Vegan Weight Loss Meal Plans

A vegan is a vegetarian who eats only plant food, forgoing meat, cheese, eggs and even fish. Vegans have a challenging time losing weight, as they cannot reach for a hard boiled egg, broiled chicken or low-fat cheeses that can be staples on weight loss programs.

Portions

Portion control is a major issue in all weight loss diets. An average serving of most foods is 1/2 cup. This is a good way to count your calories and lose weight. When you go out for a meal in a restaurant including vegetarian and vegan ones, you often receive very large portions of food. If you are trying to drop some weight and enjoy dining out, divide your meal in half and take the rest home for another meal.

Breakfast

Breakfast can be the most challenging meal on the vegan diet. Tofu scrambled with spinach and soy cheese is a low-calorie and high-protein way to start the day. Include a slice of whole grain toast and herbal tea. A small bowl of oatmeal, with low-fat soy milk and blueberries is another possibility for breakfast.

Lunch

Salads are great for the vegan and low in calories as well as low in fat. Include lots of dark greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, a few black olives and walnuts and serve with vegan whole-grain crackers. A salad dressing of lemon juice, olive oil, and spices adds the final touch. An open faced grilled soy cheese sandwich with 1/2 cup of black beans as a side dish makes another good low-calorie lunch.

Dinner

There are a huge variety of soy products to substitute for chicken, meat, bacon and other meats. They can be cooked in a stir fry with celery, broccoli, onions and mushrooms or be served over a portion of curried brown rice. Alternatively, make a large pot of vegetable soup with black beans for protein and spice it up with basil, oregano and thyme. Have fresh fruit for dessert.

Snacks and Supplements

For a low-calorie snack, along with the usual fruit, nuts and vegetables, there are many vegan crackers and breads on the market. A few small crackers with peanut butter is very filling. There are several vitamins and minerals that are not plentiful in a total vegan diet, and those are Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, calcium, iron and zinc, according to the American Heart Association. Supplements can address these deficiencies.