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As we are coming into the new year, here are my top 2 tips for easy weight loss on a whole food plant-based vegan diet. The goal of long-sustaining weight loss is always going to be ease of it. If you have ever been on a crazy fad diet and it worked, you know how hard it is to maintain. Much like anything in life, consistency is key.

A diet like keto or low carb might help you get to your goal weight, but you can’t say that it will help you stay there. It’s hard! Eating a very small quality of carbs is unsustainable. Humans were designed for carbs and cutting them out completely is a recipe for disaster.

Or maybe you are someone that is on a vegan diet but are just struggling to lose weight. I’ve been there! I thought because I wasn’t eating any animal products that I was just going to magically lose weight, but that didn’t happen. In fact, it went the other direction, I gained weight. Packaged food is packaged food. It is full of fat, sugar, and low water content which makes it super easy to overconsume. Food scientists are hard at work to figure out the perfect combination.

Tip #1 – DRASTICALLY LIMIT OR ELIMINATE OIL FROM YOUR DIET

This is probably my biggest and most helpful tip for cutting calories with ease. Prior to cutting out all oil, I would easily go through a standard-sized bottle of olive oil once a month. It is so easy to drizzle every element of your meal in oil and not realize all the extra calories you just added. From drizzling it on roasted veggies to pouring it over your salad in a dressing form. It is extremely easy to overconsume oil.

Oil is a highly refined food and contains no water or fiber, which helps keep you full and satisfied. It does not contribute to your satiety at all.

2 Major things that trigger satiety:

  1. The weight of your food
  2. The volume your food takes up

These two things trigger the brain and tell you that you are satisfied and don’t feel like eating anymore. There are a lot of other ways to consume healthy fats without consuming oil. Oil does not weigh very much which is problematic when we know that weight and volume trigger the stretch receptors in our stomach which let us know we are full.

For example, you can pour oil over a salad but it would not add to the overall volume of your meal. Oil is just liquid calories. By cutting back or cutting out oil completely from your diet, you are easy cutting out hundreds of calories without even trying.

Helpful tips to ditch the oil

  • Per Dr. Neal Barnard’s recommendation, he suggests that you are not getting more than 3 grams of fat per serving from foods you buy at the store, like pasta sauce, crackers, etc.
  • Water saute your food. It might take some getting used to but once you adjust, oil will be a thing of the past.
  • Skipping the oily salad dressings. There are a bunch of ways to add flavor to a salad without the use of oil.
TIP #2 – Calorie Dilution

This sounds drastic but it’s simply filling half your plate with non-starchy veggies and the other half with whatever you want to eat. It is super simple and great for those who love to eat large meals. Gone are the days of shrinking your meals to meet a specific calorie requirement. Simply filling half of your plate with vegetables will drastically/ easily cut out the added calories without you having to go hungry.

tips for weight loss

For breakfast, you don’t have to eat veggies but you could start your meal with a bowl of fruit like berries and then move over to your main meal.

Why Vegetables Are Great For Weight Loss

There are several reasons why vegetables are great for weight loss:

  1. Low in calories: Vegetables are low in calories, which means you can eat a large volume of them without consuming too many calories. This makes them a great choice for weight loss, as you can feel full and satisfied without overeating.
  2. High in fiber: Many vegetables are high in fiber, which can help you feel full and satisfied for longer periods of time. This can prevent you from overeating and snacking on unhealthy foods.
  3. Nutrient-dense: Vegetables are packed with vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that are important for overall health. By incorporating more vegetables into your diet, you’ll be giving your body the nutrients it needs while also keeping your calorie intake low.
  4. Water content: Many vegetables have a high water content, which means they are filling and hydrating. This can help you feel full and satisfied without consuming too many calories.

Overall, vegetables are a great choice for weight loss because they are low in calories, high in fiber, nutrient-dense, and hydrating. By incorporating more vegetables into your diet, you can support your weight loss goals while also improving your overall health.

All in all, whole plant-based foods are just naturally less in calories. Whole plant-based foods are full of water which means volume and weight. This means eating more for less. And those are my top 2 tips for easy weight loss. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask in the comment section.