Vegetarian diets can be mighty healthy, but if you're not careful, they can lack protein, which is not very healthy and can be a real bummer if you're trying to lose weight. You see, protein keeps hunger at bay better than carbs and fat, and so it's essential for a good diet to contain the right amount of protein -- check out this chart to see exactly how much you need.

FitSugar shares some meatless ways to keep the protein flowing -- beans, tofu and cottage cheese are three.

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Today's Monday. Make that Meatless Monday. Yes, Monday is the day reserved for helping you move one step closer to a healthier lifestyle.

Starting off your week by going meatless can be an effortless way to skim saturated fat out of your diet, says Richard Bodge, executive director of the Meatless Monday campaign. Limiting your saturated fats -- present in most diets via meat and high-fat dairy -- can prevent heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer.

Not sure what to put on your table each Monday? Visit meatlessmonday.com for recipes and cooking tips.

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I'm what you might call a flexitarian -- I eat meat but it's not a big part of my life, and I'm more comfortable cooking with tofu than a cut from the Butcher. I've never done a meatless thanksgiving, but that's more because I've never done the cooking, but if it's my turn next year, I might consider making it a veggie feast.

eDiets has put together this article on going meatless for Thanksgiving. Here's their menu plan:

• Pumpkin Soup
• Bean Birds with Tahini Gravy
• Cranberry Sauce
• Candied Sweet Potatoes
• Cauliflower Puff
• Mixed Green Salad
• Pumpkin Seed Bread
• Indian Pudding

Sound yummy? You're in luck -- you can find the recipes here.

What's on your menu for Thanksgiving dinner?

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Kenneth G. Williams. That's him in the picture. Pretty big guy. More than just a little ripped. Body builder. Vegan.

Wait, what?!? A bodybuilding vegan? That's right.

Williams hasn't always been a vegan, in fact back when he first got started in body building he was very much into the usual fare of meat, eggs, and dairy. But then one day, in the middle of the night, he had "a moment" and has been a vegan ever since.

Just goes to show that you don't need to eat meat to feel "tough" and to be healthy and fit. If you want to eat meat, then by all means go ahead. But if you've been leaning towards vegetarianism or veganism then don't let stereotypes be the thing that holds you back.

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Vegan and vegetarian diets are growing in popularity, which is causing many people to ask why? Pretty much everyone has heard the claim that it's a healthier way to eat, but how exactly? Well here it is broken down: some of the main advantages for going meatless:

• Less fat and less calories. Obviously this depends on a person's individual choices (if you're a vegetarian living off peanut butter and Twinkies that's not going to be the case), but as a general rule healthy vegetarian diets are lower in bad fats and higher in fiber and good fats -- this also has the nice effect of helping you feel fuller faster.
• Better nutrition. A healthy vegetarian diet puts greater priority on vegetables and whole grains than a meaty diet does, making it naturally easier to take in enough servings of each on a daily basis.
  
• Avoiding Mad Cow disease. This threat just isn't going away.
• Save money. Generally speaking, vegetarian meals are less expensive.
• It's easier and more convenient than ever to go meatless. There are more options than ever before when it comes to meatless eating -- long gone are the days of cardboard-flavored veggie burgers and strange looks from other people. Eating vegetarian is fun and tasty whether you're cooking at home or eating out.

Interested in trying a vegetarian diet? If you're not sure how to get started the article also has some excellent tips on making the transition.

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The veggie burger industry is growing steadily as more people look for alternatives to red meat and animal products. As a result, the recipes and methods are getting better and the days of "cardboard burgers" are pretty much over. I'm not crazy for the super-fake options like artificial bacon, but a good bean burger can be really good with the right toppings.

But reading the label on a box of soy burgers can be a little scary, especially if you're a health-conscious consumer (and people don't usually choose soy burgers unless they are). What is all that extra stuff in there with names like disodium guanylate3 and methylcellulose? If you're wondering then this article, coming from MSN, breaks everything down in easy-to-read terms. No more "mystery meat" mysteries!

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