Because doing all of that math in your head gets old fast
By Annie Daly
As an informed diet and fitness reader, you probably know that the verdict’s still out on whether it’s a good idea to follow a vegetarian diet solely for the purpose of losing weight. Some dieticians swear it’s smart, while others believe that eating a little meat is more beneficial—and new info keeps coming out, too. Well, here’s the latest veggie news: Dieters who follow vegetarian or vegan eating plans lose more weight than those who eat meat, according to a new study from the University of South Carolina.
For the study, participants were told to either follow a vegetarian or vegan diet or an omnivorous one for two months—and the key is that they were told that they didn’t have to restrict calories. After that time, the veggie group had lost about 5 percent of their body weight, whereas the meat eaters only lost 2 percent.
So why does going green help you get lean? Experts suggest that it may be because of a theory called volumetrics. “It means that you can eat a larger volume of veggies without gaining weight because they’re lower-cal,” says Elizabeth Somer, R.D., author of Eat Your Way to Sexy. “That means you don’t have to pay attention to your portions as much, as long as you’re eating vegetables in a healthy way.”
The key, though, is to pay attention to the last part of that line—as long as you’re eating them in a healthy way. In other words, just because you’re sticking to a plant-based diet doesn’t mean you have a free pass to eat whatever meat-free thing you want. Somer says vegetarians and vegans need to beware of the vegetarian halo: “That’s when dieters eat lots of junk food or fatty toppings but then use the excuse that it’s vegetarian to justify it,” she says. Important: Fried mozzarella sticks, mayo, and the like, while meatless, are not healthy!
To avoid packing on the plant-based-diet pounds, Somer suggests eating tons of veggies and veggie proteins—but making sure they’re prepared in a diet-friendly way. So if you’re going to have, say, a veggie burger, watch the mayo and the cheese. And it’s fine to have pasta, too—but again, watch your serving size and opt for low-cal tomato-based sauces, not the creamier kinds.