metabolism
Posted by fufuberry on Jul 20, 2008 · Member since Jul 2008 · 1786 posts
When you went veg*n did you find your metabolism sped up, or slowed down? I've been doing this for a couple weeks now, and at first my metabolism sped up....but now it seems to be going slower than when I was eating meat.....is this normal? does it eventually stabalize? I'd like to LOSE weight...not gain it =-p
Haven't been eating much dairy either, so I'm just confuzzled....like maybe I'm doing something wrong.
I didn't notice, but I'm hypothyroid, so I have a slow metabolism to start with. I didn't lose weight when I went vegan. What types of food have you been eating?
Maybe you're not eating enough? ??? I find my metabolism is better (faster) when I eat several small meals a day versus 3 larger meals.
I am not an expert, i bet there are some people on here who do know more about health and veganism than me, but i'll get the ball rolling. first, i have met many a unhealthy vegans *cough*myboyfriend*cough* and just by going vegan you are helping out your body by not ingesting the horribleness that is animal products, but vegans can still be unhealthy when making poor choices for their diet. but if you are trying to stabilize your weight/metabolism, then i'm assuming you are conscious of how healthy the foods are that you are eating in addition to eating vegan food. a good plan to follow for this are things like a whole foods based diet and the rainbow diet, they encourage eating fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains.
also, if you have been vegan for just 2 weeks, i bet your body is still getting comfortable with this new fangled diet of yours. : ) a healthy weight loss or gain is 2 lbs a week. i would think as long as your weight is not fluctuating much more than that, then your body is still trying to adjust and that with continued healthy eating patterns and exercise, you'll find your body become more stable and gently get to the weight/metabolism that you are aiming for.
i hope that helps and i hope i didnt steer you in the wrong direction. i've been trying to learn more myself about health and veganism. this is me practicing using my new found knowledge : )
lol trust me, any info is welcome! when my thyroid FREAKED OUT about a year... maybe 2 years ago, I gained 20 pounds in like 2 months, and that was NOT good for my overall health, so now that my thyroid is on track (sorta) I'm trying to drop a little weight.
I guess I just freaked out cuz I'm afraid I'm gonna balloon up again, your probably right though, I'm still adjusting.
I've had this continual thyroid swelling on one side that baffles my doctor and i'm supposed to get it looked at again in September.... BUT..... just today I was feeling it, and I noticed the swelling has decreased....Like it's half the size it was. =-) I'm wondering if perhaps the lack of hormones/antibiotics from meat had anything to do with it hmmmm..... 8-)
thats awesome! i sure hope your diet can help with your thyroid instead of paying for medicine. BLEGH!
I think it stayed the same. But I noticed what did change it was regular exercise for about a year. That brought dramatic results and now I can eat much more without putting on the pounds.
I'm still struggling to get my diet just right. Sometimes I have tons of energy, other times I'm very lethargic. Part of my problem is I push my body to its limit in exercise & then I think sometimes I don't get enough nutrients to recover. As much as everyone here likes to say they don't worry about getting enough protien, I need to pay attention to that, along with iron & calories in general.
If you drastically cut the number of calories you are eating, it will slow down your metabolisim. Maybe you could post everything you eat in a day & we can try to pinpoint if you are missing something.
Also, when I rememeber to take it, there is this whole foods meal replacement drink I make called vega. The website is myvega.com I didn't drink it much last week & it caught up with me over the weekend, I felt really tired & hungry all weekend.
mine doesn't seem any different. but then again, my transition to vegan was very gradual. first i stopped eating red meat for like 3 years, then i stopped eating meat altogether, then i slowed down my dairy intake to like 1 serving per week about a year later, then i just cut it all out. i bet if i had done it more drastically, i'd have seen a difference. but i weigh just as much as when i ate meat... however, i do eat MORE now, so maybe that's something? i dunno. i feel healthier overall, which is the main thing for me. i'd rather weigh what i weigh now and be vegan than weigh 10 pounds less and be an omni.
yeah... I'm wondering if my body is just...still adjusting. I'm eating a really varied diet (or trying to at least) like today I plan on eating some rice milk (fortified), bluberries, grits, mushrooms, squash, rice, peppers, tomatoes, lentils, sweet potatoes, and asparagus. Maybe a kiwi as well. of course it'll be spread out into meals and portioned, but...I think that's a good variety.
While that looks like a really healthy diet, I would feel like crap on it. Just from experience, I know that I would need more whole grains, protiens, & fats. Try adding some nuts, soymilk or tofu, hemp, flax seeds etc
You plan your meals! I want to be your next door neighbor and pop in at meal times. I had to start buying bread again (Food for Life's Ezekial or Genesis) to get a grain because I'm so resistant to cooking. A tofu scramble is a big event in the hh house.
My thyroid is just about non-functional. What I found for weight loss and energy gain is movement. It's hard because there's a certain inertia that goes along with an underfunctioning thyroid. For me, a simple walk helps with my energy level. What you're going for is an energy boost, because then you know your metabolism is working better - and when that happens you'll lose weight by default and feel better in the process. Your body loves getting so many nutrients from fresh food, but that's not enough when the thyroid is involved. We, unfortunately, are not like "normal" people.
What you're eating sounds good, but I agree with Lisa. I wouldn't feel great on it. I'd add some nuts or something to get a little fat in the diet. Your body needs fat to help absorb some nutrients. Everyone is different, but pay attention to your cravings. If I'm craving simple sugars (junk food), my body wants more protein. If I'm can't get full, my body want more fat. I haven't tried to figure out why it works that way, I just accept it.
Although I'm not a great example of what to eat. Yesterday I ate blueberries and oatmeal. ::) If I was granted three wishes, being more domestic would be one of them.
FFB, when I get the info from the nutritionist in Sept I will post, I promise. You and me both. I was doing 10 hrs a week at a gym and gained 15 lbs in three months due to thyroid disease.
DO exercise early in the day if you can, it revs up your metabolism for the day. Drink lots of water, too. In the evening when I remember (!) I do the yoga-type stretches to help relax.
thankd for that yabbit! I tried for MONTHS to get in to see the college dietician, and she could never see me. THen when she finally made an appointment, she had to cancel.
I'd like to see a real one, but until I get a job with some benefits, I'm still going to be on my husbands college health insurance....which meanscollege doctor visits are free....but very crappy.
FFB, when I get the info from the nutritionist in Sept I will post, I promise. You and me both. I was doing 10 hrs a week at a gym and gained 15 lbs in three months due to thyroid disease.
That's me, too - so I'm looking forward to the post. I basically have an ED, except I don't. I eat like I do and am physical just to maintain (not gain or lose) my weight. I've come to the conclusion that we're lucky. If we had normal metabolisms we could eat all sorts of bad-for-us food, but since we have to be more aware of the foods we injest, I think we'll be much healthier 80 year olds.
I'm still struggling to get my diet just right. Sometimes I have tons of energy, other times I'm very lethargic. Part of my problem is I push my body to its limit in exercise & then I think sometimes I don't get enough nutrients to recover. As much as everyone here likes to say they don't worry about getting enough protien, I need to pay attention to that, along with iron & calories in general.
If you drastically cut the number of calories you are eating, it will slow down your metabolisim. Maybe you could post everything you eat in a day & we can try to pinpoint if you are missing something.
Also, when I rememeber to take it, there is this whole foods meal replacement drink I make called vega. The website is myvega.com I didn't drink it much last week & it caught up with me over the weekend, I felt really tired & hungry all weekend.
You should share some of your diet tips for energy. I don’t have a problem with my weight but I am crazy tired a lot and I’m always looking for ways to supplement my diet to potentially gain more energy.
ha! I wish I had diet tips for energy! I'm trying to figure them out myself. So far vega has been helpful. If you are in Canada it might be available in stores there, but it seems just about impossible to get here. I order it online at foodfightgrocery.com. If you run alot & are a menstrating female, an additional iron supp may help you. In general, I just try to eat a lot of calories from healthy sources. fruits, nuts, seeds, whole grains, & soy & beans for protien. I eat frequently through the day & keep snacks on hand at all times. wish I knew a little more.