Consider these facts about a vegetarian diet:
- A typical vegetarian consumes 500 less calories a day than their meat-eating peers, while consuming more food.
- Vegetarians tend to be slimmer with less medical problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.
- Evidence indicates that a vegetarian diet causes calories to burn long after meals, which means that foods from plants are being used as fuel instead of being stored as fat.
- 6% of the vegetarian population is considered "obese" compared to 45% of the meat-eating population.
Before you decide you want to become a vegetarian and throw out all the meat in your house, understand that becoming a vegetarian doesn't automatically mean that you will lose weight! You can just imagine the calories packed into cheese, nuts, peanut butter, oils, creamy salad dressings, and sweets that can create havoc when you jump on the scale. Some vegetarian meals can be way too high in both fat and sugar. It's all about making healthy choices.
As in all diets, you must be diligent about reading nutrition fact labels and knowing exactly what you are putting into your mouth. For an easy explanation about how to understand nutrition fact labels, see http://www.easy-weightloss-tips.com/nutritionfactlabel.html
Easy tips to help you lose weight on a vegetarian diet:
- Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
- Choose lower-fat dairy products that are fortified with calcium and vitamins.
- Eat nutrient-dense foods that will provide the vitamins and minerals that you need daily.
- Take a multi-vitamin daily.
- Broil, steam, roast, or sauté your foods. Avoid fried foods.
- Use the vegetarian food pyramid guidelines to determine the proper portions that you should be eating. As with any diet, success is all about portion control! Generally, each day vegetarians should have 5-8 servings of grains, 3-5 servings of vegetables, 2-4 servings of fruits, 2-3 servings of dairy products, and 5-7 ounces total of beans, nuts, eggs, etc.
- Drink plenty of water.
- Eliminate or reduce "recreational eating." Don't fill up on empty calories. Eat with intention! Making careless choices can cause your metabolism to slow down.
- Beware of vegetarian "convenience food." Plan your meals and snacks carefully.
- Reduce your consumption of high-fat products such as mayonnaise, butter, and creamy salad dressings.
- Keep a food journal to help you stay motivated on your weight loss journey.
- Exercise a minimum of 30 minutes each day. More is better!
If you follow these easy steps, you will reduce your weight and improve your overall health. As always, see your physician before beginning a new diet and exercise routine.
About the Author
Gail M. Davis is the author of the weight loss advice site www.easy-weightloss-tips.com. For more tips on weight loss visit our site today!
