Anyone vegan and need to lose/has lost weight? Or not vegan but has good ideas! Come talk to me.

[PaperdollCartoon]

Just that really. I'm not really fat, but I'm 5"2 and 10 and a half stone, so BMI is about 27, size 12. Need to lose about a stone and a half. 2 stone would be great but I haven't been 8 and a half stone since I was about 12 so not getting ahead of myself!

Generally my diet isn't that bad, I think a lot about getting the right protein, lots of veg but I love cooking and the challenge of veganising things (this weekend I've even made vegan hollandaise) so end up cooking a lot of things that are high calorie. I love everything, all the sweets, salt, oil, as well as all the good things too. I've been cutting down a lot on that, and also need to cut down more/cut out booze as I love my wine and know it works against me! I also tend to eat the same size portions as DP when in sure I don't need to. I work in an office so I'm quite sedentary, try to go toyoga a couple of times a week but I need to get moving a lot more. I've just dug out my FitBit and going to get walking more.

Would love to hear what other vegans are eating to lose weight to give me some ideas, and motivation! There's an idea that all vegans are skinny but there are so many vegan biscuits, cheese, butter, etc we certainly aren't all!

[sunshineandmarbles]

I'm veggie, not vegan, but occasionally have vegan meals just when I fancy it!

I think the big problem with losing weight on a vegan diet is that it is very carb heavy - it has to be! That's not saying that carbs are bad at all, but it's difficult to stay full for long when you eat a lot of carbs, so you're doing the right thing by thinking about how much protein you're getting, as that's what will keep you satiated for longer.

An example of a vegan meal that I'll have - one small baked sweet potato, LOADS of veg (courgette, spinach, sprouts, green beans etc.) and tofu pieces.

It's not the most inventive, but it has a good balance of protein, carbs, and veggies.

Make sure you weigh all of your food! You can still eat anything you want, as long as you work out your TDEE (your daily calorie expenditure), then take away 500 calories from that. That's your daily 'allowance' of calories to lose a pound a week.

[ppeatfruit]

I lost nearly 3 stone on a very healthy (think nearly vegan) diet with no trouble at all. I love fruit and have a seasonal smoothie most mornings, the secret is to have it on an empty stomach. I have nuts and fruit as snacks , but only when I'm hungry.

I found that I started losing weight properly with the Paul Mackenna way of eating which takes into account HOW we eat and where etc. more than what , but it's important to eat healthily.

[ppeatfruit]

BTW I have never weighed my food or counted calories. If you really enjoy your food, eat slowly and chew properly it's difficult to overeat.

[PaperdollCartoon]

Thanks both! I'm generally measuring food by calories and macronutrients, and I think a more Slimming World style focus on eating lots of filling stuff and less empty calories like oil fits me better. I think the problem is I like everything so everything tempts me.

Will definitely look at Paul McKenna as well.

[ppeatfruit]

There is very good oil (olive oil) I use it like most people use butter . And not such good oils. I stay away from hydrogenated fats, palm oil etc. Especially coconut oil\products which are EVERWHERE!!!!

DH is trying to give up dairy, he now has coconut milk in his coffee but he's getting fatter!!! (he really doesn't need to either).

[TaraCarter]

I am of a similar height to you, and was also at a BMI of about 27. I'm now generally about 25 point summut, with occasional visits to the Holy Land of 24.9 and below.

I am very much a human Labrador- food-oriented, so... basically, I dropped my hot chocolate habit, started moving a lot more, and began logging what I ate on myfitnesspal. I also stared looking at the recommended serving size on packets, instead of eating to appetite.

I tried not to focus on calorie reduction alone, and prioritised maintaining and/or improving my protein intake over a calorie deficit.

I think two key things, for me, have been:

1. that old and boring saw about examining and reshaping my attitudes to food, and identifying what food neuroses I'd developed as an active teenager, and;
   
2. physical hobbies. I (mostly!) no longer do them to lose weight because I hate myself when I look in the mirror; rather, I lose weight or try to stay stable, in order to be more agile at the hobby and achieve my own random fitness goals, just so I enjoy myself more.
   
   I still have blips, but I [think I] no longer need myfitnesspal to tell me to "eat food. Not too much of it, mostly plants and no crisps don't count" and I've begun to look at what I eat and think "does this have nutritional value beyond calories, or does it just taste nice?" before eating two. Or three.

[ppeatfruit]

Tara Have you looked at the Paul Mackenna I Can Make you Thin way of eating? ( I don't like the title I just wanted to be slim not thin and thanks to it Iam!!) And maintaining, which is the whole battle IMO!!

His is the only 'diet' which actually addresses our emotions, he talks about just accepting what we see in the mirror! Also gives us ways to help us do this. It's not a diet as such , you eat healthily, but you eat ONLY when you're hungry, and you eat slowly, chewing properly enjoying and tasting the food, not standing up throwing it down your neck!!! I'm not on commission btw!!

[TaraCarter]

Nope. Maybe I should.

[ppeatfruit]

P.M. works because it's what our bodies feel right with, the key is to tune in to when we're full and then stop eating. It happens after a while, which makes it difficult to eat a 3 course meal!

Of course everyone has times when they overeat, but the beauty of it is you can just wait till you feel hungry for the next meal (or next day)!! You don't have to count calories or weigh food or starve, it's bloody fabulous I sometimes I just have a dessert for a meal!