Anyone do a plant-based diet?

Hey y'all! I'm new to paying attention to the MFP app. Here's the rundown on me. I'm a 50-yr-old slave to soda and a sugar addict (the research is real - pretty sure I have holes in my brain). I lead a fairly sedentary life (desk job) and rarely get in my "mile-a-day" goal. No surprise, I've got Type 2 Diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and need to lose 50 pounds. I've recently received counsel from a friend that I should go Vegan. There's such a stereotype with Vegans. I actually DON'T drive a Prius and DO shower daily, so I'm not sure about the whole plant-based diet thing. LOL! Ok, but all kidding aside, the studies and research leaves little doubt that this is the best route for me to go if I plan on continuing to be alive. Looking here for support, advice, friends in general. The struggle is real, folks!
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  • MRobershaw
    MRobershaw Posts: 1 Member
    Vegan. Been vegan since November 2021 officially list 49 pounds since that doctor visit and just recently started tracking with My Fitness Pal as it seems I have hit second plateau. Dr mentioned Vegan almost as s joke but as Mediterranean never achieved any real weight loss nor any other plans after 10 pounds I went for it. I found Dr John McDougall for Maximum Weight Loss (on Amazon) and on line for free. His recipes are more than tolerable. I have only found 3 that I honestly don’t like. I have no desire to go back and have enjoyed my birthday and Easter as cheat days. I did skip Thanksgiving and Christmas this year as it was too soon to give up on my progress fir a cheat day. Starch based diets can be fun. Rice bowls can be exciting with an array of different steamed vegetables and baked yams are pretty good with fresh cracked black pepper and baked potatoes are great with a mushroom sauce. New exciting taste are out there. Potatoes stew or green potato soup is great (hint: spinach turns the potato soup green). You get all the nutrients. If you add something fattening like crackers, chips, or cookies, you will get a carb warning from MFP.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,103 Member
    MRobershaw wrote: »
    Vegan. Been vegan since November 2021 officially list 49 pounds since that doctor visit and just recently started tracking with My Fitness Pal as it seems I have hit second plateau. Dr mentioned Vegan almost as s joke but as Mediterranean never achieved any real weight loss nor any other plans after 10 pounds I went for it. I found Dr John McDougall for Maximum Weight Loss (on Amazon) and on line for free. His recipes are more than tolerable. I have only found 3 that I honestly don’t like. I have no desire to go back and have enjoyed my birthday and Easter as cheat days. I did skip Thanksgiving and Christmas this year as it was too soon to give up on my progress fir a cheat day. Starch based diets can be fun. Rice bowls can be exciting with an array of different steamed vegetables and baked yams are pretty good with fresh cracked black pepper and baked potatoes are great with a mushroom sauce. New exciting taste are out there. Potatoes stew or green potato soup is great (hint: spinach turns the potato soup green). You get all the nutrients. If you add something fattening like crackers, chips, or cookies, you will get a carb warning from MFP.

    Protein, too, I hope? Very little in the dishes you mention, though they do sound tasty. (I'm vegetarian, not a carni-bigot, BTW - have been vegetarian for 47+ years now, thin to fat and back again . . . almost as if how many calories one eats is more important to body weight than what the food choices are, because my path was mostly healthy foods, too, just too much of them. Go figure.)

    FWIW you'll get a carb warning from MFP if you eat enough potatoes, rice, beans, corn, carrots, yams, etc. to tip the total over your carb goal, too. There are hilarious moments when I've seen an over-goal warning from even a food that doesn't have a boatload of the nutrient in question, too - just happens to be the item that puts me a tiny bit over a goal. Crackers, chips or cookies may be more calorie-dense and not as nutrient-dense, but they aren't fattening beyond their calorie content.
  • Jenniferanne6
    Jenniferanne6 Posts: 17 Member
    I've been a vegan since the beginning of February and have lost around 10 pounds. I've been a vegetarian for 15 years and always thought going 100% in would be too difficult because I loooove cheese, but all of a sudden it clicked. I'm exploring recipes involving tofu, soy strips and lots of veggies I wouldn't have tried in the past. Eggplant stir fries are my favorite. Btw, I bathe everyday but no longer own/drive a car. ;)