Vegan Weight Loss Mentor’s List for

Healthy Vegan Eating,

Please note: This list is a GENERAL list. You may need to adjust it for a ‘perfect fit’

If you are active, an athlete or have a physically demanding job, please increase the
amounts. If you are inactive or elderly, you may need to reduce the food amounts.

This list is for females.

Depending on your personal needs, some of the listed foods or supplements may not be
suitable for you. Please check with your health care professional or doctor before changing
your diet or taking supplements.

Vegan Supplements. Not negotiable.

As a vegan, please take these daily supplements to prevent possible irreversible health
problems.

VIT B12 250mcg per day. Preferably, but not necessarily, the Cyanocobalamin type. If you
decide to take methylcobalamin instead, which is the natural form of B12, you may need a
different dosage. The most common one is 1000 mcg per day.

Not all B12 gets absorbed from either supplement. Over-dosage is uncommon.
If over 65 years of age, please take 500mcg of Cyanocobalamin per day. But it could be that
you need more. I recommend to have a yearly blood test to establish if your system is
absorbing it. Even omnivores as they age, get depleted of very important vitamin.
B12 cannot be found in vegan plant foods unless they are fortified. Usually the amounts of
B12 added are very low in fortified vegan foods.
Failure to take this supplement can result in irreversible nerve damage, blindness
Vegan Vit D3 2000IU with one main meal. It regulates calcium and the maintenance of
phosphorus levels in the blood, two factors that are extremely important for maintaining
healthy bones. Vitamin D deficiency manifests as osteomalacia (softening of the bones) or
osteoporosis. Vit D2 often found in mushrooms and fortified vegan products is not readily
absorbed or well utilised by the human body.

Omega 3 made using micro algae

The Omega 3 in linseeds, chia and nuts is ‘ALA’ and ‘GLA’ which are important nutrients for a
healthy diet. Unfortunately the body has difficulty in converting some of it into another
form that is is needed for optimal health, but not found in vegan foods.

Therefore, for optimum health, consider a vegan supplement containing EPA & DHA Omega
3 made from microalgae. Good strength is DHA 250mg and EPA 125mg

Omega 3 EPA and DHA are needed for mood regulation, brain health, Alzheimer prevention,
attention disorders, phenylketonuria, cystic fibrosis and other diseases etc..

The following supplements are optional

Vitamin C
Beside many other jobs, this vitamin assists iron uptake, improves your immune system and
increases collagen production for firm, youthful looking skin. Many people say you simply
make expensive urine by taking a supplement, because excess Vit C ends up in the toilet…..

But I’ve taken a daily dosage of 1000mg for the past 4 decades and for me personally it has
helped to ward off colds and flu, assisted with iron uptake and I believe it is working hard at
keeping me healthy.

You can take lower doses of 250mg to 500mg or simply rely on fresh fruit and vegetables.

We need a minimum of 60mg a day to prevent scurvy and other serious diseases.

1 large bell pepper contains around 100mg, 1 kiwi fruit contains about 80mg. The amount of
the vitamin and mineral content depends on the soil quality where the produce was grown,
and how long it’s been stored.

Iodine enriched foods. A good source are Nori seaweed sheets. We need about 100 to
150mcg per day and that can be obtained by consuming 2 small sheets…Dr M. Greger from
nutritionfacts.org sprinkles spices on them and crisps them up in the oven.

I buy organic Dulse flakes in a jar and sprinkle it onto my savoury dishes. According to the
nutrition label on that product, half a teaspoon is all I need to meet the recommended
amount.
I also use small amounts of iodine rich salt for cooking.
Vegan Protein Powder
Admittedly, if we eat a varied diet, we can get all the protein we need from plant based
foods. However, on some days we may not feel like eating ‘exact’ amounts of beans and
grains etc. Or we may inadvertently not have eaten enough if we’re restricting calories.

Although you do not need to religiously use protein powder each day, consider consuming
some protein smoothies through the week or adding protein powder to various foods to
ensure adequate intake.

This will help with preserving muscle tissue, help with keeping your immune system strong,
improve hunger control, lowering our insulin responses to food and help to increase our
metabolic rate.

We need around 0.8g to 1g protein per healthy kilo body weight. If you weigh 80kg but
should be weighing 60kg, try to consume around 50g to 60g protein per day. As we age we
need higher levels of protein because we cannot assimilate it as well as when we were
younger. Athletes require more protein.

Please look for a product that has no additional fillers and is sugar free. Look fo r a powder
with less than 5g carbs and around 20g of protein per serve.

Vegans are susceptible to deficiency of L-Lysine amino acid [protein is made up of amino
acids] Humans cannot produce this and it has to come from food.
Deficiencies can cause hair thinning, calcium cannot be absorbed properly, in children a
deficiency can cause stunted growth, lack of it can cause increased risk of heart issues etc.

Lack of it can also cause anaemia, apathy, bloodshot eyes, depression, oedema, fatigue,
fever blisters, hair loss, inability to concentrate, infertility, irritability, lethargy, liver damage,
loss of energy, muscle loss, retarded growth, stomach ulcers, and weakness.

Vegan foods high in Lysine are nuts, seeds and beans.

Per kilo of body weight, the recommended amount is 38mg. Therefore if you weigh 60kg
you need 2280mg per day.
Depending on your health, there could be other supplements that you may require.

These are filling protein smoothie bowls. Recipes are in FILES

What should you eat each day?
Vary your food. Do NOT eat the same selection of foods every day. You will miss out on
important nutrients otherwise.
Suggested Fruits: 3 servings

½ cup of berries
1 citrus fruit
1 other fruit
Or you can exchange 1 fresh fruit for ¼ cup of dried fruit
When eating fruit on its own, add a few nuts to lower a possible sugar spike.

Avocado
Although it’s a fruit, it is high in fat and high calories. It has some interesting components
that to some people are either extremely beneficial and to others are not so helpful. We
cannot get a definitive answer on the effect avocado has on our overall health, because we
are all different.

Women report better skin and hair when consuming small daily servings of avocado. For
better heart health, many plant based nutrition doctors do NOT recommend eating any
avocado. I believe that for most people 1/2 a small avocado 4-5 times a week will be safe.

Nuts and Seeds

My focus is on overall health for women with a slant on weight loss or weight maintenance.
With this is mind, I agree with Dr Greger’s suggestion to include moderate daily servings of
nuts and seeds.

They are proven to offer benefits when eaten in modest amounts. I recommend all up 35g a
day, including all seeds such as pumpkin or sunflower seeds, chia and flax seeds.

2 Tablespoons of nut butter is equivalent to 35g raw nuts

Raw Salads / once or preferably twice a day

Make up salads with many colours and textures and for variety, don’t stick to just traditional
salad items. Try some raw asparagus or cauliflower etc. Eat one as a main meal. Eat the
other as a starter. If the salad contains good fats in minimal amounts, certain vitamins in the
salad are better absorbed. This can be as a main meal or as a side salad.

Cooked Side Vegetables

1.5 -2 cups. Each day have lightly cooked, steamed or oil free stir fried or sautéed
vegetables.

Certain nutrients are absorbed easier from cooked produce. Side vegetables should make
up about 1.5 cups to 2 cups on your plate. Side vegetables are in addition to your main meal
of a stew, a curry, a bake etc. Include some leafy greens each day, some broccoli, spinach,
kale, cabbage, Brussels sprout, etc.
The rest can be courgettes, green beans, aubergines, carrots, mushrooms, butternut squash
….ANY other vegetable that you like. No vegetable is off limits. Cruciferous vegetables
[broccoli et.] are to be eaten in moderation by women who have thyroid issues

SPINACH
Several times a week have cooked spinach for iron. Please squeeze some lemon over the
top to ensure better iron absorption. Raw spinach is not beneficial for iron uptake because
the oxalate content hinders iron absorption.

High carb root vegetables / eat them in moderate amounts only. Half a cup is a good
serving to aim for.
Have half a cup of either white potatoes, sweet potatoes or parsnips. On some days enjoy a
small whole sweet potato filled with your favourite 3 bean chilli……Or a split whole baked
potato topped with a delicious lentil and mushroom stew…but those days should be rare.
Most times please stick to half a cup of high carb root vegetables throughout the day.

Mains
1 cupful of cooked stew or casserole or tasty dish with both vegetable and bean content.
This is to help you to enjoy your meals. No need to eat boring steamed vegetables as a meal.
Vegetables can be made into tasty creations such as stews, oil free stir fries, curries, layered
bakes or ratatouille etc. But always have some side vegetables as well.

GRAINS
Unless you have a gluten intolerance, you may have 2- 3 servings of ½ cup cooked grains.

If struggling with weight loss, then on some days have only one serving or none.

Grain servings include ½ cup raw oats, 1 generous slice of high fibre bread, a wrap, rice,
quinoa [it’s actually a seed] millet, barley, pasta, etc.

Grains are an important part of our daily vegan nutrition. Removing them from your eating
plan is not beneficial unless you have digestive issues or have been told by your doctor to
omit them due to specific health concerns.

Cooked beans, lentils and chickpeas (legumes)

Please include 2x a day half a cup plus some hummus for a snack.

Tofu and tempeh

These are popular high protein traditional foods, but are to be minimised by women with
thyroid or hormonal issues. One serving is about 100g. When using soya products such as
tempeh or tofu, there is no need to add legumes.

Water
Have 1.5L to 2L per day unless thirsty. If thirsty please have more.
But too much water upsets your electrolytes and can cause lethargy and health problems.
Coffee and tea
They contain tannins and caffeine. Best to limit those components. Tannins are known to
reduce the uptake of calcium and iron.
Have one coffee a day and limit tea to about 2 or 3 cups. Drink two to maximum three cups
green teas a day. It has been shown to have several health benefits, but green tea also
contains caffeine and tannins.

Plant based milk

Choose unsweetened options. Please read labels and look for calcium enriched products.
Some women find that soy milk alters their hormone called oestrogen. This is due to
phytoestrogens compounds in soya which can be unhelpful to some, but not to others.
You can make some plant milk at home and enjoy natural, even organic versions instead of
the commercial variety. However, the commercial ones contain added calcium and, vitamins
and minerals.

Snacks
Have snacks when you are hungry between meals.

Vegetable sticks and hummus

Plant based unsweetened yogurt
Nuts and fruit
Pureed vegetable soups with added protein rich foods [shown to prevent hunger]
Protein smoothies [use low sugar fruit and add some ‘good fat’ like nut butter or avocado]
Crackers and hummus
Crackers, avocado and tomato
Any leftovers from a meal
Homemade sweet potato chips, with a dip
Homemade roasted baby potatoes with tomato salsa [3-4 baby potatoes]
2 Dates filled with nut butter
Homemade protein and nut balls etc.

Here is a template to show how your dinner or lunch plate should look. The components can
either be mixed up or served separately like on the image.
Moderate your carb rich, calories dense foods and enjoy a large variety of light vegetables,
salads, fruit and nuts instead.

And don’t forget to sleep and rest well, exercise daily, keep in touch with loved ones and
have fun.

All are important parts of a healthy, happy life.

Enjoy the odd day with relaxed eating boundaries.

Good for your soul and many say, good for your metabolic rate as well.

If you have questions, please tag me in the Facebook group.

Kind regards,
Nicki Kelly.
The Vegan Weight Loss Mentor
https://veganweightlossmentor.com
nicki@veganweightlossmentor.com