Vegetarianism as defined by The World Book Dictionary as "the practice or principle of eating only vegetable foods and refraining from eating meat, fish, or other animal products". This definition, though accurate, seems somewhat limited, as being a vegetarian is so much more: it is a lifestyle choice, a way of thinking, and a way of behaving. Over 12 million Americans and countless others, from all over the world, have turned to the vegetarian diet. People who have become vegetarians have made a conscious choice to be this and, having studied this practice, no one should entertain becoming a vegetarian lightly. Even though there are many benefits to becoming a vegetarian, the decision could also be harmful. There are many reasons for people to choose a vegetarian lifestyle. Some people adopt it as a fad, while others profess to do it because of an aversion to eating animals. There are religious reasons for not eating meat and still others follow vegetarianism as a way to lose weight, using it as a diet. In each case it can be a healthy or a harmful way to eat. The benefits or harm of vegetarianism is associated with two factors: education about nutritional needs coupled with food choices. Even groups like athletes can thrive on a vegetarian diet if they are well educated to the bodies' dietary needs and are well aware of the limit-less choices available on a vegetarian diet. What follows in this essay, is first: a brief, yet insightful look at the vegetarian diet (the nutritional aspect) and then: an analysis of how this diet may, in fact, be a good choice for an athlete.
             The first thing people need to realize is that there is more than just one type of vegetarian diet. In fact, there are three basic vegetarian diets to choose from. The first is the lacto-ovo diet. This diet includes the use of eggs and dairy products. The second one is the lacto diet, which also includes the use of dairy products but, unlike the ...