Are vegan diet programs the best for losing weight?

[TaraNorth]

I’ve read that vegans tend to have lower BMI’s than those who eat meat. Is this true? Is going vegan really the best and fastest way to lose weight?

[Lady Greenfairy]

Vegan diet programs can lead to weight loss because foods that vegans eat tend to be low in fat and calories. However, veganism isn’t a diet it is a lifestyle. If you’re going to become vegan you need to make sure that you talk to a dietician about obtaining proper nutrition. If you cut meat and all animal-based products out of your diet (ex. eggs & dairy – milk, cheese, butter, etc.), you need to make sure you obtain proper protein and other important nutrients you would typically obtain from these foods. So, yes, you can lose weight by following a vegan lifestyle, but it is an extreme diet change that may be hard to follow and can be dangerous to your health if you don’t do it right.

[KittyKatt]

You'll likely lose weight just by following a vegan program as long as you can stick to it. The problem is that this is a very serious change in your diet and the odds are that the majority of people won't adhere to it. You should really talk to your doctor before doing this, too, because you have to know a LOT about nutrition to eat properly without any animal based foods

[M-Stark334]

No. I don't personally think they are the best, at least not for everyone. Becoming a vegan is an extreme lifestyle change. You will lose weight if you cut out meat and other animal products, but you also lose the nutrients that go along with it. If this is something you are seriously considering, then like Lady Greenfairy and KittyKatt have said, you should talk to your doctor or to a dietician to make sure you know how to get all the nutrients you need.

[TaraNorth]

Alright, so based on the responses I feel that you all agree that you will lose weight following a vegan diet program but that following this diet would be a real pain the butt if you are used to eating animal-based products and meats and that you need to make sure you are getting all the nutrients you need. I think going vegan is a little to extreme for me. I think I might just lower my intake of animal products and boost the amount of veggies and whole grains I eat.