1200 calorie vegan diet? Help PLEEEASE!?!
Question: I'm looking for some meal ideas for a 1200 calorie VEGAN diet. The problem is that I do not know if I am eating enough of the right sorts of foods to keep healthy. I am losing weight at a normal pace but I also feel quite lethargic most of the time. I do not eat any meat, eggs or milk products. The meat and eggs part is a personal choice, but as for the milk- I am lactose intolerant. Currently my menu is as follows:
BREAKFAST
2 organic wheat bix, honey, 1/2 cup soy milk & 6 strawberries
SNACK
2 wholegrain rice cakes (plain)
LUNCH
Large bowl of vegetable soup or stirfried veg (with 1tbsp soy sauce & 2tbsp tabasco sauce)
SNACK
Apple/or/pear/or/nectarine
DINNER
Spiced cabbage and cous cous/or/
Wholemeal spaghetti with vegetable bolognese/or/
Big bowl of salad and beans or lentils/or/
Dhal (lentil soup), veg, and brown rice
SUPPER
10 seaweed crackers
I also exercise 5 days a week for over an hour. Am I on the right track & do you have any additional meal ideas?
Answers: I'm looking for some meal ideas for a 1200 calorie VEGAN diet. The problem is that I do not know if I am eating enough of the right sorts of foods to keep healthy. I am losing weight at a normal pace but I also feel quite lethargic most of the time. I do not eat any meat, eggs or milk products. The meat and eggs part is a personal choice, but as for the milk- I am lactose intolerant. Currently my menu is as follows:
BREAKFAST
2 organic wheat bix, honey, 1/2 cup soy milk & 6 strawberries
SNACK
2 wholegrain rice cakes (plain)
LUNCH
Large bowl of vegetable soup or stirfried veg (with 1tbsp soy sauce & 2tbsp tabasco sauce)
SNACK
Apple/or/pear/or/nectarine
DINNER
Spiced cabbage and cous cous/or/
Wholemeal spaghetti with vegetable bolognese/or/
Big bowl of salad and beans or lentils/or/
Dhal (lentil soup), veg, and brown rice
SUPPER
10 seaweed crackers
I also exercise 5 days a week for over an hour. Am I on the right track & do you have any additional meal ideas?
I was a good year before my pregnancy. I was vegan throughout my pregnancy. I'm vegan while breastfeeding and will continue to be vegan after she is weaned, and through out any other subsequent pregnancies and babies with which my husband and I might be blessed with.
Sure, there are some days when I feel more asleep than awake.The days when I feel truly awake and energetic are rare. Some of this might be emotional and psychological as well as physiological, but it's part of being a new mom.
I don't count caloires, but eat what I want when I want, making soure I do get enough protein and calcium, especially. (Soy is good for both.) I don't see what's not "correct" about your protein sources from beans and soy. However, with you soup or stirfry, try tossing in some beans or tofu. A few days a week, I'll stir fry some tofu with either bar-be-que sauce or sweet and sour sauce. Yesterday, while waiting for the bbq sauce to come out, I had the thought of using sweet and sour dressing or any other salad dressing we might have in the fridge. I'll put the tofu in a whole wheat pita. I'll also have some steamed veggies. In the afternoon, I'll either have some dry Life cereal or a slice of cinnamon toast. Also, for lunch once or twice a week, I'll have some natural peanut butter with natural jelly on whole wheat bread. Yum.
I also checked out "How it All Vegan!" from the library. It's got some great recipes in it with everyday ingredients. I like it to the point that I'm going to hunt for it in a large used bookstore in Columbus. I also checked out "The Voluptuous Vegan" but from what I've seen in that one, it doesn't have everyday ingredients.
Even with vegan diets you still have to maintain a balanced diet with all food groups. I cant see any protein in that diet at all and the body needs it to provide energy and build muscle which you are going to be doing with that amount of exercise.
You need to put in some tofu or nuts to fill up that food group. Try Spirulina supplements as well, its a plankton with a high % of protein with in it
Vegans also tend to lack alot of vitamins that come from a balanced diet (B12 I think is the main one) so get some multivitamins in there as well.
1200 Calories a day is not alot for 5 days a week exercise which is probably why your feeling lethargic. I know you probably dont want to and doesnt sound like it makes much sense but if you eat abit more you'll probably end up burning more fat as you have more energy to work out with
I have done a lot of research on diet and exercise, but not for vegan.
I did read one day, that vegans do not eat the correct source of protein in their diet, and are often aenemic and lethargic. They will probably tell you different.
If you can, I suggest you eat a little bit of red or white meat once or twice a week (about 300gm per serve) or go to a nutritionist.
All the best with your quest.