Diet & Fitness 

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Become a healthy vegetarian

Not necessarily. Although many people believe the vegetarian way of eating is inherently healthy, lower-fat food choices and calorie control are important no matter how you eat.

In fact, many vegetarians have a high fat intake. Foods like eggs, cream, butter, whole milk products and cheese contain many unnecessary calories. Some vegetarian protein sources, such as nuts and seeds, are also high in fat. Despite all the hidden fat in a vegetarian diet, you can still reap the benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle while trying to lose weight. These simple ideas will help you follow a vegetarian diet and lose weight:

• If you drink milk, go for fat-free. If you use soya milk, look for one that is labelled reduced-fat and fortified, so you get the protein and essential vitamins and minerals without unnecessary fat and calories
• Choose low-fat versions of cheese, and limit your intake to under five grams of fat per ounce whenever possible
• Make legumes, tofu and tempeh your main source of protein. All are fairly low in fat, and legumes add fibre to your diet. Nuts and seeds are excellent sources of protein, but be wary of large portion sizes. If you're eating more than a handful a day it's too much
• Choose fresh fruit or raw vegetables for snacks and limit snacks that are high in fat or sugar
• Try flavouring foods with lemon juice or flavoured vinegars instead of mayonnaise, butter or margarine
• As with any diet, avoid fried foods and opt for baked, grilled or steamed ones instead
• Try to eat only when you're hungry. Nibbling - even on low-calorie foods - can add up
• Be creative with low-fat vegetarian recipes
• Following a vegetarian diet can help prevent some types of cancer, high blood pressure and heart disease. Just make sure that your vegetarian menu isn’t loaded with fat and sugar if you want to maximise your health and minimise your waistline

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