vegan diets...

Hi everyone! I was just wondering how other vegans are managing their diets. Is anyone following a regimented program to lose weight, or perhaps most are making a conscious effort to up the nutritional value of their food? Just wondering where others are, as I don't come across many vegans who would like to shed some weight and sometimes I feel like I'm the only chunky vegan.

Here's where I'm at: I've been vegan for about 4 years. Lost about 20lb initially, but that went back on again fairly easily. I exercise like crazy, but I have 40–50 lbs to lose. I don't eat vegan junk food—I try to adhere to a whole foods diet [but of course there's the occasional dessert to be enjoyed!]. Wasn't until I logged in my "healthy foods" here, that I realised that I was consuming about 2,400 calories a day! Zoinks. So, yeah, I'm watching my calories now, and this is my first week being diligent, so I'm excited to see if there'll be a weight difference after the first week.

Hope we all have a good week!

chickpea

I'm mostly just a calorie counter.. & honestly, you're not the only chubby vegan!

I like to think it's just because vegan food can be so good. xp

Anyways, I think just being conscious as to what you eat makes all the difference.

good luck

I have to ask! How are you consuming over 2000 calories with eating mostly whole/vegan foods?  I'm very curious.

I've been about 115 lbs since...well since early high school and no matter when I was vegetarian or vegan and I counted calories (even then b/c of my science of nutrition class), while trying I could never even reach 1800 calories.

When I fell off the wagon for about 2 years (started eating out a lot, eating meat, eating anything/everything, add in the alcohol) I gained 20 lbs. It took over a year of being vegan before any of the weight came off. I was worried I wouldn't lose that so I guess another question I have for you is how long have you been on your new diet?

Also, you might want to get a tape to measure your waist instead of weight as weight can potentally mean nothing but inches on the waist mean a whole lot.

Personally, I am trying to increase my calories through more whole foods so I am genuinely interested in what you put in your diet to read that amount! Maybe we can share some tips and help balance each other out since I want to increase my calorie count and you might be looking to lower yours.

Take care! -J

I eat a *mostly* vegan diet and get over 2000 calories a day if I'm not careful.  I eat lots of fruit and veggies, but I find that soy milk (and a few other soy products) as well as bread rice, and pasta make up a lot of my diet, so it is easy to go over in calories.  I also eat vegan dessert, like cookies and tofu chocolate cake so I need to watch my calories to lose weight.  I find it is more difficult to gain weight on a vegan diet though, so I haven't had trouble with gaining unless i've been really, really stressed out, or if I eat cheese (the most difficult thing to give up!)

Still, I am a chubby vegetarian (or part vegan) and I'm here to try to lose a few pounds that I gained when stressed out during the school year!  You're not alone!

This is all very new to me.  I have just started the vegan lifestlye.  Starting my 3rd week!! I did start off as a vegetarian (*I think) as I was eating some leftover yogurt I had for the first 3 days. But after that it was all vegan with nothing but fresh veggies, fruit and whole grain foods.  I have notice that I can easily get to 1400-1600 calories in a day - more if i'm not watching or careful.  Where as before without little effort could keep it around 1200.  I am still losing weight - Woohoo! and pretty excited.  And I feel absolutely fantastic! I had my first taste of "veggie burger" meat substitute today (made up into a tomato/meat sauce for pasta).  It wasn't bad at all!  Whew! I was a little scared as I am super fussy and it is hard to find things I like to eat.  I also can't eat cook veggies.  They have to be raw. I haven't yet tried the vegan desserts or milks or beans.  I have tried one soy milk, and wasn't too crazy about it - but will keep trying other types.

I'm not sure if you'll have it where you live, but you might want to start with the silk brand organic chocolate, i had it yesterday and it was amazing!!!!  once youre used to the flavoured soy, then try the plain one cause it's better for you (there's less sugar, less calories)

Original Post by bettyduck:

I eat a *mostly* vegan diet and get over 2000 calories a day if I'm not careful.  I eat lots of fruit and veggies, but I find that soy milk (and a few other soy products) as well as bread rice, and pasta make up a lot of my diet, so it is easy to go over in calories.  I also eat vegan dessert, like cookies and tofu chocolate cake so I need to watch my calories to lose weight.  I find it is more difficult to gain weight on a vegan diet though, so I haven't had trouble with gaining unless i've been really, really stressed out, or if I eat cheese (the most difficult thing to give up!)

Still, I am a chubby vegetarian (or part vegan) and I'm here to try to lose a few pounds that I gained when stressed out during the school year!  You're not alone!

I'm curious - what do you mean by "part vegan"? 

hahahaha "part vegan" means that I do not eat any meat, chicken or fish, and I don't eat eggs, but the reason I don't eat milk products is because I'm lactose intolerant, so if i have a few drinks i can be easily convinced to eat cheese... also i don't check package labels to make sure there's no animal products in anything that i eat.  (i think of veganism as an extreme)

I have seen some FAT vegans/veges.....  you know donuts can qualify on that menu??  Well, we all need to be careful of our food choices.  This CC site is all about revealing the calories in our menu.  I am able to customize my menu for weight loss.   It is always important to think Nutrition, Variety, and Balance, even if one day CC is more than another, and Exercise is key if we want to lose weight.  Eating more fiber is going to help lose weight, thus the 'whole food' rather than a refined (eat the orange, don't just drink the juice) avoid high sugar content foods.

donughts aren't vegan! they're full of butter :( ew.  oreos on the other hand, are 100% vegan (in canada anyway)

see....  what I mean??  OREOS??? vegan or not, they are SUGAR!!  (I am not yelling at you, just being emphatic)

They are sugar and chemicals... but also delicious!

You're not the only chunky vegan! I am too. Like you, I initially lost weight (fifty pounds) and then stayed stagnant after that. I didn't gain, but I didn't lose, not within ten pounds either way, anyway.

I am on a calorie restricted diet (1745 a day based on this site's recommendations) and how I do that is prepare my meals a week ahead of time, except for snacks. I label them with their calorie content and freeze them. These are just lunches and dinners though. I have a meager breakfast and plenty of fresh fruit or granola-type snacks in between. I try to eat something small every two hours.

Already I feel tons better and about an inch has come off me. Of course, I also exercise.

Hi, I just started a vegan diet but according to the calorie counter website I should only have about 1200 calories a day and I have found this really hard since a lot of proteins especially nuts, soy, fake meats, and chick peas are high in calories. I saw one very yummy sounding vegan recipe with chick peas (I forget what it was exactly) and when I put it into calorie counter it was over 1000 calories per serving!!!!!! I was floored! Even my granola bars that I got at the health store, though lower in calories, are a D+ on the nutrition rating and I have found that for me counting calories is not enough, I also have been watching the nutrition rating and trying to keep an A through the day. I actually have been finding it really hard to get nutritional, low calorie, vegan recipes and I was amazed! (Granted my definition of low cal is 300 or less calories per serving since that is 1/4 of my daily calories) I have lost some weight so far but it has not been easy going! Just finding good recipes is hard! Here are some that I have found though that are especially good and low calorie:

• Crispy Tofu and Vegetables
• Guacamole with Asparagus
• Lentils with Sweet Potatoes
• Pan Fried Tofu with Spicy Peanut Sauce
• Portabello Burgers
• Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic and Capers
• Roasted Garlic
• Smart Strips Steak and Vegetables
• Spicy Portabellos with Vegetable Sauce
• Spicy Thai Tofu with Red Bell Peppers and Peanuts
• Super-Healthy, Super-Spicy Indian Vegetable Medley
• Sweet Potato crisps
• Sweet and Sour Tofu and Veggies

• Vegan Italian-Style Wild Rice and vegetables
• vegetarian chili

http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2008/02/roasted- cauliflower-soup.html

This recipe has 45 calories per serving, which means you can totally enjoy a nice piece of bread and a salad as well.  The soup itself is very filling and mega-delicious.  I put some fresh dill, parsley and thyme (from my friend's herb garden) in also. 

Hi

I am pretty new at all this as well. I have been vegan for about a month and have no problems staying away from meat, eggs, cheese, and other dairy products. Having an allergy to most of those items helps a lot. While I am enjoying being free of the stomach pain, I am not losing any weight. It could be all the nuts and seeds I eat ( LOVE THEM) so I am trying to cut back. I also eat a lot of beans right now; with this colder weather I find it hard to eat raw veggies. I think I may have gone from being a junk food junkie to simply being a vegan junk food junkie. Now that I have been recording what I eat I am shocked some days to find the numbers so high even when I think I am eating healthy. It really is a bit of a learning curve.