How much to eat is enough?

[Goob]

I'm not planning on cutting out all fat ^^ I know some fats are healthy, and it's not like I can easily gain weight in a vegan diet I love nuts, by the way!

You certainly can get fat on a vegan diet, it not a magic diet. There's plenty of vegan junk food

I got fat eating almost exclusively tofu, broccoli, and brown rice. If you eat more calories than you are burning off, you will get fat, even if you eat only healthy foods. Also, the thinnest person I know lives on pizza, mcdonalds, taco bell, and marshmallow peeps.

[batran369]

Hey guys! After some planning, this tuesday I switched to a completely vegan diet, and a few following days I felt light-headed too often. I figured out what's wrong, and that's because I didn't eat enough. At first I calculated my foods with mass (2.4kg foods, 1kg of which is vegs, and yes I know I was crazy), and I realized that is so very wrong. As it is, I build my workouts along the lines of You Are Your Own Gym (Mark Lauren) for a couple of years now, and as his calculator said, I need 2635calories a day, and with 5 meals that means 527 calories per meal. Today I matched that calories requirements and it worked! No more feeling light-headed! (See edit below)

But the problem is, it seems that I planned a very imbalanced ratio of the macronutrients. Here is today's intake:
Calories: 2635.1
Carbs: 276.3g, Protein: 137g, Fat: 132.1g
With 1g fat = 9 cal, 1g carbs/protein = 4 cal (hit me if this is wrong), that means today's plan was 40% Carbs, 40% Fat, 20% Protein. But as the calculator (mentioned above) suggested, I should have 217.4g carbs and protein each, and 99.4g fat. That is, 34% fat and 33% carbs and protein each.

I wondered if 40% fat is too much and 20% protein is too little. I tried to increase protein amount but the sources known to me (tofu, nuts and legumes/seeds) are also high in carbs and fat.

Is such ratio OK/healthy? Can I loose fat(?!) and build muscle with these amounts of fat and protein? Is there any source of protein that is low in fat and carbs? This is the remaining issue for me, guys, and I'm very excited! Any comments?

Edit: Scratch that. Today's breakfast I tried again with the same number of calories (canned corn (1 can), soymilk (1 cup) and 2 bananas), and after an hour I feel light-headed, again! I eat some grapes and cashews and the light-headedness went away temporarily... after lunch (rice, lotus roots and mushrooms) for a while the light-headedness returns, and disappears after I eat about 100g cooked peanuts.
I hardly feel hungry at all, but the problem is the light-headedness. It always happens about an hour after meal, and last until I eat something. It feels... disorienting, hard to focus... like floating in a pool where I do not want to be in! Since there is no hunger, I guess it's not because lack of energy... or is it? It's strange I didn't feel it yesterday... anyone experienced the same syndrome and had a solution?

[xrodolfox]

Whenever I feel strange, I do one of three things:
1) Take a poop
2) Take a nap/go to sleep
3) Eat more (again)

It seems to solve most problems.

If I ever get lightheaded, I eat more. Usually something high fat and high calorie, like several of an avocado on toast topped with salt and a touch of lemon and a thick slice of tofu or several slices of tofurkey, or perhaps two banana and PB sandwiches. Either way, I eat. And I feel better again.

[loveliberate]

Excellent advice Rodolfo!

I do the same plus:
4) Take a hot bath.
5) Drink some cool water or warm herbal tea.

[batran369]

Hmmm... Oh, just saying that poops come quite unexpectedly when I switch to a vegan diet! It's like I was doing okay then ALL OF A SUDDEN it was like screaming NOWWWW!!! LOL

I guess I'll eat even more, then... I'll report if there are any changes

But to my other question. Isn't the ratio of 40% Carbohydrate - 40% Fat - 20% Protein a bit too imbalanced?

[Goob]

Hmmm... Oh, just saying that poops come quite unexpectedly when I switch to a vegan diet! It's like I was doing okay then ALL OF A SUDDEN it was like screaming NOWWWW!!! LOL

I guess I'll eat even more, then... I'll report if there are any changes

But to my other question. Isn't the ratio of 40% Carbohydrate - 40% Fat - 20% Protein a bit too imbalanced?

Urgent bowel movements is probably because you dramatically increased fiber intake overnight. It's not generally advised to do that, because it can be uncomfortable at first, but your digestion system adapts fairly quickly so that should not be a permanent problem. You could back of on fiber intake and slowly increase it over weeks to have less pronounced effects.

The high fat diet could be a factor in feeling lightheaded. Eating lots of fat causes me to have more issues with low blood sugar than when I am eating a more moderate diet, and one of the main symptoms of low blood sugar is feeling lightheaded.

When I was in school we were taught that 50% carbs, 25% fat, 25% protein was a moderate diet, so that is probably a good place to start and adjust as necessary depending on your goals and lifestyle.

This is just based on my experience with low blood sugar, others may have different results and seeing a professional is always the best option with health concerns.

Also, DO NOT EXPECT TO LOSE FAT AND GAIN MUSCLE AT THE SAME TIME. They are 2 different things that require different conditions. Losing fat requires a calorie deficit and gaining muscle requires a calorie excess.

[batran369]

Well, I guess I'll conclude my story here! After 2 weeks, I'm eating normally, and there is no problem. I feel as alive as ever! I guess the transition is complete. Thanks, guys, for the help! You just helped bringing another vegan to the world! *bear hugs*