Has anyone lost weight from becoming vegetarian/vegan?

You can be perfectly healthy if you're eating meat, I know many veggies/vegans who stuff themselves with processed foods and are fat and in poor health. It just happens to be byproduct in some people, if they really stick to eating mostly veggies (as veggies have almost no calories). Try to stick to white meat though (chicken, turkey).

Considering it.....just curious. I really want to be as healthy as I can be, although I know that everyone has a different opinion on what is 'healthy' though.

Years ago I was a veggie and have friends who are vegans (who have been for most of their life) I would say, no they are not skinny, but none of them are over weight. If that makes sense, also they are always eating! or grazing!!

I do know my friends are very healthy as they watch what it is they are eating and know what will give them the best cause of energy or protein depending on what it is they are looking for xx

I am vegetarian I have been for many years, it can be a healthier diet. But as with eating meat you still need to watch what your eating your not going to suddenly be thin just because you dont eat meat..... believe me I know!

Good luck

When I first went vegan I shed 6stone (84lbs). But I have also gained 3stone (42lbs) back as a vegan. If you are eating fresh vegan produce you will lose weight as it is a low fat, plant based diet. But it is easy to fall into the trap of eating ready made or processed vegan foods. In the UK as well most food marketed as being specifically vegan (in the "Free From" aisles) is usually snack food. But as long as you stick to eating frersh fruits and veggies, beans and pulses you can lose a lot, and be more healthy as your vitimin intake will increase if you don't usually eat a plant based diet.

Also, dont think vegan diets are boring or labourous. I have plenty of yummy vegan recipes that take hardly any work and are delicious! I've just started writing these on a blog (mostly so i dont have to keep track of all the bits of paper i've scribbled recipes down on!), feel free to use them! I will be adding more soon, plus there are thousands if you search on Google.

http://favouriteveganrecipes.blogspot.com/

^^ that's my blog.

Hope that helps! xxx

I gave up meat 10 years ago, and the first thing I noticed was that my body mass seemed to change. I carried weight differently, but the weight was still there. It was almost as though my body density had changed with my diet.

When I'm running, the weight comes off easily, but when I'm not exercising it really piles on, because I'm used to eating big portions of yummy food to get what my Dad calls "all the goodies" in.

Thanks to MFP, I've found I'm not getting enough protein for the amount of exercise I've been doing, and I'm having to find new ways to do that (more nuts... hurray!).

One of the reasons I would not go vegan (and I tried it for 2 weeks), is the need to get hold of specialised products and processed food - I prefer to make my meals from scratch, and resent paying someone else to do it for me and giving them control of what goes in. Also, I realised after 2 weeks of feeling weak, although I'm aware of the effect my love of milk and cheese has on the planet and the cattle trade, nothing can stop me lusting after stilton!

I'm not a vegetarian but there is a vegetarian fast food here that I really like however I noticed their foods are oily & some are high in calories. So the thing is even if you're a vegetarian but practically eating those potato chips or any other bad stuff, then it won't make any difference to the one who eats 2 big macs everyday.

Hello! It all depends on what you're eating. If you're eating a healthy variety of fruits, veggies, grains, nuts/beans and seeds, you will lose weight. Granted, you can also do this eating meat. Since going vegetarian though i have felt alot better, haven't felt bloated, and havent felt the least bit deprived. I would recommend trying it for a few weeks, do some research and see how it goes. You have to make sure you are getting vitamin B12 though. It is found in fortified soymilk and cereals. Along with a multi vitamin and you'll be fine. Best of luck.

I was a vegetarian for 3 years and at first I lost a few lbs but unless you are eating well along with being a vegetarian it wont do a whole lot for you. I have almost completely cut out red meat though from my current diet and I think it's really getting me somewhere. I eat lots of fish, chicken and when I want a burger I use ground turkey. There are a lot less benefits and a lot more health risks with red meat so if you aren't ready to fully commit to vegetarianism or vegan-ism I recommend trying this first.

It all depends on what you eat. Calories are calories when it comes to weight loss and believe me, I have tried every other possible method other than counting calories which is the only thing that appears to be working. You can be a vegetarian on tofu and vegetables or on pizza and french fries. It's all about healthy choices and burning more than you consume.

Do you like veggies, fruits, nuts, beans...you get the picture...and do you like to cook? If not I wouldn't recommend it or you may just fall into the empty carb pit and then no becoming vegetarian wouldn't be healthy nor would it help you lose weight.

I realize this is an old post, but it still comes up on search so I will still add my experience for any others looking for more answers. I have been a new vegetarian now for about a month. I did NOT do it to lose weight, I did it for the sake of not supporting the way animals are treated in the horrific way they are in the factory farming industry. I also had digestive issues, and since giving up eating meat I have been a regular go-er without any issues at all. So, that being said I am no longer bloated or retaining water like I was before. Also, I've done the tracking calories while eating meat and yes I lost weight but it came off so fast I knew I was losing mostly water. It came back on instantly when I got a bit off track. But what I've noticed after giving up eating meat, I've had a curb in my appetite. I actually no longer want any processed food. Mind you, I don't eat completely clean but it's really hard to stomach anything not fresh. Also, weight is coming off but differently then just the caloric restriction. I can actually see my body composition changing. I am not looking skinny fat as much as with calorie counting, and the weight is coming off on the scale SLOWER, about 1.5 lbs a week compared to the 3 lbs a week while eating meat on a calorie counting diet. But what this means for me is I'm actually losing fat this time instead of water. Mind you, I also make sure I get my protein through shakes so I have maintained my muscle mass. I don't really bother counting calories anymore, because like I said my appetite has changed drastically and I'm no longer eating the greased up calorie bombs. I actually just have to keep an estimate of how much I'm eating per day to make sure I'm getting enough.

I am vegan. When I first became vegan I lost 20 lbs, but then as I learned more and more about what was vegan, that didn't last. There are tons of vegan junk foods (and "accidentally" vegan junk foods!). I also know someone who is over 300 lbs and has been vegan for many years. It definitely does not mean you will automatically lose weight. You have to make the right food choices.

Considering it.....just curious. I really want to be as healthy as I can be, although I know that everyone has a different opinion on what is 'healthy' though.

I nearly spit up my coffee laughing. The answer is NO. Yes, vegetarianism can be healthy. I've been vegetarian for 16 years ( I'm 36). But you can still eat all these things and be vegetarian:
Stuffed crust cheese pizza
Donuts
Ice cream
Fried dough
Lasagne
Twinkies
Chocolate bars...
Become vegetarian because you want to for certain principles, not for weight loss.

I actually gained a bit of weight after becoming vegan.
Peanut butter is killing me haha

You should become vegetarian/vegan for moral reasons, animal rights, environmentalism, etc, NOT for vanity

Both of my grandmothers were vegetarians for about 40-50 years. They were both slim too. Weighed probably no more than 130 pounds. But they ate a healthier vegetarian diet...whole foods, nuts, tofu/soybeans, almond milk.

One of the friends I've known for about 16 years is a vegetarian, but she weighs about 190 pounds at 5'4", so no for her being vegetarian hasn't resulted in significant weight loss. She is active. She exercises regularly at the gym, but she's always had a problem with her weight. I don't think she became a vegetarian for weight loss. I think it was more an animal rights issue for her. It's possible though to be a vegetarian and not see any substantial loss in weight.