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A vegan diet is an excellent way to eat for weight management and weight loss – the key is that you need to know what you are doing and to doing it correctly. Many people assume eating vegan is a means to lose some weight, but that's not necessarily the case.
As with any diet or lifestyle change, you have to eat a well-balanced, nutritionally sound diet and consume less than you burn to lose weight. This means that just because you’re eating vegan, half the battle is already won, but you need follow through with the proper portion sizes as well as knowing how it interacts with your lifestyle.
Here, we explore together and share some of our self accountability reminders on how to eat vegan, lose weight and still get all the delicious flavours you crave.
#1 Are you making sure that you eating mostly healthy foods?
One of the beautiful benefits of a whole-food, plant-based diet is that when you eat any combination of the infinite variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, mushrooms, nuts, seeds, herbs, and spices, you will get just what you need. This means you don’t have to stress about keeping score of your macronutrients like carbs, protein, and fat, you just have to eat food as whole and straight from the source as possible. If you’re concerned about your weight, eat more whole plant foods that are nutrient-dense and calorically light to fill up while steering clear of the processed [and packaged plant-based] foods.
What you need to get more of:
Eat the rainbow 🌈. Adding different colours of veggies in your food. Plants contain different pigments, or phytonutrients, which give them their colour. Different-coloured plants are linked to higher levels of specific nutrients and health benefits. By getting a variety of colours in your diet, you’re giving your body an array of vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals to benefit your health.
#2 Be careful of falling into Health Label Traps ?
People think that because something is labeled vegan, it's healthy, whether that’s on a restaurant menu or a label in the grocery store. “That’s not necessarily true, because ice cream is still ice cream, unless it's Naked Nice Cream which is also included in our Breakfast Glow :)”
Yes, the vegan version is better for you than the dairy version, but it's not going to make you healthy, and it's not going to help you avoid weight gain. For example, a 2/3-cup serving of Ben & Jerry’s Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough has 350 calories, 33 grams of sugar, and 11 grams of saturated fat. It’s made with almond milk, coconut oil, and pea protein, but that doesn’t make it an ideal plant-based food. You’re better off having a cup of fresh fruit and pairing it with a plant-based glass of milk or yogurt for protein instead if you’re looking to lose or maintain weight loss.
#3 Often Mind Blowing Fact : Are you eating enough ?
It sounds counterintuitive but if you aren’t consuming enough calories and eating nutritious meals, your metabolism can slow down, making it harder to lose weight. Not only will you likely feel really hungry if you’re restricting calories too much (intentionally or unintentionally) but your body’s caloric burn rate will slow, and it’ll want to hold on to every calorie you give it. (Not to mention that you could be setting yourself up for a binge on unhealthy foods in the near future.) Focus on eating well-rounded, whole food plant-based meals that are high in fibre and contain healthy fats, protein, and carbs to help you feel full while meeting your nutritional needs.
Look at why we believe that food can change the way we feel. Choose between our Journey to Glow Programs and experience the transformation.
