Can vegetarians be fat??

Scarpozzi

Lifer
Jun 13, 2000
26,389
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So this chick tells me she's a vegetarian.... But she's fat. I don't understand how someone can be overweight if they don't eat meat. That basically rules out fast food and the tv dinners that are really bad for you. I'm baffled.
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
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0
Yes, I know one personally who could stand to lose 20+ lbs. Chocolate, pasta, oils, etc. it's easy to be fat.
 

Scarpozzi

Lifer
Jun 13, 2000
26,389
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I know about all the sweets, etc. I'm just surprised she's even a vegetarian to "keep the pounds off"....cause it doesn't look like it's working. I've been running 5-6 miles 3-4 days a week lately and take care of myself. I just hate to see people settle for the easy way out. Cutting meat out of your diet can't hurt, but bah.....america needs to get up off its lazy butt and do something.
 

PingSpike

Lifer
Feb 25, 2004
21,729
559
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Why would you think being a vegetarian in and of itself would result in weight loss anyway? It basically opens the door to a heavy sugar/diary diet...you can only eat some many soy burgers before you have to mix it up.

Meat isn't bad for you. Fish, chicken, lean red meat are all important parts of our diet. Most of the stuff that makes you a fatass doesn't really fall under the meat catagory, although there are plenty of key parts to the pig that are less than helpful. :p Meat gets a bad rep...but it couldn't possibly be the fact that in America all of our meat comes pre-slathered with cheese!

You're definately right about the lazy butt part, everyone wants an easy diet that some how gives them a six pack...no one wants to get off the couch though.
 

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
55,826
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Why is it people cannot understand that genetics play a HUGE part in weight gain/average size?

Many obese people can have diets of fewer calories than most skinny people, and still remain fat. It's all in how your genetics dictate fat storage.

Also, previously obese people have a MUCH harder time losing weight and keeping it off because their body now thinks it NEEDS those fat stores, and will do everything it can to gain them back. It's a natural reaction to starvation.

But then, simplistic fools will blame obesity on gluttony and sloth alone, and never understand the reality of it.
 

Rudee

Lifer
Apr 23, 2000
11,218
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She's probably ruined her metabolism from years of yo-yo dieting, thus her metabolic setpoint at this stage in life is so low, she may only need fraction of the daily caloric requirements a healthy individual needs.
 

InlineFive

Diamond Member
Sep 20, 2003
9,599
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Originally posted by: PingSpike
What about potato chips, ice cream, snickers bars and not exercising?

Bingo. Just because we don't eat meat doesn't mean we can't be fat. Especially if your qualification of vegetarian is what PingSpike posted above.
 

43st

Diamond Member
Nov 7, 2001
3,197
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Yup. I've never eaten meat in my life. I'm 6' tall with a large frame (4" at the elbow). I topped out at 220 lbs a few years ago when I first got a desk job. I'm below 200 lbs now, my goal is 180-185.
 

Koing

Elite Member <br> Super Moderator<br> Health and F
Oct 11, 2000
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Originally posted by: PingSpike
What about potato chips, ice cream, snickers bars and not exercising?

 

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
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Originally posted by: Rudee
She's probably ruined her metabolism from years of yo-yo dieting, thus her metabolic setpoint at this stage in life is so low, she may only need fraction of the daily caloric requirements a healthy individual needs.

Exactly! And that, combined with a genetic predisposition for obesity means she has a double whammy against her.
 

Looney

Lifer
Jun 13, 2000
21,941
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Originally posted by: Scarpozzi
So this chick tells me she's a vegetarian.... But she's fat. I don't understand how someone can be overweight if they don't eat meat. That basically rules out fast food and the tv dinners that are really bad for you. I'm baffled.

Can people really be this stupid?

Of course vegetarians can be fat... not only are there still unhealthy non-meat food, but she could have a thyroid problem, be on medication like prednisone, or it could be genetics.
 

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
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Originally posted by: Thera
Yup. I've never eaten meat in my life. I'm 6' tall with a large frame (4" at the elbow). I topped out at 220 lbs a few years ago when I first got a desk job. I'm below 200 lbs now, my goal is 180-185.

Hit the weights and you can be 6' 205 like me. :p
 

Linflas

Lifer
Jan 30, 2001
15,395
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Growing up a couple that were friends of my parents were vegetarians and I know the wife weighed in the mid 300's.
 

Rudee

Lifer
Apr 23, 2000
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Originally posted by: Amused
Originally posted by: Rudee
She's probably ruined her metabolism from years of yo-yo dieting, thus her metabolic setpoint at this stage in life is so low, she may only need fraction of the daily caloric requirements a healthy individual needs.

Exactly! And that, combined with a genetic predisposition for obesity means she has a double whammy against her.

Triple whammy if she's ugly too!

 

Scarpozzi

Lifer
Jun 13, 2000
26,389
1,777
126
Originally posted by: Looney
Originally posted by: Scarpozzi
So this chick tells me she's a vegetarian.... But she's fat. I don't understand how someone can be overweight if they don't eat meat. That basically rules out fast food and the tv dinners that are really bad for you. I'm baffled.

Can people really be this stupid?

Of course vegetarians can be fat... not only are there still unhealthy non-meat food, but she could have a thyroid problem, be on medication like prednisone, or it could be genetics.

I just picture someone sitting down and eating a full plate of bbq....and then someone across the table eating a full plate of spinach leaves. I know there are conditions and problems that can make you overweight. It's sad when genetics play a part too. My sister is obese and it makes me sad to think that she's got blood pressure problems at her age (26). I just don't like the vegans who are basically using it as a fad diet and claiming to be all healthy, when in-fact they're not treating their bodies right.
 

iroast

Golden Member
May 5, 2005
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Yes, you can be a fat vegetarian. The question should have been: Can one get fat from being a vegetarian?
 

43st

Diamond Member
Nov 7, 2001
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Originally posted by: Amused
Originally posted by: Thera
Yup. I've never eaten meat in my life. I'm 6' tall with a large frame (4" at the elbow). I topped out at 220 lbs a few years ago when I first got a desk job. I'm below 200 lbs now, my goal is 180-185.

Hit the weights and you can be 6' 205 like me. :p

Yeah... my problem is exercise for sure. I'm fine when I go to the farm on the weekends and work but during the week I do nothing. I'm on the baby step program.
 

Koing

Elite Member <br> Super Moderator<br> Health and F
Oct 11, 2000
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Scarpozzi does your sister eat well? How about exercise?

I believe that if people ate what I ate and exercised 50% as much as I do, they would not be obese anymore.

My mum use to be a bit overweight or so but she has in the past year has lost the weight. She swims 3-4x a week 30laps of a 25m pool and eats more healthy.

Koing
 

Koing

Elite Member <br> Super Moderator<br> Health and F
Oct 11, 2000
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Originally posted by: iroast
Yes, you can be a fat vegetarian. The question should have been: Can one get fat from being a vegetarian?

Yes.

If you eat a 'balanced' diet you should not be fat if you also exercise.

Koing
 

Rudee

Lifer
Apr 23, 2000
11,218
2
76
Originally posted by: Scarpozzi
Originally posted by: Looney
Originally posted by: Scarpozzi
So this chick tells me she's a vegetarian.... But she's fat. I don't understand how someone can be overweight if they don't eat meat. That basically rules out fast food and the tv dinners that are really bad for you. I'm baffled.

Can people really be this stupid?

Of course vegetarians can be fat... not only are there still unhealthy non-meat food, but she could have a thyroid problem, be on medication like prednisone, or it could be genetics.

I just picture someone sitting down and eating a full plate of bbq....and then someone across the table eating a full plate of spinach leaves. I know there are conditions and problems that can make you overweight. It's sad when genetics play a part too. My sister is obese and it makes me sad to think that she's got blood pressure problems at her age (26). I just don't like the vegans who are basically using it as a fad diet and claiming to be all healthy, when in-fact they're not treating their bodies right.

Problem is many people jump on the vegetarian bandwagon without giving a lot of thought to what nutrients they really need to maintain a healthy body. They fail to understand the importance of protein. The body will take muscle tissue and sacrifice it to get the building blocks it needs. The metabolism will compensate by lowering itself. If they give up and return to "normal" eating, the weight comes back on, but the muscle doesn't. A person will have the same bad eating patterns with a slower metabolism to boot! You can be a vegetarian and still get plenty of protein in your diet, but you need to be aware of which foods give you this and which don't.