How to Lose Weight on a Vegan Diet

A vegan diet can be flavorful and healthy.

Animal products are high in saturated fat, calories and cholesterol. Even lean meats gain 20 to 40 percent of their calories from fat. Eating vegan allows you to eat in a way that is conducive to weight loss. A diet rich in plant-based foods is high in fiber and low in fat and calories. Like other diets, vegan weight loss follows the same principle -- you must burn more calories than you consume if you want to lose weight. An active lifestyle and a balanced diet of fresh fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes will allow your body to lose weight naturally.

Things You'll Need

• Notepad
• Pen
• Green tea
• Fresh organic fruit
• Fresh organic vegetables
• Snacks without refined sugar
• Brown rice
• Hummus
• Lentils
• Soups
• Vegetable pastas
• Journal

Instructions

Preparing and Shopping for Vegan Weight Loss

1. 

   Creating a menu and shopping list will help you stay organized when attempting to shop for vegan foods.

   Create a shopping list at the beginning of each week. Being vegan takes some pre-planning. Use a notepad to write down healthy meal ideas and the animal-free ingredients needed.

2. 

   Caffiene-free green tea helps boost your metabolism.

   Purchase caffeine-free green tea as a coffee replacement. Caffeine makes the body acidic. When the body is acidic, it creates fat cells to protect the organs from the acidity.

3. 

   There are many easy vegan recipes online.

   Purchase fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grain breads, brown rice, hummus, lentils, soups, vegetable pastas, nuts and snacks that do not contain refined sugar. Refined sugar substitutes include evaporated cane juice, barely malt, brown rice syrup, Sucanat, raw sugar, maple syrup and molasses.

Eating Vegan and Losing Weight

1. 

   Begin with fresh fruit, consuming grains only if you still feel hungry 20 minutes after eating.

   Eat whole organic fruit for breakfast. Fresh fruit sets the tone for a healthy day with less junk food cravings.

2. 

   Eat lunch when you begin to feel hungry.

   Eat fresh raw vegetables for lunch. Organic salads or raw vegetables with hummus will suffice. Drink plenty of water in between breakfast and lunch to wash out your system.

3. 

   Eat snacks in small controlled portions.

   Allow yourself one snack in between lunch and dinner, but only if you have a craving. Snacks should consist of small portions. If you think you can wait for dinner, skip the snack.

4. 

   Rice and beans provide proteins and essential carbohydrates.

   Eat dinner when you begin to feel hungry. Brown rice, lentils, soups and vegetable pastas are acceptable vegan dinners. You can spice up a vegan meal with vegetables and seasonings.

5. 

   Create a journal to track your calories consumed and burned.

   Create a food journal with two columns. In one column, write down the foods you've consumed and their calorie content. In the other column write down the physical activities you've done that day, along with the calories you've burned.

6. 

   Weight loss is most effective when you combine diet with exercise.

   Adjust your caloric intake to burn more calories than you are consuming. Vegans are easily aware of their calorie intake because they must also be sure the foods they are consuming do not contain animal products.

7. Adjust your physical activity level to burn more calories than you are consuming. Physical activity is an essential element for weight loss. A vegan diet is most effective when combined with exercise.

Tips & Warnings

• You don't have to be a vegan to reap the benefits of vegan weight-loss. To lose 1 lb. of fat, you must burn 3,500 calories. Working out at least 20 minutes a day, five days a week will help you get started.

• Check with your doctor or nutritionist before beginning any weight loss regiment. Rapid weight loss is just as unhealthy as rapid weight gain. Weight stays off when you lose it slowly. Starvation causes the body to store fat. Be sure to nourish yourself as being too skinny has similar health risks to being overweight.

References

• Gather Health: Trying to Lose Weight? Go Vegan.
• Vegan Club: Vegan Weight Loss Diet
• "Skinny Bitch"; Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin; 2005

Resources

• Healthy Vegan Recipes