Is A Vegetarian Diet A Healthy Way To Lose Weight

July 17th 2008

If you’ve been to any large banquets recently, you may have noticed people passing up the red meat and chicken in order to eat a vegetarian meal. Vegetarianism seems to be gaining in popularity each year, spurred on by health concerns, weight difficulties, and celebrity endorsement. You may find that a vegetarian diet is the key to weight loss in your particular case.

You may be surprised to learn that there are actually a variety of vegetarian diets in use today.In some cases, vegetarians eat only fruits, vegetables, beans, and nuts.In other cases, they may also eat cheese and drink milk, while in still other cases, they may eat eggs.

One of the advantages to the vegetarian diet is that it tends to be low in fat and cholesterol.A vegetarian diet can help you avoid heart problems and even cancer. However, you may also find that you are missing some important vitamins and minerals on a strictly vegetarian diet.

It has been said that the key to a successful vegetarian diet is planning. You must decide what you will be eating for every meal in order to ensure that you receive the proper nutrients. Otherwise, you may end up starving your body of the nutrients you need in order to be healthy.

A major benefit of the vegetarian diet is that it tends to involve a healthy serving of fruits and vegetables, along with whole grains. However, getting enough protein can be a challenge. Therefore, you might consider adding soy to your diet, which is high in protein content. Another important consideration is iron which is present in meat and needed to make red blood cells.

You’ll need to make sure that you eat spinach and beans in order to guarantee that you receive enough iron, since you will not be consuming customary sources of iron such as liver and roast beef.

You may need to supplement your diet with vitamins in order to ensure that you receive the appropriate amount of B-12, Vitamin D, calcium, and zinc. Otherwise, you’ll have to load up on cereals, soy milk, spinach, and broccoli.Also, eating a vegetarian diet means you’ll still have to restrict high-calorie foods.

You have to eat an array of fruits and vegetables.If you do use dairy, be sure that you choose non-fat or low-fat milk and cheese. Since eggs are rich in cholesterol, you should eat them only in moderation.

Studies have shown that vegetarians tend to consume fewer calories each day than meat-eaters. Also, the body mass indexa tool used to measure obesityis generally lower for vegetarians than for the population at large. However, as a vegetarian, you will still need to pay attention to portion control and calorie counts. Therefore, while vegetarianism may not be a panacea for weight loss, it can certainly help in the battle against the bulge.

However, it should be noted here that some people mistakenly look upon vegetarianism as a quick fix. They figure that if they give up meat for a couple of weeks, they’ll lose weight. Then, after their trial period is over, they go back to their old eating habits. This is a bad pattern because it encourages yo-yo dieting. If you decide to go on a vegetarian diet, it is very important that you stick with it. Otherwise, you may be greatly disappointed in your weight loss progress.

Vegetarianism is not for everyone. However, if you enjoy fruits and vegetables, are non-committal about meat, and are good at planning meals, you may want to go vegetarian. Which diet program you ultimately choose may depend greatly upon your personal preferences and what kind of diet regimen you are prepared to follow over the long run.

You should also know that just because a person eats often, that does not necessarily mean that he or she is overeating. A number of reputable diet plans recommend eating five or six small meals a day in order to keep your metabolism humming and to ward off hunger.

A survey conducted in 1999 found that 60 percent of Americans skip breakfast. However, you should be aware of the fact that eating breakfast can be a key to losing weight. If you don’t skip breakfast, you’ll find that you’ll burn calories faster, leading to weight loss.

Try to avoid eating late-night snacks. This is because your body will probably store the calories rather than burn them off.Simply changing your nightly routine may help you to keep away from food at the midnight hour.

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Christopher Ruane

Tags: vegetarian diet, , weight loss

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Weight Loss Diets - A Review Of 4 Popular Diets

May 31st 2008

1000 calorie diet

Trying the 1000 calorie diet is only advisable for one week, due to your body entering starvation mode and conserving fat. Overdoing the 1000 calorie diet is counterproductive to your body so try to stay on it for only 1 week. After 1 week you will lose between 3-5 pounds. The 1000 calorie diet can be used as a starter diet for a long term weight loss program. Try to aim for 2-3 pounds of weight loss and a good exercise program to begin with. After 1 week on the 1000 calorie diet, try upping your calorie intake or reverting back to a not so severe diet, this will prevent your body’s metabolism from slowing down. Here is a simple 1000 calorie daily menu.

Breakfast

Banana sandwich made with 2 slices of wholemeal bread and a small banana

Small glass of orange juice

Snack

1 pot of low fat yoghurt (preferably fruit)

Lunch

1 wholemeal roll filled with tuna and low fat mayonnaise (use tin tuna in spring water)

Mixed lettuce salad, red or yellow sweet peppers, spring onions

Snack

1 bag of lower fat crisps

Dinner

Roast chicken breast (without skin)

Potatoes, mashed with 30ml semi-skimmed milk

Broccoli (all vegetables steamed or boiled)

Carrots

Gravy (made from granules)

Evening

1 low calorie hot chocolate drink made with powder and water

Drinks throughout the day

Diet coke, water, black coffee or tea without sugar

The 1000 calorie diet can be used as a starter diet for a long term weight loss program. Try to aim for 2-3 pounds of weight loss and a good exercise program to begin with. Remember after 1 week on the 1000 calorie diet, try upping your calorie intake or reverting back to a not so severe diet, this will prevent your body’s metabolism from slowing down.

Vegetarian Diet

A well balanced vegetarian diet provides many benefits for the body. Some of those benefits include a reduced risk of chronic diseases, such as:

Obesity

Coronary artery disease

Hypertension

High blood pressure

Diabetes

Some types of cancer and more

Your vegetarian diet, must be planned well. If not your body could end up in need of some vital nutrients. Some of these nutrients essential for the body are:

Protein

Minerals (zinc, calcium, iron)

Vitamin b12

Vitamin d

Protein sources include, tofu and other soy-based products, legumes, seeds, nuts, grains, and vegetables

Experts say that in order for a balanced vegetarian diet, you should eat nuts and whole grain cereals for good sources amino acids.

Greens such as spinach, kale and broccoli are a good source of calcium.

For sources of vitamin b12 which comes from animals, can be substituted with fortified breakfast cereals and fortified soy drinks.

Sources of iron are red meats, liver and egg yolks which are all high in cholesterol. Spinach, dried beans and dried fruits are all good vegetarian sources of iron.

A vegetarian diet is healthier than a meat diet. However this does not mean that you have the right to stuff your face with crisps, chocolate and chips everyday. Your balanced diet should include all of the above, i.e. Fruit, vegetables, nuts, dairy produce and soy. Below is a table of some calorie controls in a vegetarian diet:

Food Group 1200 Calorie 1500 Calorie 1800 Calorie

Vegetables 5 servings 6 servings 8 servings

Fruits 3 servings 3 servings 5 servings

Grains 2 servings 3 servings 4 servings

Dairy 2 servings 2-3 servings 2-3 servings

Beans, Nuts and Seeds 5oz 6oz 7oz

Total Fat 30-35g 40-50g 50-60g

You can find a massive rage of diets on the internet free of charge! A vegetarian diet is an all round healthier option, and can go a long way to helping you on the road to losing weight.

Abs Diet

The Abs Diet works on the theory that every 1lb of muscle gained, your body intern burns an extra 50 calories per day. So if you can build an extra 10lb of muscle your body will then burn an extra 500 calories per day. Using the Abs Diet your body will burn more energy by eating the correct foods and exercising the correct way. Losing 500 calories per day will loose you 1lb of weight per week. Expect to loose up to 12lb in the first two weeks followed by 5-8lb in the forth coming two.

The Abs Diet allows you to eat 6 meals per day which consist of 12 power foods, such as: chicken, turkey and other lean meat, olive oil, beans and pulses, almonds, low fat dairy products, green vegetables, oats, eggs, wholegrain bread, whole grain cereals, berries, and protein powder. All other food is a not allowed.

For 6 weeks you will eat a series of 12 power foods, which provide the body with all the fibre and minerals you need to stay healthy and build muscle. Along with the diet you will do a 20 min workout three times per week, which will aid in the fat burning.

The Abs diet is mainly aimed at men, however women are encouraged to participate. The range of foods you can eat is still good and you do get an exercise program out of it. Also some very good looking Abs, health and sex life. The full diet book is: The Abs Diet by David Zinczenko from all good on-line book stores.

The Kellogg’s Cereal Diet

One of the simplest diets around at the moment is the Kellogg’s Cereal Diet. It is not a crash weight loss diet which will lose you pounds upon pounds; however it will allow you to get into those jeans that are 1 size to small.

To start the Kellogg’s Diet all you have to do is, eat one bowl of Kellogg’s Special K or Cornflakes for breakfast, and also one for a replacement lunch or dinner. That’s all! Carry this on for two weeks then you will see the results. Expect to lose around 3-6lb.

Whist on your diet, Kellogg’s allow you to have the same drinks and snacks as you usually would, but recommend that you eat a well balanced meal every day, with more fruit and vegetables. Another tip from Kellogg’s, is to keep a food diary to monitor and keep you aware of your current eating habits.

Article supplied by Michael Aldridge.
For a complete and extensive guide to losing weight, please visit our web site at http://www.onlineguidetoweightloss.com

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Importance of Being Vegetarian

May 27th 2008

Our earth is bursting with people and stress has been put on food resources. It is getting really difficult to maintain the quality of food in this fast changing world. Hence, more and more people are becoming vegetarians as a solution for their health problems.

It is a fact, vegetarians are healthier than non-vegetarians. According to studies and surveys, vegetarians actually suffer less from diseases like cancer, high blood pressure and other heart problems. Majority of heart problems are caused by high intakes of cholesterol found mainly in animal fats and dairy products. That’s why it is advised to follow a strict and balanced diet chart rather than enjoying meats. Cut down meat sounds bad but it is far healthier and protective means for keeping your cholesterol level normal.

Experts recommend a special diet which is effective in preventing fat and decreasing extra cholesterol of the body. It is necessary to know what should be included in the diet to get all nutrients which are responsible for healthier growth of the body.

As a great source of nutrition and energy, fresh fruits and fruit juices must be frequently used as they are good in taste and sufficient in clearing several other health problems. Raw fiber Vegetables like beans, lentil, cabbage and carrots should also use frequently to lower your cholesterol level. Popcorns and fresh yoghurt too are high in proteins with all most no fat. Avoid consuming soda and sugary fruit juices as they may increase cholesterol level more than your need. Barley and oats which are rich in viscous fiber contains a soluble fiber called “Beta Glucen”, a prime factor in lowering cholesterol effectively. Nuts such as almonds and walnuts, rich in monosaturated and polysaturated fats also lower down bad cholesterol. It also encourages the presence of HDL.
Soy products are very important food which cuts the cholesterol level drastically. According to researchers it is better to include at least 25 Gms of soy products in the diet daily to minimize the level of cholesterol by 15 to 20 percent straightaway. Planning of such diet does not only ensure health but overall can cut LDL by 30 percent.

Go vegetarian and ensure you have optimum fruits, almonds, soy products and oats for all your meals. It is not only economical, humane, environment friendly but also healthier. A healthy option for all as long as it is properly planned and contains all nutrients. “Be vegetarian, be healthy”

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Chris is a weight loss expert.

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