Will eating vegetarian help me lose weight?

We eat a lot of chicken, so one way we keep our meals from being so monotonous is by throwing low fat, low calorie, high protein and fiber, vegetarian meals into the weekly dinner menu. From things I have read meat is a good thing and my family loves it. Granted, I tend to only eat red meat once or twice a month, I have to satisfy my burger craving, the rest of the month is chicken, fish, and vegetarian.

I bring this subject up because I have a wonderful, but yet a bit naive friend who tends to buy into stuff without doing much research. She tends to believe the person who is selling her a product is telling her the absolute truth. I on the other hand, thanks to my husband, do not believe what I am being told without doing research on my own. Currently, a few of my friends have bought into how switching to vegetarian is the only way to go in losing weight. I am not saying they are wrong, but I feel they do need to research their food choices a bit more. By going vegetarian they are doing what I am doing, creating a calorie deficit, only in a different way.

I have learned a lot on the Mayo website and I am going to share yet another article I have found.


Question:
Vegetarian diet: Will it help me lose weight?
If I switch to a vegetarian diet, will I lose weight?

Answer:
from Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D. Mayo Clinic nutritionist

Research has shown that, on average, people who follow a vegetarian diet eat fewer calories and less fat than do nonvegetarians. Vegetarians also tend to have lower body weight relative to their height than do nonvegetarians. This makes sense, since a diet that largely consists of fruits and vegetables generally has fewer calories. However, switching to a vegetarian diet doesn't guarantee weight loss.

The basics of achieving and maintaining a healthy weight are the same for everyone: Eat a healthy diet and balance calories eaten with calories burned. Vegetarians — like nonvegetarians — can make poor food choices that contribute to weight gain, such as large portions of high-fat, high-calorie foods or foods with little or no nutritional value.

For this reason, vegetarian diets should be as carefully planned as nonvegetarian diets to make sure they are nutritionally balanced. Choose a vegetarian eating plan that is low in fat and that provides all of the nutrients your body needs. Be sure to include protein-rich foods — especially if you follow a vegetarian diet that limits fish, eggs and dairy products. Not only is protein an essential nutrient, but also it helps you feel full longer — which can curb your urge to snack.

But be cautious about your protein sources. Substituting large quantities of full-fat cheese and peanut butter for meat will add a significant amount of fat and calories to your diet. Limit your portions of these high-fat proteins. Opt for low-fat protein sources, such as dried beans, low-fat cheese, reduced-fat peanut butter and soy products.

Cooking methods and condiments also factor into your calorie intake. Instead of frying, try steaming, boiling, grilling or roasting foods. If you stir-fry, reduce the amount of oil you use. Also, use smaller amounts — or lower fat versions — of sour cream, mayonnaise, cheese and salad dressing in your food preparation.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vegetarian-diet/AN01580