How Does A Vegan Lose Weight?

A vegan diet prohibits the intake of any food that comes from animals, including all meat, poultry, eggs, fish and dairy. This type of diet naturally reduces your intake of saturated fats and cholesterol, while providing you with plenty of nutrient-dense, low-calorie food choices for promoting weight loss. Following a vegan diet, however, can lead to nutrient deficiencies and weight gain if not followed correctly.

Calorie Control

Weight loss requires you to consume fewer calories than your body burns to perform daily activities and to fuel the body during exercise. The number of calories you need to maintain your current weight depends mostly on your age, gender and activity level. Online calorie calculators can help you determine the appropriate number of calories to maintain your weight. Reduce the number of calories you consume until you take in around 500 calories less than the number you need for maintenance. Never reduce your calories below 1,200 if you are a woman or below 1,500 if you are a man.

Protein Choices

Protein sources for a vegan diet include soybeans, legumes, seeds, nuts, plant oils and nut oil. Consume at least 10 percent of your daily calories in the form of protein, advises Karen Collins, a dietitian and nutritionist who runs a private practice in Jamestown, New York. Egg substitutes allow you to add protein and variety to your diet without adding too many calories. Control your portion sizes of protein sources such as seeds, nuts and plant oils, because they contain more calories than most of the foods on a vegan diet and can quickly cause you to consume more calories than you should.

Carbohydrate Choices

Carbohydrates provide a lot of the vitamins, nutrients and fiber your body needs to function properly. Eat a variety of carbohydrates from whole grain foods, vegetables and fruit. When you make leafy greens, colorful vegetables and tropical fruits the main portion of your meal, you can create large meals that contain relatively few calories. Choose whole grains that have whole wheat, whole oats or other whole grain as the first ingredient. The fiber in these healthy carbs helps keep you full longer, while promoting healthy bowl function.

Exercise

Exercise may expedite your weight loss. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that all healthy adults participate in 60 minutes of cardiovascular exercise on five days of the week to achieve weight loss. Add two days of strength training to your exercise routine each week to help build lean muscle tissue and boost your metabolism.

Considerations

Without sufficient variety in your diet plan, you may develop nutrient deficiencies or find yourself overeating. Work with a dietician to ensure you consume enough of the vitamins your body needs to function properly such as protein, iron, vitamin B12, calcium and zinc. Your meal plan should allow you to eat every three to four hours, to help control cravings and prevent overeating, and consist primarily of unprocessed foods. Vegans that lose weight consume a varied diet, control portion sizes, read food labels and exercise regularly.