To think trying Veganuary might help me kick start weight loss?

[WeeWelshWoman]

I mean, it's worth a shot? I need a palate cleanser for lockdown Christmas (which involves too much meat, cheese and booze - probably).

Anyone done it, tried it? Did it help shift the Christmas (and lockdown, and baby weight that won't budge)?

YABU - it won't work

YANBU - do it, it'll help

If you go for a very whole foods approach then yes absolutely, but if you buy everything with the word vegan on it then probably the opposite effect - especially as so many replacement products come out for Veganuary and they're not the healthiest!

4 years in now and have massively cut down on the processed stuff but it is a helpful stepping stone in the early days.

My husband found that it didn’t at all. A lot of the vegan alternatives - e.g. nuts and coconut, are high in fat and he found himself resorting to crisp type snacks as well. Fine at the weekends when we could cook balanced meals from scratch, but difficult during hectic weeks. Dry Jan worked better for him for weight loss.

If you want sustainable weight loss you need to make lifestyle changes that you will be able to keep up with. If you think that you will want to go vegan long-term then excellent, go with that. But you'll still need to make sure that you're in a calorie deficit, just as you would if you were eating your regular diet.

Im hoping people don't do veganuary this year. There are always issues getting vegan products every January because of it and this year is going to be a nightmare already with Brexit and covid. Our family needs vegan replacements because of severe allergies. I do realise that veganuary does increase the demand and thus supply of vegan products generally, but this year I'm hoping people will keep clear of the free from products so those who need (not want) them are able to get them.

We did it a couple of years ago and are doing it again. You do need to scratch Cook for it to work, otherwise it's just processed food basically. Careful too as it can max up carb intake. Lots of lentil, beans etc is the way to go. I lost half a stone. Could have done more if I'd been better!

Beware the fibre intake will introduce you to a flatulence you were previously unaware could be harnessed and potentially used to support the national grid.

Not done vegan January but did dry January and ended up pregnant 😂

I think best to do something you will sustain.

But good to expand your meat free menu options

Like anything, you get out what you put in. Keto is great if you make chicken salad with lots of dressing. Not so great if you dip bacon in mayonnaise.

Vegan is great if you cook lentil dahl and vegetable curry. Not so great if you eat chips and beans.

As pps said, if you eat well, that's great. I started it this year with excellent intentions and then (in what should have been a premonition for the rest of the year) things went a bit pearshaped. Who knew pot noodles and oreos were vegan? I ate like a student and got fat(ter), with spots and my immune system went haywire.
If you do Veganuary, don't forget the Veg.

All the vegans I know are overweight. They eat loads of weird things that try to look like meat. Just eat well OP, count cals each day so you're in a deficit and exercise.

Potatoes, pasta, rice and oil are vegan.
You can gain weight on a vegan diet.
Plus with all the beans you will be farting to the moon and back.

If I tried this I would live on nice bread and crisps. So no.

You need something sustainable and balanced for long term loss and health.

I got fat eating vegan. I would have tofu scramble and avocado toast, salted crisps as snack, big pasta bowl or curry and rice for lunch, oreos and tea for snack no.2 and then cheeseless papa johns pizza or vegan sausages, hash browns and sriracha. Gained a whole dress size still trying to shift.
I also got b12 and iron anaemia despite suppliments.

Just drink loads of water. And eat healthy in January. And try to get get some walking in...

I've been trying to cut carbs and sugar, and up my veg and protein. I've lost about 6lbs in just over a week. I know that I won't sustain this rate of weight loss, but it was a great start for me. I have no more than 80 calories of carbs per meal, but eat all the veg and protein that I want so that I don't get hungry. 80 calories of carbs is not much at all. I discovered that it's 10 oven fries, half a bagel thin and 20g of oats. But it's been good to up the veg and the protein.

Good luck op!

I'm lactose intolerant, so already use dairy alternatives :) just a matter of cutting back on meat.

Thanks @blubberball

Good points all. I have a weakness for bread, but prefer lentils over potatoes and am not a big pasta eater. Suspect cutting bread would help the most.

I did it last year, kept it up, in fact, until shopping started getting difficult in March.

I enjoyed it, cooking is way easier and quicker when you're not dealing with meat and I felt we ate a much more varied, healthier diet but I didn't lose any weight.

My husband went 'vegan' for a month. He ate chips, crushed and all sorts of highly processed fake meats and cheeses.?vegan diets aren't necessarily 'healthier' or kinder to the planet, I'd start running if you want to shape up. If you want a more moral diet buy local food and cook from scratch.

Do it as even a month can make a small difference and you might continue afterwards. I wouldn’t do it in the hope of losing weight, though.

I love doing veganuary, but it actually made me out on weight. However, whole food vegetarianism keeps me at a steady weight and makes me feel miles better.

@Shinylikeglass

I did it last year, kept it up, in fact, until shopping started getting difficult in March.

I enjoyed it, cooking is way easier and quicker when you're not dealing with meat and I felt we ate a much more varied, healthier diet but I didn't lose any weight.

I should add I didn't buy any processed vegan food (unless falafel counts, but to me that's just food) or meat or dairy substitutes, they do not appeal at all.

I probably ate too much bread and definitely crisps.

@SingleWhiteFemail

I got fat eating vegan. I would have tofu scramble and avocado toast, salted crisps as snack, big pasta bowl or curry and rice for lunch, oreos and tea for snack no.2 and then cheeseless papa johns pizza or vegan sausages, hash browns and sriracha. Gained a whole dress size still trying to shift. I also got b12 and iron anaemia despite suppliments.

Tbf that's a really high calorie diet..

It takes a couple of years to become B12 deficient, so that probably didn’t have anything to do with a short-term vegan diet. Most B12 deficiency is in meat eaters (largely because of sheer numbers). It’s a good idea to take a supplement.