A new vegetarian who DOESN'T want to lose weight...

kementeria · 02-02-2010 11:50AM #1

I'm trying out this vegetarian thing for a while... but my problem is I don't want to lose any weight. I've done a little online research and the web is worryingly full of women who seemingly go vegetarian specifically to lose weight.

I, however, have the opposite problem. I am naturally thin and find it very difficult to put on weight - so I need some advice from veteran veggies please! I want to stay heathly and meat free without losing any weight... how do I do it? What should I make sure to include in my diet?

Thanks!

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5 · 02-02-2010 02:02PM

A vegetarian diet won't by itself make you lose weight

a lot of foods used as meat replacements-tofu, quorn etc are drastically lower in fat and calories than the real thing, so that's probably why it's used as a weight loss diet. However, there are plenty of overweight vegetarians in the world. I lost a bit of weight when I became vegan, though there doesn't seem to be any reason for this really, a lot of vegans tend to be quite slim.

Nuts and seeds are high in fat while still being healthy, make sure to get plenty of grains in too. Weight is not your only concern, don't just cut meat out of your diet, replace it with things. Be aware of protein, iron, calcium etc. You can do all that without thinking after a while but just at first do be careful.

02-02-2010 02:04PM

You could use something like fitday.com or sparkpeople.com.
It will spell out your calorific needs.
And if you track your intake for a couple of weeks, you'll soon adjust to a new diet to sustain your current weight.

seamus · 02-02-2010 02:25PM

When I first became vegetarian, through a combination of college and bad eating I put on about 3.5 stone (I reckon), so becoming vegetarian definitely does not cause you to lose weight!
In fact, it's easy to go overboard because you may bulk up your meals with extra carbs (pasta, etc) or extra fats, such as cheeses and creamy sauces, when all you need to do is swap one protein source for another.

Vegans can be very slim as pointed out above because vegan meals contain a lot less sources of fat than vegetarian meals - dairy products mostly - so they need to be even more considerate of what they're eating.

Initially I would suggest sticking to the meals you would usually eat, substituting the meat you'd normally make with a suitable alternative - you can get pre-made vegetarian foods from Quorn and the like which will slot right in and are good as a starting point before you start making more all-vegetarian meals.

sweet-rasmus · 02-02-2010 08:09PM

great advice here. i agree that not all veggies are slim. i wouldn't have the expertise in telling you what you should be eating, but i imagine if you follow a similar diet to what you already on, just replcing the meat, i don't think you can go wrong. it becomes an issue if you just cut out the meat/fish without any replacement cause you'd be getting smaller meal sizes.

ztoical · 04-02-2010 04:14PM

seamus wrote: »

When I first became vegetarian, through a combination of college and bad eating I put on about 3.5 stone (I reckon), so becoming vegetarian definitely does not cause you to lose weight!

+ 1 I found the same....I was still in secondary school and living at home and my mums reaction to going veggie was to double the amount of vegg and spuds on my plate. She also made me double my toast for breakfast even though I never ate any meat for breakfast :rolleyes: Took a couple of years for her [and me too if I'm honest

] to get the message that I didn't need nearly two plates worth of veg to replace a few slices of beef or chicken.

It will take some time to get the balance right for what suits you and your needs but you shouldn't lose weight if your not trying to and are eating right.

anothernight · 04-02-2010 05:37PM

I don't think it's that easy to lose weight on a vegetarian diet as long as you're eating the same amount and type of food that you're used to (obviously meatless version or whatever).
My Christmas present from my ex was that he'd go vegetarian for the month of January. He didn't lose any weight at all, after a whole year of telling me that I should gain weight by eating meat :P

If you're very worried though, you could always try to eat more seeds and nuts, as they're very high calorie (though very good for you), or pulses and grains, for protein and carbs. As a last resort, there will always be cake... ^^

Tar.Aldarion · 04-02-2010 06:29PM

seamus wrote: »

When I first became vegetarian, through a combination of college and bad eating I put on about 3.5 stone (I reckon), so becoming vegetarian definitely does not cause you to lose weight!
In fact, it's easy to go overboard because you may bulk up your meals with extra carbs (pasta, etc) or extra fats, such as cheeses and creamy sauces, when all you need to do is swap one protein source for another.

Yep very true, college etc is quite bad for it, easy to put on weight op. Need gym etc. Carbs are your friend if you want weight! Just eat and see how you are getting on, if you are having trouble we can have a look at your diet if you want. There is also a nutrition forum which is good.

anothernight wrote: »

As a last resort, there will always be cake... ^^

lmao

A new vegetarian who DOESN'T want to lose weight...

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