The Beginner's Guide to Plant-Based Bright Line Eating (2024)

  • October 19, 2020

The Beginner's Guide to Plant-Based Bright Line Eating (1)

Hey there!Some links on this page may be affiliate links which means that, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases made through those links. I greatly appreciate your support!

It’s no secret that people are sicker than ever. The obesity rate is at a record high and most of the common diseases are a result of obesity or are exacerbated by it. The diet industry is growing just as fast as our waistlines, and yet our waistlines never seem to shrink, or at least stay that way for very long. So, what is happening? And how can we fix it? I believe that the answer lies in plant-based Bright Line Eating.

What is plant-based Bright Line Eating?

Plant-based Bright Line Eating is a growing movement. Bright Line Eating (BLE) is a way of eating/lifestyle designed by Dr. Susan Pierce Thompson that helps to heal the brain from sugar and flour addiction while also balancing hormones and achieving a right size body in the process. It does this by drawing strict lines against the consumption of any and all sugars, sweeteners, and flours (including almond flour and gluten free flours). Because BLE excludes sugar and flour it also excludes a lot of (though not all) processed foods.

BLE isn’t strictly plant-based. It simply has categories of foods for each meal that a person can choose from. For example, breakfast is 1 grain, 1 protein, and 1 fruit. One person may choose to have toast, eggs, and strawberries while another may choose oatmeal, hemp hearts, and blueberries. One is plant-based, the other is not, but they are both completely BLE approved. Another breakfast might be hash brown patties, breakfast sausage, and a banana. The sausage and hash browns are processed foods, but they are still BLE foods nonetheless.

After following the BLE way of eating for a time, many people find that they begin to gravitate towards plant-based Bright Line Eating, eventually eliminating animal products and processed foods all together as they find that whole plant foods make them feel so good. If that is why you are here, then keep on reading!

How to get started with plant-based Bright Line Eating

The first thing to know is that you can start out any way you like. You can go all in all at once, or you can slowly transition. Either way you’ll reap the benefits of plant-based BLE. The first thing you’ll want to do is clear out your pantry, fridge, and freezer. Be sure to read labels carefully. For plant-based Bright Line Eating, there should be no sugar or flour in the first three ingredients, and no animal products anywhere on the list. If you also want to choose whole plant foods then you’ll want to make sure the ingredients list is foods you would find in your own kitchen (with the exception of thickeners and preservatives of course), and that it is minimally processed. You can download a list of whole food plant based BLE foods by clicking here. If you’ll be slowly transitioning to plant-based BLE, you may want to organize your food into plant-based and not plant-based so it’s easier to plan plant-based meals and non plant-based meals.

Tips for Success in plant-based Bright Line Eating

Keep it simple. When you first start any new way of eating it can seem overwhelming. The beauty of Bright Line Eating is that the food is all categorized and you can piece together your meals quite easily, no recipes needed. Stay away from recipes until you get the hang of basic meals. Once you’ve gotten your feet wet, the Official Bright Line Eating Cookbook is a great beginner recipe book to show you how to piece together BLE recipes. About half the recipes in the book are plant-based and the back of the book has meal plans you can follow. You can find my review of the book here.

Common Questions/FAQ About plant-based Bright Line Eating

  • What are the 4 bright lines in Bright Line Eating?
    • First, let’s define a “bright line.” A bright line is a clear unambiguous boundary that a person sets and they do not cross. Sort of like how an alcoholic sets a boundary around alcohol, Bright Line Eaters set boundaries around food in order to gain some sanity and get off of the yo-yo diet rollercoaster that most have been on all their lives. The 4 bright lines in Bright Line Eating are no sugar, no flour, no snacks, and bounded quantities. Plant-based BLE has the added bright line of no animal products.
  • What do you eat on plant-based Bright Line Eating?
    • A lot of times the question comes up…. if you can’t eat sugar and flour, then what CAN you eat? Toss in the added exclusion of animal products, and people who are new to both BLE and eating plant-based can become a bit overwhelmed. But don’t worry, there are so many things to eat on the plant-based version of Bright Line Eating that it’s almost impossible to list them all. I have however attempted the impossible by putting together a pretty good list to get you started! Click here to download FREE your copy.
  • Can I eat out at restaurants?
    • Absolutely! While it’s not recommended to eat out in the beginning while you’re still getting the hang of BLE, once you have a firm grasp of BLE you can easily eat out at restaurants and stay within your bright lines.

The Last Thing You Need to Know about plant-based Bright Line Eating

Reading the Bright Line Eating book, or taking the boot camp is a MUST. You can’t simply read a blog post or download the food plan sheet and expect to be successful. Understanding the science behind it, and how your brain reacts to sugar and flour is key to being successful. The book and boot camp also answers questions such as what to do once you get close to your right size body (because you WILL get to your right size body with BLE) and how to maintain it.

I personally recommend reading the book to get started since it’s such a quick read. Most people finish it in about 2 days. Then, if you want a deeper dive with a TON more information, the boot camp is where it’s at. The boot camp is 8 weeks long (plus a couple of bonus weeks) and builds your identity as a lifelong Bright Line Eater.

Get your FREE copy of plant-based BLE foods here

You might like these posts too:

  1. How to Cook For the Whole Family While on Bright Line Eating (Plus a One Pot Meal Recipe)
  2. Recipe Tweaking 101: How to Make Delicious Recipes Fit Your Specific Diet
  3. A Better 100 Days Chart
  4. How to Make Scrambled Tofu | A Quick and Easy Vegan Breakfast

Share:

The Beginner's Guide to Plant-Based Bright Line Eating (2)

Pamela

Most Popular

Cocoa Comfort: Why A Daily Hot Chocolate Can Be a Parenting Win

December 7, 2023

Lazy Day Meals: Easy Plant Based Meal Ideas for When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking

September 12, 2023

May 13, 2023

A Foolproof Method for Homemade Vegan Mayo

February 18, 2023

Categories

PrevPrevious2 Ingredient, 2 Step, Easy Homemade Vegan Yogurt in the Instant Pot

NextA Better 100 Days ChartNext

On Key

Related Posts

Cocoa Comfort: Why A Daily Hot Chocolate Can Be a Parenting Win

Parents often search for ways to make life more enjoyable and manageable. If you are looking for an easy way to wind down at the

Lazy Day Meals: Easy Plant Based Meal Ideas for When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking

These days, it can often feel like there are not enough hours in the day to get everything done. Cooking meals that please everyone at

Welcome my fellow foodies! Are you craving a wholesome and tasty meal that’s easy to prepare? Look no further than my Mouthwatering WFPB Quinoa &

A Foolproof Method for Homemade Vegan Mayo

Vegan mayonnaise has become increasingly popular and making it at home can be incredibly easy. In only two minutes with an immersion blender, a few

The Beginner's Guide to Plant-Based Bright Line Eating (2024)

FAQs

What are the 4 bright line eating rules? ›

The four Bright Lines are: eliminate sugar, eliminate flour, set up a schedule for your meals, and weigh your food. For example, a smoker who wants to get healthy isn't just trying to moderate her nicotine consumption by smoking less. Nicotine is addictive.

How do you start a bright line diet? ›

What will I need to get started? You can access your Bright Line Eating materials from any phone, tablet, or computer with internet access. All you need besides that is a digital food scale and someplace to write your planned food, such as a journal, notebook, or even a notes app on your phone.

What bread can you eat on bright line eating? ›

it's ezekiel 4. 9 as you can see it is flowerless. it is made out of sprouted grains so it's really good. I keep mine in the freezer and I just toast up a slice when I want one.

Is almond flour allowed on bright line eating? ›

It does this by drawing strict lines against the consumption of any and all sugars, sweeteners, and flours (including almond flour and gluten free flours). Because BLE excludes sugar and flour it also excludes a lot of (though not all) processed foods.

Can you eat peanut butter on Bright Line eating? ›

Generally, sugar, flour, fat, and salt are the elements that make foods more highly rewarding. Some foods on the Bright Line plan fall into that category. Cheese, for example, is highly rewarding. Nuts and nut butters are also sexy because of their reward value.

Can you eat rice cakes on Bright Line eating? ›

Some BLE foods are processed. Take rice cakes. I don't recommend starting the day with rice cakes and peanut butter. That's a highly rewarding food on top of a highly processed food.

Can I have popcorn on Bright Line Eating? ›

popcorn is not a BLE-friendly food.

Are sweet potatoes allowed on Bright Line Eating? ›

These cinnamon roasted sweet potatoes are sweet, flavorful, take only about 20 minutes to cook, and are a perfect breakfast food on the Bright Line Eating™ food plan.

What to eat for breakfast when you can't eat bread? ›

These breakfast ideas will rejuvenate your mornings.
  • 1Super green smoothie bowl. ...
  • 2Weet-Bix breakfast bliss balls. ...
  • 3Super-healthy banana, apricot and date oat bars. ...
  • 4Smashed avo on sweet potato toast. ...
  • 5Baked berry oats. ...
  • 6Fruit salad with honey yoghurt. ...
  • 7Baked egg, kale and herb pots. ...
  • 8Banana and spinach pancakes.

What grains are allowed on bright line eating? ›

Breakfast proteins are gentle things like yogurt, eggs, soy milk, almond milk, nuts, ground flax seeds, scrambled tofu, beans, and cottage cheese. Grains are things like oatmeal, cream of wheat, oat bran, rice, quinoa, sweet potato, or grits. Really any whole grain will work, so long as there's no sugar or flour in it.

Can you have beans on Bright Line Eating? ›

Favoured foods are beans, yams, sweet potatoes, fruit, nuts, seeds, whole grains and greens (especially the very healthy, leafy greens – spinach, kale, beet, chard and collards).

How many calories a day is Bright Line Eating? ›

The type and amount of food at each of your three meals is strictly dictated and adds up to about 1200 calories a day—a bit more if you are a man but otherwise, it's one size fits all. And that's it: Just follow these 4 simple rules to the letter—forever—and you too can be happy, thin, and free!

What are the 4 eating patterns? ›

Tracking dietary habits over 30 years

The researchers analyzed four eating patterns recommended by standard dietary guidelines: the healthy eating index 2015 (HEI-2015), alternate Mediterranean diet (AMED) score, healthful plant-based diet index (HPDI), and alternate healthy eating index (AHEI).

What are the four dietary guidelines? ›

v Aim for a healthy weight. v Be physically active each day. s Let the Pyramid guide your food choices. s Choose a variety of grains daily, especially whole grains.

What are the four bright lines in ble? ›

The core principles of BLE are Bright Lines—clear, unambiguous boundaries we don't cross just like a non-smoker doesn't smoke, no matter what. The four Bright Lines are: Sugar, Flour, Meals, and Quantities.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Melvina Ondricka

Last Updated:

Views: 5481

Rating: 4.8 / 5 (48 voted)

Reviews: 95% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Melvina Ondricka

Birthday: 2000-12-23

Address: Suite 382 139 Shaniqua Locks, Paulaborough, UT 90498

Phone: +636383657021

Job: Dynamic Government Specialist

Hobby: Kite flying, Watching movies, Knitting, Model building, Reading, Wood carving, Paintball

Introduction: My name is Melvina Ondricka, I am a helpful, fancy, friendly, innocent, outstanding, courageous, thoughtful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.