Vegetarian

[jediactor]

HI! I am a vegetarian and I am 15 years old. Since I became a vegetarian two months ago, I have gained 20 POUNDS! :eek: Does anyone know how I can lose weight while still on a vegetarian diet in a family that eats a lot of meat?? HELP!

[tetaelzbieta]

What've you been eating?

[Quiet Tempest]

I'm not a vegetarian, but I figured I'd try to help you out. I found a message board with a teen in a similar situation:


Being A Vegetarian / Question
Published: June 16, 2005

Dear TeenHealthFX,


I am 16 and i have stopped growing. I am a vegetarian and anaemic (not severe) and take no supplements. I am bigger than everyone I know (my BMI is high in the overweight zone) and over the last 6 months have been eating a balanced diet (that my health will allow), excersising regularly everyday to lose weight - i dont want to go the slim fast route but i'm worried. Since starting this, I have not only not lost weight but gained about a stone* (im wierd (and english) and cant use pounds -sorry!). I know this isnt normal and its really getting me down; i am more stressed than normal because i have huge exams this summer that determine my life but this shouldnt make me put on weight if i have been following a regular diet and excersise should it? I dont know what to do, and i would like to lose this weight now more than ever - please help!!



* A stone equals 14 pounds


Signed: A Gaining Vegetarian


Dear A Gaining Vegetarian,



Between stress, exams, anemia, being a vegetarian, weight gain/loss and trying to eat healthy, it sounds like you have a lot going on.



Because you are a vegetarian it is important for you to remember that you need to get the protein and other nutrients your body needs from nonanimal sources. Some vegetarians do eat dairy products and eggs (lacto-vegetarians), while others adhere strictly to an all plant foods with no animal products (vegans). Vegans are usually the group of vegetarians that may become anemic. You said that you are not on any supplements, so it may be time to start thinking about them. Vitamins such as folic acid and B12 are plentiful in animal products and vegetarians often do not get enough in their diets, thereby becoming anemic. Low iron is another cause of anemia and likely to occur in vegetarians. You should make an appointment with your doctor so he/she can determine exactly how anemic you are and make suggestions on appropriate supplements for your needs. It would also be a good idea to visit a nutritionist who specializes in vegetarianism who can help you set up an appropriate diet.



Regarding the weight gain, healthy diet and exercise do burn excess calories and help you maintain appropriate weight for your height. FX is concerned that you are gaining weight while eating healthy and exercising. It could simply be a misunderstanding of what eating healthy actually is or what is appropriate exercise or there could be a medical reason behind this. Therefore in addition to checking the anemia, it is a good idea for your doctor to do a complete check-up to make sure your body is working, as it should.



You also mentioned that you are having a lot of stress in your life right now. With important exams coming up, feeling stressed out is totally understandable. One of the best stress busters is to talk about it with a friend, teacher or parent. Also, take time out of each day to do something nice for you, whether it is listening to music, hanging out with your friends or basically doing anything that you enjoy. Make sure that you get enough sleep, at least 8 hours a night. Lack of sleep will only magnify your stress and decrease your body?s state of well-being.



Sometimes stress can become unmanageable and lead to feeling of depression. If your stress is overwhelming, it may be a good idea to talk about it with your doctor when you go. Depending on your situation, he/she may refer you to a therapist who can help you find ways to reduce your stress level.



It is important to note that stress could be a factor in the way your body is reacting to food. Stress can interfere with your body?s metabolism by slowing it down. Stress can also make you want to eat more. Frequent snacking for example can give you more calories that lead to weight gain because your metabolism slows down. This is especially true if the snacks you are eating are unhealthy.

Signed: TeenHealthFX


I hope that helps?

[jediactor]

I'm not a vegetarian, but I figured I'd try to help you out. I found a message board with a teen in a similar situation:




I hope that helps?


Thank you SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much! That helps me so much! BTW could you tell me where you found that? Thank Again!!!! :D :D :D

[jediactor]

Thank you SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much! That helps me so much! BTW could you tell me where you found that? Thank Again!!!! :D :D :D


I have been eating anything and everything not-meat. I do eat eggs and dairy and I try not to eat much breads and pastas, but it is really hard in a family that eats a lot of meat.

[Quiet Tempest]

Oh! I meant to leave the URL in that post. Here ya go:
http://www.teenhealthfx.com/answers/Sports/16311.html

[Pie]

I'm a 13, 14 this August, and I'm a vegetarian as well. At first I was hungry all the time, mainly cause I was just eating salads all day. I did a lot of reading, though, and now I'm healthier than I've ever been. Try starting out the day with a decent sized bowl of cereal (cheerios, special k, total are good) with milk and a banana or berries, and for lunch a sandwich with whole wheat bread and cheese and veggies and such. Whole wheat & grains will keep you full longer. If you feel snacky, grapes are good. Not that you can't eat chips and stuff, but if you're trying to lose weight...
Oh! And I've also discovered the magic of *Veggie Bugers*! And veggie hot dogs, veggie bacon, veggie breakfast sausage, etc. I suggest Morning Star Farms. They have some tasty stuff ^^ . Stay away from Bocca Burgers, though. Ick. :eek:

[jediactor]

I'm a 13, 14 this August, and I'm a vegetarian as well. At first I was hungry all the time, mainly cause I was just eating salads all day. I did a lot of reading, though, and now I'm healthier than I've ever been. Try starting out the day with a decent sized bowl of cereal (cheerios, special k, total are good) with milk and a banana or berries, and for lunch a sandwich with whole wheat bread and cheese and veggies and such. Whole wheat & grains will keep you full longer. If you feel snacky, grapes are good. Not that you can't eat chips and stuff, but if you're trying to lose weight...
Oh! And I've also discovered the magic of *Veggie Bugers*! And veggie hot dogs, veggie bacon, veggie breakfast sausage, etc. I suggest Morning Star Farms. They have some tasty stuff ^^ . Stay away from Bocca Burgers, though. Ick. :eek:

Cool, thanks a lot!

[Adelheid]

I hope you don't mind me asking . . . why are you guys vegetarians?

[BadRobot]

yeah i was vegitain for 4 years veegan for one and i highly recommend mournig star products they are very tasty . you get preatty much any thing from fake chicken nuggets to bacon although I wouldent recommend the bacon.

[Pie]

Oh, yes, I forgot about the veggie ckicken nuggets. Patties, too. ;)

I'm a vegetarian because i don't like thinking about slaughtered animlas while I'm eating, let alone thinking about and eating slaughtered animals. I know humans are omnivorious, it just grosses me out, is all.

[sawyer'sgirl]

vegitarians gain weight because they eat too many carbs and dont' get enough protein. protein is key to muscle buidling and if u don't have muscle you just get fat from the carbs. my aunt is a veggie too and she had the same problem. she just had to excercise using alot of cardio and she found other sources of protein. she's great now.

[BadRobot]

Bean's Bean's and more Bean's If your a vegi you should probaly have Beans with at least one meal a day. One of the reasons i decided to stop I like chicken a whole lot more than I like Beans

[Meli]

I'm not a vegetarian, but many vegetarians I know eat Fish because it gives you protein & the oils are good for your system, plus fish isn't as fattening as say Chicken or Beef. Or so I've heard. :p

[Pie]

vegitarians gain weight because they eat too many carbs and dont' get enough protein. protein is key to muscle buidling and if u don't have muscle you just get fat from the carbs. my aunt is a veggie too and she had the same problem. she just had to excercise using alot of cardio and she found other sources of protein. she's great now.
I never really got the low-carb/atkins diet thing. Stay away from bread, but eat as much meat/fat as you want and you'll be healthy? No offense, it just kind of irks me. Plus, docters say teenagers need carbs. They give you enery to burn. The last thing you want is an already cranky teenager with no energy. I don't keep track of carb intake at all and I'm fine ;)

I'm not a vegetarian, but many vegetarians I know eat Fish because it gives you protein & the oils are good for your system, plus fish isn't as fattening as say Chicken or Beef. Or so I've heard.
Well...they aren't vegetarians than. Fish is meat ya know. If ya want to eat fish, more power to ya, but...*shrug*

[ELCBRoxMySox]

i wish i had to will power to become a vegetarian! i really do, but i am awful and have cravings for meat... but thanks for the healthy eating tips Pie, i will take those into consideration when i start my exercising and when i go to the fridge to get something to eat lol.. thanks a bunch and greta for those who are vegetarian you are brave souls.. and ghave very strong will power lol

[^Katilyn^]

I'm a total meat lover:) Meat meat meat meat meat meat meat meat....lol

[Pie]

i wish i had to will power to become a vegetarian! i really do, but i am awful and have cravings for meat... but thanks for the healthy eating tips Pie, i will take those into consideration when i start my exercising and when i go to the fridge to get something to eat lol.. thanks a bunch and greta for those who are vegetarian you are brave souls.. and ghave very strong will power lol
Wow...you're very welcome ^^;
I still get cravings for meat...but I write things like "Little piggies" and "babe" on my hand and that makes the cravings go away. :)

[jediactor]

Do you guys know where I can find that fake meat? I live in a small town in Oregon and I don't know where to find it.

[Pie]

I get mine at Giant Eagle. I'm sure other grocery stores have it, though..

[Cin]

I'm a vegetarian for almost 6 years now. After all these years I can't even stand the look and smell of meat. It really disgusts me! :eek:
A lot of people think vegetarism is a good way to loose weight, but it really isn't. But if you work out and eat healthy you start feeling amazing :)

Jediactor - I buy my vegetarian products (which are delicious btw) just in our local supermarket. I love products by 'Quorn'. They have a website with a search engine for stores in America where they sell Quorn products. I searched for stores in Oregon and they found 76 stores, so I hope there's one near you :) Check out the website: http://www.quorn.us

[jediactor]

I'm a vegetarian for almost 6 years now. After all these years I can't even stand the look and smell of meat. It really disgusts me! :eek:
A lot of people think vegetarism is a good way to loose weight, but it really isn't. But if you work out and eat healthy you start feeling amazing :)

Jediactor - I buy my vegetarian products (which are delicious btw) just in our local supermarket. I love products by 'Quorn'. They have a website with a search engine for stores in America where they sell Quorn products. I searched for stores in Oregon and they found 76 stores, so I hope there's one near you :) Check out the website: http://www.quorn.us


Cool. Thank You!

[Quiet Tempest]

I know the veggies on the board will disagree, but I don't like the veggie-"meat" products.. If I'm going to have a burger, I want the real thing hot off the grill. It just doesn't taste the same at all.

I know you guys don't like the idea of eating meat, and that's fine, but it's not for everyone.

[LarryDavid4Prez]

I'm a vegetarian as well...I don't mind some of the faux-meat products, but some are just :-/

It can be hard to keep down your weight w/o lean protein from meat, but I've found that you can replace that w/ soy.

Also, it's best to try and avoid filling the meat void w/ carbs...I've found that you have to get creative w/ fruits & veggies.

For me, it was fairly easy to stop eating meat...I stopped eating it gradually, first red meat, then poultry, then seafood, then eggs...it was easy b/c my family was already all vegetarians (many Indians are by culture), but on the other hand, they eat A LOT of carbs (mainly rice).

And while the smell or sight of meat doesn't turn me off (let's face it, I didn't quit eating it b/c it tasted bad, quite the contrary, I quit b/c of my ethical beliefs), I don't find myself missing it at all.

I'm finding out that there are more and more veggie alternatives in supermarkets & restaurants.

[Adelheid]

To be healthy you have to eat meat. You have to get that protein somehow. Eat a fish . . . I've heard peanut butter is good . . . HEY! A PB&J vegetarian that eats peanut butter! :rotflol:
But I don't think it's mean or wrong to eat meat - humans are supposed to eat it to survive. How do you think ancient people survived? Almost all they ate was meat. I am ssoooooooo addicted to meat! Chicken, beef, OMG, I LOVE beef! *drools* Yeah . . . not the right thing to say in a veggie topic . . . lol *runs away awkwardly*

[slackerwink]

I mostly eat organic poultry and wild fish and ever since the mad cow disease came to the US, and I believe that the cattle industry is keeping the real numbers about how many cows affected with Mad Cow under tabs so a large portion of the populace might be affected and not know it. I usually buy organic meat because it's grass-fed which means that the cows aren't fed any gross feeds full of antibiotics and hormones. There are some people that only buy meat if the animal has died of natural causes but they're in the minority. I figure it's safer for me to buy organic meat and fruits/veggies since I read about how young girls are maturing at earlier ages like at 9 with their menstrual flows after growing up eating hormone-laced fruit and veggies.

[Quiet Tempest]

slackerwink, I've read about girls "blossoming" earlier now because of hormones in milk.. the same hormones intended to make cows produce more milk are passed into the milk, which then gets into kids who usually have dairy products on a daily basis (icky)

[Shelly]

I am a vegeatrain too! All my family eats meat..It makes me sick .. and just thinking about it, and where it comes from *grose* but I still have some dairy products.

[slackerwink]

slackerwink, I've read about girls "blossoming" earlier now because of hormones in milk.. the same hormones intended to make cows produce more milk are passed into the milk, which then gets into kids who usually have dairy products on a daily basis (icky)

exactly. That's why I always buy organic milk. Plus, it tastes a lot better!