Do vegans get enough calories?!
I know that to be healthy you should at least consume 1,200 calories a day and I'm not reaching that because in most of the meals, the produce is the star and fruits and veggies are mostly water so I can understand that. But I don't know what to do because I don't want my meals to only consist of breads, cereals, soy milk, pastas, etc. because they offer more calories and protein; I'd rather get nutrients from fruits and veggies.
I already work out every day and I'm worried that this will leave me feeling tired and not able to keep up with school, etc. If it helps, I'm only 5'0" and about 100 lbs. so I already have a very small frame and am not really looking to lose weight, just to be healthier. I don't want to have to eat even more foods to get enough calories because like I said, I'm already pretty small and I get full quickly. Also, I am not a fan of mock meats or cheeses really which I know can offer a lot of calories and protein (yes I know that protein isn't that big of a deal but someone my size needs 37.8 grams per day and I'm just not meeting that on about half the days, according to the calorie counter). I do meet that right now with dairy and eggs included in my diet.
Vegans, how do you manage this lifestyle with enough calories and protein and still feeling energized and healthy every day? I'm so sorry this is so long but I really want to make this change and be healthier, but not if it's going to do the opposite. If anyone would be willing to message me and discuss this, please let me know. Otherwise, I look forward to your answers. Thanks! :)
Answers:
Since you are a vegetarian, I, unlike the other responder, do not recommend consuming meat to meet your daily caloric needs. I am a vegan, and I manage to consistently consume 1200-1400 calories a day. I am 5'8" and 135 pounds, and I find that this amount of food satiates my hunger. On days that I spin or weight train, I allow myself another 200 calorie snack. Most of my calories come from carbs. Since I have good muscle tone, I assume that, for my body, this formula is working. I understand that what works for me, may not work for someone else.
Here is an example of what I ate yesterday and a breakdown of each meal and snack:
Note: This is a mid-range protein day. Usually I consume about 60 grams of protein.
All calorie totals are ESTIMATES based on packaging and nutritiondata.self.com
Breakfast: Scrambled tofu (2 servings, according to package, of crumbled firm, or extra firm tofu, sauteed with 1/2 tbsp. olive oil, onions, garlic, spinach, carrots, celery, mushrooms, a few splashes of organic soy sauce, and a pinch of turmeric and sea salt) (appx. 250 calories)
AND
1/2 medium-large banana (50 calories)
Breakfast total: 300 calories, appx. 16 grams of protein
Snack: 1 cup of fruit salad (100 calories)
Lunch: Homemade breaded onion rings (Cut onions into 1/2" circles, separate circles, dip in a vegan egg batter, dip in seasoned wheat germ (use about 1/2 cup of wheat germ and whatever seasonings you like), and bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees) (appx. 120 calories for a medium onion)
AND
Baked eggplant in a chunky tomato sauce (I use about 1/2 an eggplant and 1 cup of pasta sauce. Eggplant is very low in calories. Most of the calories from this dish comes from the sauce. A decent store bought pasta sauce is Classico roasted garlic. I add chopped roma tomatoes to it to make it chunky). I also drizzle 1/2 tbsp of olive oil over the cooked eggplant dish, right before serving). (appx. 200 calories)
Lunch total: 310 calories, roughly 10 grams of protein.
Snack:
1 oz. toasted almonds (about 22 almonds) sprinkled with cinnamon. (170 calories)
1/2 cup chilled applesauce (You could have a raw apple instead, but I like the texture difference between crunchy almonds and smooth applesauce). (50 calories)
Total: 220 calories, 6 grams of protein
Semi-light Dinner:
1 medium-sized baked sweet potato (100 calories)
Spinach salad with balsamic vinaigrette
1 serving (according to package) grilled tofu (Using a balsamic vinegar marinade) (100 calories)
Dinner total: Depending on the size of your salad and amount of dressing, about 225 calories; 8 grams of protein
Snack:
1 mashed semi-frozen banana sprinkled with 30 vegan chocolate chips (Whole foods makes a great product)!
Total: 170 calories
Grand total: 1325 calories and 40 grams of protein.
Peace, health, and good luck!!
Nutritiondata.self.com
Generally, I don't eat a whole lot of bread or pastas. I try to stick to whole grains like quinoa, millet, brown rice, and oats. I eat beans often, as well as tempeh and miso. I like tofu, but it's unfermented, so it's not as healthy. I do eat it sometimes.
I eat a lot of veggies, but I'll maybe have one half of grapefruit a day. I'll probably eat more in the summer. I'm trying to eat with the seasons though. :P
Just plan your meals carefully, and if you need some extra calories, eat some nuts. :)
Vegan
The idea that humans need animal protein, high-protein foods, or need to focus on getting enough protein at all is completely inaccurate. I repeatedly state the fact that human breast milk gets only 6% of its calories from protein. That's how much we need as growing babies! We certainly don't need more than that as adults. I average about 7%. Most of my calories are from carbs, and less than 10% from fat. Other primates to which we are closely related (i.e. chimpanzees) also eat less than 10% protein, high-carb. Protein is essential, but the best source of protein isn't the highest. Cooking food actually changes the molecular structure of protein so I doubt it's as good for me.
I'm a low-fat raw vegan. Here's a typical day for me:
3.5 pounds of grapes for breakfast. That's almost 1100 calories.
A smoothie of coconut water, 6 bananas, and 6 Medjool dates for lunch. That's about 1000 calories.
For dinner, a big Mexican papaya. For my second course I'll have a giant salad with lettuce, celery, and some non-sweet fruits like cucumber and tomatoes. I usually get between 2500 and 3000 calories a day.
Bananas and dates are high-calorie fruits and quick to fill up on. If you're willing to go against the grain (literally) and spend more time eating each day, you can thrive on mostly raw fruit and your body will thank you so much for it. You just have to get used to consuming a larger volume or weight of food than most people do. Vegetables are great for minerals but they are supplementary, not for calories.
Now, when I ate a cooked vegan diet, calories weren't even an obstacle. I could eat much smaller volumes of grains and beans. Fatty food like oils, hummus, and nut butters are very high calorie and can be added for that purpose. However, you'll probably feel better if you use them sparingly.
Here's an idea. Start a meal with a calorie target. Eat a fruit you love until you are full, then finish off with a denser, cooked item. Pretty soon your stomach will expand so you can eat more fruit.
30bananasaday is a great support site for choosing fresh produce and still getting abundant calories.
I don't know your name and I can't fully understand your situation, but I know you can figure it out, not necessarily the way I do. :) Feel free to send me a message and I will reply.
The 80/10/10 Diet
raw-food-health.net