People who don’t know any vegetarians often picture them as lean and lanky, able to lose weight at the drop of a hat. However, there are some overweight and obese vegetarians. Choosing a vegetarian diet doesn’t automatically mean you’ll be thinner. Losing weight is all about the calories consumed. Vegetarians consume milk, eggs, or both. There are vegetarian candy bars, puddings, and junk food. The Impossible burger, a meatless alternative to the Whopper, is vegetarian. Both have approximately the same number of calories. If you’re vegetarian and live on junk food, you’re more apt to be round than lean and lanky.
It’s the veggie part of vegetarianism that makes you thinner.
If you’re eating healthy, regardless of the type of diet you chose, you’ll lose weight. A healthy diet includes plenty of whole foods, including fruits and vegetables. Whether you’re an omnivarian and consume both meat and vegetables, or a vegetarian, eating more fruits and vegetables fills you, but doesn’t provide many calories. They fill you up and the fiber keeps you feeling full longer.
A vegetarian’s diet is generally lower in calories.
If you’re eating a healthy plant-based diet, you’ll consume all the nutrients you need, plus plenty of fiber and protein. Both of these keep you feeling full longer. A diet focused only on meat and animal products doesn’t contain filling fiber. Fiber also slows the entry of glucose into the bloodstream, which prevents blood sugar from spiking. That sugar rush can cause insulin resistance, making weight loss more difficult.
Whether you’re vegetarian or eat both meat and vegetables, it’s all about the food you choose.
It’s all about cutting out highly processed food and food with added sugar, plus eating a healthy diet that counts. It doesn’t matter whether you’re vegetarian or flexitarian—choosing to eat both meat and vegetables. Alternative meat substitutes may not be as healthy as the real thing. Some have taken many vegetarians on a dangerous path of consuming high amounts of chemicals and calories in their diet. No matter how vegetarian or vegan a cookie is, it’s still a cookie.
- Studies show vegetarians tend to weigh less. People who follow a vegetarian diet also reduce their risk of heart disease compared to nonvegetarians. It may be due to closer attention to healthy eating.
- Losing weight is all about making smarter choices. Increasing more produce in your diet is a smarter choice. Since vegetables are lower in calories, it takes a huge amount of veggies to gain weight.
- Vegetarians need to ensure they get all essential amino acids. Eggs and milk products can help do that. Without adequate complete protein in the diet, muscle tissue is lost and metabolism slows.
- Even if you’re eating a vegetable, it’s all about how it’s cooked. French fries come from potatoes, which are vegetables, but a diet of French fries won’t help you lose weight. Stick to healthier options and reduce the salad dressing you use on salads.
For more information, contact us today at Wellness On A Dime Coaching