Switching to vegan ended up beeing flexiterian - FAT LOSS

Hi everybody,

let me start by saying that I am from Germany - so excuse my english ;-)

Here is my story. I am 41, 160 pounds, 5,7 feet. My goal is to hit 149 pounds again. Been there on a omnivore diet But I don´t want to eat meat anymore. I´m hitting the gym 4 times a week - right now with corona and all the gyms beeing closed here in germany I´m working out 3 x a week at a private gym.

So switching to vegan I have / had one problem. first I had no energy at all. My training weight droped. So I added vegetarian foods again. And now somehow I am not hungry at all anymore. I am always full. Still I am trying to hit my protein goal. Right now I eat 1.488 calories, 30 g fat, 155 g Carbs and 140 g Protein. Like I mentioned I want to loose weight but still I am not hungry and I am afraid to loose my muscle by not eating the right amount of calories.

My question is, what is more "approbiate": eat when I am hungry and not watch the Macros for a while or force myself eating my macros?

[QUOTE=manisalemon;1623444161]
My question is, what is more "approbiate": eat when I am hungry and not watch the Macros for a while or force myself eating my macros?[/QUOTE]

Your appetite is what caused you to gain weight so it can't be relied on. Actively dieting will involve defying your appetite... so the only sure way to accomplish that is to count.

Some people find they can cause fat loss without counting calories by sticking to a lot of low calorie dense foods like lean meat and vegetables. So that is also restrictive - just in a different way. I personally prefer to count calories and then eat things I like without having to alter my eating habits as much.

[QUOTE=SuffolkPunch;1623731041]Your appetite is what caused you to gain weight so it can't be relied on. Actively dieting will involve defying your appetite... so the only sure way to accomplish that is to count.

Some people find they can cause fat loss without counting calories by sticking to a lot of low calorie dense foods like lean meat and vegetables. So that is also restrictive - just in a different way. I personally prefer to count calories and then eat things I like without having to alter my eating habits as much.[/QUOTE]

Ok. Thank you. But I am always counting my calories. I am not hungry. So I have to force myself to eat. That´s what I ment. So right now I am really fighting to hit 1.488 Calories and especially 140 g Protein - whitch is very hard to hit eating plant based and not wanting to eat processed food / plant protein powders and so on.

So my questions was should I ONLY count my calories and not watch the macors (I don´t want to loose my muscle tissue) or should I still watch my macros. Like I sas - 140 g Protein a day plant based is really hard to hit on a diet.

So your goal to lose bodyfat (11lbs). Is your weight dropping - at what rate and over what timeframe?

Losing weight too fast risks muscle loss, even if you don't feel hungry (but you probably will after long enough in a deficit).

[QUOTE=SuffolkPunch;1623733331]So your goal to lose bodyfat (11lbs). Is your weight dropping - at what rate and over what timeframe?

Losing weight too fast risks muscle loss, even if you don't feel hungry (but you probably will after long enough in a deficit).[/QUOTE]


I just started last week. So far I loose around 1 to 1,5 lbs each week. Vegan is 90% vegetables and beans. Believe me - you are absolutely full for hours with all the fiber from the vegetables and beans. My deficit is already very high. I don´t want to drop below the 1.400 kcal a day bar. I´m pretty tall too. I dropped my protein from 140 to 114 g a day and hope this will work better.

I wouldn't be comfortable going that low on protein, especially since you are potentially in a very steep deficit. Muscle loss flatters you when it comes to weighing yourself - because muscle gives up mass more cheaply than fat. Strength loss may take time to become apparent.

Okay, so i keep the calories as they are, up my protein intake to 145 g - that should protect my muscles and help with my fat loss?

I will have to drink Protein Powder then. Otherwise it is almost impossible eating that high protein on such low calories. Maybe swapping food with drinks will help with my 'fullness' too

In my opinion, meat is an important part of healthy nutrition because it contained a lot of components important for our body, especially for guys. If you want to lose weight you must reduce the number of calories.
You can find calories program for your weight on the Internet.

[QUOTE=AlisaFrost;1624348671]In my opinion, meat is an important part of healthy nutrition because it contained a lot of components important for our body, especially for guys. If you want to lose weight you must reduce the number of calories.
You can find calories program for your weight on the Internet.[/QUOTE]

Thanks. But the main question was whichever ia better : forcing myself to eat my macros, or go with my appetite that's mostly less than my daily calorie goal

The meat discussion is a laborious one

The he is a she :) and the question is not if meat or vegetarian lifestyle should be the considered. I know how to combine different plant sources to reach a high protein profile.
But thank you for your advices

Your body is going to need time to adjust so hopefully when it gets used to your new diet your appetite will return. I am having the same problem with protein intake as 140 g is a lot especially from a plant based diet... I think I maxxed out on 82g one day and felt so ill ( this was without protein powder)... My advice, I dont think it is achievable or sustainable to get your required protein intake without using Soy protein ( your looking at 27g of pure protein per shake and not a lot else)....keeping you macros in check and keeping your protein up will help protect your muscle but you may lose a little...I wouldnt worry too much...maintain your macros and push through for a bit longer, re-evaluate after a month and see what tweeks you can make if you need to make any...
You are losing at a good rate and you are right not to want o push it further..I think you may have to bite the bullet though and opt for protein powder to help maintain your protein macro.
Good Luck!!

Super advice. Thank you so much. I found a plant based protein powder that has NCAA's and offers 10 g of Kevin. That should help to protect my muscles.

[QUOTE=manisalemon;1625177713]Super advice. Thank you so much. I found a plant based protein powder that has NCAA's and offers 10 g of Kevin. That should help to protect my muscles.[/QUOTE]

Sounds good! I much prefer Soy protein to Whey, It has a better profile I think and it suits me better. As a rule of thumb I always use the 3 month rule.... If it hasnt changed in 3 monhs its not going to so thats when I go back to the drawing board whether its muscle gains or weight loss just give your body some time to adjust with a program that doesnt change...i find if I keep swapping things in and out it becomes impossible to figure out what works and what doesnt!

[QUOTE=manisalemon;1625177713]Super advice. Thank you so much. I found a plant based protein powder that has NCAA's and offers 10 g of Kevin. That should help to protect my muscles.[/QUOTE]

Ah... this auto correction ... Kevin -> Leucin

Thats what I thought

[QUOTE=manisalemon;1623444161]Hi everybody,

let me start by saying that I am from Germany - so excuse my english ;-)

Here is my story. I am 41, 160 pounds, 5,7 feet. My goal is to hit 149 pounds again. Been there on a omnivore diet But I don´t want to eat meat anymore. I´m hitting the gym 4 times a week - right now with corona and all the gyms beeing closed here in germany I´m working out 3 x a week at a private gym.

So switching to vegan I have / had one problem. first I had no energy at all. My training weight droped. So I added vegetarian foods again. And now somehow I am not hungry at all anymore. I am always full. Still I am trying to hit my protein goal. Right now I eat 1.488 calories, 30 g fat, 155 g Carbs and 140 g Protein. Like I mentioned I want to loose weight but still I am not hungry and I am afraid to loose my muscle by not eating the right amount of calories.

My question is, what is more "approbiate": eat when I am hungry and not watch the Macros for a while or force myself eating my macros?[/QUOTE]

If you're going vegan make sure you are hitting micronutrients along with macros. A lot of vegans don't get all the nutrients they need because they deliberately limit their diet.

Smoothies and protein shakes could help. Try it and see if it makes a difference.

Yeah I've had to have vegan protein powder to hit my goals. Beans and veggies just don't cut it. I'm vegetarian but mostly vegan.