usually a carb in the morning (bagel or whatnot), and i've been snacking on things like carrots, broccoli, yogurt with fruit and oats. For dinner i've only been having asperagus or green beans with more greek yogurt. At night for a snack I tend to eat cereal (special k or a knock off of it) with almond milk. However, looking at my daily recommended proteins and such, I can never get very close to the needed mark. I am vegetarian, have been all my life so I struggle to get protein that people seem to get with meat. I'm starting to feel so limited to what I can eat as it's getting boring and more of a task. I don't like eggs no matter how many ways i've tried cooking them, same goes for beans. and nuts just get too expensive for my very small and limited budget. I've also started working out when i'm able to (when home alone) for about 30 minutes every other day. I need help/advice for trying to get the right amount of nutrients a day to make sure this is a healthy weight loss, things I could add. As for workouts, i'm not sure if 30 minutes about 3 or 4 times a week is enough to continue losing weight. Should I be exercising for longer? any help with these 2 questions or either of them would be much appreciated since I am all very new to trying to get myself to a healthy spot and creating a long term healthy lifestyle. Thank you

I'm also vegetarian (ovo-lacto), have been for almost 47 years. Clearly, you're able to eat eggs, but you don't like them. I see that you eat yogurt. Do you eat other dairy, or are you willing to?

Protein is really important for fitness and health, and to retain as much muscle mass as possible while losing weight. It will be good if we can help you figure out a way to improve your protein intake. I'm able to get a minimum of 100g protein daily, without using protein supplements or fake meats, which is a reasonable amount for my body size (it's a bit above 1g per pound of my lean body mass, which can be approximated as 0.8g per pound of a healthy goal body weight - I'm 5'5", 125 pounds, now in weight maintenance). I got a bit less while losing weight, but still usually 90g+. It's possible.

(To be clear, I don't think there's anything wrong with protein powders, protein bars, etc., I just personally don't find them tasty or satisfying, so I don't eat them. I feel the same way about most faux meat products, though many other people do enjoy those.)

I want to be sure I understand clearly: Are you unable to eat beans for any reason other than disliking them in terms of taste-preference? For example, some people avoid beans because they cause gassiness for them, or because the individual has a health condition that requires limiting fiber. I'm asking this because there are ways to use beans that signficantly change the taste/texture, or limit the gassiness, so it would help to know what the problem is. Those do tend to be key foods for getting adequate protein, for most vegetarians. There are ways around it, but there may be ways you can enjoy them if it's a taste-preference issue, such as in food products derived from them.

Major things to consider, that you haven't mentioned disliking, would be seitan (which can be made yourself, or purchased) or soy products like tofu, TVP, or tempeh. If you don't enjoy tofu on its own, it can be blended into creamy soups, or layered in lasagna, or that sort of thing. (Silken tofu works particularly well in soup.) Tofu noodles or edamame pasta are other options. I find the edamame pasta chewier than regular pasta, but enjoy it in Asian-style stir-fries and that sort of thing. With up to 25g protein per serving, it's a good source.

If bean-derived products (just not beans themselves) would work for you, consider pea, lentil, or chickpea pasta. These have around twice the protein of regular wheat pasta, but a similar taste/texture. They can be used in the same ways as regular wheat pasta. Not sure where you are, but here in the US, I'm finding them everywhere these days, pretty much all grocery stores (sometimes in a gluten-free area), even Costco. They're a bit more expensive than regular wheat pasta, but the right price comparison is really to equivalent protein sources, rather than to regular pasta. There's even chickpea "rice" (really orzo type pasta).

If you'd be willing to eat beans (no health limitation), but just don't enjoy them, it might be worth trying blending those up and using them in recipes, too. White beans (white kidney, cannelini, even chickpeas) can be blended pretty invisibly into creamy-style soups (potato soup, corn chowder, etc.), or used as layers/ingredients in baked main dishes (pasta with veggie bake, for example). Most other types of beans flavor/texture hides equally well, but the color is more noticeable in a lot of cases. One nice trick is to blend lentils and pulverized dried mushrooms into a rich tomato sauce for pasta. It's really rich and hearty.

If you're able to eat dairy milk, consider using that in your cereal, as it is higher in protein than most almond milk. Nonfat dairy milk is a very calorie-efficient protein source. If you can eat it, cottage cheese is also a good source. If you don't enjoy those, but can eat non-fermented dairy, consider reduced-fat ricotta cheese as something to blend in with other ingredients. (Some brands have different mouth-feel from others, if that's an issue.)

As far as eggs, you say you've tried them lots of ways. I'm wondering if you've tried a "veggie puff" approach, which is the best way I know to include them without having overt egg flavor or texture. Sometimes I mix an egg or two with a good bit of mashed Winter squash, probably some garlic or sage or other seasonings, then bake until it puffs up: That's what I'm talking about. It tastes like baked squash, just lighter/fluffier.

There are faux meats available in stores, but do read labels: Some have surprisingly little protein for the calories!

Also, protein powders are an option. Because I don't enjoy them, I can't recommend brands or types, but I'd note that they need not be eaten just in smoothies/shakes, but can be put in oatmeal, used in baked goods, etc. - quite versatile. There are lots of protein bars, too, some pretty calorie-efficient for the amount of protein. Brands vary lots, so if you don't like one type, try another, or ask here for people's recommendations.

If you want to see what I eat in case it might give you ideas, feel free to send me a friend request. I'm kind of a poor MFP friend (don't pay much attention to that part of the site), but my diary is open to friends and I do log most days, plus will answer personal-message questions or questions on my MFP timeline.

As far as the exercise: Exercise is a wonderful thing for health and fitness, but it's not essential to do *any* in order to lose weight. Doing exercise just gives you more calories to eat, and still lose at the same rate, which can be helpful for sustainability. Do the amount of exercise that is enjoyable (or at least tolerable!) to you, suitable for your current fitness level, and that fits into your life with good overall life balance (enough time and energy for other things important to you). Then, balance your calorie level to your daily life and exercise calorie needs to create a moderate calorie deficit, and you'll lose weight.

Wishing you much success reaching your important protein and weight management goals!