Does anybody actually lose weight by becoming a vegetarian?

Question

I know that pretty much everyone gains it because they start eating tons of carbs, but has anyone lost weight by becoming vegetarian? If so, what did you eat and did you maintain that weight loss with a vegetarian diet?

Thanks!

Answer 1

I lost 35 pounds after going vegan.

Don't fear the carbs.  Atkins is dead.  

Answer 2

I've been able to loose and then maintain my weight with a vegan (no dairy or eggs) diet: legumes, beans (including tofu), complex carbs (brown rice and whole-wheat pasta/bread), nuts, whole grains, good oils, fruits and tons of raw/steam veggies.  Of course, all in good moderation (portion-control) and exercise is key!!!

Answer 3

Me & my wife do. Vegetarians are healthier because the average vegetarian is lighter than the average meat eater in Britain. You are from which country anyway?

Answer 4

fat is what makes you gain weight. carbs only turn into fat if you are inactive and done move.  if you lead a healthy lifestyle, whether you are vegetarian or a meat eater, you should not be overweight.  

Answer 5

I am not sure, I have been a vegan my entire life and really don't eat a lot of carbs and I still have a little "junk in the trunk" possibly becuase nuts and avacados are literally their own food group and I eat a lot of coconut milk curries.

An unhealthy diet can still be a meat free diet.

Answer 6

you dont always have to eat a lot of carbs...

Answer 7

My friend became a vegetarian and she gain a lot of weight instead. She didn't eat that much carb but instead she ate alot of sweets, junks and greasy food such as chips, french fries, and tempura (deep fried vegetables).

Try not to eat junk and stick with raw fruits and vegetables. A little carb dont hurt that much.

Answer 8

i lost weight.

being vegetarian you don't have to eat lots of carbs its actually better to have more variety of fruits and veggies. of course you'll gain weight if all you eat is junk food cause your too lazy to make food. what i suggest is make a meal one night but do more than you can eat and just eat the left overs during the week. to maintain weight just make sure you eat around 1600 calories a day and then based on how much calories your burning excerising add those to that.

Answer 9

no... try light yogurt and less oil food

Answer 10

It just depends what you eat. if you just eat junk food you will gain weight but if you eat mostly healthy stuff you will lose weight.

Answer 11

No. Eating vegetables only is not the way to lose weight. You can have fried vegetables and they do as much harm. Portion size, exercise, and balanced lifestyle is how to lose weight. I was a vegetarian for years under the belief that it would help with my diet but I ended up having to take massive vitamins because I wasn't getting the nutrients I normally do from food. Here's a way to lose weight. When you go out to eat, cut everything in half. Eat one portion VERY slowly. This will let your body tell you when it's actually full. Save the other half. Go for a walk. If in two hours, you are still hungry, eat the other half. Repeat. You will 1. Get your meals in a timely manner (Most people eat every 4-6 hours regular meals) 2. Give your body time to adjust to eating less. 3. Shrink your stomachs intake ability and 4. program your body to understand that it does not need to get all of it's nutrients in one shot.

Answer 12

I lost about 10 pounds after switching from omnivore to vegan. But that's not why I became vegan, and being vegetarian/vegan is no guarantee of losing weight.

Answer 13

Yeah, you do not have to substitute meat for carbs. If you keep the carbs to reasonable portions and replace the meat for other sources of protein (like beans, hummus and tofu) and load up on veggies, you'll lose weight in no time.

And don't forget to work out!

Examples of meals:

Regular spaghetti and meat sauce= whole wheat pasta (1/2 cup), pasta sauce and a ton of veggies (you can add meatless meatballs if you want)

Regular Chili and cornbread= veggie 3-bean chili, SMall piece of cornbread and fruit

Answer 14

No, I always gain because I tend to crave and eat more sweet stuff, I think caused by the lack of vitamins in a vegetarian diet

Answer 15

Well it all depends. If you become a vegetarian but eat a lot of food, you may maintain your weight or even gain weight. If you substitute meat with more carbohydrates than you should have (lots of rice, potatoes, bread, pastries) then you may also gain weight. The key to losing weight as a vegetarian is to up the amount of vegetables and fruits you eat. They have great live enzymes that help speed up the metabolism. Don't be afraid to eat carbs, but balance it out with plenty of fresh produce.

Answer 16

I did, but only after I fell off the wagon. I did a semester abroad and dropped the veggie thing after while. I gained a lot of weight. I lost it all after going vegetarian again and watching my intake of refined carbs, plus adding exercise.

Vegetarianism certainly can help you lose weight if you are choosing sensible alternatives to meat.

I just ate normally and continue to do so. I mean, my "bad" diet was abnormal. If you're looking to lose weight, quadruple the amount of water you eat and double the amount of fresh produce. Eat the veggies and fruit (especially raw) before anything else. Then stop eating when you're no longer hungry.