New to meat free & calorie counting

[KB2611]

Hi,

I’m just after some tips and advice from fellow tattlers.

I decided two weeks ago to make a change and make it permanent.

I’ve gone meat free / plant based as much as possible and began to get in a calorie deficit. I’m just after some of your faves meat free foods and work outs.

Story is below if anybody wants to read otherwise I’ve just kept it short and sweet here x
————————

My relationship with food is absolutely toxic to say the least. I did Cambridge around 10 years ago and kept the weight off for a good while but when I put on a stone and a half I joined Slimming World and after lots of research over the past month or so I truly believe this is where the full toxicity began. I wasn’t even “big” when I joined, like I say a stone and half I needed to lose to get to the lowest end of my BMI. There were weeks where I wouldn’t lose, no matter how much I stuck to plan. The consultant would NOT believe me and even had me doubting myself at times. I packed in after thinking it was working for others and not me and vowed never to return. One of my colleagues joined a class in the next village and she was glowing, following in her foot steps I re-signed and did amazing the weight was falling off, I was constantly SOW and SOM I went on holiday, came back and maintained. I thought this was it. I wasn’t far from target and the weight loss stopped. I was asked to do food diaries because there must be somewhere I was going wrong. I still continued to maintain. I cut out Syns and ended up beginning to gain through sheer frustration. I became really really good friends with my consultant this was allowed as she announced she was quitting, personal circumstances due to the self employment aspect. During this time I started a new job in Newcastle and as my old consultant had quit I moved to another group after a few weeks off of adjusting to a new lifestyle and travelling etc. So I re-joined and was focused, I was so active I walked from my house to the station (1.5 mile each way) from the station to work, an hour on my lunch break I walked in and around town and then back home. I was determined to get to target so back I go and rejoin. Weigh in 1, no weight loss at all. I drank loads of water, ate my speed weighed my food to be told I was doing something wrong, after weeks of hearing this I packed in. Frustration set in, I’d deny myself food because it was synned. duck, I can’t look at food without seeing syns! So after gaining my friend the ex consultant decided she was rejoining so off we go again. I rejoined this time at my heaviest, hey week 1 6.5 loss …. I lost so every other time it was my fault. Week 2, guess what, I’m slimmer of the week again. Week 3, slimmer of the week again. Week 4, guess what, I’ve lost again. Every other time I was doing something wrong I know this now because I am losing again. Then the maintain starts again, but I have stuck to plan, why can’t I lose. My fault, keep a food diary let the consultant see where I am going wrong. There’s nothing wrong. This time I packed in and packed in for good.

After research, I found out I was not the problem, my meals were not the problem. The 2L+ water I drink every day was not the problem. The problem was after a certain amount of weight loss I was not in a calorie deficit because SW does not measure calories. The consultants aren’t dieticians theyaren’t educated on deficits.

I used to be a prison officer, I had to be physically fit and healthy for my job role, I also worked in security again, I had to be fit and healthy. I wish I could go back to those times where I thought I was overweight and unhealthy to realise that the toned muscular body I had was in great shape. However I cannot.

What I am currently trying to do is retain my entire mind to stop seeing Syns. Stop seeing Speed foods. And see calories and proteins. Develop a healthy relationship with food and Instead of getting angry and having a sugar high I will do a work out instead.

During lockdown I gained a whopping 4 stone, during this time I went back to SW twice, this isn’t solely SW fault it’s mine but they massively contributed. I lost one of the closest people in my life and broke my ankle putting me off my feet for 10 weeks. However, I need to take control and I absolutely know my friend would be by my side encouraging me as much as possible because the decision I’ve made is the healthiest I have in a long time. I’m enjoying this ride, I’m in it for the long haul and I know it’s going to be challenging at times. I’ve made an insta to post my meals and stuff and make sure I have daily posts with my highs and lows and take ownership and control. I’m not the only person to have developed a negative relationship with food and drink since I joined SW and I sure as tit won’t be the last. But it’s insane how much it has damaged me and many others, along with weight watchers and any other fad diet out there. I never ever binge ate before I joined and all I wanted to do was get that 1.5 off quickly. TikTok started my research into this and whilst I choose what goes into my body I truly believe if I had just accepted that some of the 1.5 stone was because I’d been travelling Europe and was water retention rather than a quick fix I wouldn’t be in this position now. But what is done is done, only I can change it and only I can control it and only I can be held accountable.

if you got this far, you’re a better person than I am.

 

[BettyCrockerr]

Slimming world is a nothing but a money making scam. It’s a dangerous, toxic company that preys on vulnerable people. They don’t want people to genuinely loose weight- they don’t make money from one time customers. They want people to yo-yo back and forth, it’s part of the business strategy.

anyway.

are you meat free now because you genuinely want to be? Or is this because you think it’s going to help you to loose weight?

you know yourself that unless you are making genuine choices, then you are setting yourself up
To fail. You don’t need to be a militant meat free eater to loose weight.

keep things simple and realistic. Have you worked out your BMR?
What is your daily exercise like??

 

[KB2611]

Slimming world is a nothing but a money making scam. It’s a dangerous, toxic company that preys on vulnerable people. They don’t want people to genuinely loose weight- they don’t make money from one time customers. They want people to yo-yo back and forth, it’s part of the business strategy.

anyway.

are you meat free now because you genuinely want to be? Or is this because you think it’s going to help you to loose weight?

you know yourself that unless you are making genuine choices, then you are setting yourself up
To fail. You don’t need to be a militant meat free eater to loose weight.

keep things simple and realistic. Have you worked out your BMR?
What is your daily exercise like??

I’m meat free because I want to be I would love to be vegan but honestly, beans and lentils aren’t for me. Most things I eat are plant based anyway but I look at my animals and genuinely ask myself how I eat this when I wouldn’t eat them.

Daily exercise isn’t great but I’m building back up, lock down ruined me, I had an op on my hand, I broke my ankle in 2 places I became a recluse, gained weight, lost one of my best friends, gained more weight and realised I need to sort myself out all together.

However, I went on a 6.5 mile hike yesterday on the way back I’ve gone a over tit and damaged the ligaments and tendons in my foot again, the one I broke in lock down so thankfully it isn’t fractured again but I’m back to being dressed as robocop.

 

[judgejohndeed]

Just tagging some friendly vegans (I think!) who might be able to help @Lionsden @oshare
Your story really resonates with me, the restrictive nature of SW definitely contributed to my bulimia a few years ago. Morally I am completely on board with going vegetarian then vegan but during my bulimia treatment was told not to restrict my food groups anymore as I find it triggering and tbh, I am just too scared to even try because I don’t want to be back there. Calorie counting is fine to me, eating less doesn’t set me off but trying to cut things out of my diet seems to just be a huge no. Are you going cold turkey or slowly cutting things out?

 

[oshare]

Just tagging some friendly vegans (I think!) who might be able to help @Lionsden @oshare
Your story really resonates with me, the restrictive nature of SW definitely contributed to my bulimia a few years ago. Morally I am completely on board with going vegetarian then vegan but during my bulimia treatment was told not to restrict my food groups anymore as I find it triggering and tbh, I am just too scared to even try because I don’t want to be back there. Calorie counting is fine to me, eating less doesn’t set me off but trying to cut things out of my diet seems to just be a huge no. Are you going cold turkey or slowly cutting things out?

I didn't go cold turkey either. I have a long history of battling with AN so I understand your feelings very well.
As a child I already struggling immencly eating animals (any kind). In my first year in high school I had a friend who was veggie, I had never heard of this before (I live very rural and it's not progressive here at all). I always thought it was strange we had to eat animals. I remember when I first learned that we were eating animals as a child and I was horrified but my parents forced me and did so until I was an adult. Even after turning 18 I wasn't really capable of taking good care of everything so I had to rely on my parents for dinner and so I still had to eat animals frequently. It wasn't until a few years later I went completely vegetarian. This was all before my AN started (when I was 22). I stayed veggie during my ED but I always knew I wanted to go vegan but at that time it wasn't the right timing of course. I am now vegan for almost 4 years.
Because of IBS I went to a dietitian (my doctor sent me) and she helped me figure out the things I'm sensitive to. We first noticed I couldn't have lactose, at first I tried lactose free stuff but with veganism in mind I started struggling with it more and more but as a HUGE dairy fan it was hard to cut it out. I tried soy products and loved it and stopped using cow dairy all together. Eggs I loved, too. But I noticed they made me very gassy (LOL SORRY) so I quit eating them too. I still had some fake meat products in the freezer but I ate them and just didn't re-purchase them. So for me it was quite a slow cut to be honest. It also mentally didn't affect me. If anything, I hugely contributed to my recovery. I learned that in order to be kind and good to others (animals, in this case) I also had to be good to myself. I also knew that if I wanted to maintain this lifestyle I had to nourish myself well. During that time we also often took care of my neighbor's cats and interestly seeing them eat without a worry was also so healing to me. Of course, I also had a lot of therapy but there were a lot of factors that really helped me. My love for animals was so incredibly strong that they overruled my ED feelings (of course, like I said, combined with therapy).
I often questioned myself if I did it for the right reasons and I am always very honest to myself, I always came to the conclusion that yes I want to do this for the animals, I love them so much, I don't want to cause them any harm. I just want them to be happy.
I just knew deep down I wanted this, so much more than I wanted (or needed) my ED. It honestly gave me more purpose in life if that makes sense.

I understand your feelings, all of you. You also have to remember it doesn't have to be all or nothing. It always makes me sad when people say they would love to eat plant-based but they can't give up that 1 ice cream. Well, then eat fully plant-based apart from that 1 ice cream you love so much. It's really already a huge thing you are doing.

There is no 1 way into going plant-based. For some people cold turkey works best, some people do it within weeks or months.

Also, I don't see animals and animal products as foods, so to me it doesn't feel like I'm cutting something out. It can also help to look at what you can add or swap into your diet in stead of what you are cutting out.

Sorry for the long post. Does this help at all?
Most of all: be kind to yourself. Every step is already amazing. You can start by finding a good replacement for already 1 or 2 dinners each week and go from there.

 

[KB2611]

Just tagging some friendly vegans (I think!) who might be able to help @Lionsden @oshare
Your story really resonates with me, the restrictive nature of SW definitely contributed to my bulimia a few years ago. Morally I am completely on board with going vegetarian then vegan but during my bulimia treatment was told not to restrict my food groups anymore as I find it triggering and tbh, I am just too scared to even try because I don’t want to be back there. Calorie counting is fine to me, eating less doesn’t set me off but trying to cut things out of my diet seems to just be a huge no. Are you going cold turkey or slowly cutting things out?

Wow thank you. It’s unreal everyone goes super super unhealthy via SW either with ED’s like yours or anorexia or how I became controlled by binge eating. I wish I could go back to the girl who felt a bit chubby not who I am not but honestly I can’t and it’s just research and retraining my warped mind.

I’m sorry this happened to you, are you in a good place now?

Calorie deficit and calorie restriction are massively two different things. I’m not doing that less than 1200 and I’m not doing that 5:2 I’m honestly eating better and in moderation.

So I’ve never used anything tested on animals since I was like 8 I’m 33 now so I don’t wear leather, certain make up cleaning products etc etc.
i also don’t eat masses of meat and previously ate a lot of quorn anyway.
So I haven’t found cutting meat out difficult at all it’s made no difference to me.
Id love to eventually go vegan but because a lot of the supplements such as beans, lentils and tofu I cannot stand I’m not making this decision lightly as I need to do a lot of research because I have an absolute phobia of beans. I know, I’m pretty mad.

I didn't go cold turkey either. I have a long history of battling with AN so I understand your feelings very well.
As a child I already struggling immencly eating animals (any kind). In my first year in high school I had a friend who was veggie, I had never heard of this before (I live very rural and it's not progressive here at all). I always thought it was strange we had to eat animals. I remember when I first learned that we were eating animals as a child and I was horrified but my parents forced me and did so until I was an adult. Even after turning 18 I wasn't really capable of taking good care of everything so I had to rely on my parents for dinner and so I still had to eat animals frequently. It wasn't until a few years later I went completely vegetarian. This was all before my AN started (when I was 22). I stayed veggie during my ED but I always knew I wanted to go vegan but at that time it wasn't the right timing of course. I am now vegan for almost 4 years.
Because of IBS I went to a dietitian (my doctor sent me) and she helped me figure out the things I'm sensitive to. We first noticed I couldn't have lactose, at first I tried lactose free stuff but with veganism in mind I started struggling with it more and more but as a HUGE dairy fan it was hard to cut it out. I tried soy products and loved it and stopped using cow dairy all together. Eggs I loved, too. But I noticed they made me very gassy (LOL SORRY) so I quit eating them too. I still had some fake meat products in the freezer but I ate them and just didn't re-purchase them. So for me it was quite a slow cut to be honest. It also mentally didn't affect me. If anything, I hugely contributed to my recovery. I learned that in order to be kind and good to others (animals, in this case) I also had to be good to myself. I also knew that if I wanted to maintain this lifestyle I had to nourish myself well. During that time we also often took care of my neighbor's cats and interestly seeing them eat without a worry was also so healing to me. Of course, I also had a lot of therapy but there were a lot of factors that really helped me. My love for animals was so incredibly strong that they overruled my ED feelings (of course, like I said, combined with therapy).
I often questioned myself if I did it for the right reasons and I am always very honest to myself, I always came to the conclusion that yes I want to do this for the animals, I love them so much, I don't want to cause them any harm. I just want them to be happy.
I just knew deep down I wanted this, so much more than I wanted (or needed) my ED. It honestly gave me more purpose in life if that makes sense.

I understand your feelings, all of you. You also have to remember it doesn't have to be all or nothing. It always makes me sad when people say they would love to eat plant-based but they can't give up that 1 ice cream. Well, then eat fully plant-based apart from that 1 ice cream you love so much. It's really already a huge thing you are doing.

There is no 1 way into going plant-based. For some people cold turkey works best, some people do it within weeks or months.

Also, I don't see animals and animal products as foods, so to me it doesn't feel like I'm cutting something out. It can also help to look at what you can add or swap into your diet in stead of what you are cutting out.

Sorry for the long post. Does this help at all?
Most of all: be kind to yourself. Every step is already amazing. You can start by finding a good replacement for already 1 or 2 dinners each week and go from there.

Yes it does, so i eat pretty much a lot of plant based unconsciously as I really like it. I don’t bloat the way I do after meat. So generally doesn’t bother me. Things I struggle for are cheese. The only cheese I like is grated mozarella.

My Asda and Aldi don’t have a great vegan section when it comes to cheese.

Can you recommend me some really nice vegan cheese? I don’t like strong cheese anyway and I don’t like milk.

I haven’t cut yoghurt yet because again I’m struggling.

I passed my driving test last week and car is delivered in the morning so can travel further afield to Durham and Newcastle to obtain nicer foods rather than relying on the supermarkets

Thank you for your warm response

 

[oshare]

Yes it does, so i eat pretty much a lot of plant based unconsciously as I really like it. I don’t bloat the way I do after meat. So generally doesn’t bother me. Things I struggle for are cheese. The only cheese I like is grated mozarella.

My Asda and Aldi don’t have a great vegan section when it comes to cheese.

Can you recommend me some really nice vegan cheese? I don’t like strong cheese anyway and I don’t like milk.

I haven’t cut yoghurt yet because again I’m struggling.

I passed my driving test last week and car is delivered in the morning so can travel further afield to Durham and Newcastle to obtain nicer foods rather than relying on the supermarkets

Thank you for your warm response

I am already very proud of you and I wish and hope you are very proud of yourself, too. You are actively working and looking for a different lifestyle, one that is with more compassion, kindness and consideration. That is amazing! You are honestly doing so well already. Each step is step! Even if it's a mouse step.

I'm sorry I can't recommend you nice vegan cheeses. I have tried many vegan cheeses and they are all fine to me lol. They all taste quite similar. I'm not the best to ask as I'm really not picky. I liked the store brands, the ones from violife, bedda, no muh, bute island, wilmersburger, simply v. They all taste good to me but like I said I'm really not picky. The flavor is just different but I don't mind that personally.
I think it's very personal. I don't like strong cheese either, I strongly dislike it. You can try ordering some online and try them out.

The same goes for soy yoghurt. I have tried a couple that were super disgusting to me, some were "meh", some "okay" and some were SO GOOD. They all make their products very differently even though you can't tell by the ingredients per se. It's trial and error!
That's why, also with yoghurts, I say purchase a different kind each time and see which one you like best. There are many options these days, soy, oat, cashew, almond, coconut, hemp... There is a lot to choose from!

Congratualtions on passing your driving test, I am very happy for you! It will definitely open up your world a lot!

Do you count calories or log in cronometer?

 

[mcfeez]

Slimming world just seems so toxic. So many come away from it with not only weight gain in the end but as youve said, a damaged relationship with food.

In terms of exercise if you aren't doing much at the moment I'd focus on just getting in something every day if you can and the easiest way to do this is a good walk. Its great for you physically and mentally. If you are looking for work outs there are tons of HIIT/interval training style ones on YouTube and they come in all different lengths i.e. as short as 10 or 15 mins.

For nice healthy recipes which are meat free I love a veggie burrito bowl. Beans, peppers, tomatoes, whatever you want done in fajita style seasoning alongside rice, salsa and avocado. Also love a veggie curry - I usually do potatoes, chickpeas and spinach to make it nice and filling.

 

[Lionsden]

Hello everyone. I became vegetarian when I moved out of my parents' home after school, and fully vegan over night seven years ago. I had been thinking about going vegan for a couple of years prior but was insecure because of myths going around, such as humans are meant to eat animal products, you will become deficient on a plant based diet, and so on. There was an online challenge called Vegan for 30 Days, which helped me kick start my decision. I told myself I could stop at any time and didn't have to stay vegan after the thirty days were up if it wasn't for me, but that was only because I was scared. I actually felt joy and relief almost immediately. It was amazing to know I was contributing significantly less to animal abuse. It wasn't really diffcult for me for some reason. I read Vegan for Life, by Virginia Messina, as a nutritional guide, but I didn't use any vegan recipes or suggestions at the time. I had already been eating vegetable based cooked meals, so it was easy to just use tofu, lentils, or chickpeas instead of feta cheese or eggs.
I find the postings about dieting, calorie counting, and excessive physical activity extremely disturbing and triggering, so I won't talk about those subjects.
There is mixed evidence on the topic of vegan and vegetarian diets and mental health and eating disorders, so any discussion has to take place without the basis of scientific evidence. It is my personal belief that a plant based diet is suitable and beneficial for anyone, including individuals with disordered eating. I don't believe being vegan and "restricting food groups" are the same thing. If you no longer see animal products as food, you are not eliminating food groups by not eating them. There are vegan substitutes for absolutely everything nowadays (unless you live in a food desert or poorer part of the world), so you can follow any eating pattern whatsoever on a vegan diet. You can eat junk food or whole foods, you can eliminate fatty or sugary foods, and you can overeat on healthy foods. In my opinion, an eating disorder does not go away on a vegan diet. It can surface at any time, just like it can on any other diet. The reason I would recommend quitting animal products completely (aside from the overwhelming moral aspect), is that they can cause inflammation in the body, and any mental imbalances that can contribute to creating or worsening an eating disorder are often also connected to inflammatory processes in the body. If you are an individual who is prone to destructive thoughts and behaviors, cutting out animal products can stabilize your mood and therefore influence your behavior. Processed foods can also be a problem, and I guess this is where it becomes difficult for people struggling with forbidden and allowed foods. I think a basis of mainly whole plant foods can lay good groundwork for improving your general condition, and in itself lead to more positive behaviors. I would also recommend reading Michael Greger's How Not to Diet (and of course, How Not to Die).
My food preferences have gradually changed over the years and continue to do so. There are foods I was served at home that I no longer eat, foods I liked in my twenties that have been replaced by others, so I have come to see this as a natural process and not as cutting certain foods out of my life. I have discovered so many new foods and dishes over the years, so I don't really miss the foods I no longer eat. I see my diet as abundant rather than restrictive. You would stop eating a certain food in a heartbeat if you found out it was contaminated or immorally sourced, or you would exclude certain foods for religious or moral reasons, like pork or horse meat, and you would not call that restrictive. I do believe it's all in your head. Not having to cook for a family has also made it easy to eat what I want, as well as an ever increasing choice of vegan options in stores and restaurants where I live. Of course, all this may be meaningless in the moment when your eating disorder rears it's weird head and you are just helpless. But just go one step at a time, don't beat yourself up for mistakes. Take up where you left off when you can. And something about exercise: While we all know how essential physical activity is to mental and physical health, don't forget that you can be rendered inactive by an injury or illness (or pandemic lockdown) at any moment. Try not to make yourself dependent on huge amounts of exercise. As difficult as is is, I think it's most important to get healthy eating behaviors in place, so that you don't experience the unhappiness of realizing you cannot maintain your weight without burning large amounts of calories through exercise.
I hope there was something helpful in here. I'm sure the experience is very different for each person and recommendations can end up being meaningless. But quitting animal products has only benefited me. Going vegan doesn't solve all your problems, especially not your eating disorder, but it can help lay a foundation for better mental and physical health, and consequently for better eating behaviors.

 

[KB2611]

I am already very proud of you and I wish and hope you are very proud of yourself, too. You are actively working and looking for a different lifestyle, one that is with more compassion, kindness and consideration. That is amazing! You are honestly doing so well already. Each step is step! Even if it's a mouse step.

I'm sorry I can't recommend you nice vegan cheeses. I have tried many vegan cheeses and they are all fine to me lol. They all taste quite similar. I'm not the best to ask as I'm really not picky. I liked the store brands, the ones from violife, bedda, no muh, bute island, wilmersburger, simply v. They all taste good to me but like I said I'm really not picky. The flavor is just different but I don't mind that personally.
I think it's very personal. I don't like strong cheese either, I strongly dislike it. You can try ordering some online and try them out.

The same goes for soy yoghurt. I have tried a couple that were super disgusting to me, some were "meh", some "okay" and some were SO GOOD. They all make their products very differently even though you can't tell by the ingredients per se. It's trial and error!
That's why, also with yoghurts, I say purchase a different kind each time and see which one you like best. There are many options these days, soy, oat, cashew, almond, coconut, hemp... There is a lot to choose from!

Congratualtions on passing your driving test, I am very happy for you! It will definitely open up your world a lot!

Do you count calories or log in cronometer?

I use Nutracheck.

I will go to some of the larger stores and have a look the ones here are poor.

I strongly dislike coconuts and anything to do with them. I don’t mind soya though.

Thank you so much do you mind if I message from time to time if I am after some advice?

 

[BettyCrockerr]

“The reason I would recommend quitting animal products completely (aside from the overwhelming moral aspect), is that they can cause inflammation in the body, and any mental imbalances that can contribute to creating or worsening an eating disorder are often also connected to inflammatory processes in the body. If you are an individual who is prone to destructive thoughts and behaviors, cutting out animal products can stabilize your mood and therefore influence your behavior.”

@Lionsden

I’d be careful about making such claims as above without scientific data to support it. You cannot say that those who have mental health issues could help solve these by going vegan.

 

[Lionsden]

“The reason I would recommend quitting animal products completely (aside from the overwhelming moral aspect), is that they can cause inflammation in the body, and any mental imbalances that can contribute to creating or worsening an eating disorder are often also connected to inflammatory processes in the body. If you are an individual who is prone to destructive thoughts and behaviors, cutting out animal products can stabilize your mood and therefore influence your behavior.”

@Lionsden

I’d be careful about making such claims as above without scientific data to support it. You cannot say that those who have mental health issues could help solve these by going vegan.

I am careful. That's why I used words like can and often.

But the research is there, just look it up.

https://scholar.google.de/scholar?q=inflammation+mental+health&hl=de&as_sdt=0&as_vis=1&oi=scholart