Whether you are new to a vegan diet or a vegan veteran, there are many health benefits to making the diet switch. While being vegan comes with so many benefits, there are some things to keep in mind if your aim is weight loss. Read on for some helpful tips and tricks to stick with a vegan diet plan.
How to lose weight on a vegan diet
Understand the importance of calorie density
Understanding the importance of calorie density is going to be your holy grail on a vegan diet. Calorie density is a measure of the calorie content in a certain food to its weight of volume.
For example, the calorie contents of a pound of strawberries are going to be a lot less than the calorie contents of a pound of nuts. No duh, right? Actually think about it though. A pound of strawberries is around 150 calories, whereas a pound of nuts is about 2,700 calories.
This is not to say you can never eat nuts, but rather eat those higher calorie foods sparingly as a garnish. The goal of weight loss is to not feel deprived or hungry, so eating those higher volume lower calorie foods is a great way to feel full on fewer calories.
Cut out oil
One of the easiest things to do to drastically lower the calorie content of a meal is to stop cooking with oil. Oil is the most calorie-dense food on the planet coming in at a whopping 120 calories for one tablespoon! Just think about cooking a meal and how easy it is to drizzle oil over your stir-fried veggies. What you think is a light drizzle can actually turn out to be a heavy pour of hundreds of calories. Rather than cooking your veggies in oil, switch to water sauteing or cooking them in vegetable broth.
Learn how to Build a Complete Vegan Bowl
If you are looking to lose weight on a vegan diet, then simplicity is the name of the game. For lunch and dinner, it can be as simple as throwing some green veggies in a bowl, adding in a starch, legume, and healthy fat, and calling it a day. Getting overwhelmed with making complex meals every night can be time-consuming which can ultimately lead to unhealthy choices.
Below, I outlined a few staple food items that can be combined to create a fantastic lunch or dinner meal.
Veggies – Enjoy Abundantly!
- Kale
- Broccoli
- Zucchini
- Cauliflower
- Green Beans
- Lettuce
Complex Carb – The component that will make you feel satisfied.
- Rice
- Potato
- Sweet Potato
- Quinoa
- Whole Grain Pasta
- Buckwheat
- Farro
- Corn
Plant-Based Protein Source
- Tofu
- Edamame
- Beans
- Lentils
- Tempeh
- TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein)
- Setian
- Bean Based Pasta
Healthy Fat – Enjoy sparingly because they are naturally higher in calories.
- Avocado
- Hemp Seeds
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Nut Butters
- Olives
Flavor Component – This tries a meal together and gives it personality.
- Oil-Free Dressing
- Fruit
- Low-Fat Hummus
- Pickled Cabbage or Onions
- Salsa
- Low-Fat Sauces
- Coconut Aminos
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Marinara
- Soy Sauce
- Balsamic Vinegar or Glaze
Keep It Simple
“Nature is pleased with simplicity.” — Isaac Newton
There are so many elaborate and amazing recipes out there that it’s super easy to get overwhelmed with decision fatigue. Making simple whole food plant-based meals does not have to be complicated! Often times following someone’s prescribed meal plan calls for tons of ingredients and different meals for every day of the week. It can be very overwhelming. Making your own vegan diet plan for weight loss is a much more realistic way to stick to your goals.
Follow your own preferences and make whole food plant-based meals that you love and have time for. It can be as simple as making a baked potato and heating up frozen veggies and opening a can of beans.
Eat More Vegetables
Incorporating veggies into every meal is naturally going to lower the calorie content of your meal. Vegetables are the lowest calorie-dense food and by incorporating them into all of your meals, you naturally cut the calories of a meal in half.
Simple Meal Ideas
Breakfast
Oatmeal Bowl – Rolled oats, Frozen Fruit, Powdered Peanut Butter, Flax Meal
Fruit & Granola – Chopped fresh fruit, Oil-Free Granola, Splash of Soy Milk
Tofu Scramble – Tofu, Nutritional Yeast, Baby Spinach, Tomatoes, Oil-Free Hashbrowns, Ketchup
Smoothie Bowl – Frozen Banana, Frozen Mixed Berries, Soy Milk, Baby Spinach, Topped with Oil-Free Granola & Fresh Fruit
Breakfast Sweet Potato – Baked Sweet Potato, Banana, Berries, Flax Meal, PB Fit
Lunch & Dinner
Quick Stir-Fry – Frozen mixed veggies, Tofu/ Edamame, Rice & Soy Sauce
Black Bean Tacos – Corn Tortillas, Black Beans, Sauteed Onions, Peppers & Zucchini & Salsa
Loaded Sweet Potatoes – Baked Sweet Potato, Sauteed Kale, Chickpeas & Oil-free Tahini Dressing
Simple Buddha Bowl – Rice, Beans, Lettuce, Carrot, Cucumber, ect., Avocado
Vegan Sushi Rolls or Bowls – Rice, Veggies (Carrots, Cucumber, Lettuce), Pineapple, Avocado
Spaghetti with Lentil Marinara – Wholewheat Pasta, Lentils, Tomato Sauce, Veggies
Black Bean Salad – Black Beans, Corn, Tomato, Onion, Avocado
Let me know what you come up with for your vegan diet plan!
