Now that the new year has sprung, people are looking for ways to shed off the excess pounds that stuck around during the festive season. Many people turn to dieting, but there are other options that can help people achieve their weight loss goals. One of the most popular weight loss methods is vegetarianism. What is vegetarianism, you may ask?
It’s when a person doesn’t eat meat, fish, or any other animal-based product. Now, before you think this is an odd diet, let’s take a step back. For centuries, people have practiced vegetarianism, and there are many wonderful health benefits to being vegan. Let’s explore the seven best vegan diet meal plans to help you lose weight.
The Vegan Weekly Diet
Perhaps the most popular vegan diet plan is the one proposed by Jack Norris, also known as the Vegan Weekly Diet. Jack’s diet focuses on whole, healthy foods and tries to avoid manufactured and processed products, ideally consuming only what nature provides. Jack suggests eating foods that are in season, grown locally, and organic, when possible. He suggests eating more fruit and vegetables, and fewer carbs and dairy products. This promotes health and encourages weight loss.
The Vegan Weekly Diet isn’t a fast food diet, as food preparation is involved. Instead of having pre-made meals available, you prepare food as and when you need it. Since carbohydrates are limited, you may find it difficult to maintain your weight. However, as a predominantly plant-based diet, you will enjoy a wide range of health benefits. Jack recommends cooking with high heat, as this ensures that the vegetables are appropriately cooked and any toxins are destroyed. When prepared in this way, food provides your body with a wide range of essential nutrients, antioxidants, and fiber, which contribute to maintaining a healthy weight.
One of the main reasons people fall off the wagon is because it’s so easy to become desensitized to the foods that you love. If you’re following a diet based on plant-based foods, you may find that it’s difficult to avoid foods that you’re accustomed to eating. This makes it easier for you to fall off the wagon and regain the weight you lost. To avoid this, you must establish new food preferences and habits. Luckily, preparing food this way is a great way to accomplish this.
The Mediterranean Diet
Another diet plan that has risen to the forefront of the health food community is the Mediterranean Diet. Widely considered to be a healthy diet, the Mediterranean Diet restricts the amount of meat and fatty foods you consume. Instead of having butter and cream on your pasta, you opt for olive oil and herbs, such as basil. While there is no specific recommendation for how much you should eat, it’s generally agreed that as long as you stay within the confines of this diet, you’ll enjoy a wide range of benefits. For example, you may reduce your cholesterol levels and maintain a healthy heart.
This diet promotes a healthy digestion, as eating the right food helps keep your stomach full and satisfied. While it doesn’t specifically recommend avoiding gluten, it does advise against taking foods containing gluten, such as wheat and barley, as these are often found in processed and packaged foods. Since these foods are often fortified with vitamins and minerals, it’s important to stay away from them.
Like the vegan diet, the Mediterranean Diet restricts the amount of carbohydrates you consume. However, while carbohydrates are limited on the vegan diet, they’re further restricted on the Mediterranean Diet. This makes it more difficult to maintain your weight on this diet, especially since some individuals feel that a low-carb diet is more effective for weight loss than a vegan diet. If you’re looking for a diet that’s easy to follow and doesn’t require much preparation, the Mediterranean Diet may be right for you. Ensure you stay within the parameters of this diet, though, as some individuals feel that going overboard with these foods can be harmful. A lot of heart disease, digestive issues, and weight gain have been attributed to this type of diet.
The Gluten-Free Diet
Not only does gluten cause digestive issues for some people, but it’s also been shown to be the root of various health problems. For this reason, a gluten-free diet has become very popular, especially among those who are experiencing digestive issues or have a family history of these issues. Essentially, a gluten-free diet eliminates all foods containing gluten, which typically includes wheat, barley, and rye. These proteins have been heavily implicated in causing health issues, so it’s no surprise that people are turning to this option as a way to improve their health.
Like the Mediterranean Diet, the gluten-free diet restricts the amount of carbs you consume. However, while the Mediterranean Diet restricts complex carbohydrates, the gluten-free diet restricts both simple and complex carbohydrates. The net result is that your body will start to lose its natural energy and feel sluggish. In addition to this energy loss, you’ll experience a general decrease in health and wellbeing. To prevent this problem, make sure you eat foods that provide your body with nourishment and energy. This will help you maintain a healthy weight and feel your best.
The Fruitarian Diet
If you think that the above diets are too restrictive and you want a healthier alternative, you may want to consider a fruitarian diet. The Fruitarian Diet allows you to eat fruit, such as apples, pears, peaches, and nectarines, as well as berries, such as strawberries and blueberries. While this may sound like an odd diet, people who follow this type of regimen report a number of health advantages, as fruits are rich in antioxidants, fiber, and nutrients, such as vitamins A and C. In addition to this, fruits are known for their ability to expand the heart, which makes them desirable for cardiovascular health.
This diet does not recommend you consume dairy products or eggs, as these are animal-based products and as such, are considered taboo. Many people who follow a fruitarian diet report that they’ve successfully shed off several pounds, thanks to the nutritional advantages of this diet. Being a diet that’s rich in fruits and vegetables, it’s easy to follow and allows you to eat what you want, when you want. This helps make it more convenient to follow this type of diet, as you don’t have to think about what foods to avoid. The downside, however, is that this diet does limit the calories you consume, so if you’re looking for a diet that’ll make you lose weight, this isn’t the one for you. Instead, try one of the above diets or a modified version of one of them, if you want to lose weight and improve your health.
The Vegan Diet With Wine
If you’re a fan of red wine and you follow a vegan diet, you may want to consider mixing the two together. It’s acceptable to drink wine while following a vegan diet, as long as it’s not alcoholic beer. If you must have alcohol, try and drink organic wine, as this is more likely to be produced without any adverse effects. Otherwise, you may find that you’re harming your health without even realizing it.
The vegan diet with wine restricts the amount of meat, fish, and other animal products you consume, as well as any foods containing those products. Like the vegetarian diet, the vegan diet with wine encourages you to eat more fruit and veggie-based food. In addition to this, it suggests that you eat less pasta and bread than you would on a normal vegan diet. Like the other vegan diets, the goal is to cut down on the amount of meat you consume, which in turn, should help you lose weight.
The Ornish Diet
If you’re looking for a diet that’s relatively new and gaining a lot of popularity, you may want to try the Ornish Diet. This diet encourages you to eat fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, as well as seeds and nuts, but it does not recommend you eat any animal products. In addition to this, the Ornish Diet suggests that you avoid processed foods and takeaways, aiming to consume as much organic produce as possible. The goal is to mimic the nutrition you’d find in the wild.
Like the others, the Ornish Diet restricts the amount of food containing animal products you consume. However, unlike the other diets, it doesn’t just recommend avoiding these foods, but it goes one step further and advises against consuming them. Even foods that contain gluten, wheat, barley, and rye are restricted on the Ornish Diet. This promotes a healthier digestion, as the right foods help to keep your stomach satisfied. Since digestion is closely tied to weight loss, it’s no wonder that this diet has become so popular.