Although there is no single, standard plan for losing weight while abiding by Jewish kosher laws, those following a kosher diet will find that many of their spiritual guidelines actually help the slimming process. As with any weight loss plan, the key to kosher weight loss is focusing on lean foods that are packed with nutrients, choosing foods that are dense in energy and complimenting your diet with a regular cardiovascular exercise routine.
Kosher Beliefs
Kosher diets derive from the kashrut, a body of Jewish law. The kashrut lays out a set of biblical dietary restrictions; it details which foods can and cannot be eaten based on classes of animals. It also states how foods should be prepared and kept separate to maintain kosher laws. According to the kashrut, these laws differentiate humans from the animals of the world. Not all followers of the Jewish faith follow kosher laws.
Kosher Foods
Kosher dietary laws forbid eating certain animals, including pigs, camels and rabbits -- these foods are treif, or unkosher. According to the Torah, "beasts of the earth" with cloven hooves that chew their cud may be eaten. When it comes to seafood, all shellfish is treif. Kosher law forbids followers from eating the eggs and milk of non-kosher animals as well as the flesh. Kosher animals must be killed in accordance with Jewish law and their meat must be drained or boiled out of blood before eaten. All fruits and vegetables are kosher. Those following a kosher diet cannot eat meat alongside dairy, though eating fish with dairy is acceptable. Utensils that have come in contact with meat cannot be used with dairy. Grape products produced by gentiles cannot be consumed.
Non-Meat Diet
A kosher diet's focus on fruits and vegetables makes it well-suited for losing weight as fruits and vegetables are loaded with essential nutrients but are low in fat. Fruits and vegetables serve as smart substitutes for high-fat foods. They have a high fiber and water content and a rich energy density. Spinach, Brussels sprouts, broccoli and cabbage help speed up weight loss, while beans serve as a filling and fibrous stand-in for fatty meats. Bagels, dried fruits, eggs, hummus and low-fat dairy provide low-fat kosher food options. Accenting each meal with one piece of fruit and one serving of vegetables helps kosher diets take in nutrients and speed along weight loss. Refined sugars and flours are treif, which handily eliminates fatty cakes, cookies, pastries and many snacks. Replace these with whole-grain bread choices.
Meat Diet
Kosher diets forbid high-fat pork products, which behooves weight loss. Non-vegetarian kosher dieters turn to meat for essential protein. For weight loss, meat portions should be small and lean. When it comes to kosher food, choose skinless poultry, such as chicken, or fish, like tuna. On poultry, white breast meat contains the least amount of fat. Beef is generally fattier, but options such as boiled sirloin, round and chuck beef provide lean options.
Exercise
The law of the Torah puts no restrictions on exercise, which is good news for followers looking to lose weight. In conjunction with a lean and healthy diet, exercise is vital to weight loss. Cardiovascular exercise burns calories and speeds up the metabolism, helping the weight loss process along. Step aerobics, bicycling, swimming, running or brisk walking can burn about 200 to 400 calories in a 30 minute period, according to the health and fitness website ShapeFit. At an intermediate level, jumping rope and sprinting burn even more calories in a shorter time period.
References
- Judaism 101: Kashrut: Jewish Dietary Laws
- Diets in Review: Kosher Diet
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Can Eating Fruits and Vegetables Help People to Manage Their Weight?
- PEERtrainer: How to Speed Up Weight Loss
- MayoClinic.com: How Meat and Poultry Fit in Your Healthy Diet
- ShapeFit: Cardio Exercises to Burn Major Calories!
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