I’d be interested in any diet advice you might have for the vegan-aspiring. I went vegetarian as a teenager with plans to go vegan eventually. Instead I quit after a year for reasons similar to yours: I lost weight like crazy and hated the food I was eating.
Sure thing! The best solution I find for the calorie deficit is to drink some calories. I like to drink Huel these days, but soy milk is a cheap alternative. It's also high in protein and calcium. You can get it flavoured too.
I'd recommend swapping to wholegrain versions of your carbs. Getting used to eat wholegrain bread and pasta is a really easy way to get loads of nutrients, protein, and calories. They become your norm, so it almost feels like cheating.
It's also handy learning how to make tofu properly (it's my favourite protein source now). I can send you a great and easy miso recipe if you want. Other proteins I like are
- Plant based meats
- Lentils
- Tempeh
- Beans
Really all you need to do is make the food you already make, but swap out a few ingredients. If you keep in mind why you're doing it, it's easier to stay on track - before you know it, you'll probably find animal products off putting. Feel free to DM any time if you have any questions!
Hahaha, yeah you'd think! In my case, I was already slim, so it was detrimental. It's easier to lose weight on a vegan diet because it's usually low in fat, so your food tends to be less calorically dense. Even a small deficit left unchecked can have a big impact after a few months
Relatedly I was shocked when I finally realized that a can of chickpeas is about 600 calories just on its own. (yes I eat a whole can in one sitting doesn’t everyone?)
I’d be interested in any diet advice you might have for the vegan-aspiring. I went vegetarian as a teenager with plans to go vegan eventually. Instead I quit after a year for reasons similar to yours: I lost weight like crazy and hated the food I was eating.
Sure thing! The best solution I find for the calorie deficit is to drink some calories. I like to drink Huel these days, but soy milk is a cheap alternative. It's also high in protein and calcium. You can get it flavoured too.
I'd recommend swapping to wholegrain versions of your carbs. Getting used to eat wholegrain bread and pasta is a really easy way to get loads of nutrients, protein, and calories. They become your norm, so it almost feels like cheating.
It's also handy learning how to make tofu properly (it's my favourite protein source now). I can send you a great and easy miso recipe if you want. Other proteins I like are
- Plant based meats
- Lentils
- Tempeh
- Beans
Really all you need to do is make the food you already make, but swap out a few ingredients. If you keep in mind why you're doing it, it's easier to stay on track - before you know it, you'll probably find animal products off putting. Feel free to DM any time if you have any questions!
Rogan doesn't understand causation versus correlation. Great essay
Thanks! I appreciate it
It’s weird that losing too much weight is an issue for some people. Haven’t they heard of chips and French fries? 😁
Hahaha, yeah you'd think! In my case, I was already slim, so it was detrimental. It's easier to lose weight on a vegan diet because it's usually low in fat, so your food tends to be less calorically dense. Even a small deficit left unchecked can have a big impact after a few months
You can always just do shots of olive oil for easy calories (this might have been my strategy in grad school when I was trying to gain weight)
Lol I've tried that! I'm okay now though, near the top of my bulk actually. The fun is almost over
I wish I had this problem.
Relatedly I was shocked when I finally realized that a can of chickpeas is about 600 calories just on its own. (yes I eat a whole can in one sitting doesn’t everyone?)