Question regarding weight gain and veganism...

[Merriweather]

I apologize if I am in the wrong area for this...I am very interested in veganism for ethical and health reasons. I am just concerned about eating alot of rice, pasta, bread, etc. and the possibility of weight gain. I seem to lose weight easier with meat; however, it is really grossing me out lately to even think about eating something that once had parent(s).

Anyway... I don't want to avoid these foods. Just wondered how you make it through the day on bread, cereal, rice, pasta without gaining weight.

I am also concerned about enough protein. I DON't want to eat tofu because of what I have read about it. And, I cannot eat the 'fake meats' products because the majority have wheat in them and I prefer to be gluten free.

Thank you for any help on this. Being over 200 pounds already, I cannot afford more weight gain even though trying to eat ethically, you know?

:)

[missbettie]

fruits and veggies are vegan. :) and beans are a good option, they provide a lot of fiber and keep you full.

and brown rice is oober good for you, you just have to learn portion control....which is kinda hard to do...

[harpy]

Hello. You don't need to increase your intake of starchy foods when you go vegan - it would probably be better to keep them the same and increase your intake of fruit and vegetables instead.

Not sure what your objection to tofu is - I think it's quite a good food eaten in moderation; at least the Japanese have done OK on it for a few centuries. But anyway there are plenty of vegans who avoid soya for one reason or another and find it easy to get protein from other sources such as beans, lentils, seeds and nuts. Here are some ideas:

http://www.vegansociety.com/food/nutrition/protein.php

[Merriweather]

Thank you!

[imblissful]

I have been vegan since June and have lost 20 pounds. I tell people I really have not changed my eating habits (I love chocolate and cookies), I just dropped the animal products from my diet. I replaced lunch meat and cheese with avacado and hummus, milk with soy milk, meat with beans or veggies cooked in olive oil. I eat lots of rice and bread, I just choose whole grains and be sure pair them with healthy fats and veggies.

I work out the same as I did a year ago. My weight loss certainly has increased since becoming vegan, plus I am not "dieting".

[exec]

You gain weight from imbalance diet and unhealthy lifestyle. Veganism is neither, if you understand the right way to go.

[pie]

yes, i lost weight too when i became vegan, just giving up cheese was enough for me to loose some pounds, i also eat peanut butter until it's coming out of my ears! good protein source and yummy! good luck x

[burl]

If you're making starchy food a staple of your diet not matter what diet you follow I would strongly reconsider it. If you do though I would reccomend eating things that are 100% whole grains (no exceptions), don't eat any "white foods", these include white rice, bread, potatoes, etc.
For me, my diet is mostly fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains. I rarely eat pasta, rice, or any "strachy" foods per say. Even at that I am over 30 pounds heavier than when I became a vegan. Most of that weight being muscle.
Remember, being vegan doesn't mean you're healthy. Eating healthy and exercising makes you healthy.
And what's so bad about tofu?

[Quantum Mechanic]

You could try replacing a meal a day with a big salad (make sure it has a variety of vegetables - like yellow and red bell peppers, mushrooms, carrots, onions, garbanzo beans, etc.), something that I've known both omni and veggie people to do to lose weight. Ultimately the goal is to get to a habit of eating and exercising that you can sustain that you're happy with, and a good way of losing weight is to up the ratio of vegetables and fruits, and most of the grains I eat are rice (preferably brown or wild rice, but the latter isn't available much often).

beans and lentils are a good protein source, and I believe lower in calories than things like tofurky and other faux meats (which, while lower in fat than meat, is still higher in fat than beans would be, I am pretty sure). Also steamed broccoli is amazingly good (high in calcium, protein, low in calories); I try to eat a third of a plate of this every day (either in one meal or spread out in two).