Since you found this hub, I presume that you are interested in learning about fast weight loss diets which are easy to follow and produce real results. If this is the case then I have great news; this article will introduce you to three of the most effective and practical diets for fast weight loss. I personally am a vegan, so I will start with it, followed by the vegetarian and Atkins diet.

A basic definition of a vegan is, "somebody who does not eat meat, fish, dairy products, or eggs." according to the Encarta dictionary.

According to this definition, I am a vegan. Have I lost weight as a result of following the vegan diet? The short answer is yes, I have. Over the past two years I have followed a strict vegan diet, normally eating only 1500 calories per day.

Some people think that being a vegetarian or vegan is cheaper than eating meat, this is a misconception; these are not free fast weight loss diets. Eating a non-meat diet is actually much more expensive than eating a meat based diet.

The important thing to remember while on a vegan diet is that you have to consume protein, and unlike most people you will not be getting it from animal products. So, the key is to eat non-meat food that is high in protein. I personally eat a lot of soy protein, which is higher in protein than beef and it has no cholesterol or fat. During a normal day I try to make sure to consume at least one hundred grams of protein. On days that I exercise I like to eat extra protein, normally around 150 grams.

The results?

After eight months of following this diet I lost 55 pounds of fat, going from 198 pounds to 143 pounds. During this diet I eat 1500 hundred calories each day and I done moderate exercise (Not much, mostly just brisk walking for 30 minutes per day.)

So, I think that a vegan diet, when done right, could be considered to be one of but a few effective fast weight lost diets.

Before I decided to follow a vegan diet I was actually a vegetarian for about two years, so I was already used to a meat free diet. A vegetarian eats dairy products such as cheese, milk and milk containing products and eggs (Although, I did not eat eggs.)

As a result of following a vegetarian diet, without counting calories, for a little over two years I lost around twenty pounds, and managed to keep it off. So, I see this as a great way to maintain your weight for a long period of time.

I do suggest that you make sure to eat enough protein if you decide to follow either the vegan or vegetarian diet. If you are a meat eater, and you are interested in converting to one of the two then it will be easier for you to become a vegetarian, and later if you choose you can switch over to veganism.

I have never been a big meat eater, but I did live with one for a number of years so I know what the results of the Atkins diet are. My girlfriend was a big meat-eater for quite some time, so much in fact that she immediately jumped on-board when she heard about the Atkins diet, "eat all the meat you want" is the basic concept to this diet, at least is was for the diet my girlfriend followed. So, she would eat bacon almost every morning for breakfast, but nothing else. For lunch, she would buy a hamburger and take everything off and just eat the meat patty. For dinner she would eat a chicken breast.

What where the results?

After about six months of following this diet she lost about fifty pounds of fat. Her skin tightened up, and she looked a lot healthier; but, it didn’t last. After a year of starting the diet, (and six months of stopping it) she had gained the entire fifty pounds that she lost back.

The reason?

Because it was such an extreme diet she couldn’t stand to do it for more than six months. This means that the results from the diet will only last as long as you can stand to follow the diet, once you go back to eating 'regular' food, you gain the weight right back; and fast.

I recommend against the Atkins diet

I have seen positive results in myself after following both a vegetarian and vegan diet. I have watched my girlfriend lose a lot of weight fast by eating only meat, but it did not last for her. For this reason, I think the two plant based diets are the best diets for fast weight loss, and long term weight management.

If you choose to follow a vegetarian or vegan diet than you need to pay special attention to what you eat to make sure that your body is getting everything that it needs to be healthy. The main concern is that you get enough protein. This is even truer for vegans than vegetarians, because all the protein that they consume comes exclusively from plants.

I personally drink soy protein powder mixed with water. At first, I thought it had an odd taste but after a few weeks I developed a taste for it, to this day I drink it and like it.

For the average person, it is wise to get around 100 grams of protein each day. This can be accomplished by drinking four soy protein shakes, because they have 25 grams of protein each; or, it can be accomplished by eating a mixture of plant based proteins. It is smart to "diversify" if you choose to get your protein from foods such as beans and legumes.

I am not a medical professional or a dietary specialist; I am only an experienced vegan and vegetarian. The information in this hub is for educational purposes only, if you need medical advice please consult your physician.