Flexitarian Diet for Weight Loss
The keto and Whole30 diets may be the most talked about diets in recent years, but according to the U.S. News and World Report the best diets, they're among the worst for your health goals. Why? They are very limiting, forcing you to cut out entire food groups in exchange for a slimmer waistline.
If you're looking to lose weight or just eat healthier without giving up the foods you love, consider the Flexitarian Diet. Ranked as the third best overall diet in America — right after the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet — the Flexitarian diet plan is a mostly vegetarian meal plan, except you don't have to eliminate meat or dairy.
What Is the Flexitarian Diet?
The Flexitarian Diet was created by dietitian Dawn Jackson Blatner to help people get the benefits of eating vegetarian while still enjoying animal products in moderation.
The name of this diet is taken from the combination of flexibility and vegetarianism.
Vegetarians eliminate meat and all other animal foods, while vegans completely restrict meat, eggs, fish, dairy, and all food products of animal origin. Flexitarians can eat animal products, so they are not considered vegetarians or vegans. (healthline)
The Flexitarian diet weight loss has no clear rules or recommended number of calories and macronutrients. In fact, it is more a lifestyle than a diet.
This is based on the following principles:
- Eat mostly vegetables, fruits, nuts and whole grains.
- Be flexible and incorporate meat and animal products from time to time.
- Focus on proteins from plants instead of animals.
- Limit added sugar and candy.
- Eat foods that are least processed and most natural.
Due to its flexibility and focus on what to include rather than being limited, the Flexitarian Diet is a popular choice for people who want to eat healthier.
The creator of the Flexitarian Diet, Dawn Jackson Blatner wrote how to start a flexitarian diet by including an amount of meat per week in her book.
Following its specific recommendations is not required to start eating in a flexible way. Some people who are on a diet may eat more animal products than others. Overall, the goal is to eat more nutritious, plant-based foods and less meat.
Flexitarian Diet to Lose Weight
Flexible eating is also good for your waist circumference. This is partly because flexitarians limit high calorie, processed foods and eat more plant foods that are naturally lower in calories.
People who follow a plant-based diet lose more weight than those who don't.
A review of studies in more than 1,100 people in total found that those who ate a vegetarian diet for 18 weeks lost 4.5 more pounds than those who didn't.
This and other research also shows that those who follow a vegan diet tend to lose the most weight, compared to vegetarians and omnivores. Because the Flexitarian Diet is closer to a vegetarian diet than a vegan diet, it may help with weight loss but may not be as much as a vegan diet.
How Does The Flexitarian Diet Work
More than 65% of American adults aged 20 years and over are overweight or obese, but less than 10% are vegetarians and vegans. Vegetarian men and women weigh 3% to 20% less than omnivores, and research shows that following a vegetarian diet is twice as effective as a carnivore diet when it comes to losing weight.
So being a part-time vegetarian who eats meat from time to time can help you lose unwanted weight in a healthy way—by eating nutritious, low-calorie foods.
20 minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week will increase your metabolism, keep your body supple, protect you from many diseases, and even provide mental and emotional benefits.
A study by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in Washington, DC found that participating women lost a pound a week without counting calories and kept it off by eating no meat or dairy and limiting oil.
These ladies don't even need to work out. You can get similar results if you limit high-fat meats and dairy products without eliminating them altogether.
General Nutrition
A flexitarian diet includes all food groups, and as such, it's likely that you can meet all your nutritional needs with this diet.
In comparison, more restrictive vegetarian and vegan diets may be deficient in omega-3 fatty acids, particularly DHA, which is found in fish. A study in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found more than 50% of vegetarians in one group reported zero intake of DHA. A flexitarian diet allows flexibility for you to stick to regular fish consumption and can provide better overall nutrition. the balance
Weight loss
Some studies show that a semi-vegetarian diet is associated with lower body weight. A 2015 study in Clinical Nutrition Research found that post-menopausal women who followed a semi-vegetarian diet had lower body weight, BMI, and percentage of body fat compared to non-vegetarian women. Another 2014 study in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that semi-vegetarians had lower obesity rates than non-vegetarians.
Cost
This pack doesn't require expensive meal replacements or special recipes. On the other hand, you can choose foods that suit your food budget. While you may be spending more each week on produce, it tends to balance out because you may be spending less each week on meat.
Flexibility
Nothing is excluded from the flexitarian diet. Instead, the focus is on increasing plant-based diets while controlling total animal-food intake. Since all foods fit into this diet, it's easy to build meals around foods you enjoy. You can also confidently go to a friends dinner party or visit a restaurant while staying focused on the core principles of the diet.
Reduce the Risk of Diabetes
Eating a flexitarian diet may help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. Three separate studies—one from 2009 in Diabetes Care, one from 2011 in Nutrition, Metabolism, and Cardiovascular Diseases, and one from 2014 in the Nutrition Journal—found that a semi-vegetarian diet was associated with lower risk of type 2 diabetes than non-vegetarians. Similarly, a study in Clinical Nutrition Research found that semi-vegetarian women had lower levels of serum glucose and insulin.
Cons
Might Be Hard for Daily Meat Eaters
If you grew up in a meat-and-potato family, it may be difficult to make the switch to eating a more vegetarian diet. However, a flexitarian diet emphasizes doing this in a way that works for you—this may mean skipping meat two days per week and enjoying beef, chicken, or pork on another.
Additionally, recent research has shown that modifying mixed dishes to be more vegetable-centered than meat-centered can result in a similar taste and enjoyment profile. Try mixing chopped mushrooms into your burger, adding halves to the bacon and lentils in your burrito, or adding more vegetables and less pork to your homemade bowl of ramen.
Additional Guidance for People with Diabetes
Studies have shown that a flexitarian diet is associated with a decreased risk of diabetes. However, those who have diabetes may need a little extra guidance when following this diet. Many plant-based protein sources, such as beans and lentils, are also high in carbohydrates. You may find the total carb count in your diet is slightly higher, which can affect blood sugar levels.
If you have diabetes and want to follow a flexible diet, it's best to consult a dietitian who can help you plan meals that contain the right amount of carbohydrates for your body.
Low Potential Iron Intake
Research among Australian women found that semi-vegetarian women had increased levels of low iron, iron deficiency, and anemia compared with non-vegetarian women. Depending on how often you incorporate meat into your flexitarian diet, you may need to pay extra attention to adding more plant-based sources of iron. These include soybeans, lentils, nuts, seeds, leafy greens, and whole grains.
Limiting Eating Concerns
Research have found an association between a semi-vegetarian diet and depression. It's necessary to keep in mind that correlation does not equal causation in this scenario, which means that a semi-vegetarian diet doesn't necessarily trigger depression. There are other factors that may be at play.
However, it stands to reason that some people may turn to flexible diets as a way to control and limit their food intake in a "socially acceptable" way. Some experts believe that controlled eating may be associated with such symptoms of depression.
If you find yourself constantly thinking about limiting your food intake or feeling like you may be having a type of irregular eating, seek help from a qualified professional.
Is Flexitarian Diet Healthy?
One of the reasons why the Flexitarian Diet has gained a following over the last few years is because it can help people get the benefits of vegetarianism without completely eliminating meat. Doctors and dietitians recommend semi-vegetarian eating plans such as the Flexitarian Diet because they are easy to follow and encourage you to eat a wide variety of foods that not only help you lose weight but also improve your overall health.Studies have shown that a vegetarian and plant-based diet can reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure, and is associated with a reduced incidence of all types of cancer, especially colorectal cancer. A 2017 review of several studies on semi-vegetarian diets showed that this type of eating leads to improved metabolic health, reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, and both short- and long-term weight loss.
A 2018 study in Circulation showed that a low-calorie vegetarian diet was just as effective at reducing weight and fat and promoting heart health as the Mediterranean diet. What's more, a 2018 study in the BMJ also showed that a plant-based diet, such as the Flexitarian Diet, can help reduce diabetes risk while improving the psychological well-being and quality of life of people living with diabetes.
