Will Eating No Red Meat Help You Lose Weight?

Losing weight is not easy or particularly fun. Although it is tempting to believe in so-called miracle diets that promise fast effortless weight loss, they do not provide lasting results. Weight gain creeps up on you slowly and losing it takes a while too. Treating yourself to a small reward, such as buying yourself a small gift for every 5 lbs lost, helps keep you motivated to continue the diet.

Calories in Food

Food is fuel and calories measure the amounts of fuel provided. According to the Mayo Clinic, proteins and carbohydrates both have about 6 calories per gram. The Mayo Clinic point out that fat has 9 calories per gram. When you eat a fatty steak or use the drippings from a beef roast for a gravy right out of the roasting pan, the number of calories you consume increases. Eating too much fatty red meat can make losing weight more difficult.

Preparation and Portions

The way you cook red meat influences how many calories you eat. Grilling meat is a healthier option than frying it. Chicken-fried steak requires breading and sauteing beef in fat. Meatloaf made with fatty ground beef self-bastes in the oven with melted fat, adding calories.

The amount of red meat you consume at a meal also determines whether you succeed with weight loss. Portion control can be confusing; a portion is the amount you eat, while a serving size is a specific quantity. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's MyPyramid.gov website and MayoClinic.com have helpful information to get you started (see Resources).

Saturated Fat

Aside from caloric concerns, red meat can cause cardiovascular problems over time. Fat from meat is saturated fat, and eating it leads to increased blood cholesterol and clogged arteries in some people. Although you have a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease from eating a fatty diet if you have a family history of the disease, everyone benefits from cutting back on eating red meat, according to the American Heart Association.

Alternative Foods

Leaner and less caloric options than red meat include skinless chicken breast and fish. Substituting vegetarian items for red meat helps lower the calorie counts as well as the saturated fat content in your diet. Beans and whole grains provide a feeling of fullness without the health risks of red meat consumption. Cut back on red meat by cooking meals that combine beef with other ingredients, such as stir-fry. Simply add in extra mushrooms and vegetables and use less beef in the dish.

Considerations

Cutting out red meat from a diet can help in weight loss and in overall health, but make sure to replace it with a healthy alternative. Eating more cheese or fatty chicken thighs with the skin will not reduce your overall intake of calories or saturated fat.

You might experience dietary burnout if you suddenly forgo all red meat after eating it for many years. Cutting back the amount you eat is a good way to start. Phasing out unhealthy foods as you exercise will make dieting more bearable and successful.