Can you lose weight with a vegetarian diet? When it comes to healthy weight loss, one of the secrets of success is to eat a balanced diet. Balance means eating the right amount of nutritious food. In our fast food, take-out world, it is easy to get the quantities wrong and also miss out on the quality of food as well. So eat when you are hungry but don’t overdo it.
Getting back to the basics is important. Instead of snacking constantly during the day, do your best to eat three regular meals. Cook or have your food cooked using wholesome, natural ingredients, and then eat with others in a relaxed manner. It is not only a question of what you eat but how you eat that counts. Eating when stresses or hurried only creates an opportunity to eat too much.
Eat Like The French: You may be surprised to know that in France, the land of fatty cheeses and gourmet foods, people, in general, stay slim. The reason is apparent if you go to a local outdoor market where large quantities of fresh vegetables are sold. The French prepare balanced meals and still manage to eat together more often than their counterparts in the USA. It’s more about enjoying the company over good, healthy meals, than eating to just eat.
Sit down with your family and friends and enjoy nice, leisurely meals together. If you are troubled by food cravings during the day, eat a few pieces of fruit rather than a donut or any other fattening food. It’s a matter of making better choices.
While there are many fad diets (low fat, low-carb, etc.) being promoted today, it is far better for your weight and your health if you can settle into a eating plan and lifestyle that you can easily, and happily, follow for the rest of your life.
Did you know that the traditional diet of yoga practitioners has been a vegetarian diet? Perhaps there is a connection here. The yoga diet consists of fruits, vegetables, and grains, and maybe some dairy. You can not only survive on such a diet, but you will thrive as well, and perhaps lose weight all at the same time.
Start Slow: Substitute meat dishes with soy products, lentils, and other legumes, and whole grains. You can get enough protein (especially if you also consume nuts and milk products) so you don’t have to worry about it.
You can also enjoy yourself in the process. Instead of an ice cream thick shake, blend together fruits, juice, and yogurt and make a healthy smoothie. Losing weight does not require you to suffer; it is only a question of choosing your food well and balancing your lifestyle.
If you want to lose weight on a long term basis you have to change your diet or your pattern of exercise or both. Try out a balanced vegetarian diet and if you find it helpful, then stick with it for the rest of your life. You may discover you really like it.
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