Vegetarians...how did you get started on your diet?

LizAlexis
LizAlexis Posts: 8
edited October 5 in Health and Weight Loss
I started my diet yesterday night. I'm excited and anxious to start seeing results. I'm a vegetarian and I've gotten a bit pudgy through eating pasta, pasta and more pasta. I didn't know how to balance a nutritional meal. I've been reading and studying ways to find healthier options to my diet. I love to know more...

If you're vegetarian, vegan, or whatever type of vegetarian... can you give me an example of how you lost - or are losing - weight with only eating fruits, veggies, nuts, grains, breads, etc?

Replies

  • Contrarian
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
    It's about calories. I eat the number of calories MFP recommends.
  • PeaceLuvVeggies
    PeaceLuvVeggies Posts: 375 Member
    When I started my diet, I bought raisins, wheat bread, peanut butter, strawberry jelly, whole wheat bagels and low fat cream cheese...

    Oh and some fruits/veggies. I bought some canned corn, I eat broccoli, bananas, apples...

    I just eat everything that I use to eat/love in moderation. I've lost 9.8 lbs since I started my weight loss journey :)
  • pph79
    pph79 Posts: 78
    I tend to limit alot of pasta intake. However, i think the key is EXERCISE of some sort. Although i've been busy the past several weeks, i was running about 3 miles pretty regularly. I also cut back alot on my cheese, decrease sodium intake as much as possible and drink lots of water.
  • demonid
    demonid Posts: 38 Member
    I don't eat a lot of breads/pastas (potential gluten intolerance in my home), and currently have a fixation on raw peppers. I found when I ditched the fun carbs, I started to lose weight faster.
  • mrmanmeat
    mrmanmeat Posts: 1,968 Member
    I started my diet yesterday night. I'm excited and anxious to start seeing results. I'm a vegetarian and I've gotten a bit pudgy through eating pasta, pasta and more pasta. I didn't know how to balance a nutritional meal. I've been reading and studying ways to find healthier options to my diet. I love to know more...

    If you're vegetarian, vegan, or whatever type of vegetarian... can you give me an example of how you lost - or are losing - weight with only eating fruits, veggies, nuts, grains, breads, etc?

    First of all, stop calling it a diet. those don't work.

    Just eat better, but, I can't comment bc I think meat is important in our foods.
  • Cosmic_Unicorn
    Cosmic_Unicorn Posts: 150 Member
    I only eat pasta on special occasions. It's too high in calories to enjoy a good portion, in my opinion. I am a poor student, so my mostly vegetarian diet may be a little boring. I eat eggs with vegetables for breakfast almost every day, fruit and a granola bar for lunch, and then rice, beans (black beans, chick peas, or lentils), and a ton of vegetables for dinner. I also only eat bread on special occasions. (Like the week after shopping, and then not again for two months, lol.) A lot of people get really hungry on a vegetarian diet so they fill up on bread or pasta, but it's more important to add more proteins and fats than starches. Whole grain is, of course, better than white. Just try to avoid all the sugar in most starchy foods.
  • LizAlexis
    LizAlexis Posts: 8
    I started my diet yesterday night. I'm excited and anxious to start seeing results. I'm a vegetarian and I've gotten a bit pudgy through eating pasta, pasta and more pasta. I didn't know how to balance a nutritional meal. I've been reading and studying ways to find healthier options to my diet. I love to know more...

    If you're vegetarian, vegan, or whatever type of vegetarian... can you give me an example of how you lost - or are losing - weight with only eating fruits, veggies, nuts, grains, breads, etc?

    First of all, stop calling it a diet. those don't work.

    Just eat better, but, I can't comment bc I think meat is important in our foods.

    It is a diet... Anything that you consume is a diet. But I see where you are coming from. I also understand that meat is an essential part of 'healthy eating'. I just don't like meat. That's why I asked the previous question.
  • rickyd88
    rickyd88 Posts: 75 Member
    Check out my diary.

    I don't eat meat or vegetables (I will juice them if I need to) and put on weight through loads of carbs over the years. I'm down 10lbs in 14 days through portion control.
  • LizAlexis
    LizAlexis Posts: 8
    I only eat pasta on special occasions. It's too high in calories to enjoy a good portion, in my opinion. I am a poor student, so my mostly vegetarian diet may be a little boring. I eat eggs with vegetables for breakfast almost every day, fruit and a granola bar for lunch, and then rice, beans (black beans, chick peas, or lentils), and a ton of vegetables for dinner. I also only eat bread on special occasions. (Like the week after shopping, and then not again for two months, lol.) A lot of people get really hungry on a vegetarian diet so they fill up on bread or pasta, but it's more important to add more proteins and fats than starches. Whole grain is, of course, better than white. Just try to avoid all the sugar in most starchy foods.

    Thank you for your input! It's shed some light in to my confusion!
  • Raclex
    Raclex Posts: 238
    Hi there,

    You can certainly check out my diary- Although I am pescetarian, that will eventually be eliminated from my diet. I eat my calories suggested by MFP.

    You don't have to spend a lot of money to be vegetarian. You just have to get creative and take the time to cook. We prepare most of our meals (hubby still eats meat, but only once every week or so) on Sundays and Wednesdays so that we can simply grab, warm and eat. I found many great inexpensive recipes from TheKindLife (not sure if I can mention that here :-().

    I aim for 40% protein, 30% fat and 30% carbs. I am still working on the 40% protein and have chosen to add a shake every so often to reach my target. I learn as I go...

    If you really want to be successful, you’ll have to sit down, plan a menu ahead of time, buy the ingredients and prepare at home. It’ll also give you a chance to budget at the same time :-)

    Lentils are loaded with good nutrients and can easily be used with many meals: Lentil soup, lentils with curry, lentils with basmati rice-with Indian spices, for example. Get some recipes together and you’ll see that you can make a lot!
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