Guest guest Posted May 15, 2008 Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 My husband and I are recent converts to the plant based diet after being introduced to it through the book The Rave Diet and the material by the McDougalls. Prior to this we both followed what we thought was a " heart healthy " diet due to my husband's high cholesterol count and family history. We exericise and have watched our calorie intake like a hawk. So here's my question (and please don't laugh .. but I might ...) .. we've been on the diet for a mere 2 weeks, but are a pinch concerned because we're both gaining weight! We're eating more bulk than before, and loving the food. I've read that this is temporary and that as our bodies adjust to the new nutrition, we will actually drop the pounds. Since our mental frame of mind has previously been that weight gain is a danger sign, I need a reality check from those of you who are " pros. " Should we be concerned about calories or can we eat all the veggies, beans, rice, etc that we want. (ok, you can laugh now!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 15, 2008 Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 On 5/14/08, karolynlk <karolynlk wrote: > > We exericise and have watched our calorie intake like a > hawk. So here's my question (and please don't laugh .. but I > might ...) .. we've been on the diet for a mere 2 weeks, but are a > pinch concerned because we're both gaining weight! With the disclaimer that I'm not a medical professional, the first thing that came to my mind was that your bodies are in a process of recovering from watching your calorie intake like a hawk. It is possible that your bodies became very good at conserving energy because you were slightly short-changing them of the full nutrition and calories they needed/wanted. Now that your diet has changed and you are eating freely from a select group of foods, your bodies' conservation is causing you to hang on to more than you need. > We're eating more > bulk than before, and loving the food. I've read that this is > temporary and that as our bodies adjust to the new nutrition, we will > actually drop the pounds. I would tend to agree. Once your bodies get the signal that you are now giving them what they want and will not be holding back, they will soon kick your metabolism up a couple of notches and start dropping weight again. > Should we be concerned about > calories or can we eat all the veggies, beans, rice, etc that we want. > (ok, you can laugh now!) No laughter here. I would tend to think (bearing in mind that all bodies are different and you will only know what your unique body wants and needs over the course of time, experimentation and observation) that you should be able to eat all you want so long as you stay low-fat vegan and focus on the " four food groups " of beans, grains, fruit, and vegetables. If you keep your fiber intake high and your fat intake low, your body should come to an equilibrium on its own and regulate your hunger according to its true needs. (Again, I'm not a medical professional and all bodies are different.) Best wishes! Sparrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 15, 2008 Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 I can only share with you from my own personal experience and that of my husband's. We can not eat all we want without gaining weight. But we can eat to satisfaction. It seems that eating in excess of what we need, no matter how "healthy" the food, is gluttonous and our bodies suffer from it. We both find that we can eat unlimited vegetables. But that we have to watch our grain, legume and fruit amounts. My husband especially gets overheated if he eats too many carbs--a signal that his body is having to burn off the excess. Hope this info helps.Martha karolynlk <karolynlk Sent: Wednesday, May 14, 2008 8:56:12 PM Recent convertMy husband and I are recent converts to the plant based diet after being introduced to it through the book The Rave Diet and the material by the McDougalls. Prior to this we both followed what we thought was a "heart healthy" diet due to my husband's high cholesterol count and family history. We exericise and have watched our calorie intake like a hawk. So here's my question (and please don't laugh .. but I might ...) .. we've been on the diet for a mere 2 weeks, but are a pinch concerned because we're both gaining weight! We're eating more bulk than before, and loving the food. I've read that this is temporary and that as our bodies adjust to the new nutrition, we will actually drop the pounds. Since our mental frame of mind has previously been that weight gain is a danger sign, I need a reality check from those of you who are "pros." Should we be concerned about calories or can we eat all the veggies, beans, rice, etc that we want. (ok, you can laugh now!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 15, 2008 Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 I think the phrase " eat as much as you want " can be a bit misleading and is based on what a normal person " wants " . If I eat as much rice and beans as I want in a day, we are talking pounds and far more than any body needs to cope with. However, I have found it to be true that I can eat far more eating high fibre low fat than I could on any other plan and most of the time can mannage to stick to it. One thing to remember when you switch to a higher fibre diet, is that the body uses a lot of water in the digestion process, so you do tend to weigh a bit heavier to account for this. I would give yourselves a little time to adjust, but if the weight gain goes on, start using more veggies and cutting back a little on the grains and beans. The thing is, it's not like eating too much chocolate or cream, your not going to pile megga pounds on quickly if you are eating a few too many carbs, it won't be drastic, you'll probably just not lose anything, so don't get too stressed out about it. Shell. -- I am using the free version of SPAMfighter for private users. It has removed 1988 spam emails to date. Paying users do not have this message in their emails. Get the free SPAMfighter here: http://www.spamfighter.com/len Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 15, 2008 Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 Thanks so much ... so, it boils down to using common sense .. I thought so, just needed to hear it from others more experienced. , " Shell " <shell wrote: > > I think the phrase " eat as much as you want " can be a bit misleading and is based on what > a normal person " wants " . If I eat as much rice and beans as I want in a day, we are > talking pounds and far more than any body needs to cope with. However, I have found it to > be true that I can eat far more eating high fibre low fat than I could on any other plan > and most of the time can mannage to stick to it. > One thing to remember when you switch to a higher fibre diet, is that the body uses a > lot of water in the digestion process, so you do tend to weigh a bit heavier to account > for this. I would give yourselves a little time to adjust, but if the weight gain goes > on, start using more veggies and cutting back a little on the grains and beans. The thing > is, it's not like eating too much chocolate or cream, your not going to pile megga pounds > on quickly if you are eating a few too many carbs, it won't be drastic, you'll probably > just not lose anything, so don't get too stressed out about it. > Shell. > > > -- > I am using the free version of SPAMfighter for private users. > It has removed 1988 spam emails to date. > Paying users do not have this message in their emails. > Get the free SPAMfighter here: http://www.spamfighter.com/len > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 15, 2008 Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 I didn't think about how we have probably been starving our bodies with our calorie counting (which had become obsessive). Makes sense that the body will need time to trust that we'll feed it properly. , " Sparrow R Jones " <sparrowrose wrote: > > On 5/14/08, karolynlk <karolynlk wrote: > > > > We exericise and have watched our calorie intake like a > > hawk. So here's my question (and please don't laugh .. but I > > might ...) .. we've been on the diet for a mere 2 weeks, but are a > > pinch concerned because we're both gaining weight! > > With the disclaimer that I'm not a medical professional, the first > thing that came to my mind was that your bodies are in a process of > recovering from watching your calorie intake like a hawk. It is > possible that your bodies became very good at conserving energy > because you were slightly short-changing them of the full nutrition > and calories they needed/wanted. Now that your diet has changed and > you are eating freely from a select group of foods, your bodies' > conservation is causing you to hang on to more than you need. > > > We're eating more > > bulk than before, and loving the food. I've read that this is > > temporary and that as our bodies adjust to the new nutrition, we will > > actually drop the pounds. > > I would tend to agree. Once your bodies get the signal that you are > now giving them what they want and will not be holding back, they will > soon kick your metabolism up a couple of notches and start dropping > weight again. > > > Should we be concerned about > > calories or can we eat all the veggies, beans, rice, etc that we want. > > (ok, you can laugh now!) > > No laughter here. I would tend to think (bearing in mind that all > bodies are different and you will only know what your unique body > wants and needs over the course of time, experimentation and > observation) that you should be able to eat all you want so long as > you stay low-fat vegan and focus on the " four food groups " of beans, > grains, fruit, and vegetables. If you keep your fiber intake high and > your fat intake low, your body should come to an equilibrium on its > own and regulate your hunger according to its true needs. (Again, I'm > not a medical professional and all bodies are different.) > > Best wishes! > > Sparrow > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 15, 2008 Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 Yes, this helps a lot. I think " eating to satisfaction " is the key. , Martha <mnatural22 wrote: > > I can only share with you from my own personal experience and that of my husband's. We can not eat all we want without gaining weight. But we can eat tosatisfaction. It seems that eating in excess of what we need, no matter how " healthy " the food, is gluttonous and our bodies suffer from it. We both find that we can eat unlimited vegetables. But that we have to watch our grain, legume and fruit amounts. My husband especially gets overheated if he eats too many carbs--a signal that his body is having to burn off the excess. Hope this info helps. > > Martha > > > > > karolynlk <karolynlk > > Wednesday, May 14, 2008 8:56:12 PM > Recent convert > > > My husband and I are recent converts to the plant based diet after > being introduced to it through the book The Rave Diet and the material > by the McDougalls. Prior to this we both followed what we thought was > a " heart healthy " diet due to my husband's high cholesterol count and > family history. We exericise and have watched our calorie intake like a > hawk. So here's my question (and please don't laugh .. but I > might ...) .. we've been on the diet for a mere 2 weeks, but are a > pinch concerned because we're both gaining weight! We're eating more > bulk than before, and loving the food. I've read that this is > temporary and that as our bodies adjust to the new nutrition, we will > actually drop the pounds. Since our mental frame of mind has > previously been that weight gain is a danger sign, I need a reality > check from those of you who are " pros. " Should we be concerned about > calories or can we eat all the veggies, beans, rice, etc that we want. > (ok, you can laugh now!) > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 15, 2008 Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 On 5/14/08, Martha <mnatural22 wrote: > > We can not eat all we want without gaining weight. But we can > eat to satisfaction. I'm not sure I understand the difference between eating as much as I want and eating to satisfaction - it seems like it's saying the same thing to me. Unless most people actually *want* to eat so much they make themselves stuffed as a tick, unable to move, and ill . . . > It seems that eating in excess of what we need, no matter how > " healthy " the food, is gluttonous and our bodies suffer from it. Maybe it's a matter of lacking a common definition of the terms we're using? Because " gluttony " - at least in the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox tradition from which the term comes to be a regular part of our modern Western consciousness - means eating to satisfaction. In fact, that's pretty much word-for-word how it's defined. Within the ascetic traditions, one eats only until hunger begins to lessen and no more, lest one risk gluttony by eating to satisfaction. And, at least for me, that's an *incredibly* difficult discipline to stick with for any length of time. I did a lousy job of it this Lent, but considering that eating as much as I want is making me lose app. 2 pounds per week at this stage in my process, it probably wasn't very healthy for me to even try to avoid gluttony for 40 days. I am thrilled with the low-fat vegan way of life because, for the first time since I gained all this weight with my pregnancy and untreated gestational diabetes back in 1994, I can eat like I used to when I was young again - just eat when I'm hungry and stop when I'm done and not have to weigh and measure and calculate my food (beyond trying to keep track of the big picture and make sure I eat a good variety of foods.) It's been incredibly liberating for me and restored much of my " broken covenant " with food. (Mileage, of course, will vary from person to person, based on body type, metabolic rate, emotional relationship with food, etc.) Sparrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 15, 2008 Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 I appreciate all this " food " for thought (no pun) .. While I initiated these changes in my diet for health reasons, I'm finding that I'm also healing what has been a life long damaged relationship with food. I can honestly say that for the first time in my 60 years I'm starting to actually enjoy eating to satisfaction which for me means that I am starting to pay attention to my body and beginning to trust that it knows what it needs. And for the first time in 60 years I'm probably feeding it appropriately. Better late than never I suppose. , " Sparrow R Jones " <sparrowrose wrote: > > On 5/14/08, Martha <mnatural22 wrote: > > > > We can not eat all we want without gaining weight. But we can > > eat to satisfaction. > > I'm not sure I understand the difference between eating as much as I > want and eating to satisfaction - it seems like it's saying the same > thing to me. Unless most people actually *want* to eat so much they > make themselves stuffed as a tick, unable to move, and ill . . . > > > It seems that eating in excess of what we need, no matter how > > " healthy " the food, is gluttonous and our bodies suffer from it. > > Maybe it's a matter of lacking a common definition of the terms we're > using? Because " gluttony " - at least in the Roman Catholic and Eastern > Orthodox tradition from which the term comes to be a regular part of > our modern Western consciousness - means eating to satisfaction. In > fact, that's pretty much word-for-word how it's defined. Within the > ascetic traditions, one eats only until hunger begins to lessen and no > more, lest one risk gluttony by eating to satisfaction. And, at least > for me, that's an *incredibly* difficult discipline to stick with for > any length of time. I did a lousy job of it this Lent, but considering > that eating as much as I want is making me lose app. 2 pounds per week > at this stage in my process, it probably wasn't very healthy for me to > even try to avoid gluttony for 40 days. > > I am thrilled with the low-fat vegan way of life because, for the > first time since I gained all this weight with my pregnancy and > untreated gestational diabetes back in 1994, I can eat like I used to > when I was young again - just eat when I'm hungry and stop when I'm > done and not have to weigh and measure and calculate my food (beyond > trying to keep track of the big picture and make sure I eat a good > variety of foods.) It's been incredibly liberating for me and restored > much of my " broken covenant " with food. > > (Mileage, of course, will vary from person to person, based on body > type, metabolic rate, emotional relationship with food, etc.) > > Sparrow > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 15, 2008 Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 >I'm not sure I understand the difference between eating as much as I want and eating to satisfaction - it seems like it's saying the same thing to me. What I meant by "eating to satisfaction" is no longer being hungry. "Eating as much as I want" is eating when I've had enough but it's so good I'd keep eating it anyway. For instance, if I have two cups of a main dish on my plate and after eating one cup, I'm quite satisfied but I finish off what's on my plate anyway. That would be eating as much as I wanted--I was already satisfied but I wanted the rest. And perhaps it's so good that I even serve myself a dab more. In my book that is gluttony--and we've all been guilty of that at one time or another. I think it's just a matter of terms and I guess, in retrospect, I could have suggested to use "portion control." I was just trying to be helpful in my original post. ~Martha----- Original Message ----Sparrow R Jones <sparrowrose Sent: Thursday, May 15, 2008 11:29:26 AMRe: Recent convertOn 5/14/08, Martha <mnatural22 > wrote: > > We can not eat all we want without gaining weight. But we can > eat to satisfaction. I'm not sure I understand the difference between eating as much as I want and eating to satisfaction - it seems like it's saying the same thing to me. Unless most people actually *want* to eat so much they make themselves stuffed as a tick, unable to move, and ill . . . > It seems that eating in excess of what we need, no matter how > "healthy" the food, is gluttonous and our bodies suffer from it. Maybe it's a matter of lacking a common definition of the terms we're using? Because "gluttony" - at least in the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox tradition from which the term comes to be a regular part of our modern Western consciousness - means eating to satisfaction. In fact, that's pretty much word-for-word how it's defined. Within the ascetic traditions, one eats only until hunger begins to lessen and no more, lest one risk gluttony by eating to satisfaction. And, at least for me, that's an *incredibly* difficult discipline to stick with for any length of time. I did a lousy job of it this Lent, but considering that eating as much as I want is making me lose app. 2 pounds per week at this stage in my process, it probably wasn't very healthy for me to even try to avoid gluttony for 40 days. I am thrilled with the low-fat vegan way of life because, for the first time since I gained all this weight with my pregnancy and untreated gestational diabetes back in 1994, I can eat like I used to when I was young again - just eat when I'm hungry and stop when I'm done and not have to weigh and measure and calculate my food (beyond trying to keep track of the big picture and make sure I eat a good variety of foods.) It's been incredibly liberating for me and restored much of my "broken covenant" with food. (Mileage, of course, will vary from person to person, based on body type, metabolic rate, emotional relationship with food, etc.) Sparrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 15, 2008 Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 >And for the first time in 60 years I'm probably feeding it appropriately. Better late than never I suppose. That's wonderful. Congratulations! And yes, it is better late than never!!!Martha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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