Features

• Vegetarians choose not to eat any meat, which includes poultry, pork, beef and seafood. Vegans choose not to eat anything that comes from an animal, including meat, dairy, eggs, and in most cases, honey. Vegans also choose not to wear animal products, like leather, silk and wool. People can choose to adopt vegetarian or vegan diets for moral or health reasons.
  
  

Effects

• While vegetarian diets can be healthier than diets that include large amounts of meat, many vegetarians still struggle with weight issues. The best way to lose weight and keep it off is to eat the recommended nine fruits and vegetables a day. Most Americans consume far too much meat and processed foods. Limiting these items will lead to weight loss. Vegetarians get their protein from much healthier sources, like beans, nuts and soy, but processed foods are still abundant in the vegetarian diet. Many vegetarians also eat dairy, but cheese is an extremely fattening food. Limit processed foods, dairy, high calorie drinks, and sugar, and you will lose weight. Incorporating a daily exercise program into your normal routine will help you reach your weight loss goals even faster.
  
  

Misconceptions

• The idea that vegetarians are thin and don't worry about their calorie intake is incorrect. Another misconception is that the sole justification for not eating meat from the vegetarian community is that killing animals is wrong.
  
  

Significance

• Many believe a vegetarian diet is more beneficial for the planet by choosing to consume foods that are created by more-efficient methods than raising and slaughtering livestock.
  
  

Time Frame

• Most people see an improvement in the way they look and feel within weeks or even days of adopting a vegetarian diet. Eating healthy foods can lead to feeling more energetic and eventually weight loss.