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What changes should you expect to see in your body after becoming vegan? The real answer to this question I would answer with another question; what changes do you want to see in your body from swapping to a vegan diet?

 

So, I became vegan several years ago in response to discovering my then very young daughter was dairy intolerant. I read books such as ‘The China Study’ and ‘How Not To Die’, I watched documentaries such as ‘The Cowspiracy Theory’ and knew plant based was for us. I wanted us, my husband daughter and I, to live as long and as healthy a life as possible. That was my initial goal.

We cut out all meat, fish, eggs and dairy. We lived on vegetables and fruit, some nuts seeds, beans lentils and pulses. The only vegan products available at that time were soya and almond milk so we used those. I lost some weight, my long-term problems with acne cleared up and I felt good, my daughter’s symptoms really improved too. But there was a downside, at the time I was heavily into CrossFit. Basically, I was training hard in the gym weightlifting, cardio and gymnastics and I found my strength and stamina decrease a little due to my now plant-based diet. At the time I was not a personal trainer and had only read a couple of books mentioned above, I knew I needed to know so much more about the vegan diet if it was to work for us in the long term. I looked for a vegan coach or personal trainer to help me with no avail, that’s when The Vegan Coach was born. I couldn’t find one, so I had to become one.

 

My goal had changed or evolved; I wanted to be healthy and live a long life, but I also wanted to be lean and muscular with good strength and fitness performance. I embarked on a one-woman mission to gather as much information as possible, get my personal training qualification, attend nutrition courses and seminars, watching documentaries and reading books then trying these theories out on myself. Over the past few years through consistently applying the principles I’ve leaned I have achieved my goal; I’ve built the strong lean muscular physique I strived for, I perform well and feel powerful in the gym and remain free from ailments and illness.

 

To answer the initial question; what changes should you expect to see when swapping to the vegan diet? My answer is; If you’re not careful and don’t have a goal in mind to strive for it is literally potluck. You may gain weight; you may lose weight. You may become healthier; your health may decline. This is especially true in 2020 when vegan products are everywhere and without due care and attention you may end up consuming a largely processed food diet high in calories and devoid of nutrients. We live in a world where vegan food is available in Gregg’s, KFC, McDonalds, Vegan Ben and Jerrie’s…and if you look back at your goal and see you wanted to lose some weight and improve your health I’m sure you’ll find these vegan foods will move you further from that goal.

 

I now work helping people in a one to one capacity online and in my private gym to improve their health and fitness through a plant-based diet. Promoting a way of eating that in primarily based around plants and not vegan food products. I help people manage their calorie and protein intake and give them the tools and knowledge to nourish their bodies correctly to achieve their goals. I’ve written a recipe eBook which my clients use and regularly post recipes and training tips on my social media platforms.

https://www.instagram.com/stellawoodwardthevegancoach/

https://www.facebook.com/stellawoodwardthevegancoach

 

If you’d like me to help you reach your full potential through plant-based living then contact me by completing the contact form on my website.

https://www.thevegancoach.co/online-coaching/

Another blog I’ve penned that may be of use whether you’ve lost or gained weight when becoming vegan;

https://www.thevegancoach.co/overweight-and-vegan/

 

With the creation of the Gregg’s Vegan Sausage Roll among other vegan junk food products that are flooding our stores there’s no surprise we are now facing an obesity crisis in the vegan population too. Historically studies have always shown vegans to have a lower BMI than the meat-eating population, tides are sadly now changing. Whatever your motivation for becoming Vegan and switching to a plant-based diet and lifestyle you may be finding yourself overweight because of it. This has probably come as a surprise to you, the vegan diet is healthier right!? You’re now even more confused about what you should be eating and even more concerned about your health and appearance.

I’ll chat to you a bit about the whys and offer you a solution.

So why are an increasing number of vegans finding themselves overweight? Is Gregg’s Vegan Sausage Roll to blame (sorry Gregg’s)? Here are my theories, mainly from an anecdotal standpoint through personal experience and that of my clients.

1. I think before you became vegan you were conscious of the amount you ate, being careful to not eat too much to keep your weight under control. Now you’re vegan you feel like everything you eat is healthy, so you’re not too concerned with portion control. Therefor the weight creeps on.
2. Or perhaps you were already overweight, and you thought the vegan diet would just see the pounds drop off, but they haven’t.

I will elaborate - It’s a question of calorie intake I feel. It doesn’t matter whether those calories are coming from cheese or a steak, lentils or peanut butter if you consume more than your body needs for energy you will store it as body fat. Yes, you can get fat eating healthy foods. Oh, and let’s not forget Vegan Ben and Jerry’s, Gregg’s Vegan Sausage Rolls, vegan junk food is everywhere right now! So, if you were already overweight before you became vegan you already had the tendency to eat more than your body needed and the likelihood of that carrying on is quite high unless you make a conscious effort to change that. Or if you were quite conscious of controlling your portions before you became vegan, being very careful to not gain weight then threw caution to the wind once you transitioned then you are likely eating more calories than you need (even if that is from chick peas) thus gaining weight.

So, how do we fix this? We all want to live a long healthy and happy life while being slim and eating a vegan diet. It’s a case of being mindful of your bodies daily energy needs and eating with in that consistently. Also being aware that although a lot of plant based whole foods are very healthy for us, they are also highly calorific eg nuts and nut butters, seeds, oils, avocados, hummus… And not to forget the Gregg’s Vegan Sausage roll, Gregg’s Vegan Mince Pies and other vegan junk food products flooding the market. Highly palatable, highly calorific foods with negligible nutritional benefit whether those are derived from animal product or not are not good for health or the waistline.

I have many overweight vegan clients seeking my help to become slimmer, healthier, happier and more toned. We always take a holistic approach; looking at their diet and exercise history and current situation and from that information gradually build nutritional and training strategies that will serve in the long term. Each client receives a copy of my recipe eBook to guide them on the right path.

Luisa was one such client dismayed after piling on the pounds when she transitioned to the vegan diet. To see her progress pics and hear her experience click the link to her testimonial. If you feel I could help you and you’d like to work with me fill in the contact form.

https://www.thevegancoach.co/testimonials/

So you’ve watched Game Changer? Or maybe you’ve read some books or watched other documentaries that are starting to sway you? You really want to stop consuming animal products and pursue the vegan lifestyle? You know deep down it’s best for your health, better for the planet and of course much kinder to the beautiful animals. But you have no idea where to start?

 

Let me help you with that, I’ve been there and done it the long way and the hard way too! I’ve spent years reading books, watching documentaries, spent fortunes on cookbooks and hours in the kitchen trying recipes. So hopefully I can provide you with a short cut.

 

First of all - I’d recommend giving yourself time with this, at least 12 weeks. Let’s face it you’ve eaten meat your whole life and really want to avoid it now for the rest of your life so spending a few months transitioning is reasonable.

 

Weeks 1 and 2 – quit dairy.

So we need to gradually over the two weeks swap your cows milk for plant based. There are loads out there so buy one carton of each and try them. You might like for example coconut in your coffee and soya in your tea.

Get rid of cheese and cheese products plus butter and products containing butter. Vegan spreads are quite nice or if you’re feeling adventurous google a recipe and make your own. Vegan cheeses aren’t that nice in my opinion but try them you may enjoy them, also you can make your own.

Swap your usual ice cream for vegan ice cream there are lots of nice varieties widely available in supermarkets or make your own quite easily. Sorbet is usually vegan too.

Swap your usual chocolate and biscuits etc for vegan ones. Again most supermarkets have lots of choice these days.

Yogurt needs to be swapped for dairy free varieties, again really easy as most supermarkets have a stock. Try a few different ones but try to choose one that contains live cultures.

 

Weeks 3-4 – snack like a vegan.

This is the time to start looking at foods you snack on regularly and finding vegan alternatives or options. Eg look at the ingredients list of your usual crisps and if they don’t contain animal produce, you’re good to go. Try healthier options too eg veg sticks and hummus, edamame beans, fruit!!!

 

 

Weeks 5-6 – Start your day vegan.

What to eat if you don’t have eggs for breakfast? This is a problem I faced. Therefore, a gradual approach is better as you’ve got 2 weeks to figure out some tasty, convenient breakfast options that will keep you fuelled all morning. My go to is overnight oats or smashed avocado on toast. Try as many as you can in the two weeks so you know you have plenty of options and won’t get stuck in a rut and get bored. You’ll see me post breakfast ideas regularly on my Facebook and Instagram.

 

Weeks 7-8 – lets do lunch.

Now we have sorted snacks and breakfast, ditched the dairy too we can look at what to have for lunch. The world is your oyster really. If you’re used to buying something on the go, then most establishments do vegan options these days. Gregg’s do a vegan sausage roll ffs!!! And the top 5 vegans google searches in the UK currently are related to Gregg’s vegan sausage rolls!!

Or if you’re a packed lunch kind of person like me then soups, salads, wraps, sandwiches or even last night’s leftovers are always a win.

 

Weeks 9-10 – evening meals.

This is often a biggy to overcome and a hurdle for most people, we are after all a meat and two veg nation. The best place to start is think family classics don’t try the mega fancy stuff straight away. In my experience simple is best when trying to please the whole family fussy kids included. Think chilli and rice just minus the meat with more beans. Spaghetti Bolognese again no meat maybe lentils or fake meat if you’re that way inclined. Pizza either make your own or most supermarket do them. My all-time crowd pleaser chickpea curry and rice!!

 

Weeks 11-12 – lets go out!

So you’ve got the hang of things at home now then holy crap you’re invited to a meal out for a friends birthday and they’ve chosen the venue. What do you do? Here are a few tactics – google the place and look at their menu. If there’s vegan options panic over. If they don’t have vegan options call or email the venue and ask in advance if something can be prepared for you, less fuss the better don’t take the shine off the birthday boy or girl. If nothing vegan available for you make the choice to eat some animal produce as a one off or make your excuses and cancel, it’s your call.

Other tactics that have helped me eat out all over the world:

Always contact the venue in advance, this works extremely well with hotels

Use trip advisor to find recommended vegan options, we have had some fantastic vegan meals this way

 

A google search if you fancy some vegan junk food the most common searches in the USA currently are –

slutty vegan restaurant, slutty vegan menu, slutty vegan, slutty vegan restaurant menu, slutty vegan food truck and slutty vegan locations…I kid you not! Go on try it I dare you.

Have an open mind and don’t be that awkward vegan that puts everyone’s backs up perhaps be prepared to compromise, don’t be a knob lol

If going to a friend or relatives home take some vegan offerings with you, I feel the food speaks for itself you may just have some converts on your hands!

 

If you haven’t already, make sure you’ve subscribed to my mailing list for regular blog updates and recipe shares. If you’d like to work with me either on a face to face basis or online then fill in the form on my website and we can have a chat.