Whats a healthy diet if you plan on becoming a vegeterian?!
A poster suggested you slowly progress into it...yes, that's an option, but I went cold turkey and was successful. It just depends on your motivation and level of will-power. If you're passionate and strong-willed, cold turkey might work for you.
Not everyone has the money or the resources to see a dietician/nutritionist. (with health insurance picking and choosing what they will/will not cover, it's a crap shoot sometimes). You should talk to your doctor about it AFTER you've done your research. That way you can ask intelligent questions and answer his questions intelligently as well.
Cookbooks are a good place to start your research. They oftentimes have details about the basic vegetarian lifestyle; i.e. how many servings you should eat of X per day and so on. The books will also give you good ideas about what you can prepare while following this lifestyle.
A rule that I always follow is to eat as much fresh fruit and vegetables as possible. Try to steer clear of processed foods - they are toxic to our bodies. (Read the ingredients paragraph - if you cannot pronounce it or don't know what it is, you shouldn't eat it. That keeps me on the straight and narrow). Also eat a variety of colors - that way you are sure to get many different vitamins and minerals.
Eat beans and legumes. They are good sources of protein. If and when you eat pasta and rice, make sure it's whole-grain pasta or brown rice. The bleached starches are horrible for our bodies.
I hope this helps you get started!
Good luck!
Answers: I think you should do a LOT of research about vegetarianism before you dive in. It's a lifestyle and mindset moreso than just a "diet".
A poster suggested you slowly progress into it...yes, that's an option, but I went cold turkey and was successful. It just depends on your motivation and level of will-power. If you're passionate and strong-willed, cold turkey might work for you.
Not everyone has the money or the resources to see a dietician/nutritionist. (with health insurance picking and choosing what they will/will not cover, it's a crap shoot sometimes). You should talk to your doctor about it AFTER you've done your research. That way you can ask intelligent questions and answer his questions intelligently as well.
Cookbooks are a good place to start your research. They oftentimes have details about the basic vegetarian lifestyle; i.e. how many servings you should eat of X per day and so on. The books will also give you good ideas about what you can prepare while following this lifestyle.
A rule that I always follow is to eat as much fresh fruit and vegetables as possible. Try to steer clear of processed foods - they are toxic to our bodies. (Read the ingredients paragraph - if you cannot pronounce it or don't know what it is, you shouldn't eat it. That keeps me on the straight and narrow). Also eat a variety of colors - that way you are sure to get many different vitamins and minerals.
Eat beans and legumes. They are good sources of protein. If and when you eat pasta and rice, make sure it's whole-grain pasta or brown rice. The bleached starches are horrible for our bodies.
I hope this helps you get started!
Good luck!
you will need a nutritionist, or a dietician. no one will be able to answer this here properly
fruits and veggies :)
Talk to your doc first. always make sure you get enough protein (nuts and beans) in your diet. also don't become a carb junky and load up on pasta and grains. you should have about 7 servings of grain per day and half of that should be whole grain.
Take it slow. One month cut out red meat. Next month cut out white meats the next month cut out fish and then you can decide if the next month you still want to have dairy products or you can cut them out too. If you go cold turkey your body will not respond well and you will loose weight and feel tired. Don't fret if you find out that you have eaten meat. Its not like someone will take away your birthday. Do your research and find other veggies in your town. this will help a lot.
Lots of beans, nuts, vegetables, seeds, and fruits
Some carbs
A bit of dairy
A small amount of fats
Making sure you get all the necessary vitamins and minerals
A varied diet is best for anyone, no matter if they are vegetarian or not. That way you get a wide variety and delivery of vitamins along with all the variations from fiber, texture, and taste that is going to keep you eating a healthy diet.
Before making any change to your diet, I would strongly suggest talking to your doctor. Certain foods and changes may have an effect on medications that you may be taking - or you may have border line issues that your doctor has been monitoring and adjustments may be needed to suit you personally.