Having recently became vegan, after being vegetarian for 6 years i just wondered whether u guys lost any weight in the transistion? or is it a misconception that vegans eat less fattening things
jen x
Having recently became vegan, after being vegetarian for 6 years i just wondered whether u guys lost any weight in the transistion? or is it a misconception that vegans eat less fattening things
jen x
I think it's a misconception. Everyone is different. Nuts, avocado, and oils are all vegan and fatty (albeit good fats, assuming you're not eating deep-fried food and/or hydrogenated oils).
I lost a bit of weight, went from a size 4 to a size 2/0, but I don't know how much weight that was; I don't weigh myself.
utopiankitchen.wordpress.com
vegans as a whole probably do, in fact, eat less fattening things. But, what you eat is up to you. If you eat healthily and exercise (given that you have no physically limiting disorder) then you most likely will lose weight, Good luck!
I put on weight when I went vegan. Not really because I went vegan, I just went through a rough patch when I ate a lot of chips, bread, crisps, chocolate, nuts, etc. I don't think it's at all true that vegans eat less fattening things
i think its like anything, you have to find your balance. when i first stared being vegan i lost weight because although i was eating what i thought was the same amount as before,generally speaking vegan foods (the natural ones that is) are, in my experience at least, lower calorie. so i started eating more energy packed foods like avocados/nuts/peanut butter etc and put on a bit of nweight., but now ive found a balance and am roughly the same as what i was before being vegan, only i feel happier, less guilty and healthier.
i think if you follow a natural vegan diet, alot of wholegrains, fruit vegetables and mono/polyunsaturated fats and legumes and soya products..you cant really go wrong. and you can still have treats aswell..i love my vegan alporo soya deserts and vegan choccies!
I lost a stone in the first six months of being vegan.
Mainly because I was eating more healthily and I was a little over-weight to start with.
It certainly wasn't because I was starving, I just wasn't eating junk anymore.
IMO, the only reason why vegans 'tend to be leaner' is because vegan junk food is not in your face everywhere. For example, when I go to social gatherings, there is never vegan nibblies and noone (besides me) ever has a vegan birthday cake! I can't just pick up chocolate chip cookies - I have to plan to get them. If I want fast food, I have to travel 40 minutes to the nearest vegan fast food shop for a burger and fries. If veganism were mainstream, as a whole, we would be the same weight as omnivores.
thats a very good point. i hadnt thought of it in that light. i guess it depends where you live though..we have some great health food shops where im living right now and pass every day on my way home from work.they stock amazing vegan stuff..chocolate coated dates even! so even we vegans sometimes have to show a bit of restraint (if not for our waistline for our wallets!)
CHOCOLATE COATED DATES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am coming to where you arescreamingcarrot
living in scotland at the mo, so a bit far..but im sure you can get em in oz.
actually, as much as i love those medjool dates, i did find the choccy ones a bit sickly sweet.. !
Nothing is too sweet for banana In fact, as a child, I used to eat those mini packets of sugar like from cafes and stuff. Must have something to do with the fact that my father was a chocolate manufacturer
is he still a choc manufacturer??!! that plus pms = bad combination!
i think my family probably kept him in business. mum ate so much chocolate while pregnant with me that she said i was born with chocolate running thru my veins.
maybe thats why im so sweet...
Hehehe no he's not - his business went bankrupt after he married a junkie That was 10 years ago. Actually it was more drinking chocolate that he was involved in.
My diet is mostly vegan but not completely. I went from veggie to low fat vegan about 1.5 years ago to lose weight but I was lossing weight too fast and I just couldn't stick to it. So I would agree that a vegan diet is very conducive to lossing weight. For some vegans, especially those who exercise a lot, you really need to eat a lot of food in order to meet your energy needs. Healthy weight lose is less than 2 lbs a week and ensures that the weight being lost is fat as opposed to muscle and water.
I had always been super-thin up until I was 27 in 2000, and I went on medication that is notorious for having a side effect of rapid weight gain. I put on 10 kilos in 2 months and it never came off!
I think it changed my metabolism, but I have gone from being someone who could eat as much as they liked all the time to being concerned about my weight. When I went vegan last year I didn't lose any weight, but that is due to my overeating habits and not the food itself.
I am probably 5 kg overweight and would love to lose the belly, it's not really a spare tyre- more of an inner tube! But I would love to have my flat stomach back. Probably never see my abs again!
I think some vegan products are worse than some of the non-vegan stuff, hydrolised oils for example in vegan chocolate, cheese, margarine etc. I still eat em but!
Yes I've noticed that many vegans eat crap instead of food. What's with all the vegan chocolate, vegan cookies, vegan desserts etc? it is nothing but crap. Then we get posters saying that they ought to be losing weight but can't, plus some revealing poor medical conditions that are not usually related to following a vegan lifestyle. It would be good if people ate food only, instead of being vegan junkies. Sorry, just in the mood!
Eve
I've noticed this too. When I first became vegetarian over 20 years ago there were very few convenience foods and most veggies that I knew at that time ate the much laughed at typical vegetarian diet if lentils, brown rice and home made nut cuttlets etc and they were all slimmer than the average person.eve
Now there are many more ready meals, cakes, biscuits and chocolate available to veggies and vegans, and most of my vegan friends in particular are slightly over weight. I became vegan 10 years ago and the availability of vegan convenience and sweet foods has rocketed in that time.
You only have to look on the internet to see that you can buy on-line all manner of vegan high fat, high salt and high sugar foods. Even much of the vegan stuff in health food shops contain far too much rubbish.
the sweets are definitaly a problem but what i see as being a really big problem in the states is that most people becoming vegan are in college and they cant afford to go out and get fresh veggies all the time and work on a well balanced meal. they also cant afford to buy junk food off the internet. but oh goodness can they get some carbs. im talking serious carbs. all they eat. and for that a lot of the recent vegans i have met blow up like balloons because they either dont know how to balance themselves or cant afford to.
I think you are right about the carbs, ehkarnes - and it applies equally to some older vegans who can afford other foods.
Some mainstream "healthy eating" advice used at one time to encourage people to eat virtually unlimited bread, pasta etc but, for me at any rate, that's not a good idea, even if it's the wholemeal versions.
One thing that I didn't mention was that I avoided foods with Partially Hydrogenated Fats, which is in a lot of vegan sweets. It seems that their is a growing consensus amoung scientists that these fats are the worst, even more unhealthy than animal fat. Of course I'm eating a muffin right now loaded with hydrogenated fat but its Friday so toda esta bien.I was lossing weight too fast and I just couldn't stick to it. So I would agree that a vegan diet is very conducive to lossing weight.
ehkarnes, you say:
But surely it is cheaper and more beneficial, to fill up a little plastic container with a few edible vegies and some beans or something? It can be varied every day after all.but what i see as being a really big problem in the states is that most people becoming vegan are in college and they cant afford to go out and get fresh veggies all the time and work on a well balanced meal.
As for waveslidah eating a muffin loaded with hydrogenated fat - why does Friday mean that all is well? Do you intend to die this weekend?
Eve
Hmmm I knew hydrogenated oils were bad, but I just found this and they are really really bad, like eat at own risk style bad....
links to an article on a book called 'poison in the food'
I didint lose weight, if anything I gained it...
During my first attempt at veganism I gained 20 lbs and haven't been able to lose it since... Hopefully this time will be different and I'll eat more fruits and veggies and less refined carbs, etc.
Yeah I tried to kill myself by learning how to wakeboard this weekend (since the ocean has been flat as a lake) but instead I just hurt myself really bad.As for waveslidah eating a muffin loaded with hydrogenated fat - why does Friday mean that all is well? Do you intend to die this weekend?
I lost a few pounds when i first went vegan but nothing you could notice. I agree with IntoTheBlue, when i first went vegan it was really hard to find any convenience food, vertually impossible to find vegan chocolate and biscuits but you can pick them up at any supermarket now. I dont think it is all bad though, i eat healthy food most of the time but there is nothing wrong with eating chocolate and biscuits now and then, it just depends how much of it you eat in one sitting
i really thought weight would drop off (please know i didn't become vegan for this reason, simply hoped it would be a positive by-product of it!!!) but i've lost 1lb in 2 weeks! i don't know y i'm not loosing as before i was eating a lot of rubbish and now i'm not snacking at all! bizarre!
x
i think i may have lost like 5 lbs, but its funny, cause i eat wayyyy more food now!
i (heart) eating!
the aim of life is to live, and to live means to be aware, joyously, dunkenly, serenely, divinely aware.
-henry miller
I went vegan at the end of April and since then I have lost 23 pounds. It has been fairly easy and I still am able to find potato chips and chocolate soy ice cream bars /drool
I do eat a heck of a lot more fruits and veggies then I ever have in my life, and I feel healthier. Latety I have been eating horrible and have even fallen of my vegan path. But I realize that vegan is what I want to be, so I started over a few days ago.
Anyways, filling up on fruits and veggies helps!
~K
But for the sake of some little mouthful of flesh we deprive a soul of the sun and light, and of that proportion of life and time it had been born into the world to enjoy.
Plutarch (in Moralia)
I went vegan 4 months after having my first baby and have lost all my baby weight and an extra stone so am pretty lean at the mo. I think breastfeeding probably helps (500 cals a day gone!!!) and we eat wholefoods and tons of fruit and veg. I am kind of hoping my weight stabilises soon, tho its a great excuse to pig out on avocado!
This is off topic, but what makes Medjool dates different than "normal" dates? I recently tried dates and i think i like them, but everyone raves about these Medjools!!screamingcarrot
you should probably ask banana, shes the medjool date queen..Sweets
but, well,normal dates are kind of dryish..stick in your throat..theyre smaller and have moreof a stringy texture.
medjools are huge, soft gooey like caramel and very sweet. you can really chew them.like candy ..
Meeeeee tooooooooooooooooo. I love medjool dates. (Eyes glaze over)Banana
My turn of mind is so given to taking things in the absurd point of view that it breaks out in spite of me every now and then.
- Byron
Are some brands of Medjool dates better than others? I bought some Medjool dates packaged by Wild Oats and they were dry and not too tasty. I think it might just be the brand... Aren't they supposed to me moist and juicy?
Can expert medjool date consumers please help? I would like to find a good brand to purchase
dunno about the USA, sorry..but the ones i (occasionally) buy are in a clear oblong packet and come with a little tooth pick. you can see how juicy they are before you buy them! theyre v expensive though...happy date hunting!
I think the best Medjool dates are the unpackaged ones that you can find in the produce section. You can go through and pick out the best ones, just like you do with tomatos! My first Medjool experience wasn't all that good either (they were dry and gritty), but I'm determined to try one of the really good gooey ones.SurfNSun
"Man can do as he wills, but not will as he wills" - Arthur Schopenhauer
HEY YEAH I FORGOT ABOUT THOSE!!Yoggy
ITS A BIT LIKE PANNING FOR GOLD...!
I buy the loose ones you can pick out yourself. Also, date and coconut rolls are sooooo good! Mashed medjool dates rolled in coconut
I buy mine from Beanies (a wholefood/organic green grocers), i hand pick them, then you just know they're going to be good, they should taste like soft toffee! I've never mashed them and rolled them in coconut...yet. Thanks Roxy!!!
My turn of mind is so given to taking things in the absurd point of view that it breaks out in spite of me every now and then.
- Byron
yeah I have tried those ones.. They are brilliant!!! Cant eat too many of them though.. But they are amazing.
Life is like a boomerang: What goes around comes around - "Karma"rocks!
Shite.. I don't belive I posted that. I am now going to be flamed by someone who loves chocolates and stuff like that. Damn.!!! Shite..!!! I know it is gonna come sooner or later.. I know who this person is gonna be. Whatever... I will have to face the music for saying "can't eat too many of them".kiran_2k
Life is like a boomerang: What goes around comes around - "Karma"rocks!
Ok, never fear, medjool date queen is here HAHAHAHARRRRRRR
First of all, dried packaged dates suck. Occassionally they are ok if you are DESPERATE (or poor coz medjools are pricey). But like people have said, get the ones in the produce section that you choose yourself. Pick plump ones, not shrivelled ones or you will be disappointed. Check out some medjools
And make sure you try those date and coconut or date and almond rolls. They are to die for
Thank you screamingcarrot, Yoggy, Roxy, catmogg, kiran_2k, and Banana. Everything ya'll mentioned will help me i'm sure.
The next time i go food shopping i will definitely look for these. With so many people saying how good medjool dates were, I knew I must have bought the wrong type...
I knew the medjool date queen wouldn't let us down!!!!
Banana, i must say again, it is so good to see you on here again
Not wanting to detract from the Medjool date raves...
My weight has not done *anything* since I became vegan over six years ago. I am actively trying to gain weight at the moment which means focussing on eating on a regular basis and eating the right foods.
I don't have a sweet tooth so have very little sugar in my diet that doesn't come from dried or fresh fruits. On the otherhand I never think twice about using a lot of oils in cooking including coconut cream. I avoid anything that insists it is low fat (where's the goodness?) and fat sources in my diet consist of coconut cream, avocados, extra virgin olive oil, rice bran oil, peanut oil, a very low trans fat margarine (<0.3%), and corn oil. I vary my oils I use in cooking for diversity. The other fats come from seeds and nuts that I eat in reasonable quantities.
I am not sure what it is but my metabolism stays on an even keel all the time which is why it has been hard to put on weight. I have a BMI of 18 and would like to have a bit more muscular reserve for the energetic factor.
I think the major factor is that I don't eat much sugar?!?
"if compassion is extreme, then call me an extremist"
Thanks surf n sand That is really sweet
Veganblue, some people are just thin. Maybe you need to accept that Perhaps just enjoy the fact that you can eat whatever you want. Just keep healthy - that is the most important factor of all.
I have gained weight since going vegetarian and then vegan. But I eat rich homemade dessert... a LOT... and I don't exercise.
Thanks Banana - and so great to see you back on board - My interest in putting on more muscle and hence weight is from a health perspective. I used to get colds and suchlike a lot and muscle tissue helps store your anitbodies - and I don't have a lot!Banana
When my weight got really low about 14 years ago, I think that I compromised my immune system. I gained weight again but lost some of the antibodies that protected me and hence got chickenpox for a second time at the age of 19! I had already had it as a child, but lost my immunity.
I will do some more weights - it is good for muscles and good for bones too.
"if compassion is extreme, then call me an extremist"
I thought antibodies lived in the lymph nodes... which would also be affected by drastic weight loss.veganblue
Hey everyone!
Tip #1
Do not go hungry.
-Keep a wide variety of healthy food in the house.
-Find some healthy snacks that you LOVE and keep them around.
-Fresh fruit juice is very helpful - as is other juicing.
-David Mason
Tip #2
To lose weight -- eat less food.
-Lois
Tip #3
Juice fasting will help with weight loss. Either do a 7 to 10 day fast 4 times a year, or fast one day a week.
Enzyme supplements are also helpful with weight loss.
-Mike, therawdiet.com
Tip #4
Move. Not residence, silly. Move your body. Food isn't the whole picture.
-StrawberryGirl
Tip #5
1) Eat small meals frequently - no full size meals and eat when hungry.
2) Coconut oil and Macadamia Nut oil help boast the metabolism.
3) Chia Gel reduces the appetite and helps regulate the blood sugar.
4) Seaweeds and/or Maca provide Iodine which will support the thyroid.
5) Get control of your blood sugar. Once you get your blood sugar stabilized, appetite will be reduced. Especially appetite for sweets and high carb starches. To stabilize the blood sugar, greens greens and more greens. Get mineralized, esp. make sure you have good chromium levels. Eat lower glycemic fruits. Get lots of sun and exercise (both stabilize blood sugar).
6) ACV helps, I've heard. But get lots and lots of water.
7) Don't be afraid of raw healthy fats. Don't count calories or obsess on food or not eating food. Just focus on other areas of your life and food will naturally become a second thought, and just background noise.
-sienna
Tip #6
Eating at 100% raw is the best weight loss tip and weight gain tip I will give anyone. Your body will stabilize and normalize to your ideal weight when you are eating at 100% raw - as much as you want. No counting calories, fat, protein,carbs, etc...I've done this for over a week now (with a fasting day thrown in per week) and was able to drop not only my last 7 lbs...but 4 more lbs on top of that....that's the best weight loss and weight gain tip I will give anyone. Sure, you might get a little too thin at first, but then your body will start to stablize - this goes for ANYONE who needs to either lose or gain weight.
-Rawwwwwww
Tip #7
I think fasting, followed by slowly returning to healthy eating is good for weight loss (that worked for me as well).
-StillNarz
Tip #8
Whatever you eat, raw or not, never, I mean, never, eat in front of the television. When eating, instead of focusing on the screen, think about the food that you are eating and how this food is becoming a part of you. This will make you eat foods that are healthy and in smaller amounts, because you'll remember that you're the one who finished that plate other there... and the food did not disappear on its own
-Liana
Tip #9
Weight loss: More fruit. But that's just for me, everyone's experience is different. Some say they gain weight from fruit, but when I experimented with the 80-10-10 plan I was losing weight like crazy.
-Mary Anne
Tip #10
Make a list of foods YOU think are healthy and the foods that you are eating that YOU think need improvement. Make headway on each side of the list every week. Set definite goals. Soon....after eating predominantly healthy food....you won't WANT the unhealthy alternatives. THAT is the real victory - not depriving yourself of them.
-David Mason
Tip #11
I would say eating exclusively high water and light almost medicinal veggies (like for example a pound of broccoli, a pound of califlour, a pound of celery and a pound of cucumber, something like this eaten every day for a week or two) would make me lose weight.
-zane
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