Question about being vegeterian

If anyones a vegeterian, i have a question ;; do you lose weight? and if so how much?

You would have to count calories since milk products, whole grains and pastas are high in calories which all have protein in them. Like anything if you eat too much you will gain weight but choosing more veggies vs meat will cut your calories.

Find out what your protein limit is per day and stay close to that number and you will loose weight by eating veggies, or at least I am. You can get a lot of protein from nuts. Losing weight is easy if you stay within your calorie and protein limit. My limits are 1,290 calories per day and 37 grams of protein per day. Since I have been eating more vegetable I have lost 13 pounds. I feel healthier too I keep a food journal of what I eat and add it up to make sure I stay within my limit.

When I really feel hungry I make big hot soup using bouillon, veggies and tofu that helps curb your appetite on the hard days. Use spices to flavor your food, fresh are best. If you do eat meat never eat more than 3 ounces because there are just too many calories and protein and you'll go over your calorie and protein limit. I had salmon fried with fennel seeds, man it was good. The slice of salmon was only about the size of a thin piece of bread (3 oz.).  I weighed it and cut the fish frozen and put parchment paper in-between each piece and froze it. Now, I have 18 salmon slices 3 oz each in my freezer to eat with couscous and salad!

I find that by shredding carrots and cabbage in a food processor you can eat a lot more of them. You can put them in your salad and soups and hardly know they?re there. Or make coleslaw. I have replace milk with rice milk. I think rice milk taste better than soy milk. I put one cup rice milk on my 3/4 cup of Total Cereal in the morning sometimes I add a banana or raisins.  I do take a Centrum vitamin daily and 500 mg of Calcium twice a day

I am not a vegetarian but I'm learning. Some people on this site have it down. I'd like to see more recipes of what people eat. Right now, I eat fish and fowl vegies, fruit and whole grains. I?m seriously considering converting to vegetarianism only because I believe it?s healthier and it makes it easier to loose weight.

I have lost 20 pounds since I became a vegetarian (August 2006) but it was mainly because I ate healthier.  I worked out at the same intensity (5 to 6 times a week) the whole time I gained  the twenty pounds but my diet was HORRIBLE.  You have to want to be a vegetarian for the right reasons - not to lose weight but to be a HEALTHIER person and to save animals.  Once you want to be healthier and not "skinnier" you will find your self choosing vegetables fruit whole grains etc over junk food and you will be less stressed.  You dont want to turn into a "junk vegetarian" I have several friends that became vegetarians and ended up gaining a lot of weight because they ate junk food all day long.  Vegetarian times is a vegetarian magazine that has great recipes in it that are fun to try if you want a change.  Remember to take supplements such as B12, fish oil, mulit vitamin, calcium or iron depending on what you lack in your daily diet.  Hope this helps. 

So what is the safest way to actually start the transition to becoming vegan?

I lost weight when I became a vegetarian, but then again I started counting calories soon after.

I've heard of people even gaining weight because of going vegetarian because after a day of not getting enough protein, they'd feel starved and binge on pasta or rice for dinner. Badddd. You just have to find lean sources of protein and other carbs to feel satisfied.

Basically, Keep a good eye on your protein, calcium and I'd advise a multivitamin. (in fact I'd advise a multivitamin to non-vegs as well) As long as you get enough proteins and vitamins you won't feel the need to binge.. which is why alot of new-vegetarians gain weight.

If you're looking to lose weight b/c you turned veg... I wouldn't count on it. But, if you want to lose weight as a veg, its exactly the same thing as doing it as an omnivore.

Fine advice acalhoun3 but I do feel the need to point out that if you consume fish oil supplements, you aren't a vegetarian.

A lot of people call themselves vegetarian when they still eat fish or chicken products and it regularly drives me up the wall. By all means say you don't eat red/white meat but to be a vegetarian by the true dictionary definition you'd need to go a lot further.

You can get linseed-based omega-3 supplements that are suitable for vegetarians - just remember to check the capsules containing the supplements aren't made of gelatine.

Other things to watch out for if anyone is thinking of starting a vegetarian diet are:

• Most wines and beers are fined with gelatine or isinglass (fish swim bladders). In the UK, Co-Op label all their own-brand alcohol with the ingredient used to fine it but no other shop seems to. Maybe there's a similar shop in the US that's as good about labelling.
• Haribo jelly sweets contain gelatine but there are other brands that don't. Of course, if you're on this site you're probably avoiding them anyway.
• Battenberg cake, smarties and some drinks contain the ingredient Cochineal (aka E120 or Carmines) which is a red food coloring made from crushed pregnant insects. Look for products that contain carmosine as a substitute.
• Most Worcestershire  Sauce contains anchovies. In the UK, Tesco do one in their "Free From" range that doesn't. You may find a similar one in the US somewhere.
• Many cheese flavoured crisps or other snacks use cheese that is made using animal rennet (calf's stomach lining) despite the fact most actual cheeses (except parmesan, feta and speciality cheeses) are usually suitable for vegetarians.
  

These are just a few things I was surprised to find I had to watch out for when I first became a vegetarian - Browse the Vegetarian Society's homepage to find a more complete list.

wow. i've been a vegetarian for a few years, and i just discovered from that last post that feta is a nono. that's heartbreaking... thanks for the insight though, eviloverlord.

and one more thing to consider littleangel: make sure you get enough IRON. since making the switch, i've suffered from severe anemia (recovering now, but it takes months to bounce back). so, make sure you eat lots of spinach and other veggies that are rich in iron, or take a supplement. or both. because anemia is no fun at all; you have very little energy (which makes it hard to exercise and lose weight), and i found that i was nauseous all the time. so, while i encourage you whole-heartidly to go veggie, just make sure you stay healthy!

I've been a vegetarian for 15 years, and I actually gained weight (5'6 110 lb. then, 5'6 120 lb now), which probably also has a lot to do with my metabolism slowing down between my late teens and my mid-thirties and developing an underactive thyroid (which I now treat with medication and lots of exercise). It doesn't help that I have at times eaten too much fatty cheese and that I frequently eat in restaurants. Still, compared to other America women, I tend to be thinner than about 90-95% of them, so I certainly wouldn't say being a vegetarian is making me fat. As long as you don't replace all your lean meats with cheese, I think you'll be fine.

I get the impression that there's more cheese with rennet here in North America, overlord. But my flax (linseed) oil comes in a bottle, gets measured with a spoon, and I don't have to worry about whether they encapsulated it in evil gelatin.

i would like to be a vegetarian as well but what exactly do you eat and how do u prepare the food

bt1: that's a really broad question! Vegetarian cooking can be anything from nuking a veggie dog to fixing an authentic Indian curry (India has half the vegetarians on the planet and a lot of their food is suitable for vegetarians). Keep reading and I'm sure you'll get some ideas.

I think in becoming a vegetarian a lot of people acctually GAIN weight, because instead of replacing meat with vegetables, they just eat more breads, pastas, carbs, and junk to make up for it! I think that's the biggest mistake people make when they become vegetarian is that they don't think to eat more vegetables! They cut out meat, continue eating the same amount of veggies, and fill up all that empty space with junk!

Meat can be high in fat (things like sausages, bacon, burgers, etc), so cutting it out might help you lose some weight, but just make sure that the majority of your meal is vegetables!

You might also lose weight if you're not getting enough protein, which is not good because what you're losing is muscle mass, which means tone!

The first month to 2 months after becoming a vegetarian, I gained 15 lbs! Then after gaining more control and cutting back on the fatty foods & sodas, I've lost 20 lbs in the last 3 months.

so just cut out meats and increase my veggies? or is it anything made from animals like milk eggs I do know there are verying levels of veggies some consuming milk and eggs and cheeses I got the jist Of the no meat and increase veggies Canayone may be reccomend a website or book where I can learn more and start making the healthiest transition. My ywelve year old daughter speaks quite frequently about becoming vegan so I am anxious to learn what that means.

hI, FOLKS!

DID YOU TRY TOFU? IT LOOKS LIKE FETA CHEESE. I MAKE SOUP WITH IT.  BOILE WATER, PUT POTATO, CARROTS, ZUKINI, TOMATO PASTE, ETC, DROP TOFU IN THE END (IT IS SOFT), THEN LET IT BOILE ON MIN. TASTY!

Regardless of how you feel about some of their tactics, PETA has about the best website for beginning vegans.  Not only will they recommend recipes and products available in stores, but they can also help you brush up on your ability to debate the topic (if convincing others becomes important to you).

Thank you scar I apreciate the info! ;p

hmm I found that I lost weight a little but like all those meat eaters out there our diets still have to be balanced and healthy to lose weight so it's not just down to the lack of meat. But a veggie diet is proven to cut the risk of heart disease so that?s good :D

Oh and in case i didn't make it clear a veggie diet is healthy as long as you eat a lot of dark green vegetables for your iron and nuts for protein and stuff. There's no reason why a veggie diet shouldn?t let you lose weight.

following a strictly vegetarian diet does make you more aware of what you eat, and of the ingredients. this might help with losing weight already.

I've been vegetarian for most of my life. With a break, when I did eat fish (small portions, maybe once a month).
As I child I never knew about the risks of consuming not enough iron and B12. And I never had any meat replacers (tofu etc), just had the same diet as my family had, leaving the meat out, and lacking a lot. Stupid.

Nowadays I just eat a lot of stir fries. Only when i have guests over,  I serve it with rice, noodles or pasta, sometimes I make it creamy with soycream (nice with pasta). But normally I have a bowl of stirfried veggies and tofu or tempé for dinner.

I don't particulary like the veggie burgers, they look too much like meat does. And it's cheaper to make your own.
Saytan is a lovely meat replacer as well, and easy to make. Check out recipies online.

Your question about losing weight, I can't answer. Like I said already, it makes you conscious about your food intake.

Take care.