Plant-Based Diets For Weight Loss
Plant-based diets are good for your health, but can they also help you lose weight? We’re looking at the research on vegan/vegetarian diets and weight loss in this week’s episode of The Sitch!
Happy New Year, Friends! I hope everyone has had a happy, healthy holiday season!
Since the start of the new year is a prime time for people to make big changes in their health habits, I figured today was the perfect time to address the topic of plant-based diets and weight loss.
Let me preface this by saying, I discourage my clients from making weight loss their primary health goal or from adopting eating habits solely aimed at achieving weight loss.
But let’s be honest — no matter how much I blather on about how important a plant-based diet is for preventing chronic disease and contributing to longevity, it always comes back to the same question: “But will it help me lose weight?”
People are always concerned that eating plant-based means eating more carbohydrates which means gaining weight.
I don’t blame them. The protein-pushing, carb-a-phobic message that is heavily promoted in the weight loss and fitness world is pretty powerful.
But I’m here to tell you, if you believe that, you’ve been brainwashed.
Carbs don’t make you fat, just like protein doesn’t make you skinny.
A healthy body weight is the product of balanced food choices and positive behaviors.
Any diet out there will help you lose weight.
Anytime you focus on controlling your intake or your cut out a major food group, you’re inevitably going to lose weight initially. It’s whether or not that weight loss is sustainable that’s important.
As I mention in my video on my Predominantly Plant-Based Nutrition Philosophy, diets in general often actually make people gain weight in the long run!
So what does work? Adopting a healthful eating pattern that is enjoyable and sustainable. For me, that’s Predominantly Plant-Based, and research backs up my choice.
So let’s get into it.
RESEARCH ON PLANT-BASED DIETS AND WEIGHT LOSS
Studies show that vegans and vegetarians generally have lower BMIs than meat-eaters. For those who don’t know, BMI stands for body mass index and it’s a measure of weight for height. It’s not the best tool for measuring body composition, which takes into account fat and muscle, but it is a helpful measurement of general health in large populations.
One observational study of 38,000 healthy adults found that vegans have BMI’s that are about 2 points lower than meat-eaters. This association remained even when controlling for other healthy lifestyle factors.
They also identified another trend in the data. Fiber intake was inversely associated with BMI. So the more fiber people ate, the lower their BMI.
The meat-eaters in this study had much lower fiber intakes than the vegans.
This is to be expected as fiber, which found in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, is rich in plant-based diets.
Studies consistently show that individuals with higher fiber intakes have lower body weight and gain less weight over time. This is likely due to fiber’s ability to provide satiety after meals, aka fullness.
Emerging research also suggests that the products of fiber fermentation in the gut provide additional benefits. When the bacteria in your gut breaks down fiber, it produces short-chain fatty acids, which have been shown to decrease liver synthesis of triglycerides and additionally increase satiety by influencing hormones that affect hunger/fullness.
An 18-week study of overweight employees with Type 2 Diabetes in a corporate wellness program showed that a low-fat vegan diet was able to improve body weight, cholesterol, and glucose control without calorie restriction.
The participants lost about six pounds on average while eating as much food as they wanted, and lowered their LDL cholesterol and HBA1c level, which a marker of diabetes management.
Finally, a recent meta-analysis – aka the mother of all studies – combined the results of 12 different experimental trials and found that vegetarian dieters lost significantly more weight than non-vegetarian dieters.
In the longer-term studies, they also showed that the plant-based dieters were able to keep the weight loss off for over a year.
LOW-CARB/PALEO DIETS AND WEIGHT LOSS
So why do some people think that a low-carb, Paleo diet is the way to go for weight loss? Well, there are a few reasons.
One, when you stop eating carbs, you lose a ton of water weight.
When you eat protein, your body has to get rid of the nitrogen you’re producing from breaking down amino acids. To do this the liver converts this nitrogen into urea, which is then excreted in urine. More protein means more urine which means more water loss.
Secondly, carbohydrates are stored in your liver, fat, and muscle cells as a molecule known as glycogen. This happens so your muscles have a quick source of energy. However, glycogen holds on to water. When you stop eating carbs, you deplete your body of this muscle glycogen and you lose water in the process.
Each gram of glycogen is stored with about 3 grams of water and the average person has about 500 grams of glycogen total. Therefore, the body holds about 3.5 cups of water in its glycogen stores on average.
This is basically what happens when bodybuilders “cut.” They’re dehydrating their muscles. This may be aesthetically pleasing in the fitness competition world, but in real life, it makes your muscles work less efficiently.
The next reason that a Paleo diet may appear to help with weight loss is due to the filling effect of protein.
Protein, like fiber, helps you feel more satisfied after a meal and stay fuller longer than carbohydrates alone. People eating low-carb diets typically have a very high protein intake.
However, eating a plant-based diet shouldn’t mean skimping on protein! A well-planned plant-based diet should include a good source of protein and high-fiber carbohydrates at every meal.
Lastly, low-carb diets may help people take in fewer calories initially than a plant-based diet, due to behaviors surrounding the consumption of the types of foods in these diets.
Think about it this way – when you overeat, what are you usually eating? If the answer is chips, crackers, candy, pastries, or pasta, you’re not alone. Carbs are easy to binge on.
I mean, think about how many times you’ve cracked open a bag of chips with the intention of having one serving, only to finish off the whole bag. I’ll admit it, it’s happened to me.
Now think how many times have you ever binged on baked, boneless skinless chicken breast?
Not so appetizing right?
So it’s not necessarily the nutrient itself that may be contributing weight gain, but the behaviors associated with these types of foods.
You can prevent falling into bad eating behaviors however by practicing a mindful, plant-based diet, or as we call it here in #WhitsKitch – Predominantly Plant-Based.
Ditching the notion that carbs make you fat and giving yourself permission to eat them regularly is the first step to forming a healthy relationship with this important food group that will ultimately prevent you from overeating and jeopardizing your health goals.
So let’s sum up what we’ve learned about plant-based diets and weight loss.
THE TAKEAWAYS:
- Plant-based diets are just as effective as other diets for weight loss and weight maintenance.
- The fiber found in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and whole grains will help you maintain a healthy body weight.
- Make sure to balance plant-based meals with good sources of plant-protein in addition to complex carbohydrates and fat, to prevent over-eating later.
And if you liked this article/video, please SUBSCRIBE to my YouTube channel for evidence-based nutrition information and advice.
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Looking for fiber-rich recipes? Try these! >>
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding
Quinoa, Avocado + Black Bean Salad
Weigh In: What do you think about the research on plant-based diets and weight loss?
Sam says:
Hi, Informative post..From my experience, I suggest to eat vegetables of all kinds. Leafy greens, round or ground vegetables and roots, every kind you can think of. These are low in fat or high in fiber and nutrition. They fill you up and make you feel satisfied.
Jenny A. says:
As a plant based whole foods eater I have found I am healthier than I’ve ever been in regards to my blood work. I no longer take blood pressure or cholesterol medications. While I am thrilled I have to say I’m disappointed by the fact that I have lost no weight in 2 yrs of a healthy diet! I don’t eat processed foods, oil, added salts, refined sugars, or junk foods. I eat tons of veggies, some fruit, grains, legumes, very little nuts… I strive for the 80/10/10 and I consume between 1900-2100 calories and monitor what I eat on cronometer….yet I’m still 220lbs!! I should weigh between 115-130 but despite my healthy diet and exercise (I walk 2 miles a day on average and do weights/strength training twice a week plus yoga. I wish the weight would drop. There is nothing medically wrong and blood work is great! I just don’t get it. My conclusion is that eating plant based doesn’t always equal weight loss :(
Carmen says:
Had you tried other diets and what were the results? I’d just like to know if it’s this diet that affected you or if simply your body
Lesa Hitle says:
The Atkins diet can make you lose weight but is extremely unhealthy as well. My father actually tried this diet, lost 20 pounds, and gained 25 pounds back when he began to eat regularly. This was the same for several other people I know. People who are lean eat well-balanced diets because they are listening to their bodies and fill their stomachs with a large variety of foods, fulfilling all of their bodies needs.
Annette says:
I’ve done a lot of different diets and exercise programs. I’ve changed my diet from fast food and eating as much of what I wanted to no fast food and eating the recommended lean meats and veggies, worked out 5-6 days a week, and after months all I had to show was a fluctuating scale, and a handful of symptoms that mimic thyroid disorder. Over a years time every single doctor told me it was my diet, despite making he “right” changes (they didn’t believe I changed anything). I finally went to an endocrinologist (after waiting months to get in) and found I’m insulin resistant. I was told a typical low carb diet, which seems very limited on things like beans and fruit because they have natural sugar and carbs. It was very hard to eat low carb, because literally everything has some kind of carbs. Plant based is definitely the way to go. I have heard so many success stories!
https://paraaxe.com/ says:
But wanna say that this is extremely helpful, Thanks for taking your time to write this.
Weight Loss says:
Great article! Through this blog we can choose a better diet plan that can help to achieve weight loss goal. I like this article so much. Thanks and keep sharing.
mar p says:
Have you been working out or doing any kind of exercise ?
Whitney E. RD says:
Yes I exercise most days! I have many posts on this blog about exercise – check out the fitness category!
MarPergrem says:
Are you execriseing ?
Lisa Hoffman Wagner says:
My husband and I have lived a vegetarian/pescatarian diet for over 10 years, and while we were both quite healthy (low bp, no major health issues), we were also stuck in the “overweight” category. We’ve always focused on feeding our family a well-balanced, whole food diet (and our 4 children are all correct weight and perfectly healthy). However, for ourselves–and specifically me–the weight just wouldn’t budge. I was stuck at 148 lbs. despite running 8-9km three times per week at the gym, limiting snacks, and keeping to a regular eating schedule (and I was 5’5″ with a 31″ waist, so this wasn’t a healthy BMI for my body). I’ve had a lifelong struggle with weight, never becoming “obese”…but always “overweight” and absolutely miserable. I thought a low fat vegetarian diet might help me reach my goals, but the results were underwhelming. Two years ago, my family completely cut out sugar and high-sugar foods. Recently, my husband and I decided to try going low-carb…and WOW! It’s been a month, and I don’t have to kill myself at the gym…I’m doing weights and HIIT…my weight has finally dropped (I understand much of that is water, but not all of it!), and I’m starting to love my body. I don’t feel hungry or shaky like I did when I ate carbs. We’re probably eating more veggies now, too, along with healthy fats from MCT oil, butter, nuts, and avocados, while incorporating modest amounts of pork and beef. I finally understand the science behind insulin and insulin resistance, and I believe a lifetime of relying on complex carbs (as per so many food pyramid recommendations) left me with a degree of insulin resistance. So I’ll try this lifestyle, which seems very do-able, for a few months…and then decide what’s best for my body.
Larissa says:
This is very helpful – did you cut out sugar absolutely entirely? Meaning, no fruit as well?
Oliver says:
Yes, it might work. Also, think about intermittent fasting, which is a popular eating pattern in which people alternate periods of fasting and eating. Short-term studies show that intermittent fasting is just as effective for weight loss as permanent calorie restriction. In combination with sports and supplements like l carnitine can be extremely effective
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