vegetarianism = weight gain?

so, i don't know if i'm just a freak of nature, but since becoming a vegetarian, i have gained a significant amount of weight. i think the lack of meat-related protein is making me hungrier or something, and i have a really hard time getting enough protein in my diet. does anyone have any helpful hints for me?

 

EAT WHOLE FOODS! Sorry to yell, but I cannot stress that enough! I've lost 70 pounds since I became vegan. A lot of the time when people go veg, they rely on a lot of pre-packaged, chemmy, processed food, void of nutrition. Stuff like potato chips and munchies, and greasy fatty foods like dairy. If you prepare your meals from scratch (there's a lot of simple easy fast and delicious stuff... let me know if you want recommendations...) and start with the building blocks: veg, fruit, beans-nuts-seeds-legumes, whole grains and healthy fats. You'll get the nutrition you crave, you'll feel satisfied, and you'll feel a LOT healthier.

 

some people cut out meat but then eat lots of cheese, ice cream & other junk food to make up for the loss of meat in their diet.
People forget that yes, you can eat alot on a veggie diet...BUT it has to be the right food, good food...even having lots of pre-made packaged veggie burgers isn't all that good. Look thru the munchies thread on hf and find new recipes to try.

 

awesome advice, guys. linnea, i would love some recommendations because i'm in a very bad place health-wise and my decision to go veg was mainly based on the fact i wanted to eat healthier and get my weight under control once and for all, but it's had the opposite effect and i don't want to go back to meat. squawkers, i will definitely check out the munchies thread. thanks so much!

 

What types of food do you normally gravitate toward? Sandwiches/salads/cold food, hot meals/casseroles/stuff like that? is there a particular ethnic food you especially like? A good general first step is to use only the whole grain version of any food. Like, I never eat white rice or bread or pasta, but I eat a lot of brown rice, some whole wheat/whole grain bread, and whole wheat pasta every once in a while. Tell me what kinds of food you usually like, though, and I might be able to give you some healthier alternatives.

 

i'm a salty-food person. carbs, carbs, carbs. i love bread and cheese and pasta. i eat almost all vegetables, except i don't eat mushrooms or anything spicy. i do wraps a lot, and i like salads. thoughts?

 

Like I said, the whole-grain alternatives to whatever you usually eat is an essential first step! It might take a little getting used to, but you'll get protein in whole grains and feel much more fulfilled than with those empty calories of the stripped-grain alternatives.

Find a good healthy salad dressing that you love, and eating salad will be much more of a treat. I've also found that when eating salad with a meal, I'm much more likely to eat more of it and less of whatever heavier entree we're having, if I serve up our salads in a bowl, appetizer-style. I'll usually prepare it first, and sit down to eat it while the oven's warming up, dinner's cooking, etc.

If you munch a lot, be prepared with healthy light foods. Fresh fruit is a MUST. Pickles are a big favorite of mine, because they're light and flavorful and fulfilling. I usually keep around some roasted peanuts and cashews for high-protein, good-fat munching also.

As horrible as it sounds, I'd also like to recommend the book "skinny bitch". If you look past some of the attitude and language they use, the actual information is very helpful.

I personally tend to eat a lot of stir-frys, rice bowls, lentils or beans, that kind of thing... which you might want to try out with any combination of spices and flavorings simply because they are cheap, easy, healthy, and really filling.

 

You also have to consider your genetic makeup. Are people on either side of your family on the heavy side? Even if you're a vegetarian, this can create problems.

I eat what I want, and ride a bicycle like a madman to counteract anything fatty. I rode about 12 miles today.

It takes physical action, as well as diet to achieve a harmonious balance.


x

 

maybe you are eating too many starches. i did that at first when i was vegan. because sometimes they're the only thing you can eat! try to eat more nuts and beans and vegetables and not so many breadstuffs.

 

My weight has stayed pretty much the same, but I kind of expected wieght loss. I need to get with it and cook more, but in my on campus aparment thats not so easy. I think cheese is the next thing to go from my diet and maybe that will help fix the problem.

 

Might sound weird, but try weight watchers. With changing to a vegetarian diet I find its helpful to make yourself aware of what you really are eating. On the points program breads and pastas are more points, veggies are usually 0 points and fruit is usually about 1 pt per serving... it kind of helps you to realize that having bread for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch and a pasta dish for dinner is maybe too much. Variety is key, it's worth a try at least until you get into the habit of eating a balanced diet, and also helps keep you from eating too much.