This post may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, we receive a commission.”
Hi everyone!
I remember a long time ago, a guy friend telling me that he had gone completely Vegan. He had always (admittedly) carried a few extra pounds – so my first thought was, “Good for him – I’ll bet he’s lost a TON of weight.”
I mean, how can you NOT drop the lb’s eating platefuls of veggies, right? Well apparently you CAN…..NOT (grammar police?), because the poor guy had actually gained more than a few.
You Can Gain Weight on ANY Diet
At the time I was confused – but now I totally get it. Plant-Based diets (or any diet for that matter) come with the same basic principle:
If you eat more calories than you burn – hello stretchy pants. Yes, even “healthy foods” will go to your ass if you over-eat. Trust me I know…. Reference the time I got fat juicing. Ugh.
Avoiding Common Mistakes on a Plant-Based Diet
Live and learn, right? After learning what I did WRONG on my Plant-Based diet years ago (eating with “yeah-but-it’s- healthy,” reckless abandon), I want to share with you – how to be successful on a plant-based diet by AVOIDING 6 of the pitfalls that I fell into.
Hopefully this will give you a solid foundation to work from, so you can look & feel (more) incredible right away!
I Hit the “Easy Button” with SAKARA
I’ve been using SAKARA Plant-Based Meal Delivery Service and can’t say enough good things about it. It is THE platinum standard in comprehensive, nutrient-drenched, cutting-edge meals – hands down.
It’s about as close to having a personal Plant-Based Chef in your kitchen, as you could possibly get. Fan!
6 Things to Watch For on Plant-Based Diets:
1. Measure Your Portions!
Size matters, yo. It’s really freaking easy to overeat plant-based foods because they’re so damn yummy and you know they’re good for you. So, the assumption is that you can eat as much as you want…errr….Noooooooo.
Fit Tip:
Measure out foods you know are more caloric like, nuts, seeds, avocados, oils, and nut-butters. First, you’ll avoid overeating. Second – it’ll give you a good idea of “what” a single serving looks like.
Take peanuts, for example – one of my favorite crunchy/salty snacks. Just ½ a cup of peanuts has about 400 calories. If the can is right next to me as I’m working – ½ a cup is gone really quickly. So yeah, measure your portions!
2. Watch Toppings
Toppings…. aka – the good stuff like nut-butter, dressings, croutons, nuts, seeds & vegan cheese that can take a salad from flipping boring – to super deelish – while packing on hundreds of calories.
This isn’t about eliminating added (healthy) goodies – I mean, we want our food to taste good! It’s about being aware of the amount of Add-Ins. Take it easy on the dressings, limit add-ins to 1-2, and be sure to measure them.
Metabolism Super Powder
fire it up baby!
I’ve really been loving this best-selling Metabolism Super Powder from SAKARA. It fires up Metabolism, Stabilizes Blood Sugar, Eliminates Bloat, Decreases Puffiness and definitely Curbs Cravings.
I add it to my “Light Dinner” Smoothies, and it really HAS curbed my cravings which tend to kick into high-gear in the evening. ;-). You can also stir it into oatmeal.
3. Junk Food
If you’re truly eating WFPB, this one applies more to Vegans. This is because while WFPB specifically excludes processed foods (ergo the addition of the term “whole foods”), a vegan diet does not. It only excludes anything with animal products.
For Vegans – be aware that there are a ton of junk-food products that while free of animal-products, are still super high in sugar and useless fat & calories. We’re talking things like chips, cookies, fries, candy, non-dairy ice creams etc.
4. Less Fruit, More Veggies
I know. I like fruit more than veggies too. There’s a bowl of cold, juicy grapes in the fridge calling my name right now. But if you’re trying to lose weight or maintain, keep fruit to a dull roar as it’s high in calories. Sad face.
Load up primarily on non-starchy veggies: Think greens, beets, brussels, carrots, asparagus, cauliflower – VS. starchy veggies like beans, potatoes, parsnips, lentils, corn, butternut squash & chickpeas.
A 90/10 ratio is usually what works best for me – 90% veggies, 10% fruit.
The VOGUE of Plant-Based Meal Service
SAKARA brings life-transforming, plant-rich super meals to your door, ready-to-eat. Unlike Daily Harvest – the meals are incredibly filling (even for guys), constructed by classically trained Chefs and inspired by global flavors.
A definite “must at least check it out”….
5. Don’t Drink Your Calories
Drink water when you’re thirsty. Steer clear of sports drinks, soda, bottled smoothies (usually really high in sugar), sweetened nut milks & specialty coffee drinks with all of the syrups, and whipped (non-dairy) creams.
Calories rack up super quickly when we’re drinking them and they aren’t filling, which means we’re reaching for something to eat soon after.
6. Careful with Smoothies
Smoothies can easily climb the calorie ladder – and because most people think of them as a “snack” instead of a light meal replacement, it’s really easy to add a few hundred unneeded calories to the day.
When I’m in the mood for a smoothie, I designate it as my breakfast, lunch – or a light dinner.
To keep it healthy, fit, yet filling – I stick to greens, 1/2 a banana + frozen berries, 1 TB of a nut butter, unsweetened almond milk and a scoop of Metabolism Super Powder!
Enjoy your journey to plant-based health & radiance!
Like the Post? Hit the Heart, Share with a Friend & Comment Below!
