5 Reasons your vegan diet didn’t work
Written by Delilah Bisase, RD
Maybe you watched “What the Health?” or the “Game Changers” and as soon as the movie ended you quit eating meat and dairy cold turkey….but then it only lasted for like 4 days. Firstly, if that happened to you- it’s okay! Don’t beat yourself up, it takes a while to transition to a plant based diet. It took me a few years! There are few rookie mistakes I’ve come to notice. I’ve made these rookie mistakes myself and I’ve seen it in other people, so I’m sharing them with you here so that you don’t have to also go through the same fumbles.
1. Portions are too small
In a nutshell plant based foods typically have lower calorie content than animal based foods, and because of this you might need to eat a larger amount of plant based foods to get the same calorie intake you would compared to eating animal based foods. This of course varies from person to person. Now, you already know I am not a calorie counter, and that is absolutely not where this is going. So, let’s take it back to basic nutrition 101 for a second. Calories = energy. We need energy to support our body’s functions, therefore we get our energy in the form of calories from the food we eat.
If your typical pre-vegan breakfast used to be a turkey and cheese omelet with a side of fruit and then after changing to a vegan diet you swapped out the omelet for plain oatmeal, it wouldn’t be surprising if the new oats and fruit breakfast wasn’t as satisfying. The solution is to
Increase your portion sizes so that your tummy can be satisfied
Make sure you’re including plant based sources of fats with your meals.
Looking at the breakfast example, I would recommend adding some type of nut or seed butter to the oatmeal, or having mixed nuts or avocado alongside the oatmeal and fresh fruit combo. It’s okay to eat more and you probably will eat more. Make sure you’re listening to your body’s hunger and satiety cues at all times.
2. Unbalanced meals
I know how exciting it can be to try out all the new vegan recipes and to veganize your own recipes, but have you evaluated whether or not your new vegan meals are balanced though? Balanced means that all of the food groups are present at the meal, which are: grains, protein, fruit, vegetables, and fat/oil, (the inclusion of dairy is debatable). This might sound basic, but it's a very fundamental, key point that often gets overlooked. When our meals aren’t balanced they won’t sustain us with energy throughout the day.
Follow my balanced meal checklist to make sure that all of your meals are balanced
1 whole grain
1-2 vegetables (at least one of them non-starchy)
1 protein
1 fat
1 fruit (can have with meals or sometimes people prefer fruit as a snack in between meals)
3. Avoiding or limiting carbs
Ya’ll, the vegan diet is by default a high carb diet - and that’s okay! I’m aware there are people attempting vegan keto diets out there. For that I have no comment and have no interest in engaging.
Carbohydrates are our body’s preferred source of energy. It is true that our body can generate energy from non carbohydrate sources (it’s called gluconeogenesis) and that our body will naturally cycle between using carbs and fats for energy. However, carbohydrates are still the preferred and primary source of energy. Additionally, when a person skips out on carbohydrate rich foods, they’re unfortunately also skipping out on all of the many phytochemicals (ie: antioxidants) which sustain health and longevity that can be found in these carb rich foods. We find these precious plant compounds in beans, lentils, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables- all carbs.
Beans and lentils are a significant source of protein in the vegan diet and at the same time are a dense source of carbohydrates. Whole grains are another starchy food which provide protein as well. I recommend for people to put their focus on the quality of carbs instead of the quantity of carbs they eat. Prioritize carbohydrate foods that are whole grains, beans, lentils, whole fruits, and vegetables.
4. Went too hard, too fast with the fiber
Fiber is something that is only found in plants, it is not in animal based foods. When you swap out your animal based foods for plant based foods, you will inevitably be increasing your fiber intake. Depending on what your diet was like pre-vegan it may or may not be a drastic increase in fiber intake for you. Fiber has loads of health benefits (lowered blood pressure, lowered blood sugar, improved gut health and digestion) and you’re definitely doing your body a great service by consuming more.
However, if your digestive system is not accustomed to a high daily intake of fiber each day, and then all of sudden one day you’re eating lots of it there will be some reactions. Don’t worry, it won’t be anything harmful to your health. The sudden increase in fiber can cause some digestive upset which will most likely show up as gassiness. No one likes to be gassy, so the solution is to go slow by making small, gradual changes. These incremental changes will be more gentle to your system. For example, start with one day per week for vegan meals only, then slowly increase to include more days with each following week.
Along with that make sure you’re drinking enough water. As fiber intake increases, it’s important to make sure you’re meeting your daily water needs. For the general healthy adult the recommended daily water intake is 30-35 milliliters per kilogram (30-35 ml/kg). To find out what your weight is in kg you will divide your weight in pounds by 2.2 (ex: 150 pounds divided by 2.2 = 68.2 kg). Then 68.2 x 30 ml = 2045 ml and 68 x 35 ml = 2340 ml (rounding the numbers). Use an online conversion calculator to translate milliliters to ounces. Keep in mind this is general and water needs can vary depending on exercise habits and health conditions. Bottom line, take it one day at a time so that your digestive system has time to adjust accordingly, and make sure you stay hydrated.
5. Not trying new foods often enough
This one might also sound basic, but just like number 2 on this list it’s a very fundamental, key point that often gets overlooked. Your taste buds and your gut flora need some time to adapt to the new foods you're introducing. It can take a child anywhere from 10-20 tries before they begin to like a new food…10-20! So if you ate those lentils or roasted veggies just once for lunch and never tried them again, how do you expect your taste buds to develop a liking to them? The reason your taste buds are so accustomed to the (animal based) foods you like is because you have been eating them over and over and over again, for many years! So of course you like them. Yet, you ate lentils and roasted veggies one time and decided they suck- c’mon! I’m exaggerating a bit, but I hope you see the point I’m trying to illustrate here.
Also, it’s not just our taste buds that will change but our gut bacteria will change as well. Our gut bacteria reflect the foods that we eat. The goal is to have a diverse diet, which will create a diverse community of gut bacteria. These bacteria thrive on plant fiber, mainly the soluble fibers found in veggies, grains, legumes, fruits, nuts, and seeds. As we begin to incorporate more of these fiber rich foods, our intestines will be a breeding ground for bacteria that enjoy them. This will crowd out the other not so helpful bacteria that show up when we have a diet that is high in refined grains, added sugars, and animal based protein. And as the landscape in your gut changes your taste preferences will change and you will find yourself reaching for more of those plant based, fiber rich foods to keep those gut bacteria happy and flourishing. Yes, your gut bacteria can influence your taste preference. Overall, remember to keep an open mind so that you can keep trying new foods, multiple times.
Don’t forget to download my Free Vegan Starter Kit! Your guide to having a solid start with the vegan diet.