Try a Plant-Based Diet for Weight Loss

Woman Cutting Fresh Vegetables


Transitioning to a more plant-based diet can have a positive effect on your overall performance as an athlete by helping you shed some extra pounds. Try a 30-day plant-based diet to see for yourself how you feel and perform on healthy fuel. Thrive in 30 is a great program to get you started.

The benefits of a plant-based diet include:

1. Weight Loss

While it is always possible to overeat on high-calorie foods, this is much harder to pull off on a plant-based diet. Fruits and vegetables contain mostly water, keeping you feeling full without consuming a lot of calories. Because of this, you may find that you can even eat more (a higher volume of food) while still keeping your calories low. Eating healthy food throughout the day can improve your metabolism and support your weight loss goals.

2. More energy

Do you ever wonder how some runners have the energy to get up at the crack of dawn to knock out some miles? Chances are they are careful about their diet. What we eat directly affects our energy levels. One of the first things you may notice when transitioning to a plant-based diet is a surge of new-found energy. This makes it easier to stay active, which in turn helps you burn more calories and lose weight.

3. Better nutrients

Although we live in a culture where food is abundant, many of us are nutrient-deprived. There is a theory that we overeat, not because we are hungry, but because our bodies are craving missing nutrients. Fruits and vegetables are bursting with all the vitamins and minerals your body needs to function optimally. When your body is fed the nutrients it needs, the results are a better body, a sharper mind, and a positive attitude.

4. Food consciousness

How much do you really know about what you are putting in your mouth? How often do you look at a food label? Transitioning to plant-based diet teaches you to pay attention to what you're consuming. There is no room for mindless eating here. Instead, take the time to read and understand food labels. What you learn may surprise you... and help you shed some pounds. 

5. Stronger Immunity

Imagine getting through cold, flu, and allergy seasons without a single sniffle. Your diet can play a role in making that happen. Giving your body the nutrients it needs to optimize your immune system can go a long way to keep you and your family healthy all year long. Less sick days means more time staying active.  

Thirty days is all you need to start experiencing some of these amazing plant-based benefits for weight loss. Who knows, you may decide it's a diet you want to stick with for life.

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About the Author

Vanessa Rodriguez 

Vanessa Rodriguez is the former nutrition editor for Active.com, and author of The Summit Seeker. She is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist and an avid ultra-distance trail runner. Keep up with her adventures at vanessaruns.com.
Vanessa Rodriguez is the former nutrition editor for Active.com, and author of The Summit Seeker. She is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist and an avid ultra-distance trail runner. Keep up with her adventures at vanessaruns.com.

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