7-Day Vegan Diet Plan: Eat Healthy with Under 2,000 Calories per Day

~ Kerem Kayacan

Source: https://www.lifehack.org/684181/7-day-ve…an-diet-plan?ref=rss
Capture Date: 09.05.2018 23:57:10

Most people that follow a diet plan do it the wrong way.

They either lack the knowledge to properly structure a diet plan or make the diet plan unnecessarily hard. Following a diet plan should be helpful in reaching your goal, not a hindrance.

I’m generally not a big believer in “one size fits all” diet plans, as diet plans work best when customized. This is because there are plenty of variables that need to be considered when structuring a diet plan. These variables include: age, gender, physical activity level, goals such as weight loss, maintenance or muscle build up, food preference or distaste.

All these factors can heavily affect a diet plan. The best diet plan is the diet plan that works for you–one plan that suits your goals and is structured in a sustainable way.

Therefore, the following diet plan is not intended to be followed strictly. Keep the meals and ideas that you like and disregard the other ones. Individualize the plan by yourself using apps such as MyFitnessPal or with the help of a knowledgeable friend or coach.

But let’s first address the basics:

Can’t I just listen to my body?

I know a young woman with a meal plan that consists of bland noodles, literally. The only food that this person eats is noodles. Therefore noodles are on her dining table nearly 365 days a year.

This is incredibly unhealthy for obvious reasons. One food alone doesn’t provide you with the necessary nutrients to sustain a healthy existence. The reason she’s eating only one food and isn’t looking to change anytime soon is because noodles are the only food that she likes.

This is what the nutrition industry doesn’t want you to know: your taste buds can change. Taste is extremely variable. Have you ever eaten a food, hated it, but after continuous exposure to the thing you’ve become accustomed to it? Maybe you even started to like it? This happened to me multiple times.

I just recently started eliminating added salt out of my diet. In the first week every food tasted completely bland. But after 2 weeks, unsalted food tasted completely normal as though it had been seasoned with salt just seconds before.

The truth is, that you can’t listen to your body these days when it comes to your food intake. The nutrition industry is making you addicted to its products by using artificial sweeteners, aromas and colors. The healthiest foods are the ones that you can find in the produce aisle.

But remember that healthy is always relative.

A healthy diet is always relative. – Dr. Michael Greger MD

What is a healthy vegan diet plan?

I remember talking to my mother a couple of years ago. Back then I used to eat McDonalds; after one time I had eaten there I realized that I was not performing at my usual level. This was also the time when I was usually eating about 1 kilogram of meat every single day.

Back then I thought that my diet plan was ‘healthy’. I didn’t realize that there was plenty of room for optimization.

Now I know that healthy is always relative. A pack of donuts is healthy when the alternative is pure sugar. Pancakes are healthy if the alternatives are donuts. Whole grain vegan pancakes are healthy if the alternative is traditional pancakes.

Healthy is relative. The healthiest diet plan for you is the one that fits these two premises:

  • It improves your current situation
  • It can be followed in the long-term

The benefits of a healthy vegan diet plan

A couple of my friends tank their cars with premium gasoline, yet don’t pay attention for a single minute to the foods they put in their bodies. Their flats where they choose to live in are decorated by designers. Yet they don’t take care of the place where they necessarily have to live in: their bodies.

Your body is renewing itself every 7-10 years. This is pretty astounding. A couple trillions of cells get replaced in that period. And where does your body get the building blocks from? Your diet.

You have to set your priorities straight. Don’t be penny wise and pound foolish.

The 7-day vegan diet plan

This plan is suited to reach an average goal of about 2,000 calories per day (1942cal to be exact). This is the ideal calorie intake of an average women, or for an average man who is looking to lose weight (500 calorie deficit per day, resulting in about 0.5kg weight loss per week).

The amount of fiber is around 50grams, which is nearly double the amount of the minimum daily intake and three times the amount in the average american diet.1

This means that the meal plan is extremely healthy in comparison to what you’ll find on the market. You might feel a big increase in your energy.

This meal plan is ideally for people who want to start eating a vegan diet. The meals are diverse, so you’re able to see the full range of what you can expect on a vegan diet.

Note: This plan is not meant to be followed 100%. Take all the positive things that you want from this plan and eliminate the negative ones. If you want to have a fully customized plan, you can visit my website (Hint: There’s a free gift for you).

Important: Drink 3-4 liters of water every day and add green tea / coffee to your diet, as these are antioxidant-rich and healthy beverages.

Day 1

Total: 1614 calories, 231g carbs (66%), 50g fat (14%), 71g protein (20%), 45g fiber

Breakfast

Banana-Ginger-Pear-Bowl
(734 calories, 98g carbs, 27g fats, 32 g protein, 20g fiber)

Ingredients

  • 1 banana
  • 1 pear, stoned
  • 1 date, stoned
  • 3 tablespoons almonds
  • 1 tablespoon flaxseeds
  • 1 tablespoon hemp flour
  • 1/2 tablespoon carob powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon fresh ginger
  • 250ml soy milk

Steps

  1. Cut the banana, pear, dates and almonds into pieces (size to your personal liking).
  2. Put all the ingredients in a bowl. Add the soy milk.

Lunch

Amaranth-Hemp Seed-Salad
(250 calories, 27g carbs, 11g fats, 13g protein, 8g fiber)

Ingredients

  • 1 Nori leaf, chopped
  • 4 handful of mixed salads
  • 10g of amaranth
  • 1 handful of sugar snaps
  • 2 tablespoons of hemp seeds

Steps

  1. Put all the ingredients in a bowl.
  2. Add some dressing, I recommend an Italian dressing.
  3. Make sure you use only a little bit of oil.

Snack

Banana Ice-Cream
(210 calories, 54g carbs, 1g fat, 0g protein, 6g fiber)

Ingredients

  • 2 Ripe Bananas

Steps

  1. Peel and slice the bananas, place them in a container and freeze them for 1 hour.
  2. Remove the frozen bananas from the freezer and let them thaw a little at room temperature.
  3. Place the bananas in a food processor and process until smooth and creamy, like soft-serve ice cream.
    You can vary the recipe by adding a little cinnamon, vanilla or cocoa powder.

Dinner

Healthy Greens Plate
(420 calories, 52g carbs, 11g fats, 26g protein, 11g fiber)

Ingredients

  • 100g brown rice (cooked)
  • 200g firm tofu
  • 2 cups broccoli

Steps

  1. Cook the brown rice and the broccoli in a medium-sized pot.
  2. Add the tofu in a pan with a little bit of water.
  3. When the ingredients are ready: Drain the water.
  4. Add flaxseeds for extra crunchiness and health.

Day 2

Total: 2219 calories, 295 carbs (67%), 56g fat (13%), 87g protein (20%), 74g fiber

Breakfast

Breakfast Bowl
(787 calories, 107g carbs, 31g fat, 26g protein, 18g fiber)

Ingredients

  • 1 banana
  • 1 pear
  • 1 date, stoned
  • 3 tablespoons of almonds
  • 1 tablespoons of flaxseeds
  • 1/2 cup of millet flakes
  • 1/2 tablespoon of grated ginger
  • 250ml soymilk (low-sodium)

Steps

  1. Peel the banana.
  2. Stone the pear.
  3. Cut the banana, pear, almonds and the dates into tiny pieces.
  4. Put all the ingredients into a bowl.
  5. Add the soymilk.

Lunch

Spaghetti with White Bean Tomato Sauce
(373 calories, 66g carbs, 10g fats, 15g protein, 11g fiber)

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces uncooked whole-grain spaghetti
  • 5-ounces low-sodium tomato sauce
  • 3-ounces low-sodium cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  1. Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions; drain.
  2. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine the spaghetti sauce and beans, cover, and warm over low heat.
  3. Serve the spaghetti topped with the tomato-bean mixture.

Snack

On-the-go Smoothie (385 calories, 76g carbs, 4g fats, 10g protein, 22g fiber)

Ingredients:

  • 1 very ripe banana
  • 2 cups frozen raspberries
  • 1 cup soy milk

Steps

  1. Combine all the ingredients in a blender.
  2. Blend for about 2 minutes.

Dinner

Bean-Kale Madness
(674 calories, 106g carbs, 11g fat, 36g protein, 23g fiber)

Ingredients:

  • 100g amaranth (cooked)
  • 200g kale
  • 2 cups kidney Beans

Steps

  1. Cook the amaranth and the kale in a medium-sized pot.
  2. Add the kidney beans in a pan with a little bit of water.
  3. When the ingredients are ready: Drain the water.
  4. Add a tablespoon of flaxseeds (approx. 50 calories) for extra crunchiness and health.

Day 3

Total: 1872 calories, 244g carbs (61%), 71g fat (18%), 85g protein (21%), 59g fiber

Breakfast

Banana-Ginger-Pear-Bowl
(734 calories, 98g carbs, 27g fats, 32g protein, 20g fiber)

Ingredients

  • 1 banana
  • 1 pear, stoned
  • 1 date, stoned
  • 3 tablespoons almonds
  • 1 tablespoon flaxseeds
  • 1 tablespoon hemp flour
  • 1/2 tablespoon carob powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon fresh ginger
  • 250ml soy milk

Steps

  1. Cut the banana, pear, dates and almonds into pieces (size to your personal liking).
  2. Put all the ingredients in a bowl.
  3. Add the soy milk.

Lunch

Green Salad with Edamame and Beets
(271 calories, 30g carbs, 8g fat, 21g protein, 12g fiber)

Ingredients

  • 2 cups mixed greens
  • 1 cup shelled edamame
  • 1/2 medium beet, shredded
  • 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Steps

  1. Combine greens, edamame, beet and cilantro.
  2. Top with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar.

Snack

Handful of Pecan Nuts
(301 calories, 6g carbs, 31g fat, 4g protein, 4g fiber)

Ingredients

  • pecan nuts

Steps

  1. Put a handful of antioxidant-rich nuts in your hands.
  2. Then eat it. Simple.

Dinner

Rice, Kale and Beans Combination
(566 calories, 110 carbs, 5g fat, 28g protein, 23g fiber)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup brown rice
  • 200g kale
  • 2 cups Kidney Beans

Steps

  1. Cook the brown rice and the kale in a medium-sized pot.
  2. Add the kidney beans in a pan with a little bit of water.
  3. When the ingredients are ready: Drain the water.
  4. Add a tablespoon of flaxseeds (approx. 50 calories) for extra crunchiness and health.

Day 4

A high calorie day. When you’re following a diet plan, it is not necessary to have every single day at the same calorie level. You’re allowed to splurge, just don’t forget to make up for it the next or the previous day. What matters is the calorie level over the week.

Total: 2557 calories, 212g carbs (46%), 167g fat (46%), 82g protein (18%), 65g fiber

Breakfast

Breakfast Bowl
(787 calories, 107g carbs, 31g fat, 26g protein, 18g fiber)

Ingredients

  • 1 banana
  • 1 pear
  • 1 date, stoned
  • 3 tablespoons of almonds
  • 1 tablespoons of flaxseeds
  • 1/2 cup of millet flakes
  • 1/2 tablespoon of grated ginger
  • 250ml soymilk

Steps

  1. Peel the banana.
  2. Stone the pear.
  3. Cut the banana, pear, almonds and the dates into tiny pieces.
  4. Put all the ingredients into a bowl.
  5. Add the soy milk.

Lunch

Almond-Flaxseed-Burger – combined with Sweet Potatoes
(1520 calories, 78g carbs, 125g fat, 43g protein, 39g fiber)

Ingredients

  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 cup of almonds
  • 6 tablespoons of flaxseeds
  • 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons of coconut oil
  • 1 cup sweet potatoes

Steps

  1. Put the sweet potatoes into the oven.
  2. Blend all the other ingredients together. Form two burger patties.
  3. You can eat these vegan-meat-patties raw or put some coconut oil on them and put them into a baking pan at medium heat.
  4. Cook until they’re golden.
  5. Add the sweet potatoes.

Dinner

Amaranth-Hemp Seed-Salad
(250 calories, 27g carbs, 11g fats, 13g protein, 8g fiber)

Ingredients

  • 1 Nori leaf, chopped
  • 4 handful of mixed salads
  • 10g of amaranth
  • 1 handful of sugar snaps
  • 2 tablespoons of hemp seeds

Steps

  1. Put all the ingredients in a bowl.
  2. Add some dressing, I recommend an Italian dressing.
  3. Make sure you use only a little bit of oil.

Day 5

An extremely low fat and calorie day, as Day 4 had over 150+ grams of fat and over 2.5k calories. We’re making up for it at that time with low calories and fat. Our fiber is still high though, which means you won’t starve.

Total: 1376 calories, 240g carbs (70%), 30g fat (9%), 71g protein (21%), 61g fiber

Breakfast

Blueberry-Antioxidant-Smoothie
(237 calories, 66g carbs, 5g fat, 4g protein, 24g fiber)

Ingredients

  • 1 ripe banana
  • 3 cups of cold water
  • 1 cup of blueberries
  • 1 tablespoon of flaxseeds
  • 1 tablespoon stevia sweetener
  • 1 tablespoon of mashed rooibos

Steps

  1. Combine all the ingredients in a blender.

Snacks

Fruit platter
(407 calories, 93g carbs, 1g fat, 6g protein, 8g fiber)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup blueberries
  • 2 bananas
  • 2 oranges

Steps

  1. Peel the orange and the bananas.
  2. Slice them both into mouth-sized pieces.
  3. Add the blueberries.

Lunch

Kale and Beans Combination
(318 calories, 58g carbs, 3g fat, 23g protein, 21g fiber)

Ingredients

  • 200g kale
  • 2 cups Kidney Beans

Steps

  1. Cook the kale in a medium-sized pot.
  2. Add the kidney beans in a pan with a little bit of water.
  3. When the ingredients are ready: Drain the water.
  4. Add a tablespoon of flaxseeds (approx. 50 calories) for extra crunchiness and health.

Dinner

Tofu Scramble
(414 calories, 23g carbs, 21g fat, 38g protein, 8g fiber)

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • ¼ cup onions, chopped
  • 1 cup red and green bell peppers, chopped
  • 1 cup spinach
  • 12-14 ounces tofu, crumbled
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Steps

  1. Heat oil in a pan, add onions and peppers.
  2. Sauté until vegetables are softened.
  3. Add spinach, crumbled tofu, salt and pepper.
  4. Cook for a few minutes on medium heat and serve.

Day 6

A great idea for someone that is interested in eating more, small meals per day. There are 2 snacks included.

Total: 1599 calories, 283g carbs (78%), 20g fat (6%), 60g protein (16%), 47g fiber

Breakfast

On-the-Go Smoothie
(385 calories, 76g carbs, 4g fats, 10g protein, 22g fiber)

Ingredients

  • 1 very ripe banana
  • 2 cups frozen raspberries
  • 1 cup soy milk

Steps

  1. Combine all the ingredients in a blender.
  2. Blend for about 2 minutes.

Lunch

Spelt noodles with BeyondMeat
(523 calories, 79g carbs, 6g fats, 33g protein, 9g fiber)

  • 85g of spelt noodle (uncooked)
  • 3-ounces of Chicken Free Strips by BeyondMeat
  • 5-ounces tomato sauce

Steps

  1. Cook the noodles according to the package directions; drain.
  2. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, cook the chicken free strips to your liking.
  3. Add the tomato sauce.
  4. Serve the noodle with the tomato and vegan chicken mixture.

Snack

Handful of berries
(85 calories, 21g carbs, 1g fat, 1g protein, 3g fiber)

Ingredients

  • Blueberries / Raspberries

Steps

  1. Put a handful of antioxidant-rich berries in your hands.
  2. Then eat it.

Dinner

Green Salad with Edamame and Beets
(271 calories, 30g carbs, 8g fat, 21g protein, 12g fiber)

Ingredients

  • 2 cups mixed greens
  • 1 cup shelled edamame
  • 1/2 medium beet, shredded
  • 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Steps

  1. Combine greens, edamame, beet and cilantro.
  2. Top with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar.

Dessert

Fruit Pops
(335 calories, 77g carbs, 1g fat, 5g protein, 1g fiber)

Ingredients

  • About 3 cups unsweetened fruit juice of your choice, such as grape, pomegranate or orange juice (squeeze at home and use the pulp for more health benefits)

Steps

  1. Fill an ice pop mold (set of 6) with the juice, put a wooden stick in there.
  2. Let it freeze for a couple of hours.
  3. To remove a frozen pop from the mold, run briefly under warm water.

Day 7

A diet has to be sustainable. Today we eat pancakes for breakfast.

Total: 2355 calories, 385g carbs (74%), 66g fat (13%), 67g protein (13%), 85g fiber

Breakfast

Banana-Chocolate Pancakes
(1,375calories, 218g carbs, 47g fat, 47g protein, 65g fiber)

Ingredients

  • 2 peeled and mashed bananas
  • 2 dried dates, stoned
  • 20g amaranth
  • 240ml chocolate hemp milk
  • 250ml water
  • 70g buckwheat flour
  • 4 tablespoons of linseeds
  • 4 tablespoons of hemp protein
  • 3 tablespoons of carob powder
  • 2 tablespoons of cacao nibs

Steps

  1. Blend all these ingredients together.
  2. Pour very few coconut-oil (use an oil-spray) into a baking pan.
  3. Pour the ingredients into the baking pan until you have the right size of the pancake for you.
  4. Bake for 5 minutes, turn it to the other side and bake for another 5 minutes.

Lunch

Amaranth-Hemp Seed-Salad
(250 calories, 27g carbs, 11g fats, 13g protein, 8g fiber)

Ingredients

  • 1 Nori leaf, chopped
  • 4 handful of mixed salads
  • 10g of amaranth
  • 1 handful of sugar snaps
  • 2 tablespoons of hemp seeds

Steps

  1. Put all the ingredients in a bowl.
  2. Add some dressing, I recommend an Italian dressing.
  3. Make sure you use only a little bit of oil.

Dinner

Mint Couscous
(730calories, 140g carbs, 23g protein, 8g fat, 12g fiber)

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup hot mint tea
  • 3/4 cup uncooked couscous
  • 4 to 5 dried apricots
  • 8 to 10 pitted dried black olives
  • 1 tablespoon chile paste, preferably harissa sauce
  • 1/3 cup cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Steps

  1. Combine the hot tea and couscous in a medium bowl.
  2. As the couscous absorbs the liquid, slowly fluff it with a fork.
  3. Add the remaining ingredients, stir together and serve.

Published by Kerem Kayacan