I'm considering becoming vegetarian, a few questions?

Question

I don't want to be "hardcore" vegetarian, just cutting out the major stuff: like meats. I have a few questions:

Will it help me loose weight? If so, how much?
Can I still drink milk & eat cheese, or is that not vegetarian?
What are some food ideas? That are common?

Thanks.

Answer 1

Will it help me loose weight? If so, how much?
>>Not necessarily. Whilst a lot of people starting a vegetarian diet do experience weight loss, if you swap lean meats for deep fried chips for example you probably won't lose weight. So eat sensibly, and healthily.

Can I still drink milk & eat cheese, or is that not vegetarian?
>>A lot of vegetarians do consume dairy products. Don't worry about labelling yourself. Think about what animals have to endure to produce milk and eggs, and then decide if you still want to consume these products. Don't think of "can I eat this", be more concerned about "do I want to eat this".

What are some food ideas? That are common?
>>Tofu products, loads of veggie and pasta dishes, lentils are SO good for you and dead tasty, fruit salads, veggie stir fries ... man the possibilities for healthy cruelty-free foods are endless. Check out PETA's free "Go Veg" starter kit for more ideas (link below).

Good luck - do it for yourself and those beautiful animals.

Answer 2

First, kudos to you for keeping an open mind and considering making such a decision. The veggie world is a great place to be.
Moving onward....
Yes, you will probably lose weight when you initially become a vegetarian - if you do it correctly. Some people think that eating a bunch of junk food (as long as it's not meat) makes them a vegtarian. You want to make sure that you eat good food. How much you lose totally depends on your current eating habits. If you already eat a healthy, well-balanced diet then you may not lose too much. If you eat junk food as well as meat that is prepared in an unhealthy way, then you could stand to lose probably at least 10 pounds. (and that may happen quickly or slowly - everybody is different).
Yes, you can still drink milk and eat cheese. It's vegans who are not able to consume those things b/c they are animal products.
Food ideas...replace your meat with dishes that have grains as the main ingredient (such as coucous or rice). Eat beans (such as black beans and garbonzo beans). There is a variety of soy products that imitate beef, chicken and pork. They might ease your transition. I also suggest you buy a good vegetarian cookbook. It will give you a lot of hints about different foods. It will also introduce you to tofu and other such staples found in the veggie diet.