Hi
I am new to this board. I very rarely eat meat but would like to totally eliminate it from my diet. My problem is that I can't figure out how to loose weight on a vegetarian diet. I am very knowledgeable about nutrition. I only eat whole grains so that isn't my problem. It seems like when I eat meat, I loose weight. I need to loose about 40 to 50 pounds. I can eat tofu but am bothered by soy milk. Can anyone give me any advice or vegetarian weight loss diets to try.
Thanks

Are you also exercising? Are you avoiding milk products? Are you eating lots of leafy greens and brocolli? Are you avoiding trans-fats like the plague? Brown rice instead of white rice?

I'm not sure about your metabolism or past history regarding weight loss, so i'm sorry for any generalizations.

I personally have had no problem losing weight since having stopped eating meat. I've lost almost 10 pounds in my first month (today, fyi, is one month exactly for me!)

I think if you eat veggies, fruit, nuts, and other things of that sort - you'll lose weight. Plus exercise. I will say that I run 3-5 miles a day, so that might be part of my loss. Hope that helps.

Oh, and I'm not sure how meat would help you lose weight, other than the fat you get from it. However, you can still get "good" fat from nuts - i eat a lot of almonds, lol

I've only been vegetarian for 2 months and i've lost, without trying, nearly a stone. And that's still eating cheese!! By eliminating meat from your diet you're cutting out a huge amount of saturated fat, so as long as your not just replacing meat with vegetarian junk food I would have thought you'd loose a little, at least. Going vegan would be even more beneficial.
Studies have shown that vegetarians are 25% less likely than meat eaters to die from a heart attack, and 40% less likely to die of cancer (according to Viva's 'its time to go veggie' magazine). Theres a massive list of health benefits that you can look at on their website www.viva.org/
I feel like as a veggie i'm eating more than i was as a meat eater, have lost weight, and feel better than ever.:nana:
Obviously everyones different though!!

Merged the duplicate threads, since there was a post in each. nickmattsmom, you might also try checking the posts, or making your own post in the Dietary forum:
http://www.veggieboards.com/boards/forumdisplay.php?f=133

You lose weight when you eat fewer calories. Some lean meats make you feel full becuase of their protein content, but are low in calories. Where the bagel which only tides you over for a couple hours has 300 calories. No matter what you are (vegetarian or not), you need to find foods that are satisfying, low in calories but rich in protein, calcium and nutrients.

You also need to exercise to lose weight. My husband has lost 30 lbs on a well-balanced vegetarian diet and exercising for 30 minutes 3 times a week.

Hi and Welcome!
I try to go with the mindset that eating vegetarian is healthy therefore, the weight issue is only for vanity. If you are eating as healthy as possible, then who cares about weight..being thin is not necessarily healthy. But eating whole foods and lots of veggies and fruits are! Focus on healthy eating and not weight. Going veg. is not the answer to weightloss it is however the answer to living cruelty free and enviormentally friendly!

Exercise, exercise, exercise!

I stopped eaiting meat approx 2 1/2 months ago. I was eating cheese and drinking milk, but I have stopped that in the last several weeks. I have lost, without trying almost 40 pounds since I stopped eating meat. I am never hungry, and am eating tons of YUMMY stuff.

Nickmattsmom,
Look for the book, "The New Becoming Vegetarian: The Essential Guide to a Healthy Vegetarian Diet", by Vesanto Melina and Brenda Davis. (ISBN: 1570671443.) (There's also a slightly older edition, called "Becoming Vegetarian: The Complete Guide to Adopting a Healthy Vegetarian Diet". by Vesanto Melina, Brenda Davis, and Vistoria Harrison. (ISBN: 1570670137.)

Both of these books include a chapter on weight loss - and both books are a very clear guides to vegetarian nutrition. (That is, the chapters on weight loss aren't very long, but the idea is that you read the rest of the book, and then the chapter on weight loss will guide you through the specifics of how to make sure your vegetarian diet is geared towards weight loss.)

The authors are registered dieticians, so they are very thorough in their discussion of nutrition, but they are also very understandable.

And, if you're interested, they also have a book, "Becoming Vegan: The Complete Guide to Adopting a Healthy Plant-Based Diet" by Vesanto Melina and Brenda Davis. (ISBN: 1570671036). Of course, this one is written for the vegan diet, but it also has a chapter on weight loss.

I think these books are very helpful. You probably could find a copy of the older edition (Becoming Vegetarian) for less than $2 on a used book website. It's the type of book that you might want to own, so you you can use it a reference throughout your life.

That being said, I think the most significant aspect of achieving weight loss is committing to regular exercise. Even just walking more than usual will really help.

By the way, since going vegan, I've lost about 25 pounds. And it's come off nice and slow. (That's good, because the slower it comes off, the better chance you have of keeping it off.)

Before I went veg, I actually went on the Atkins diet.:spew: I lost weight b/c I was eating lots of lean meat and low-carb veggies and fruit---so, naturally, the weight came off.
I went vegan a month ago. Weight loss is not my goal now, but honestly, the weight is just falling off. I'm eating tonz of fruits, veggies, lentils, pasta, and whole grain bread.
Sounds like those books suggested would be beneficial for you. Just excercise, drink tons of water, and eat a well-balanced diet. Good luck!

I think ive gained weight becoming a vegitairian...I dont know for some reason I am getting very depressed. My weight hasent really changed but I feel fat. :stinkeye: :( any advice?

I've only lost about 3 pounds but thats with nearly no change it diet or exercising, just no meat.

Oh, boy...I'm of no use here...I gained 30 pounds when I went veg. I just love potatoes and bread too much. :) HOW do yuo lose weight when you go veg? I eat tons of veggies as well, but still...oh, well. I'm not that worried about it. I'm still the same gorgeous me.