Vegetarian Weight Loss Is Not a “No Brainer”

Countless Hollywood stars and models are vocal about their vegetarian diets, which would lead the public to believe that becoming a vegetarian will automatically result in weight loss. A vegetarian diet is often very healthy, but being a vegetarian will not necessarily make you lose weight. You still need to watch your calorie intake, whether you are a vegetarian or you eat meat every day.

Perhaps the reason why vegetarian weight loss seems inevitable is because most vegetarians consume about 500 calories less per day than non-vegetarians. With diets high in legumes, vegetables, and whole grains, a vegetarian dieter can eat a lot of food and still keep his or her calorie count relatively low. On the other hand, if a vegetarian swaps meat with high calorie replacements like whole milk, cheese, candy, or potato chips, the vegetarian may experience weight gain, not weight loss.

Another key factor in vegetarian weight loss is the way a vegetarian prepares his or her food. Fried vegetables, sugar-laden fruit desserts, and mayonnaise-laden veggie burgers are not the types of food that will enhance weight loss. To encourage weight loss efforts, vegetarians should opt for boiling, steaming, or grilling their vegetables. Try light versions of cheese, sour cream, and salad dressing, too. There are also many frozen vegetarian meals in the grocery store, which are portion-controlled to help with weight loss.