Philosophical Vegan Forum

Hi, a few years back I injured my muscles around my hip, and was unable to be very active. In the last few years Ive been more sedentary because of the damage, and have put on some weight. About a week ago I started using Cronometer to track my intake and reduce my caloric intake so that I can get down to a weight I'm comfortable. My hip muscles are much better now, but I cant run or walk at a brisk pace.

On cronometer im getting most nutrients on a daily basis, and im sticking in the recommended range to lose 2lb per week (essentially a 1000 calorie deficit). As i'm loosing weight, i'm finding it harder to get enough nutrients on the reduced calorie diet, so Im asking the forum if they have any ideas on meals or ingredients I should incorporate.

Looking at my last week, I seem to have a harder time getting enough Calcium, Potassium, Selenium, and Vitamin E and the following Amino acids: Isoleucine, Leucine, Lysine, Methionine, Tyrosine and Valine (im averaging 60-90% in these amino acids on a day to day basis). I need to keep my caloric intake to about 1700 kcal a day (unless its a workout day which would allow for about 1900 kcal).

Lysine? I thought that seeds, nuts, and beans (especially soy) are rich in lysine? Do you need to limit any of those foods in order to lose weight? Maybe nuts, but I don't see why you'd reduce your bean-consumption if you're trying to lose weight.

No more cereal grains, and no more sweet fruits. Avoid sugar, and limit anything with added fat.

Stick to beans/lentils (and TVP), greens, and culinary veggies like tomatoes and squash (actually fruit, but not sweet), and onions/garlic of course.

Minimum 1/2 kg of dark green veggies a day (like collards, mustard greens, broccoli is a good option too but you'd need to eat a little more), then eat as many beans/legumes as you want.

You may want to invest in a spiral slicer, like this: http://www.vegkitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Zucchini-noodles-11.jpg
That will make noodles out of squash, and help cut calorie consumption.

You don't need to limit portion sizes, eat until you're full, you just need to avoid foods which will contribute more calories than nutrition.

Eat a couple hand fulls of walnuts each day for Omega 3, or use a blender to make a dressing with them for veggies.
Make sure you cook your greens well or chop/chew them very well so you digest them. A green smoothie may also be a good option, but you'll need to avoid fruit in it so it may not taste good.

This might work, but not guarantees: Greens + walnuts + cocoa powder + stevia/splenda

If you feel you have some calorie room to reintroduce some grains, choose the nutritionally dense ones like wild rice. Avoid white and brown rice, since they're pretty much empty calories. Avoid most corn. Make sure anything else is whole grain.

I also forgot mushrooms. Decent source of some minerals, like selenium, when you're avoiding grains.

Try something like this:
Walnut halves, 1 cup - 654 calories
Zucchini, raw, 3 large - 165 calories
Tomato sauce, 3 cups - 176 calories
Lentils, cooked from dried, 3 cups -- 689 calories
Collards, cooked from frozen, 500 grams -- 180 calories
Shiitake mushrooms, cooked, 5 whole -- 50 calories

That's 1915 calories, but you'll probably lose weight on that pretty fast, since a very large part of the calories are coming from walnuts. It's pretty low carb and high nutrient.
Let me know if that doesn't fill you up. Fat and protein tend to be pretty filling, and there's a lot of volume there, so that should be pretty good.

You can cook the zucchini if you want. Doesn't really matter. I'd just microwave it for a minute.

Use lemon juice, vinegar, salt, pepper (and other herbs), garlic and onions to taste.

Sunflower seeds are the densest source of vegan vitamin e so that may be an option. Flaxseeds for omega3. This way by having the densest sources you can have a small quantity and hence fewer calories while meeting your RDA for various nutrients.

ArmouredAbolitionist wrote:Lysine? I thought that seeds, nuts, and beans (especially soy) are rich in lysine? Do you need to limit any of those foods in order to lose weight? Maybe nuts, but I don't see why you'd reduce your bean-consumption if you're trying to lose weight.

I didn't suggest that I wanted to limit beans. I said I am low in those things, and desire not to be.

brimstoneSalad wrote:I also forgot mushrooms. Decent source of some minerals, like selenium, when you're avoiding grains.

Try something like this:
Walnut halves, 1 cup - 654 calories
Zucchini, raw, 3 large - 165 calories
Tomato sauce, 3 cups - 176 calories
Lentils, cooked from dried, 3 cups -- 689 calories
Collards, cooked from frozen, 500 grams -- 180 calories
Shiitake mushrooms, cooked, 5 whole -- 50 calories

Thanks for that. It helps. Just concerned that it will get to be too much eating the same foods each day. Also, Id rather not eat the same meal 3 times a day. Any recommendations?

brimstoneSalad wrote:No more cereal grains, and no more sweet fruits. Avoid sugar, and limit anything with added fat.

why no sweet fruits? Even if I can keep my calories low enough?

TheVeganAtheist wrote: Thanks for that. It helps. Just concerned that it will get to be too much eating the same foods each day.

Those things can be switched around. Different kinds of beans, TVP, etc. Different squash. Different veggies even.

TheVeganAtheist wrote: why no sweet fruits? Even if I can keep my calories low enough?

Fruits have a poor calorie to nutrient ratio. If you waste your calorie budget on sweet fruits, you will be low in minerals and macro nutrients.

Blackberries are the only major exception.

You can eat berries in moderation, since they're good for antioxidants, but I'd keep it to one handful a day. Avoid bananas, apples, and oranges, since they have little to no value in the diet.