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Welcome to Twitter Fit Tips. Keep track of the latest diet and fitness Twitter trends and opinions with this weekly post. Each week AOL Health's Twitter alias Healthpop and That's_Fit will post fitness-related questions and the best tweet responses will get posted here. Start following Healthpop and That's_Fit today.

This week we asked, "Would you go/why have you gone vegetarian/vegan?" And these fit Twitters had these tweet replies:

dmtweets@Thats_Fit Started because I was allergic to meat and milk. Cut everything else because I believe it's right.

ColletteAM@Thats_Fit became vegetarian @ 11yo for animals, vegan @ 20yo when I had my 1st child so we could have a long healthy life together.

jend420@Thats_Fit Wouldn't go Vegetarian. Love vegs. Love animals. But no issues eating said animals. The body needs animal proteins, iron, etc.

thenewswineflu@Thats_Fit I could never, ever give up sushi. And I am aware of the Califauxrnia roll. Still, no way in hell :)

priorfatgirl@HealthPop I think I'm pretty close to being a Flexitarian

Get_Lean_Fast@HealthPop Would be hard...Chicken and fish have so much nutritional value

Photo: Andyrob, Flickr

A healthy diet has long been considered a good measure for cancer prevention. The American Cancer Society recommends increasing your servings of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, incorporating more whole grains into your diet and limiting your consumption of processed and red meats.

Recent research suggests that going one step further and following a vegetarian diet can reduce the risk of certain cancers.

Researchers followed more than 60,000 men and women; some ate meat, others ate fish but not meat, and a third group went vegetarian. The vegetarians were found to have a reduced risk of developing stomach cancer, cancer of the bladder, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and multiple myeloma.

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There's more to meat substitutes than Tofurky, that scary-looking tofu loaf some veggies slice on Thanksgiving. I'd know, I cooked for my vegetarian husband the first three years of our marriage, until I covertly convinced him to start joining me in occasional chicken and fish. That roasting chicken worked, and we're now flexitarians (aka part-time veggies).

Cracking open the bbq this weekend? A diet heavy in red meat is not the best choice, and charred red meat is even worse. Take a look at these five vegetarian swap-outs from AskMen. Here are three I love:

• Seitan -- This king of the grill, soups and stews is not soy-based, it's wheat gluten, made from the same dough used for pasta. I often find it in seasoned or unseasoned slices, but it can be purchased in block form, too. It'd be great on a bbq kabob. Seitan has as much protein as beef, but be aware, it's high in sodium.
• Textured Vegetable Protein -- TVP is defatted soy flour, primarily sold in dried chunks or flakes, which require rehydration. I always pack high-protein TVP soups when I backpack -- like tofu, it picks up the flavors around it. Next time you make a burger or turkey joes, substitute in some TVP and see how it goes.
• Tofu -- This nutritional powerhouse boasts nearly 20 percent of your daily protein in only half a cup. That 100-calorie serving also has more calcium than a cup of milk and is a good source of iron. Sold in soft, silken or firm/extra-firm, tofu is immensely versatile for everything from your pre/post workout smoothie (try soft or silken) or marinated, then tossed in a fresh veggie stir-fry (extra-firm). Crispy, seasoned baked tofu is incredibly good. The World's Healthiest Foods non-profit talks all about tofu here.

If you're still scratching your head at the thought of veggie grilling this summer, order "The Vegetarian Grill" or "The Complete Book of Vegetarian Grilling" from your local library.

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Are you a flexitarian? If you're eating more plants and less meat, fish and fowl each week, you're probably a flexi. The term 'flexitarian' became hot a few years ago and as a part-time veggie, I immediately fell in love with the word. I relish vegetarian food, even tried being a veggie for five months once, but couldn't stay away from folding leaner cuts of meat and seafood into my regular diet.

Spinach lasagna, giant garbage salads, broccoli quiche -- I make these kinds of meals regularly for our family. But I also flip turkey burgers, too. According to the Vegetarian Resource Group, health is the leading driver for vegetarian food consumption.

If you want to learn more, don't miss registered dietitian Dawn Jackson Blatner's new book -- The Flexitarian Diet: The Mostly Vegetarian Way to Lose Weight, Be Healthier, Prevent Disease and Add Year to Your Life. Packed with flexi recipes and simple shopping lists, Blatner will get you flexing to manage your weight, increase your energy and reduce your health risks.

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Apparently, the term Pescatarian is now in the dictionary, according to our friends over at Fitsugar. 'Pescatarian' describes a vegetarian who eats fish, in case you didn't know. And then there's Flexitarians--people like me who are part-time vegetarians. But it got me thinking: What are the other types of vegetarians?

Here's a short list of some other types of veggies:

• Vegans don't eat any animal products, including dairy and honey
• Fruitarians eat only fruits and vegetables that are classified as fruits
• Lacto-ovo vegetarians stay away from meat but eat eggs and dairy
• Raw/Living foodists eat only raw foods
• Macrobiotics eat only unprocessed foods, but sometimes eat fish.

What 'atarian' are you?

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I grew up in rancher's country, where the profiles of cows and cowboys dot the horizon and anyone who doesn't enjoy a good steak is considered a hippy. And that person was me -- even though we ate red meat at almost every dinner, I always filled up more on the side dishes than the main course, even as a kid. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that as an adult, I rarely buy, prepare or eat red meat -- or meat of any kind, except for fish. I'm not a vegetarian but I'm not a meat fiend either -- I'm somewhere in the middle, a 'flexitarian.' Meaning? I eat everything but i'm as comfortable around tofu as I am around a chicken breast.

Enough about me though - I want to know about you. Are you a meat eater? A vegan? Other? What are the reasons behind your decision?

With so many people trying to make healthy choices, it's no wonder vegetarians and flexitarians are popping up everywhere. Chances are there's one or two on your list, and this Christmas is a great time to help them adapt to or maintain their eating habits:

• A vegetarian cookbook. As a flexitarian, I'm constantly looking for recipes that will satisfy my appetite and liven up boring veggies.
  
• A juicer. Sometimes when cooking seems like too much of a task, it's nice to be able to whip up a fresh, nutrient-rich drink. I'll tell you from experience that a cheap blender doesn't cut it -- it's worth it to go all out and splurge on the juicer.
  
• A herb garden. The healthiest way to liven up a bland dish is with fresh herbs. DIY herbs is the gift that keeps on giving -- literally! You can get an easy-assemble herb garden at many of the home stores
  
• A gift card for a natural foods store. Natural and organic foods can be expensive! A gift card will be much appreciated.
  
• A Tshirt. There are some really cute vegetarian t-shirts out there -- click here for some examples.

See more fit gifts!

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I was so happy when someone came up with the word "flexitarian," because I was tired of labeling myself a failing vegetarian. But even as a flexitarian, it can be tricky sometimes to find a menu choice that's both healthy and meat-free.

Take, for instance, this list of vegetarian fast food options from eDiets. With the exception of salad, there just aren't a lot of choices out there. At McDonald's, you can have a milkshake -- not exactly a nutritious choice. And at Burger King, even the veggie burgers may be cooked in the same oil as the meat. And while salad is certainly a nutritious addition to my diet, sometimes I get tired of salad, or want something a little more filling.

I'd love to hear from vegetarian That's Fit readers -- where do you find healthy, vegetarian choices for on-the-go?

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Like many other people, I'm what you would call a flexitarian -- not quite a vegetarian, but not quite a meat-eater. I eat tofu as often as meat, and get more vegetables than anything. And being a flexitarian suits me like a glove, but I'm often scrambling to come up with ideas for meatless snacks and meals. Here are some suggestions from eDiets:

• A handful or nuts or nut butter
• Homemade guacamole with veggies or high-fiber tortillas for dipping
• Broccoli with cheese
• Roasted soy nuts
• An artichoke stuffed with cheese
• A veggie bacon BLT

To find out more veggie ideas, plus more about these delectable ones, click here.

What your favourite meat-free snack?

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Of course there will always be a market for convenient packaging and processed foods, but thankfully it seems that food trends are moving more towards natural foods that people prepare themselves in more natural ways. Cooking Light has put together a list of 5 of the healthier food trends we're seeing:

• Flexitarianism
• Locally grown foods
• Functional foods
• Organic foods
  
• Slow foods

If you want more information on any of those (I, for one, had to read what they meant by "functional foods") then see the complete article on CNN.com. Which ones are you already on board with? Are you bucking the trends or happy to be part of them?


Via Slashfood

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If you often eat like a vegetarian, but occasionally garner protein from lean meat, poultry, fish, eggs or dairy -- guess what -- you're a flexitarian. Catchy label. The American Dietetic Association says one-quarter of Americans fit this description as they consume four meatless meals each week.

According to nutrition advocates, flexitarianism is healthy. This varied diet is high in fiber and low in saturated fat. The focus on fruits and vegetables over protein automatically delivers recommended levels of vitamins and minerals. Studies show flexitarians weigh less and face lower risks of stroke, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and colon and prostate cancers.

I just enjoyed three bean portabello chili for dinner -- if I eat the leftovers for lunch tomorrow, followed by a salad at dinner, I'm one meatless meal away from becoming a flexitarian! Read more about flexitarianism and four other healthy food trends thanks to Cooking Light.

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I am. You might be too if:

-you have tofu for dinner one night and chicken the next
-your cookbook collection includes both "Everything Vegetarian" and "The Complete Meat Cookbook"
-you choose to eat veggie for the nutritional value of vegetarian dishes rather than the ethical treatment of animals (don't get me wrong -- both are important issues)

I came across the phrase while flipping through Shape magazine at the gym last night and liked it, since I've always felt like I was neither a true vegetarian nor a true meat eater. Now when people say, "You're eating tofu? What, are you a vegetarian or something?", I can give them a clearer answer.

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