Vegan Keto Results: Does the Keto Diet Work for Vegans?

Have you tried every new diet that comes out? Have you been working out consistently and still haven't seen any results? If you're vegan and frustrated with other workout and diet plans, then you may be able to find some vegan keto results. Following a keto diet is possible when you already eat vegan, and it can also help you lose the stubborn weight that doesn't want to go. Here are some important considerations as you adopt a keto diet that's also vegan. Making the Change to a Keto Diet If you're ready to see some real changes, then switching to a keto diet may be what you've been looking for. It's a high fat, moderate protein, low carb diet that puts your body into ketosis. What that means is your body is burning fat instead of sugars. It also means you have to keep your carb intake pretty low and cut out sugars to ensure that your body doesn't have any of those to burn. That's what forces you into ketosis so you can burn the fat stores you haven't been able to get rid of any other way. The change to a keto diet is a similar process to any other diet. You'll have to start slowly and give yourself a lot of grace. You'll make mistakes. You'll have trouble with some of the recipes. You won't like some of the dishes you make. That's okay. The best way to start is by getting some keto cookbooks from your library (or finding recipes online) and pouring over them. Mark pages that look delicious, and then start to put together meal ideas. Meal Planning with Keto Making a vegan keto meal plan isn't hard. While a lot of keto recipes have animal products in them, that doesn't mean you can't make substitutions. Use plant-based healthy fats like avocado, coconut oil, and nuts. You'll also have to be careful to eliminate some of the vegan carbs you were used to eating a lot of, like potatoes or carrots. On a keto diet, choose leafy green vegetables more often, like bok choy, kale, cabbage, and broccoli. Choose favorite meals like fried rice and substitute cauli-rice and keto veggies for a delicious dinner. Some of the cookbooks you look through may also have suggestions for making a meal vegan. Use as many of those as you can, because the keto diet often suggests getting protein and fat from dairy products like butter, cheese, and yogurt. Use vegan substitutes for these, like tempeh, cashew cheese, coconut yogurt, and full-fat tofu. You also can't eat whole grains like brown rice or quinoa, which are a big part of a vegan diet. Making a meal plan ahead of time and a corresponding grocery list can help you get started. It's hard to get enough fat in your diet without those dairy products. Look for fat bomb recipes that are plant-based, which can help increase your healthy fat intake. Getting Vegan Keto Results You'll start to notice vegan keto weight loss results when you get serious about counting macronutrients. That means you count the individual nutritional breakdowns of the food you're eating: protein, fat, and carbs. These three macros make up the fuel your body needs to have energy for every day. Use an app like My Fitness Pal to help you keep track of your macros, or nutrition counter websites. About 75% of the nutrients you're eating should be healthy fats. You should eat about 20g of net carbs per day. Figure net carbs by subtracting the grams of fiber and some of the sugar alcohols from the total grams of carbs on the nutrition label. The net carbs you're left with is the amount of carbs your body will absorb. You may see results even faster if you're combining a vegan keto diet with another strategy like intermittent fasting or a new workout plan. Keep in mind that the initial weight you lose will be bloating and water weight from the carbs in your body, rather than fat loss. As you continue steadily losing weight, those are the pounds of fat you're losing. If you're working out more, you'll also be building muscle. Muscle weighs more than fat, so it can seem like your progress is slow. Get a scale that measures body fat percentage so that you can see other numbers besides your weight changing. Things To Be Aware Of Always talk to a doctor before starting a new diet like this. You may have pre-existing conditions that make it harder or more dangerous for you to attempt certain eating styles. During the first few days of your keto diet, you may experience the keto flu. This includes symptoms like headaches, fatigue, and muscle aches. This is your body adjusting to burning fat instead of carbs, and it should go away within 5-10 days. Drink lots of water, especially before meals. Season your food with lots of spices and herbs, so you're not sacrificing flavor for nutritional content. Ultimately, you need to consult with a physician to determine whether your vegan keto efforts are worth the work and healthy for your body. Ask your doctor, “Is the keto diet good for you?” and work out a plan together to make sure you're taking good care of your body. Lifestyle Changes When you're looking for vegan keto results, knowing what to expect is half the challenge. From keto flu symptoms to meal planning and substituting vegan proteins, any diet changes can start out frustrating. The weight loss and body transformation don't come until you form habits and stick with the new program. For more about staying healthy, read some of our other women's fitness articles.