Details on how to build your own healthy weight loss vegetarian menu

Many people choose to be vegetarian for many reasons such as: health, environment, ethics, religion, etc. In addition, many women believe that vegetarianism is an ideal diet to lose weight. So how to build a healthy weight loss vegetarian menu but still delicious?

The article will give you the principles and notes when building a healthy weight loss vegetarian menu. At the same time, suggesting a vegetarian menu to lose weight in 5 days and tips on fasting for weight loss will be useful for you.

Benefits of being a vegetarian

The right vegetarian diet can bring many health benefits. A well-balanced vegetarian menu can provide all the essential vitamins and minerals your body needs. Fasting can help you reduce your risk of some of the following diseases:

• Fat
• Coronary heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Certain types of cancer

In addition, vegetarians and vegans also have lower rates of morbidity and mortality from some degenerative diseases. You can learn 13 more benefits of being a vegetarian that will surprise you .

With so many benefits, can vegetarianism help with weight loss? How to build a healthy weight loss vegetarian menu? Let’s find the answer with Hello Bacsi below.

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Is fasting really effective for weight loss?

Before applying the vegetarian menu to lose weight in the daily diet, many people still wonder if the vegetarian diet helps to lose weight really? First of all, vegetarianism is not a weight loss diet , but a lifestyle. If you want to lose weight fast, or want to gain muscle and lose fat, vegetarian weight loss will not be the best choice.

Vegan weight loss is thanks to a diet that focuses on a variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and plant-based protein. A vegetarian menu for weight loss will prioritize foods that are more filling, lower in calories and lower in fat.

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Suggest a vegetarian menu to lose weight in 5 days

Vegetarian menu for weight loss – Day 1

• Breakfast. Smoothie with almond milk (unsweetened), spinach , frozen berries and a banana.

• Light meal. Apple and peanut butter

• Lunch. Fried brown rice with vegetables (brown rice, peas, quinoa , carrots, green beans, …) served with kale salad mixed with apple cider vinegar.

• Supper. Greek yogurt and nuts

• Dinner. Mixed noodles (Vegetable noodles, zucchini, green beans, cucumber, fried tofu, soy sauce) and a cup of almond milk.

Please refer to: TOP 6+ vegetarian salads that are both healthy and weight-loss

Vegetarian menu for weight loss – Day 2

• Breakfast. Oatmeal porridge cooked with nut milk, served with shredded apple, walnuts, peanut butter and cinnamon.

• Light meal. Orange juice.

• Lunch. Vegetarian spring roll vermicelli.

• Supper. Dark chocolate and almonds.

• Dinner. Mixed vegetable soup (lentils, carrots, white radish, beetroot, …) served with whole grain bread and a side salad.

Please refer to: Vegetarian spring rolls recipe

Vegetarian menu for weight loss – Day 3

• Breakfast. Greek yogurt served with berries, chia seeds and pumpkin seeds. Drink 1 cup of honey lemon water.
• Light meal. Pistachios and cashews

• Lunch. Brown rice cooked with quinoa; served with vegetarian soup with tofu mushrooms and sauteed bok choy with shiitake mushrooms.

• Supper. 1 orange

• Dinner. Stir-fried Tofu with Carrot, Broccoli, Chickpeas, Bell Peppers, Soy Sauce and Honey. Served with Korean soybean soup (soybean, onion, potato, zucchini, chives, white radish, paprika).

Please refer to: The menu of 6 vegetarian dishes for the full moon of January is both frugal and nutritious

Vegetarian menu for weight loss – Day 4

• Breakfast. Whole grain bread, avocado and almonds ; served with purple cabbage salad.
• Light meal. A bar of whole grain granola and cashews.

• Lunch. Vegetarian seaweed soup (young tofu, seaweed and mushrooms); served with vegetables sauteed in sesame oil.

• Supper. Greek yogurt with walnuts, grapes, pineapple and grated coconut.

• Dinner. Salad with kale, pecans, dried cranberries, goat cheese and soy edamame . Served with mashed potatoes and mushroom sauce.

Vegetarian menu for weight loss – Day 5

• Breakfast. Whole wheat toast, served with sliced banana and pumpkin seeds. Fruit juices (apple, peach and pear)

• Light meal. Fruit and honey salad.

• Lunch. Grilled eggplant and broccoli, served with lentil soup.

• Supper. Tiramisu young tofu

• Dinner. Grilled sweet potato served with vegetarian braised mushrooms and spinach soup. 1 cup almond milk.

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Building a vegetarian menu to lose weight

There are many concerns that vegetarianism does not add enough nutrients such as protein, calcium, iron, vitamin D, etc. So, how to build a vegetarian menu to lose weight with enough nutrients and enough energy? The following are the basic principles and notes when building a vegetarian weight loss menu.

Principles of sustainable healthy weight loss

Here are 2 principles for you to build your own weight loss vegetarian menu.

Principle 1. Control your calorie intake

In any healthy weight loss regimen, the first step you need to keep in mind is to calculate your calorie needs each day. Here are some basic steps to help you easily control your own portion sizes:

• Calculate your BMR here.
• Determine the intensity of daily physical activity and calculate according to the following table of guidelines:

Movement intensity	Formula
Light exercise 1-3 days/week	= BMR x 1.2
Moderate exercise 6-7 days/week	= BMR x 1.4
Actively exercise 6-7 days/week	= BMR x 1.6
High intensity exercise 6-7 days/week	= BMR x 1.8
Exercise very intensely from 6-7 days/week	= BMR x 1.9

So, for example, your BMR is 1,800 calories and you’re only mildly active, do the following formula: 1800 x 1.2 = 2160 calories/day. Thus, you need to consume 2160 calories to be able to maintain daily activity.

• Create a calorie deficit

The last step, you just need to take the calories above minus about 300-500 calories. According to the above example, to lose weight, you should control the calorie level at: 1860-1660 calories per day.

Dive deeper: How many calories a day do you need to lose weight?
Dive deeper: How many calories should a day burn to lose weight?

Principle 2. Choose high quality vegetarian food

The second rule when building a healthy weight loss vegetarian menu is to choose nutritious foods. To lose weight effectively, you need to eat fewer calories but still provide enough nutrients your body needs. The best option would be to prioritize “high-quality” foods.

Depending on your vegetarian diet, you can also choose to incorporate more milk or eggs in your vegetarian weight loss menu. In general, vegetarian foods that can help you lose weight effectively include:

• Non-starchy vegetables . Broccoli, bell peppers, cauliflower, zucchini, mushrooms, tomatoes, eggplants, carrots, celery, cucumbers…
• Starchy vegetables . Peas, potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, squash,…
• Fruit. Berries, oranges, apples, bananas, grapes, citrus, kiwi, mango…
• Whole grains. Quinoa, brown rice, millet, barley and wheat…
• Beans and legumes. Lentils, black beans, chrysanthemums, kidney beans, soybeans, green beans, peas, etc.
• Seeds. Almonds, walnuts, pistachios, cashews, sunflower seeds, chia seeds and nut butters
• Lean protein. Beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, nut butters (peanut butter, almond butter); eggs, milk, dairy products (Greek yogurt, cheese,…); nut milk and soy products (tofu, young tofu, tempeh, etc.)
• Healthy fats. Avocado, olive oil, canola oil, avocado oil, nut butter and cheese

Suggestions for you: 8 most protein-rich vegetables for vegetarians

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Notes when building a vegetarian weight loss menu

• Eat a lot but not enough protein

An unbalanced vegetarian diet will make you hungry quickly and consume more than you need. However, it does not provide enough protein for the body.

Therefore, pay attention to the protein content of your vegetarian weight loss menu. You can completely supplement with plant-based protein sources. But it can be difficult at first as you eliminate meat from your diet.

Instant reference: Plant protein – an ideal source of nutrition for vegetarians
Immediately refer to: Anemia vegetarian diet: Causes and ways to prevent

• Limit your intake of refined carbs

Pay attention to balance and control the amount of refined carbs in your weight loss vegetarian menu. If you’re trying to lose weight, limit foods like bread, pizza, and pasta.

Furthermore, research shows that refined carbs trigger the release of extra insulin , a hormone that regulates blood sugar. This can also contribute to weight gain.

See more: 10 things you should remember to be a healthy vegetarian
See more: Vegetarian menu: How to design properly and enough?

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Weight loss vegetarian tips

• Increase non-starchy vegetables. To lose weight, choose fiber-rich vegetables. Such as broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, green leafy vegetables and mushrooms. These vegetables in the vegetarian weight loss menu will help you feel full for a long time and reduce the amount of calories in your body.

• Incorporate protein in every meal and snack. Plant protein is an extremely important source of nutrients in your weight loss menu. So incorporate protein-rich vegetarian foods into your snacks. Examples include: milk, dairy products (yogurt, cheese) and soy (tempeh, tofu and edamame).

• Choose complex carbs. Foods that promote satiety include: whole grains, starchy vegetables, fruits, and legumes.

Learn more: What you need to know to lose weight effectively

Whether you are a vegetarian or not, controlling and balancing your calorie intake with calories burned will affect your weight loss process. The combination of a vegetarian diet for weight loss nutrition and healthy physical activity will help you have a toned and balanced body. Hope the principles of building a vegetarian weight loss menu will be useful to you!