This means eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, as well as whole grains and legumes. You should also be getting enough protein, which you can get from tofu, tempeh, and other plant-based sources. In addition, you need to make sure you're getting enough healthy fats, which you can get from nuts, seeds, and avocados.
Eating a variety of nutrient-dense whole plant foods high in antioxidants and fiber is the best health choice for maintaining a healthy weight and burning off fat. Paired with cardio and strength exercises, you'll be able to lose belly fat for good and look and feel your best.
It's unsurprising then that eating a vegan diet may also help you lose weight, including stubborn belly fat. "Research has shown that meat eaters tend to have a higher BMI," Lindsey Toth, MS, RD, senior dietitian for Swanson Health, told POPSUGAR.
Some people actually say that it is easier to lose weight as a vegan, especially if this is a drastic lifestyle and eating change for you. Plant-Based vegans stick to eating only whole foods, which are healthier and tend to aid in weight loss.
The reality is that you won't look like you're 25 forever – no matter how “clean” or “healthy” or your diet might be. While there are a variety of health benefits associated with following a vegan diet, eating a vegan diet won't make you age faster or slower in and of itself.
But as uncomfortable (and maybe embarrassing) as it may be, gas and bloating is completely normal. And more importantly, it's temporary! While it won't completely go away, the gas and bloating should subside after a couple of weeks. Give your body time to adjust!
To make up for the lack of protein from animal sources, many vegans eat a lot of nuts and seeds, including nut butter. While these are healthy sources of unsaturated fats that can benefit heart health in moderation, they are also high in calories, which can contribute to weight gain.
Going vegan side effects sometimes include anemia, disruptions in hormone production, vitamin B12 deficiencies, and depression from a lack of omega-3 fatty acids. That's why it's crucial to include plenty of proteins, vitamin B12, vitamin D, iron, calcium, iodine, zinc, and omega-3s in your diet.
If the scale's not budging or you're even seeing weight gain on a vegan diet, it's important to cut out oil. To lose weight, you want nutrient-dense foods over calorie-dense foods. Nutrient-dense foods are high in nutrients but relatively low in calories. Oils are nutrient-deficient and calorie-dense.
While there isn't one magic food that will melt away belly fat, studies have reported certain foods have special belly-fat-burning benefits, such as avocado, artichokes, whole grains, kefir, green tea, eggs, peanuts and chickpeas.
Studies have shown that a vegan diet can reduce your weight by an average of 5.6 pounds in 18 weeks, or less or more than a third of a pound per week! In theory, you can lose up to 63 pounds in a year. However, the amount you lose depends on several factors.
Vegan foods such as whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and legumes are rich in fiber, which promotes good digestion by reducing the amount of sugar your blood absorbs. And researchers have found that eating plant-based foods helps healthy gut bacteria flourish and decreases inflammation.
Olive Oil is made from olives, sometimes using chemical products like charcoal but never using animal-based products. Therefore, olive oil is a plant-based product. However, some vegans avoid consuming olive oil because of its environmental impact.
Vegan diets can be a part of a healthy lifestyle when planned and implemented correctly. Like any eating plan to restrict specific food groups, vegan diets can come up short in essential nutrients such as protein, calcium, iron and vitamin B12.
Additional Health Risks of Veganism
While it can be used on a short-term basis for weight loss or for other health reasons, it may result in significant nutritional deficiencies over the long term as well as other risks including eating disorders and isolation.
"Many vegan alternatives (quinoa, beans, and lentils) actually contain more grams of carbohydrates than they do protein," said Hyman. Consuming more calories than your body can use, whether it comes from carbohydrates, protein, or fat, results in weight gain over time, she suggested.
Eating more calories than your body needs will always result in weight gain no matter where that food is coming from. Plant fats like avocados, seeds, hummus and nut butters are big culprits of shooting up the daily calorie count.
It's possible to be an overweight or obese vegan, of course, just as it's possible to be a thin meat-eater, but adult vegans are, on average, 10 to 20 pounds lighter than adult meat-eaters.
Summary: Bloating on a Vegan Diet
Some level of bloating is to be expected as part of digestion, especially when consuming a diet higher in fiber such as a plant-based diet. Sometimes, with a large dietary change, the body needs some time to adjust.
Research has shown that a vegan diet can help do the following: Promote weight loss. Reduce your risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol levels. Lower your chances of getting certain types of cancer, such as colon cancer.