Plant Based Diet for Weight Loss

The best diet for long term sustainable weight loss
Lose weight on a plant based diet

90 Day Plant Based Diet for Weight Loss Programme - BOOK HERE

The importance of being a healthy weight

Obtaining a healthy weight, defined in the UK as having a body mass index (BMI) of between 18.5 and 24.9 is crucial for ensuring long term health. Being overweight steadily increases a person’s risk of mortality with increasing BMI (4) and obesity is a major risk factor for a multitude of chronic diseases, such as cancer where evidence suggests that diet is the primary driver in at least 35% of all cancer diagnoses (1), cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, osteoarthritis and lower back pain (3). Therefore, reversing obesity and obtaining a healthy body weight has a plethora of recognised health benefits.

The limitations of most weight loss programmes and lifestyle interventions

Most weight loss programmes and lifestyle interventions focus on a combination of reduced energy intake and increased physical activity and while they often produce the intended result of weight loss in the short term, the evidence clearly demonstrates that the vast majority of people regain the majority of their lost weight after the end of the programme or intervention, leading to the yo-yo dieting that is commonly seen (2).

Why is this programme different?

Our programme focusses on a wholefood plant-based diet, being a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, legumes/beans, nuts and seeds. Studies consistently demonstrate that such a dietary pattern is sustainable long term, generally acceptable to study participants and is associated with a healthy body weight (3), three key elements for long term sustainable weight loss.

FAQ: If I become a vegan will I lose weight?

This is a question that we are commonly asked here at Healthy, Happy and Strong. The short answer being no, become vegan and losing weight do not go hand in hand as plant based diets can be both healthful or unhealthful.

A wholefood plant based diet, one that is rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds has many commonly accepted health benefits, not least in its ability to support and maintain a healthy weight. Whereas a diet based on plant foods that are highly processed and contain significant quantities of salt, fat and sugar confer little advantage over a standard Westernised diet in terms of weight management and the risk of other chronic diseases (3).

Our programme focusses entirely on the healthful whole food plant based diet for weight loss.

A wholefood plant based diet for weight loss

Why it consistently produces long term sustainable weight loss.

Sustainble Long Term Diet

The evidence consistently demonstrates that wholefood plant based diets are highly sustainable for the long term.
One key reason being that there is generally no need for portion control, skipping meals, or calorie counting as most plant foods are naturally low in calories yet highly nutrient dense.
Plant based diets also ameliorate the effects of a number of obesity-related health conditions, therefore there are many benefits that occur independently of weight loss (4).
Acceptable Dietary Pattern

Both the scientific evidence and our own experience indicates that a wholefood plant based diet is highly acceptable to people and adherence is high despite it potentially involving a greater dietary change.
This is again in part due to there being no need for portion control, skipping meals, or calorie counting. For reasons that are self explanatory, most people like the fact that they can eat heartily and still lose weight.
A diet where you can generally eat as much as you like and you feel satiated increases the likelihood of long term adherence and sustainable weight loss, with the evidence supporting this.
Fosters a Healthy Body Weight
There are a number of mechanisms by which a wholefood plant based diet naturally fosters a healthy body weight and facilitates sustainable weight loss. Some examples include:
- Energy density: Kilo for kilo people consistenly eat the same amount of food, yet the majority of plant foods contain much fewer calories per kilo.
- High fibre content: Whole plant foods are high in fibre with fibre intake being a strong predictor of weight loss.
- Supports a diverse microbiome: which is associated with a healthy body weight.

A move to a more wholefood plant-based diet can significantly increase your chances of long term sustainable weight loss.