How To Be a Vegetarian – 3 Best Tips

Thinking of Reducing or Giving Up Meat? Great! Here’s How To Be a Vegetarian

 

3 tips - how to go vegetarian

 

Many years ago, a very dear friend of mine told me she was going vegetarian.

I was delighted – and horrified.

I was delighted because I knew she was changing her diet because of her compassion for animal suffering, and I greatly admired her for that.

I thought vegetarian was boringI was horrified because I instantly wondered what on earth I would feed her when she came round for dinner…. You see, I had this daft idea that vegetarian meals were simply neat rows of bland vegetables.

That was a long time ago!

There’s now so much choice and variety of vegetarian food available – and it no longer matters where you are in the world; meat-free nutrition is readily available just about everywhere.

If you’ve wondered about becoming a vegetarian, but thought it would be too difficult, or didn’t know where to start, worry no longer!

Here are my top 3 tips which will help you to easily transition into eating more vegetarian meals.

(Of course, you could also go “cold turkey” (bad analogy) and give up meat totally immediately, and that works for some people. But most people I’ve talked to, find that a gradual change is easier).

How To Be a Vegetarian – Tip #1 – Find The Why

Even if you’re only going to make small, gradual changes in your food to start with, you still need to consider WHY you want to do so.  There are a number of excellent reasons – here are the most popular:

  1. Your Health: Vegetarians on average have a lower risk of heart disease (the leading cause of death in many countries) and diabetes. Eating more fresh vegetables and fruit leads to decreased risk of cancer. Vegetarians are less likely to be obese than those who eat a lot of meat.
  2. The Environment: Raising animals for us to eat is massively harmful to the environment. There’s deforestation to provide space for crops to feed animals. There’s the water required for those crops and for the animals. There’s the massive waste and pollution issues from large quantities of animals. They all reduce and pollute our water, air and soil. Growing fruit and vegetables, particularly locally-adapted, is infinitely more effective and eco friendly.  Freeing up resources for plant-based food for humans instead feed for farm animals reduces pollution, saves water, and lessens the effects of climate change.
  3. Animal Cruelty: Horrific cruelty in factory farms is legion. All we see in the supermarkets is a nice, sanitised piece of meat. But animals and poultry bred for food lead an existence that you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy, and then they’re killed, mostly with great suffering.  Reducing our demand for meat is the best way to help them.
  4. Lose Weight: A vegetarian diet is generally much lower in calories than a meat-based diet. (Although if you give up meat and eat pizza and heavily-processed convenience food, that won’t be the case!). Vegetarians are more likely to be slimmer, so if you want to lose weight, going vegetarian can be a great way to do so.
  5. To Save Money: Beans and legumes are cheaper than meat, and avoiding processed food will also save you money. You’ll probably spend less on healthcare too once you’re fully vegetarian if you eat healthily.

How To Be a Vegetarian – Tip #2 – Find a Variety of Yummy Recipes

Make sure you choose meals you’ll really enjoy – this is especially so at the beginning, before being a vegetarian becomes a normal habit.

  • how to be a vegetarian with hearty foodGo online for a massive variety of vegetarian food ideas. Search for recipes and drool over gorgeous photos on Pinterest – try these suggestions here and here.
  • Get recommendations from vegetarian friends.
  • Cook your normal meals with a meat substitute – chilli con carne for example, can taste great without meat! Here are some suggestions from PETA.
  • A useful exercise is to make a list of foods you regularly eat, for breakfast, lunch, dinner, desserts and snacks. Not meals, but ingredients. And then think about vegetarian alternatives, and make a new list. For example, instead of eating chicken in a stir-fry dish, you might try adding different vegetables or perhaps tofu. With a new list of staples, you should have no trouble stocking your fridge and pantry.
  • Eating vegetables, nuts, beans, legumes and grains should give you enough protein – in fact meat-eaters often eat too much protein!
  • Cook double your normal quantity so you’ve got additional meals for another time when you don’t feel like cooking. And you can even buy vegetarian convenience foods in grocery stores, which can be useful for emergencies or when you don’t want to cook.
  • Keep healthy vegetarian snacks handy for when you feel like a nibble – fruits and cut-up veggies, roasted or raw almonds, hummus and pitas or veggies, blue corn chips and salsa, granola, berries with soy yogurt, the list is endless….
  • Eating out is no longer the problem it used to be. Even steakhouses and burger joints offer veggie meals, and if not, simply ask – restaurants are keen to satisfy their customers and will try to help.

And remember that yummy vegetarian dishes are served all over the world, from Italian pasta to many Indian dishes to spicy Thai food to Chinese, Ethiopian, Moroccan, Mexican, South American and more. Enjoy travelling at your dinner table – experiment!

How To Be a Vegetarian – Tip #3 – Deal With Others Sensitively

how to be a vegetarian - tell others when eating food Tell friends & family about your change in diet – after all, you’ll still be dining with them at home, in restaurants, at social gatherings and at work.

Once they know what you’re doing – and why – they might prepare a vegetarian dish for you, or you might bring one for them to try.

Some people might think you’re daft, and that’s fine. Just try to explain it to them, without getting defensive or argumentative, and ask them to be understanding.

Don’t try to force vegetarianism on anyone, or sound preachy.  Don’t tell them how to be a vegetarian, but do give them more information if they’re interested.

And a final, bonus tip: Have Fun!

how to be a vegetarian - smile and enjoy it!Don’t make becoming a vegetarian be a restrictive, grueling ordeal.

If you feel like you’re depriving yourself, you won’t last long. Focus on what you’re adding to your diet, not taking away.

If you feel like you’re doing something good, and trying out some great-tasting food, you’ll stick with it for much longer.

Have a super time on your journey!

Spread the word about these 3 easy tips on how to be a vegetarian – it’s healthier for us and the planet! Sharing buttons below and right – thank you!


Tags

diet, eco friendly, food, green, health, healthy, how to be a vegetarian, plant based diet, reasons to be a vegetarian, top tips, vegetarian


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