I stopped eating meat 5 days ago (question for vegetarians)...?

Question

...and I've noticed that my belly's gotten flatter in the last 2 days or so. I haven't been eating fewer calories. Any vegetarians out there who have had this experience? If you became vegetarian as an adult, did you lose weight as a happy side effect?

Answer 1

It's probably just coincidence. Five days isn't enough time for your body to really "adjust" to the new diet.

Proteins are digested more slowly than carbs & fats, but they're not going to sit around in your digestive track for days! The "meat in the intestine" comments are nonsense. You can't have food in your intestines any longer than the amount of time from when you ate your last meal to when you last deficated. It's like a train. When one car gets pushed out, the next one moves in. They don't "sit around waiting" to be digested. Besides, a pound of meat in your intestine is not going to make your stomach look noticibly larger.

As far as losing weight, I've been a vegetarian for almost four years, and really it makes no difference unless your vegetarian diet is noticably healthier than your meat based diet. As a vegetarian, you can still eat vast amounts of fattening foods (candy, dairy, soda, cakes) and easily consume as many calories. In fact, sometimes you can end up getting fatter because vegetarians often substitute junky high calorie foods in place of lean meat, fish or poultry, which have little fat.

Your goal should be to eat a BALANCED diet with proteins from non-meat sources (soy, nuts, seeds, cheese (if you're ovo-lacto) beans, peas, legumes, etc), complex carbs from vegetables, whole wheats, barley, lentils, sugars from fruits & juices, and avoid fried foods, simple/processed sugars, white bread, and keep alcohol & sweets to a minimum.

One of the big myths about vegetarianism is the protein myth. In the US, nobody dies from protein deficiency, they die from "protein overdose" - too much cholesterol from eating fatty meat products, bacon, cheese, milk, eggs, etc. As long as you eat a good variety of the foods I mentioned above, you will get all the amino acids you need.

There are only two supplements a vegetarian MUST take. If you do not eat eggs or egg products, you need to get omega-3 fatty acids from a source like flaxseed oil, or bread made with flax seed. The other things is vitamin B-12. This is only found in meat products, so you need to take a vitamin supplement with B-12 or foods fortified with this vitamin. If you ate meat before, your body has stored B-12, and it would take years before you would suffer any deficiency, even if you didn't take supplements. The body uses B-12 very slowly.

Basically, your weight is a factor of how many calories you consume, and how many you burn. Regardless of what foods comprise the calories, if you consume more calories than you burn, you will gain weight. If you burn more than you consume, you will lose weight. The weight you lose will be determined by your activities. Muscle is lost when the body needs fuel, and there are no carbs available. Fat is burned only under extended aerobic exercise, (at least 30-40 minutes) so the key to losing fat weight is to eat complex carbs an hour or two before exercise so your blood sugar levels are maintained throughout the exercise period, and your body doesn't have to burn excessive muscle protein for energy. Also, a number of small meals throughout the day is better than 2 or 3 large ones. Think of a bird or animal that spends it's day foraging for seeds or nuts, and you'll be on the right track.

To illustrate, take these two examples. A long distance runner will have little fat, but will have very lean, taught muscles because the body requires the muscles to perform the activity of running. It uses all the fat stores for energy. As long as a runner eats enough calories, they will always stay lean and muscular, but never be overweight.

A malnourished (starving) person will have no fat, but will also have little muscle, because the body will use as much protein as it can for fuel without rendering the person unable to move, and then it will use all the fat stores.

A vegetarian should strive to be like a long-distance runner... use your muscles everyday (exercise) and eat a healthy, balanced diet for energy. Being slightly underweight is actually advantageous, and statistically, underweight people live a little longer.

If you look at our ancestors who were hunter/gatherers, they basically spent their days walking while gathering, and running while hunting. This is what our bodies were evolved to do, so mimicing this lifestyle will afford you the best health.

Answer 2

When you become vegetarian its all about complete proteins. There is a lot of research and reading that need to be done to find the right mix of complete proteins.
Losing your "belly" doesn't necessarily mean your wasting away because your starved, you just have to make sure your getting all your proper nutrients. Many new vegetarians keep the diets they used to have and don't explore new vegetables that could be delicious and have just never tried them. Where as I've have friends that go "vegetarian" and only eat mashed potatoes.
Becoming a vegetarian doesn't necessarily make your diet bland either. There are so many great foods out there that are vegetarian and cooking for yourself it is so easy to find recipes. i recommend trying to find a book that explains all the proteins and vitamins that most vegetarians and vegans normally lack and trying to find recipes that meet those needs.
Good Luck!

Answer 3

Eating less meat will help your digestion and I think that is good. I was vegetarian for about two years and lost a little weight but nothing substantial. I noticed changes in digestion mainly. Today, I try to balance my diet and include some meat but not as much as most people eat. Only on occasions I will eat some meat but mostly vegetarian. I do think some meat is healthy just not as much as most Americans eat.

Answer 4

You no longer have meat in your large intestines trying to digest. You may also notice that you have more bowel movements than usually because you are digesting your food easily and out it comes faster.
Also the toxins that are in the meat makes your body hold alot more water than what you want. So if the meat is stuck in your large intestines then you will have water retention there. Thus, you have a flatter lower abdomen (not really your stomache that is the organ right below your sternum) when the meat is not there anymore.
Congrats! You may notice alot more happy side effects. And think of all the peace you are not only bringing to your body, but to the world also.

Answer 5

Last year I became a vegetarian and lost 30 pounds from June to November ... I also gave up all alcohol.

Answer 6

I have always been a vegetarian but I do know that meat slows your digestion down a whole lot....so that would make sense. You will feel a lot better too! :)

Answer 7

Yes, you can lose weight, but you must be careful to replace the protein and iron that you will not be taking in. Vegetarianism can be a healthy lifestyle, but only if you're careful to make up for the nutrients you'll be missing.

Answer 8

I did not become one as an adult, but I read on peta adults do. Oh, yeah. One comment 4 new vegs. Vitamin B comes from meat. The veg way to get it is marmite, yeast extract. Smells gross, tastes strong, but its healthy.

Answer 9

Wishful thinking

Answer 10

Eating a good nutritious diet will help your body to loose weight if you need to. And will make you feel a lot better. Check out this great site with healthy living and healthy nutrition information.
http://www.recipes-for-a-healthy-home.com/nutrition.html