I want your nutrition plan

You know this well. Even those who think they don’t.

I get endless messages from vegan and non-vegan trainees. From people who just started working out and want abs, to those considering going vegan who saw me on TV or in a post somewhere.

So many people look at me and think, “What does she eat? If I eat like her, I’ll look lean.”

But the truth is, it doesn’t work like that.

A nutrition plan is personal. It’s tailored to your body, your abilities, and your goals. I always recommend working with a qualified professional.

Not every low-carb diet will get you lean. The truth is, if you’re in a calorie deficit and consuming adequate protein, your calorie distribution can be flexible and include foods you love, in the right portions.

What? You can eat chocolate? Yes. You can.

So what do I focus on when I’m cutting?

1. A calorie deficit. Not extreme from day one, because we want sustainability. Sometimes you think you’ll get there faster by cutting harder, but your body needs calories to function. An unbalanced, aggressive deficit is very hard to maintain.

2. Adequate protein intake. I have a full review on my blog about global recommendations for vegan athletes, but during a cut alongside training, I consume between 1.8 to 2.5 grams per kilogram of body weight.

3. High-quality protein. Yes, mushrooms and vegetables contain protein, but they don’t always provide all essential amino acids or sufficient amounts. If you eat a varied diet, you’re covered. But when I’m cutting and calories are lower, I invest in legumes (including legume flours), tofu, and seitan. In other words, I prioritize protein sources that are complete and bioavailable for my body to use.

4. Supplements. During competition prep, I may not meet all my micronutrient needs, so I add a multivitamin. As a vegan, my regular supplements are B12, omega-3, creatine, and magnesium ZMA for recovery.

5. I almost completely avoid alcohol.

6. I avoid slogans like “unlimited.” Vegetables do have calories. I think I first heard “If you’re hungry, eat vegetables” when I was an overweight child. Yes, compared to many other foods they are lower in calories, but they are not zero calories, and I count them too. I’m not counting parsley stems, but I do limit things like zucchini. Sometimes when dieting, we try to create very high-volume meals, and that can actually feel heavy. Enrich your meals, but also pay attention to satiety.

7. I drink water.

8. Energy expenditure. Move. Cardio alone will not help if you are not in a calorie deficit, and excessive cardio can be exhausting during a diet. But increasing daily movement, like replacing a short drive with a walk, can absolutely move you forward.

9. Strength training. This deserves a full post of its own, but friends, lift. It doesn’t have to be a gym workout or the heaviest weight in the world. But if you haven’t started training yet, get up.

Additional tip. I use the Cronometer nutrition app, all the details are in my cutting guide. And yes, I weigh my food. Why? Because if I’m trying to lose weight, I want to use numbers to progress.

Sometimes I no longer need to weigh because I already know the portions. But when I start a focused phase, I begin with precise measurements.

For me, one tablespoon of tahini can be 10 grams or 25 grams. Both can sit on the same spoon. Do you really know how much you’re eating? This is one of the most common mistakes I see.

It often starts with, “I barely eat and I’m not losing weight,” and ends with, “Oh, I forgot about that,” or “I didn’t realize avocado has that many calories.”

So I invite you to get familiar with values and portions when you’re in a focused process.