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Q. Miss Fitz, I've been trying to lose about 25 pounds for a very long time and wanted to run something past you. I'm of the opinion that vegetarians are pretty trim. Should I go that route to lose weight? Nathan

A. Hi Nathan. Interesting question. I'm feeling both the urge to say yes and no, so I'll talk about the subject and let you choose. Vegetarianism has great benefits, and one of them can be weight loss -- if you do it right. There can be drawbacks as well, so hopefully I can help you make a decision that's right for you.

First of all, lean meat can be very healthy. For health's sake, I'd find it very difficult to tell you to avoid eating broiled shrimp. Many vegetarians avoid eating meat for a variety of reasons from animal rights, to factory farming, to health issues to religious reasons. These things don't seem to be an issue for you. Many meats are very bad for your health though, and I'd feel very comfortable asking you to avoid prime rib.

If you were to go vegetarian, you would definitely benefit from missing out on the "not so good for you" meats like fatty burgers, bacon and fried chicken. Most burgers and fried chicken meals come with fries, so when you stop ordering those meats, you'll miss out on the fried side dishes as well. Vegetarians tend to choose vegetable-based dishes, which traditionally do not come with fattening side dishes, so this particular choice becomes a win-win.

The con with a vegetarian diet is that loopholes are plentiful! Doritos, chocolate and onion rings are all vegetarian friendly. So are beer, Pepsi, gummy bears, ranch dressing, white bread, white pasta and donuts. Do you get the picture? Ditching meat products doesn't necessarily mean you are going to turn to truly healthy choices. I know more than enough overweight vegetarians who live on the loopholes. These people are doing it the "wrong way" for sure.

In my first paragraph, I mentioned that going vegetarian the "right way" could be beneficial. The "right way" includes basing your meals and snacks on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, beans, lentils and other nutritious items that sprout from the ground. The "right way" requires you to make sure you consume a perfect combination of food each day to ensure you're benefiting from enough protein and iron. It's not necessarily a difficult task, but one you'll have to pay close attention to. When done well, this style of eating is one of the healthiest around.

If you pursue this lifestyle in a healthy way, while rejecting all of the junk food that squeezes into that loophole, you will indeed lose weight. Perhaps you might start your venture by including more vegetarian meals into your week. By doing this, you'll avoid the restricted feeling of being on a diet, and learn how these healthy foods make you feel. You might choose that this is your perfect path for health. You might find that you feel horrible without meat and that you should simply choose leaner cuts and avoid those fatty side dishes.

Either way, Nathan, you should be very discriminating when it comes to what you put in your mouth. Just because someone calls it food, doesn't mean you have to eat it. I hope I was able to help. Now get to work!

Punches & Kicks,

Fitz

Fitzness.com

Note: The content presented in this Q. & A section is for informational purposes only and should not be viewed as medical advice or substitute for professional medical care.