The principles of weight loss remain true regardless of your dietary restrictions. To drop pounds, you must eat fewer calories and increase physical activity to burn more. Those who follow a vegan diet shun all animal-sourced foods—along with meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy. A vegan diet is naturally low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Following a vegan diet can help you lose weight because it leaves out some very high-calorie foods, but you still need to focus on specific strategies to be successful.
Step 1
Eat an appropriate number of calories for your weight loss goal. Trim 250 to 1,000 from the number of calories it takes to maintain your weight. Calculate this number using an online resource like caloriesperhour.com, and remember to include your activity level in the calculation. Do not dip below 1,200 calories as a woman or 1,500 as a man, warns Medline Plus.
Step 2
Include a variety of whole grains, fruits and vegetables in your diet. Expand beyond carrots, celery, apples and bananas. Go for leafy greens, tropical fruits and colorful vegetables—such as eggplant, red peppers and yellow squash. Make these foods the center of your meals, as they are naturally low in calories, high in nutrition and give you a lot of volume for minimal calories, notes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Choose whole wheat, brown rice and quinoa over foods made with white, refined flours.
Step 3
Obtain protein through foods like soybeans, nuts, legumes and seeds. Consider using egg substitutes for variety and additional protein. Get at least 10 percent of your daily calories from protein, as per the Institute of Medicine Dietary Guidelines.
Step 4
Keep track of your servings of seeds, plant oils, nuts and nut butter. Control portion sizes, as these good sources of protein are more calorie-dense—too much of these foods can cause you to eat more calories than your calorie allotment.
Step 5
Eat often. Start with breakfast and eat every three to four hours to keep hunger in check and your metabolism revved. This also enables you to take in sufficient calories without having to eat cuploads of vegetables at each meal.
Step 6
Stick to whole foods rather than processed products. Avoid vegan chips, frozen desserts and cookies, as they still contain significant amounts of sugars and calories.
Step 7
Exercise regularly. Conduct cardiovascular exercise, like brisk walking, jogging or swimming, for at least 60 minutes five days per week to achieve weight loss, recommends the American College of Sports Medicine. Perform resistance training for all major muscle groups at least two nonconsecutive days per week. Burn extra calories through these efforts that will help expedite your weight loss efforts.
Tips and Warnings
- Check with a nutritionist before beginning a vegan diet for tips on how to obtain adequate amounts of certain nutrients like calcium and B vitamins.
Things You'll Need
- Fresh vegetables and fruits
- Nuts and seeds
- Soy
- Egg substitutes
Member Comments