I want to become healthier so I was thinking about becoming a vegetarian.?

Question

I want to lose some weight and become more healthier. I have been doing alot of research and the best way to do all this and prevent heart disease and so on is to become a latco-vegetarian(I hope that I said that right). Anyways this is a person that don't eat meat but eat dairy products from an animal. Does anyone have any advice that they could give me?

Answer 1

sounds ok.

Answer 2

your main reason for becoming a vegetarian should be to not eat innocent animals

you shouldnt become one for your own selfish reasons

Answer 3

Just eat plenty of fruits,vegetables,whole grains,nuts,soy,organic milk,and beans. (garden burgers are good sources of protein too). And I reccomend taking an algae oil capsule every other day or every day. The only reason fresh wild-caught salmon are high in omega fatty acids is because they feed on algae. Algae has b12 to. A nutrient that many vegans and vegetarians are concerned about getting enough of.

Answer 4

I've been an ovo-lacto vegetarian (veggie except eggs and dairy) for years, and I've never really had issues. It kind of forces you to make healthier choices. One thing though is that you really have to make sure that you're eating tons of fruits and vegetables and not just eating vegetarian junk food.... because by itself not eating meat won't help you that much, but most vegetarians are more health-conscious and wind up eating more vegetables. Make sure that you're getting enough iron and B-12 (supplements are helpful). Good sources of protein are dairy, eggs, beans, vegetables, soy products, tofu, and nuts. Good vegetables to incorporate are broccoli, kale, chard, bell pepper, carrots, etc. If you can, try to eat a rainbow a day - meaning vegetables or fruits that span most colors of the rainbow, and aim for 9 servings of vegetables. Dried fruit, nuts, carrot sticks, a piece of fruit, or a bowl of cottage cheese or yogurt make good snacks. Try to eat whole grains (steel-cut oatmeal, multigrain cheerios, brown rice) when you can. And get a vegetarian cookbook! I have Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison and it's very helpful in coming up with ideas. And you can always look through Joy of Cooking or any other cookbooks you have (or epicurious.com) and find meatless recipes or ones that you can just make without meat. It will give you good meal ideas!

Good luck!

In response to the person above me -- most Americans eat double the amount of protein you are supposed to get. You can easily get enough protein if you eat dairy and egg products. My doctors have told me this. Vegetarian eating is generally healthier than omnivorous diets. Even vegans can get lots of protein from soy products, nuts, enriched pasta and breads, and vegetables.

Answer 5

i actually agree with Maggy M,

- i reckon it should be because of the animals, otherwise its just a diet thing

BUT !!

its all good :)

Answer 6

There is one vitamin you can only get from meat (also eggs and milk) and that is B-12. It's imporatant for the brain and nervous systme.

Many vegetarians take vitamins supplements for it.  

Answer 7

You just have to be careful about keeping enough protein, iron, and B-12 in your diet. Whole Foods sells a "Vegan Iron" supplement, its kind of expensive. Make sure to check the ingredients of any supplement you take a lot of vitamins have 'Gelatin" in them, which is a pig product. As long as you get all 9 of the amino acids you need (tofu fyi, is a complete protein, meaning it has all 9 amino acids), being a lacto-vegetarian is a great idea to become healthier! you'll be living better and saving lives! way to go :) !!!  

Answer 8

Just do it. If you mess up, then just try harder. It's great. I'm a vegan and I would never ever go back. You do become healthier and you will lose weight(I did.)

GOOD LUCK!  

Answer 9

The problem with vegetarians is they do not get the correct proteins and vitamins from vegetables. Vegetables are a great thing to incorporate with a lean chicken, turkey, pork and very limited red meat diet. Most vegetarians believe you can suppliment vitamins for the ones they are not taking but the truth is most vitamins are unused in your body and you just pass them without getting the proper nutrional value. Chicken and eggs have a far better protein then you can ever get from vegetables and you are less likely to fill your diets with carbohydrates to feel more full. I know quite a few vegetarians that actually gained weight when they switched.

Avoid red meats because they're very high in fats, saturated fats and cholesterol. Take in a lot of green leafy, and colorful vegetables, lean chicken and fish. Garlic and Fiber are also a GREAT idea to avoid heart disease and lower cholesterol.

good luck!!!

Answer 10

Dude to be healthy you definitly don't have to be a vegetarian. Don't get me wrong, like i'm not against vegetarianism. But if you do go vegetarian be sure to take iron, protien and calcium pills. But if you want to lose weight you dont have to go vegetarian. Meat for the most part is really healthy but it all depends on the way you cook it. If you want to lose weight dont eat fried chicken, eat lean meat, grill it dont fry it. Theres always little tips that can make you healthier. You just have to look it up on the internet. Hope you meet you goal of healthyness :P