Staying Lean On Plants: A Vegan's Guide To Cutting Fat

Whether you're looking to bulk up or slim down, a vegan diet can provide all the nutrients you need to achieve your fitness goals. The key to leaning down or bulking up while eating vegan is managing your calorie intake. If you want to increase muscle, you need to be in a calorie surplus, consuming more calories than you expend in a day. Conversely, if you want to slim down, you need to be in a calorie deficit.

Vegan bodybuilder Tsuki Harris recommends eating whole, unprocessed foods to stay leaner, as they don't contain hidden sugars and fats that can prevent you from leaning up and absorbing nutrients. She also suggests eating a good balance of complex carbohydrates, fats, and proteins to support maintenance, muscle growth, and recovery.

Additionally, it's important to ensure you're getting enough protein, especially if you're strength training. While animal products have the highest source of protein, vegans can obtain sufficient protein from nuts, seeds, and plant-based protein powders. By focusing on whole foods, managing your calorie intake, and ensuring adequate protein intake, you can stay lean and build muscle on a vegan diet.

Eat whole, unprocessed foods

Eating whole, unprocessed foods is a great way to stay lean on a vegan diet. These foods are nutrient-dense but not calorie-dense, meaning you get a lot of nutritional value without consuming too many calories. This makes it easier to stay lean while still getting all the nutrients you need.

Whole, unprocessed foods are also a great source of plant-based protein, which is key to building and maintaining lean muscle mass. Good sources of plant-based protein include beans, legumes, tofu, tempeh, seitan, and textured vegetable protein. These foods can help you meet your daily protein requirements, which is important for repairing and building muscle, especially after strength training.

In addition to protein, whole, unprocessed foods also provide healthy carbohydrates and fibre. Carbohydrates are important for energy, especially if you're looking to build muscle. Fibre helps with satiety, making you feel fuller for longer and preventing overeating.

Fruits and vegetables are also an important part of a whole food, plant-based diet. They are low in calories but packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They also provide healthy carbohydrates and fibre, contributing to overall health and wellness.

By focusing on whole, unprocessed foods, you can ensure you're getting adequate nutrition while maintaining a healthy weight and building lean muscle mass. It's a sustainable way to stay lean and healthy on a vegan diet.

Consume a variety of protein sources

Consuming a variety of protein sources is essential for staying lean on a vegan diet. While animal products have the highest protein content, vegans can obtain sufficient protein by being clever with their food choices.

Nuts, such as almonds, peanuts, and pistachios, and seeds, such as chia, flax, and sunflower seeds, are excellent sources of protein. For instance, hemp provides 15 grams of protein per 30-gram serving, while pea and rice protein offer around 24 grams of protein per 30-gram serving. Combining these protein sources can help ensure a complete amino acid profile. Additionally, vegetables also contribute small amounts of protein to the diet.

Varying protein sources can also help meet the recommended daily protein intake of about 20-30 grams per serving. Consuming adequate protein is crucial for muscle growth and repair, especially after strength training. It helps repair and rebuild muscle tissue, resulting in a leaner and stronger physique.

Vegan-friendly protein sources include beans, legumes, tofu, tempeh, seitan, and textured vegetable protein. Nuts, seeds, nut butter, and plant-based protein powders are also valuable additions. For instance, nuts like avocados and walnuts provide healthy fats and help balance hormones, while chickpeas and lentils promote satiety and faster recovery.

By including a diverse range of protein sources in their diet, vegans can ensure they are getting a wide variety of amino acids and enough of the essential amino acids, supporting their fitness goals and overall health.

Focus on nutrient-dense foods

To stay lean on a vegan diet, it is important to focus on nutrient-dense foods. This means choosing foods that provide a high amount of nutrients relative to their calorie content. Here are some tips to help you focus on nutrient-dense foods:

Firstly, opt for whole, unprocessed foods. These foods are less likely to contain hidden sugars and fats that can hinder your progress. Examples of whole, unprocessed foods include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. These foods are packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and fibre, which are important for overall health and can help you feel fuller for longer.

Secondly, ensure you are getting enough protein. Protein is crucial for muscle growth and repair, and it can also help you feel satiated. Include a variety of protein sources in your diet, such as beans, legumes, tofu, tempeh, seitan, nuts, seeds, and plant-based protein powders. Aim for about 20-30 grams of protein per serving, and try to consume it within 20 minutes to 2 hours after working out to optimise muscle recovery.

Thirdly, don't forget about healthy fats. Fats like avocado and nuts are important for heart health and hormone balance. They also provide essential fatty acids that your body cannot produce on its own.

Finally, prioritise complex carbohydrates. Complex carbs such as oats and sweet potatoes provide sustained energy and are important for nervous system health. They also contain fibre, which aids in digestion and can help prevent spikes in blood sugar levels.

By focusing on nutrient-dense foods, you will be able to stay lean while also ensuring your body gets the fuel it needs to function optimally.

Eat more plant-based protein

Protein is essential for building and repairing muscle fibres, so it's important to ensure you're getting enough when strength training. While animal products have the highest source of protein, there are plenty of plant-based options to choose from.

Vegan bodybuilder Tsuki Harris recommends chickpeas and lentils as protein sources that help you feel fuller for longer and repair faster. Nutrition advisor Amy Betts suggests nuts such as almonds, peanuts and pistachios, and seeds such as chia, flax and sunflower seeds, as high-protein options. She also points out that vegetables contain small amounts of protein.

For a complete hit of protein, combine hemp, pea and rice protein. Betts recommends My Protein Vegan Blend.

If you're looking to build muscle, most nutrition professionals recommend that vegans get slightly more protein than their non-vegan counterparts. This is to ensure you're getting a wide variety of amino acids and enough of the essential amino acids, which your body can't produce.

Adam Stansbury, a fitness trainer in London, recommends at least 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. Karina Inkster, a vegan fitness and nutrition coach, recommends anywhere from 1.8 to 2.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, depending on your type of training and intensity.

It's important to eat a variety of protein sources, such as beans, legumes, tofu, tempeh, seitan, and textured vegetable protein. Add in nuts, seeds, nut butter, and a scoop of plant-based protein powder in a smoothie for a quick protein boost.

Soy protein is a popular vegetarian alternative to whey, as it is similarly protein-packed but low in fat and cholesterol. Pea protein is also a good option, as it is high in protein, easy to digest, cholesterol-free, and has a solid branched-chain amino acid profile. Hemp protein is another choice, as hemp seeds are packed with Omega-3s, magnesium and iron, as well as fibre.

When building lean muscle, it's important to eat regularly and not just one or two large meals per day. Eat every few hours so that your body has the energy it needs to perform and function at its best. Pre and post-workout meals are particularly important to ensure you have the energy to smash your workout and then replenish the muscle glycogen depleted during your training.

Include healthy fats

Staying Lean on a Vegan Diet: Include Healthy Fats

Healthy fats are an essential part of a well-rounded vegan diet and can help you stay lean. They provide essential fatty acids, support heart health, and promote the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. Additionally, healthy fats can help you feel fuller for longer, reducing cravings and snacking between meals.

Best Sources of Healthy Fats for Vegans

• Avocados: Avocados are a great source of monounsaturated fatty acids, which can help lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease. They are also packed with vitamins and minerals, including potassium, fibre, and vitamins C, K, and B6.
• Nuts and Seeds: Nuts and seeds, such as almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, and flax seeds, are rich in healthy fats, protein, and fibre. They also contain important vitamins and minerals like zinc, magnesium, and vitamin E.
• Nut Butters: Natural nut butters, such as peanut butter, almond butter, and cashew butter, are a great way to add healthy fats to your diet. They are a convenient and tasty option for spreading on toast, adding to smoothies, or using as a dip.
• Olives and Olive Oil: Olives and olive oil are rich in monounsaturated fats, which are known for their heart-healthy benefits. Olive oil is a key component of the Mediterranean diet, which has been associated with a reduced risk of heart disease and improved overall health.
• Tofu and Tempeh: These soy-based products are excellent sources of protein and healthy fats for vegans. They are versatile and can be used in a variety of dishes, such as stir-fries, salads, and vegan burgers.
• Plant-Based Oils: In addition to olive oil, there are several other plant-based oils that provide healthy fats, such as avocado oil, nut oils, and seed oils (e.g., flaxseed oil and grapeseed oil). These oils can be used for cooking, salad dressings, or as a healthy substitute for butter.

How to Incorporate Healthy Fats into Your Vegan Diet

• Use avocado as a spread instead of butter or margarine.
• Sprinkle nuts and seeds on your oatmeal, yogurt, or salad for some extra crunch and healthy fats.
• Cook with olive oil or avocado oil instead of vegetable oils high in saturated fats.
• Snack on nut butter with apple slices or celery sticks.
• Include tofu or tempeh in your stir-fries, curries, or salads.
• Make your own salad dressings using plant-based oils, vinegar or lemon juice, and herbs.
• Blend avocados or nuts into your smoothies for a creamy, healthy fat boost.

Remember, while healthy fats are essential, it's important to consume them in moderation as part of a balanced vegan diet.

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