Many people experience weight loss when they stop eating meat, cheese and other animal products, but switching to a vegan diet doesn’t guarantee anything, not great health and certainly not weight loss. In order to lose weight as a vegan, whether you’re new to it or have been avoiding animal source foods for longer, you need to try a few simple rules.
With the help of the right vegan weight loss tips, you’ll get results faster, even without a strict diet, because you’ve already cut off most of the foods that are most likely to cause weight gain.
Vegetables and Fruits Should Be at Least 50% of Your Diet
Removing meat, dairy and other animal source foods from your diet isn’t enough for a healthy vegan diet and it certainly won’t help with weight loss on its own.
Make sure at least half of your diet is made up of veggies and fruits, because eating too many carbohydrate rich foods can actually make your weight go up.
Reduce Your Consumption of Vegan Substitutes
One of the best vegan weight loss tips is to seriously cut back on processed faux meat or cheese. You may see “soy” on the packaging and think they’re healthy, but they’re a bad idea when you’re trying to keep your weight under control. They’re rich in vegetable oils, salt and other ingredients that don’t work for weight loss.
Replace Sugary Cereal With Oatmeal
Vegan or not, refined sugars are the enemy of weight loss. Get rid of any processed breakfast cereal with added sugar and replace them with healthier oatmeal. You can add different fruits and spices to it in order to keep it fresh and you’ll also benefit from the slower release of energy from oatmeal instead of the cereal sugar rush.
Cut Back On Oils
Knowing how many vegetables oils you eat is one of the most useful vegan weight loss tips. Plenty of foods you consider oil-free can include oils, from non-dairy milk to condiments. You’re better off getting oils directly from the source, from olives, nuts and seeds instead of eating it processed when you’re trying to lose weight.
Say No to Fruit Juice, Say Yes to Fruit
Even if you’re juicing yourself and avoiding calorie-packed fruit smoothies, you’re missing out on a lot of fiber. Try to drink less fruit juice and more fruit and you won’t just get the sugar, you’ll also get the fibers that keep hunger pangs away for longer. Opt for a healthy fruit snack instead of a fruit drink when you’re worried about the extra pounds.
Reduce High-Fat Foods
If other vegan weight loss tips aren’t working out for you, try cutting back on the fat. It may be healthy, but it’s not necessarily good for your waistline. Eating avocados, nuts, nut butter, tofu and coconut milk daily is a bad idea for weight loss. Even olives can add up when you’re eating them in large quantities.
Don’t Drink Too Many Calories
Vegan creamers and alcohol add up, so make sure that your coffee isn’t full of fat, sugar and calories and that you limit your alcohol intake when you’re trying to lose weight. Even soy milk beverages can have a high calorie count, so don’t focus on your diet without acknowledging the impact liquids can have on weight loss.
Keep Salt In Check
While salt doesn’t directly affect weight gain in the long run, it can lead to water retention and make you feel heavier than you really are. One of the best vegan weight loss tips is too restrict salt and check labels more carefully. The number of salt milligrams per serving should be equal to the number of calories. If it’s significantly higher, look for a less salty alternative.
Drink More Water
A vegan diet is rich in fiber and eating fiber-rich foods also aids digestion and promotes weight loss. However, you need to drink lots of water to prevent any unpleasant side effects of all the fiber in your diet, from flatulence to diarrhea. Even if you’re already eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, drink at least six 8 ounce glasses of water daily.
Exercise
Even if you’re using the right vegan weight loss tips, you simply can’t skip exercise and expect to drop pounds easily. If you don’t have enough energy to exercise or at least be moderately active, then you’re not getting the nutrients you need from your vegan diet.
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