Honest opinions on Veggie Low Carbing please

[baw70]

Hi, I am fat. Not just a little overweight, just fat. I know how it's happened, I've eaten way too much for too long and have put a stone a year on for the last 3 years. I don't know what's wrong with me, I'm miserable at this weight, but can't seem to stick to any diet as I get so hungry. Anyway, I've read about low carbing and it seems to work, but the fly in the ointment is that I'm a vegetarian. It's my own fault that I've read too much on the internet, where a lot of people say it's just too hard for veggies to do. Is there anyone on here who has had success as a veggie low carber and managed to live a life of eating meals without special ingredients, like protein powder. If it's really hard, then fair enough I'll have to try something else. If there is anyone who has been successful with this and you have the time, I'd be really grateful if you could post an example of a typical day's meals. Thanks in advance .

[snoworneahva]

I used to veggie low carb - I'm now lower carber/primal. I guess I wasn't so keen on all the fake meat, processed stuff that went along with it. Rose Elliot's veggie low carb book is incredibly dull too, everything is just so joyless, I know others will disagree, but I don't want to eat things like protein isolate, quorn, fake sugars and processed tofu, I need something cleaner and less worthy. Celia Brooks Brown had a much better book but it's hard to get hold of and there are some good recipes online....you'll have to build up your bank of recipes over time. Easy things like stuffed mushrooms, soups, salads, curries with cauliflower rice, almond bread etc. There are a few recipes on the bootcamp thread.

[Pseudonymity]

Hi, hope you don't mind me saying - my mum and sister are both vege and both very overweight. I have often wondered if it's down to the carb heavy diet so your post was interesting. I'm not a diet expert but I thought tofu was quite healthy? Pulses are high-ish in protein. Don't know how cheese sits within the low-carb approach - obv. it's very high in calories. Mozzarella is lower calorie as far as cheese goes.

[baw70]

No Pseudonymity, don't mind you saying at all. I'm not sure to be honest, it would be easy for me to blame the carbs, but truth be told I just eat too much of everything. However, I will say that I don't feel full for long. Whatever I eat, even if it's a big plate of veggie protein and I feel full, it won't last for long before I feel peckish again. Perhaps this wouldn't happen if I ate meat. Too late for me to go back to meat now, I just couldn't face it, but this weight gain can't go on.

Snoworneahva, I feel exactly as you did - what on earth is protein isolate, is it even a food? Can I ask if you did lose weight? Was it worth it? I've had a look at the bootcamp threads and clocked some veggie recipes, but couldn't find any veggies who said if it worked for them Will take another look.
Thanks both for your answers.

[snoworneahva]

Pulses aren't high in protein under 10% and they are high in carbs, pasta is higher and it's not known as a high protein food. But pulses contain proteins which are complementary to wheat protein so a combination of both will give you a complete set of essential amino acids. Quinoa isn't that high either - it's just unique in that it contains a full set of amino acids in veg form and that's unusual. I think there are health issues around excess consumption of soy products among other concerns is that it contains high amounts of oestrogen. My kids questioned why I was eating processed veggie products on low carb when I was always waxing on about clean foods - they sowed a seed in my thoughts, eating a veggie diet had become a habit rather than a choice.

I lost 4kg - I didn't have much to lose, I had lost weight on lower carb and calorie counting but you can't continue to calorie count so I turned to low carb as a way of maintaining. It's a year since I started, dh and I have both maintained, we started 5:2 diet in August. But we still limit our starchy carbs, to once or twice a week. Once you get into the swing of things it's easier, to begin with I was desperately trying to replicate bread, pasta whatever....now I don't.
Whatever diet you go for it has to suit you, the food has to taste good....still remember eating Rose Elliot lettuce wraps, they were vile....I live to eat good food and that lunch nearly killed me!!!

I think people like protein isolate - it's like a milk shake, but looking at the list of ingredients was enough to put me off Krispy Kreme Donuts and I bloody loved them - protein isolate had no chance!

If you can't give up carbs, consider just giving up wheat - it's considered the worst of all the high carb foods - if you believe nothing else, this much is true, bread is such an easily accessible food....it's too easy to snack on, the more effort you have to go to before you eat the more likely you are not to bother.

[snoworneahva]

Jeez what an essay - I didn't realise as I started it earlier.

[baw70]

Essays are good when they're so informative. Still in two minds but you've given me some info to think about, thanks

[freerangeeggs]

I think it'd be very difficult to low carb as a veggie. I was a vegetarian for years (pescatarian now, mostly for weight loss reasons).

Have you thought about ore veggie-friendly diets? I lost loads as a vegetarian on weight watchers and am now having great results on the 5:2 diet.

[nutritioncoach]

Hi baw70
Carbs are not bad when eaten in moderation and in wholegrain versions i.e. brown rice, bread and pasta. Beans and lentils are great sources of low cal proteins as well as fibre. They have a low GI and therefore make you feel fuller for longer. snoworneahva is right that quinoa is a complete protein and is really great for veggies - use it like you would couscous. Another complete protein is avocado, it has the added advantage of being cholesterol free and full of omega 3 and 6 fats. And don't forget eggs which are also a great protein source. There are now no set limits on the number of eggs you should eat per week. All I'd suggest is that you buy free range eggs.

[beanandspud]

For what it's worth I tried to low-carb as a fish-eating veggie and it was pretty miserable. I bought the Rose Elliott cookbook and although some of the recipes were ok it didn't excite me. Eating out became a chore ('oh good, fish and salad again'), family meals were difficult, and I snacked on Atkins bars which contain so much rubbish.

I love food and cooking (which is probably why I'm overweight ) and low-carb just wasn't fun. DH hated it and tended to add oven chips to whatever fish/salad/veg combination I was eating and I can't help thinking that we both ate a worse diet than we'd ever done. In amongst that, fruit was pretty much banned and I love fruit!

I lost about half a stone fairly quickly and as soon as I started eating normally again it went straight back on (and more).

I'm now following the Slimming World plan with the help of a thread on here and although the weight is coming off much more slowly I'm enjoying the diet and cooking proper food again.

I'm sure it is possible to low-carb as a vegetarian but it wasn't for me I'm afraid.