If you need help getting started we have some guides for you:
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[**How to Count Calories and Lose Weight**](https://www.reddit.com/r/vegan1200isplenty/wiki/index/cico)
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[**Dieting Tips**](https://www.reddit.com/r/vegan1200isplenty/wiki/index/cico#wiki_.2B50.FE0F_dieting_tips_.2B50.FE0F)
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[**How to Calculate Calories**](https://www.reddit.com/r/vegan1200isplenty/wiki/index/counting)
[**Frequently Asked Questions**](https://www.reddit.com/r/vegan1200isplenty/wiki/frequently_asked#wiki_frequently_asked_questions)
[**Help & Resources**](https://www.reddit.com/r/vegan1200isplenty/wiki/index)
[**How do I get my protein?**](https://www.reddit.com/r/vegan1200isplenty/wiki/frequently_asked#wiki_the_protein_question)
[**Higher Protein meals and snacks featured on this sub**](https://www.reddit.com/r/vegan1200isplenty/search?q=flair%3A%22higher+protein%22&restrict_sr=on&include_over_18=on&sort=relevance&t=all)
[**Lower Net Carb Veggies, Fruits, Legumes and Other Foods**](https://www.reddit.com/r/vegan1200isplenty/wiki/index/low_carb)
[**How do I meet all my vitamin and mineral requirements while restricting?**](https://www.reddit.com/r/vegan1200isplenty/wiki/frequently_asked#wiki_how_do_i_meet_all_my_vitamin_and_mineral_requirements_while_restricting.3F)
We welcome both vegans and non-vegans, and everyone can post and comment. We do remove any comment/post that make non-vegan suggestions (i.e., “you should add pork to that”) or are critical of veganism in general (it’s not a debate sub).
If you aren’t sure what you can and cannot post, please take a look at our rules: https://www.reddit.com/r/vegan1200isplenty/about/rules/
The sub’s main focus is inspiring food posts and helpful ideas for achieving weight loss goals.
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#**⭐️ Dieting Tips ⭐️**
– **Get a food scale.** Accurate calorie counts are essential for reaching your target weight.
– **If you are having problems keeping to your calorie limit, try a more gradual approach.** Begin with a daily calorie limit at or around your TDEE and then gradually reduce that every week until you get to your target caloric intake. Remember, even if you are just eating at maintenance level of calories you are still doing better than before you started. Learning how to eat reasonable portions is something that will stay with you in the long run and keep you from re-gaining weight.
– **Eat high volume foods to stay full longer.** High volume, low calorie foods like spinach, mushrooms, bell peppers, broccoli, cabbage, green beans, cauliflower, tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant, celery, strawberries, blueberries, peaches, watermelon, bean sprouts, lettuce, and carrots are just a few of the many things you can eat to keep you full.
– **Make sure you are getting enough fiber.** [*Insoluble*](https://www.fiberfacts.org/fibers-count-calories-carbohydrates/) fiber is a carbohydrate that has no calories, fills you up, and keeps you from feeling hungry. *Soluble* fiber has only 2 calories per gram and also helps keep you full. Insoluble fiber can be found in foods such as green beans, spinach, kale, [Fiber One cereal](https://imgur.com/a/LdSLU), [high fiber pasta](https://www.reddit.com/r/vegan1200isplenty/comments/ckuxlp/368_cal_25g_protein_beyond_sausage_parmesan_pasta/), Shredded wheat, barley, and popcorn. Apples, citrus fruits, and strawberries as well as peas and lentils are high in soluble fiber. Fiber supplements are also available. Fiber is really good for your health and [most people](https://www.vox.com/2019/3/20/18214505/fiber-diet-weight-loss) don’t get enough, so make sure you are getting the [recommended daily intake](https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/appendix-7/):
>* women 19 – 30 yr – 28 grams per day
>* women 31- 50 yrs – 25.2 grams per day
>* women > 50 yrs – 22.4 grams per day
>* men 19-30 yrs – 33.6 grams per day
>* men 31-50 yrs – 30.8 grams per day
>* men > 50 yrs – 30.8 grams per day
– **If you find yourself snacking even when you aren’t actually hungry try making a habit of having meals only at certain times of the day.** Whether it’s five meals a day, one meal a day (OMAD), or intermittent fasting (IF), some people find this approach helps them avoid eating out of boredom or stress.
– **Often the easiest way to lower calories is to use less oil in your recipes.** One tablespoon of oil is 120 calories! That’s the equivalent to the calories in 4 cups of air-popped popcorn. Switching to a spray oil or cutting down on added oil can significantly help when trying to stay under your calorie budget.
– **If you use up all your allotted calories early in the day and feel hungry in the evening try creating a daily meal plan that keeps you on track.** If you plan out what and when you are going to eat you are less likely to go to bed hungry.
– **Meal Prepping can help keep you from slipping up.** [Preparing a few days’ meals](https://www.reddit.com/r/vegan1200isplenty/comments/augm7q/meal_prep_sunday_sushi_cucumber_salad_fruit_and/) ahead of time makes it much easier to stick to your diet plans and measure calories. You’re less likely to reach for something high calorie if you have a tasty convenient low-calorie dish ready to eat.
– **Try drinking water before meals.** Studies have shown that [drinking two cups of water before meals](https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/drinking-water-helps-with-weight-loss) helps curb appetite which leads to greater weight loss compared to people who did not drink water before meals.
– **For some people it helps to remove tempting high calorie snacks from the house.** Especially in the beginning while they are just getting used to a lower calorie diet.
– **Be aware that during stressful times we crave fat- and sugar-filled foods because these “comfort foods” actually do [dampen stress related responses and emotions and have a feedback effect.](https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/why-stress-causes-people-to-overeat)** Finding other coping mechanisms to lower your stress levels could help prevent overeating during difficult times. Exercise and meditation can help blunt the negative effects of stress.
– **Keep to a regular sleep/wake cycle to prevent overeating.** Studies have shown that [sleep deprivation is linked to taking in significantly more calories](https://www.nature.com/articles/ejcn2016201) the next day which in turn can [cause a cycle of sleep disruption](https://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2016/11/02/the-vicious-cycle-of-sleep-deprivation-and-overeating/#4b6ab6a6af02) and overeating. [Irregular sleep patterns](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/06/190605133514.htm) have been linked to metabolic disorders and put a person at higher risk for obesity, high cholesterol, hypertension, and high blood sugar.
– **If you are still hungry after eating a reasonably portioned meal try waiting a short time before going back for seconds.** It takes on average 18 minutes for hormones to signal your brain that you are full. For this same reason it might [help to eat more slowly.](https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/why-eating-slowly-may-help-you-feel-full-faster-20101019605)
– **What you eat can affect how hungry you feel.** Fatty acids and/or protein in your duodenum stimulate [cholecystokinin release](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cholecystokinin) which in turn acts as a hunger suppressor. Meals that have some amount of fat and/or protein will help you feel full. Also note that fat, carbs, and protein are digested at different rates. Protein digests faster than fats and insoluble fiber (a type of carb) is not digested at all, so it keeps you full for the longest period. Simple carbs like glucose are digested the quickest.
– **If portion control is an issue, try using smaller plates and shallower bowls to keep yourself from loading too much food on your plate. Small dishes make smaller portions appear bigger.** [Large portion size is linked to obesity.](https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/wecan/news-events/matte1.htm) If you are used to eating heaps of food then using smaller dishes will remind you to manage your intake. **You can always go back for seconds** if you are truly hungry after eating a reasonably portioned meal. Smaller pasta bowls tend to be shallower than most soup or salad bowls. Switch to 9 inch plates if you are used to 12 inch ones.
– **Make adjustments if you aren’t losing weight at your expected rate.** There could be a number of possible reasons for slow weight loss:
>* Your actual TDEE may be lower than your original calculation. Changing the activity level on the Sailrabbit program will lower the TDEE calculated and adjust the suggested daily calorie goal accordingly.
>* Some medications can [slow metabolism](https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=56&contentid=DM300). Consult your doctor if this is the reason.
>* Your calorie counts aren’t accurate. (This is very common! Be sure to weigh everything.)
>* Water weight – for some people fluctuations can range up to 10 lbs or more. It could be masking your actual weight loss.
>* You’ve actually lost fat, but have also gained muscle ([muscle is denser than fat](https://tanita.eu/blog/muscle-density-vs-fat/)). In this situation you might find using a measuring tape to be more informative than weighing yourself.
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by JosieA3672