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A vegan diet has been linked to a variety of different health benefits, as the Harvard T.H. Chan School Of Public Health suggests that a well-balanced plant-based diet can help to reduce the risk of heart disease and obesity.
But while a steady diet of plant-based foods are thought to keep your body at a healthy weight, experts like registered dietitian Michelle Hyman, MS, RD, CDN, explained that replacing animal proteins with an excessive amounts of carbohydrates, fats, and vegan junk food, may actually result in unwanted weight gain if you aren’t careful. So, if you are turning to a vegan diet to lose weight, you may want to reconsider some of your eating habits, especially if you have made no progress at all.
To see what could be potentially hindering your vegan weight loss goals, INSIDER spoke more to Hyman and other experts about all the reasons why you may be struggling to lose weight on a vegan eating plan. Below are some things to keep in mind if you are struggling to shed some pounds with a plant-based diet.
You are relying on processed vegan-friendly foods.
“It is easy to reach for processed vegan foods that contain hidden sugars, refined carbs, and foods that lack fiber or real nutrients,” said certified holistic health coach Liz Schau, CHHC. Because processed foods contain addictive ingredients such as excess sugars, salt, and unhealthy fats, people tend to eat more of them than they would home cooked foods, she said.
You have underlying hormonal imbalances.
“Imbalanced estrogen, testosterone, thyroid hormone, cortisol, and progesterone can all cause weight gain,” Schau suggested. A low thyroid, for example, is an extremely common cause of weight gain that may be at the root of the issue, she explained.
