Vegetarian needs some help

Piercingpixxie

Wondering how can I lose weight I'm a vegetarian and I mainly eat a bunch of crappy pasta and veggies lol I need help any advice what should I be eating? I been thinking of going back to meat but my stomach won't let me

carlab44

I was a vegetarian for a number of years but now eat fish and seafood. It may be easier if you posted what a normal day of food looks like for you, and people could make recommendations of where you can make changes or cut back. My typical foods include:

Breakfast - Whole wheat English muffin with over easy egg, raw spinach and tomatoes. Or cereal (1 C. Cheerios and 1/2 C. granola) with half a banana and whatever berries we have on hand. Or overnight steel cut oats with banana and berries.

Lunch - Dinner leftovers. Or a wrap with veggies - cucumber, spinach, tomatoes, avocado, red onion - maybe cheese or a little mayo. Or some rice with black beans, a mixture of veggies, and Cholula hot sauce.

Snack - Cottage cheese with fruit. Or veggies (carrots and snap peas) with hummus. Or sliced apple with thinly sliced cheddar cheese.

Dinner - The varies A LOT. Tonight we had roasted broccoli and cauliflower with wild rice and scallops. We make a lot of salmon, fish tacos, some pasta, etc.

If you go to www.cookinglight.com you can search for recipes and filter them by those that are vegetarian.

nicolinab

Great advice above! I am vegan and I agree that at times, creativity in the menu planning can be hard. Some great resources for me are the Happy Herbivore cookbook (website, too), blogs - Fried Dandelions, OhSheGlows, ChicVegan, Chocolate Covered Katie (less threatening dessert ideas), Engine 2Diet... Also good ol' Betty Crocker has a vegetarian section!

I also make sure that when I pack my lunch for work or go somewhere, I pack only "good" stuff. If my only options all day for snacks are an apply, granola bar, and some mixed nuts...that's what I'll eat! Good luck.

queenieM

I am vegetarian and eat lots of beans, lentils, veggies, fruit, eggs, and whole grains.  I like my pasta too, but try not to eat it too much!  good resources in the post above - I use Happy Herbivore (most meals can be made in 20-45 minutes) and OhSheGlows a lot too.  I also like the Forks Over Knives cookbook.

 If I'm not feeling particularly creative but want a healthy and fulfilling meal, I'll make a grain (like quinoa, barley, farrow, something like that), then add lots of greens and other veggies.  I cook some up too, especially in winter when I want some warming foods (throw some cubed squash in the oven for a half hour), then I also add some nuts, dried fruit, beans, and seeds on top with a dressing - store-bought or homemade.

chevronseven

When you eat pasta is it 100% whole wheat? That should make a difference. Make sure you're not skipping meals, because that can actually hinder weight loss; your metabolism needs to stay consistent to burn fat. I definitely don't think going back to meat is the answer; many people switch to vegetarian to lose weight! And of course make sure you're exercising regularly. Good luck!

nightowl1989

Sounds like protein will be your friend here. Are you full up vegan or do you eat eggs or drink milk? Both of those are great ways to get some protein. Aside from that, there are some good protein shakes on the market nowadays. Look for natural sweeteners and ingredients, and lots of vitamins and minerals if you go that route.