A vegetarian diet includes fruits, vegetables, cereal grains, nuts, and seeds, with or without dairy products or eggs. Various forms of vegetariansm are practiced, such as:

Vegetarian — does not eat meat, including game, poultry, fish, crustacea and shellfish, and may also abstain from by-products of animal slaughter such as animal-derived rennet and gelatin
Ovo-vegetarian — includes eggs but not dairy products
Lacto-vegetarian — includes dairy products but not eggs
Ovo-lacto vegetarian — includes both eggs and dairy products
Vegan — excludes all animal products, such as eggs, dairy products, and honey
Semi-vegetarian — consists largely of vegetarian foods, but may include fish or poultry, or other meats on an infrequent basis
Pescetarian — includes fish but no meat

The American Dietetic Association stated that at all stages of life, a properly planned vegetarian diet is "healthful, nutritionally adequate, and provides health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases". Vegetarians tend to have lower body mass index, lower levels of cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and less incidence of heart disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, renal disease, osteoporosis, dementias such as Alzheimer’s disease and other disorders. (source: Wikipedia.org)

Dean Ornish's diet plan called "Eat More, Weigh Less" is a high fiber, low fat vegetarian plan that can help you lose weight. He divides foods into 3 categories: those that should be eaten all of the time, some of the time, and none of the time.

ALL OF THE TIME
Beans and legumes

Fruits — anything from apples to watermelon, raspberries to pineapples

Grains

Vegetables

SOME OF THE TIME
Nonfat dairy products — skim milk, nonfat yogurt, nonfat cheeses, nonfat sour cream, and egg whites

Nonfat or very low-fat commercially available products — from Life Choice frozen dinners to Haagen-Dazs frozen yogurt bars and Entenmann's fat-free desserts (but if sugar is among the first few ingredients listed, put it back on the shelf)

NONE OF THE TIME
Meat of all kinds — red and white, fish and fowl
Oils and oil-containing products, such as margarine and most salad dressings
Avocados
Olives
Nuts and seeds
Dairy products (other than the nonfat ones above)
Sugar and simple sugar derivatives -- honey, molasses, corn syrup, and high-fructose syrup
Alcohol
Anything commercially prepared that has more than two grams of fat per serving

Vegetarian Diet Links

Mayo Clinic Review: www.mayoclinic.com/health/vegetarian-diet/AN01580

How to Get the Best Nutrition: www.mayoclinic.com/health/vegetarian-diet/HQ01596

American Heart Association: www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4777

U.S. Department of Agriculture: www.mypyramid.gov/tips_resources/vegetarian_diets.html

"Skinny Bitch" Diet: www.ehow.com/how_2106062_follow-skinny-bitch-diet.html

Purchase Vegetarian Diet Books


The New Becoming Vegetarian: The Essential Guide To A Healthy Vegetarian Diet	The Vegetarian Low-Carb Diet: The Fast, No-Hunger Weightloss Diet for Vegetarians	Living Vegetarian for Dummies	Skinny Bitch in a Box

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