How to Lose Weight on a Vegan Diet
Cut calories., Eat enough fiber., Avoid sugar., Eat healthy fats., Drink water., Exercise., Look for recipes online.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Cut calories.
Losing weight means reducing your calorie intake.
Calculate how many calories you eat each day by tracking everything you eat and drink.
Then reduce your daily intake by 500 calories.
This, along with physical activity, should result in a 1 to 2 lb. weight loss per week, which is considered healthy.
It may be helpful to speak with a Registered Dietitian, as you will need to make sure that reducing your calories doesn't also result in nutritional deficiencies.
Focus on nutrient-dense, low-calorie foods and keep portions in mind. -
Step 2: Eat enough fiber.
The recommended fiber intake for women is 25 g/day, and 38 g/day for men.
This amount of fiber is recommended to keep your digestive system active and moving.
It also helps keep you feeling full.Sources of fiber include whole grains, beans, lentils, vegetables and fruits, especially those with rinds like plums, prunes, apricots, apples and nectarines.
This amount of fiber will likely increase the frequency of bowel movements and soften your stool.
It also ensures that waste products and toxins don’t stay in your body for very long.
The average daily intake for Americans is 15 g/day, which is far below the recommended level. , If you are trying to lose weight on a vegan diet, try to limit sugar as much as possible.
Cut out processed, sugar-heavy desserts and foods.
This may also mean that you limit cane sugar and fruit juice.
It doesn’t, however, mean that you have to avoid fruits.
Avoid fruit juice because the juice tends to concentrate the sugars.Don't think that just because a food is labeled "vegan" it is automatically healthy.
Vegan cupcakes, cookies, muffins, cakes, and pies can have just as much fat, sugar, artificial ingredients, and calories as non-vegan desserts.Oreo cookies, for instance, are vegan, but they're certainly not part of a healthy diet. , Many diets emphasize low fat, but eating healthy fats can help you lose weight.
Foods, such as nuts,contain the healthy fats.
You want to make sure to get the healthy omega-3 fats, and nuts are a great source of these fats., Keep drinking as much water as you can.
This helps flush out your system.
It is also important in a vegan diet because it helps allow the fiber to do its job.
Try for at least eight to 10 eight ounce glasses of water a day.Another advantage of water is that it keeps you feeling fuller and less hungry. , The best way to lose weight in a healthy way is to decrease calories and to increase calorie burn by increasing your physical activity.
Any kind of aerobic activity will increase weight loss at the same time you are gaining the cardiovascular benefits, along with the benefits for mood, your nervous system, your immune system, your joints, and your muscles.Aim for 150 minutes of aerobic exercise each week.
Start by walking more and climbing stairs more often.
Take up running, cycling, or swimming.
Join a gym and start taking classes.
Try running, walking, jogging, dance, tennis, stationary bicycle, or the elliptical machine.
Incorporate strength-training two to three days a week.
You don’t have to become a body-builder, but using your muscles in strength training burns calories and keeps you strong (muscle burns more calories than fat).
Find a gym where you can get professional advice from a personal trainer. , Do your homework about a healthy vegan diet and get some healthy recipes.
If you are this far, you have the basic guidelines, but you will need to learn new cooking skills and how to build a healthy vegan meal.
Experiment with cooking and try new, fun vegan recipes each day.To find vegan recipes, you can buy cookbooks full of healthy, delicious recipes.
You can also search the internet for many recipes. -
Step 3: Avoid sugar.
-
Step 4: Eat healthy fats.
-
Step 5: Drink water.
-
Step 6: Exercise.
-
Step 7: Look for recipes online.
Detailed Guide
Losing weight means reducing your calorie intake.
Calculate how many calories you eat each day by tracking everything you eat and drink.
Then reduce your daily intake by 500 calories.
This, along with physical activity, should result in a 1 to 2 lb. weight loss per week, which is considered healthy.
It may be helpful to speak with a Registered Dietitian, as you will need to make sure that reducing your calories doesn't also result in nutritional deficiencies.
Focus on nutrient-dense, low-calorie foods and keep portions in mind.
The recommended fiber intake for women is 25 g/day, and 38 g/day for men.
This amount of fiber is recommended to keep your digestive system active and moving.
It also helps keep you feeling full.Sources of fiber include whole grains, beans, lentils, vegetables and fruits, especially those with rinds like plums, prunes, apricots, apples and nectarines.
This amount of fiber will likely increase the frequency of bowel movements and soften your stool.
It also ensures that waste products and toxins don’t stay in your body for very long.
The average daily intake for Americans is 15 g/day, which is far below the recommended level. , If you are trying to lose weight on a vegan diet, try to limit sugar as much as possible.
Cut out processed, sugar-heavy desserts and foods.
This may also mean that you limit cane sugar and fruit juice.
It doesn’t, however, mean that you have to avoid fruits.
Avoid fruit juice because the juice tends to concentrate the sugars.Don't think that just because a food is labeled "vegan" it is automatically healthy.
Vegan cupcakes, cookies, muffins, cakes, and pies can have just as much fat, sugar, artificial ingredients, and calories as non-vegan desserts.Oreo cookies, for instance, are vegan, but they're certainly not part of a healthy diet. , Many diets emphasize low fat, but eating healthy fats can help you lose weight.
Foods, such as nuts,contain the healthy fats.
You want to make sure to get the healthy omega-3 fats, and nuts are a great source of these fats., Keep drinking as much water as you can.
This helps flush out your system.
It is also important in a vegan diet because it helps allow the fiber to do its job.
Try for at least eight to 10 eight ounce glasses of water a day.Another advantage of water is that it keeps you feeling fuller and less hungry. , The best way to lose weight in a healthy way is to decrease calories and to increase calorie burn by increasing your physical activity.
Any kind of aerobic activity will increase weight loss at the same time you are gaining the cardiovascular benefits, along with the benefits for mood, your nervous system, your immune system, your joints, and your muscles.Aim for 150 minutes of aerobic exercise each week.
Start by walking more and climbing stairs more often.
Take up running, cycling, or swimming.
Join a gym and start taking classes.
Try running, walking, jogging, dance, tennis, stationary bicycle, or the elliptical machine.
Incorporate strength-training two to three days a week.
You don’t have to become a body-builder, but using your muscles in strength training burns calories and keeps you strong (muscle burns more calories than fat).
Find a gym where you can get professional advice from a personal trainer. , Do your homework about a healthy vegan diet and get some healthy recipes.
If you are this far, you have the basic guidelines, but you will need to learn new cooking skills and how to build a healthy vegan meal.
Experiment with cooking and try new, fun vegan recipes each day.To find vegan recipes, you can buy cookbooks full of healthy, delicious recipes.
You can also search the internet for many recipes.
About the Author
Kevin Henderson
With a background in telecommunications, Kevin Henderson brings 2 years of hands-on experience to every article. Kevin believes in making complex topics accessible to everyone.
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