I didn't eat meat chicken or fish for over 7 years, but that's how I ended up really needing to go lo-carb. I've done regular Atkins (went back to being omnivorous) since Sept 01, and really, I like the results, but still don't like handling, cooking, shopping for or really thinking about consuming non-veggie stuff. I still loathe knowing that most of the taste in hamburger comes from blood and urine --- oh boy!

So, the holy grail for me will be a successful way to eat veggie and still whoosh once in a while and at least slowly melt off the pudge in the meantime.

I think what I see coming through the messages is that it will take more work (probably more bucks, too, Morningstar ain't cheap) than reg DANDR. Ok. In a few weeks, I'll be ready to read the info already out there and see if I can't do it. I have several veggie friends who are anxious to know the results.

Has anyone used Lumen foods Stonewall Jerque or Heartline meatless meats? I'll have to bug them for a nutrition breakdown - the bulk packages I used to buy in my pre-Atkins days didn't have content - but they were much cheaper.

Sabu

Sabu – your message is one I could have written; I've been a veggie for over 20 years (since age 17, and I'll be 39 in a few weeks.) By the time I was in my late 20s, I realized that all the cheese sandwiches and veggie/cheese casseroles I consumed in college had contributed to my weight problem, even though they seemed like healthy choices at the time.

Now I'm wondering if I'd have more success on Atkins if I added beef and chicken back into my diet (I already eat fish) but handling, cooking, and shopping for meat bothers me, too. (I already do it for my kids.) I can't eat those "fake meats" since I have to watch my sodium, and they're all filled with it.

I'd like to hear from anyone on this thread who has enjoyed some real success with Atkins within a vegetarian lifestyle, and how you've done it. It seems to me that dairy fat should be able to contribute to overall daily fat, protein and calorie totals in the same way meat does, but I just haven't had the results that the carnivores seem to be having!

Thoughts on this anyone?

Barb

I've been a vegetarian for probably 12 years and on Atkins for 3. I consider anyone eating fish not to be vegetarian. There is a name for people who don't eat beef or chicken but consume fish. There are all types of catagories of people who eat some and not other types of meat. I don't eat meat (fish is meat) because I don't feel it is necessary for my existence to be the cause of another creature's death. You don't kill a cow to get milk. The eggs in the store were never fertilized to be a chicken but I still can't eat them without getting the eebie geebies! I think it has to be an internal thing for you to be a vegetarian and it isn't easy. People harrass me all the time but I don't tell them what to do. I just do what is in my heart. If you really want to do this diet, it can be done vegetarian. I use the MorningStar and LiteLife products. They are about as costly as any other food but I only recently started eating them. I didn't miss the hamburger type foods and didn't want to be reminded of them. But my daughter started getting them and I tried them. It tastes good and is a break from cheese.
I wish everyone good luck and to do the best you can. We are all trying to beat the weight and it can be done if you are diligent. One thing about this is that it has gotten me out of the habit of eating. You can't grab chips or cookies or popcorn. I've learned to do other things and I feel free from the food that has been dominating my life!

I was a lacto-ovo vegetarian for many years...until marriage. Then, I went back to meat-eating (for nearly 10 years).

I have lost and gained many times...always a struggle. I have low-carbed off-and-on for years, but permanent success always eludes me.

In January of this year, I once again stopped eating meat and gained 29 pounds in TWO MONTHS! After all, Twinkies and crackers are NOT animals. Obviously, I was not low-carbing during that two months.

Health problems, such as high blood pressure which I've never had before, caused me to re-evalutate my eating habits.

Soooo . . . In mid-June, I decided vegan low-carb is the way for me.

So far, I have lost almost 20 pounds in less than two months and feel wonderful! My ccl is around 100g (I established that a long time ago), so I am able to eat lots of fruit and stay in ketosis.

If anyone is interested is how to eat vegan and still stay low-carb, I would love to share!

I'm so happy I've found this forum!

Janet

Good for you! I love to hear people have success while being vegetarian. It is possible and actually very easy to do while on Atkins. I never have trouble finding anything to eat. Let's keep ourselves motivated!
P.S. A while ago, someone on this site offered a Spinach Fritata receipe that I finally made this evening. I intended it to be my stash for the week by my family thought I was being nice to make something special for them and they loved it! Thanks to whoever sent it!
Trish

katya789 you are doing one simalr to me. mine is baised around wieght lifting and body building asthe protein requirements are really high.

i eat six meals a day 3 of which are nutreant meal shakes, each shake has 42 grams of protein, and 25g of carbs. then i have 3 other meals. i only eat tuna because i want the fish ols in it and the protein. i dont drink milk i drink soy milk now and use veggi cheese instead of real cheese except once and awhile. i alos eat the fake meats too. while my diet still hase carbs they are good ones only complex carbs. its the simple ones that are bad. thogh i would like to decreas them some, but brown rice makes such a good base for many things.

adnil53 so if the only carbs i eat all day are complex ones then im still low carbing then? cause i stopped eat simple carbs all together and now only eat complex ones.

Westgal whats ccl stand for.

CCL is "critical carbohydrate level" - the point where you go OUT of ketosis. It's an Atkins term.

Janet

how do you know what you ccl is?

For most, it is the carb-level at which you go out of ketosis. For those who NEVER register positive for ketosis, it can be a bit more tricky, and stopping of weight loss is probably the best indicator, although that isn't always totally accurate.

) Janet

I guess I'm new here, though I posted a few questions earlier this year and then vanished. Anyway I'm back (and with a much snazzier computer). I'm vegetarian for moral reasons and I'll never eat fish, chicken or meat again. (I do dairy though, I'm not vegan). I'm 5' 10" and tonight weigh just over 185, so I don't think I'm terribly obese. But I do need to lose weight, I'd like to get to 165. I've been lazy, that's my problem, but I've started to be a little more active, taking long bike rides and walks. I think most of us are looking for the magic diet that requires no exercise but we have to know that exercise is a big key. When I was in the best shape of my life, after losing about 30 pounds, I was walking everyday, doing 15-20 minutes of exercises at home everynight. And I had cut out all junk food, all fast food. I do want to learn more about the low-carb, high-protein diet but I know that success will only come if I get off my ass occasionally and excercise. Not a really informative post I know, but its now 1 a.m. and I better start thinking about sleep. I'll keep an eye on this forum and add anything I can think of. Anyway, nice meeting you fellow veggies looking to lose weight like me. Ain't it a bitch?

I have been away for a while. Complex carbs are much better than simple carbs, but depending on your plan, you still have to count the carbs and if you keep them down to what-ever your plan says, yes you are doing low carb... even if you ate simple carbs, if you kept then down to a low level, it would be low carb!

That is true, well mostly... as far as a chicken goes... a hen will lay that egg, that will just sit there and rot if there was no rooster around, whether there is a rooster or not! Could never make another chicken... Just thought I'd add my two sense worth!

Hi there! Glad to see you around again! I was away from the vegetarian section for a bit... thought I would drop in and see what has been going on. I do weight training and I ride my bike 6 miles a day for most days, I really enjoy it!... I think it is important to do some form of exercise. After being a couch potato for most of my adult life, I finally have started... MOVING!!!! Now just to get this weight moving OFF of me again!