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Weight Loss Tips

Try new foods and acquire new tastes:

  • Explore new recipes, new books, and new low-fat vegetarian products.
  • Fat-free meat substitutes can ease the transition.
  • Really set the unhealthy foods aside. This is easier than teasing yourself with small amounts of the foods you are trying to leave behind.
  • Focus on the short term. Three weeks is a short time. Then, if you like how things are going, stick with it.
  • Frozen vegetables are fine.
  • Canned beans and vegetables are okay for convenience.
  • If you have trouble finding recipes you like, explore our recipe database or try a healthy, vegan cookbook.

 Cut the fat:

  • Sautéing vegetables in water or vegetable broth.
  • Steam vegetables.
  • When you can’t avoid oil, use a cooking spray instead of poured oils.
  • Use non-fat, non-dairy coffee creamers.
  • Read food package labels to check grams of fat per serving. It is best to choose products that have fewer than 2 grams of fat per serving.

At work, keep these healthy snacks on hand:

  • Instant soups
  • Three-bean salad
  • Rice cakes
  • Bagels
  • Fresh or dried fruit
  • Bean dip with rice cakes or fat-free chips

Eating out:

  • Eating out is easy if you know what type of restaurants to look for and dishes to choose.

Avoiding cravings:

  • Stock up on healthful foods at home and at work to prevent hunger-induced indiscretions.
  • Keep unhealthful foods out of the house.
  • If you follow a very low-fat menu, your tastes will gradually drift to prefer lower-fat foods.

A Three-Week Plan

If you want the easiest way to lose weight that will also get you started on a truly healthy path, try this: Follow the weight-loss plan outlined here for just three weeks. That will give you enough time to adjust to new flavors and will also allow you to see significant weight loss and other positive health changes. The best approach is to follow the plan completely for three weeks. That means you should not sneak ranch dressing onto your salad, add egg whites to muffin batter, or have a bit of chicken with dinner. Only by consistently following the diet will you be able to reap all the benefits and avoid lapses that can lead to weight gain. So let’s get started! Here’s what to do:

  • Choose the day when you want to start your weight-loss plan.
  • Weigh yourself before you start.
  • Keep track of your weight during the three weeks.
  • Write down what you eat. Keeping a food record and a journal of how you feel while you’re on the diet will help you monitor your progress .

Stay Aware of Condiments and Beverages

The hidden calories in condiments and beverages can sabotage your weight-loss efforts. To avoid this trap, simply be aware of what you’re eating and drinking-and make healthier choices.

  • For salad dressings and condiments, use the non-fat varieties, such as fat-free Italian dressing for salads and mustard for sandwiches.
  • Coffee and tea are not fattening, but make sure to use non-fat, non-dairy creamers.
  • Alcoholic beverages used occasionally do not promote weight gain. But avoid creamy beverages such as White Russians and Bailey’s Irish Cream.
  • Minimize sugar.
  • Nuts, seeds, avocadoes, olives, peanut butter, chocolate (non-dairy), and full-fat soy products such as regular tofu, tempeh, and soy cheese come from plant foods, but are too high in fat to be conducive to weight loss. These foods may be used in modest amounts on rare occasions.