I need to lose weight, will becoming a vegan be the answer?

Question

Oh and if you can tell me what kind of stuff i should stay away from please tell me. Any people who want to tell their stories about losing weight, please do.

Answer 1

it can defiantly help, assuming you arent eating potato chips or candies that are vegan all day long :) veganism is a lifestyle, and you really need to want to live this way to stick to it, i only say it like this cause 1. its more of a state of mind and 2.we live in a meat eaters world so it can make it difficult to stick to. but that doesnt mean you shouldnt become one! :) stay away from poultry, FISH (its meat!), meat and animal byproducts (gelatin, whey, and casein) i lost ten pounds once i went vegan though i don't eat sweets, chips and try to stay away from really processed foods. you can email me if you'd like to know what i eat on a daily basis or if you want more info :)

Answer 2

Being vegan is an ethical choice. It's not just about what you eat. It's about the clothes you wear, the products you use, and an opposition to the exploitation of animals. Is that you?

If not, I suppose you could become a strict vegetarian who doesn't eat dairy or eggs, and yes, you'd probably lose weight at first. Mostly because you would probably just eliminate animal products from your diet without replacing them with their proper equivalents. If you have some minor food allergy or intolerance to one of these foods, you might shed "false weight" when you remove the offending food from your diet. I did, because I'm allergic to dairy.

But eventually, your body will crave what it needs and you'll be eating the same amount of calories as you did before in some form or another. And you can even gain weight. Trust me. I had a vegan housemate in college and she definitely gained the Freshman 15. I, myself, have gained weight at various times while eating a vegan diet.

Weight loss is about a simple equation of calories consumed and calories burnt. You need to burn more than you consume to lose weight. That is all. That is how every weight-loss diet works, whether they're low carb, vegan, or cabbage soup. There are plenty of vegan foods that are calorie dense.

If you want to lose weight, check out Glamour's Body by Glamour plan. You can sign up online, and it's simple, effective, safe, and free. If you want something more involved (if you have a lot of weight to use), I would suggest seeing a doctor, or signing up to a weight loss group. Might I suggest eDiets.com. They have many different diet plans, so you can choose which one is best for you, and they have a veggie plan as well. They do charge for the plan, however.

Good luck. :-)

Answer 3

I lost some weight when I became a vegan, and I think it is because my main source of fat and calories used to come from dairy and all kinds of cakes and cookies that contain eggs, dairy and refined sugar.

Now my diet consists mainly of (all kinds of) vegetables, mushrooms, beans, lentils and whole grain bread that I prepare myself, and that way I know exactly how much oil I put in.
I dont eat white refined sugar either, so that eliminates LOTS of bad food. Instead of unhealthy sweets I eat lots of fresh and dried fruit, nuts and seeds...

With this kind of healthy diet I find it impossible to gain weight even though I eat a lot and I never starve myself. Most of all I feel great, better than ever, and I dont get sick like I used to.

I used to be on many crazy diets when I was younger just to keep the same weight (let alone lose it!) and it's funny how I can eat so much now, and really enjoy food and still be slim. I only wish I knew this when I was 15.

If you want to lose weight healthy vegan diet + some exercise would be a great combination. Learn to cook, that way you can avoid unhealthy ingredients, and it's so much fun experimenting with food! There are so many vegan recipes on the net, so have a look.

Answer 4

OK, you likely don't need to lose weight, but need to lose fat. So, do some exercise. Why do you think diet will do the trick? Sure, eat better, eat whole foods, eat quality stuff, that will be great for you, but if you just want to be thinner, exercise. You can eat whatever you want if you just exercise enough. You will gain muscle and muscle weighs more than fat, so throw the scale out the window and look in the mirror... exercise is the key. Being on a quality vegan diet would also benefit your exercising, weight, and health in general.

Answer 5

You shouldn't become a vegan just to lose weight, but some people do it all the time. It won't matter if you have an unhealthy vegan lifestyle. But, if you eat healthy, it'll work. I became a vegan and in the first 2 months, I lost 30 pounds. Everything I ate was healthy though. Now, I'm still a vegan, and I tend to eat alot of junkfood, but I'm no longer losing weight. Which, isn't surprising, because junk food isn't good.
Eliminating dairy and meat will definitely show in a matter of months! It's healthier!
But, being a vegan is very hard; harder than people think it is, which is why alot of people give up on it.

My advice, if you really want to go vegan, goodluck, it's hard, Try it out for awhile, and if you like it, than continue on. You'll feel and BE healthier. Not just because of weight loss, but you'll feel better as a whole! Think about it before you make that decision. Alright?

Good luck!

Answer 6

I tried to be a vegetarian once and at the time it did not help. But a lot of people have been helped by it. The oily foods are what to stay away from. It is good to measure the salad dressing for instance and to measure the amount of oil used for cooking. It is good to use alternative types of oil too if you are not allergic and if it is possible. Butter is fatty for instance. Some types of vegetables are good for calcium, like broccoli. Vegetarians look for the good things in all types of products. I am no longer a vegetarian but I got away with it for a month a long time ago. Then I quit it.

Answer 7

I used to be a vegan, you don't necessary lose weight by that way. I actually gained weights. I am now on the oatmeal diets. I substitute oatmeal for breakfast and lunch. It turns out really great I lost about 5-8 lbs or maybe it is do to fact that school is stressing me out. You should keep a food diary!! It is really interesting to know what you put in your body.

Answer 8

I lived with STRICT vegan girls and they couldn't shed what they already had on (chunky girls) but, they didn't gain anymore either and they were remarking to their friends that the weight gain almost automatically stopped (wouldn't shut up about it :-P )

I was vegetarian at that time and lemme tell ya, it is TRICKY to maintain that diet because I didn't know you had to replace the meat with other proteins, of which i didn't know at the time. I lost muscle tissue and got dizzy a lot, so after 2 yrs I quit. A nutritionist should set up a nice diet regimen for you, just don't 'wing it'.

Answer 9

No. Speaking to your doctor about whether you should lose weight and how much is the first step. Ask him for a referral to a registered dietitian and an exercise plan. Being a vegan is hard on your body if you don't know what you're doing, and isn't necessarily a weight-loss plan.

Answer 10

Trust me, being vegan is not easy. I gave up being vegan after 3 weeks and just became vegetarian instead. It can be a way to lose weight, but mostly it isn't. You might be more hungry by not eating meat, dairy, and eggs so you could eat more carbs and junk food such as chips. Plus, your body will be deprived of certain vitamins and nutrients if you don't find a perfect substitute for what you are not eating. If I were you, stick to Weight Watchers or eating less junk food. It will be easier, trust me.