chewy , 07-28-2010 12:40 AM
I am now officially a non meat eater. 4th day tomorrow...
I have smoothie for breakfast with protien. I eat kale chips and also other veggies like celery
I have been eating mini pita bread with either falafel and zero greek yogurt. I also love Hummus.
However, I have omitted Tahini from homemade hummus and falafel. It is Very fattening!
Any other tips for us Dieting Vegetarians?
I love tahini - I even sometimes dribble a bit over my salads as it is quite healthy. But, I do understand your concern with its fat intake.
The main source of fat that has caused me the most problems in life, is cheese. Doing away with it was REALLY hard (it actually has addictive opiate properties) - but eliminating it has given me peace of mind and lessened my fat intake.
nelie , 07-28-2010 09:13 AM
I don't purposefully avoid fat but I eat very little of it. If you concentrate on things like beans, veggies and fruit, you will naturally eat a lower fat diet. I make hummus with tahini but omit the olive oil. I think tahini gives it a nice flavor.
You do need some fat even on a low fat diet.
Remember that fats are very important in a healthy diet,
many people even have very succesful weight losses by eating on a high-fat diet, they give you lots of energy and keep you feeling full.
As long as the fats are from healthy sources, like tahini, nuts, nut butters, avocados, healthy oils, and other things like that, then you shouldn't worry.
Tahini is so good for you- it's loaded with protein and calcium!
I am also a vegetarian watching fat intake, and I find that cutting out almost all dairy has helped quite a bit. I've never liked cheese of any kind, so it wasn't particularly difficult to go without. The fats I sometimes (though very rarely) like to eat are avocado, olive oil, Smart Balance "butter" and sometimes nuts or low-fat granola. Watching my fat intake helps to regulate a lot of what I am eating.
If you do a search for low fat vegan on google you will come up with a lot of blogs and support groups. I did the McDougall plan years ago which is low fat vegan and really works.