What do you think of this vegetarian diet?

Question

I am trying to lose weight and I'm not much of a meat eater. Sometimes I might eat some chicken or salmon but mostly it's this:
Fruit
Vegetables
Non fat dairy
Low fat cheese
wholegrain bread and pasta
oats
nuts and seeds

Does this sound like a good diet for weightloss and general heatlth?

Answer 1

First off, a vegetarian diet is not one that includes fish or chicken.

Try substituting soy nuts, sweet edamame (soy beans), smart dogs (tofu dogs), gardenburgers (non-soy veggie burgers), lentils or bean soups, and even broccoli, for the fish as much as you can, for those protein cravings.

Also, try substituting soy slices for those low fat cheese slices. Soy has many benefits including high levels of calcium and cancer-fighting properties. It also lacks those pesty antibiotics added to dairy products to fight diseases dairy cows have.

Be carefull with the nuts and seeds...they are high in fat and very addictive. When I first became a vegetarian, I ate way too many nuts (raw, unsalted, organic), and actually gained weight! Try eating a sprouted bread sometimes, instead (look at the cold food section at your local health food store).

The same goes for the pasta--yes it is filling but it's also high in calories. Try using beans/legumes and rice in your diet more. Daal (Indian lentil) soup is good, and there are a million ways to fix rice.

Fruit is good. In particular, cantolope melon, mangoes, and apples are good for you (especially if they are organic).

As for veggies--try kale, broccoli, or collard greens for iron, eat baked potatoes for something filling, eat carrots for your eyesight (preferably carrots served raw or steamed, not boiled), and try to find some veggies to introduce to your diet that you've never had before (like turnips, rutabega, radishes, soy beans, leeks, anything that looks good).

For weight loss, eat lots of foods with high water contents, or go on a "juice fast," spending a couple of days drinking breafasts
and lunches of raw juices (made yourself, with a juicer) and eating brown rice and steamed veggie dinners.

Answer 2

Wow... that's a whole lot of healthy stuff you got there. You should definitely up your intake of fruits and veggies. All those other stuff sounds healthy too. I think you should try this and see if it'll help you lose weight. Also, eat in moderation. If you crave for something like chocolates or ice cream, minimize it from your usual intake. Don't forget, plenty water (8 glasses to be exact) will do you a world of good too and plenty of exercise (enough to keep you sweating those calories away) is a must.

P.S. Avoid sodas too. They have way too much sugar. And you need to add some protein in there like some tofu, beans, fish, a little chicken just to balance out your diet.

Answer 3

It's not vegetarian if you eat chicken and fish.

Regardless of that, quantity is the real issue. The key to losing weight is burning more calories then you take in. Eat several small meals a day instead of 3 larger ones and exercise.

You need to add beans (legumes) and maybe some soy as well.

Answer 4

It looks like a very healthy diet. Remember in order to lose weight, you will have to count calories. You could gain weight on the food above if you don't control the quantities. Personally, I would be very careful with the nuts- very easy to overdo and they are very caloric. Bread and pasta- be careful here also. Pasta and bread have a lot of calories and if you are like me, there is no such thing as a little pasta or a little bread.

Your diet is very sound and all you have to do is to watch the calories.

Answer 5

Sounds good. You may want to consider getting multi-vitamins to make up for anything you're missing. Also, check with a doctor or nutritionist about it, or fellow vegetarians.

Answer 6

I saw in another magazine that when you start a diet you should limit fruits because of the natural sugar. I need to alter my own eating plan, so I am with ya..

Answer 7

Add a protein shake or 2 for apetite supression and body tissue building and repair. Replace the bread and pasta with lots of high fibre salads

Answer 8

Better to prepare slow to eat foods like hot soups whole fruites etec

Answer 9

all the food items specified would really give you good health,but avoid cheese completely.drink healthy fruit juices and take green vegetables.eat your food at the same time everyday.nuts and seeds are very good for health.to lose your weight exercise or just walk for more than half-an-hour.don't take snacks.do everything regularly

Answer 10

You need to get some legumes (peas, beans, lentils, etc. ) in there, along with your grains (whole grain breads are good; rice is good) to get complete proteins in your diet.