A vegetarian diet is full of health benefits ranging from weight loss to reduced cholesterol to lowering risk of disease and increased energy. But thats only if you do it the right way. Unfortunately many people take a few wrong turns on the road to a vegetarian way of life. The result can be lower energy, weight gain, and frustration that drives them right back to their carnivorous way of life.

Being aware of what not to do can help you make sure your plant-based diet is as healthy as it can be.

Mistake #1 Same foods, different day
Making a change is never easy. So when you find something that adheres to your new way of eating, it can be easy to fall into the trap of eating the same thing day after day. This plan has more than a few downfalls. For one, youll get bored, and that alone can lead you right back to your old, less healthy eating habits.

Besides the boredom, a balanced diet requires a bit more variety. You need a mix of fruits, vegetables, grains and other proteins for your body to operate at its maximum potential. The only way to do that is to change what you eat from day to day.

Mistake #2 Know Your Protein
Many new vegetarians worry about where their protein will come from. Instead, its not uncommon for vegetarians to tip the scale in the opposite direction and get too much protein. Many plant-based foods and grains have a significant amount of protein. Then there are the nuts that become a fall back for many vegetarian newbies. Add all this to the legumes and soy-based products that are often heralded for the protein content and the result is protein overload.

To determine how much protein you need, determine your weight in kilograms (weight in pounds divided by 2.2) and multiple that by 0.8 to 1 to get your range.

Mistake #3 The Junk Food Diet
The other extreme is a diet filled with junk food. When you look at a menu thats full of chicken and meat, its easy to turn to French fries or pizza. Eating this way defeats the purpose of going vegetarian. Remember, youre doing it to eat healthier and a diet of foods with little nutritional value wont help you accomplish that. Experiment with different vegetables that you may have never tried before, snack on raw veggies with hummus or even guacamole, create a salad full of additions you may have not thought of like sun-dried tomatoes, nuts and seeds, veggies or even different herbs. If you eat out, dont be afraid to ask to ask them to make food without animal products or as a fall back order steamed vegetables or salad.

Mistake #4 The I just wont eat Diet
You know what not to eat, but you may not be sure what you can eat, and the result is that you dont eat. Once again, bad idea. The vegetarian diet is intended to give your body the nutrition it needs for a long, healthy life. Depriving it of food and therefore nutrients will have the opposite effect. Youll end up hungry and cranky and will go right back to your old ways. Youre going to need to find replacements for your meat. It can be beans, tofu, tempeh, veggie burgers or even meat substitutes that are widely available, as long as its something thats nutrient rich and you enjoy it.

Mistake #5 You Forget to Focus on Food Quality
While many food borne illnesses are caused by animals that carry disease, fruits and vegetables are not always as safe as wed like to think. Cases of illness from plant-based foods have been reported too. Its important to know where your food is coming from and clean your fruits and veggies appropriately before consuming them.

If youre new to a vegetarian diet, experiment. Find new foods and new ways to prepare them. There are so many options that you probably never thought of and that you may soon find yourself craving instead of that cheeseburger and fries.