Tips for Becoming a Vegetarian or Trying a Vegetarian Diet
I’m currently coming up on my third year anniversary of being vegetarian. In that time, I’ve traveled to 8 different countries and moved abroad but managed to remain vegetarian. I find my vegetarian diet fulfilling, and I have no plans of stopping anytime soon. This may come as a surprise to those who used to know me, as I always loved meat. But, I also always struggled with knowing that I was harming animals. After watching the documentary Cowspiracy and then Seaspiracy, I finally decided to take the leap and become vegetarian myself. Thankfully my partner is vegan, and he helped me to transition into becoming a vegetarian.
The reasons why someone may choose to become vegetarian can be completely different. For me, I mainly chose to become a vegetarian for the animals. Others may choose to become vegetarian for the environment. According to an article titled ‘How Does a Vegetarian Diet Help the Environment?’ by Gerardo Bandero (https://www.fairplanet.org/story/how-does-a-vegetarian-diet-help-the-environment/), livestock farming (such as meat, eggs, dairy and fish) produce 4.21 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. Cutting meat from your diet can decrease your carbon foot print by over 50 percent, depending on how you change your diet. A vegetarian diet can also be good for you health. An article by Mayo Clinic (https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/vegetarian-diet/art-20046446#:~:text=Following%20a%20vegetarian%20diet%20may,grains%20and%20nutrient%2Drich%20foods.) states that a vegetarian diet can reduce risk of heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. I personally chose to become vegetarian for the animals and the environment, but one could choose a vegetarian diet for a mixture of all three reasons.
Here I have come up with some tips that helped me to transition into a vegetarian diet.
Start Slow
Instead of going completely cold turkey, try reducing the amount of meat you eat first. Start with only eating meat once a day, then you can begin to transition into eating meat every other day, and eventually only eating meat once a week or once a month. Listening to your bodies needs is important, so you don’t burnout of attempting to reduce your meat intake or becoming a vegetarian.
Note what foods you like that are already vegetarian
What foods do you like that are already naturally vegetarian? For me, I still love eggs with toast, avocado toast, bagels & cream cheese, mac and cheese, grilled cheese and spaghetti. All of these meals I was already eating regularly before becoming vegetarian, and still continue to. There are also plenty of wonderful meat alternatives you can experiment with, such as seitan, or vegetarian burger patties. As a vegetarian, I still regularly enjoy burgers and burritos. There are also other wonderful sources of plant based protein you can incorporate into your diet, such as beans, lentils, peanut butter and tofu.
Meal Plan
Even if your goal is just to reduce meat intake, or you’re only interested in trying a vegetarian diet, meal planning is integral to making sure you have vegetarian meals and snacks available. This also helps guarantee you’ll be getting the proper amount of protein in your diet! So before your trip to the grocery store, make sure to be more mindful in planning what you’re buying for meals and snacks for the next week.
Add a vitamin/vegetarian daily supplement to your diet
If you’re worried about having sufficient B-12 or protein in your diet, I highly recommend taking a daily vitamin (which is what I do) or plant based protein powder.
Ultimately, do what feels right
Reducing the amount of meat you consume ultimately reduces harm, and reducing some harm is better than doing nothing. I thought I’d have a harder time quitting meat, but I ended up missing it much less than I thought I would. I enjoy and am fulfilled by my vegetarian diet, I frequently have delicious meals that I love, and I have eaten good vegetarian meals across the world. In the end, you may realize being vegetarian is easier than you thought. But you won’t know unless you try!
