Let’s Talk, Woman to Woman: About Vegan Weight Loss
If you’ve been vegan for a while, you probably know this feeling. You’re doing everything right: eating healthy, following a clean vegan diet, cutting out junk, and yet, you still have this stubborn belly fat, and your vegan weight loss results are not showing.
I know, because I’ve been there too. For years, I truly believed that being 100% plant-based was enough to build the lean, sculpted body I had always dreamed of. But the reality is different. And when you’re a mom, managing a career, a family, and yourself… losing weight on a vegan diet can feel like another thing more to add to the list.
The good news? It is possible to achieve this, and you don’t need to be perfect. You just need a plan that works with your life, not against it. It’s about finding balance: the right calorie range, the right amount of plant-based protein, a manageable vegan workout plan, and small systems that make consistency possible.
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My Story: Why You Can Trust Me
Hi, I’m Malika Sani, a wife, a mom of four, a full-time employee, and a passionate vegan foodie.
I’ve been plant-based for over eight years, and I’ve tested it all: vegetarian, fully vegan, raw vegan, juice cleanses, several fitness programs, and multiple “miracle” gimmicks that promise to change your body fast.
Some worked. Many didn’t. And between work, kids, and real life, I have often found myself overwhelmed or disappointed by my multiple attempts to build my sculpted body.
But over time, I began to learn what actually works for busy women like us. What truly leads to vegan fat loss, to more confidence in your body, more energy, without burnout, and without spending your life in the gym or in the kitchen.
This guide is the roadmap for everything I’ve learned (and continue to refine) about sustainable vegan weight loss and how you can use this to create the sculpted body that you’ve always dreamed of.
Why Vegan Weight Loss Feels Harder Than It Should
Let’s be real: most of us vegans or mainly on a plant-based diet already eat “healthy.” Lots of veggies, fruits, grains, and legumes. We also cook a lot of yummy meals from recipes found online: vegan burgers, cauliflower chicken, vegan alfredo pasta, indian butter chicken. We thrive on the taste of the food. But here’s the problem: most of those foods are often low in protein and high in calories and fat. If you’re not tracking your macros, eating those meals/foods consistently can be a disaster on the overall look of your body: I am talking about stubborn fat in your belly, thighs, arms… even looking skinny fat.
To lose fat effectively, you need to understand how the calorie deficit works: you need to eat fewer calories than your body burns, while still fueling it well.
When you do that, everything will start to shift. You lose weight, fat, feel lighter, and your clothes fit better. Let’s see how to achieve that step by step.
Step 1: Know Your Numbers (Without Stressing About Them)
Let’s talk about numbers, not to obsess, but to gain clarity.
Most women underestimate calories and protein.
When you are on a weight/fat loss journey and you do not know your numbers, meaning you do not know how many calories you should eat per day, or how many carbs or protein, or fat. It can make the process of losing fat and redesigning your body really complicated.
Here is my secret: I use an AI tool I created, PowerPlant Boss, a free AI macro calculator and vegan meal planner, to tell me exactly how many calories and macros I need daily. No complicated calculation, no overwhelm.
Click on the following link to get access to it for free and calculate yours.
Here’s how it works:
- Click on the button on my homepage to request access to your Free AI meal planner, or click here
- Enter your first name and email in the signup form for PowerPlant Boss.
- Confirm your access through the email you received (check your spam and promotion folders too, in case it went there).
- Once inside the AI, you’ll see a chat (just like ChatGPT) with pre-prompts or the option to type your own request. Select the first prompt: “Build a weekly vegan meal plan to lose weight.”
- The AI will ask you a few questions to tailor the plan to your goals.
Answer those questions, and in seconds, you’ll get your daily calorie and macros requirement to lose weight, and a high-protein meal plan designed just for you.
Think of this as a bean light; knowing your numbers is like turning on the lights in a dark room.
Step 2: How Much Protein You Really Need
When it comes to building muscle on a plant-based diet, protein matters, but probably not as much as you think.
For years, I believed I needed to eat 130g or more per day to see results. But after watching Jeremy Ethier’s latest video on how much protein you actually need to build muscle, I learned that most of us are already eating more than enough.
Current research suggests that 0.7–1g of protein per pound of body weight (or 1.6–2.2g/kg) is ideal for maximizing muscle growth. And for many women, even 0.5g per pound (~60g/day) is sufficient, as long as you’re in a calorie-balanced diet and training consistently with resistance.
So instead of obsessing over hitting extreme protein targets, focus on:
- Eating enough total calories to fuel your training and recovery, you can check what your calories need are with my free AI PlantPower Boss here.
- Getting 20–25g of protein at each main meal to stimulate muscle growth and feel full.
- Prioritizing variety and digestibility (lentils, tofu, tempeh, edamame, chickpeas, quinoa, peas, soy milk…).
👉 And if you want to go really deep into how much protein your body really needs? Read my full breakdown in Protein for Weight Loss Vegan.
The key is consistency, not perfection. More protein doesn’t mean more muscle; it means more expense and potentially more strain on digestion.
You can check out Jeremy’s full explanation here: Jeremy Ethier — How Much Protein Do You Really Need to Build Muscle? (YouTube)
If figuring out how to reach those protein targets feels confusing, don’t worry I’ve got you covered.
I created a complete 7-Day Plant-Based Weight Loss Meal Plan (for Busy Women) that shows exactly how to hit your daily protein goals (around 80–100 g) while keeping calories balanced for fat loss.
In that post, you’ll find:
🌱 A full 7-day sample plan with macros and calories
🥗 Simple, high-protein vegan meals that are quick to prep
🧘🏽♀️ My personal system for staying consistent even on busy weeks
It’s the perfect next step if you’re ready to see what a high-protein plant-based week actually looks like in real life, and how easy it can be to stay on track once you have a plan.
Below is a picture of one of my lunch meals: corn tacos with Impossible Meatless Salsa and salad.
Since I learn about the low-calorie, high-density food principle, I’ve started eating larger, more satisfying meals that fill me up without exceeding my daily goals. Stay tuned, where I explain all of this in a coming post.
Step 3: Lift More, Move Smart
If I could go back in time, I’d tell my younger self this: cardio won’t shape your body, strength training will.
If you want toned arms, defined legs, and a flat belly, you need to lift weights or use resistance bands.
That’s where real vegan body transformation happens.
Strength training helps you burn fat while preserving and growing your muscles. It also boosts your metabolism long after your workout ends, so you can lose weight and fat faster than if you have no workout routine.
Here’s what I recommend when you start:
- 3–4 workouts max per week, 45 minutes max each
- Focus on weight lifting and on major muscle groups: legs, back, chest, arms
- Add a little bit of cardio to each session, 10 min max of running, biking, or stairs…
- Add 5,000–10,000 steps a day, as walking is one of the most underrated vegan fitness hacks out there. It burns calories, helps you accelerate your fat loss, reduces stress, and keeps you consistent even on busy days.
- Track your progress, and increase your weight or reps when it becomes too easy; this will make all the difference.
You don’t need to figure out what type of exercises you need or reinvent the wheel; simply choose a fitness/workout tool that has helped thousands of people succeed.
My favorite tool and the one I still use today is the Build With Science App by Jeremy Ethier (it is just $29.99 per month, and with my code ADGXOIUOEO, it will give you 20% off at checkout).
It’s science-based, beginner-friendly, and works perfectly alongside your vegan workout plan.
👉 I’ve now published my full comparison post where I review all the best plant-based weight loss programs I’ve tested, including YouTube workouts, Mindvalley 10X, Vegan Superhero Academy, Noom Weight Loss, and Build With Science. Read the full review here.
And click here for my more in-depth post regarding my personal experience with 10x fitness by Mindvalley.
Step 4: Add Intermittent Fasting to Accelerate Fat Loss
If you want to make fat loss easier, without too much thinking intermittent fasting is your secret weapon.
It’s not about skipping meals or starving yourself. It’s simply eating within a set window (like 14:10) that fits your lifestyle. This rhythm helps your body naturally burn more fat, reduce cravings, and simplify your day, especially when paired with a clean, high-protein, plant-based diet.
Here’s what I’ve found in my own routine:
- Fasting keeps me focused and productive in the mornings.
- It helps me avoid random snacking and emotional eating.
- My digestion, energy, and fat loss have all improved, effortlessly.
The beauty of intermittent fasting is that it adapts to you. You can still enjoy family dinners, workout early in the morning, and live your life normally, while giving your body the space it needs to reset and burn fat efficiently.
👉 To learn exactly how to get started and find the best fasting window for fat loss, read my full post: Plant-Based Intermittent Fasting: The Best Eating Window for Fat Loss →
Step 5: Simplify Your Vegan Meal Prep
I get it, you’re busy, I am too. Between work, kids, and everything else, spending hours in the kitchen isn’t realistic.
That’s why I created my 2+2+2 meal prep system for myself, and you can use it too. It is a realistic approach for busy women who don’t have hours to spend in the kitchen every weekend.
See, most online meal plans look great in the eyes and on paper, but are nearly impossible to follow in real life. Why? Because they give you a different recipe to do for almost every single meal: a new breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner every day. That means prepping and cooking 10+ different meals in one weekend to get yourself ready for the coming week.
Who honestly has time for that 👇?
Instead, I simplified the process. My awesome 2+2+2 system includes:
- 2 breakfasts
- 2 lunches
- 2 simple fruit for snacks
- 2 dinners
You’ll rotate these throughout the week. It’s the ultimate vegan meal prep hack. It saves time, keeps things simple, reduces decisions, and keeps you on track.
Here’s what a daily meal plan for me looks like right now 👇:
- Breakfasts: overnight oats, chocolate protein shake, or mung bean or chickpea omelet.
- Lunches: Asian stir fry, Pasta, Indian Curry, or Mexican bowl.
- Snacks: Fresh fruit like peach, papaya, watermelon, or apple.
- Dinners: Soup, or a big salad.
This keeps my meals fresh, tasty, and easy.
Click here to check my 7-day Plant-based Weight Loss Meal Plan.
🥗 And for practical dinner inspiration: Try my 5 favorite Low Calorie Vegan Dinners Under 500 Calories , they’re quick, high in protein, and designed for busy women who want results without spending hours in the kitchen.
If you want to go deeper, you can use PowerPlant Boss to generate new vegan recipes for your weight loss based on what you like and what’s in my fridge.
No stress, no guesswork, just structure that works.
Step 6: Stay Consistent, Even When Life Happens
Let’s be honest: life will happen.
Kids get sick, there are family activities, events, travels, you get sick or tired, you need to work, work out, chill, or you just don’t feel like cooking.
How are you gonna overcome these? Here’s how I handle it:
- When eating out or order meal delivery, I make sure to choose cuisines that offer plant-based protein options: Mexican (beans, rice, fajita veggies…), Thai, Asian, Indian (tofu stir fry, curries), and Mediterranean (salad, buddha bowls, falafels…).
- When traveling, I pack protein powder to add to my oatmeal for breakfast at the hotel and protein bars in case I need a snack that will benefit me.
This way, I stay aligned with my vegan weight loss goals, enjoy a good meal, and avoid obsessing.
Step 7: The Tools That Will Keep You On Track
Here’s what is in my real-life toolkit:
- My PowerPlant Boss AI: for personalized macro vegan meal plans.
- Build With Science App: my go-to workout and fitness coach (use my code ADGXOIUOEO, it will give you 20% off at checkout).
- Pedometer App: for step tracking.
- Instant Pot / Air Fryer: quick, oil-free cooking.
- Food Scale: to check on myself and stay accountable, it helps maintain your awareness without obsession.
Having the right tools is half the battle. They turn discipline into habit and effort into automation.
Step 8: What To Do When You Hit a Plateau?
We all hit plateaus. A plateau is that moment when the scale stops moving, your body looks the same, and your muscle growth seems to stall. It doesn’t mean you’ve failed; it simply means your body has adapted to your current routine: the same workouts, the same calories, the same rhythm.
It’s normal.
Instead of panicking and feeling discouraged, ask yourself a few simple questions:
- Am I still in a vegan calorie deficit?
- Am I getting enough plant-based protein each day?
- Am I doing all my workouts and daily steps?
Usually, the fix is simple: add 2,000 more steps daily, or add 10 minutes of cardio after each workout session, slightly reduce fats in your macros, or push harder in your workout. Choose one action to do or all of the above. You don’t need to start over, just realign.
That’s the secret to sustainable vegan weight loss: progress, not perfection.
🌿 Before You Go, Friend
Listen, I know how hard it can be to juggle motherhood, marriage life, work, and self-care.
But your vegan weight loss doesn’t have to mean exhaustion or sacrifice.
Start small. Keep your meals protein-rich and your habits realistic. Walk daily. Lift. Breathe. And be kind to yourself.
This is not about restriction, it’s about building a vegan lifestyle that makes you feel strong, free, and happy.
You’ve got this, and I’m here walking beside you.
When you’re ready, try PowerPlant Boss, my AI tool that builds your weekly plan for you.
