New Vegan - Started off overweight and not losing

[ifuckarses]

I didn't become a vegan for weight loss purposes, the environmental impact of farming is my main reason and hoped health would be an added bonus.

I'm two weeks in and have actually gained a couple of pounds. I don't feel like I've particularly over indulged and know I've eaten far more nutritious food than I did previously, my diet was pretty awful before!

Just wondering if anyone has had a similar experience or any advice? I'm really enjoying it and trying to eat as many whole foods as possible rather than junk, however as it's early days I didn't want to deprive myself completely and risk it feeling like hard work.

There is a lot of highly calorific vegan food! Maybe have a look at what exactly you're eating?

Nuts and dried fruits are very high in calories as are any oils. Could it be that?

Yes I have found that it is possible to be a fat vegan!
I dropped a stone quite quickly when I began, then nothing.
BUT I am now 14 months in and my weight has remained completely constant for the first time in over 20 years which I am actually delighted about.
Years and years of weight watchers and slimming world my weight has fluctuated hugely, now I feel in control without deprivation.

It works for me, but I don’t know any other people following a vegan diet.

I've tried to limit my nuts, dried fruit, etc. as I'm a seasoned 'dieter' so it's all etched in my brain. I kind of thought this would be a good way to get out of the cycle and just enjoy nutritious food without having to count calories... I'll try logging on MFP and see if I can pinpoint where I'm going wrong.

If you find it let us know. Waiting with interest. I'm on the verge of an attempt but can't afford to bulge any more!

I would have a close look at anything that's a vegan food substitute. My husband's Linda McCartney burgers have more calories than my beef ones, and Violife vegan cheese is entirely fat and starch - no protein like dairy cheese.

Maybe focus on being whole food plant based more than vegan and go for the VEG in VEGan, meaning veggies.
Have soups, salads, stew, made with real food, not vegan fakes that are so highly processed it is basically junk.
Don't go nuts on nuts, and limit your bread and other snacks. It si very easy to fall into the chips, pasta, risotto trap.

And if you are a new vegan, make sure to take your B12 supplements.

You need to tell us what you are eating

I'm just interested here...
I would have thought the "fattest" diets would include lots of meat or cheese. I guess oils can sneak in where you don't expect.

It's not the same, but in the past I've gone on a "detox" (avoided all bad foods and drink) and have drunk lots of herbal tea and liquids, and have actually gained weight in water retention!

You aren't drinking more than usual are you? Are you consuming a lot of sugary drinks like fruit juice?

Any vegan food made to look like meat or cheese is calorific (more so than the meat it’s replacing) as the rubbish they have to add into it

Not all that healthy when you look into it

@DpWm for some people eating a lot of meat actually helps them to lose weight. Hence the popularity of high protein diets like Atkins, Keto etc. Personally, this is what is most effective for me.

Definitely agree with others saying include a lot more fruits, vegetables and pulses in your diet.

Another recommendation for MFP. When it comes down to it you must be consuming too many calories.

You can try signing up here too they have weight loss meal plans challenge22.com/

Thanks everyone! I don't really eat much in the way of meat or cheese replacements, mainly because I think they taste crap. Had a busy few days working on the house but I'll try MFP soon and report back for those who are wondering.

I had this problem. It's too easy to eat carby food like bread.

What do you eat?

Breakfast is either two slices of seeded toast with marmite and peanut butter, or homemade granola (no oil or sugar, sweetened with dates) with blueberries and soya yogurt.

Lunch is usually small portion of leftovers, eg homemade bean chilli minus the rice I'd have with it as an evening meal. Or avocado, salad leaves, pumpkin seeds, sometimes homemade quiche made with silken tofu.

Dinner is usually a lentil and olive pasta, bean chilli with rice as mentioned above, spinach, chickpea and sweet potato coconut curry. Must confess I've had Papa John's vegan pizza as a weekend treat!

Snacks are fresh fruit mainly, bag of pea crisps a couple of times a week, occasional bit of dark chocolate, guilty pleasure which I think may be the culprit is medjool dates stuffed with Almond butter, although try to limit the amount! At weekends I have a few beers, but no more or less then before I turned vegan.

Well I was going to say that coconut is highly fatty, I don't count calories I just go my jeans. dh drinks coconut milk (though he's not a vegan) he has put ON more weight since the coconut and houmous , he's added to his diet. Oh and avocadoes bloat me immediately!

Annoying because I used to like them a lot!

A lot of that stuff you’ve listed is pretty high in either fat or sugar... I mean they’re healthier fats and natural sugars, but they’re still fat and sugar in terms of calories and weightloss/gain.

MFP is probably a good call... make sure your measurements are accurate though.

You are eating a lot of calorie dense food. What are your portions like? Are you weighing them? For example ‘half’ of an avocado’s can have 300 calories depending on it’s weight. Lentils are also very high in calories. Vegan quiche is often double calories compared to a normal quiche (an appropriate low cal egg and cream substitute is chickpea flour) . Home made nut butters have more calories than shop bought as you’re using more nuts. Rice too can be calorific - don’t have it very often.

You need to weigh and use a calorie counter like MFP.

It's good to use a particular way of eating, eating mindfully, chewing slowly etc. I eat extremely healthily but do have to follow Paul Mackenna who espouses that way of eating to stay slim.!