Vegetarianism: a guaranteed way to lose weight! At least that is the conclusion that current weight loss books, magazines, and internet sites tout. We knew it was coming. first low fat, then low carb, and now no animal products. So let's answer the question that has been asked in recent years: Where's the beef?

TIME magazine did a survey to find out how many people practice vegetarianism. In a survey of 11,000 individuals, 37% of those who responded "Yes, I am a vegetarian" also reported that in the previous 24 hours they had eaten red meat and 60% of those polled had eaten some type of meat, poultry or seafood. Obviously being a "vegetarian" is not so clear to many. Perhaps those surveyed thought a vegetarian is someone who occasionally eats vegetables as a side dish alongside a chicken fried steak! If more than one-third of people in a large population don't know the most basic and broadest definition of "vegetarian," I can't help but wonder how they can convert to vegetarianism, lose weight and be healthy at the same time! Are you a vegetarian?

Wait just a second; my intention by writing this article is not to offend vegetarians or dismiss it as a healthy way of eating. I am simply writing this article in response to the recent headlines that becoming a vegetarian is the "best way to lose weight." I am not trying to change your opinion of vegetarianism. I am, however, simply trying to inform those of you who may be easily swayed by the media food chain to convert to vegetarianism. I understand that people become vegetarians for many reasons. Reasons may include religious beliefs, health, economic, moral reasons or simply because it is trendy. Just as people are vegetarians for different reasons, the diets of vegetarians are not all the same. Vegetarian diets include sproutarianism, fruitarianism, raw foodism, veganism, ovo-, lacto-vegetarianism, and pesco-, pollo-, and semi-vegetarianism. Vegetarianism is very complex, but with careful planning, a vegetarian diet can be healthy, but it might not necessarily get you lean.

For starters, I consider myself to be a semi-vegetarian. I do not eat any type of beef, lamb, veal, pork, or game meats. I don't eat them for any particular reason other than I just don't like them! I do, however, eat plenty of egg whites, fish, seafood, chicken, turkey and small amounts of dairy. I've had no problems getting lean, maintaining my weight or staying healthy. For those of you who are toying with the idea of converting to vegetarianism, let's look at some of the "facts" of this most recent study, and for those of you who are vegetarian, let's examine some of the health concerns and deficiencies that you may encounter.

Here are the facts from the study published in the American Journal of Medicine.

· The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a low-fat, plant-based diet on body weight, metabolism, and insulin sensitivity in subjects with regular activity. Sixty-four overweight, postmenopausal women were randomly assigned to a low-fat, vegan diet or a control diet based on National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) guidelines. There were no calorie intake limits, and participants were asked to maintain current exercise. The dietary intake, body weight, resting metabolic rate, thermic effect of food, and insulin sensitivity were measured once at the beginning of the trial and again at the end of 14 weeks.

For those of you not familiar with a vegan diet, all red meats, poultry, and other animal products including, seafood, fish, eggs and dairy products are omitted from the diet. In a nutshell, vegans eat only fruits, veggies, and soy-based or plant-based products. So, it's not surprising that after following such a rigid diet for a couple of months, the over all calorie consumption of the vegan dieters dropped by almost 200-300 calories per day.

· The vegan dieters lost 5.8 ± 3.2 kg, (12.78 ± 7lbs) and the NCEP dieters lost 3.8 ± 2.8 kg. (8.38 ± 6.17 lbs)

Despite the lack of calorie limitations, both groups lost weight. By comparison, it appears that the vegan dieters were far more successful than the low fat dieters. However, the researchers did not take note of whether or not the weight lost was muscle mass or fat mass. There is a clear difference between the two! With my experience, and years of counseling, I have found that for every 10 pounds lost on the scale; 4-6 pounds will come from muscle mass if there is not sufficient protein in the diet. . So, is there a possibility that the vegan dieters lost muscle mass in addition to fat mass? More on this later!

· In a comparison of weight change, and changes in energy intake, thermic effect of food, and resting metabolic rate, there were reported improvements in the vegan group. However, the difference in insulin sensitivity among participants was not significant.

The thermic effect of food is the amount of calories the body expends to process and store food. In other words, the more complex the food; the harder the body has to work to breakdown and metabolize the food. By consuming more fruits, vegetables and other complex foods and omitting fat and processed foods from the diet, the vegans experienced and improvement in metabolism. Of course, these same results can be achieved in any other normal eating pattern provided fruits, vegetables, and low fat lean meats are included in one's diet.

· Conclusion: A low-fat, vegan diet is associated with significant weight loss in overweight postmenopausal women, despite the absence of limitations on portion size or energy intake.

Okay, so I realize that numbers don't lie. Yes, the vegan dieters lost more weight (according to the scale) than the low fat dieters. However, there is more to losing body fat than just pounds lost. Still not convinced? Please, keep reading.

Is there a possibility that the low fat dieters lost body fat and gained muscle, thereby masking weight lost? This study would have been more accurate if body compositions were taken at baseline and at the end of the trial for all participants. For most women, the rate of muscle building is faster than the rate of fat loss. The same holds true for most men. You don't have to "pump iron" to build or maintain muscle stores, you simply nourish the muscle with high quality protein and stay active. You see, muscle contains water, vitamins, minerals glycogen and amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of muscle. If your diet is lacking in amino acids you will experience a decrease in your muscle mass. Contrary to popular belief, muscle does not turn into fat and you cannot lose muscle, it does however atrophy (it gets smaller). Your muscle is like a sponge. If your sponge is hydrated it will maintain a full and natural shape. If your sponge is dehydrated, it will lose shape and virtually shrink into a mini form of itself. When muscle is deprived of nourishment, this will inevitably occur. Because vegans and other vegetarians have limited sources of high biological protein, naturally they maintain a smaller amount of muscle. Therefore, most vegetarians are either very thin or overweight. When was the last time you saw a healthy, lean, athletic vegetarian?

I find it interesting that this study was funded by The Cancer Project in Washington DC. We know that fruits and vegetables are extremely high in antioxidants that promote cancer fighting effects. But at the same time, we cannot ignore the importance of maintaining muscle mass to offset muscle wasting that cancer patients experience during treatment. A low protein diet will actually contribute to muscle loss not to mention that there are some cancer patients that must avoid soy based products to combat the proliferation of the cancer itself. While vegetarians are touted to be the healthiest of the populations, Lifestyle habits such as exercise, religious practices, smoking, and alcohol can also influence health. Most research does not specify whether it is the diet alone which makes the difference or whether these other lifestyle factors also play a part. Therefore, I do not agree with the conclusion that a vegetarian diet is the best way to lose weight, even though it can be a very healthy diet. In fact, similar results can come from a non-vegetarian diet that is full of low-fat, lean and unprocessed foods.

We know that fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes and nuts are healthy. There are any number of studies that show that consuming more of these plant-based foods reduces the risk for a long list of chronic diseases (including coronary artery disease, obesity, diabetes and many cancers) We know that on average Americans eat too few fruits and vegetables and too much saturated fat. We also know that in the real world that, diets--vegetarian and non-vegetarian--have meat eaters who eat more and better vegetables than vegetarians, and vegetarians who eat more artery-clogging fats than meat eaters. No matter which way you look at it special populations may have needs that vegetarian diets may not support.

Athletes, in particular, need to be especially smart eaters. Their success depends on bursts of energy, sustained strength and muscle mass that require nutrients more easily obtained from meat. When your body is in a state of high metabolic demand, any diet that excludes foods can make if harder to meet nutrient requirements. For this reason, relatively few top athletes are vegetarians. Elite athletes may need high levels of calories each day to maintain muscle stores and to replenish energy stores; one would have to eat a lot of plant-based food to get those calories. Plant foods contain less of the essential amino acids necessary for the body to make complete proteins. Vegetarians typically use "food-combining" to balance the essential amino acids and non-essential amino acids, however the quality is still much lower than high biological animal proteins. Regardless, without the right combination of foods, an athlete runs the risk of creating more muscle loss and very little progress.

Converting to vegetarianism isn't that easy for the rest of America either. Lack of commitment can be a problem with many people. Most find that they need to constantly remind themselves what to eat and what to avoid. Finding the right foods can be one of the greatest challenges of becoming a vegetarian, especially if you are a vegan. It can be much harder to dine out. Parties or other social activities often provide non-vegan and very little healthy vegetarian foods. Can it be that vegetarianism may actually be more harmful to your health?

Allow me to repeat myself, there is no doubt that vegetarian diets can be healthy and that vegetarians tend to weigh less than meat-eaters, but you may not experience sustained weight loss by turning vegetarian. Vegetarianism is more than just peas and carrots. Making a vegetarian eating plan work for you starts with knowing your nutritional needs and then selecting foods which meet those needs. While all vegetarians need to learn how to meet their nutrient needs, those who eliminate all animal foods are at greatest risk of nutritional deficiencies. Here are some nutrient deficiencies that a vegetarian should be aware of:

· Protein: Plant proteins can provide some sort of the essential and non-essential amino acids, as long as sources of dietary protein are varied and caloric intake is high enough to meet energy needs. Whole grains, legumes, vegetables, seeds and nuts contain both essential and non-essential amino acids but are not a high biological source of protein

· Iron: In the US, most women, teens and children do not get enough iron. It may be more difficult for vegetarians to get enough iron because the iron from plant foods is not as well-absorbed as iron from meat. In addition, iron absorption is inhibited by fiber which may be more abundant in vegetarian diets. Dried beans, spinach, enriched products, brewer's yeast and dried fruits are all good plant sources of iron.

· Vitamin B-12: Although rare, a deficiency of vitamin B-12 is very serious. It causes a type of anemia and damage to the spinal cord, brain, nerves in the eyes and other nerves. B-12 comes naturally only from animal sources. Vegans need a reliable source of vitamin B-12. It can be found in some fortified breakfast cereals, fortified soy beverages, and other foods (check the labels), as well as vitamin supplements.

· Vitamin D: Vitamin D may be lacking in the diets of some vegetarians, particularly vegans, because most of the vitamin D available from foods is from vitamin D fortified milk and dairy products.

· Calcium: Again, omitting dairy from the diet may limit calcium intake. To offset bone loss, calcium is a must .Vegetable greens such as spinach, kale and broccoli, and some legumes and soybean products, are good sources of calcium from plants.

· Zinc: Zinc is needed for growth and development. Good plant sources include grains, nuts and legumes. Shellfish are an excellent source of zinc.

There is more to getting lean than eating healthy foods. You see there is a difference between eating to be healthy and eating to lose fat and get lean. Don't get me wrong, you can still eat to get lean and still be healthy at the same time. But if your goal is to lose body fat, it is important to eat the right type of food, in the right combination at the right time of day. Here are a few basic tips for vegetarians to ensure healthy habits and a lean physique:

· Keep your intake of sweets and fatty foods to a minimum. These foods are low in nutrients and high in calories.

· Choose whole or unrefined grain products when possible, or use fortified or enriched cereal products.

· Use a variety of fruits and vegetables, including foods that are good sources of vitamins A and C.

· If you use milk or dairy products, choose fat-free/nonfat and low-fat varieties.

· Eggs whites are considered the "gold standard" when it comes to protein. Toss the yolk and cook them in a low fat manner to increase your protein intake.

· If you choose to eat fish or other types of seafood, be sure to stick with the lower fat items. While higher fat fish (i.e. salmon) can be healthy, too much of it won't get you lean.

· Balance your meals with a combination of protein and carbohydrates. For some, food combining is necessary to get all of your essential amino acids.

· Protein shakes can also be beneficial. Lacto-vegetarianism can use a whey based protein powder and vegans can use a soy based protein powder. Mix the shake with water, ice and a small amount of fresh fruit for a quick snack to increase protein intake.

There is no doubt that vegetarianism is accepted by most of the population. Vegetarian food sales are increasing everyday Top restaurants have added more meatless dishes. So, how about it? Should we all become vegetarians? Not just teens but also infants, elders, athletes; everyone? Will it help us live longer, healthier lives? Does it work for people of every age and level of activity? Will "meat" be a nasty "four-letter word"? Can we find the right vegetarian diet and stick to it? If we find it, will we follow through? It may take a very long while. For most people, meat still tastes good. I doubt that America's food will ever be tofu.