about protein powders, weight gain avoidance, and sceptics

[JP]

aye, thats what i meant about the metabolism. It shoots up as you take in more calories.

Look at it this way: majority of people eat about a million calories in a year and consume about a million as well. remarkable coincidence? Nope, its just that our bodies are good in regulating the metabolic rates according to the calorie intakes.

So actually perhaps i am supporting your viewpoint more than mine here or perhaps both are right: it is simple thermodynamics, but our bodies are able to increase or decrease the calorie consumption according to the situation.

one example: we can use this to our advantage, for instace if you are trying to lose weight, having several small meals throughout the day is a better way of doing it than one meal of equivalent amount of calories, to keep up the metabolic rate.

[anna c]

indeed, the same moderate amount of calories spread over 5 meals instead of 3 will boost the metabolism. if you ate the same amount in 1 or 2 meals, more of it would be stocked as fat, even if you didn't eat anything else anymore on that day.

similarly, a same moderate amount of calories coming from mainly carbs will be stored easier as fat than the same moderate amount of proteins (especially if you are a carbs-sensitive woman over 40 )... there are biological and chemical reasons for that, if you google for them you will certainly find them... it's not just the amount of calories, it's also when they are eaten and where they come from.

but even if chicken and fish are easy dishes to stay lean on, i am so not going to eat them anymore. maybe at first i may gain weight also because i don't know yet what's the right portion of chickpea spread and lentils etcetera and what exactly are the calories involved, but i trust that after playing and experimenting a bit i will figure things out...

[buzz]

Anna, here is a good site to help work out calories if you want to http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/

[JP]

anna, according to what i have read the difference between protein vs carb rates are so miniscule that there is hardly any impact and usually negated by higher fat content as well as more calorie dense foods (leading people to eat more) of high protein and high fat foods.

The reason why some people tend to lose weight when on high protein diet is similar to if they would go vegan: it is not so easy to snack and nibble and that leads to smaller intake of calories. Also with low carb diets the initial water loss creates the illusion of weight dropping off.

[Fruitbat]

Hi and welcome Anna c

I read your originial post on this thread and skimmed the replies and through I woult throw in my thoughts!

I think that you need not feel worried or restricted for being a vegan with a yeast-intolerance - there are plenty of varied foods available. Most people arent aware of the true variety and wide-choice because they stick to what they and the ingredients that are available in supermarkets which only stock the foods that sell to the masses - supermarkets for exmaple will rarely stock quinoa, millet, kamut or amaranth... and these are fantastic gluten-free grains.

Anyway I think for your protein - Buzz and JP are the best persons to ask as they certainly make sure they get lots of it! I myself am a bit of a dabbler in a wide range of sports including swimming, cycling, running, powerlifting and the odd bout of mountain pursuits, circuits classes and yoga (which I wish I could do more of). And my average day includes the following foods (I am gluten-free and avoid all processed foods and slowly going sugarfree too):
Bananas
Apples
Kiwis
Oranges
Seasonal fruit so at the moment a lot of berres, melons and peaches
Kale / Broccoli
Red peppers / tomatoes
Frequently mixed salad leaves, green leafy herbs and cucmber
Seaweed on a weekly basis
Rice / quinoa with lentils / chickpeas
Occasionally tempeh or even more occasionally tofu
About 1L soy milk per day but soon will start making my own milks in my milk-maker - from hemp seeds
Cocoapowder, rice protein powder, pea protein powder, hemp protein powder
Seed mix with perfect balance of EFAs (used in smoothies)

So protein sources for me are: quinoa, lentils and rice/chickpeas, soy milk, protein powders... and the only soy sourse is therefore soy milk and the occasional tofu or tempeh.... And I am not wasting away!!!!!

Good luck and well done on choosing the vegan lifestyle - I hope you enjoy it as much as i do.

[anna c]

thanks buzz, jp, fruitbat for the welcome and the advice and encouragement and reassurances.

still not sure whether i agree with JP i hope you're right. another thing i notice is that carbs make me crave more hence i eat more (i cannot stick to one bowl of porridge in the morning, got to have 2 or 3), whereas proteins alone cut my hunger and cravings instantly so i eat less. but i am blowing this up out of proportion, i am pretty lean actually, tend to obsess a bit.

was invited at a big brunch today, my first social event as a vegan, and had not problem whatsoever to stick to my commitment, which was a relief to notice. feel so good now. wonder why it never occurred to me before to go vegan...

[Fruitbat]

yeah the sticking to a commitment high is nice benefit when "freshly" converted! Doesnt matter why it didnt occur to you before - the thing that matters is that the thought occurred to you and that you took it up rather than turning your back on the idea. Just dont forget what it was like before you had that idea because that will make your success with others in introducing the notion to them easier!