Fat and skinny

Fatty_McGee1

Hi I am trying to lose weight, fat vegan of 8 yrs and am guiding a new vegan who is young and too lean , vegan only a few weeks and alarmed at losing 5kgs straight away. Any advice on vegan health appreciated. I am new to cronometer . We are ethical vegans for life so please do not suggest eating animals.

Susan_RD_101

@Fatty_McGee1

I'm 12 years vegan and also happen to be a dietitian. I think I can help....

For you:
Consider how much of your diet is processed vs. whole foods (i.e. whole grains, pulses, tofu, nuts, seeds, fruits, veg, etc.). I'd also take a look at frequency of eating at restaurants/buying prepared food, as well as liquid calories.

From a nutrient and food standpoint, make sure that you are getting at least 20-30 g of protein at each of your meals. A protein target to aim for is ~80 to 100 g per day; increasing protein can help you to feel full, thereby eating less. Also, make sure fibre is around 50 g per day; it's also very satiating.

Finally, focus on making at least 1/2 your plate vegetables at both lunch and dinner (2-4 cups). The remainder of your plate can be the entree that includes at least ~3/4 cup of protein (seitan, tofu, tempeh, pulses, etc.).

For your friend:

• Decrease fibre intake (by choosing lower fibre grains like oatmeal, sourdough bread, white rice, white potatoes, etc.)
• Eat at least 5-6 x per day
• Increase intake of (healthy) liquid calories like smoothies
• Add extra (healthy) fats to meals and snacks like nuts, seeds (flax, chia, hemp, pumpkin, sunflower, etc.), avocado, nut and seed butters, olive/avocado oil, etc.

Hope this helps!