You decided to become a vegan to improve your well-being and possibly shed some extra pounds. However, your weight remains constant. Sound familiar? You are definitely not the only one! As vegan dietitians, we know this is very common. With the proper strategy, plant-based eating can definitely help you lose weight in a healthy manner.
A vegan diet alone will not help you lose weight. As we exclude animal food, we exclude calories from our diet. But one can easily overeat when eating vegan pizzas, vegan cookies, and oat milk lattes!
Research proves that a well-planned vegetarian diet results in weight loss effectively! A 2018 randomized clinical trial found vegan participants lost about 6.5 kg in 16 weeks. But the key words are well-planned.
Without the proper structure, most people exchange old behaviours for new ones. To see real results, something else must be done besides simply giving up meat!
It all comes back to the same over and over again. The good news? They are very simple to correct when you understand where they occur!
Some common errors are:
The above errors will creep up on you gradually without you even realizing it!
There are two very basic ideas that almost all plant-based diets for losing weight are based on. They’re so fundamental that knowing them is basically half the battle!
Calorie density means the number of calories that one unit of food weight contains. Vegetables and fruits have a lower calorie density, so you get full from fewer calories. Plant-based dietitian Jeff Novick made this principle famous.
Here is a quick look at how plant foods compare:
| Food Type | Caloric Density | How to use it |
| Vegetables and fruits | Very low | Fill most of your plate |
| Beans, lentils, whole grains | Low to moderate | Base of every meal |
| Tofu, tempeh, edamame | Moderate | Daily protein source |
| Nuts, seeds, avocado | High | Small portions |
| Oils | Very high | Use minimally |
Protein is that nutrient which keeps us full, promotes muscle gain, and aids fat loss. Some of the best sources of protein are lentils, tofu, edamame, tempeh, and quinoa.
The key to success? Make sure you have a protein-rich ingredient in each meal. Legumes are superfoods with plenty of protein and fiber!
A generic meal plan you find online does not know you. It doesn’t know your lifestyle, your likes and dislikes, your health conditions, or the pressures you go through.
A registered dietitian plans everything based on your lifestyle. First, we study your blood work, sleep habits, activity levels, and your favorite foods. Then we make slight adjustments to accommodate them.
Also, we guide you through the toughest moments – cravings, hitting a wall, parties, and overcoming bad habits. This is where the magic happens!
Sustainable weight loss is not about restriction. Rather, sustainable weight loss comes through creating a way of eating that you actually love!
Important concepts we practice with our clients:
Small, kind changes beat extreme rules every single time.
Some people work it out by themselves. Most do not, but that’s perfectly fine!
If you fall into any of the categories below, consider booking an appointment with one of our plant-based dietitians:
Ready for a different approach? Book a free discovery call with one of our dietitians today!
Yes! According to studies, the use of a vegan diet helps achieve better weight reduction compared to a non-vegan one. However, the diet itself has to be properly developed.
The reason may lie in the high content of processed vegan foods, serving sizes, lack of sufficient amounts of protein, and consumption of calorie-dense beverages.
In most cases, no. In general, paying attention to caloric density and eating enough proteins at each meal will help with reducing weight.
An adult person requires 1.0 – 1.2 grams of protein per 1 kg of weight. Consult our dietitian to set up a precise intake rate.
The optimal weight loss speed should be between 0.5 – 1 pounds weekly.
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