Do you have some weight loss goals you are trying to reach but you’re getting frustrated?

Are you looking to lose weight for health reasons, or simply because you want to feel good?

We have ALL been there!

Whether you are trying to get healthier, lose weight, or maintain your weight, a plant-based vegan diet can be your saviour!

“Why try plants, what’s the big deal?” you might be thinking.

Going vegan to lose weight could be your answer.

Oxford University conducted a study of 40,000 adults, they found that vegans had the lowest BMI. Vegetarians had the second lowest BMI. Eating plants has been proven time and time again to assist in weight-loss.

Many doctors and physicians also recommend eating a plant-based diet as a way to lose weight.

Many find that if they make the switch to a whole foods plant-based diet, then the weight just literally falls off. It’s common to lose 5lbs just from cutting out animal products and making the switch. I did myself in the first two weeks of switching. However, I’ve read that a few may switch and gain weight. Either way, eating a plant-based vegan diet doesn’t guarantee weight loss.

I’m here to guide you through that journey so that you know your dos and don’ts on how to lose weight through eating plants.

This info can help you lose weight sustainably, that will stay off once it’s off!

Aside from losing weight, studies have concluded that eating a whole foods plant-based diet can lead to better overall health. Statistically you have a reduced risk of cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

Also, we might simply want to lose weight and finally be the shape we’ve always dreamt of.

What’s not to like?

Even when eating vegan foods, it is still possible to eat unhealthily. Just because you don’t want to eat animal products, that doesn’t mean you don’t enjoy what might be considered as junk food too.

Eating a plant-based diet sounds all very trendy Wendy, but the reality is that it does require planning, reading labels and of course, self-discipline too. Urgh, not everyone’s favourite words I’m sorry, BUT the pay off mentally and physically can be be very powerful and life-changing!

Here’s my tried and tested tips to loosing weight and/or keeping weight off while eating a plant-based diet.

Tip #1 – Eat The Rainbow For Optimum Plant Based Nutrition

Focus on eating only or mostly whole foods.

They are full of fiber, which mean they dilute down easily in your body. Animal products have zero fiber.

Nutritionists advise that one of the easiest ways to ensure you are covering all bases for vitamins and minerals is to eat vegetables of all different colors. Mix the plate up, the more colors the better.

If you keep your diet varied and try to buy different grocery vegetables each time you will reap the rewards nutritionally. Try to eat vegetables in particular of all kinds.

Vegetables are low in fat and high fiber. They’ll leave you feeling fuller for longer!

Leafy greens a must! Zucchini, spinach, kale, broccoli, Brussel sprouts or asparagus. They are all low calorie and high in fiber.

Tip #2 – Combine Your Vegan Weight Loss Tips With Exercise

Get up and off your a**. Doesn’t have to be much but to kick-start and maintain your metabolism you’re going to need to break a sweat sometimes!

Start with where is most comfortable for you. Walking, cycling, running, elliptical – whatever you like to start building your fitness.

Low-Intensity Steady State (LISS) training is a type of light cardio. You do not have to kill yourself on the treadmill or running on the street. It’s not horrible and you do not have to push yourself to breaking point.

For the purpose of fat burn, try doing forty minutes of light cardio, four times per week. You want to be feeling you are pushing yourself to about 60% of your capabilities. Get the heart rate slightly up and endorphins (happy hormones) flowing!

LISS helps you maintain longevity with your heightened metabolism.

Also consider weight training.

I swear by weight training. You won’t get muscly, you will get fit.

Weight training is excellent for toning and building muscle. It builds and shapes the body you want, trust me. Local gyms can help with programs and showing you how the equipment works if you haven’t been to the gym before. Three times a week for an hour each is a great place to start.

Tip #3 – Cook In Oils

Wrong, I’m afraid.

You can’t cooking in oils if your aim is to lose weight. The heading is not a typo. We’ve been sold to that oils are good for us, it is better than butter nutritionally, but ultimately oil is still bad for you.

Oils are made up of mono-saturated fats. There are good fats and bad fats. Monosaturated fats are in the bad category. The recommendation is cut out cooking with oil as much as possible. Even olive oil is on the naughty list (sorry).

Instead of using oil, try cooking using a little water, on parchment paper.

Oils are harmful to the inner lining of arteries and are totally crazy high in calories too.

Tip #4 – Portion Sizes And Calories

Whilst it’s great to intake all of the nutrients, some of the main contributors to a plant-based diet can be calorie dense.

It’s a good idea to read the calories and look at portion sizes, especially where nuts, seeds and legumes are concerned.

Do not overeat these items. You cannot eat as much as you want to of these. This is the calorie ‘danger-zone’ you need to know.

Eat until you feel ’satisfied’ but not ‘ overly full.’

To lose weight you need to eat fewer calories than what you are burning.

If you would like to get precise, try using a tool such as MyFitnessPal.  Personal trainers advise to eat 300-500 calories per day less than what you are burning as a guideline. They say 3,500 calories is the equivalent of one pound. So if you have a calorie deficit of 3,500 calories per week, you should lose roughly a pound.

Losing one pound per week is thought of as realistic and sustainable by many. If you are obese, then it can be good to aim for 2 pounds or a little more per week. But, if you’re looking to lose 20 pounds or less, then it’s going to be more stubborn. If you aim for losing 1 pound per week, it’s more likely to stay off on the long run too.

I’m not a huge fan of calorie counting but for vegan weight loss it can help.

I think it’s a better idea to count your nutrient intake, the colors of the rainbow you’re consuming, or even how many different types of plant-based whole foods you’re eating… it’s recommended you aim for 30 in a week.

But, if you are going to calorie count, you can also use MyFitnessPal to track your macros, for weight-loss on a wholefoods diet, you can aim for 35% protein, 30% carbs and 35% good fats.

There is good news, you can eat a lot of vegetables.

For example, a zucchini is low calorie, high fiber and really filling!

Tip #5 – Sugar – The Enemy In Vegan Weight Loss

Fruits are delicious! They come in all shapes and sizes and they are wonderful. It’s probably best to stick to no more than one to two portions a day of fruit. The sugar can make your blood sugar levels spike when the goal is to get them steady.

Sugar is counterproductive to weight loss, try not too eat or drink too much of it, point done.

Tip #6 – Ensure You Are Eating Enough Plant-Based Protein

Whole grains, beans, lentils, chickpeas, quinoa, nuts, seeds, protein shakes will all be your new best friends.

Protein is hugely important in building muscle mass and to feel fuller, longer.

Do not skimp on protein numbers.

There is a study that concluded beans and lentils can even reduce the fat around your middle!

Seeds, if you don’t have them you will need to stock up. They are a bit expensive but once you have them they do last. Pumpkin, chia, flax and hemp seeds are all pure powerhouses in keeping you healthy. They are all protein heavy, but also boast amino acid, omega-3, iron and magnesium properties.

Nutritional yeast is a total life saver when it comes to making sauces and toppings, adding a cheesy flavour. It’s a must-try if you haven’t had it yet. It’s often fortified with B12 as a bonus.

One way to tackle it initially is to think what the vegan option is for each of your favourite dishes. You can swap out meat for a plant-based vegan alternative. For example, of you loved a beef burrito, try having beans instead of beef. If you liked chicken curry, have chickpeas instead of chicken.

To top up your protein levels post-workout or in general, source a good organic pea, hemp or spirulina based protein powder.

Veggies also contain protein. Some have more than others. Peas and spinach are some of the big hitters.

Everyone is always concerned about your protein levels on your behalf when you say you’re eating a plant-based diet, but they have no reason to worry, it is easy peasy to get all of the protein you need, just ensure that you have included a protein source for each meal.

Tip #7 – Avoid White Refined Carbohydrates

Carbs are totally fine, that’s the whole foods plant-based type I mean. Heavily refined or processed carbohydrates have been stripped of all of their nutrition and fiber.

When eating only plant-based foods, it can be easy to slip right into the trap of reaching for the bread and pasta. I myself have been guilty of it.

We all love pasta or bread, but when trying to lose weight it’s advisable to save these for the occasional treat rather than daily consumption.

Tip #8 – Drinking Your Calories

You may see a lot of plant-based drinks around that look healthy – coconut water, juices, coffees are among some. These also contain calories so just remember to factor this in.

Booze can also be a weight loss blocker.

Try to choose the alcoholic drinks with the least amount of calories. This is going to make me really unpopular but beer and wine are the worst offenders. Spirit mixers with soda or light tonic can be lighter options.

Tip #9 – Eat ‘Good’ Plant-Based Fats

As I said earlier there good fats and there are bad fats. Good fats help stimulate cell regrowth, promote normal functions of the brain and nervous system and reduce inflammation in the body.

You need good fats included in your diet. They will not make you fat.

Examples of good fats to include are nut butters (organic peanut butter, cashew butter and almond butter), avocado, seeds, nuts, olives and dark chocolate.

Tip #10 – Drink Water And Plenty Of It

Try to drink between two and three litres of water per day. Half of this will go down easily if you have during exercising!

Here’s the fact that will hook you into drinking plenty of water, fat leaves your body through urine.

You need the hydration to pee out fat cells falling off of your body.

Point done, next.

Tip #11 – Meal Prep For The Win For Your Plant Based Meal Plan

Yes it’s a pain sometimes but it can be worth it.

Prepare for work days if you’re not sure of options, prepare for any travel, offer and come come prepared for family meals.

Salads, Buddha bowls, Asian stir fries can be perfect for this as they don’t need heating up.

I also carry pumpkin seeds, raw cashews and raw almonds with me in my bag, they have saved me an infinite number of times.

Tip #12 – Eat Little And Often

It can feel natural to skip meals and keep your intake low when attempting to lose weight.

But don’t do it.

When eating the right foods, plant foods that is, they really assist in stabilizing your blood sugar levels. The goal is to keep your blood sugar stable, not eating and then eating a lot will cause this go up and down. So try to eat little and often.

Tip #13 – Avoid Vegan Junk Food

This one should go without saying.

But if you’re eating Oreos in addition to your normal daily food intake or if you’re going overboard on vegan junk food snacks then you’re going to struggle to lose weight.

There are many fast-food chains jumping on board with plant-based foods, which is fantastic, but you just have to be mindful of calorie intake and the ingredients.

Keep your foods as minimally processed as possible. This is really key. Processed foods are much harder to break down and are terrible for weight loss.

Eating vegan pizza or vegan ice-cream may have just as many calories as those with dairy.

We all need to eat some junk food sometimes, if trying to lose weight it’s advisable to save these for occasional treats.

#Tip 14 Transition Slooowwwly To Plant-Based If You Need To

If you’re about to make a big switch into eating more plants or all whole foods plants, then it’s going to be a lot to get your head around. Making too many drastic changes at once could go against you in the long run as you might not stick to it.

Do what will work for you.

Some take six months to one year to cut out or cut down on animal products out of their diet. Some start with ‘Meatless Mondays’ or by introducing a few healthy whole foods vegan meals a week.

#Tip 15 Don’t Give Up On Your Vegan Weight Loss Plan And Take Your Time

It’s a lifestyle change and for some, it’s a bit of an overhaul, so don’t rush it. Do it with a love for yourself, not a resentment towards your new habits.

Set realistic goals for yourself.

Don’t get disheartened by the scales, it’s better to measure with a tape measure and go off of those and how your clothes are fitting.

Ultimately you’ll want to reduce the added fats, oils, refined carbohydrates and all processed foods in your diet along with eating no animal products.

A plant-based vegan diet is composed of whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans, legumes, fruits and vegetables.

It’s the fiber found in all of the foods that will keep off the weight in the end.

There is reportedly over 50,000 edible fruits and vegetable out there so your diet will feel abundant if kept varied!

Life can be too short to spend hours in the kitchen. Try not to over-complicate it for yourself. At first it can seem a bit daunting so try to keep things simple.

A great place to start is to go through these protein rich, quick and easy recipe ideas for food inspiration. Select the ones you think you’ll enjoy.

It’s an exciting time, you can eat yourself healthy via one of the safest and medically-backed ways possible, by just switching your diet to whole foods. You’ll feel better after a while and have more energy and rarely want to eat cr*p.

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