Weight Loss Plan for Vegetarians

Becoming a vegetarian doesn't automatically mean that you'll lose weight. Big helpings of high-fat protein sources (think cheese and peanut butter) can actually cause vegetarians to gain weight. The solution? Follow our healthy Vegetarian Weight Loss Plan, and you'll not only lose weight, you'll boost your overall health at the same time.

We've divided up meal ideas into three basic categories: On the Run, Family Friendly and Cheap and Easy. Stick with one theme or mix and match these meals to suit your lifestyle. For example, you may choose an On the Run breakfast while you're driving to work, grab a Cheap and Easy lunch, and then prepare a Family Friendly dinner. Add snacks between meals if you're hungry or need more energy to keep up with your exercise routine. Breakfasts have 350 to 450 calories, lunches and dinners have 400 to 500 calories, and snacks have 100 to 200 calories.

Vegetarian Weight Loss Plan Secrets & Suggestions

• Vegetarian protein sources include nuts, seeds, legumes (dried beans and peas such as lentils, black beans and garbanzo beans) and soy products such as tofu or tempeh. "Semi-vegetarians" may include fish and eggs in their food choices as well.
• If you don't use dairy products, choose soy-based alternates for milk, cheese and yogurt. Make sure these products are fortified with calcium, Vitamin D and riboflavin for optimum health.
• Be wary of high-fat foods such as cheeses, butter, salad dressing and fried foods.
• Drink water as your primary between-meal beverage.
• Choose Whole Grains as much as possible to keep hunger at bay.
• Keep a written record of everything you eat and drink to get a better handle on your total food consumption, and identify where you want to make changes.
• Plan ahead for meals and snacks so you know exactly what you plan to eat. Last minute choices tend to be higher in calories and lower in satisfaction.
• Resist the urge to snack on fried chips, snack crackers and candy. Not only do they add unwanted calories, they don't provide any nutritional bonus either!
• Take a daily multivitamin-mineral supplement to fill in any nutritional gaps.

Vegetarian Weight Loss Breakfast Ideas

On the Run:

1/2 small bagel with 2 tablespoons peanut butter, 1 banana, 1 cup soymilk

Breakfast sandwich with egg (or cheese if you don't eat eggs), 1 cup orange juice

2 small slices leftover cheese pizza, 1 orange

Family Friendly:

1 cup oatmeal sprinkled with 2 tablespoons raisins, 1/2 sliced banana, 2 tablespoons sliced almonds and 1 teaspoon brown sugar

2 whole-grain pancakes topped with 1/2 cup applesauce, 1/2 cup mixed berries and 1 tablespoon maple syrup, and 1 cup soymilk

Tofu scramblers (or scrambled eggs if you eat eggs) wrapped in a tortilla, 1/2 cup grapes

Cheap and Easy:

2 slices multigrain toast spread with 2 tablespoons nut butter, 1/2 grapefruit

Soy smoothie: Blend 1 cup soymilk with 1/2 cup fresh fruit; 2 slice whole grain toast with 1 tablespoon peanut butter

1 cup cold cereal (choose one with at least 5 grams of fiber and less than 8 grams sugar) with 1 cup soymilk and 1 sliced banana

Vegetarian Weight Loss Lunch Ideas

On the Run:

Soft bean taco, 1 cup tossed salad with fat-free dressing

Veggie burger on a whole grain bun topped with lettuce and tomato, 1 orange, 1 cup soymilk

Vegetarian frozen meal (choose one with around 300 calories), 1 cup grapes

Family Friendly:

1 whole wheat pita stuffed with 1/2 cup falafel, 1 cup cucumber salad (you can leave out the cheese if you desire), 1 cup soymilk

1 cup squash soup, using vegetable broth in place of chicken broth and silken tofu in place of cream), 1 cup sliced tomatoes and cucumbers drizzled with 1 teaspoon low-fat vinaigrette dressing, 1 cup waldorf salad

2 slices whole-grain bread spread with 1 tablespoon peanut butter and 1 tablespoon jelly, 1 cup yogurt (or soy yogurt) mixed with 1/2 cup applesauce

Cheap and Easy:

Whole wheat pita bread spread with 1/4 cup hummus, 1 cup celery and carrot sticks, 1 orange, 1 cup soymilk

Tortilla spread with 1/2 cup vegetarian refried beans and 1/2 cup chopped vegetables (try a combination of tomatoes, onions, and green and red peppers), 1 cup yogurt (or soy yogurt) mixed with 1/2 cup chopped apple

1 cup meatless chili, 1 piece cornbread with 1 teaspoon tub margarine, 1/2 cup fruit cocktail.

Vegetarian Weight Loss Dinner Ideas

On the Run:

Grocery Store take-out: 2 large stuffed shells (stuffed with cheese and veggies), 1 cup tossed salad with 1 tablespoon fat-free dressing, 1/2 cup fruit salad, 1 cup soymilk

Chinese take-out: 3/4 cup fried rice with 1/2 cup tofu (or shrimp if you are a semi-vegetarian) and 1 cup mixed Asian vegetables, 1 fortune cookie

2 soy dogs with 1/2 cup vegetarian baked beans, 6 baby carrots with 2 tablespoons low-fat dressing for "dip," 1 orange, 1 cup soymilk

Family Friendly:

Tofu Cacciatore, 1 cup tossed salad

Medium baked potato topped with 1/2 cup seasoned legumes (choose your favorite legume, for example kidney beans seasoned with chili powder and cumin, or garbanzo beans seasoned with garlic and onion, or curried lentils) and 1 tablespoon low-fat soy-cheese, 1/2 cup steamed broccoli with 1 teaspoon tub margarine, 1 baked apple (bake the apples and the potatoes at the same time!) stuffed with 1 tablespoon raisins, cinnamon and 1 teaspoon brown sugar

Vegetarian kabobs made with marinated tempeh and veggies (try this super recipe), 1 whole grain roll with 1 teaspoon tub margarine, 1 slice angel food cake topped with 1/2 cup strawberries, 1 cup soymilk

Cheap and Easy:

1 1/2 cups lentil soup, 1 slice whole wheat bread with 1 teaspoon tub margarine, 6 baby carrots, 1/2 cup peaches, 1 cup soymilk

1 cup beans and rice (season kidney beans with cumin and chili powder; mix with brown rice), 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables, 1 cup grapes

1 cup frozen stir-fry vegetables mixed with 1/2 cup firm tofu chunks and 3/4 cup brown rice, 1/2 cup pineapple chunks

Vegetarian Weight Loss Snack Ideas

On the Run:

• Homemade carrot muffin (bake on weekend and freeze for weekday use)
  
• 1 apple and 1 ounce soy cheese
  
• 1/2 bagel with 2 tablespoons hummus
  
• Trail mix with 2 tablespoons mixed nuts, 2 tablespoons dried fruit, 1/2 cup dry cereal

Family Friendly:

• 1 cup fresh fruit chunks dipped in 1/2 cup flavored yogurt
  
• 1/2 cup oatmeal sprinkled with cinnamon, 1/2 banana and 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  
• 2 rice cakes spread with 1 tablespoon almond butter and 1 tablespoon raisins
  
• 1/2 whole-grain English muffin topped with 1 ounce soy cheese

Cheap and Easy:

• 3 cups popcorn sprinkled with 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan or soy cheese
  
• Frozen juice Popsicle
  
• 2 celery stalks stuffed with 2 tablespoons peanut butter
  
• 1 small tortilla sprinkled with 2 tablespoons grated soy cheese; microwave to melt the cheese and warm the tortilla

Source:
http://yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com/diet-fitness/vegetarian-weight-loss-plan.html&ampcpsextcurrchannel=1