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Thread: new vegan please help! gaining weight

  1. #1

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    Default new vegan please help! gaining weight

    i yall. i just transitioned from carnivore to vegan 3 weeks ago, and im kinda struggling.
    I've gained weight, but I really want to make this transition. Could yall look at my day and give me some ideas?
    I'm in college, so kinda limited in the dining hall

    B- apple, pear, raisins, cantelope

    L- salad with portobello mushrooms, iceberg lettuce, cucumbers, garbanzo beans, green beans, almonds, few chickpeas

    S- a couple of organic cookies (no dairy)

    D- green beans
    .25 cup couscous
    mushrooms
    apple with natural peanut butter

    S- 1 brownie (i caved and had dairy : ( )


    I know that my eating habits are horrendous. I just need some guidance. please help!

  2. #2
    LittleNellColumbia
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  3. #3
    ♥♥♥ Tigerlily's Avatar
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    Default Re: new vegan please help! gaining weight

    Well first of, let me say great job on making the transition!

    Second of all, veganism doesn't mean weight loss. Just because it's vegan, doesn't mean there's no calories, fat, sugar, etc, in it.

    If you search in the Health and Food subforums, you might find some ideas.
    Peace, love, and happiness.

  4. #4
    RubyDuby
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    Default Re: new vegan please help! gaining weight

    where i live anyway most cookies/brownies have eggs and dairy unless you get them from health food store. If you crave sweets try adding a little sugar and balsalmic vinegar to strawberries. Does your cafeteria offer soymilk? You can make smoothies by blending soymilk with frozen bananas and hersheys syrup or whatever fruits and sweeteners you like. try making a peanut butter sandwich with sliced strawberries or blueberries or banana. for a more junk food feel toast your bread so pb melts. drink lots of water too. good luck! I'm a cookie monster myself but I'm lucky enough to live within walking distance of Whole Foods Market.
    Each snowflake in an avalanche pleads not guilty.

  5. #5
    Eating Wildflower's Avatar
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    Default Re: new vegan, advice please

    Hey, congrats!

    looking at your day, I think you needs more protein, expecially breakfast. Maybe move your almonds from lunch to breakfast and also throw in some soymilk, or quinoa or oatmeal or flax seed meal for protien?

    I am not sure how big your bean serving is for lunch, but you made need more protein there, and for dinner couscous and peanut butter has a lot of protein, but you may want to add some additional to make up for other meals of the day.

    Looks good - would definately add some for breakfast. Also, nutritional yeast has a lot of protein and can easily be added to your lunch salad or dinner.

    Good luck!

  6. #6
    kriz's Avatar
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    Default Re: new vegan please help! gaining weight

    I'm about 10 pounds overweight due to too many bags of chips, chocolate bars and other "goodies"....My portions are also unlimited. Vegans can also gain weight...they're just normal human beings.
    "Animals are my friends... and I don't eat my friends". ~ George Bernhard Shaw.

  7. #7
    gmoney
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    Default Re: new vegan please help! gaining weight

    congrats and thank you for going vegan!

    tigerlily got it right: veganism doesn't equal automatic weight loss. i gained weight at first, too. after 2 1/2 years of being vegan, i'm finally losing weight. the main reason i'm losing weight now is because i started to exercise. imagine that!

    also, your eating habits aren't that bad, so don't beat yourself up. i would just say add some whole grains, more nutritious greens (broccoli, romaine lettuce, asparagus) and some different forms of protein (tofu, black beans). college can be tough on the vegan (or so i've heard). just stick to it and remember the cause!

  8. #8
    tabitha
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    Default Re: new vegan please help! gaining weight

    Hi Ssalton05 - well done for becoming vegan. You are doing really well! Whats your exercise like? Its not about the food alone. We all need exercise. Perhaps up that a bit if you have enough time. I know its hard to fit it all in though. Good Luck m'dear.

  9. #9
    Hemlock's Avatar
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    Default Re: new vegan please help! gaining weight

    Commiserations, I'm porky at the minute but it's because I eat too much bread!!! Me and my other half have come to the conclusion that we are going to have to bite the bullet and do the unmentionable..........exercise Never ones to do things by halves we're in training for next years London to Brighton cycling marathon
    If that doesn't get the flab off nothing will - care to join us?
    Silent but deadly :p

  10. #10
    the_red_star's Avatar
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    Default Re: new vegan please help! gaining weight

    Quote Hemlock
    it's because I eat too much bread!!!
    That is my problem - in a big way! ha ha, i'm totally addicted...
    "Human Freedom, Animal Rights, One Struggle, One Fight!!"

  11. #11

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    Default Re: new vegan please help! gaining weight

    I think what you eat is very healthy, but as the others say you aren't covering all the nutritional groups. Also it seems to lack variety and stodge, it would be good for you so eat wholegrain rice/pasta/bread tofu (flavour it yourself with herbs spices and soy sauce) sweetened soy milk (small amounts) and sweet potatoes, normal potatoes, soya chunks in vegan mayo (delicious). I find I put on weight if I try and eat mostly fruit/veg and nuts and beans partly because you have to eat so mcuh to feel satisifed, and you have to be careful not to eat too many nuts/seeds only a little handful a day as they are very high in fat even if good fat, and nutritionally a small portion is enough. If you fancy a pudding try chopped banana and apple with natural soya yoghurt and check out your health food shops they usually do lots of soya mince/chunks that you can have with vegan gravy or a tomato based sauce which is cheap easy and quick and nutritional.

    Most people would struggle just eating what you do. Getting a good vegan cook book can give you great ideas that you'd never have thought of.

    Good luck and remember the 80/20% rule as long as diet is 80% healthy then it's okay treat yourself a bit too. Moderation is the key. (and excercise of course I normally cycle 8 miles a day and stopped for 2wks over the Easter holidays and managed to put on 8lbs!!! I've been back cycling for 1 week and lost half of it again)

  12. #12

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    Default Re: new vegan please help! gaining weight

    have a look at this thread
    http://www.veganforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6143
    its where we post our good eating habits.
    What you ate sounds fine and not fattening except for the cookies and brownie. Did the salad have dressing?
    Also cookies are very fattening.
    But when you say you gained weight, do you think you are eating more calories now? And are you exercising less? Are you actually overweight?
    See my local diary ... http://herbwormwood.blogspot.com/

  13. #13
    pat sommer's Avatar
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    Default gaining weight

    There are many reasons for putting on weight: is it just the scales showing an increase (water weight) or the jeans getting tighter?
    3 weeks can show some temporary fluctuations and might not be all fat gain. Also, you may not want to hear about this... the post-putrefaction meat residue clinging to the bowel may now be softening by absorbing fluid and swelling in preparation for elimination, causing increased abdominal girth temporarily. The old sh_ _ passes as ropes and knots the texture of old tires. Good old bulk-laxative (metamucil) and plenty of fluids speeds things along (and cuts the appetite!)
    good luck
    the only animal ingredient in my food is cat hair

  14. #14

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    Default Re: new vegan please help! gaining weight

    I've put on a couple of pounds since becoming vegan (from strict veggie) 3 months ago.
    I think my gain is due to having soya milk in my tea, as I use quite alot, and it's not low fat. Alpro have brought out a low fat one, and I buy that now whenever I can.
    I also eat peanut butter (only one slice!) almost every day, so I suppose it's my fault.
    On the other hand, I no longer eat chocolate or biscuits, so it should all balnce out eventually.
    One thing I do try to bear in mind though, is that vegan food weighs more, and obviously some of that weight stays with us, along with water, as grains etc absorb more fluid, so you may be (temporarily) heavier, but not bigger...well, that's my story, and I'm sticking to it!

  15. #15
    mango woman
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    Default Re: new vegan please help! gaining weight

    I used to drink soy milk all the time.. and then i switched to almond milk. I was really surprised to look on the back and see that one cup of almond milk was only 40 calories

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