Vegetarians and Weight Loss
I'm celebrating the coldest, windiest Maryland day in a comfy wool sweater, calf-high fuzzy boots... and a jean skirt. Did NOT plan this one, I swear; I did jeans laundry last night and woke up to them still damp in the dryer, so I started them again while also scouring my drawers for another pair of pants. The only pair was my black dress pants, which I hadn't worn in ages.
... and they were at LEAST four sizes too big. Guess I lost more weight over the year than I thought!
I've always been a relatively thin person, having the nickname Skinny Stephie through middle and high school. Imagine my horror when, just before moving to Maryland, I weighed 145lbs. For my height (5'4"), that was borderline overweight.
And the worst part was, I felt overweight.
So when we moved, I resolved to eat better, exercise more, and generally keep fit. I obviously didn't have the same metabolism at 25 as I did at 15, and tossing back an entire bag of Lay's Salt 'n' Vinegar chips just wasn't going to fly anymore. For the first time in my life, I had to make a conscious effort to look at what I was eating.
Not going to lie, it was incredibly hard, as I came from being able to literally eat anything I wanted without gaining a pound. Finally, though, after a year of hard work and constant diligence, I lost 20 pounds, and I feel better than ever. (And the best part? It's all much better distributed now than when I was 15! ;)) I mean, I have to buy new black dress pants now, but it's better than having the opposite problem.
Many people become vegetarian in an attempt to lose weight, but it backfires when their meat consumption is replaced by simple carbs, cheese, and dairy. Vegetarian foods are also often calorie-dense to make up for the lost calories in abstaining from meat, and these sources often mean higher fats (which is also meant to compensate for lack of meaty flavor, or umami) or higher sugars. When I became vegetarian again at 22, I was subject to these pitfalls, and between that and medications, I gained a ton of weight very quickly.
So when it was my turn to jump onto the weight loss bandwagon while still maintaining my vegetarian diet, I started studying safe vegetarian weight loss. Here are a few tips I learned along the way:
Check with your doctor or nutritionist before embarking on any weight loss or exercise regime.
In general, every 3,500 calories cut equals one pound lost. A 500 calorie per day deficit will lead to one pound of weight loss per week. This can be achieved through cutting back on your intake, exercise, or a combination of each.
It is typically not recommended to lose any more than 2 pounds per week. Consult your doctor for a guideline on how much weight per week is safe for you to lose.
The trick to losing weight on a vegetarian -- and any other -- diet is to plan your meals in advance, ensuring they include a good variety of fruit, vegetables and grains.
Along the same lines, convenience food is a pretty common pitfall. If you find that your planning was a bit lacking, there are plenty of healthy vegetarian-friendly meals in grocery stores, such as Amy's frozen dinners and faux meat products like Morningstar or Boca Burgers.
Be careful how you prepare your veggies. Squash and okra are both healthy, delicious vegetables, but are often breaded deep-fried past the point of recognition... especially in the South. Go for recipes that focus on broiled, grilled, steamed, or sauteed vegetables. Personally, I avoid boiled veggies, as they lose a ton of nutrition -- and taste! -- that way, but it's a good option as well.
Replace simple carbohydrates (like sugar, white bread, flour, etc) with complex carbohydrates (like legumes, brown rice, whole grains). Complex carbs are starchy and fiber-rich, which leave you feeling full longer, and are naturally low in fat and calories.
If you're a lacto-ovo vegetarian, these are great ways to get certain nutrients. However, don't depend on cheese and other calorie-dense foods.
Mustard is a fantastic condiment, as it's low in fat and calories. Either completely replace mayonnaise, which can be up to 80% fat, with a light version or, even better, replace entirely with mustard. If you can't help but slather mayo on your subs, there's also Vegenaise!
Drink a ton of water! Our bodies are more than half water, so it makes sense to keep up the water intake.
Below is a charted example for different meal options, provided by Mayo Clinic. When creating your own meal plans, keep in mind the lower fat, lower calorie options than can replace its higher-content counterparts.
High-fat, high-calorie meal option Low-fat, low-calorie meal option
Fried peppers, onions and tomatoes
Steamed peppers, onions and tomatoes
Vegetables stir-fried in 1/4 cup oil
Vegetables stir-fried in 1 tablespoon oil
If you have your own tips and tricks for vegetarian weight loss, let me know in the comments. Good luck if you're on the same bandwagon, and here's to a happy, healthy new year!
