The whole food plant based diet has been popular recently for many reasons. Not only can it help you lose and maintain a healthy weight, but it can also ameliorate inflammation within the body. I like it because there is a lot of research behind why it IS in fact good for everyone to follow. And let me tell you, it is tough to follow any diet for a short period of time, and even harder to follow a diet and implement it as a lifestyle change. With all of the evidence out in the world about the long term benefits of a whole foods plant based, I would try to follow it as closely as possible, with the intent to make this a lifestyle.
But… what exactly is whole food plant based? Generally, it means lots and lots of fruits and vegetables and legumes and nuts are consumed, and that processed foods are kept to a minimum. Personally, I love eggs and seafood and fish and don’t want to give those up for the health benefits they have. So finding a whole foods plant based approach should be something you explore that works in YOUR life. Focus more on the BASED versus ONLY whole foods and plant. Start there, and see where you end up.
I’ve got an interesting article for you where researchers looked at creating long term behavioral changes through developing skills that can be used in practice, such as cooking, plus they had the subjects follow a whole food plant based diet that was super low in fat; only 7-15% of calories came from fats! That is so low! Which means, most nuts, avocado, and olive oil had to be reduced to an absolute minimum.
The subjects were obese and overweight, and the researchers wanted to see if these individuals would lose weight by following this whole foods plant based diet.
Remember the last time you were on a diet? It worked right? For about a minute! That’s the thing with diets – they ALL work. The reason diets stop working is because we stop following them. That is why I love the whole foods plant based approach. It is not extreme, which means it can become a lifestyle change to where you ALWAYS are incorporating minimally or non-processed foods and a ton of nutritious fruits and veggies.
Going back to the study, of course they found that the individuals did lose weight (a significant amount), and made sustainable lifestyle changes through their participation in nutrition seminars, cooking classes, and Q&A with nutrition professionals. Plus, when the researchers followed up a year later, a lot of these individuals had kept the weight off.
Now, eating only 7-15% of fat is such a crazy low amount! I would not recommend going that extreme because, and here it is again, making extreme changes are NOT sustainable. And if you want lasting weight loss and health benefits that will keep you feeling well throughout your life, then you need to make sustainable and attainable lifestyle changes. Plus, healthy fats are a MUST in our lives! Healthy fats are good for the heart, help lower cholesterol, carry certain vitamins, provide structure to cells, support to our organs, and so much more, so we need healthy fats in our lives.
The whole foods plant based approach is awesome. The rich antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of fruits and vegetables is a no-brainer for anyone who is looking to just feel better from the inside out. Give it a try by adding one additional serving of fruits or vegetables to your day. Then 3-4 days later, add ANOTHER serving per day. Before you know it, you’ll be so full on fiber and nutritious foods, and feeling so energized that adding in ANOTHER additional serving per day will be the first thought you have when you jump out of bed.
Check out the full research paper here from the BROAD study.
