Just Another Meatless Monday

Where's the beef? Have you been thinking about losing weight by reducing or eliminating meat from your diet? You're not alone. A growing trend in this country is something called "Meatless Monday". This current culinary movement advocates going without meat just one day out the week. Good idea? It can be as long as you get the proper nutrition. You can also save a little on your grocery bill. Too much meat in your diet raises your risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and some types of cancers. Adding more plant based foods to your diet adds more fiber, vitamins, and minerals your body needs to be healthy and productive. You can do this too while on a weight loss program; just keep a few things in mind.

Protein, Protein, Protein. Protein is necessary for building muscle. Metabolic offers protein supplements, each containing 15g of protein, 7 g of carbohydrate, 0 fat and between 70-100 calories; these are a much better protein source than beans or grains. The carbohydrates in beans and grains are too high too lose weight, but the black bean is the best of the beans for its nutritional value. Other good protein sources are eggs, tofu, fish, and non-fat, plain Greek Yogurt.

Pumping Iron. Iron is necessary for healthy blood. Meat has the highest amount of absorbable iron, so when that's taken away the next best sources for iron are leafy greens. The darker the better and eat as much as you can. Kale, spinach, broccoli, okra, watercress- yummy.

B Energized. Vitamin B12 is needed for cell growth and repair and overall general health. It is only found naturally in animal products including dairy products and eggs. Look for healthy foods that have been fortified with vitamin B12. B12 shots are also available from your local Metabolic office.

Milk Will Do Your Body Good. Calcium is essential for healthy bones, nails, and teeth. But, milk is high in carbohydrates and if you're trying to get your calcium, stick with fat-free or reduced fat dairy products. Calcium supplements are available from all Metabolic Medical Centers.

If you feel this "Semi-Vegetarian" diet is something you would like to incorporate into your life, come in and talk with us. Maintaining a healthy, vegetarian diet takes a little planning but can be well worth it. It is possible for you to lose weight and still get all of your nutritional needs from a plant based diet, but the secret is knowing exactly what your nutritional needs are.

Let's find out together if eliminating meat one or two days a week would be right for you.

Metabolic Medical Center
http://mmcdiet.com