Many vegans wonder how they can even put on weight -- they're vegan! They don't eat meat, eggs, dairy -- many items that you'd associate with weight gain. But it's no harder for a vegan to gain weight than it is a non-vegan. Fortunately, losing that weight can be easy, too. There are many components to consider when beginning a healthy vegan weight loss plan.
Tracking What You Eat
Tracking what you eat is the most important component of a weight-loss plan. Consume too many calories and you'll put on weight. If you eat too little, your body will hold onto everything because it will be in a state of starvation, and you won't lose any weight efficiently. But tracking helps guarantee you eat the right amount of calories to stay on your weight loss track.
Eat Clean
The T. Colin Campbell Foundation says you should eat four servings of fruit a day and three servings of vegetables, at least one of them raw. Eat clean, healthy whole foods. T. Colin Campbell also says you should stay on a low-fat diet; according to the USDA, you should not consume more than 30 percent of your daily intake from fat. This is where tracking is key.
Healthy Grains
White rice or bread are not the best choices, but what are? There are many wonderful grains to choose from, including brown rice, amaranth, barley, millet, quinoa, spelt, kamut, rye, yams and sweet potatoes.
Healthy Fats
There are many wonderful healthy fats on the market. The wide variety of choices includes avocado, durian, raw nuts, raw seeds, hemp seed oil and flax seed oil. Flax seed oil is also a wonderful source for omega-3 fatty acids, which we need to function but which many of us are deficient in.
Healthy Protein
Proteins are also an essential nutrient, and there are many sources for a vegan, including black beans, azuki beans, garbanzo beans, black-eyed peas, green peas, edamame, lentils and tofu. When possible, cook fresh beans rather than canned. Vegetables such a kale, spinach and other dark leafy green vegetables can provide some protein as well. And raw brown rice protein powders are the perfect choice for any vegan weight loss warrior.
Choose Wisely
When trying to lose weight, choose your foods wisely. Cooking wild rice instead of buckwheat for dinner could result in a loss of 24 lbs. by the end off the year. Instead of having a vegan food bar, go with edamames or tofu and lose 20 lbs. a year. Instead of sweetened fruit juice, have two oranges. Use agave nectar in your coffee instead of sugar. Always start your day off with a great breakfast such as a smoothie including greens such as kale or even an apple with a tbsp. of nut butter. And snack on fruit or vegetables.
Exercise
Get at least 20 minutes of exercise a day, which is important for both vegans and non-vegans. You can walk, jog and lift weights, do circuit training or any number of other activities. Three days of weight training and three days of cardio a week are ideal.
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