Problems With Going Vegetarian To Lose Weight
on February 23rd, 2010 at 12:38 am
Gaining weight is a heck of a lot easier than trying to lose weight. Given this, many of us look around for help when it comes time to drop the pounds. One option you will run across eventually is the vegetarian diet. I’ve tried it and there are some problems.
When comparing weight loss programs, there is nothing that I’ve seen that beats the vegetarian diet. I’ve lost a consistent 10 pounds a month whenever going on it. My skin has looked better. I’ve felt better. You get the picture. Okay, so what is the problem with the approach?
Well, to lose weight you need a calorie deficit. The calories needed each day to lose weight are the number you consume minus those you expend. If you eat fewer calories then you expend, you lose weight. This is how the vegetarian diet works. Meat is a very calorie intense food. Vegetables are not. An entire bag of frozen broccoli is something like 150 calories. Ah, but this is where the problem starts.
If you want to lose weight by dropping meat, you need to understand that going vegetarian won’t do it. There are plenty of fat vegetarians. No, you really need to go vegan. This basically means you only eat vegetables, brown rice and other foods that contain nothing from an animal. This includes milk, cheese and so on.
I don’t know how people do it. I’ve tried. I’ve even pulled it off for three months on one occasion and six on another. That being said, going vegan is brutally difficult. One can only eat vegetables over and over for so long. Then there is the social problem Going out to restaurants and parties can be a real challenge. Most restaurants are not offering up truly vegan choices. It can be annoying.
In my experience, you can lose a little weight going vegetarian. If you really want to drop big pounds though, you have to go vegan. It turned out to be too tough for me as far as a lifestyle change went. Perhaps you can do better.
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