The latest diet craze: The Pegan plan!

January 20, 2016

Training and Nutrition

By Veego Personal Training

Training advice proudly brought to you by the health experts at Veego Personal Training

Every year we get a host of new and wonderful diets thrown at us all promising fast weight loss in a short time frame, by and large. As a population we very much buy into ‘instant gratification’ i.e. rewards and results with out that much work which is how most of these diets sell themselves. So let us take a look at the key features of the Pegan Plan;

- a mix of paleo and vegan diets
- fats from nuts and seeds and oily fish
- medium- high protein
- medium-low carbs and no processed or refined carbs
- no alcohol
- minimal fruit- only berries, kiwis and watermelon
- no dairy
- no grains, beans or lentils

This is a very condensed overview but it gives you an idea. This diet is basically healthy eating with a few tweaks to renew interest. It is high in starchy vegetables and protein so will be very filling for the calorie content. This will help you keep the overall calories lower than normal and thus should help you lose weight. The cornerstone of weight loss is still a negative energy balance or energy deficit over the course of any day. This should be small to encourage the burning of fat over muscle, which is very counter productive.

The Pegan plan is mostly good advice, except the low fruit intake which seems extreme. But the key is can this be sustained long term over months and years? Here at Veego we feel there are 4 simple points to healthy weight loss:

- Remember weight loss is usually 80% diet and 20% exercise.
- Healthy weight loss is a long term process and involves a small daily energy deficit (maximum 500 calories).
- Always involve exercise that works all the muscles in the body. This will encourage fat loss over muscle atrophy.
- Make sure your diet contains foods that are from their original source i.e. fruits, vegetables, meats and fish. Minimise processed foods and junk.

Enjoy your food but remember moderation and balance are the fundamentals. Happy eating!