should I becomea vegetarian?

Question

my best mate has lost loads of weight since shs became a vegetarian. Shes asked me to become one loads of times and now im considering it...but the thing is no one in my family is a vegetarian and we have meat about 3-4 times a week. I think im going to find it really hard.. but I do want to loose weight!

Answer 1

Turning vegetarian is no guarantee you will lose weight. You need to eat a well balanced diet and exercise daily. If you are doing that and still gaining weight then you should consult a doctor and ask a nutritionist before making any life altering decision.

Answer 2

If you want to lose weight but still want to have meat, try limiting your intake of it. Have smaller portions, and maybe try soy protein burgers in place of a regular burger or steak one night. Instead of eating beef or pork, eat chicken or fish. However, a vegetarian diet is tasty, healthy (if you watch your nutrient and vitamin intake), and you can feel good knowing that no animals died for your meal. After eating a vegetarian diet for a while, you'll probably lose the taste for meat. At a very recent breakfast with my family, I was eating pancakes. The rest of my family also had bacon on their plates. For a few moments I wondered what it'd be like to eat a piece of bacon and I tried to remember the taste that I used to enjoy. I was really surprised when I recalled the taste and was somewhat disgusted! I just didn't want to try it. For that moment, I wasn't even thinking of the fact that meat comes from animals--I've just come to enjoy soy, vegetables, grains, fruits, and nuts more than anything else.
Sorry about that long story, but it shows that eventually you'll probably come to like vegetarian food more than meat. I watch my diet for nutritional value more than ever, and I've come to select the foods that provide high nutrients without excesses of fats and sugars.
Black beans and rice is a really good starter dish. It's a spicy vegetarian meal with lots of protein, and it tastes great. You can get it at grocery stores in boxes, and it's also easy and fast to cook. It's one of my favorites :)

Answer 3

If you have conscience reasons for giving up eating meat then do whatever you are comfortable with. Don't rely on a vegetarian diet to lose your weight for you though. You many well lose pounds but there are plenty of snacks and sweet things that a veggie can eat but shouldn't.

You will still have to watch the calories. Sorry.

Answer 4

vegetarianism is not for everyone. and it's not always a good weight loss plan. protein is really important in everyone's diet, especially if you're still growing and developing. i think that just you saying you would do it only to lose weight is a bad sign. the best way to lose weight is not to limit your food options but to eat a good balance of foods and exercise regularly.

furthermore being a vegetarian is hard. our world is full of meat eaters and it takes a lot of self discipline and motivation to stay on a purely vegetarian diet. If you do decide to become a vegetarian then make sure you continue to eat lots of proteins in other foods such as tofu and nuts so that you stay healthy.

Answer 5

ABSOLUTELY be a vegetarian! not only is it good for your health, you will be eating a more humane diet. no one in my family is 100% vegetarian either, and it has been this way for about 10-11 years now. it is easy to find vegetarian foods and you will feel much better about yourself in so many ways. becoming vegetarian was the best thing i have ever done for myself and i would never ever go back.

Answer 6

I don't know if that's the reason you should become vegetarian, but i think your friend should also respect your decision to be an omnivore. As long as you make sure to get proper nutrition and supplements, you should be fine, though.

Answer 7

You don't need to cut out meat altogether- just moderate the amount that you eat. Try filling up more on vegatables, and avoid fatty mid-meal snacks.

Answer 8

No. There are many benefits to a diet containing meat. Many vegetarians claim that meat is unhealthy. This is a blatant fallacy.
It is well established that eating meat improves the quality of nutrition, strengthens the immune system, promotes normal growth and development, is beneficial for day-to-day health, energy and well-being, and helps ensure optimal learning and academic performance.
A long term study found that children who eat more meat are less likely to have deficiencies than those who eat little or no meat. Kids who don’t eat meat — and especially if they restrict other foods, as many girls are doing — are more likely to feel tired, apathetic, unable to concentrate, are sick more often, more frequently depressed, and are the most likely to be malnourished and have stunted growth. Meat and other animal-source foods are the building blocks of healthy growth that have made America’s and Europe's youngsters the tallest, strongest and healthiest in the world.
Meat is an important source of quality nutrients, heme iron, protein, zinc and B-complex vitamins. It provides high-quality protein important for kids’ healthy growth and development.
The iron in meat (heme iron) is of high quality and well absorbed by the body, unlike nonheme iron from plants which is not well absorbed. More than 90 percent of iron consumed may be wasted when taken without some heme iron from animal sources. Substances found to inhibit nonheme iron absorption include phytates in cereals, nuts and legumes, and polyphenolics in vegetables. Symptoms of iron deficiency include fatigue, headache, irritability and decreased work performance. For young children, it can lead to impairment in general intelligence, language, motor performance and school readiness. Girls especially need iron after puberty due to blood losses, or if pregnant. Yet studies show 75 percent of teenage girls get less iron than recommended.
Meat, poultry and eggs are also good sources of absorbable zinc, a trace mineral vital for strengthening the immune system and normal growth. Deficiencies link to decreased attention, poorer problem solving and short-term memory, weakened immune system, and the inability to fight infection. While nuts and legumes contain zinc, plant fibre contains phytates that bind it into a nonabsorbable compound.
Found almost exclusively in animal products, Vitamin B12 is necessary for forming new cells. A deficiency can cause anaemia and permanent nerve damage and paralysis. The Vitimin B12 in plants isn't even bioavailable, meaning our body can't use it.
Why not buy food supplements to replace missing vitamins and minerals? Some people believe they can fill those gaps with pills, but they may be fooling themselves. Research consistently shows that real foods in a balanced diet are far superior to trying to make up deficiencies with supplements.

You can still lose weight on a diet containing meat.

http://www.annecollins.com/diet_foods/meat-healthy-weight-loss-diet.htm

Answer 9

I am an overweight vegetarian, it is not a good way to lose weight. You should just try it have a healthy balanced diet. For nutritional information please look here : http://www.recipesforvegans.co.uk/vegannutrition.html

Answer 10

If you want to. It is totally up to you if you want to or not. Good Luck on your own decision!!!