So yesterday I went to red Robbin and got a veggie board vegan btw go me! but i ate honey mustard and french fries :( and a few pieces of Halloween candy .... and go soooooo sick is that normal to get that way that soon after going vegan??
 

 

and i haven't lost any more weight i am eating a lot of the of veggie patties from boco and so forth is it because there processed ? what are some lunch ideas??

 

 

 

 

Thanks for all the help everyone!

I feel crappy if I eat too much processed food, but it could be that you just had a bug or something. Have you also tried cooking more from scratch?  

 

• Stocking Your Vegan Pantry & Kitchen
• Over 100 Vegan Packed Lunch Ideas
• VB recipes

 

As for weight issue - it depends on what you're eating most of the time. Red Robin fries (actually most of their food) is packed with calories. If you get a vegan burger, fries and soda at RR, you're looking at a meal that's over 1,000 calories, which is a lot of calories for a single meal. If you eat out a lot, you are likely taking in quite a few more calories than you should, and way more than you might if you cooked at home more often. But, I mean, weight can mean a lot of stuff - drinking too many sugary beverages, eating way too many vegan snack foods or desserts, never ever being active, etc.

 

What does your overall diet / lifestyle look like? 

Well lately I have been having oatmeal in am with a cup of chocolate silk milk.. for snack i have a cliff bar or almonds... then for lunch i either do a veggie patty on a wheat bun with a diet coke... then when i get home i dont eat till dinner and i either have a veggie stir fry or or two veggie burgers or salad with veggie chicken strips or two waffles with almond butter and straberries my first week i lost 12.5 but now its not moving...

 

like today i have had a soda and for lunch having a veggie burger with a cliff bar and almonds for snack

Honey! a big no no 

 

Soda! 

 

Looks like it's time to wean yourself off of soda, Because all soda is really is colored bubbly water with sugar and does not help lose any weight at all, even the diet version. I stopped drinking soda 7 years ago and found freshly squeezed carrot & orange juice a healthy alternative.

 

Try Gardien Burgers their vegan, Or make a lentil burger with this recipe http://www.healthyveganrecipes.net/video/lentil-burger-recipe

 

And Bread go with http://www.foodforlife.com/product/buns/ezekiel-49-sprouted-whole-grain-burger-buns

 

top with steamed or raw greens & presto a healthy burger!

Oooo...yeah, stop drinking soda (pop)! Save that for special occasions. I was never a big pop drinker, (OK...maybe in high school), but I've found that when I want something fun to drink, but don't want to drink calories, I grab a Hint Water.

 

http://www.drinkhint.com/

 

 They have fizzy water too, I've never had it, but if it's anything like the non-fizzy stuff I'm sure it's great!  

Bread can have a ton of calories. Cutting that out and replacing it with green or orange veggies like brocolli and sweet potatoe can fill you for a lot less calories. I think you are missing fruits and veggies which are full of all kids of good stuff and are low calorie if you don't add stuff to them.

Do you really need a snack? I know in the US everyone seems to think we need snacks or we will have low blood sugar and die. But, honestly you could probably go with out. Or cut up a bag of celery and carrots and wash some grapes. Put them in single serving baggies or mason jars and take those for a snack.

Baked chips and salsa are yummy and low cal.

Well, honey isn't vegan, and I can't guarantee the candy was either. Waffles aren't vegan either, they have eggs, just like pancakes. Cut the soda and drink water only, its not even hydrating, its just sugar and corn syrup, break the addiction. Fruit/veggie juice is fine too, though you still need to drink water. I would also suggest not eating 2-3 veggie burgers a day. 1 a day would be fine, but I wouldn't even do that everyday.

 

Also what Jennifer said. You could have a slower metabolism as well. Eating smaller meals throughout the day will keep your digestive system consistent, increasing your metabolic rate. Do this with water as well, always drink enough and make sure that you never get thirsty. What OakBlossoms said, you should be eating more fruits and veggies, more so than any other food group. Eat every food group. Fruits, veggies, nuts, grains, legumes, seeds, etc. I also just want to point out that diet pops are more unhealthy than normal ones. They don't make you AS fat, but the crap they replace it with is worse for your body.

I found vegan waffles that taste good but I feel like I'm eating lots of carbs but I want to make sure I get enough of the things I need

Carbs aren't bad if they're from unrefined sources like whole wheat instead of white, brown rice instead of white, fruit and veggie carbs are fine too. Our bodies run off of carbs, they're where we get our energy from. Same with natural sugars found in fruits (glucose). Processed food can make you gain weight though. Carbs are supposed to be around 80% of our calories, give or take a few, so that is mostly fruits, veggies, and unrefined grains work too. I haven't researched this in a while but that sounds about right. I definitely think more carb and glucose intake is a factor as to why vegans have much more energy than meat eaters, but only one of many. I would avoid going out to eat as much because as others said, that's a lot of calories most of the time.

 

Cooking from home will help lose weight, since there's usually not as many calories, and at least you'll be moving around a little bit. Good luck and make sure you eat a balanced diet, and drink lots of water too of course. I still stand by what I said in my previous post, even if it sounded a little blunt.

Many of the frozen and processed vegan foods, although vegan, are not healthy. Keep in mind that vegan is not equate automatically to healthy. Try to make the focus of your diet homemade, fresh foods. Boca patties are ok in moderation, but try not to rely on them. French fires are still not healthy, even if they are vegan. Cliff bars are also processed and carry a lot of protein; keep in mind that if you do not use this protein, it turns to fat. Fruits and veggies are often high in fiber and water content, snacking on these will fill you up in between meals, without adding a lot of calories (e.g celery and apples) :) Don't think that you have to rely on the faux meats, there are much healthier ways to fill up and get the protein that you need (beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, tofu). Good luck and remember to ask if you have any other questions! Welcome to veganism 

 

I was going to post this picture but I didn't. But even a junk food vegan is healthier than any meat eater lol

A junk food vegan is definitely not healthier than a non-vegan who eats meat, egg and dairy in moderation and relies on unprocessed food.

I was kind of thinking that... My idea of a junk food vegans diet includes many Oreos, soda, chips, twizzlers, fast food french fries, and sour patch kids. Might be the best way to miss the most micro and macro nutrients on a vegan diet, gives me shivers thinking about it.

Edit: According to the USDA; Carbs should be 45-65% of your calories, fat 20-35%, and protein 10-35%. Mine break down to 60-25-15. Hidden fats are often plentiful in refined grain products people label 'carbs', but even low fat breads will add up calories quickly. Your plate should have a grain, legume, fruit, and vegetable represented. At least half hour grains should be whole, minimize added sugar, eliminate trans fats, and vary your veggies. Calorie intake shouldn't fall below 1000 kcal a day for women, 1200 for men. Often people with an elevated BMI have a greater metabolism rate (utilization of oxygen for metabolic pathways) than those with lower BMI due to more cells being present demanding energy.

Physical activity and diet are the penicillin of weight issues. Cardio 3-5 days a week at 64-90% max HR at least 20 min, Strength 2-3 days a week 70-85% max weight about an hour, flexibility 2-4 days a week 2-4 reps per stretch 15-30 sec each. That's the current recommendations anyway.

Ok yeah you're probably right, I didn't think a vegan could be that junkie.

I know vegans that survive on energy drinks, bread, crisps and chips. They are both overweight and incredibly unhealthy.

You would think they would want to be a better role model for veganism, sheesh. I could see how people discovering they were vegan would be unimpressed, and then harbor negative connotations of vegan diets. "Yeah, I knew a vegan once.. They were the most unhealthy looking people I've met.." kinda thing.

Edit: I don't mean to be judgemental here, but it just seems good politics to eat reasonably healthy.

I would say there is probably a 50-50 split with ethical vegans being overweight compared to fit and healthy.

Non-vegans I would say around 85% of people I know are overweight or very unhealthy.

From my experience we are still winning haha!

Probably because they were overweight before being vegan and continue their eating habits lol. Well, some at least.

 

Although I follow most of these recommendations (my cardio goes over a bit), I was surprised to see an hour of strength exercise several days a week.  Eek.  I get about a half hour three times a week of strength exercise at the gym.  It might be more if I am out canoe camping and hauling heavy loads or something, but that is a rare occasion.  I am usually pretty tired after a half hour of lifting weights or body weight/resistance exercise.  I can't imagine an hour of it at once, and I marvel at the people I see at the gym lifting weights for over an hour at a time.  I get to the gym, change clothes, do some free weights/weight machines, and resistance for a half hour give or take, then on to cardio for forty minutes or so, then some stretching and yoga, and then change and get ready to leave and there are a few people STILL in the weight section that were there when I got to the gym lol.  I am quite small and have always had trouble building muscle in my upper body and am not very strong in that area (dumbbells range from 10 to 15 lbs each for me depending on the exercise).  My upper body is disproportionately less strong than my legs.  even after six years of working out this way I have only improved strength to an extent but not a major one.  Stamina, flexibility, and cardio on the other hand have vastly improved.

 

Personally, I have stayed away from soda pop since 2008.  I remember losing a lot of weight (I was thin to begin with) just doing that.  It is empty calories and nothing but sugar and chemicals.  Even the diet.  Cliff bars are nice in a pinch when there is nothing vegan around and you are traveling or whatever as most gas stations have them now, but really it is a glorified candy bar.  You could make your own bars and freeze them for snacks to last for a few weeks for cheaper and healthier.  There are countless granola and energy bar recipes for vegans.  Beans, whole grains (think brown rice, millet, bulgur wheat, oat bran etc), fresh or frozen vegetables, whole fruits, and whole raw nuts/seeds will fill you up, provide satiety, and give you lasting energy far more than processed foods.  The only ones of these foods you might be likely to overdo in a sitting is the nuts.  I buy mine in bulk and portion them into baggies right away when I get home.  When I am on the run or need a snack for work, I grab a baggie and off I go, instead of grabbing the whole bag the nuts came in and munching mindlessly on them.  it is just a minute of extra work to portion them and store them this way.  And the baggies can be reused over and over.  Ditto with dried fruit, but fresh is more filling and healthy.  If you don't want to take the time to cook dried beans, canned works well too and requires no cooking.  You can throw them in salads, mash and put in a sandwich with spices, salsa, condiments etc, mix in with a whole grain or even spaghetti and vegetables.  I like to make spreads/dips with them for raw veggies or to put in tortillas or on homemade bread.  I have even mashed potatoes and added white beans and minced garlic to them for a boost of protein and texture.  Sweet potato and black beans go well together also, and can be wrapped in a tortilla too.  BTW, making your own tortillas is also quick and easy and requires no yeast and few ingredients.  There are numerous simple recipes for homemade vegan tortillas out there. 

You lost 12.5 pounds in one week? That is too fast a loss to be healthy!

I recommend you eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and legumes, and drink water and herbal teas. Take walks each day and get some sun on your skin for vitamin D absorption.

I feel very overwhelmed when I think I'm doing good i get told I am not I am so stressed out and I need positive people not negative !

Something to think about is that often when people try to lose weight they drop a bunch of water weight all at once (maybe that 12 lbs) and then halt. Every time I've lost any weight I lose more right at first, less later on. It's hard to be patient, but you know most health organizations only recommend you lose 2 lbs a week. 

 

Are you drinking enough H2O?

 

Also, you know what might be helpful - this new vegetarian / vegan food pyramid. It's also got daily serving suggestions! Visuals can help. 

I'm sorry, I really wasn't trying to be negative. If weight loss is your goal, that's great, but don't expect or hope to lose 12.5 pounds each week. That would be 50 pounds in one month!. Even if ypu have hundreds of pounds to lose to get back to a good weight, that rate just isn't sustainable.

Weight loss of a pound or two a week while eating healthy and exercising is a good goal.

Up the veggies, fruits, and exercise and it will be easier!

can yall give me examples of what yall may eat in a day and so forth.....

https://www.veggieboards.com/t/139382/what-did-you-eat-vegan-today-version-2-0

 

https://www.veggieboards.com/t/16103/your-vegan-staples

 

https://www.veggieboards.com/t/67322/staples

How about not thinking about it? I have a history of eating disorder-ish like behavior and dieting ... when I went vegan and focused on compassion and health, I realized that I could eat a lot and maintain my weight. I mean ... I can eat whole heads of cauliflower if I want! Okay, I don't do that but I focus on nutrition dense foods. My goal each day is to eat healthy vegan style. That includes oatmeal for breakfast, lot's of fruits and veggies (with at least 2 servings of cauliflower, broccoli, green sallad, kale etc.) and whole grains. Also beans and nuts of course.

 

To get stuck in dieting is not the way to go, in my opinion. Nutrition dense foods, focus on health instead of weight is kinder than always worrying about weight. With this approach I realize that it doesn't really matter if I have a BMI of 25,5 or 21,4 because I'm healthy. When health is my number one priority, the weight kind of settles itself. As long as there's not a medical condition involved of course.

 

I just wanted to share this approach too. Kinder, more gentle and long lasting.

 

EDIT: of course I do eat things like pizzas and candy, but I tend to eat less of them when I have stuffed my face with nutrition dense foods all day :)

water water and more water. I keep a 24oz reusable water bottle with me at all times. I refill it several times a day. somehow just having it next to me makes me drink more of it. Cut out soda altogether. eat as much natural food as you can. I hate most veggies so I blend them up with fruits to make smoothies most days and i dont taste them at all but im getting several servings. If I were you Id use something like the myfitnesspal app and keep track for awhile of what youre eating and the calorie intake and all that. After awhile you wont need it anymore because youll have a pretty good idea of what you need from practice. Dont be hard on yourself if you make mistakes or it takes awhile to transition. Keep making the effort and it gets easier. The internet is your friend. theres a ton of good info on diets and health. Just find what works best for you.

heres some examples of things i eat to stay healthy and in shape: 

 

smoothies: spinach, kale, carrots, broccoli, chia/flax seeds, berries, apple, kiwi, banana, orange, nutritional yeast, and ice- sometimes blended with green tea- I usually do all the veggies but only pick like two fruits at a time. the texture is a little grainy but you get used to it and learn to love it :)

 

oatmeal with berries

 

I make a lot of stir frys with tofu, bell peppers, broccoli, onions, and serve over brown rice, lentils, or quinoa - I use cayenne and olive oil mostly to flavor and try to keep it light on the salt or sauces

 

I snack on nuts and seeds a lot to keep my munchies satified- also makes me feel less hungry throughout the day - i like sunflower seeds and almonds or walnuts- unsalted of course -

 

crockpot "chili" black beans, kidney beans, onions, sweet potato, lentils, tomatoes, vegetable stock and a little bit of seasoning - good to make in bulk and easy to heat up for later

 

we make a really yummy lentil soup too- my husband makes it though so im not 100% what is in it, but i know its lentils cooked and blended with seasoning and almond milk to make it creamy- its very filling. 

 

pesto pizza- vegan pesto with tomatos and spinnach and artichoke hearts- thats one of our favs-