The Adapted Plate Method for Plant-Based FAT LOSS
Trying to get lean on a plant-based diet but tired of following meal plans and macro-tracking? Then the Adapted Plate Method might be a successful FAT LOSS approach for you!
What is the Adapted Plate Method?
The Adapted Plate Method is an approach that complements the concepts of intuitive eating, while still providing structure within your diet. It’s designed to teach you HOW to eat, rather than just WHAT to eat —allowing you to build healthy eating habits while still working towards your fitness goals.
It essentially shows you how to prioritize protein and fibre through PORTIONING… instead of eliminating food groups or adding the stress of restriction to your life. No measuring, no weighing, and no food logging required.
To develop this fat loss tool, I modified the Plate Method diagram from Canada’s Food Guide by making it more suitable for striving towards FITNESS goals, rather than just maintaining adequate health status.
This method can also be adjusted to help you with muscle gain or weight maintenance, if fat loss is not your goal. However, in this article, we’ll be going over its use as it pertains to fat loss.
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Why the Traditional Plate Method Falls Short
Especially when it comes to plant-based nutrition, the traditional Plate Method as seen in Canada’s Food Guide has several limitations that could potentially lead you down a less ideal path.
Protein Sources
One of the main points of confusion is in the categorization of “protein foods”. And this is seen repeatedly across so many online resources. You’ll notice that if you Google search “plant-based protein”, you’ll find articles that mostly talk about legumes, beans, nuts, seeds, and soy products.
These foods are amazingly nutritious and delicious —but they are not all great protein sources! Especially if your goal is to lose body fat. This is because the protein-to-calorie ratio is quite low.
Let’s use chickpeas —often seen as a source of protein— as an example. Chickpeas are awesome for fibre and other micronutrients. But when we break it down, you’ll see that they are actually more of a carbohydrate source than anything else.
When comparing chickpeas to something like seitan —an incredible vegan protein source made from wheat gluten —the macronutrient breakdown differs quite drastically. As you can see in the above diagrams, chickpeas are approximately 19% protein, whereas seitan is around 62%.
By choosing something like seitan, you will be able to for one, eat more protein in a normal sized serving. But for two, you’ll be able to consume MORE protein without as many calories!
For that reason, in my version of the Plate Method, I categorize chickpeas to be a carbohydrate with protein, while seitan is listed as a protein. By separating foods like chickpeas from foods like seitan, you’re much less likely to be mislead into believing the two are equivalent. And you’ll be much more likely to select protein sources that will actually help you reach optimal protein intake levels for your goals.
For more amazing plant-based protein sources, I recommend reading my full post about my top 5 vegan proteins for fat loss here!
Food Categories
The primary reason as to why all of these “protein foods” with varying amounts of protein are lumped into one category in Canada’s Food Guide, as well as a lot of other resources, is because there are limited categories —only three.
The effort to make this resource very simple and straight-forward is understandable for the general population. But it’s probably not ideal for those looking to achieve something beyond just adequate health. This is why in my adaptation, I have included seven categories: proteins, carbohydrates, carbohydrates with protein, vegetables, fruits, fats, and proteins with fat.
By having more categories, the approach allows for a higher degree of nutritional optimization! …but still without completely controlling your food choices.
Personalization
Lastly, the traditional Plate Method doesn’t allow for much customization to suit individual needs. It aims to be a good fit for most, rather than an ideal fit for you. Your nutritional needs are unique to you and your goals!
With the Adapted Plate Method, you will be able to adjust your plate proportions as you progress in order to continue seeing the results you want. I also offer this approach as an option to those who sign up with me for 1:1 online fitness coaching. In this setting, I can further personalize your plate method program to YOU based on how your body responds.
How to Use The Adapted Plate Method
This fat loss tool is extremely easy to implement into your life —which is why it’s worked so effectively for many! It’s practical and flexible in nature to accommodate for individual preferences.
Categorizing Food
Below is a table I’ve created for you to use as a resource. You’ll need to use this while you’re portioning out your meals.
While it’s impossible to include every single food item known to man, this table aims to categorize as many foods as possible to make your life easier while making food.
Stage 1
Now that you have your food categories table to reference, we can begin to utilize the Adapted Plate Method. In this initial stage, we will be using these four diagrams below:
Note that plate 1A, 1B, and 1D, also include a fat source that is not displayed in the diagram. This is because oftentimes, fat sources don’t really follow the structure of your plate, and instead, are used in the cooking process or as a topping.
For example, you could choose to use a drizzle of olive oil while baking potatoes. Or you could add nut butter to your bread. The only plate that this does not apply to is plate 1C because the protein source for this plate already contains fat.
These four figures will help to structure your three main meals of the day —breakfast, lunch, and dinner. For each meal, you will choose one graph to use as your portioning guide. Each graph can be used as many times in a day as you wish, and you don’t need to utilize all of them.
Once you determine which graph you will be following, you can go ahead and portion out your food on your plate in the proportions that correspond to the graph every time you eat a meal.
The duration for which you will be in stage 1 will vary from person to person. I’d recommend moving onto stage two once you’ve been able to fully adhere to the plate structures of stage 1 for a minimum of two weeks. That said, if you are already seeing a little progress during the first two weeks, I’d recommend staying in stage 1 for longer. Once you notice that progress is starting to slow down, then stage 2 will be waiting for you.
Stage 2
During this stage, you will continue upon the exact same habits you’ve built during stage 1. The only difference here is that we will now use these four diagrams below instead.
Note that plates 2A, 2B, and 2D, again also include a fat source that isn’t displayed in the diagram.
By shifting the structure of your plate for each meal, we can prioritize protein and fibre even more! This will increase your likelihood of achieving your fat loss goals.
Additional Tips
As you use this method, you may also want to consider some other important variables in your diet.
- Food Variety —crucial for ensuring your body is getting a wide array of vitamins and minerals!
- Water —drinking water consistently throughout the day will keep you hydrated and aid in digestion.
- Mindfulness —when possible, eat based on your body’s hunger and fullness cues, rather than sticking to a rigid meal schedule.
Limitations
The intention behind the Adapted Plate Method is not to lose fat quickly —but rather to do so sustainably. Whenever the focus is on intuition instead of restriction, progress may inevitably be slower. So do you want fast results or long-lasting lifestyle changes?
If you’re unsure if this approach is right for you, you can read more in my post about if a meal plan or intuitive eating is the best strategy for your goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, absolutely. Tune into your hunger and fullness cues, and make the decision based on how you feel. While you don’t need to follow the plate structure for snacks, try to select foods that are still high in protein and/or fibre.
While I do try my best to include as many foods as possible, it would be impossible to list everything. So feel free to use the nutrition label of the food product to determine where it belongs.
Yes. The point of this structure is to sustainably reduce body fat without having it rule your life. You have the freedom to enjoy meals out! Use your hunger and fullness cues to determine what and how much you should eat while out. But —it’s perfectly okay to eat past the point of fullness occasionally or to eat something purely for taste or enjoyment, rather than nutritional value.
No, unless you have allergies or sensitivities to a particular food(s). Otherwise, by focussing on ADDING protein-rich, high-fibre foods into your diet, you will most likely end up reducing your consumption of less nutritious foods.
If you’re not feeling hungry, you don’t need to eat! However, you may want to adjust the size of your meals or the timing of your meals so that you have an appetite for all three.
Next Steps
So if you want to lose body fat while focusing on sustainability and long-term success, I’d recommend giving the Adapted Plate Method a try! By simply following the diagrams in each stage of this approach, you can learn to trust your intuition, hit your protein requirements, and see results without feeling restricted.
I use the principles of this method in my Plant-Based Fitness for Fat Loss e-book! It comes complete with a training and cardio regimen as well to serve as an all-in-one guide.
Need More Support?
I’m here to help with 1:1 online fitness coaching! Together, we can determine which method will best suit you best, and work towards your health and fitness goals.
Click below to apply for a free phone consultation with me!
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