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A well-planned vegetarian diet can meet all your nutritional needs, but there’s more to being vegetarian than simply eliminating animal foods from your diet.

Planning a vegetarian diet isn’t really thatmuch different from planning a diet that includes animal foods. Like any other well-balanced plan, a healthy vegetarian diet includes plenty of veggies, along with fruits and whole grains – the main difference is that vegetarians get their protein from plant-based sources rather than animals. And as long as it’s well thought-out, a vegetarian diet can easily provide what your body needs. Let’s explore the options.

Different types of vegetarian diets

Generally speaking, a vegetarian diet excludes animal flesh – so vegetarians as a whole don’t eat meat, fish or poultry. In its strictest form, the vegan diet, even animal products – like milk, eggs or honey – are also excluded. But there are plenty of variations on the vegetarian theme. There are lacto-vegetarians who eat dairy products (but no eggs), ovo-vegetarians who do just the opposite (eggs, no dairy) and the pescetarians who eat a plant-based diet – but they also eat fish.

Getting enough protein on a vegetarian diet

One of the biggest dietary challenges – especially for strict vegans – is getting adequate protein from plant sources. Proteins are made up of small units called amino acids, which your body uses to manufacture body proteins like hormones, enzymes and muscle tissue. Your body can make some amino acids, but others are called essential – because your body can’t make them, so they have to come from the diet.

All animal products – from meat, poultry and fish to milk and eggs – are called completeproteins because they contain all the essential amino acids, and in the right proportions. The challenge for vegetarians is that – with the exception of soybeans – most plant foods lack one or more essential amino acid, so they’re considered incomplete.

Fortunately, there’s a fairly easy work-around – and that’s to combine plant sources in such a way as to provide all the building blocks that the body needs. The essential amino acid that is lacking in beans, peas or lentils, for example, is abundant in grains – and, conveniently, what grains lack, beans can provide. So, when you pair black beans with rice, or a bowl of lentil soup with whole grain bread, you can provide your body with all the essential amino acids it needs.

One of the most common mistakes that many of my clients make when they decide to “veg out” is to simply eat everything that used to be on their plates – minus the ‘flesh’. That might be okay if you’re already eating plenty of plant foods and are getting adequate protein from plant sources. But I see lots of people who start out with a pretty bad diet, but don’t do anything other than to cut out all the animal foods. In the end, they just wind up with the poorly-balanced diet they started with – only now they’re not getting enough protein, either. In short, they’re paying too much attention to what they’re cutting out and not enough attention than what they needed to add in. A diet made up of little more than pancakes and French fries might qualify as vegetarian…but it’s hardly healthy.

Planning a vegetarian diet

A healthy diet – vegetarian or not – consists of a balance of important food groups – fruits, vegetables, proteins and grains. Here are a few basics to get you started:

Have a fruit or veggie at every meal and snack

That’s good advice for everyone. I generally recommend that people strive for at least 3 fruits a day, and then two servings of vegetables at lunch and another two servings at dinner. As calories allow, you can increase these numbers.

Whole grains contribute to protein needs

Whole grains provide some (although not all) essential amino acids, which makes them an important component of a vegetarian plan. The amount you need to eat each day will depend on your calorie and protein needs, but you’ll need a minimum of two daily servings.

Beans, peas and lentils help complete your protein needs

The amino acids found in beans, peas and lentils (and products made from them like tofu, tempeh or protein powders made with soy or pea protein) complement those found in grain foods, which is why these foods are so important. You don’t necessarily have to eat beans and grains at the same meal, but you should make a point to have some of each throughout the day. Again, the amount you need will depend on your calorie and protein needs, but as with any other plan, you should aim to have some protein at each meal and snack to meet needs and help with hunger control.

Dairy and eggs are great protein sources for lacto-ovos

It’s somewhat easier to meet protein needs if you’re vegetarian (not vegan) and include dairy products and eggs in diet. These foods provide high quality protein at a relatively low calorie cost.

Protein powders can help meet protein targets

Protein powders made from plant proteins – like soy, or rice and pea – are great for vegetarians and vegans alike, since they help boost your protein intake at a relatively low calorie cost. They’re easy to add to foods like protein shakes, cooked oatmeal and even soups to boost protein– and, you can tailor the amount you use to your individual needs.

Protein content in vegetarian foods

Note: Pay attention to the calorie cost of some of these foods. Nut butters, for example, do provide some protein, but the calorie cost is relatively high. Also, I included rice, hemp and almond milk on the list because many people use them as alternatives to dairy milk, but notice that they are quite low in protein. Also, I’ve included information on eggs, egg whites and milk-based products for the lacto-ovo vegetarians.

 Written by Susan Bowerman, MS, RD, CSSD. Susan is a paid consultant for Herbalife.

Do you ever think about cellulite? Do you have cellulite? Cellulite is the dimple effect seen on thighs up and down the land. And if you’re thinking, “what on earth could she possibly know about having cellulite?” Let me fill you in on a little secret: I have never trained with a woman who doesn’t have it and, yes, I too am guilty of owning a little cellulite of my own!

What is cellulite?
Many people have heard of the ‘cottage cheese effect’ but let me explain what cellulite really is: it’s simply subcutaneous fat. Fat squished under the surface of your skin. It has a dimpled appearance because bands of collagen fibrous connective tissue sometimes push outwards as fat cells expand. Males and females can suffer cellulite on their buttocks, thighs, and tummy – although more women experience the phenomenon. And, no, having cellulite is not a sign that you are necessarily unhealthily fat – most people now recognize that cellulite is caused by genetics (and bad luck) and can appear regardless of weight, age or fitness level.

What’s the best way get rid of cellulite?
This is a hot topic question and, sadly, if you ask most doctors or read the medical research, you will see that it is not possible to get rid of cellulite altogether. A healthy, active lifestyle is your best bet to reduce the appearance of cellulite and, if you couple regular exercise with a good dose of confidence, then you can banish cellulite worries! After all, there’s more to life, right? Having cellulite does not mean you are unhealthy or overweight or undesirable – it means you are human and many humans get cellulite!

My secret weapon against cellulite
Self-confidence and feeling beautiful regardless of what you can see in the mirror is the perfect fix for cellulite because confidence is beautiful! The way you carry yourself through life; your posture and your attitude is ultimately what others around you can see. To help build your confidence, try improving muscle tone in your legs and glutes by following a resistance-training programme combined with quality daily nutrition. Personally, being active and healthy makes me feel more positive, and the internal and external benefits of being fit make me feel more confident.

Written by Samantha Clayton, AFAA, ISSA. Samantha is Director of Fitness Education at Herbalife.

If you think that just because summer is over, it’s time to pack on some winter padding…think again! Follow my fall workout tips to keep your summer body all year round.

Just because the weather is cooling down and you’re wearing additional clothing doesn’t mean that you should abandon your summer bikini body. Exercise should be done year-round because true health and fitness is achieved with a consistent plan.

Give my fall workout a try to add some fitness to your colder days and nights. It’s great for toning your arms, core and legs. This fall workout routine is also great for building strength and burning calories.

It should take you about 30 minutes to complete and can be done in the comfort of your own home. If you don’t have enough time to complete the entire workout, just do a few moves or one set to fit exercise to your day.

What you’ll need:

• A chair
• A set of hand weights
• A mat

It is important to prepare your body for exercise! Spend at least 10 minutes warming up your body with cardio exercise. For example, you can jog for 5 minutes, followed by jumping jacks or jump rope.

Fall workout move 1: Arm and shoulder combination using weights
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart while holding weights down by your sides. Curl the weight up to work the bicep muscle; then rotate the wrist so palms are facing each other and press the weight overhead at shoulder height to effectively work the shoulder muscles.

Fall workout move 2: Plie squat with arm pull
This move works the legs, glutes, inner thighs and trapezius muscles. Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart with toes pointed out. Hold the weights with palms facing the body. slowly lower into a squat as if you are sliding down a wall keeping your back straight. As you come up to standing, pull the weights toward your chest leading with your elbows and repeat.

Fall workout move 3: Chair dip
This move works the triceps at the back of your arms. Sit in the chair and place your hands on the chair next to you. Place your feet out in front of you keeping your thighs parallel to the floor. Lower out of the chair, and as you bend your arms your elbows should go behind you, supporting your body weight. Finish this move by pushing back up to the starting position.

Fall workout move 4: Hands and knees balance
This total body move works your abdominal core muscles, arms and legs. Get onto the floor on your hands and knees. Position yourself so that your wrists are directly underneath your shoulders and hips over the knees while keeping your back flat. Then lift up one leg behind you and also lift the opposite arm out in front of you. You can hold this pose or crunch bringing your knee to chest and elbow to knee. Once you’ve done one side, repeat on the other side.

Fall workout move 5: Curtsey lunge with leg lift
This move works your inner and outer thighs as well as your glutes. Stand tall and place your hands on a chair for balance. Take a backward lunge step with your left leg, taking your back foot just past the mid line of your body. The knee on your front leg (right leg) should not pass the line of your toe as you lower your body. Keep your core muscles tight and back straight. Return to standing, keeping a flexed foot take your leg out to side.

Fall workout move 6: Bridge pose with chest press
This move will work your chest muscles, core and glutes. Start by lying on your back practicing the bridge pose. Squeeze your glutes and raise your hips up off the floor to make a straight line from the shoulder to the knees. Once you are able to hold this position, you can add in the chest press. Hold weights palms facing forward and in line with your chest. Press the weights up, hold for a second, then return to the starting position.

Do 10-12 repetitions of each exercise in this fall workout and then try to repeat the exercises for three sets. I hope you enjoyed this fall workout routine. Remember that fitness is not just for the summer it’s for life!

Written by Samantha Clayton, AFAA, ISSA. Samantha is Director of Fitness Education at Herbalife.