Weight Loss Tips for Vegetarians

If you are a vegetarian and want to lose weight, there are some simple tweaks that you can make to the basic vegetarian diet to help you shed pounds.

Vegetarian cuisine includes some of the healthiest food in the world. Salads, vegetable soups, fruits and whole grain breads are all vegetarian. However, grilled cheese sandwiches and baked potatoes with sour cream are, too! Being a vegetarian doesn't automatically mean that you'll lose weight. To shed pounds you'll need to adjust your diet so it's not only vegetarian but high in fiber and low in fat.

First, take a look at the foods that you are currently eating. You can take a lot of steps by reducing the fat and calories in the foods that you already eat. Start out by decreasing your fat intake.

When you eliminate red meat and other animal products you are already going a long way toward reducing fat in your diet. However, there are plenty of sources of fat in a vegetarian diet. Cheeses, oils and nuts are high in fat and very commonly used in vegetarian diets.

Cheese and nuts are especially hard to avoid because they are often used as protein sources in the vegetarian diet. They are good sources of protein, but they should be used sparingly. Instead of relying heavily on cheese and nuts, make sure your diet is full of low fat proteins like legumes and tofu. Reduce oil and avocados as well to make your diet lower in fat.

You can reduce calories by emphasizing fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet. Experts recommend that adults eat between seven and nine servings of fruits and vegetables a day. As a vegetarian, your numbers could be even higher.

If you have become bored with lettuce, tomatoes and apples, explore the wide variety of fruits and vegetables that are available at most grocery stores. Expand your palate to include coconuts, mangoes and blackberries when they are available. Explore using exotic fruits like starfruit and asian pears. Vegetables of different varieties will add interest to basic salads, soups and main dishes. Try Napa cabbage, kale and daikon radishes to give your meals a kick.

In order to lose weight, you also need to rid your diet of empty calories. (Empty calories are those calories from foods and beverages that have no nutritional value.) Make an effort to eliminate white flour products from your diet. Pastries, donuts and even commercially made muffins hold little nutritional value. You can make better quality treats at home with whole grain flour. Coffee drinks, sodas and bottled fruit juice are also high on calories and low on nutrients. Replace them with homemade juice, water or herbal tea to reduce your size.

It is far better to eliminate or reduce certain foods in your diet than to go on a strict diet. If you make a habit of eating lots of fruits and vegetables, eliminating fatty protein sources and nixing empty calories, you'll be able to lose weight as a vegetarian.