According to a new study by Forza Supplements, veggies tend to lose weight twice as fast as meat eaters.
Vegan on Female First
The results suggest that the fastest way to lose weight is to leave meat off your plate.
When dieting, in the first month- meat eaters usually lose around 2lbs while veggies can lose up to 4lbs.
If someone who's slimming cuts out meat from the beginning of their new eating regime- the month's average weight loss is 5lbs.
So why do veggies shed the pounds faster? It's arguable that those who omit meat from their diet go on to live a healthier lifestyle, which includes increased exercise.
The study found that veggies are twice as likely to be members of the gym. 28% of plant based eaters exercise in the gym compared to just 14% of meat eaters, with an average of twice weekly visits compared to once for the meat eaters.
Another contributor to weight loss could be that veggies are twice as likely to opt for the low-fat varieties in the supermarket. The results show that 57% of veggies make the choice to buy products that are lower in fat compared to just 29% of meat eaters.
Another contributor to an expanding waistline is of course the regular consumption of fast food. Only 12% of vegetarians frequent fast food restaurants- whereas 39% of meat eaters enjoy food on the go.
On the whole, 87% of people admitted to losing weight more easily when they excluded meat from their diets.
One final reason for dropping a dress size is possibly the reduction in eating out. Many veggies believe that menu options are limited and this puts them off going out for a meal with friends, family or loved ones. Home cooked meals are arguably better as you know exactly what's going into them, which includes the fat content.
Forza Supplements managing director Lee Smith said: "All our research shows that becoming a veggie is a great way to lose weight.
"People feel better about themselves after giving up meat products and are more likely to adopt a healthier lifestyle.
"It's not that good lean meat it is particularly calorific but we find that meat-eaters consistently have a higher calorie intake because the meat they eat is often cooked in an unhealthy way.
"A grilled chicken thigh is just 135 calories but that shoots up to 290 calories when it is fried by one of the fast food outlets, with another 300 calories if you add fries. That is where all the damage is done."
The UK boasts one of the highest numbers of veggies in the developed world as 12% (7,752,000 people) of the population no longer consume meat, compared to only 2% of Australians who have adopted a plant based diet.
The greatest number of veggies live in India where 48% of the population don't include animal flesh in their diets.
There are a number of famous female vegetarians too including; Natalie Portman, Miley Cyrus, Naomi Watts, Alicia Silverstone and Michelle Pfeiffer.
Famous male vegetarians include Joaquin Phoenix, Tobey Maguire, Christian Bale, Woody Harrelson and Russell Brand. Associating these famous faces and healthy physiques with the vegetarian diet might have encouraged some people to follow in their footsteps.
Greens With Benefits, specially developed for Boots, is a range of capsules and powders with no artificial ingredients which contain immune-boosting and energising vitamins and minerals.
The products are suitable for meat-eaters and vegetarians and contain a variety of 'superfood' ingredients - pomegranate, panax ginseng, chia seed, green tea, spirulina and cranberry - to help dieters and non-dieters to eat more healthily.
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