Does being a vegetarian make you gain weight?

The Borg

If you eat fish you're not a vegetarian. Many fish are not low in fat, it's just a better source of fat than red meat. Dairy products can add extra fat as well. Try reading any books by Dr. Gary Null. You can find his books on ******. They helped me.

Tired74

Hello,

I am not a vegetarian. I misunderstood this for a long time -- thinking vegetables - sure healthy and yes, you'd lose weight. People may not eat meat for a variety of reasons - and people who eat meat will not necessarily gain weight. I have known heavy set vegetarians and thin vegetarians. The key is moderation. Vegetarians eat a lot of beans and rice, and if in excess beans are healthy but again anything in excess can make you gain weight.

veganhedonist

hi,
i'm vegan. i don't eat lots of beans or lots of rice. i was vegetarian for 11 years and during that time i lost some weight and gained some. i've been vegan for a year and i lost 70 pounds without even trying (hint: i'm still typing, therefore i could afford to lose that much and i'm not by any means paper thin now). plant-based foods are 100% free of cholesterol (which you don't need because your body produces its own), low in fat especially dangerous saturated fat, high in nutrition, and you get everything you need from them. yes, even protein, i swear. oh, and they're yummy and don't involve the animal suffering of modern farming ( [URL=http://www.factoryfarming.org for more )

[This message has been edited by veganhedonist (edited 05-01-2003).]

Teressa64

Do you eat a lot of cheese?

Magpiezoe

Hello, I agree that you are not a vegetarian. You are a seafood person. Is the fish deep fried or pan fried? You also might want to look at what you're snacking on and how much you're eating. Is it possible you could post a typical day's menu, to make it easier to try and figure out where the weight is coming from? Dairy products do have a lot of fat, but you can still have them...just not huge quanties. 8 oz. of whole milk has 9 grams of total fat...1 oz. of regular cheese has (About the size of two die.) is around 13+ grams of total fat...1 oz. of light cheese is 4.5 grams of total fat...and lite string cheese is 2.5 grams of total fat. Any type of oil is 16 grams of total fat. Regular dressings can be 9-23 total grams of fat per tablespoon.

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Magpie

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Magpie

arkie6

How much sugar and starchy carbohydrate foods (refined grain products, breads, pasta, rice, corn, potatoes, cakes, cookies, snack foods, etc.) are you eating? Those can really pack the pounds on unless you exercise extensively. Virtually all carbohydrates other than fiber eventually end up in your bloodstream as sugar which then must either be burned immediately or it is converted into triglycerides (fat) in your liver for storage. Plus, diets high in easily digested carbohydrates tend to elevate insulin levels which further promotes fat storage and inhibits fat loss.

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The tragedy of science is the slaying of a beautiful hypothesis by an ugly fact. T H Huxley

veganhedonist

I'm not sure if the question about cheese was for me, but since it was after my post I'll answer. I don't eat any cheese. I avoid all animal products: meat, poultry and fish, dairy (milk, cheese, ice cream), eggs, honey, gelatin, etc.

Instead of these I use soy, rice, oat, or almond milk. I make my own cheese sauces, alfredo sauces etc. with nutritional yeast. I *love* soy ice cream (especially soy delicious). There are about a dozen ways to replace eggs in recipes, and great tofu-omelettes are easier than egg omelettes to make. Pretty much you name the food and I've got an alternative I like just as well.

[This message has been edited by veganhedonist (edited 05-02-2003).]

Magpiezoe

Hello Veganh., Can I have your recipe for the alfredo sauce please? I only know how to make cheese out of cashews.

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Magpie

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Magpie

MeggyGrl

I really think its cause I seem to think its an excuse to eat all those junky things instead of meat I guess. But I am not a vegetarian anymore, and I have seem to not be gaining any weight. This summer I am going on a diet too!