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Why am I not losing weight?
I became a vegetarian over a month ago and I've been eating much healthier meals and consuming much less calories than I used to, and no I'm not starving myself. But I haven't lost any weight at all? I'm overweight so believe me there's a lot of weight to be lost but why aren't I losing it?
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Want to answer more questions in the Health & Fitness category?
Maybe give some free advice about: Fitness?
Vegetarianism is not a fix-all for weight problems. In fact, I was vegetarian for four years and vegan for one, and that was when I gained 30 lbs, even though I was still active and eating much more healthily. I'm now an omnivore again, because I was constantly tired and low-energy on a vegetarian diet, but I understand that this is a lifestyle choice and there are possibly other factors in your decision to go vegetarian.
I would suggest that the reason you're not losing weight is because, when you went vegetarian, you probably started consuming more grains and wheat products to fill in the hole left by animal products. Grains and wheat, contrary to popular belief, are not actually healthy foods: they essentially turn straight into sugar when metabolized, and spike a hormone called insulin, which causes the sugars to be efficiently stored in your fat cells. Bottom line is, it's not fat in your diet that makes you fat, it's sugar! Fat is not metabolized in the same way and is actually the body and brain's preferred fuel source.
Check out this link about why grains will make most people gain weight:
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
And this one on how grains are actually anti-nutritious:
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
If you went vegetarian solely to lose weight and improve health, I would recommend rethinking that choice. However, if your choice involves environmental or animal rights considerations, by all means stick with it. I would then recommend minimizing grain intake and getting more protein and fats from vegetable sources (and eggs if you do those) like avocados, nuts and seeds, protein powders (though I'd avoid soy).
Also, cut out processed foods, vegetarian or no, they're just plain unhealthy. Focus on getting whole foods. After asking the question, "Could I find this in nature?", if the answer is "No.", just don't eat it.
Although exercise has been shown not to play a huge role in weight loss (diet is probably about 90% and exercise perhaps 10% of it), it can accelerate it along with a good diet, and also improve your general health. I'd try incorporating some walking, biking, or swimming a few days a week, and perhaps once or twice a week doing higher-intensity workouts with sprinting intervals. I also do weight training twice a week and I think it has been the most effective, exercise-wise, in changing the composition of my body.
Give yourself time to adjust to your new diet as well (a month is pretty short), and make sure you're reducing stress and getting enough sleep, all of this factors play important roles in our bodies' fat storage capabilities!
If you're determined enough and follow a sensible diet and exercise, you will lose weight, it's just a matter of time.
Good luck, and I hope this helps!
~Pollux
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Well, I must ask you a question.... Are you exercising? Don't get me wrong a healthy diet is key.... But you need to add exercise into the mix. Try running or cardio!
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Because becoming a vegetarian ISN'T a form of a diet. It is a lifestyle choice. Not all vegetarians and vegans are skinny. In fact I know an overweight vegan. So if you're using it as a diet... you may find yourself disappointed.
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