The Flexitarian Diet: The Mostly Vegetarian Way To Lose Weight, Be Healthier, Prevent Disease, And Add Years To Your Life

Thanks to the growing health movement known as flexitarianism, you can manage your weight, increase your energy, and lower your health risks with a flexible nutrition plan that minimizes meat without excluding it. "The Flexitarian Diet" is not a diet in the strict sense of the word but a smart new way of cooking, eating, and living that's as flexible as you are. You can eat what you want with the Five-by-Five Flex Plan--five basic five-part guidelines that you customize to your taste: . . Five Flex food groups. Five main-ingredient recipes. Five types of FlexLife troubleshooters. Five Flex fitness factors. Five-week Flex meal plan. .

Here's how it works:
. There are no rules and no restrictions. Just eat more plants during your regular meals--and try to do the best you can. It's that simple. Once you understand the basics of FlexFoods, you can swap your ingredients, change your dinner plans, beef up your main dishes with meaty alternatives, and spice up your vegetables for fully satisfying meals.. . The secret is flexibility, according to registered dietitian Dawn Jackson Blatner, the creator of "The Flexitarian Diet," As health columnist for LifetimeTelevision's website, she knows what dieters are looking for. As spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, she realizes that vegetarianism keeps us slim and healthy. But as a closet meat-eater, she understands how hard it is to live exclusively on tofu and sprouts. That's why she developed this wonderfully flexible plan-so you can make your own choices and go at your own pace. (If you're worried about how everything will taste, relax--Dawn is an experienced cooking instructor!). .

The choice is yours. Just follow someof the suggestions some of the time, and you can still lose weight, improve your heart health, decrease your risk of diabetes and cancer, and live longer--with the veggie-smart diet that let's you have your meat and eat it too. .

Less meat = more weight loss and better health

Introducing the flexible way to eat healthy, slim down, and feel great "Flexitarianism" is the hot new term for healthy dieting that minimizes meat without excluding it altogether. This ingenious plan from a high-profile nutritionist shows you how to use "flexfoods" to get the necessary protein and nutrients--with just a little meat for those who crave it. As the name implies, it's all about flexibility, giving you a range of options: flexible meal plans, meat-substitute recipes, and weight loss tips. Plus: it's a great way to introduce the benefits of vegetarianism into your family's lifestyle.

Enjoy these Five Flex Food Groups:
Flex Food Group One: Meat Alternatives
- Beans, peas, lentils, nuts, and seeds - Vegetarian versions of meats - Tofu - Eggs
Flex Food Group Two: Vegetables and Fruits
Flex Food Group Three: Grains
- Barley, corn, millet, oat, quinoa, rice, wheat, pasta
Flex Food Group Four: Dairy
- Milk, cheese, yogurt
Flex Food Group Five: Natural flavor-enhancers
- Spices, buttermilk ranch, chili powder, cinnamon, Italian seasoning, herbs - Fats, oils, butter spreads - Sweeteners, granulated sugars, honey, chocolate - Ketchup, mustard, salad dressing, vinegars, low-fat sour cream