A plant based diet is obviously far healthier than a meat based diet. And it’s easy to get absolutely ripped while following a plant based diet. Unless, of course, you eat like a lot of uneducated vegetarians. Just removing meat and dairy from your diet doesn’t make you any healthier if you are still eating excessive amounts of junk food. Eating more fruits and vegetables does. My colleague, John Alvino has just created an entire set of plant based meal plans (that are only available until Midnight, tonight) that will get you shredded in no time. I asked John what he thought were the top three foods that most vegetarians eat but need to avoid if they want to lose fat fast. Here are his answers:
#1 Food to avoid on a plant based fat loss diet:
Excessive soy products
Most vegetarians consume copious amounts of soy. Heck, it is not uncommon to see soy milk for breakfast, soy burgers for lunch and soy ice cream for a late night snack.
These foods can stop your fat loss dead in its tracks. In addition to all of the sugar and salt these products contain, soy has an estrogenic effect in the body.
Excess estrogen binds to the fat cells and causes an increase in the size of estrogen-sensitive fatty tissue such as belly fat.
#2 Food to avoid on a plant based fat loss diet:
Flour products
This list of fat loss no-nos includes: breads, pasta, muffins, cereals and just about all other baked goods.
These foods increase a hormone named insulin in the body which directly promotes the storage of fat.
Flour also has an inflammatory effect in the body. The last thing you want is inflammation in your joints which can cause pain and prevent you from being active.
#3 Food to avoid on a plant based fat loss diet:
Cheese
Cheese contains animal based saturated fat which has a negative effect on your carbohydrate metabolism.
In the presence of saturated fat, ingested carbohydrates are directed to your fat cells for storage instead of being diverted to your muscle cells for energy.
Vegetarian diets are typically higher in carbohydrates and anything that interferes with their utilization should be minimized or completely avoided.
Related Posts:
22. Mar, 2009
at 9:15 am #
I am an advocate for fruits and veggies. I grew up a semi vegitarian and have a nutrition background. I have read numerous ideas and articles on vegitarianism, meat diets, fasting, raw, paleo, the most interesting being the RVAF, and just about anything you can think of. To say that a vegitarian diet is better is off base. The Eskimos of not to long ago before we brought them carbs were the one of the healthiest races. Thier diet consisted solely of raw meat and raw fat. They had straight brite white teeth, and suffered from no illnesses what so ever. The fact is, more vegitarians are nutrient deficient than meat eaters. Don’t get me wrong. I respect Jason highly and think Mr Ferruggia is one of a small percent that knows his stuff and is a great advocate for a healthier life. Whether it be vegitarian or not. Just do your homework and decide for yourself.
17. Feb, 2010
at 11:31 pm #
Actually, Jeremey is wrong and spounts the same uninformed BS about the high meat/fat, low-no vegetation ESKIMO diet…
yes, their blood sugar and cholesterol levels were healthy, etc.
BUT HEY HAVE/HAD HIGH INCIDENCE OF COLON/STOMACH CANCERS from all the meat, hence humans digestively ARE NOT CARNIVORES….
18. Feb, 2010
at 4:45 pm #
similar indigenous cultures include the Masai and the Kalahari bushmen, both are meat eaters. Vegetarianism is truly a modern innovation by more modern civilizations.
19. Feb, 2010
at 10:07 am #
The traditional Okinawans/Japanese have one of the highest life expectancies in the world with many living past 100 years old. I found it highly interesting that their diet is very much a plant-based diet with high proportions of fruits, vegetables, and grains. Small amounts of fish throughout the week (for omega 3′s) and less than 3-5% of their diet came from meat or eggs. Also no dairy.
Human anatomy and digestive system also suggests that we evolved on a diet rich in fruits and vegetables similar to other primates. Like primates we may have eaten small amounts of animal flesh from time to time to supplement the diet or for survival purposes when supplies were low. Yet, most of the evidence seems to point to a plant-based diet for health and longevity.