How to Lose Weight on a Vegan Diet
Being vegan means that you no longer eat foods derived from any animal. Everything from protein to milk products to eggs is no longer on the menu. While a vegan diet comes with many health benefits, making the switch can be challenging for beginners. You will no longer be eating some of the foods you grew up with, so you need to fill the void with other consumables.
A vegan diet is a fantastic option for losing weight. However, you need to be mindful that not all vegan foods are inherently healthy. Foods like cookies, cakes, and pasta are technically considered vegan, yet they will not help your weight loss goals. That’s why you need to be smart with your vegan meal plan, only choosing foods that will benefit your body.
If you are vegan and wondering how to lose weight, here are some common-sense tips to shed those unwanted pounds.
Get Enough Protein
Meat fills you up, so taking that out of the diet creates a void. Fruit and veggies are delicious and nutritious, but they can leave you hungry. That’s when we turn to snacking. Avoid junk foods and eat plant-based protein instead.
Legumes are healthy and protein-rich. They include the beans that we all know and love including, kidney beans, black beans, chickpeas, green peas, and lentils. Grains like quinoa are high in protein as well as tofu, nuts, and soy milk. Add a variety of plant-based proteins to your diet to avoid the craving and satisfy your hunger. This will keep you on track with weight loss.
Use Meal Delivery Services
If you don’t have time to meal plan and prepare the perfect plate of food for your family, use a vegan food delivery service to provide your meals. There are great companies like Meels that source local, organic produce to create healthy vegan meals. They have professional chefs dedicated to turning fresh ingredients into nutritious meals, which are delivered to your front door.
You can get meals provided for a few days a week or use their services exclusively. If you want to take the guesswork out of losing weight on a vegan diet, a meal delivery service is perfect.
Pay Attention to Portion Size
While eating plant-based food is healthy, it’s easy to overdue some foods. Potatoes, peanut butter, and whole grains are beneficial until you overdo them. Then you are not going to lose weight. Watch out for pasta and bread too, as they convert into sugar in the body. That will lead to fat storage. Fill your plate with lots of salad veggies, healthy oils, and proteins.
Keeping a food journal can be an eye-opener. It can be shocking when you document what you eat over the day because those meals and snacks add up quickly. When you see exactly what you are consuming, it’s easier to make changes so you can start losing weight.
Skip the Junk Food
Our busy lives have us running around from morning until night. It can be tough to make meals for the family, and sometimes you have cravings that can’t be ignored. We all have 24 hours in a day, so it’s up to you to prioritize your food planning. That way, you are less likely to go out for fast food or treats to soothe that hungry tummy.
Delegate the cooking duties around the family. This shares the burden of cooking and ensures good, wholesome food to eat at mealtimes. Opt for healthy snacks and have them on hand when needed. Also, be wary of “plant-based” options. Just because they have no animal products in them doesn’t mean they are healthy. They could be loaded with sugars, refined flour, and unhealthy fats that will keep you from losing weight.
You don’t have to cut out everything, but just know that what you eat will either aid in weight loss or contribute to weight gain.
Avoid Drinking Calories
What you are drinking daily may be the reason you can’t lose weight. There are many vegan drinks marketed as healthy, yet they are filled with fats and sugar. Then there are soda drinks. You will find nothing in those that promote health or weight loss.
Skip the extra calories and stick to water and tea. Water is what your body craves and all you need for a liquid. You could track how much you consume, but ultimately drink water when you are thirsty. If you are feeling hungry, drink a glass of water too. It will help you make it to the next meal. At night you can have tea to keep the water flowing. Pick a medical tea that promotes health and wellness. A hot cup of tea is soothing and warms you up in the evenings.
Losing weight is the easiest thing and the hardest thing to do. You are adopting a vegan diet for health, so don’t be fooled by all the other things that are snuck in to replace animal products. Follow the tips above so you can lose weight on your vegan diet.
