I've been eating veggie for about five weeks now.

I've noticed in the past few weeks that my shorts/pants have become increasingly snug. Tonight my fears were confirmed when I stepped on the scale and saw it tip a good seven pounds heavier than I normally am.

Nothing has changed in the past month and half activity or diet-wise except that I've started eating veggie.

I don't think I eat loads of crappy foods (for example, I don't buy convenience foods). Really, the only thing that has changed is that I've been substituting tofu/bean/grain combination dishes with my normal meat/grain/veggie fare. I'm wondering if my portions haven't snuck up too because mentally I think I need more to keep me full without the normal slab of protein on my plate.

I'm not happy about this change. I'm going to start writing down what I eat to see if there are some unhealthy foods or patterns I can pin down.

Thanks for listening.

Do you eat a lot of dairy or anything? That can sometimes do it.

Your starch consumption might have gone up--if you're used to eating meat and grains, and now you eat beans and grains, you might be getting more starch than your body is used to.

Make sure you eat LOTS of green (and other) veggies with each meal. That can help fill you up and prevent you from overeating.

Usually something like this is due to

1. portions, as you mentioned

2. eating lots of refined carbs, flour products, sweets, or processed foods

3. drinking things other then water( liquid calories don't register in terms of feeling full and add up ).

Try focusing your diet on legumes ( not tofu ), fresh vegetables, and whole grains. The fiber should help to control your appetite. A controlled dab of fat helps too.

i agree with brfore wisdom. When i change portion sizes, i add more veggies and less grains, and then i use beans as my main protien source. i make sure that i have a tablespoon of oil (or divide that into 4 for different meals) on my veggie or grains. Otherwise, i sautee with water or tea. I also don't drink juice, sodas, or anything else--mostly water and tea.

often when people go veggie, they greatly increase on dairy, eggs, and grains. this will often lead to the weight gain. by decreasing these to smaller amounts, and increasing greens, you'll find that the weight will come off again.

I'm going to start writing down what I eat to see if there are some unhealthy foods or patterns I can pin down.

I think thats a good idea. Make sure to include portion sizes. I know my problem with switching to vegan was the feeling of everything being good for me, so I could eat as much as I wanted. Everything has calories, even healthy food. Being vegetarian in itself wont cause weight gain, increased calories will.

I also agree with the tip to check your fluids! Those beverages can be full of calories!

I've been thinking about this a bit and I think it's fair to say my dairy consumption has gone up some. I know it's gross, but I love milk. My son is 2 and he drinks 2% (organic) milk and that's all we have in the house, and I've been drinking that. One of the reasons I've been drinking it is because my pb&j consumption has skyrocketd because it's the only really fast food I have around and I love pb&J with milk. Prior to going veggie, I didn't eat that much pb&j and I hardly drank milk at all.

So nut butters, 2% milk...no wonder.

I've got to find a way to have quick, satisfying foods around. I don't have a microwave , fwiw.

I almost never use a microwave anymore. The great thing about fruits and certain veggies is that they're quick and satisfying.

yeah, i eat a lot of raw fruits and veggies as my "fast food" throughout the day. also, i like to have hummus around as a dip too. :) quite good.

milk has a lot of sugar in it, even if it's fat free, you'll still gain weight if you have too much. my husband (a body builder) learned this the hard way. whole milk, because of the fat, as less sugar in it per serving than the less fat versions. of course, a serving is tiny, and he only has that (raw, organic, whole milk) twice a week. anyhoot, excess bread plus nut butter (what are the ingredients, look out for sugars and additives like high fructose corn syrup!) plus jam/jelly (also high in sugar) equals a lot of excess calories! :)

so, fruits and veggies--particularly veggies. switch out and you'll find the weight go down. :) also, decrease the milk a lot. a lot. :) go for water, tea. also, i have "fruit infusions" where i take my water and put it in a pitcher with some edible flowers (soak) or some slices of fruit (i prefer limes), and then you get a light, lime flavor in the water. it's nice. :)

This is slightly off-topic, sorry:

zoebird - What vegetables do you snack on? I get plenty of fruit, but I know I need to get more vegetables. I eat some with my lunch and dinner, and snack on baby carrots and celery. The problem is, the only snacky type vegetables I like are carrots and celery. Any suggestions? (I don't like anything zuchini or squash-like, peppers, onions, tomatoes...)

well, you'll just have to experiment or grow to like other veggies.

For instance, i like to eat tomatoes and cucumbers with a light vinegar and olives as a snack. i'm digging fennel bulbs right now too--so yummy. i like raw broccoli and cauliflower with spicy hummus. i also like a mixed "string" salad of grated beets, grated celery root, grated carrots, grated diakon radish, and sprouts--i sometimes mix it with a lite mustard dressing. sometimes i like to put a tablespoon or more of either olive tapanade, hummus or black bean dip in baby spinach leaves and roll them up and eat. very yummy.

i find chopping a salad to be fun and relaxing. i love to put all sorts of things into salads, all kinds of lettuces, cabbage, radishes (little reds, daikon, etc), carrots, tomatoes, cucmber, celery and celery root, avacado, olives, fennel blubs, and whatever else i can think of. I often chop one huge salad and eat it over two days. sometimes i even share with ryan.

the main thing is to try new htings. If there's a veggie at the farmer's market or grocer that you haven't had before, then try it out. ask the grocer or farmer for a recipe on how to use it. you may find that you like it!

my new love--spagetti squash. when you cook it, it comes out all stringy like noodles--and then i serve it with pesto or pasta sauce. since it's a whole veggie, not a refined carb/starch, it burns more nicely in the system. :)

We were supposed to have a spaghetti squash dinner the other night, but we have trouble finding the right kind of squash. Big mistake trying to sub in another variety.

You're crazy-good about eating veggies, zoe. My hat's off to you, and looking even more forward to a day where I might be able to snack off of some of your hard (but evidently fun and relaxing) work!

You may also just have a lot of bloating from the beans & soy. :chef:

You may also just have a lot of bloating from the beans & soy. :chef:

I was about to say the same thing. changes in diet can cause bloating/water retention, and bowel changes that can result in a change on the scale. a seven pound difference in 5 weeks could very easily be water weight.
as your body adjusts you will shed this naturally. if your uncomfortable try some green tea.

i've always loved fruits and veggies--ever since i was a kid. if i had a choice between candy and apple slices, i would always choose the apple slices. i think i'm just built this way. :)

but i also love to try new veggies. and it's true, you can't sub anything for spagetti squash. it's a certain kind of squash and using a form to pull out the "meat" makes it stringy. i love that. :)

I've loved junk food for as long as I can remember. I'm mostly happy I could transition fairly seamlessly to vegan junk food. The next phase was trying to cut back on that, which my wife is not very helpful about. She likes her after-dinner snack as much as, if not more than, the next person.

I gained weight when I first became a vegetarian too. My husband didn't though. Why? I have no clue, we both at the same meals (in different quantitites of course). But I gained and he didn't... I don't get it either....

Otherwise, i sautee with water or tea

Wha? Sautee with tea? Cool! Details??!?!? Green tea, black tea, what types of foods?!?! :surprised

Usually something like this is due to

1. portions, as you mentioned

2. eating lots of refined carbs, flour products, sweets, or processed foods

3. drinking things other then water( liquid calories don't register in terms of feeling full and add up ).

Try focusing your diet on legumes ( not tofu ), fresh vegetables, and whole grains. The fiber should help to control your appetite. A controlled dab of fat helps too.


Why "legumes (not tofu)" ? Does tofu make you more bloated?


I have noticed the same problem as well. I have definitely gained a few pounds since becoming veggie, and I am getting really disappointed. All of the books that I have been reading, and websites that I have visited, seem to agree that veggies are thinner than omnis....so, what gives?

I do not eat much milk or cheese, because I'm lactose intolerant...so, I know that's not the answer. However, now that I think about it...I have been eating alot of trail mix, sunflower seeds, and granola bars. Do you guys think that could be doing it? I sure hope not! Since I am a mother-on-the-go, these seem to be the most convenient snacks for me.

I gained when I first went and part of that was my enthusiasm - I wanted to try every single recipe/food combination.

Taking it off isn't fun. I really get upset with myself when I'm not at my ideal weight. For me, it helped to remind myself to eat slowly and enjoy myself. Best of luck!

Take gentle care,

Jes

I've lost about 5-10 pounds over the last 2.3 years of being vegan, with little to no exercise other than walking about 15-20 minutes a few times every week (when I don't want to wait for a bus or whatever).

I eat a decent amount of junk food, and I was already fairly lean at 180 or so and 6'2", but I generally eat a healthy diet (averaging between 1800 and 2400 calories per day, depending on how busy I am and if I remember to eat, how hungry I happen to be determining whether I go for seconds at dinner, etc.).

Now, not all metabolisms were created equal, but I think that a low-calorie diet coupled with gentle exercise, will help everyone lose or maintain weight (preferably getting the majority of those calories from more whole foods, less refined). Research also shows that reasonable calorie deprivation can increase health and lifespan. I don't remember the exact percentages, but it's worth looking into.

Olive Girl,

In my experience, the best way to control my weight is to follow the simplest, yet sometimes hardest rule: Eat only when you are hungry and stop eating when you are full.

The best way to lose weight is to combine this rule with the magic of exercise.

Most people (who don't have an eating disorder) probably think that they do this most of the time. But, especially since you have a son, is it possible that you do some mindless eating sometimes? Like eating the 1/4 sandwich that he left behind? I know I find myself doing this all the time with my one-year-old.

The one caveat to the hungry/full thing is the drinks. Milk, juice, lemonade, soda etc. can add calories to your diet without filling you up. This could cause you to take in too many calories.

My advice is to really pay close attention to your body's signals. If it's mealtime and you are not hungry, you don't have to eat. Or eat just a little bit, and then the next day be wary of how much you eat during the day to be sure you are hungry for dinner. This is what is working for me. :)

Hmm...I'm not sure what may be causing you to gain. Since going vegan, I've dropped 28 pounds. I cut out some of the processed foods, subbed white rice for brown, and eat alot of soups, and snack on raw fruits, and raw brocoli and carrot sticks. I've also cut down on my soda habit. One soda per week is all I get...any other time I'm thirsty its water or carrot juice. So far I've saw some good suggestions, though.

When I first became a vegetarian I went from thin to plump. This was due to lack of knowledge about what I was eating. I ate pasta and hardly any fruits or vegetables. Somehow it dawned on me that I needed to expand my recipe base and eat a variety of foods. Within 3 months I lost all the extra weight (plus some) and have not had a problem since.

Eating several fruits and vegetables every day is key to a healthy diet. It is also important to get some form of exercise each day. If you can, don't buy products with hydrogenated oils or corn syrup. Added sugar and salt in products is a HUGE problem for most people. Do as much cooking from scratch as possible and you can even freeze soups and such for those busy days.

For quick eating I like Stonyfield Farm yogurt and Soy yogurt. I eat half a yogurt with fresh raspberries and oats. Lightlife makes Deli Slices which I think are great. Instead of pb&J, have a "ham" sandwich. Hummus is also a fantastic and filling snack (great with veggies or pita).

BabyVeggies

:bobo:

I started gaining weight when I first switched, too - mainly due to a fear of not getting enough protein, and not feeling full enough. with time, your definition of full really changes. Being full as a vegetarian is much more satisfying than being full as an omni in my experience, but at first you don't have the same signals to tell you when you are done. Give it time, you will adjust - lay off the non-water beverages, and count calories if you must. You'll learn as time goes on about nutrition.

Wish I could help, but I'm 25 lbs. heavier than before I went veg, almost 7 years ago.
I don't eat as much as I used to, either, and what I eat is way, way healthier.
I've worked out about the same amount then as now, and I haven't abused the dairy. I've actually been vegan for the last few years.

The only things I can figure in my case are:

1) Too many simple carbs - sandwiches and pasta. I do eat tons of vegetables, but am sensitive to soy, so it's possible that I don't get quite enough protein for my body chemistry.

2) I had my son, and my metabolism went to hell during my pregnancy and never recovered.

3) Abuse of olive oil and avocados. I love rich food. But, still, compared to the hundreds of chicken wings with blue cheese I used to eat every week (I'm serious, I ate wings like nobody's business - and they are one of the worst fat and calorie laden "foods" on the planet) it still doesn't add up to me....

4) Getting married. I always gain weight when I'm happy.

5) Quitting smoking.

I guess I'm suffering from a weird metabolism-slowing cocktail of all the factors above.

Don't get discouraged, just find what works best for you, and make sure and stay as active as you can. Even though I'm heavier (I was quite thin, so the 25 pounds hasn't been bad for me - I'm just barely "overweight" and I carry it pretty well) I'm way, way healthier and feel 1000% better than I did before. I used to get sick all the time and now I'm healthy as a horse. I wouldn't "go back" for anything on earth.

Best of luck tracking down your best way of eating....
My advice would be like you've heard already. Exercise and ease up on the dairy and refined carbs (stick to whole grains.)