Breaking Vegetarian Weight Loss Myths to Lose Weight Effectively by Laura Ng

There had been some vegetarian weight loss myths floating around. But none is more serious than these 3 which I need to bring to your attention or you might end up becoming even fatter.

Vegetarian Weight Loss Myth 1 - Keeping Track of Your Caloric Intake

Some weight loss programs (even those for vegetarians) emphasize the importance of counting calories for every meal. By ensuring you burn more calories than you consume, you can lose weight initially. But monitoring your caloric intake for every meal can make your life hard. Imagine dragging a calorie counter logbook around with you, it takes the fun out of enjoying your food and you won't like it. Believe me, you'll give up monitoring faster than you think.

Tips to Overcome Myth: Just make sure you keep to 70% satiety level for your breakfast, lunch and dinner. And insert 2 snacks in between which will keep you 30 - 40% full only. Of course, eat a vegetarian weight loss diet packed with fiber. You'll lose weight all by itself.

Vegetarian Weight Loss Myth 2 - Eating Low-Carbohydrate Food

Depending on your daily physical activity level, you need energy or calories to carry out your tasks throughout the day. And your energy primarily comes from carbohydrates. You'll notice such low-carb diet often requires starving to reduce calorie input.

Limiting your carb intake actually triggers your body's natural reaction for starvation - it shocks your body to slow down metabolism, burn proteins (muscles) instead and store calories as fat for reserve because it "thinks" food will go out of supply very soon.

Starvation may not pose a risk in the short run. In fact, you may lose a few pounds initially since the diet "forces" your body to burn off calories. But note that your weight loses as a result of muscle loss, not fat, which isn't what you aim for.

In the long run, starving tends to rob too much energy off your body, leading to fatigue, undernourishment and subsequently serious health problems - so detrimental to your health that qualified doctors and certified dieticians strongly disapprove of such weight loss method.

Tips to Overcome Myth: There are good carbs and bad carbs. Eat foods high in complex-carb (good carb) and you'll gain a steady stream of energy over longer period to keep you going without starving.

Vegetarian Weight Loss Myth 3 - Lose Weight without Exercising

No pain, no gain. If you want to burn more fat and lose more weight, you got to increase your metabolism by exercising. Simple logic - when you exercise, your body requires more energy, which then stimulates your metabolism to burn more calories (or even fat) to supply it.

No doubt you can lose weight by simply eating right. But adding exercise in will help you achieve your vegetarian weight loss goal faster, at the same time, help to keep you fit and healthy so you can live longer and accomplish more than ever.

Tips to Overcome Myth: Pile up on veggies, fruits and wholegrain. Containing low calories and fat, they pump your body full of fiber, vitamins and minerals. Choose complex, nutrient dense carbs like grains, wholemeal bread or brown rice that leave you feeling full for longer time. Split your 3 meals into 4 - 5 smaller ones each day. Exercise and exercise.

Now you know how to deal with these vegetarian weight loss myths. Share with your fellow vegetarians to help them lose weight safely and healthily too.