What is Veganuary and is it good for weight loss?

Changing your diet can be an excellent starting point for your weight loss journey, helping you adopt healthier and more nutritious eating habits. We discover whether switching to a fully plant-based diet for a month can contribute towards achieving your weight loss goals to live a healthier, happier life.  

What does Veganuary mean? 

Veganuary is a global campaign run by a UK non-profit organisation that encourages people to try the vegan diet throughout January to start off the new year. That means forgoing all animal products (meat, fish, dairy, eggs) and maintaining a plant-based diet to improve your health, reduce your environmental footprint and lose weight while trying new foods!  

Can going vegan help you to lose weight?  

Switching to a plant-based diet may contribute to weight loss for a variety of reasons:  

1. Reduced calorie intake 

Vegan diets are generally lower in calories after cutting out highly processed or fatty foods that come from animal products such as butter, cheese or fatty meats. You’ll be able to eat more for fewer calories, especially if you focus on whole foods that are minimally processed such as fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds.  

2. Higher fibre 

Plant-based foods are typically higher in fibre which keeps you feeling fuller for longer, leading to less snacking between meals and smaller portions. When you eat foods that are high in fibre, you slow down the speed of digestion which means food takes longer to pass through the stomach to the small intestine, delaying the feeling of hunger.  

3. Improved gut health 

Eating a balanced vegan diet containing a broad variety of fruits, vegetables and fibres can improve gut health, increasing the positive bacteria within your gut microbiome which supports healthy weight management.  

Why participate in Veganuary? 

While going plant-based may help you lose weight, it’s important to remember that achieving your weight loss goals can take time. Going vegan for one month can be an effective first step on your journey and continuing to eat healthier after this period will help you to build sustainable habits for a better lifestyle moving forward.  

Whether or not your aim is to lose weight during Veganuary, this may be the perfect opportunity to try something new, especially if you’ve been considering sampling a plant-based diet for a while. There are also other long term health perks to going vegan or eating healthier in general such as decreased risk of coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Trying out Veganuary might kickstart a better diet for you whether you reintroduce animal products into it or not.   

Disadvantages of a vegan diet 

A vegan diet may not be for everyone and here’s some reasons why:  

  • You are not guaranteed to lose weight by switching to a vegan diet. There are a lot of vegan food options that are high in calories such as chips or plant-based pizza, as well as many tempting snacks.  
  • The vegan diet can be lacking in certain nutrients, for example calcium and iron that comes from consuming dairy products or red meat. You may need to find plant-based replacements that offer you enough nutrients for a fully balanced diet or take supplements.  
  • Maintaining a fully plant-based diet for a month or longer can be challenging! It’s restrictive and you may find yourself missing or craving your favourite foods.  

How to do Veganuary 

Even though it’s called Veganuary, you can try a plant-based diet whenever you like so don’t feel like you’ve missed out! Choose a timeframe that works for you, whether it’s a month, a week or a few days and commit to a vegan diet for that period, remembering to keep your meals as nutritious and balanced as possible.  

Try out some vegan recipes or browse the plant-based section at your local supermarket for ideas on what to eat this month. Don’t feel too restricted by Veganuary, the aim is to have fun eating healthier and trying a vegan diet! 

Extra tips for Veganuary 

  • If going all out vegan sounds a bit too much, consider a Vegetarian January instead where you stop eating meat and fish, but still get to have other animal products such as dairy.  
  • If you share meals with family members or others who aren’t participating in Veganuary, a good option may be to try eating vegan for a couple meals such as breakfast and lunch while having your usual dinners to make things easier. 
  • If your goal is to lose weight during Veganuary, remember that consistency in eating a balanced diet and moving more are great ways to continue your journey to live a healthier, better lifestyle beyond this month.  

Looking for more information and support on your weight loss journey? 

LiveWell Dorset is here to help you live a healthier, happier life. Our brilliant team of expert coaches and advisors can provide guidance and support on a range of health topics, as well as creating a personalised plan tailored to you and your weight loss journey. Register with us today to find out more.  

Further reading 

Ivan

I drank too much alcohol and had unhealthy eating habits. Pastry is such a bad thing, it's all those pies, pasties and sausage rolls!

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How does this work?

The tailored approach LiveWell Dorset uses to come up with solutions to the things that are stopping us achieving our goals, is based upon work done by University College London developing the COM-B model of behaviour change. In this model, all behaviour is influenced by understanding a person’s capability to change, their opportunity to change and their motivation to change. By understanding which of these is the biggest barrier to change, we can tailor support accordingly. This model of behaviour change is at the centre of the support we offer, online and in person.

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