Losing Weight On A Plant-Based Diet

Losing weight on a plant-based diet

Can you lose weight healthily on a plant-based diet?

Yes, you can! With a well-planned plant-based diet, not only can you lose weight but you can experience numerous benefits in addition to weight management.

Many dieticians and doctors break down successful weight loss into several recommendations:

The commonly agreed recommendations are:

• Eat a Variety of Whole Foods
• Consume Protein
• Watch Your Portion Sizes
• Plan Your Meals
• Limit Processed Foods
• Stay Hydrated
• Exercise Regularly
• Get Adequate Sleep

Let's look into the recommendations for plant-based diets and take a deep dive:

Eat a Variety of Whole Foods

One needs to incorporate a wide range of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds into their diet. This is not only to make sure that one is maintaining enough nutrition during weight loss but also because many of these foods help you feel full and satisfied which helps aid in weight loss.

But let's be clear, according to a registered dietician's statement: "...it’s not because a vegan diet magically makes pounds melt away. It’s because you’ll typically burn more calories than you consume if you follow a vegan diet. That’s because you’ll likely eat lots of plant-based foods like veggies, fruits, nuts, and beans."¹

And, according to a study by the National Institute of Health, "that a shift to a plant-based diet may have beneficial health effects on body weight and BMI in individuals with overweight, T2DM, cardiovascular risk/disease and rheumatoid arthritis. The weight reduction can be explained by an increased intake of fiber, polyunsaturated fats and plant proteins, including a reduced intake of energy, saturated fats and animal proteins"⁴ Also, notice the mention of proteins. Proteins, which can be obtained from plants, help people feel full (due to fiber) and thus they are likely to eat less.

Greatist, a website, links 3 studies demonstrating that plant-based diets led to greater weight loss as compared to non-plant-based diets. And, "That’s because vegan and plant-based diets tend to be lower in calorie-rich foods"¹. Furthermore, their research concludes "When studies control for the restricted calories, though, vegan diets don’t seem to have any extra weight loss benefits." but further down "The vegan diet was more effective in reducing blood sugar and cholesterol levels, though."¹
Let's break this down. Yes, anyone might lose weight on a calorie-restricted diet, but which diet is still healthier and also more effective in reducing or preventing numerous chronic conditions? Yes, the vegan diet. In addition, they state "Many studies show that people who follow plant-based diets (like vegetarian and vegan diets) tend to weigh less and have lower body fat than people who follow omnivorous diets."¹

The key to losing weight is not just eating plant-based but eating healthy foods and meals with calories and nutrition in mind. It is important that if one has a goal to lose weight, they do it healthily. For example, according to one Eating Well meal plan "At 1,200 calories, this vegan meal plan sets you up to lose a healthy 1 to 2 pounds per week and includes a variety of nutritious foods and balanced meals to make sure you're getting the nutrients you need each day."² So you can see eating plant-based, one should still consider their calories and have reasonable weight loss expectations. On the contrary, if someone ate 4000 calories of plant-based meals every day, they would be on a plant-based diet but would not be restricting their calories enough to lose weight, and they probably would gain weight.

And, as another reference, VeryWellFit, states a study that says "The key is to create a calorie deficit while meeting your nutrient needs. To lose weight, you need a calorie deficit of 250 to 500 calories daily. This can be accomplished using exercise, diet, or a combination"³. And, as we know, a healthy plant-based diet that eliminates bad fats and high-caloric foods, can help you accomplish this daily calorie deficit (along with an exercise plan [see below]).

Now to quickly sum up the other great recommendations for losing weight:

Consume Protein

Protein helps maintain muscle mass and keeps you feeling full longer. And, you can get enough plant protein from sources like beans, lentils, tofu, tempeh, edamame, and quinoa.

Watch Your Portion Sizes

Be mindful of portion sizes, especially with high-calorie foods like nuts, seeds, and avocados. With that said, with Garden of Vegan plant-based meals you see everything you need to help you track your eating and portion sizes as we clearly list the grams (portion size), calories, fats, and everything else to help you make good choices.

Plan Your Meals

Meal planning can help you stay on track and ensure you're getting a balanced and nutritious diet. Plus, staying on a meal plan or preparing meals in advance can prevent you from deviating from your goals or snacking. At Garden of Vegan, we have meal plans for weight loss and more.

Limit Processed Foods

This seems obvious, but not all plant-based foods are the same. Rest assured, Garden of Vegan has no nasties in our meals such as artificial additives, preservatives, colors, or anything else. Our meals are not high in added sugars, unhealthy fats, or calories. We focus on whole, unprocessed foods.

Stay Hydrated

We can't stress this enough. Staying hydrated is vital for our systems to work properly and maintain overall health. But another benefit of staying hydrated is that drinking water can help control hunger by filling our stomachs. In addition, sometimes thirst is mistaken for hunger and thus people might snack when they shouldn't. An important note: as we have written previously about the water content of fruits and vegetables before, yes one can get liquids from their foods, but it is always recommended not to rely on staying hydrated from eating foods alone.

Exercise Regularly

It is recommended to combine your healthy eating plan with regular physical activity. Most trainers want you to have a mix of cardio and strength training to support weight loss. Of course, if you exercise a lot, your muscle mass could increase, so even if the weight 'value' might not be decreasing (due to muscle building), you are losing fat and increasing your overall health.

Get Adequate Sleep

It has been shown adequate sleep is crucial for weight management. Sleep helps with our hormones and poor sleep can disrupt the hormones that regulate hunger and appetite. If we can't properly regulate hunger and appetite throughout the day, this can lead to overeating, snacking, or even binge eating.

What are you waiting for?

So put your mind to it and start your weight loss journey today. Eat healthily with the help of our meals, snacks, pantry items, and more.

Garden of Vegan wants you to know:

• We deliver fresh food!
  We pride ourselves on delivering you the freshest and healthiest plant-based meals in Australia. So, there is no need for additives, preservatives, or anything synthetic!
   
• We believe in great-tasting natural foods using 100% plant-based seasonings and sauces.
  There is no need to add anything unnatural to change the taste, color, or texture, as our food is as nature intended!
   
• We know exactly what is in our food and want you to know as well.
  We believe in transparency. We list all of our food ingredients, calories, fats, and more. In addition, we clearly list any potential ingredients that could be considered as allergens. We want you to make great choices in what you put in your body and to always enjoy fresh and great-tasting plant-based food.

At Garden of Vegan, our mission is clear: to promote human and planetary health through delicious, organic plant-based meals. Every ingredient we use is certified organic, meaning it meets rigorous standards set by Australian Certified Organic (ACO). Our choice to go organic stems from our commitment to quality, sustainability, and health.

Ready to experience the super-nutritious foods for yourself?

Explore our menu today and discover the delicious, nourishing meals we've created just for you. In addition to full organic meals, we offer 100% organic sides, pantry items, desserts, soups, and much more. Let's work together to make a positive impact, one organic bite at a time!

Let's all stay healthy and inspired.

#plantbased #GardenofVegan #EatOrganic #vegan

References:
1. Your Guide to Using a Vegan Diet for Weight Loss - Greatist
2. 7-Day Vegan Meal Plan Created by a Dietitian: 1,200 Calories - Eating Well
3. 7-Day Vegan Weight-Loss Meal Plan - VeryWell Fit
4. Effects of Plant-Based Diets on Weight Status: A Systematic Review - National Institute of Health