Undoubtedly, there are many vegetarian foods that can help you lose weight, feel healthy and become more active. Foods such as vegetables, legumes, grains, nuts, fruits, and foods made from plants are low on calories and contain very little fat. What’s more – such meals are enjoyable and give you the much-needed energy.
In addition, foods falling in the bean category including lentils, chickpeas, dried peas, green beans, soy and red beans are not only rich in protein but also help fight hunger and food cravings. Besides being low on low in calories, these foods contain have high fiber content.
To say the least, a vegetarian diet is a perfect combination for any person struggling with weight problems, after all, there is little fat intake and the food is high in fiber. While this makes a lot of sense, but does following a strict vegetarian diet always result in weight loss? While this might be true to some people, for others this can turn out to be a nightmare. As a matter of fact, some people are known to add more weight even on a strictly vegan diet.
But this does necessarily mean that you discard, a vegan diet altogether. What is needed is to stick to a smart vegetarian diet. If for some time you have been taking vegetarian meals and still struggling with weight problems, here is why.
Obviously, less fat intake helps you control your weight problem in the long run. However, some vegetarian foods including avocados, granola or vegetarian chips have high-fat contents that would mess up your weight loss regimen. It’s important that you consume such foods with moderation. In addition, some vegetables are loaded with carbohydrates. In this regard, choose vegetables that low in calories.
Your best bet remains with seeds and nuts. A few seeds or nuts a day helps you manage your weight to healthy levels as it helps control any craving for foods that are fattening. Nuts are known to have a low glycemic index score and are digested more slowly. Other foods with low glycemic index score include vinegar, walnuts sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, and lemon.
While at it, always desist from dipping sauces, gravy and other condiments in your vegan foods. These food additives not only add more calories into your diet but also escalate your sodium and sugar intake that might give you trouble controlling your weight.
Nonetheless, being on a strictly vegan diet doesn’t translate into automatic weight loss. You must include regular body workouts, especially aerobic exercises in your weight loss program. This helps you attain weight loss even at a much faster rate.