going vegan without losing weight?

[made of sequins]

(I had a bit of difficulty trying to decide where to post this question, so mods, if this is not the right sub-forum I apologize.)

Last week my bf and I were talking about vegan-related stuff (prompted by watching Forks over Knives...his film choice, actually :) ) and he said that he's been considering switching to a vegan diet. (yay! :) )

But, his concern is that he doesn't want to lose weight, and I think we're both kind of under the impression that most people do drop a lot of weight when they go vegan. I know I did; I lost 30 lbs without trying to, and my roommate and his aunt and uncle all had a similar experience when they switched. Technically he is overweight, but with his build the extra weight really suits him, and he prefers being larger anyway.

so, is it actually possible to be a slightly-overweight vegan? If anyone can give some advice/suggestions on how someone could go vegan without losing weight, I know we'd both be grateful! I'm kind of excited about the possibility of having a vegan house and not having meat and stuff in the fridge anymore. :p It's totally his decision of course, but what better way to help someone make a decision than to provide them with information that addresses their concerns? ;)

[Andy_T]

Haha, let me be the first *slightly* overweight vegan to reply in your thread.

Of course it is possible to keep your weight or even gain weight when going vegan.
When I went vegan from being vegetarian for 20 years, weight-wise nothing happened. Only when I switched to more of a *low fat* *whole foods* plant-based diet (after reading "The China Study" and some books like Dr. Fuhrman's "Eat to live") I was able to lose some 20 pounds.

Best regards,
Andy

[Maître]

I lost a bit of weight initially but it was only due to an inability to cook properly and reluctance to try some stuff that I'd previously been put off when younger due to said inability to cook :p Once I settled on a good variety of foods that I liked and were healthy, and learnt how to cook properly, my weight went back up and is kind of stable now.

I find that it's very easy to reach or even exceed daily calorie requirements,for example: I've recently started making my own 'spicy bean burgers' and sticking them in a bread bun, two of these ends up at about 900 calories and they taste so good that I could eat 4 in a row easily! (I've got a bit of an extreme appetite, but still... :p)

[Mymblesdaughter]

Myself and my partner didn't lose any weight when we changed to a vegan diet although like Andy we were both vegetarians. As long as he eats nuts, bean, wholemeal bread, rice and pasta I don't think he'll need to worry.

[Risker]

It's nothing to do with going vegan and all to do with the amount of calories you consume vs. the amount you use.

Want to be fat? Eat loads of high calorie foods and don't do any exercise. Works for me anyway :P

[Wildman]

I never lost any weight going vegan but that's due to one thing..............beer! If you don't drink beer or pop you may loose weight.

It's nothing to do with going vegan and all to do with the amount of calories you consume vs. the amount you use.

Want to be fat? Eat loads of high calorie foods and don't do any exercise. Works for me anyway :P

So true.

[diy-girlie]

I love beer!! But yeah i dont want a beer belly teehee.. i'll just have to ride my bike more i guess..

[Gwydion]

Mmmmmmmm, beeeeeeeer. The answer to everything.

[made of sequins]

I find that it's very easy to reach or even exceed daily calorie requirements,for example: I've recently started making my own 'spicy bean burgers' and sticking them in a bread bun, two of these ends up at about 900 calories and they taste so good that I could eat 4 in a row easily! (I've got a bit of an extreme appetite, but still... :p)

lol, so does he. He made whole-grain pasta with homemade marinara sauce and zucchini/mushroom/spinach/carrot/red pepper puree last night (it turned out really well; I'll have to post the recipe somewhere) and ended up eating the entire pot, minus the bowl that I had. :p tbh I don't think he'll have a problem keeping weight on if he goes vegan, because he already doesn't eat the typical processed junk diet and he doesn't really care that much for dairy; he just eats massive amounts of mostly healthy foods.

anyway, thank you lords and ladies for your suggestions. :) he's going to try going vegan as his new year's resolution--partly out of concern for the environment, and partly because he's a chef and likes the challenge of making all kinds of new flavorful vegan dishes. :D

[diy-girlie]

Mmmmmmmm, beeeeeeeer. The answer to everything.

cake and beer. i need no more

[Ms_Derious]

The vegan diet can cause people to lose weight because junk isn't as accessible. When I was veggie I'd think nothing of grabbing a choccy bar to eat on the way home to 'keep me going until dinner'.

However, you don't need to be skinny if vegan. Eg at the moment my BMI is around 22 (so normal) and I spend all day chasing round a breastfed baby. I just eat sensible meals and have the odd smoothie full of nut butter, which helps my energy intake. You don't have to eat junk, just eat enough, have sensible snacks and sometimes side dishes help :)

I did actually lose too much weight at the end of last year as I had a nasty cold which killed my appetite, but Christmas sorted that out ;)

[victoriangirl]

First of all - congrats to your bf for making the best decision of his life! :)

Like many, I did not lose or gain weight when I became a vegan a year ago. I was a vegetarian for many years before that. I've always coped with the extra few pounds and would lose it if I made sure I was exercising every day and eating a little less. The same rule still applies nowadays with my vegan lifestyle.

I love food - so I love my breads, my cakes/cookies, bananas, nuts, pasta dishes etc. but I always make sure that no matter what I eat, I eat it in moderation and opt for the healthiest option. I also eat quite frequently. I'll have breakfast, 2 hours later an orange-carrot juice, an hour later a banana, than a light lunch of soup & bread, a hour later some almonds, than a cup of tea with loads of soy milk etc. I also think it's important to keep some snacks with you at all times just in case.

[VeganAthlete]

I love food - so I love my breads, my cakes/cookies, bananas, nuts, pasta dishes etc. but I always make sure that no matter what I eat, I eat it in moderation and opt for the healthiest option. I also eat quite frequently. I'll have breakfast, 2 hours later an orange-carrot juice, an hour later a banana, than a light lunch of soup & bread, a hour later some almonds, than a cup of tea with loads of soy milk etc. I also think it's important to keep some snacks with you at all times just in case.

I couldn't agree more! Sounds just like what I do! :)

Ps., your bf could definitely still get the amount of protein/fat/calories in plant-based meat analogues (e.g., tempeh, seitan, TVP, etc). Even tofu is pretty packed with calories and protein, so I don't see why he would lose plenty of weight unless he has a calorie deficit :)

Like I tell my bf, vegan meals fill you up not out ;)

[nwsailorgirl]

No, one's weight does not instantly plummet on a vegan diet. There are all sorts of vegan diets. Some people just eat foods that are plant based but still processed and while one might lose some weight at first it is not always a given. Andy_T was right on with what he said. I would recommend Dr. Joel Fuhrman's book Eat to Live if you are considering going vegan. He talks about being nutritarian which is all about eating nutrient dense whole foods. He explains what and why and why the SAD is so deadly.

Great topic! Thanks for bringing it up.

[Andy_T]

Hehe, I have to add, while I know *everything* there is to know about the virtues of eating fruits and veggies, I have recently gained back some of the 30 pounds I had shed before simply because of the temptations of bread and various processed vegan delicacies (e.g. spreads and vegan cheese), not to mention vegan Christmas cookies.

Best regards,
Andy

[counterwork]

I assume he wants to maintain muscle, not fat. I posted my favorite recipes for vegans who want muscle here:
www.counterwork.org/vegan.html (scroll down past the rant about castration)
There are many other resources online for it. Bodybuilding.com tends to be somewhat reliable.

I lost about ten pounds when I became a vegan. Since I've started working out and eating for it, I've gained about twenty.

[BilTan]

I would recommend Dr. Joel Fuhrman's book Eat to Live if you are considering going vegan. He talks about being nutritarian which is all about eating nutrient dense whole foods. He explains what and why and why the SAD is so deadly.

I became a vegan 3 months ago, after 21 years as a vegetarian, and I have have just finished reading a recent publication about plant-based diets:
http://www.amazon.com/Vegan-Life-Everything-Healthy-Plant-Based/dp/0738214930/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327562914&sr=8-1

This really is an excellent book, and I would go so far as to say that it is essential reading for anybody, whether vegan or not, who is interested in eating healthily.

My weight has remained the same since I changed from vegetarianism to veganism, even though I used to be a big cheese-eater, but I am eating more seeds and nuts now, and less ready-made processed food (used to eat lots of Quorn products). Eating the UK recommended minimum of 5 portions of fruit and veg per day has never been a problem for me, because most days I eat 15 or more, and never less than 10 helpings.

I was very healthy as a vegetarian, but I am feeling even fitter already after only 3 months on a vegan diet.:o

[radio_waves]

i'm vegan and i struggle to lose weight. i'm gluten free, almost completely oil free (not fat free,) and mostly sugar free. oh and salt. i eat a ton of veggies, lots of beans and tofu, some whole grains, a fair bit of fruit. i rarely, but occasionally, will indulge in some processed food, like vegan cream cheese or TVP (most of the mock meats are off limits because of the gluten anyway.) i'm 5'10, female and weighed 203 this morning. i don't go to the gym regularly, so that's probably something i should do more.

i do really enjoy cooking and eating. i make good food, and i eat it.

so in my case, it is difficult not to be an overweight vegan.

[LouiseAbel]

I didn't lose any weight when I became vegan. I think I gained a bit, actually, but have pretty much maintained the exact same weight since then. =)

It's pretty simple. If you eat enough, you'll stay at a healthy weight. Plenty of chickpeas, lentils, quinoa, rice, potatoes (along with your usual vegetables)... And if he doesn't care about them being healthy calories, there's always vegan cake, ice cream, pasta, pizza, pancakes, biscuits, chocolate...

[LouiseAbel]

Eating the UK recommended minimum of 5 portions of fruit and veg per day has never been a problem for me, because most days I eat 15 or more, and never less than 10 helpings.

Haha! I always think I eat too much fruit and veg because 5 portions seems CRAZILY easy. =P

[veganosie]

Haha! I always think I eat too much fruit and veg because 5 portions seems CRAZILY easy. =P

same. i can get my five before lunch.