Vegetarians abstain from eating meat, fish and poultry. Ovo-lacto vegetarians might consume milk and eggs, while vegans eat absolutely no animal products. People follow a vegetarian diet for health, religious or ethical reasons. Vegetarians tend to weigh 10 to 20 lbs. less than meat eaters on average, says Dr. Deborah Wilson on GoVeg.com, but filling your vegetarian meal plan with high-calorie refined flours, chips and sugary sweets will not lead to weight loss. Choose the right foods and portion sizes when pursuing vegetarianism to lose weight.
Step 1
Go online to MyPyramid.gov and click on the "My Pyramid Plan" page. Enter you weight, height, age and gender to estimate how many calories you burn a day.
Step 2
Set a daily calorie-intake goal that is about 500 to 1,000 calories fewer than your results in step 1. Since one pound is equal to 3,500 calories, you will lose one to two pounds per week by cutting 500 or 1,000 calories from your diet every
Step 3
Divide your daily calorie target from step 2 over the course of three meals and two snacks. Plan for your meals to contain more calories than your snacks; for example, if you are going for 1,500 calories per day, make each meal contain 400 calories and each snack 150 calories. Strive to eat every three to four hours to keep your hunger in check and your blood sugar levels stable.
Step 4
Include a vegetarian protein source at every meal. Choose foods like beans, tofu, seitan or lentils. Soy is the only complete vegetarian protein, but the combination of grains and beans or cereal and milk--if you are eating dairy--also makes a complete amino acid profile. Use one egg mixed with two egg whites as a low-calorie protein source if you allow them on your vegetarian diet.
Step 5
Bulk up the volume of your meals with lots of raw or steamed vegetables. Choose watery, fibrous vegetables like leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, green beans and asparagus. Include orange and yellow types to add variety. Most vegetables contain fewer calories per serving than starches and proteins, so you can eat them liberally when trying to lose weight. Portion out starchy vegetables like potatoes, yams, peas, corn and carrots, which contain higher amounts of calories per serving.
Step 6
Complement your vegetarian proteins with whole grains. Eat ½ to 1 cup of whole grains at most meals, especially if you are eating beans. Choose brown rice, quinoa, millet or amaranth. Whole grain pasta and 100 percent whole wheat bread are other good choices.
Step 7
Keep fats to about 30 percent of daily calories, recommends Joanne Larsen, R.D., of Ask the Dietitian. Choose unsaturated fats like plant oils to dress salads, nuts as a snack, or avocado to add flavor and body to dressings, salads and sandwiches. Measure out nuts on a kitchen scale or by grabbing a scant handful, since they contain between 150 and 200 calories per 1 oz. serving. Allow yourself just a teaspoon or two of oil at meal times and use just a quarter of an avocado for 75 calories.
Step 8
Fill in voids in nutrition with snacks. Choose calcium-rich snacks like fortified orange juice or soy milk-based smoothies if you are not consuming dairy. Have hummus with a few baked corn chips to augment your protein intake. Fruit with nut butter or coconut yogurt are other snack options.
Tips and Warnings
- Make sure you consume at least 1,200 calories per day if you are a woman and 1,500 if you are man to ensure you take in enough nutrition, according to Medline Plus. If vegetarianism is new to you, consult with your doctor or a nutritionist to talk about the possibility of needing vitamin supplements. Do not assume a food is healthy just because it does not contain animal products. Vegetarian cookies and cakes still contain calories from added fats and sugars that will sabotage your weight-loss efforts.
- If you are unaccustomed to large servings of vegetables, your digestive tract might respond with cramping and bloating as it adjusts to the increased amounts of fiber. Consider gradually transitioning to a vegetarian lifestyle if you experience discomfort.
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