Weight Watchers: A Vegan Journey


It's definitely been a while since my last post, which I shall attribute to the crazy amount of wedding planning I've been doing with Steve. So far, we are well ahead of the game (we even put a deposit down on a vegan wedding cake!). Which allows me to talk about my new topic- being on Weight Watchers as a vegan.

Why am I on Weight Watchers, you might be wondering? Well, it seems eating vegetarian and vegan does not always equal a skinny butt, like most would assume. This past year, I have been introduced to so many new foods and flavors, and my mom gave me a HUGE food processor for Christmas, which has led to countless vegan baking sessions. The result of all this yummy food goodness? I've gained seven pounds. Yep.

So, after the tears and laughter and disbelief- have I really gained this weight? Seriously??- I got real and did what any 25 year-old Vegan with no money for a gym would do- I joined Weight Watchers Online, of course. :)

Well, it's been a little over a week, and I've already shed 2 pounds on the plan! I haven't felt deprived or hungry from it- in fact, it's caused me to eat more than before. The trick is that most vegetables on the plan are only a "zero point" food, which means you can basically eat unlimited amounts of them and be okay. So, the food I've been filling myself up with more are veggies, fruits, and smaller portions of the things I love.

(By the way, The WW system is based on a point system, where you find out the point of each food by calculating it's calories, fat, and fiber. At my current weight, I'm allotted 22 points each day, with 35 "flex points" to use at any time during the week. Also, if I exercise, I can exchange "activity points" for food points. It's all a bit complex at first, but once you get a hang of it, it's a breeze.)

My favorite discovery has been that I was cooking with wayyyyy too much oil when I made dinners. Every meal began with either frying up tofu or tempeh in a pan with a lot of oil. It's definitely tasty that way, but on Weight Watchers, it equals many, many points. As a result, I've been having to get creative with how I cook. Instead of just layering the bottom of the pan with oil, I measure out a small amount. The food has tasted just as yummy, and since I'm not deprived, I have no desire to overeat. It's great.

The extra nice thing is the vegetarian message board on the WW website. While there is no vegan message board (yet), I've discovered many vegans on the boards talking- it's allowed me to feel relaxed in knowing that even someone with a vegan lifestyle can commit to a weight loss plan that's universal. I love it.

So, we shall see where this leads me (hopefully a few pounds lighter and a bit more toned from doing my awesome pilates video each week). For now, I've just finished a lovely breakfast of toast with jam, apple slices, and tea with soymilk (5 points).

Oh, and as a fun P.S.- kissing, dancing, laughing, walking, thinking, typing a new blog, bubble baths, hugging, and reading really interesting articles about veganism? All zero points. Awesome.

Comments

Myra Wolf said…
I might educate myself about weight watchers because you can adapt a lifestyle and know how manypoints everything you eat is..forever. Now that has to be pretty healty and educational.

Congratulations honey for always finding a solution to something. In this case, it is using weight watchers now being a vegan.

xo...Maybe you could start writing for Weight Watchers as a Vegan person.:) become a Vegan spokesperson or educator.
Anonymous said…
Kudos! I am a just starting to educate myself in the vegan lifestyle as a long time vegetarian I am finding once you go Veagan the choices are really not as limiting as I once believed. I am enjoying cooking; I too am on Weight Watchers and have lost a total of 20 pounds in about 2 months...It is amazing that when I plan to eat well how much better I feel! I hope to continue my transformation into being vegan in the next few months! Keep up the good work!
Dale Cook said…
I do find it frustrating that weight watcher(CDN) recipe index does not separate vegan from vegetarian. Good luck. I just joined last week so hope to have sucess.