New Member- Weight Gaining Question

[Lizzy]

Hi guys, I am new to this board, I also just posted another message in another section. I am semi vegitarian, interested in starting a vegan lifestyle. However, I have a 2 year old baby who is still nursing. I lost quite a bit of weight when he began nursing, and I was always slim in the first place. I have always been the type of person who loses weight easily. i'm worried that if i turned completely vegan , i would lose too much weight for my body size. However, the site of meat is beginning to repulse me, and I can't stop thinking about the animal, and what may have happened to him prior to him getting on my plate, and also of all the crap that they probably gave that animal that I would then be eating. So, for many reasons, I would like to adopt a vegan lifestyle, however, I would also like to keep a semi decent weight range. Does anyone know of any good books on what recipes or diets to adopt to keep weight on as a vegan?


thanks guys
Lizzy

[Erin Pavlina]

Well I wish I had YOUR problem. :)

I'm a vegan who tends towards being overweight, ever since I discovered the wonderful world of vegan junk food.

The best fat sources on a vegan diet are going to be olive oil, avocados, nuts, canola oil, flaxseed oil, etc.

The not-so-good-for-you fat sources are going to be margarine and the stuff found in vegan junk food.

A good book for nutrition would be Becoming Vegan (http://www.vegfamily.com/book-reviews/becoming-vegan.htm) by Brenda Davis and Vesanto Melina.

This book will help you make sure you're feeding yourself and your daughter correctly.

[Christa]

I don't have any other food suggestions at the moment, but did want to mention that I didn't lose any weight when I went from o/l vegetarian to vegan. I tend to be a bit thin as well & lost maybe 10 lbs while nursing my older daughter. I have pretty much maintained at that point without losing any more nor gaining it back (except during pg #2). I just eat a lot :)!

Going vegan may not be a definate recipe for weight loss - at least it wasn't for me.

[Bette]

Hi, my husband had the same worry and in fact did lose a bit of weight in the early stages before we settled in to veganism properly, but he put it back on once we knew what we were doing and started eating all the things Erin suggested. He is 6 feet tall and weighs around 8 stone (112 lb), so he's very skinny, but he was like that when his mother was feeding him bacon and eggs and cream cakes, so it's just the way he is.
I can recommend fried peanut butter sandwiches for putting weight on, by the way, dh and ds guzzle them. I wish I could:rolleyes:
Anyway, just wanted to let you know you're not the only one - he's pleased now he knows he's not!

[duckie1978]

When I switched to a vegan diet I lost quite a bit of weight but that was because I also over ate and most of the foods I ate were dairy based and full of fat. I have since put on some of the weight because of Soy Delicious/Soy Decadence ice cream. I wouldn't worry about losing too much weight, there are plenty of healthy fats and enough "junk" foods that are vegan or can be made vegan that if you did lose "too much" weight, you could gain some back easily. (in my opinion anyways)