Is weight loss a normal phase when first turned vegetarian?

[cutemomome]

I've been reading and posting on this forum since April, but mostly in the cavy related areas. I've downloaded the "Meet your meat" video way back in August, but didn't have the guts to watch it...

Long story short. I've watched it, and canged my way of eating since mid September.

Here's comes my question. Did anyone else who turned vegetarian here recently have a problem with weight-loss in the initial phase? What I mean is that in the past 4 weeks, I've lost close to 15 lbs, and last week alone was 5 lbs. Don't get me wrong, I feel fine, read somemore threads here on anemia, and I don't have the symptons written on the site, and I checked my blood sugar, very normal.

I'm lazy by nature, so don't expect me to go work out, and I love snacking on tarro chips and yam pudding... However, nothing else is really changed other than the way I choose to eat.! I eat carbs like carzy, I'm Chinese, I live and die by my rice...

I don'y really know any vegetarian friends, so the only place I could think of asking this is here...
Is this normal (expected)?
Does anyone here have/had this phase too?
When am I going to gain back the weight so I don't need to buy new jeans?
Thanks
momo

[My Baby Mu]

I didn't lose any weight. I have been vegetarian for about a year. I was stedily but normally gaining in that year (5-10lbs) I am very lazy too.

Were you (before the weight lost) bigger than normal? Skinny? Normal? Obese?

[cutemomome]

Before I started, about 115 - 120.
This morning, about 102.

[My Baby Mu]

For your size what were you, though (what do you think)? Not in numbers.

[cutemomome]

I'm 5'5, so I guess average?!? for an Asian.
I wear size S.

Its not the weight, its the weight-loss. I thought it would stop after 2 weeks, but it only got faster?!?

I used to be heavy, anout 140, but I switched my meds (for my congenital heart problem), then weight steadied around 120 for almost 3 years, and now this...

[My Baby Mu]

Hmm..I really don't know then. If you were overweight I would think it would be normal but you aren't.

[cutemomome]

A little off-topic.
The only "meat" craving I have every now and then is ....... ice-cream and cheese!!!

[My Baby Mu]

Are you saying you don't eat any dairy products? I eat ice-cream and cheese (dairy).

[cutemomome]

YOU NO SAY!!!

You mean ice cream sundae with whipped cream and chocolate syrup is ALLOWED? I thought egetarian means no "meat and meat related products"?

I thought only eggs is allowed?
Is milk allowed too?

Are all dairy ok?

[My Baby Mu]

I eat dairy products yes. But I DO NOT eat geletain. I also eat eggs. Some sour creams and yogurt have geletain in them.

[Percy's Mom]

If you're not eating meat related products, then you wouldn't eat eggs either. No meat or meat related products is technically vegan. Vegetarian is not eating anything that requires slaughtering the animal, so dairy products and eggs would be allowed.

[cavy_lover]

I didnt really loose any weight, I actually lost only about 2lb. Then I gained it back. Sudden weight loss can be a sign that something else is wrong. I would see your doctor for a check up just in case.

Eating dairy products can help you gain back weight, because of the fat content. You can eat dairy products because you are a vegetarian as percy's mom said. A vegan is not allowed to eat any product that comes from an animal, milk, eggs e.tc. and meat. Vegetarians are not allowed to eat meat.

[Alicemcmallis]

You are probably eating the same amount of food as before, but foods that aren't as calorie laden. For some vegans it's helpful to eat many small meals throughout the day to get as many calories as are needed to maintain a healthy weight.

Are you eating a lot of things like beans and soy products?

[amyjane]

In my opinion, being a vegetarian is up to your own interpretation. I choose not to eat meat, but I still eat ice cream, cheese, etc. But then again, I became vegetarian because I couldn't stand the texture of flesh and finding occassional veins in my food. I know a lot about meat production (former animal science major) and for some reason that isn't the part about meat that bothers me. The only thing I don't eat outside of meat is milk. The flavor of it grosses me out (I always think of pus in it, probably because certain amounts of pus are permitted in milk).

As for weight loss, I didn't lose any weight upon becoming a vegetarian. I would visit your doctor. S/he might be able to go over your diet with you and look for any health concerns that might be related to your weight loss.

[cutemomome]

Thank you all for the response, I actually went to the doctor today.

I really feel fine, but Ben is a bit worried about the weight loss issue. I have a congetal (born with) heart disease and asthma, so I have a scheduled check up every 6 months.

Perhaps I got a little confused over the terms vegeatrian and vegan, I thought they were the same! (told you, English is my 2nd language).

However, even though we are still waiting for the results from the 2749 tests we did today, my doctor strongly recommends dairy, and he also detected something unexpected, my heart rate slowed significantly. My heart rate used to be quite high 95/110 (resting/moving), and it came down to 85/100 today! So, at least, that's an obvious improvement! Honestly, I'm not sure what it means, but my doctor and Ben were pretty excited about it?!?

We will learn more when the results gets back next Tue, and I will keep you all updated!
Once again, thank you all for the inputs!!!
Momo