12 Reasons Why You're Not Losing Weight
Have you adopted a vegan or plant-based diet in hopes of losing weight, but the pounds refuse to budge?
Or worse, maybe you GAINED weight?
You're not alone!
While you may not be eating the Standard American Diet anymore, a vegan/plant-based diet has its traps too.
Here are 12 culprits that will keep you from losing weight:
Oil - If you're not oil-free, that's your #1 culprit. Even if you think you're oil-free, make sure you really are. It's shocking how often oil sneaks into foods, like non-dairy milk and mustard!
Alcohol - The second biggest culprit, especially if you're drinking wine, beer, or alcohol with mixers. If you're drinking booze, your body can't burn fat or other calories.
High-Fat Plant Foods - Tofu, tempeh, avocado, nuts, seeds, coconut milk, coconut, nut butters, chocolate, and olives are high in fat. "The fat you eat is the fat you wear." - Dr. McDougall
Liquid calories - Smoothies and shakes don't provide the same satiety as chewed whole foods. They also skip an important step of the digesting process -- chewing. You'll eat less if you chew.
You're Counting Calories - Intuitively you know 100 calories of carrot cake isn't the same as 100 calories of carrots. So why do we keep plugging them into the same math formula? Why do we expect our bodies to treat them the same? You wouldn't mop the floor with a muddy rag assuming just because it's a rag it'll get the job done, right?
Convenience Foods - Vegan substitutes like faux meats and cheese are not healthy. Your body knows what to do with peas and soy beans, but not weird lab creations from pea proteins, and soy byproducts.
Eating Out - Even if you're ordering a vegan meal, most restaurants overload their food with salt, sugar and oil; a killer combo that makes you overeat AND gain weight.
Coffee - Sugar and creamer (even vegan creamers) can turn a latte into a hot, drinkable candy bar. Drink it black or with a little almond milk.
Salt - Eating salt won't make you gain weight, but it will make you retain more water, which shows up on the scale.
Fiber-Broken Foods - Make sure you're buying 100% whole-wheat (or gluten-free) and oil-free breads, pastas, and crackers, and use them to accent your diet. Don't make them a staple or a snack.
Dried fruits - Dried fruits are very calorically dense and not satiating. They are also often coated with sugar and oil.
Mindless eating - Keep a journal to see how much you really eat in a day. You'll be surprised to see how much food sneaks in -- tastes while cooking, candy jar at the office. It can be a huge culprit!
Eating all day - There's an increasing amount of research suggesting a shorter eating window is better for weight-loss. Instead of eating from 6am to 8pm, try 8am to 6pm.
Summary: Weight gain (or lack of weight-loss) hinges on diet more than anything.
You can't exercise off a bad diet.
You also can't expect your body to run correctly without the perfect fuel. It's a little like your car in that way.
WHAT goes in the mouth matters most!
You have to eat the right foods, in the right portions to feel your best and lose weight.
Having a plan in place makes it a million times easier to stay on track.
And if YOU need a strategy telling you EXACTLY what to cook, buy, shop, and eat for weight-loss...
Utilize the meal plans.
You have enough going on in your life -- let us do all the thinking and planning for you.