Before starting any endeavor though, it pays to have some facts. Although I am not a vegetarian, here are some things that I learned through my research.

There are several types of vegetarians. First there is the vegetarian who adheres to a strict plant-based diet of vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and grain. A vegan, whom I consider the hard-core vegetarian, is a vegetarian who doesn’t eat meat or seafood or use products tested on or derived from animals, such as honey, eggs or any type of dairy products.

A lacto-vegetarianism diet, however, allows for dairy products but does not include eggs, while the ovo-vegetarianism diet is just the opposite. Their diet allows for eggs, but not milk. If you decide to keep eggs and milk in your diet, than you would be considered a lacto-ovo vegetarian.

You can also become a semi-vegetarian. This type of diet allows for fish and some poultry. However, many vegetarians do not consider this a type of vegetarianism.

Planning
If you plan on becoming the type of vegetarian who gives up all forms of meat and do not plan your diet well, you run the risk of having some nutritional deficiencies. Although plant-based diets are more natural, they do not supply all of your nutritional needs. To avoid deficiencies, the following are a list of nutritional sources that you need to pay close attention to.

Protein
Protein intake is typically lower for vegetarians. This is not a problem for lacto and ovo vegetarians, but for strict vegetarians or vegans, the essential amino acids may be lacking in their diet. Food sources such as soy, hempseed, and buckwheat provide a complete serving of the eight essential amino acids. However, by combining foods such as brown rice and beans, the amino acids your body needs can also be obtained.

Iron
Iron in your diet typically comes from meat sources. Vegetarian diets usually have enough, but the bioavailability is lower, which means it absorption may not be as great. That being said, there are a wide variety of plant-based foods that are rich in iron including: oatmeal, raisins, soybean, black beans, cashews, chickpeas and whole-wheat bread.

Vitamin B12
When it comes to having enough Vitamin B12, lacto-ovo vegetarians can obtain theirs from dairy products and eggs. For the strictly plant based vegetarians, dietary supplements will be necessary unless you choose to consume fortified foods. This may not be a big concern for many though. An article in Vegetarian Nutrition reports that the body can preserve stores of the vitamin for up to 30 years without needing for its supplies to be replenished.

Fatty acids
Fatty acids play a critical role in brain function and other body functions. An excellent source of omega 3 fatty acids are fish. Instead of fish, many vegetarians prefer to supplement with sources such as flaxseed, pumpkin seed and/or canola oil. These supply the alpha-linolenic acid, but lack the necessary eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid. However, some companies have been marketing seaweed extracts that contain these acids. Whole seedweed is not suggested because of their high iodine levels.

Calcium
Calcium deficiency, though not common, can occur if you do not consume enough green leafy vegetables.

Vitamin D
The lack of Vitamin D is mentioned because the general population as a whole does not get enough of it. Your Vitamin D needs can be met easily with soy milk or regular milk, and it also can be met with sensible exposure to the sun.

So after reading this and you still think vegetarianism is right for you, then I suggest you make the conversion gradually. Weening yourself off of meat may not me easy. But if you take incremental steps towards your goal, your conversion to a plant-base diet will become more easily achieved.

And one last point. Do not think that by just becoming a vegetarian that you’ll automatically start losing weight. I know of several people who are vegetarians and they are all overweight. Take this as a reminder that this diet does not give you a license to eat all you want. This is because with any weight loss diet you choose, the bottom line has to do with the amount of calories you consume. Period.

Vegetarian diets can be healthy because they are normally lower in saturated fats and high in fibre. However the any diet has to be carefully chosen to make sure that it contains all the nutrients needed by your body. Vegetarian diets can easily provide the recommended daily amount of all the important nutrients. Plants, notably, fruit and vegetables, are normally the main source of nutrients in vegetarian diets. Certain types of vegetarian diets contain animal sources, I include eggs and dairy products in this. While the vegan diet has no animal foods. Nutrients that are normally present in animal products and sometimes lacking in a vegetarian diet are iron, calcium, vitamins D and B12, and zinc.

Below are just some of the foods that are rich in the above nutrients :

Iron: cashews, tomato juice, rice, tofu, lentils, and chick peas.

Calcium: dairy products, fortified soya milk, fortified orange juice, tofu, kale, and broccoli.

Vitamin D: fortified milk and soya milk, and many cereals (check the box).

Vitamin B12: eggs, dairy products, and soya milk, cereals, tempeh, and miso. (Tempeh and miso are foods made from soybeans. They are low in calories and fat and high in protein. But in my view taste horrible!

Zinc: whole grains, eggs, dairy products, nuts, tofu, leafy vegetables (lettuce, spinach, cabbage etc), and root vegetables ( potatoes, carrots, celery, radishes, onions etc).

Protein is also very important and if you pursue the vegetarian option then you are strongly advised to eat a range of plant foods each day to get enough protein. Plant foods that have the the highest levels of protein include lentils, tofu, seeds, tempeh, miso, nuts and peas. There are some really good vegetarian diets out there! You just need to look.

I am personally not a total vegetarian, but I feel that there is a serious place for a vegetarian approach. I am currently working on a basic weight loss plan that will include a vegetarian option,if you want to receive details when it is released please sign up to my email list, see resource box below for details.

Geoff Dance has put together a complimentary 25 page report on Fast Weight Loss that cuts thru the hype that is around to give you the basics that you need to know on your weight loss journey. Always remember that weight loss is not a black art!

Some people feel that eating animals is wrong. Others make the switch for health reasons. Maybe they “go vegetarian” to lose weight-and, by the way, cutting out meat products to do with how much weight you lose.

The real variable in the equation is consuming fewer calories than your body burns in a day. Whether that’s done through a vegetarian weight loss diet, exercise, or a combination of both is entirely up to you.

That being said, vegetarian weight loss is not entirely a myth. Studies have shown that on the whole, vegetarians eat as many as 500 calories less than those who include meat in their diet, even though they eat more food.

The trick to vegetarian weight loss is to stick to eating, you know, actual vegetables. There are plenty of meat-free products out there – including candy bars, cookies, and milkshakes. It’s important to include grains, fruits and vegetables, and not simply rely on Kraft macaroni-and-cheese.

However, this doesn’t mean that you need to eat salads all the time, nor does going vegetarian in order to lose weight mean you have to sacrifice taste, time, or Benjamin’s. Many big-name supermarkets have plenty of frozen entrée vegetarian options, and if you’re hankering for a burger, Boca Burgers and Garden Burgers are a great alternative.

Be careful to avoid the high-calorie, high-fat additions you might be tempted to use when trying to make things taste better. Saturating your perfectly healthy salad with a tub of Ranch salad dressing is not doing your waistline any favors. And it’s true that fried veggies are still veggies-but with a ton of calories packed on.

Remember these 4 tips:

• Breakfast will be your easiest meal when you’re choosing vegetarianism for weight loss. Cereal, toast, oatmeal or fruit smoothies are delicious choices that contain no meats. You can even sneak in a leftover piece of cheese pizza if you’re running late.
• If you eat lunch on the run at work, there are many vegetarian options available that are healthy. Try a stuffed falafel pita, some hearty meatless chili, or a vegetarian burrito. If you’re able to plan your meals, you can choose a frozen vegetarian entrée, a veggie burger, or a soup and salad with a spring roll.
• Pasta with inventive, healthy sauces is perfect for a satisfying vegetarian dinner. Pesto is delicious, as well as julienned vegetables in a white wine sauce, or even spinach and cheese tortellini in a homemade marinara. If grilling is your thing in the summer, make veggie kabobs instead of meat – or throw on a couple veggie burgers for that delicious charbroiled taste.
• Snack time is certainly fun for the vegetarian, as there are rarely meat-based snacks.  Bran muffins, popcorn, nachos and trail mix are all wonderful snacks for vegetarian weight loss.

Do your research, and visit your doctor for advice before beginning any weight loss diet.

Do this, along with a light cardio routine, and you are sure to succeed.