Turning veggie has turned me into a carb freak! Advice!

Hey everyone. I've been a vegetarian well over a year and initially my health was pretty good. However, I notice not eating meat has increased my carb intake 3 times as much. I'm somewhat aware that too many carbs is unhealthy. On a weekly basis I generally feel tired, crappy and weak. I'm a short person (5'2") and I've been working hard to shape up but after weeks of workout I see no results. Is it the carbs? My question is how can I control my carb intake and lead a healthier lifestyle? I want to look and feel healthy but I just don't know what I should and shouldn't be eating. I'm not expecting miracle answers to this problem. I know it takes time, patience and commitment and I'm open to any advice. Thanks in advance

 

Yeah I try not to eat bread too often. Or pasta. At least not everyday. Tired crappy and weak could mean you are missing a vitamin or two. I also dont take any vitamins. Some peoples metabolisms arent good for vegetarianism, but I wouldnt give up on it just yet. I try to get all my vitamins early in the day. Alot of fruits in the morning for breakfast, but nothing too heavy with carbs or whatnot, unless its waffle day. Try to stick to mainly fresh vegetables for lunch, no bread or anything, salads and whatnot, unless im in a soup mood.
Then I can eat anything else the rest the day, I feel good, still skinny.

 

It could be the carbs.... But get some blood tests done see if you are missing out any nutrients such as iron which can cause tiredness. Are you eating more junkfood/ready made food these days? That can make u feel lethargic as well. Maybe try a fair bit more protein? Especially during the day as it will fill u up and keep u going...

 

hello free mind
Well if you've increased your intake of carbs, it very well could be the carbs weighing you down, though I know nothing about the other factors of your lifestyle and what you eat, so it's hard to say...

Pay attention to how much refined sugar you are eating (which is also a carb), as well as salt. Salts and sugars can easily bloat you out and promote weight gain or make it harder to lose weight...

Also, hydrogenated oils... All sorts of things factor in, so it might not be just carbs.

If you noticed you've been eating lots of carbs, first you should rule out any deficiencies as someone else said. Your body may be craving more carbs, as a result of lacking in a certain vitamin or nutrient...

If you're eating a lot of carbs though as a "filler"... something to replace the meat, or make you feel "fuller" it's all about replacing habits and attitudes really. I went down that road before, eating lots and lots of pastas and crackers and breads in place of what I gave up... most of it is psychological.

One way I control my weight, as rigid as it might sound, is by typically eating pretty much the same things each day, at the same times. Obviously, I make exceptions from time to time...here and there I allow myself a little vegan ice cream... and for special occassions, I break free from my "grind" a bit...

like a regimen. Plan what carbs you will allow yourself, and when you'll eat them, how much, etc. and try to follow it mostly daily, and that should help a lot.

What I do, is I make whole, raw veggies and fruits the largest part of my diet, and my biggest priority. And I munch on them pretty frequently and consistently throughout the day. I eat my carbs towards the end of the day when I've eaten the more important things...and I limit my intake. I'll have either a bowl of whole grain cereal...like bran flakes or something. Or, a piece of toast (two, at the most) with some organic peanut butter or some other sort of protein. I drink soymilk a few times throughout the day to ensure I'm getting other vitamins like B-12, and it also helps to feel full.

I don't know quite how to explain it, but I would really start concentrating on making sure you are getting plenty of fruits and veggies; it helps to drink lots of water throughout the day, and a couple glasses of soymilk. Stick to whole grains and such, and never go for all that bullshit white bread. Pay attention to food labels...hydrogenated oils...trans fats... those are your enemy.

Eat slow... Take breaks in between portions of your meal, to allow your body some time to process what it has taken in, and give it some time to see if you're still hungry.

If you keep getting hungry randomly, grab for things like bananas, broccoli, etc. fruits and veggies that have a little more substance and are more filling.

I don't know...pm me if you want some more ideas I've had to go through the carb issue myself. It's just all about self-control really and paying harder attention to what you SHOULD be eating, and what you should be avoiding...

EDIT to say:
I know how boring and difficult it might sound, but really the reason for eating is for health and nutrition... just because the breads and pastas might taste better, or make you feel fuller quicker, doesn't mean it's what you SHOULD be eating..

and, also try to concentrate more on the things you CAN eat, instead of the things that you can no longer eat as a vegetarian. When you concentrate on the things you can't eat...it makes it so much more difficult, in general.

it might also be helpful, for when you sit down to eat something, to give yourself designated proportions on a plate, rather than sitting down in front of a pot of pasta and going for second and third helpings. you know, take a piece of bread, and put the loaf away and out of sight. eat it slowly and enjoy it.

and along with your exercising... don't OVER exercise, or you will feel lots more hunger and end up eating more. Keep it simple and gradually work your way up... weight loss is not going to happen over night from exercising, and if you're female you'll also be more likely to tone, than to drop pounds...

if you still have issues after trying out different methods, maybe you should consult a nutritionist.

 

Carbs are not inherantly bad as long as they're the complex kind you find in whole grains, beans and veggies. Fruit has a lot of sugar and relying on that for energy is a mistake. A small amout of nuts and seeds can give you the fat you need. Stay simple, unprocessed and organic is good of course. Junk is junk, slow poison.