mombrontrent
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 8, 2008
For those on here who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet do you find it hard to keep the weight on? People are always telling me to eat a steak and put on a few pounds I have been a vegetarian since I was 17 and I'm 31 now so almost 15 years. I am not vegan and do eat the recommended 2-3 servings of dairy everyday. I eat yogurt, cheese, soy or almond milk and 1% cows milk sometimes on cereal. I eat a wide variety of foods, lots of fruit and veggies, beans, whole grains ect. Within the last year I have cut out most processed foods and try to stick to mostly a whole foods diet. I also eat alot of organic foods. Everything I read about this is positive and is supposed to be better for health reasons and I try to feed my whole family this way (although I am the only vegetarian). I have always been slender and thin boned, as has my mother. However since I have cut out most processed and refined foods I stuggle to keep my weight up. I am 5'5 and stuggle to keep my weight between 105-110lbs. Ideally I would weigh 115lbs like I always did before, it fit my frame perfectly but now I feel like I am too thin. I try to eat nuts or peanut butter everyday, I eat seeds, avacodos, olive oils, butter. I bake fairly often, and even thought it's mostly healthy it still has fats and sugars. I eat 3-4 meals everyday but rarley snack because I just don't get hungry in between meals. I drink a couple cups of coffee a day but other than that I only drink water or maybe a glass of orange or cranberry juice once in a while. I do drink smoothies sometimes as part of a meal though and I give my kids smoothies often. All 3 of my kids are also on the low end of the weight charts (the 5th percentile) for their height. It is obviouly partly genetics but I don't want them to be to thin. They do eat meat but not very much. They eat dairy and lots of produce and whole grains. They rarley eay "junk food" unless at someone elses house or the rare occasion my Dh buys a bag of chips or tub of ice cream. We do order pizza once a month or so but other than that they don't eat at restaurants or fast food. I don't want to push unhealthy foods on myself or the kids simply to gain a few pounds. Advice anyone?