Not everyone goes vegan to lose weight, but it can be hard to find information on how to maintain your weight or gain when you go vegan.Heres how to go vegan without losing weight.
Its definitely possible to maintain or even gain weight on a vegan diet. Just look at football player David Carter, who reached his goal weight of 300 pounds eating only plants. Its all about eating the right food and enough of it.
NFL players arent the only ones looking to maintain or gain on a vegan diet. Below, I share my own story of maintaining weight while going vegan and tips on gaining from a vegan weightlifter.
Fora lot of new vegans,the focus tends to be on cutting foods out, so it makes sense that youd lose weight. If you just stop eating the cheese, butter, meat and eggswithout replacing the fat, protein and calories,youre probably going to lose some weight. But you dont have to.
WhenI went vegan 11 years ago, I was riding my bike 10 miles a day and was already at a healthy weight. I wasnt looking to lose weight when I cut out animal products for good,so when I started dropping pounds, I had to figure out how to maintain my weightwhile eating vegan.
The trick for mewas finding ways to make up those lost calories. These are some of the calorically-dense foodsI add to my meals to helpmake them filling andmaintain my weight:
Basically, the foods above are the ones I use to make sure Im getting enough calories each day, even when Im very busy. They may seem like no-brainers if youve been vegan for a long time, but many new vegans dont yet know how to round out a meal or snack without animal products. Thesefoods are a great starting point.
To get some tips on how to gain weight on a vegan diet, I talked to myfriend,Chris Moultrie, who is an avid weight trainer. He has been vegan fora decade.As his exercise regimen has shifted more and more toward gaining strength and muscle, hes had to also shift his eating patterns to accommodate.
Chris explained that, to build muscle, you need to be in what lifters term a calorie surplus. This means that youre taking in more than youre using, so that your body can efficiently build muscle, your calories arent competing for current/future energy and muscle building, you have enough for all of them.
To build that calorie surplus, Chris had to move away from the idea of simply replacing the meat and dairy he used to eat with enough veggies to feel full.That wasnt providing him with enough calories. To gain on a vegan diet, you have to change how you think about eating. He says there are really two ways to gain on a vegan diet:
A typical meal for Chris looks like this:
He also explains that the order youre eating matters, if you want to have healthy vegan gains. You can eat the protein and carb together, just make sure you eat your fruit and veg first, itll make you feel a bit fuller and ensures you dont fill up on other things and accidentally not eat them.
Whether youre trying to gain or maintain your weight on a vegan diet, its all about getting enough calories each day. As Chris pointed out, No one really mentions that when you switch to a vegan diet, youre now lush with fiber. Fiber makes you feel full, full means youll eat less, now youre losing weight.
If youre losing weight or not gaining as quickly as youd like, he suggests using a calorie-tracking tool to log what youre eating for a few days. Chances are, youll discover that youre not eating as much as you think.This is where those calorie-rich sauces and toppings can help. Bring on the sauces, cashews and avocado!
There are tons of resources out there for losing weight on a vegan diet, and that can make it hard to find good information on gaining or maintaining. Here are some places to start:
Armed with the right foods, its easy togo vegan without losing weight or even gain on a vegan diet. Like any other life change, it just takes some planning and education.
All images via Thinkstock.
Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.
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How to Go Vegan Without Losing Weight - Care2.com
