Many people believe that following a vegetarian diet will help them to lose weight, but this is not necessarily true. Although many people believe the vegetarian way of eating is inherently healthy, lower-fat food choices and calorie control are important no matter how you eat. In fact, many vegetarians have a high fat intake. Foods like eggs, cream, butter, whole milk products and cheese contain many unnecessary calories. Some vegetarian protein sources, such as nuts and seeds, are also high in fat. Despite all the hidden fat in a vegetarian diet, you can still reap the benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle while trying to lose weight. These simple ideas will help you follow a vegetarian diet and lose weight:

• If you drink milk, go for fat-free. If you use soya milk, look for one that is labeled reduced-fat and fortified, so you get the protein and essential vitamins and minerals without unnecessary fat and calories

• Choose low-fat versions of cheese, and limit your intake to under five grams of fat per ounce whenever possible

• Make legumes, tofu and tempeh your main source of protein. All are fairly low in fat, and legumes add fiber to your diet. Nuts and seeds are excellent sources of protein, but be wary of large portion sizes. If you’re eating more than a handful a day it’s too much

• Choose fresh fruit or raw vegetables for snacks and limit snacks that are high in fat or sugar

• Try flavouring foods with lemon juice or flavored vinegars instead of mayonnaise, butter or margarine

• As with any diet, avoid fried foods and opt for baked, grilled or steamed ones instead

• Try to eat only when you’re hungry. Nibbling — even on low-calorie foods — can add up

• Be creative with low-fat vegetarian recipes

Even vegetarians can benefit from following my Healthy Eating Guide, which is available free by emailing to [email protected].

Recipe of the Week

Farfalle Pasta With Broccoli and Ricotta

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 pound farfalle pasta

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

4 cups broccoli florets

freshly ground black pepper

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1 cup part skim ricotta cheese

Method

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop the pasta in it and cook for 12 to 14 minutes, until al dente. Meanwhile heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add the broccoli florets, salt, pepper and nutmeg and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, just until the broccoli begins to get tender. Remove from heat and place the broccoli mixture in a large bowl with the ricotta cheese. Drain the pasta and immediately toss it with the broccoli and ricotta.

Ask Alva

My body mass index (BMI) is supposedly 20. How many calories should I limit myself to in order to lose five pounds? Anita

First of all let me say that, based on what you have told me, you don’t need to lose weight. But, you probably don’t want to hear that. Remember that what you may not like about your body probably has a lot more to do with body composition than body weight. With a lower percentage of body fat and a higher percentage of muscle, you’d look very different than you would with more body fat and less muscle, even at the same weight. You’ll probably like the way you look more if you work on shaping your body with resistance exercises (using weights or machines), which will not only make you look leaner but will also help increase your metabolism and burn calories more efficiently, even when you’re at rest. So, just to summarise, calories are important, but they are not the whole picture. What you eat, the mixture, the timing and your hormonal response to food are all-important factors in the weight-gain equation. Your metabolic rate is one of those factors, and it is mainly determined by how much muscle you have. Muscle is metabolically active and burns calories while fat is basically inert. Alva