what's a good way to stay a vegetarian w/out becoming too underweight?

Question

and gaunt looking?
I notice this in woodstock ny all the time. granted some of their lifestyles may be healthier (if done PROPERLY)
but have seen too many that look severely underweight, malnutritioned, w/hollow gaunt like faces. They look very unhappy.
was thinking of becoming a vegan but don't want to spoil my life

Answer 1

you can still eat plenty of carbs, which will keep you plump (pasta, breads, crackers). Dairy has a good number of calories in it as well...and its delicious. Eggs, beans, and nuts (peanut butter, almonds, walnuts) are all good sources of protein and healthy fats. Soy (soy milk, tofu) will also be a good source of nutrition. You can also take whey protein supplements. It is pretty easy to stay healthy as a vegetarian.

Answer 2

I would do what you need to do to stay healthy, vegetarian or not. A visit with a nutritionist or doctor is a good idea. This is just my case and does not represent all vegans/vegetarians: I was a little underweight myself before I became vegan and lost more weight. I am now vegetarian and have gained some of that weight back. My advice, other than seeing a professional, would be to cut out the least amount of foods as possible. Also make sure you replace what you cut out. I have been eating a ton of nut butter in between meals and I think that has helped. Too bad there isn't as much focus on people who want to gain weight as opposed to losing.

Answer 3

I echo the last answer. I've been mostly vegan since I was 13 (over 18 years) and I'm built like a football player. I'm 6' 3" and have to watch what I eat and exercise to keep my weight from getting too much over 200lbs! I have no problem finding more than enough tasty and tempting food everyday without meat, milk, or eggs.

Answer 4

You gotta be kidding! I've eaten veg (but not vegan) for 35 years, and believe me, being underweight is definitely NOT my problem! In fact, very few vegetarians, and I've known lots and lots of them, are underweight.
Maybe the people you are seeing are making other unhealthy life-style choices. But most vegetarians are quite health conscious--- and even vegans are generally very thin only if they are into fasting or following a very restricted diet.
How would you imagine eating dead animal bodies would make you happy and/or healthy?
For the sake of the planet, for the sake of your health, and for the sake of the suffering animals, I urge you to become (or stay) vegetarian. The only argument one can legitimately support for eating meat is that it tastes good to them. Is that enough reason for doing something so harmful?

Answer 5

I have to say that as a vegetarian, I am more in danger of being overweight than under! Carbs are very tempting, but I have to remember to eat things with protein and necessary vitamins. As long as you eat a balanced diet, your face should remain bright and full, and your hair shiny.
If you are worried about something specific--like your ability to focus on things--then check out a medical encyclopedia to see what vitamins/minerals--like iron--and what foods you can get iron in--spinach, grapefruit, cereal...

Answer 6

I was a vegan for years, and never became underweight. It's important to get plenty of protein, carbs, and take a multivitamin made for vegetarians.

Answer 7

I'm a vegetarian and I'm definitely not frail looking. I'm normal. All you have to do is make sure you get all of your nutrients. If a vegetarian is unhealthy looking then something else is wrong. Not the fact that they don't eat meat, but maybe something they are doing wrong like starving themselves or not eating right.

Answer 8

I would suggest eating carbs still, and finding vegan sources of protein. Part of the lifestyle depends on whether or not you will still eat things like eggs, cheese, milk, etc. that come from an animal. On the other hand, fruits and veggies are still living things, and they are still being killed for food, you just can't hear them scream. Does that really make a vegan lifestyle justifiable based on that reasoning only? Just food for thought.

Answer 9

I've gained a healthy amount of weight since becoming vegan. I just eat a wide variety of foods and make sure I'm getting all the nutrients, calories, fat, etc. that I need.

Answer 10

My family is vegetarian, and we have friends who are also vegetarian and none of us are gaunt or underweight (we look and feel great!).
Alot of people who become vegetarian do it because they want to loose weight and often starve themselves, and what they do eat is low in nutrition. To be a proper vegetarian you should plenty of fresh(uncooked)
fruits and veggies every day, eat whole grain foods (not white) nuts, seeds (flax seed in realy good for you), legumes, some dairy and some eggs. Fruit is the most easy food your body can digest and makes a great start to your day. I eat lots of fruit in the morning, I love fruit smoothies with soy milk. A lunch I love to have is a whole grain tortilla wrap filled with head lettuce, green peppers, cucumber, tomatoe, cooked or canned chick peas, then I put a salid dressing of my choice. And if you still like to have dairy and eggs, hard boiled eggs and chedder slices tast good in it too. You can also use mayo and mustard, salt, pepper. I have many many different foods I love to make, I am glad to have become vegetarian and when I use up all my dairy/eggs in freezer/fridge I hope to stay vegan as much as I can (=.

I feel very healthy, I love to exercise and keep fit, I am full of energy, hardly ever sick. I will never go back... not with all the good reasons to be vegetarian/vegan!

Here are some more things to make you feel better and safer about vegetarianism.

MYTH: "Vegetarians get little protein."

FACT: Plant foods offer abundant protein. Vegetables are around 23% protein on average, beans 28%, grains 13%, and even fruit has 5.5%. For comparison, human breast milk is only 5% (designed for the time in our lives when our protein needs are as high as they'll ever be). The US Recommended Daily Allowance is 8%, and the World Health Organization recommends 4.5%, infact most american eat too much protein. If this is not enough proof then tell me how a calf can get enough protien to grow from 100pounds at birth to over 1000punds in less than 2 years on a grass/grain diet?

MYTH: "Milk is necessary for strong bones."

FACT: McDougall: "Where does a cow or an elephant get the calcium needed to grow its huge bones? From plants, of course. Only plants. … People in Asia and Africa who consume no milk products after they're weaned from their mother's breast grow perfectly healthy skeletons in the normal size for their race. A consistent conclusion published in the scientific literature is clear: Calcium deficiency of dietary origin is unknown in humans. Dairy products contain large amounts of animal proteins. This excess protein removes calcium from the body by way of the kidneys. Knowing the physiological effects on calcium metabolism of eating excess protein explains why societies with the highest intakes of meat and dairy products--the United States, England, Israel, Finland, and Sweden--also show the highest rates of osteoporosis, the disease of bone-thinning."

If you eat right you will look quite right too! Take vitamins if you are concerned, do lots of research, take a look at the websites people have posted for you.

And Happy holidays!