Top Five Tips for Fat Loss on a Vegan Diet
As a vegan personal trainer, I work with many clients with fat-loss goals on a vegan diet. Today, I want to share my top five tips for fat loss on a vegan diet so you can start right away!
The process of fat loss can both be simple and complex. The science behind fat loss is simple… maintain muscle mass while being in a calorie deficit. However, learning how to eat to create that deficit for fat loss can be a challenge.
With 12 years of experience as a vegan personal trainer, I’ll share what I’ve learned to help you lose fat on a vegan diet.
Implement these Top Five Tips for Fat Loss on a Vegan Diet
Calorie Deficit: The only way you’ll lose fat is by putting yourself in a calorie deficit. To figure out these numbers use one of the many calorie calculators like this one to help figure out your maintenance calories. This is the amount of calories you need to maintain your current weight. From there we will decrease your calories anywhere from 100-300 calories. (more than this will cause hunger and cravings making it harder to stick to.) This decrease in calorie consumption will help you to lose weight. The following steps are needed to make sure the weight coming off is coming from fat! Let’s go.
Calorie Density: A great technique to understand when eating in a deficit is to eat with calorie density in mind. Calorie density is the amount of calories per volume of food. By understanding calorie density you can learn to eat foods that will fill you up, with fewer calories, and contribute to fat loss. My favorite low-calorie density foods are beans, rolled oats, soy, fruit, and leafy greens.
This is my favorite step to implement immediately on your fat loss journey. Learn more about calorie density on a vegan diet.
Resistance Training: This is how you gain muscle strength and tone your muscles at the same time as losing fat! It is essential for muscle growth to do resistance training unless you work an intense manual labor job or have a physically demanding lifestyle. Realistically, most people in this modern lifestyle need to do resistance training. It doesn’t have to be a perfect program but you do want to train your full body each week to maintain/gain muscle mass. It also helps to improve metabolism and build a more toned physique. Working with a trainer or having someone build a plan for you is a great way to know you are training efficiently. Also, it’s very important to find a program or plan that you’ll at least somewhat enjoy. We want to stick with this routine for the long haul.
Movement: First of all, let’s stop the drudging along on cardio equipment. Let’s figure out how to simply get you to move more. Walking, dancing, and cleaning are my favorite forms of movement (other than resistance training). Low steady state movement often and throughout the day is great for calorie burn and improving metabolism.
Positive Attitude and Consistency: I put these together because I believe they go hand in hand. You first have decided to take on this journey because you are ready for positive change for yourself. Right? So make that decision to show up day in and day out for your workouts and try to put a positive spin on each day, each challenge, and each workout. Be excited to move, feed, and nourish your body, and do so with consistency. Give your body time to realize this is the new lifestyle.
I am a vegan personal trainer who helps women lose fat and gain strength with a personalized fitness program. You receive weekly workouts, dietary guidance, accountability, and support. Explore the personal training page to learn more. If training isn’t in the cards for you right now, check out one of my guides or ask me about the custom plan I can create for you.
