Take the Challenge: Eat Vegan for a Week (Including Nutrition Plan)
5 min
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Have you gone plant-based for Veganuary? You’re in good company! The vegan diet has made an explosive entry into the 21st century. In Germany, for instance, nearly 1.3 million people are eating vegan. Actor Woody Harrelson has been eating vegan for 30 years – long before soy lattes or meat substitutes were a thing. Formula 1 pro Lewis Hamilton and Germany’s strongest man, Patrik Baboumian, are also animal-free. And rightly so. Vegan nutrition is just as capable of supporting your fitness goals. Looking for a vegan protein powder for after your next workout? Our Vegan Protein is not only easy and delicious; it also delivers all the essential amino acids your body needs in one simple shake. It’s the perfect source of protein for your muscles.
Maybe you’re in the thick of Veganuary and looking for some fresh inspiration. Maybe you’re just looking for a new way to nourish your body. Read on to find out more about what it means to follow a vegan diet! Plus, we’ve got a full 7-day meal plan, shopping list, and workout suggestions to make your vegan life as easy as possible.
What does eating vegan mean?
Vegan food is defined by what it isn’t: namely, the absence of any animal products. Meat, eggs, and dairy products are off-limits. Many vegans also abstain from honey, and some also cut the animal-derived products of leather and wool out of their wardrobe. Many people are inspired to become vegan for ethical and/or health purposes. Find out more about eating vegan, and get ready to rethink what you know, with our article debunking vegan myths!
But what do vegans eat? Being vegan is no longer as huge of a limiting factor as it was just a few years ago. Nowadays, loads of restaurants have expanded their menus to include vegan options for plant-based customers and non-vegans alike. Trust us, you won’t be stuck eating leafy greens every day. In fact, you may not believe how much choice there is!
For example, all fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, alternative protein sources, and nuts and seeds are fair game in a healthy vegan diet. And recreating some of your favorite dishes with vegan alternatives is much easier to do than you might realize. Whether it’s just a spoonful of hummus with chickpeas, a vegan foodie never has to stop dreaming.Find your new vegan favorites
Start the Challenge: 7 Days of Eating Vegan
Download our free nutrition plan
Shedding the animal products from your diet can absolutely be difficult. But our 7-day eating vegan challenge makes it easy for you to get started, with meal plans that include an entire week’s worth of breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, and all the hints you need to feel great. In addition to being entirely plant-based, our plan will also expand your culinary horizons!
This nutrition plan is based on a daily caloric intake of 2000 calories. But it’s easy for you to adjust it to suit your personal needs. Find out how many calories you need to eat to reach your individual goals with our free Body Check.
The NHS recommends consuming 0.8g of protein per kilogram of body weight daily. Our eating vegan plan includes enough protein to keep you full and happy, no matter the meal. With breakfast, lunch, dinner, and two snacks, all of which lend themselves to meal prep, it’s also designed to make your life a little easier.
What, you want it even easier? You got it. Each of the meals in the nutrition plan up there is a link: either to a recipe or to one of our vegan fitness products. Use our shopping list to start pre-ordering your groceries now. Odds are, you probably already have some of what you need at home.
Download our free shopping list
Whenever you need a quick protein boost, our protein foods are there to help. One bite of our Chocolate-Amnound Vegan Protein Bar and you’ll be giving your body the nutrients it needs while treating yourself to a tangy-sweet taste experience.
Can You Reach Your Feel-Good Weight While Eating Vegan?
Weight loss is a common side effect of going vegan. That’s not because eating vegan is inherently healthier for the body, but rather that vegans tend to have a healthier lifestyle in general.
- Homemade meals and whole foods replace ready-made meals and processed food products.
- Vegan diets involve a lot more wholesome foods, like whole grains.
- Avoiding meat, dairy, and eggs reduces your intake of high-fat foods.
- You’re more aware of what foods you’re eating in general.
Regardless of what you eat, eating the right amount is key to reaching your healthy eating or weight loss goals. Use our free Body Check to discover your body mass index (BMI). And take a look at our entire selection of vegan fitness food and supplements if you find your diet missing a certain something.
Combining Eating Vegan and Exercise
A purely plant-based diet won’t limit your physical abilities in any way. Lots of the foods that vegans eat are packed with the protein your body needs. Heads up: Make sure to keep your nutrition varied. Combine several sources of vegan protein to blend all the essential amino acids your body needs. Unlike in animal-based foods, no vegan food contains all nine. Our secret strategy? These Vegan Protein Bars are packed with plant power, are low in sugar, and just plain taste fabulous.
Athlete and author Rich Roll decided to make a radical change shortly before his 40th birthday. He began a vegan diet and exercise routine which turned his mental and physical health 180 degrees: he credits his training, but most of all the health benefits of a vegan diet, with providing him the nearly unlimited energy he needs to be an Ultraman athlete, which entails swimming 10 km, biking 421 km, and running 84 km in three days.
Top 5 Vegan Sources of Protein:
- Legumes e.g. lentils, chickpeas, and beans
- Soy products e.g. soy milk or tofu
- Nuts and nut butters e.g. cashews, peanut butter, or almonds
- Seeds and oils e.g. pumpkin seed, hemp seed, or flax seed
- Whole grains e.g. oats, farro, or rice
Read up: Want to learn more about vegan protein? Have a look at our article on the top plant-based protein sources and get yourself smart.
Go Vegan and Start Your Fitness Journey At Once
Want to shake things up for real? Great! We’ve created a workout plan to accompany our 7-day vegan challenge. The program gives you an opportunity to do something good with your body every day, even if you only have a little time. Over the course of the week, it will increase your strength and endurance levels, strengthen your muscles, and help you burn a bunch of calories.
Download our free workout plan
Our tip: Whether you’re just getting into working out or have years of experience under your belt, check out our huge selection of excellent workouts to get started.
Conclusion
Vegan food definitely doesn’t have to be boring. In fact, vegan cooking uses an array of exciting foods to thrill your senses. Vegan diets often contribute to improved feelings of well-being and can result in weight loss. Many vegan products use protein-rich plant ingredients to ensure you feel fully satisfied and nourished.
Our tip: If you’re considering going vegan for a while, our Daily Vitamins will ensure you always have an adequate supply of vitamin B12. Find out why vitamin B12 is especially important in this article!
More healthy living tips from foodspring:
- 8 Vegan Comfort Food Recipes for Gray Days
- Vegan milk: Facts, tips, and all your options in one place
- https://www.foodspring.co.uk/magazine/high-protein-vegan-foods
- Check out our best vegan baking tips and tricks – and 10 recipes!
*Protein contributes to muscle growth and maintenance.
Sources for this article
We at foodspring use only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial policy to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
