Is a meat free diet good for you?
What are the benefits of going meat free?
Throughout the years, research has shown time and time again that going meat free, or partially plant based, has incredible impacts on our health. It can also help with weight loss. But why exactly is a meat free diet good for you?
Meat products tend to be higher in saturated fat affecting cholesterol and overall health. Also, eating meat can put you at risk of eating hormones used in animal products.
A plant based, or vegetarian diet has been found to be more beneficial for :
- Good heart health and reducing blood pressure
- It can reduce the risk of cancer
- Prevent diabetes
- It can help with weight loss
Have you ever considered going meat free for weight loss?
So is a Meat Free Diet Healthier? Meat Free for Weight Loss
The research does show that this certainly can be the case. As long as avoiding meat is combined with eating a varied diet high in fruits, veggies and protein sources to ensure all the necessary nutrients are still consumed.
Vegetarian for Weight Loss – Plant based weight loss diet
One reason some people will turn to plant based options is to help with weight loss. Going meat free can be very helpful for weight loss and for maintaining a healthy weight for a few reasons.
- Firstly, meat is higher in saturated fat, so cutting it out completely can be very helpful to reach your weight goals.
- Secondly, in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle, when cutting out meat it is important to fill up on fruits and veggies, as these are free on the programme, it is a great way to fill up without filling up on calories. It makes it much easier to eat a calorie deficit diet when avoiding meat products.
It is much better to focus on these nutrient dense foods. While I would say that vegetarian is enough to improve your health, some people will even turn to vegan meals to help with weight loss.
So, can you lose weight on a plant based diet?
Absolutely! I would say it can be easier to lose weight when sticking to plant based foods as you can eat a lot of foods which have little to no calories on the WeightMatters plan!
Just how much weight can you lose on a plant based diet?
That is up to you. It is not just as simple as going plant based. To experience sustainable and healthy weight loss, it is important to also incorporate exercise in to your diet for the best results.
How does a vegan diet help with weight loss
The vegan diet can be hard to follow, as not only must you avoid meat and fish, you also must avoid all animal related products from dairy (butter, cheese and milk) to eggs, and anything with an animal product present.
This diet is great for weight loss as it cuts out a lot of the “higher calorie” options that animal product eaters consume on a daily basis.
I don’t think it’s crucial to go completely meat free in order to lose weight. But I do recommend that my members have a day or two a week to go meat free. For this reason I have plenty of meat-free recipe options for my members and have made sure to include some meat free options in my FREE Members recipes!
What are the problems with a plant based diet? Cons of being a vegetarian
Some of those who take on a plant based diet do not eat a variety of healthy foods meaning they can become deficient in some essential vitamins and minerals.
Iron and B12 are two minerals some can become lacking in if they do not include a large variety of fruit, vegetables and healthy foods when taking on a vegetarian diet.
In some cases, people can even lose too much weight as they are on a calorie deficit for too long.
It is also important to make sure you are eating enough protein, as for picky eaters, this can also be difficult when cutting out meat.
For that reason, make sure you are eating enough, and enough variety.
How to start a plant based diet for beginners:
Firstly I would say start slow. Why not take one or two days a week to cut out meat. Try Meatless Monday or Meat Free Friday. Use these to dip your toes into the vegetarian pool and research some nutritious recipes.
If you are enjoying this, than continue to add more meat free days to your week, making your way to fully vegetarian if that is what you wish!
Pick up a vegetarian cook book, or do plenty of research online to find multiple recipes with a variety of foods!
Other people will just start a “vegetarian for a month” weight loss meal plan but I don’t recommend this. If you simply take on the challenge for a month, once the month passes and you reintroduce meat, you may gain any lost weight again. Instead, it is much more helpful to take a few meat-free days consistently, to enjoy the benefits.
What is the best diet without meat:
Whether you are pescatarian, vegetarian or vegan, the best meat free diet depends on what you are hoping to achieve. But if it is weight loss then remember, diet is not the only part of the solution. Diet, lifestyle and exercise is crucial for those wanting to hit their weight target and stay there.
Can you lose weight by not eating meat. The answer is absolutely yes but it is not quite as simple as it sounds. The key is having a healthy diet and lifestyle consistently and reducing meat is one helpful part of this.
Losing weight with WeightMatters
I hope you find this post helpful and that you may take something away from it. WeightMatters is all about educating you to make the right lifestyle choices to create a healthier and happier you. I have helped so many people reach their weight loss goal and I’d love to help you too. To learn more about the my remote weight loss programme click here, and be sure to take a look at some before and afters and member feedback. For extra tips and tricks, be sure to follow on Instagram and Facebook.