Vegetarian diet not for everyone?

[purplemamaturtle5]

What do you think. I have been a vegetarian for 3 years. Over those three years I have gained (a lot) of weight, my face has terrible rosacea now, I feel sluggish, I just dont feel healthy even though I know I make better food decisions now than I did. What the F**K is going on? Is this just not whats good for my body?? My blood type is O Positive and when I read a little on the "eating for your type" diet It says I shoud be eating meat (red) and little grains. Pretty much the exact opposite of what I'm doing now. I need to loose like 40-50lbs, I want to do it in a healthy matter, but I'm lost when it comes to how I should do that. I just want to be thin again. UGH!! I dont want to except "well, this is how I am" I want better. Has this been true for any of you? That the vegetarian way of life just wasnt for you? I've never really been a meat eater. I only really *liked red meat. And if I ever switch back, thats the only meat I could stomach. I just doooonnnttt like meat. What should I do????????????????????????/::

[tinyblackdot]

well i know that when i was vegetarian i had a HORRIBLE diet! All that i ate was cheese and potatoes, and bread. It was just awfull! Once i added fish back into my diet it made a HUGE diffrence.

What is your diet like? Could you have a hidden food allergy?

[cristeen]

When I went vegetarian, I gained most of the weight that I'm now stuck unable to lose. Vegetarianism is not for everyone. I'm also an O and do best on a high protein/fat and low/no grain diet. Grains and I just do not get along very well at all.

[chaoticzenmom]

I've tried the vegetarian diet 3 times and had horrible results each time. It turns out that I have a gene mutation which makes it very difficult for me to absorb b vitamins, so the v. diet really messed me up. I did feel ok, but when I'd go in for labwork, my minerals were always way low. I supplemented with vitamins and nutritional yeast, lots of veggies, but it just didn't make me healthy. I look at pictures of me and I can totally see that I wasn't healthy.

I think that for most, it's a good diet. If you can do milk/eggs, then it might even be more doable. If you decide to go back to meat, then really look at where it comes from. I now get it from a local organic farmer once a year. I still feel guilt, but it helps to know so much more about the meat I do eat. We raise our own chickens for eggs and we limit other meat besides what we get once a year. I've considered raising chickens for food, but I haven't been mentally able to do that yet.

I second looking into what you might be allergic to. You may have a wheat allergy, which wouldn't be good if you're eating so much wheat now. Try limiting wheat to every 4 days or cut it completely and see if that helps. Be especially aware of gluten in meat replacements.

I should read the Omnivore's delimma. I've heard it's pretty helpful.

[Ruthla]

I was also a vegetarian for a few years during college, and I'm also a Type O. Then I decided that I was more comfortable morally/ethically if I ate meat once or twice a week, rather than never eating it at all. At that time, I still beleived vegetarianism was healthier, so I continued eating a plant-based diet, with only small amounts of meat.

I was slightly overweight as a young adult, but then lost the extra weight before getting pg the first time. I've been 40-60 lbs overweight since having children. I discovered TF (traditional foods) a few years ago, and started adding in even more meat to my diet. I found that I had a lot more energy when I did that.

Then I went on a low-carb eating plan and lost 20 lbs and kept it off for over a year. I haven't been able to lose more than that, but I've maintained the loss. I've recently added in a few more carbs per day as that seems to be giving me more energy, and I'm still maintaining the weight. I was eating 30-40g of carbs per day for weight loss, and now I'm having about 60-90 a day for maintenance.

I also went gluten-free about a year and a half ago. It was much easier for me to make the switch when I was using grains as a condiment, rather than as the foundation of my meals. That change has made a HUGE difference in my health and energy levels.

[dogmom327]

It didn't work for me. I was constantly ill (I caught every cold out there) and didn't have very much energy. I do much better on a Traditional Foods diet.

[Owen'nZoe]

I'm type o and have done just fine on a vegetarian diet. I was vegetarian for 12 years, and have eating some fish for the past 3, and really don't feel healthier now than I did on a full vegetarian diet. But like others have mentioned, going vegetarian doesn't necessarily mean you are eating healthier. Is it possible that your diet was just not well-rounded when you were eating veg?

[purplemamaturtle5]

I have def. noticed that I eat more grains/pastas that sort of thing now that i'm a veg., I know thats not really the healthiest way to eat, but thats the only way I seem to feel full. I dont know if I have a food allergy (I dont have a reg. family doctor because of my insurence situation so I cant go see a doctor at the moment). My dilema is this: Should I go back to eating (red) meat or should I make a complete switch to vegan.... because I'm not sure whats causing the weight gain.... Is it the dairy and eggs or because I dont include meat into my diet? I know that it would be easy to just say "well, why dont I just try eating some red meat a couple times a week to just see what it will do",but meat really grosses me out..... I just dont miss it, but I want to do good for my body and if it means eating some meat, then I guess thats what I will do..........but after not eating meat for 3 years, its going to be kinda hard to make the switch. (you mama's have great advice btw-thanks!! keep it coming)

[rebirth]

vegetarianism certainly isn't for me! I was even a raw vegan for quite a while, and took all the right additional supplements, but still had anemia so bad I would pass out, and a host of other health problems. They all went away within 2-3 months of me adding meat to my diet.

[staceychev]

Funny. I'm an O, too. I've never been a huge proponent of the blood type diet, but I, too, did horribly on a vegetarian diet. There are times when I'd like to be vegetarian for a variety of reasons, but it just totally screwed my body up. So no, I don't think everyone's cut out to be a vegetarian.

[purplemamaturtle5]

I've really been looking into the "Tradition Foods Diet" and seem to like what I'm seeing. For those of you who do a TFD....How do you like it? Were you veg. and then switched to a TFD? I'm just a little timid to take the plunge right now, but I desp. want to be thin/healthier.

[FeminineFigure]

http://beyondveg.com/

I eat a diet of mostly free-range meat, fruits, veggies, nuts and eggs. I don't have acne anymore, and I feel great.

[jmmom]

You might be interested in reading Nina Planck's book Real Food. She has a chapter called something like "My Virtuous [i.e., vegan in her case] diet makes me fat and unhappy." She's a big advocate for weston price type real food diets.

You might also be interested to know that there is some indication that there's a big difference nutritionally between eating meat from grass fed cows and eating meat from animals in CAFO's - less bad fat, more good fat, etc. YOu are what you eat, and so are the cows and other animals whose meat we eat.

Also, prior to the invention of agriculture about 10,000 years ago, most humans ate mostly meat. There are people who have lived only on meat and blood. There are no primitive/traditional diets that are vegan, although there are vegetarian diets that focus heavily on eggs, milk, and yogurt. There's a LOT of things that point to the fact that we do need animal products in our diet. Just aim for high-quality, for both ethical and nutritional reasons.

[karlin]

I am also type O pos. I was a vegetarian for 13 years, and I too got fat. I've been eating meat for about 3 years now, and I'll never go back. I don't eat an awful lot (I really don't like red meat, poultry is my favorite), but it's enough. A little over 2 weeks ago I went on an elimination diet for skin problems, and I never want to go back to what I was eating before (I'm now off gluten, dairy, soy, corn, most grains, sugar, most beans, and eggs). My skin is clear, and I've lost 5 pounds already. : I firmly believe humans were meant to consume meat. I make sure I get good stuff though...minimally processed and free range (organic if possible).

[dogmom327]

Originally Posted by purplemamaturtle5

I've really been looking into the "Tradition Foods Diet" and seem to like what I'm seeing. For those of you who do a TFD....How do you like it? Were you veg. and then switched to a TFD? I'm just a little timid to take the plunge right now, but I desp. want to be thin/healthier.

Come over and hang out with us on the TF board here on MDC Lots of great people and great info. Check out the book Eat Fat, Lose Fat. It's a great approach to weight loss that focuses on giving your body the nutrients you need. I have the book on my website (see siggy) but you can also get it from the library or your local bookstore can likely order it for you.

[tanyalynn]

Originally Posted by purplemamaturtle5

I've really been looking into the "Tradition Foods Diet" and seem to like what I'm seeing. For those of you who do a TFD....How do you like it? Were you veg. and then switched to a TFD? I'm just a little timid to take the plunge right now, but I desp. want to be thin/healthier.

I think there's a tribe in the Traditional Foods sub-forum specifically for vegetarians considering/starting to add meat in a traditional foods context. I don't have any personal experience with vegetarianism, but there are people in TF that could share their experiences (and probably already have--do a search of the forum for vegetarian, it comes up fairly regularly--which I guess is why someone started a tribe).

[Raene]

I don't believe in blood type diets. I'm 0 as well and have been happily without meat for 4 years. What animal in nature would say "oh, I'm a giraffe but I'm going to eat antelope b/c I'm blood type..."

I think humans were all designed the same. We have the same digestive system, not created for meat at all, the same teeth, the same everything (obviously). There is no reason we cannot all eat well and healthy as vegetarians.

That said, you cannot lump all veg into one catergory. You can be vegetarian and live on cheese dishes...not healthy. You can be vegan and eat all grains...not healthy.

You need to make sure you're getting a good amount of fruit, veggies, and whole foods proteins, meaning beans and other natural foods. NOT tofu...not natural and very processed.

Hope this helps.

[425lisamarie]

Calm down

I ate vegan for a long time though it never really quite satisfied me. If you are not morally opposed to eating eggs (you said you don't like meat but are you not opposed ethically speaking?) they are very satisfying and a good source of easy to eat protein.

If you like red meat why don't you eat it? Even eating it a couple times a week will probably help you

[Dia]

Some people do really well on veg diets, some do not. Some people do well on a TF diet, some not. Some people eat processed crap and are fine (most, not so much). My point is that every body is different. Your ancestral makeup, your genes, heck maybe even your blood type for reasons we do not yet understand, can affect what kinds of foods will work for you.

Everyone is different.

I am studying to become a nutritionist, and one thing they teach us is there there is ONE healthy way to eat (USDA food pyamid, RDAs, etc). I actually believe that is wrong. There are basic principles that are right for everyone, probably, but I do believe there is not one "healthiest diet" as in the debate between Vegans/Vegetarians/TF'ers/etc.


OP - it might take some work, but I'd encourage you to find what works for you.

[Millie Ivy]

I am one of those "recovering vegetarians" that have been posting. Not meaning that as an offense to anyone at all, but I truly had to recover after veg*nism.

Along with going gluten free 1.5 years ago, I moved towards traditional foods about 8 months ago and feel amazing. My cycles normalised, I lost cramps, skin problems, energy problems, and feel happier.
Ethical treatment of animals was a huge reason I always tried to be as close to vegan as possible. CAFO's freak me out. I was raised veg by my crunchy, homestead family. But I was never healthy or happy eating that way. I had huge cravings for junk food. (no meat cravings, though I do really enjoy it now) which tells me my body and soul were missing something. I would highly recommend reading Nina Planck's Real Food : What to Eat and Why, and also Jessica Prentice's Full Moon Feast. They are, combined, my new bible. :

I had a vegetarian coworker read these two books and now she is eating raw milk, local fresh eggs, and healthy sustainable meats when she cooks herself. She still doesn't eat meat out, because the way the animals are treated is really important to her. She (and this is all true for me as well) feels great physically, enjoys a connection to the farmers n our local area, and a connection to the way peoples have eaten for millenia. My moods are WAY better too.


Head over to TF board and read up a bit. I highly recommend it!