You Just Started the Flexitarian Diet—Here Are 30 Recipes to Make First (2024)

FAQs

What is the 80 20 flexitarian diet? ›

With this in mind, the 80/20 rule diet encourages followers to eat a healthy, balanced diet designed to meet their goals and nutritional needs for 80 per cent of the time while allowing themselves to enjoy some of their favourite foods, in moderation, for the remaining 20 per cent.

The Flexitarian Diet includes a variety of whole, plant-based foods with an emphasis on plant over animal proteins. When including animal products, consider choosing free-range eggs, wild-caught fish, and grass-fed meat and dairy when possible.

Unlike strict vegetarians, flexitarians eat meat sometimes. There aren't any rigid guidelines about how often a flexitarian can eat meat. Some light flexitarians may eat meat every day of the week except one, while heavy flexitarians might have red meat, poultry, or seafood just once or twice a week.

The Omni Diet focuses on eating 70% plant foods and 30% protein. Though protein is a macronutrient that comes from both plant and animal sources, the diet refers to protein mostly as lean meats. Though the diet welcomes both plant and animal products, it has many restrictions.

Doctors and dietitians recommend semi-vegetarian eating plans like the Flexitarian Diet because they're easy to follow and encourage you to eat a large variety of foods that not only help you shed excess pounds but improve your overall health.

Mediterranean Diet, DASH Diet, and MIND Diets Are the Best Diets of 2024. All three diets are highly recommended by doctors because of their known health benefits. “The Mediterranean eating plan doesn't have a set calorie range or portion guidelines, which is why it can fit almost anyone's needs.

Vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, seeds, and nuts are the stars of all plant-based diets. More and more people seem to be making the switch to plant-based diet foods.

What to eat when not eating meat? ›

Eat beans, pulses, eggs and other sources of protein

Pulses are particularly important for people who don't get protein by eating meat, fish or dairy products. Other non-dairy sources of protein include eggs and meat alternatives, such as tofu, mycoprotein (such as Quorn), textured vegetable protein and tempeh.

A large study found that people who followed a flexitarian diet had a lower risk of heart disease and stroke, and that flexitarians may live about 3.6 years longer than their carnivorous counterparts, likely due to a reduce risk of diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

The egg diet may lead to weight loss initially, but it is not a balanced or safe weight loss plan in the long-term. Once a person returns to their usual eating pattern, they may regain the weight. In addition, any restrictive diet can limit a person's intake of essential nutrients.

“Aim to have 25% of your plate meat/poultry/fish, 25% whole grains (such as brown rice or whole-grain pasta), and 50% veggies,” says Blatner. Eat more: Plant-proteins: Black beans, pinto beans, garbanzo beans, white beans, lentils.

Red meat, such as lamb, beef, pork and venison, is a rich source of iron and is important in preventing the condition anaemia. Eating red meat once or twice a week may fit into a healthy diet, especially for toddlers and women of reproductive age.

Those who follow an 80/20 diet approach enjoy more nutrient-dense foods (think: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, dairy, etc.) 80% of the time while allowing 20% of their diet (or a few eating occasions) to include less nutrient-dense choices.

Following the flexitarian diet can improve your overall health and may promote weight loss. If you plan to use this diet to lose weight, keep in mind other factors—like sleep and regular exercise—play a role in weight loss and weight management as well.

Blatner considers you a beginner flexitarian if you have two meatless days per week (26 ounces of meat or poultry per week). Advanced flexitarians skip meat 3 to 4 days a week (18 ounces of meat or poultry a week). Experts go meatless 5 or more days a week (9 ounces of meat or poultry).