Just this week, research showed that people who switched from eating meat to a vegetarian diet gained slightly less weight over five years than people who didn't make major diet changes.
But converting to vegetarianism should be done with caution.
Take action:
Make sure you:
check the diet with your doctor or dietician first;
include enough protein – good sources include lentils, beans, soy, nuts, nut butters, whole-grain breads and cereals;
include enough iron – you can get it from beans, peas, whole-grain breads, spinach, raisins, apricots, peaches, nuts and seeds;
beware of fat – you can load up on too much fat and too many calories if your vegetarian diet includes french fries, ice cream, full-cream milk, cheese and lots of nuts.