Vegetarianism came to life as a lifestyle that does not accept any animal products. Over time, the views of the adherents of this way of eating changed, someone began to eat eggs and milk, but did not eat meat, fish and poultry - these are ovo- and lacto-vegetarians, others completely excluded all of the above products - these are vegans. But people do not stop at this: among them there are those who eat only fruits, and those who consume vegetables, fruits and greens in their raw form. Let's look at what restrictions a vegan diet is characterized by, what you can eat and what not.
What principles do vegans adhere to?
People who have deliberately limited their diet have good reasons for this, which are dictated mainly by ethical principles. So, vegans do not eat meat, fish, poultry and seafood, as animals are killed for the sake of satiety. They also do not eat any dairy products, because they believe that the process of milking a cow throughout its life is not a natural process. These people excluded eggs from the diet, due to the fact that laying hens are kept in unacceptable conditions for them in factories and farms. Some people have the same opinion about honey, because it is taken from bees. Therefore, choosing such a method of losing weight as a vegan diet, you should adhere to these principles, even if you do not completely share all the beliefs described.
Reasons to Choose Vegetarianism as a Lifestyle
Of course, a vegan diet for weight loss will give positive results - you can lose 2-4 kg per week. But many people choose it as a way of nutrition for life, because this way the effect will last for a very long time, allowing you not to gain newly lost kilograms. Vegans come to this lifestyle for several reasons:
- abandoning any meat, dairy and egg products, they reduce the suffering of animals from industrial livestock;
- Hindus, Buddhists, and some Christians abide by these religious beliefs;
- with constant nutrition, according to this principle, health is improved and maintained, lightness is felt in the body;
- with allergies to animal products or rejection by their body;
- nervous breakdowns when eating, when people feel guilty, anxious, eating any forbidden product.
As you can see, veganism is rather a limitation of the diet for life under the influence of certain beliefs, but it can also be used as a diet.
How to stick to a diet
If you decide that a vegan diet is the right option for getting rid of extra centimeters and kilograms, you should find out the rules for eating allowed foods. As already mentioned, you will have to abandon meat and dairy products, but you can replace them with soy (cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt, sour cream).
You can diversify the diet with nuts, berries, seeds, a large number of cereals, fresh herbs and, of course, vegetables and fruits. On the day they are recommended to use 5-6 servings, 3-4 servings of cereals and only 1-2 should be nuts, soy products, legumes, mushrooms. Like any other vegan diet does not include the use of chips, sodas, coffee and lots of sweets. You can drink alcoholic beverages, the processing of which did not use egg whites or gelatin, as well as confectionery products should not contain "prohibited" components. You need to eat only when hunger is clearly felt, drink 2-3 liters of water per day and add physical activity.
Vegan diet: recipes for every day
Using a large number of fresh vegetables, herbs, spices, cereals, fruits and other permitted foods, you can prepare many delicious dishes. We bring to your attention the most delicious and healthy.
- Zucchini soup. Peel and grate 2 zucchini, dip in salted boiling water and cook for 10 minutes. Fry flour in vegetable oil, dilute with a small amount of vegetable broth, then season the soup with it. Boil another 10 minutes over low heat. Garnish with chopped herbs before serving.
- Cauliflower soup. Divide a small head of cabbage into coats, pour boiling water. Next, cook like a soup of zucchini (add overcooking from flour and herbs).
- Stuffed pepper. Boil rice and soya mince separately, mix, add chopped vegetables, spices and seasonings. You can use tomatoes, onions, walnuts, raisins, curry, salt, vegetable oil. Free a few bell peppers from the seed box, fill with cooked minced meat, put in a saucepan and pour in salted water. Cook for 10 minutes, serve with soy mayonnaise or sour cream.
- Potato pancakes (potato pancakes). Peel the potatoes, grate on a fine or medium grater, drain the juice from it. Add finely chopped onions, flour (1-2 tbsp. L.), Salt, mix. Fry in vegetable oil, like fritters, on both sides until browning.
It is permissible to use both pure vegan recipes and ordinary recipes, replacing all animal ingredients in them with vegetable ones.
The approximate composition of dishes for a week
If a vegan diet is used for weight loss, the menu using the above recipes is as follows:
- For breakfast - vegetables, potato pancakes and tea.
- At lunch, a portion of fruit.
- For lunch - zucchini or cauliflower soup and juice.
- For dinner - stuffed peppers or cabbage rolls (prepared in the same way), a vegetable salad and rose hip infusion.
To diversify the diet, this day can be alternated with others. Here are more examples of the menu for a day:
- For breakfast - oatmeal with fruits, vegetable salad, tea.
- For breakfast, any fruit.
- For lunch - soup with beans and vegetables.
- For a mid-afternoon snack - a fruit salad.
- For dinner - buckwheat with mushrooms, vegetable salad.
The third day:
- Breakfast - barley porridge, fruit salad, tea.
- Second breakfast: vegetable salad (vinaigrette is suitable).
- Lunch: half a serving of pea puree soup and rice stewed with vegetables.
- Snack: fruit.
- Dinner: a salad of baked vegetable slices (in the oven or on the grill) and Beijing cabbage, boiled beans with tomato sauce, whole grain bread (1 slice).
If desired, you can cook any salads and dishes containing only products of plant origin. This vegan diet for a week is suitable for any person.
The results brought by such a diet
Some people already in a week notice the effect that the vegan diet brings. The results of weight loss are obvious: from 3 to 5 kg, lightness, well-being and mood are felt in the body while being good, fresh and cheerful. However, the lack of essential proteins, nutrients and some vitamins is one of the disadvantages that a vegan diet has. The reviews of those who went on a diet just for weight loss, and not at the call of the heart, indicate that people who are used to eating meat and abruptly refuse it are difficult to perform physical exercises - they simply do not have enough life energy for this.
How to make up for the lack of vitamins and nutrients
The main disadvantage that a vegan diet has is the lack of vitamin B 12 , which is produced only in the digestive tract of animals. Therefore, if you choose such a diet and intend to adhere to it for a long time, you just need to take vitamin B 12 in the form of tablets. Its absence leads to neurotic disorders and anemia.
Doctors say vegan diets
Veganism is supported by some dietetics organizations, but most doctors criticize this diet. The human body receives some substances only from meat and dairy products, in addition, in our country only in large cities-megacities you can buy almost all exotic vegetables and fruits, but in the villages and provinces there is no such variety. Agree, the usual Russian diet of potatoes, cabbage and carrots will soon get bored and will not bring taste pleasure.
Diet Restrictions
It is believed that a vegan diet for weight loss is suitable for people of any age and position. However, special attention should be paid to such a diet for pregnant and lactating women. The child should receive all the necessary ingredients, developing in the womb, so pregnant women must take a complex of vitamins, if they are not configured to refuse a diet. And you need to breastfeed the newborn in the first months, in extreme cases - milk formula. It is impossible for a child to instill a vegan lifestyle from birth - a child needs proteins and fats for proper and harmonious development.