There is no doubt there are many benefits to the vegetarian lifestyle.
Maybe you are contemplating taking it up yourself.
Perhaps you are wondering if you can lose weight by becoming a vegetarian.
Well there's not a simple answer to the question "will I lose weight by becoming a vegetarian?".
If you eat more than your body needs you will put on weight.
This can be said for vegetarians and meat eaters too.
Similarly, you can lose weight on both types of diet too.
However, having said that, the facts show that someone on an everyday vegetarian diet consumes around 500 calories less than someone on a meat included diet.
But, and here's the interesting part, the vegetarians actually eat more food.
The reason for this is that a healthy vegetarian diet is high in complex carbohydrates.
These are the foods which are high in fibre and starch and low in fat and calories, things like legumes and whole grains.
For every 3500 calories you cut from your diet you will lose one pound.
So, losing the 500 calories a day from meat is a great start to your diet of at least one pound per week.
But you still might not lose any weight at all simply by cutting out meat, especially if you replace it with things like cheese and milk.
To successfully lose weight on a vegetarian diet you should plan all your meals in advance and include a good variety of vegetables, grains and fruit.
This way you will be less likely to reach for the junk food, scupper your diet and your health in general.
Don't go thinking you are going to be tied to your cooker or peeling vegetables for all eternity either.
These days there are a fabulous range of vegetarian convenience foods available if you are in a hurry.
Most supermarkets will have their own range as well as the better known brands.
Those of you in the UK will probably already be familiar with the Linda McCartney range of ready meals.
A word of caution here.
Remember to keep an eye on the way your veggies are cooked.
You can't just choose fries as the "vegetarian option".
Fried is still fried! Try to stick to boiled, grilled, steamed or sautéed vegetables wherever possible.
Oh, and hold the mayo!!
Maybe you are contemplating taking it up yourself.
Perhaps you are wondering if you can lose weight by becoming a vegetarian.
Well there's not a simple answer to the question "will I lose weight by becoming a vegetarian?".
If you eat more than your body needs you will put on weight.
This can be said for vegetarians and meat eaters too.
Similarly, you can lose weight on both types of diet too.
However, having said that, the facts show that someone on an everyday vegetarian diet consumes around 500 calories less than someone on a meat included diet.
But, and here's the interesting part, the vegetarians actually eat more food.
The reason for this is that a healthy vegetarian diet is high in complex carbohydrates.
These are the foods which are high in fibre and starch and low in fat and calories, things like legumes and whole grains.
For every 3500 calories you cut from your diet you will lose one pound.
So, losing the 500 calories a day from meat is a great start to your diet of at least one pound per week.
But you still might not lose any weight at all simply by cutting out meat, especially if you replace it with things like cheese and milk.
To successfully lose weight on a vegetarian diet you should plan all your meals in advance and include a good variety of vegetables, grains and fruit.
This way you will be less likely to reach for the junk food, scupper your diet and your health in general.
Don't go thinking you are going to be tied to your cooker or peeling vegetables for all eternity either.
These days there are a fabulous range of vegetarian convenience foods available if you are in a hurry.
Most supermarkets will have their own range as well as the better known brands.
Those of you in the UK will probably already be familiar with the Linda McCartney range of ready meals.
A word of caution here.
Remember to keep an eye on the way your veggies are cooked.
You can't just choose fries as the "vegetarian option".
Fried is still fried! Try to stick to boiled, grilled, steamed or sautéed vegetables wherever possible.
Oh, and hold the mayo!!
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