Being a sports nutritionist with an MSc in Applied Sports Nutrition I have an understanding of the science behind weight loss and energy balance. Calories out have to exceed calories in to achieve weight loss. But can I put it into practice in a way that will work for anyone on a whole food plant-based (WFPB) diet?
Since starting a WFPB diet around 10 years ago and after an initial weight loss of around 7 lbs my weight’s plateaued. I have decided to use a scientific approach to weight loss with the objective of getting back to my last rugby playing weight of 12st 8lbs (80kg) which was over 20 years ago! I am starting at 13st 3lbs (84kg)and am aiming to lose the 9lbs steadily at a rate of 2lbs/week over 4-5 weeks. The science suggests that a calorie deficit of approx. 1000kcal/day should enable me to achieve this. So by increasing my energy expenditure, by exercising more, while decreasing my energy intake, by monitoring what I eat, I should be able to get to the weight I am aiming for. I also want to ensure that my new “playing” weight of 80kg is maintained so the lifestyle changes I am making need to be sustainable too! I will also be monitoring my body fat % throughout using a Bodpod machine I have available at work, with a starting value of 20.2%, and seeing if I can get this down to around 17%, which is a much healthier level for my age and gender.
I will be using the recipes in the Plant-Based 4 Running cookbook and nutrition guide to help me in this process. All the recipes in the book have the energy and macronutrient contents calculated for me. I will also be using a software programme called Nutritics to monitor and track my daily food intake which will give me breakdowns of both the macro and microntrient content as well.
These tools should enable me to track my energy expenditure and energy intake to ensure that I achieve the right energy balance, eat healthily and enable me to lose the weight gradually and sustainably!
Wish me luck!
Philip Woodbridge MSc BA(Hons) SENr
P4S Nutrition
Follow me on social media:
