Does veg*n diet aid weight loss?

[kikke]

Will changing from a mainly omni diet to a vegetarian diet aid weight loss and increase energy levels?

Have sedentary lifestyle, too much weight around middle and want to lose about 14 lbs - without having too starve myself. :hungry:

[Michael]

Potato chips are vegetarian. Just because you sit around and eat them all day doesn't mean you'll lose weight. You still need to combine a sensible diet and exercise.

[kikke]

I have to agree with that point. However, we have recently radically changed our diet due to both my daughter's decision to become vegetarian and my concerns over our health due to family history.

So we're eating a lot more fruit and veg, replaced meat with veggie protein, swapped crisps and sweets for healthier options - such as fruit, granola bars, yoghurt, etc. - and replaced store bought cakes and biscuits with home made muffins made with very little sugar and lots of fruit (dried or fresh).

Apart from losing some weight myself, I've read that chronic disease begins in childhood and I desperately want to ensure that my children have healthy lives.

[lillym]

I went veg a month ago and i've been losing. Not alot of weight according to the scale, but I've really lost inches. I haven't had the best diet mostly beans and rice or pasta and sauce as maind dishes and I haven't eaten out much (I've been broke and eating out of the pantry).

I ate fast food several times a week and ate a lot of frozen dinners which are loaded with fat and calories (and sodium) so when I quit eating those myhealth improved. I feel a lot less bloated. I will warn that I had stomach problems for a couple of days but I think that was from the switch to eating less frozen dinners and more beans and whole grains.

[beefaroni]

I've been vegan for about 3 weeks - not a long time, I know. But I have seriously lost almost 10 pounds - and I wasn't huge or anything to start with (I was 5'5", about 140 lbs, now I'm down to 132 lbs.)

I work out daily and have since April 2005. I run, lift weights, do yoga, elliptical, stair master, etc. As an omni, I got more toned but really didn't lose any weight. I followed the Self Magazine Diet Club religiously for 3 months (must record everything you eat, all the exercise, and follow their calorie recommendations) - and I didn't lose a freakin' pound. Not one.

I went vegan and suddenly I've lost 10 lbs over these 3 weeks. I am convinced it's because I'm no longer eating dairy or meat. I'm eating tons of veggies/salads, soy/rice milk, fruit, spelt cereal for breakfast, roasted veggies/stir frys, etc. I am definitely eating a good amount - but I'm dropping pounds!:bobo:

Of course, everyone is different - I'm just saying that, for me, I tried losing weight as an omni and got nowhere - now I'm a vegan and the weight is dropping!

[kikke]

I've been vegan for about 3 weeks - not a long time, I know. But I have seriously lost almost 10 pounds

Congratulations. :D Do you feel more energetic on vegan diet?

I've been reading about Dr. Esseltyne and Dr. Campbell advocating vegan diet for disease prevention, so I'm curious.

[Tesseract]

I GAINED 10 pounds after I went veg, because I fell prey to the idea that I could eat whatever I wanted and not exercise, and being veg would still help me lose weight. Wrong!!

[beefaroni]

Congratulations. :D Do you feel more energetic on vegan diet?

I've been reading about Dr. Esseltyne and Dr. Campbell advocating vegan diet for disease prevention, so I'm curious.

Yes, and no. I'm following the pH Miracle diet espoused by Dr. Robert O. Young. It basically says - eliminate animal sources of food, and eat 80% of your food as veggies (raw if possible) with no fruit and the remaining 20% should be (sprouted) grains and legumes, starchy veggies, nuts, healthy oils, etc.

I run 3 days a week, totalling about 15 miles per week, in addition to other workouts (weights, stair master, elliptical). I'm finding that my energy is lagging a bit on my runs. Other than that, I feel fine the rest of the day (I run at 5:30 AM so I'm also going on almost no food for 10 hours! but then again, I was doing that before I was vegan, too, so something is causing me to feel less energetic)

I'm still trying to tweak my diet to get more energy on my runs. But (sorry I sorta rambled a bit) I think overall, my energy is at the same level and not dramatically higher, only because, my energy level was at a good level before.

[Groovy chick]

I have found that having a vegan diet has allowed me to maintain a very steady weight of around 128lb.

[s0ad]

I think it can help. I lost about 30 pounds (not as a vegetarian) then another 20 when I became one. It seemed a lot easier to make healthier choices while being a vegetarian. I think it really depends, like someone else said you could end up eating potato chips all day.
Now I'm trying to be a vegan, I want to lose another 20 pounds. ;) (And help animals out along the way too).

[WildwoodFlower]

I have lost about 13 lbs since i became vegan about 8 months ago(veg for longer). I didnt need to lose weight for health purposes. I was 136-138 and 5'7 and i'm 17. Now i am 123-125.
Now I tend to eat better foods (veggies, fruit, tofu, ect.) as opposed to when I was omni or veg with dairy and eggs...when I would eat pizza and nachos and things. I do feel betterand more full when I have an apple instead of cheese covered whatever.
I hope all that was helpful to you. I think it is easier to focus on how you feel than how much you weigh. Best of luck to you!

[redrubberband]

It totally did for me.I've lost half of what I intend to lose.But diet alone won't help.Exercise is crucial.A balance of mindful eating and exercise.

More pros of a vegan diet...I have better skin since I stopped taking dairy. Dairy is bad but if you're here posting on these msgboards you already know that:)

[purrpelle]

i gained weight when I went vegan- I had given up eggs and milk for a few years but when i gave up eating fish and replaced it with tofu, tempeh, etc. I started to gain, and i have trouble losing when i want to. i think it's the soy (for me-everyone is different)

[codemonkey]

It totally depends on what you eat and how much you exercise (exercise is HUGELY important.) If you go from an omni diet to a vegetarian diet and just replace all the meat you were eating with eggs and cheese, you will gain weight. If you focus on eating LOTS of vegetables and fruits and whole grains and beans and don't go overboard on the meat replacements and desserts and fried food and exercise your butt off, you should be able to lose weight without being hungry all the time. I find it much easier to control my calories on a vegetarian diet than I did when I ate meat. My weight loss since I went veggie has been pretty slow but I'd already lost 50 pounds when I started (then gained back 10, went on weight watchers and lost 5, went vegetarian and lost 7 which isn't bad considering it's only been 3 months.) The closer you are to a healthy weight, the slower your weight loss will be and the harder you'll have to work at it.

[GanyGreenBean]

I lost 50 pounds when I went veggie. (this is over a year ago, I am slowly transitioning into veganism for the past 3 months or so. I think I am getting quite good at it.)

I stopped losing weight. I think it's because of too much carbs and sugar. Such as potatos and pasta and high sugar fruit and junk food. I am cutting out my diet pop (just to get more h2o) and am cutting back on bananas and potatos and rice. I am focusing more on veggies and protien. I want to lose another 20 lbs because I am still "over weight" by about 15. I am going to start walking/jogging at school and am getting a protien powder for making shakes. I have congenital heart disease and want to live a bit longer than expected. Also, I'll be 21 soon and I want to be a hottie in the nightclubs. J/K! But seriously, going veggie sometimes helps. It still matters on how much you eat and how much you move. PORTION CONTROL... is my weakness also. *nods* I need to stop eating like a... person who eats more that she should? I don't want to insult pigs. They are supposed to eat like that. *sigh*

[sunshinegal]

I find being a veggie has made it effortless to maintain my weight. If I could ever go completely vegan, it will probably be a no brainer. I haven't exercised in 4 weeks now thanks to my broken foot, but I should be all set and ready for working out again in another week or two! YAY! I have found during this month long break, I haven't gained hardly anything, maybe a pound tops. I haven't been eating all that healthifully either. :naughty:

I would definitely say being a veggie helps you to lose weight, but you need to exercise and portion control. :D

[Jessica Alana]

If it's supposed to, I want my money back.

[random_feast]

Portion control seems much easier for a vegan, I'd say. However, I've been eating less because of prepackaging my foods for work/school--it's hard to eat a lot when you're studying, working, and don't have access to a full kitchen!

Well, that and the raw extra vegetables and fruits in my pack has helped. I've lost five pounds in three weeks without exercise, but I suppose one could actually walk for 3 whole 10 minute sessions at a brisk pace and burn calories, too! ^_^

[Lani]

Hmmmm I guess I'll jump in this thread >_<

Uhmm I became vegetarian... July 10th? I think?

The last time I weighed myself like 2 weeks ago I had lost 35 pounds.

So yea I'd think you lose weight but I make sure I eat well balanced meals. And of course I drastically changed my eating habits and went vegan after a couple of months.

[kiki]

I have the HARDEST time losing weight, Im 5'3'' and 140 and Im already very active and workout about 5-6 days a week. I am going pescetarian for now, and Im cutting way WAY back on dairy products and eggs (as in, hardly ever).
I am worried I will eat more carbs now, even though they're mostly whole grain, but will I still lose weight? Everyone's different, but I hope this will be an easy one. Please let me know if this would be a good move for me...

and to all you vegans: if I cut out milk, cheese, eggs, and all of that, is a little bit of NORMAL chocolate okay sometimes? Or would it have to be all or nothing to lose weight? Im lost! THANKS!!!

[purrpelle]

and to all you vegans: if I cut out milk, cheese, eggs, and all of that, is a little bit of NORMAL chocolate okay sometimes? Or would it have to be all or nothing to lose weight? Im lost! THANKS!!!

going vegan will not make you automatically lose weight.

[dropdeaddale]

Initially when I went vegan I was loosing a lot of weight but as soon as into the habit of making my own food/knowing exactly what kind of foods I would eat I was able to maintain it. I eat A LOT :-D. When I first said I was vegan people were worried that I would become pale and emaciated...HA...I proved them wrong. I'm at a healthy 150-160 lbs for a 5'7" kid and I'm feeling awesome! A healthy balance of good eating and exercise is where it's at!

[anthony11]

I have to agree with that point. However, we have recently radically changed our diet due to both my daughter's decision to become vegetarian and my concerns over our health due to family history.
Good for you! As others have written, exercise, water intake, and sensible food choices -- and especially portion sizes -- are all a part of the equation.

So we're eating a lot more fruit and veg, replaced meat with veggie protein, swapped crisps and sweets for healthier options - such as fruit, granola bars, yoghurt, etc. - and replaced store bought cakes and biscuits with home made muffins made with very little sugar and lots of fruit (dried or fresh).[...] I've read that chronic disease begins in childhood and I desperately want to ensure that my children have healthy lives.
I'm pleased to see that concern - it dismays me what I see parents giving their kids. I suggest that you consider cutting out the dairy, though. Read T. Colin Campbell's "The China Study" for information on the connection between bovine lacation / casein and type II diabetes.

[kale]

Perhaps a visit with a nutritionist would be helpful-- or pick out a few books from the library if a nut. is too pricey...Always good to arm one's self with info (in addition to coming here, i mean!)

Going veg*n is different for everyone, and in the end, weight loss is basically this: if you burn more calories than you take in, you lose weight. End of story. (Unless you've destroyed your metabolism with crash-dieting or an ED, of course).

WHAT you're eating to make up those calories would seem like more of a health consideration, as far as disease prevention. :) If you eat a low amount of calories of, say, chocolate, you'll lose weight-- but feel like crap, you know?

And I think THAT'S where the veg*n thing is fabulous-- if done with a little thought, it's ridiculously healthy as far as vitamins and all that sort of good stuff.

Oh, and the China Study is a fabulous read!

best of luck!