New to Vegetarianism and need to know how to stay healthy.

I was hopping that someone on here could point me to a list of foods that I need to keep me healthy, supplementing anything that I need that's found in meat. I am going on three weeks of sans-meat and while at first I felt much better, I think that I am really starting to feel the affects of my choice to become vegetarian. Mentally I feel much better still, but physically, I have noticed that my muscles get fatigued much quicker than I am used too. I am very active, playing sports like basketball, riding a bike daily, playing drums, and quite a few other things, yet I have noticed that I am loosing my punch. Does anyone know what I am missing.

I regularly eat salads consisting of lettuce, tomato, cucumber, egg, cheese, croutons, other bread, and sometimes celery.
I eat soups like tomato, mushroom, and vegetable.
I eat a lot of falafel mix, corn, potato, apples, bananas.
I drink lots of fruit juice and water.

Any suggestions?


CG
bachelor degree nursing online

While I'm no nutritionist I am a triathlon coach and have a basic understanding of nutrition for endurance athletes.

From what I read it appears you're a bit low on protien and maybe iron (which is even more critical for women).

My SO is a vegetarian but does eat fish, eggs and cheeses. There are many great vegetarian cookbooks out there and a good magazine in Vegetarian Times. It's been 6 years now and pretty easy to maintain even when dining out.

Like JLenart I'm no nutritionist, but have heard that the most difficult part of a vegetarian diet is getting adequate protein. Good sources of protein are dairy products and legumes. Rice and beans is a good combo which provides protein and necessary nutrients.

Also, consider taking a daily multi- vitamin.

Definitely do some reading on vegetarian nutrition.

If your situation doesn't improve quickly, consult a nutritionist.

HI,

My cousin was a vegetarian who started to have sleep disorders, which his doctor identified as a lack of protein in his diet. He rectified this by eating a can of tuna per day. Not my favorite solution, but one he could work with.

Incorporating protein into a vegetarian diet does have its challenges. I have read beans and (brown?) rice have incomplete proteins but together they form a complete protein. You don't necessarily have to eat them together, though you do have to eat them on the same day to get the benefits.

I think you need to do some reading, research and perhaps consult a dietician. Your professional status as a nurse, I am sure in your circle of acquaintances and friends there is a dietician who might offer friendly advice.

It would be interesting to learn what to-do or not to-do whenever you have time to advise.

Regards,

Contact a REGISTERED DIETITIAN to discuss the situation. A registered dietitian has a degree and has served a internship in a training hospital. "Nutritionists" may or may not have any training.

There are a number of them who specialize in developing nutitional plans for vegetarians.

Generally the cost is minimal and is covered by many health plans.

Oops, my bad in my post. Good point about the difference between a nutritionist and a registered dietician.

jlawrence01 wrote

Contact a REGISTERED DIETITIAN to discuss the situation. A registered dietitian has a degree and has served a internship in a training hospital. "Nutritionists" may or may not have any training.

Thanks for the clarification. I just learned something.

From the foods you listed you seem to be really lacking in protein. Try to incorporate legumes, specifically soybeans and its derivatives (tofu, etc.), into your diet.

Also consider supplementing with whey protein. I'm very active myself, and having a serving or two of whey (it's easily absorbed by the body) before strenuous activity gives you an immediate boost. This also helps you maintain muscle mass, which I imagine would be difficult to do on a vegetarian diet.

Bacon is always delicious and nutritous.

Talking to a real dietician should be the way to go. While I have a great respect for the folks around here, you are dealing with your health so professional advice is necessary.

AngrySarah wrote:Bacon is always delicious and nutritous.

Meat is murder! Delicious,Delicious murder.

JLenart wrote:

AngrySarah wrote:Bacon is always delicious and nutritous.

Meat is murder! Delicious,Delicious murder.

But Bacon Bits - I hear that's only a Misdemeanor.

wak wrote:

JLenart wrote:

AngrySarah wrote:Bacon is always delicious and nutritous.

Meat is murder! Delicious,Delicious murder.

But Bacon Bits - I hear that's only a Misdemeanor.

Are bacon bits actually meat?

Dmnkly wrote:Are bacon bits actually meat?

As an omnivore who orders and prepares vegetarian meals about half the time, I've found fake meats to be a reliable protein source. I know some people really detest them, but here are a few I like:

Morningstar Farms breakfast links:
I don't like real breakfast sausage, but I often crave something as savory in the morning. I nuke these and dip them in honey.

Trader Joe's vegetarian corn dogs:
I keep a box of these stashed in the freezer at work for a quick lunch. I'm not averse to ketchup, but I like to dip these in grainy mustard.

Boca ground burger:
I've had good results making chili with this stuff; you'll just need to add more oil than you would with real beef.

I've found a few good frozen veggie burgers. Two that I've enjoyed are roasted garlic Boca burgers and spicy Chik'n patties. I can't think of the others at the moment. I also use tofu regularly in breakfast scrambles and with Indian sauces. My favorite use of seitan is in a Rachel Ray pozole recipe.

Incorporating protein into a vegetarian diet does have its challenges

Not really - many millions (billions, even) of Indians, for example, live well without eating meat or fish (or eggs).

There are plenty of tasty vegetarian options to boost protein intake:
lentils/pulses, whole grains (especially wheat; wheat germ added to your cereal) and beans - and there are many many varieties of all of these; tofu (as tofu; I'm not a fan of fake meat), dairy - cheese, yogurt, kefir (though these have some fats, low-fat options abound), (some) nuts (nut butters - particularly peanut).

Note that as a vegetarian you would have to get proteins from multiple sources to get the full complement of necessary amino acids.
This site may be useful
Of course, it is imperative that one's diet, if not every meal is balanced - and of course, where health is an issue, you should seek professional advice.

I have been trying a plant based diet more. My favorite sandwich:

A spicy chikn patty on a whole wheat toasted English muffin with light mayo (tiny bit-or vegetarian mayo) and/or salsa, sliced tomato and red leaf lettuce on the "bun". Yum.

Be sure to eat complete protein (rice and beans) or other combinations. Also eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. There is quite a bit on the internet of how to make a vegetarian meal have compete proteins.

Two words: Soyrizo. Er, one word.

Morningstar farms Corn Dogs! Not only good but like 4 points on the weight watcher plan! And mustard is a freebie!

Thank you all so much for the replies. I had thought that my protein intake was a bit low, which might be why I noticed problems with fatiguing.


Thanks again.
CG

toria wrote:Be sure to eat complete protein (rice and beans) or other combinations. Also eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. There is quite a bit on the internet of how to make a vegetarian meal have compete proteins.

just an FYI - the combining protein theory was debunked quite a while ago. as long as people eat a healthy, varied diet, they should be fine. another FYI - some sources of complete (or nearly complete) protein are: quinoa, hempseed, amaranth, soy, and buckwheat.

I am a HUGE fan of the veggie crumbles from boca or morningstar. I put them in the bottom of a saucepan and heat them up with a bit of oil and chopped garlic before adding whatever jar of tomato sauce I plan to use. It makes a great meatless spaghetti sauce. They also make great taco meat substitute.

ALSO, I have found Amy's vegetarian chili in cans at most super markets (meijers has a really good generic substitute). It's full of beans and protein and makes a GREAT vegetarian chili cheese dog when coupled with whichever meatless hot dog you choose (i like smartdogs) and whatever cheese or cheese like substitute you prefer.

I definitely have to agree with veggi corn dogs, they're AWESOME!!!

Really, getting protein on a vegetarian diet is not hard. But definitely consult a health professional who is experienced with vegetarian diets.

I have a spicy peanut tofu noodle stir fry recipe I'm about to try... will defintely let you know how it turns out!

One thing though - a lot of these fake meat options have a boatload of salt. I'm also more a fan of tofu as tofu, plus getting a combo of grains and beans.

A boring, but easy and cheap standby is cooking lentils along with some grains, then adding whatever sauce and veggies you like. Lentils don't take long at all to cook. Of course, you can always use canned already cooked beans, but it's easy and inexpensive to cook a big bunch of beans up, then portion them out into baggies and freeze. Pull out when needed.

Toss nuts into salads. Swirl soft tofu into pasta sauces.

Make a red pasta sauce, either tomato or red pepper based, then puree in a blender with your favorite bean and use as a spread on bread instead of cheese or meat. I like this with alfalfa sprouts and mayo, but whatever. Make sure to get a good hearty whole grain bread.

beccaburrito wrote:I have a spicy peanut tofu noodle stir fry recipe I'm about to try... will defintely let you know how it turns out!

Is it the one from Enchanted Broccoli Forest? That one is excellent!

I am not a dietitian, but nutrition has been one of my professional specialties, and I was an editor at Vegetarian Times for almost nine years, so I wrote about this on a daily basis.

The protein-combining idea was disproved more than 20 years ago. The only way you can be deficient in protein is if you're not eating enough calories to satisfy your hunger. As long as you eat a variety of nutritious food throughout the day -- beans, vegetables, fruit, whole grains -- and you eat enough to feel satisfied, then you will get enough protein and you will get the "right" kind.

The only thing in meat/animal products that you won't find in plant foods is B12, and that's easily attainable via supplements. But, if you're ovo-lacto, or lacto-veg, you don't have to worry about that, either. You need only a small amount of B12, and at least one study I recall indicated you don't need it every day.

I would advise against eating the fake meats, only because they are so highly processed that they're barely food IMO. The soy is put thru incredible artificial acrobatics to get it to taste and have the texture of meat; it barely resembles soy when it's done. Soy does have "complete" protein, tho, but stick with soymilk, soy beans, tofu, miso and tempeh.

Your diet looks very good. I would suggest you add some beans, legumes and nuts every day, and remember to include dark, leafy greens, such as spinach, and broccoli, for iron and calcium.

If you're still unsure, you can always supplement.

As a registered dietitian (RD), I would say, based on the limited diet info you posted, that your diet could be unbalanced and that you may need more protein-rich foods (whole grains, legumes, eggs, dairy). I’m also wondering if you’re currently eating enough calories to maintain your energy level. It's difficult to judge without knowing what you eat on a daily basis. Many new vegetarians initially cut back on their calories -- and lose weight -- simply because they don’t know what to eat. Once they figure it out, the calories become adequate or may be too much. Not all vegetarian foods are low-calorie foods.

A good nutrition book to read is The New Becoming Vegetarian by Vesanto Melina, MS, RD and Brenda Davis, RD.

For an overview of the correct balance of food groups in a vegetarian diet, you can check out www.mypyramid.gov and search for vegetarian.

Since it may take you awhile to figure out a balanced vegetarian diet, I would recommend a daily multi-vitamin like Centrum.

There are a lot of good vegetarian cookbooks out there. Just some of the ones I would recommend include:

Quick-Fix Vegetarian by Robin Robertson. In fact, I’d recommend any of her many vegetarian cookbooks.
Modern Vegetarian Kitchen and Fresh Food Fast by Peter Berley
Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen and Vegan Italiano by Donna Klein
World Vegetarian by Madhur Jaffrey
Complete Vegetarian Kitchen and Vegetarian Cooking Under Pressure by Lorna Sass. That second book requires a pressure cooker which makes cooking whole grains and beans so much faster and easier. I own Kuhn-Rikon and Fagor pressure cookers and I actually prefer the cheaper Fagor cooker. Just don’t bother with the old-fashioned jiggle tops.

Good online recipe sources include www.vegetariantimes.com and www.veggielife.com.

For vegetarian restaurants, I recommend Chicago Diner on Halsted, Soul Vegetarian on 75th St, Mysore Woodlands on Devon Ave, and Blind Faith on Dempster in Evanston.

I, of course, recommend seeing an RD to get counseling on developing the best diet for you. Unfortunately, our services are frequently not covered by insurance. If you are interested in seeing a dietitian, one source for finding one who specializes in vegetarian diet planning is www.eatright.org and clicking on “Finding a Nutrition Professional.”

Good luck.

Find a multivitamin that is made specifically for vegetarians. I use Solgar Vegetarian Multiple that is available at Whole Foods.

I do exactly what leek suggested. Make a huge stockpot of beans or chickpeas (really cheap in bulk) and freeze in ziplock bags. You can add them to almost anything. I usually drop the frozen bag on the counter a few times like a bag of ice and dump the beans in to pasta sauces, ragouts, or add to some sauteed aromatics and some liquid to enjoy by themselves. Hummus is another great source of protein, whether store bought or homemade (really easy and cheaper).

Nut butters are high energy foods that have protein also.

There are other message boards with lots of discussion on this topic.

theppk.com
www.veggieboards.com