How to Transition to Vegetarianism

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If you remember from this post, one of my goals for 2016 was to become a vegetarian. For the past 4 weeks, I have been a vegetarian and I'm loving it. I thought I would share the "transition" and how to become a vegetarian without struggling.

have motivation
One of the easiest ways to keep yourself dedicated is to have a reason for becoming a vegetarian. Are you doing it for your health? For the animals? For the environment? Not sure why you should be vegetarian? Here's the top 10 reasons why.

change your mindset
Instead of thinking "I can't eat meat", think "I get to eat healthy", "I get to save animals", or "I get to help the environment". Your mindset has the power to change your entire outlook on your new diet.

cut back on meat
Before becoming a vegetarian, the only meal that I ate meat at was dinner and occasionally lunch. I would say that I probably ate meat 5ish times each week. If you are an active meat-eater, try to cut down on how much meat you eat to one meal per day before completely cutting out meat, so that it isn't a drastic and restrictive change.

find meat substitutes
No, this does not mean to go try Tofurkey (I mean, you can if you want). Although our bodies don't need meat, we do need the nutritional value that we get from meat, such as protein and iron. Try to find foods that you can add to your meals, such as quinoa, spinach, beans, eggs, almonds, and tofu. Quick tip: while cheese does have protein, don't substitute it for meat- it's full of fat and can lead to unexpected weight gain.

find yummy recipes
It can be easy to be vegetarian and eat nothing but mac and cheese and french fries because, hey, technically that is vegetarian. I personally feel like an important part of being vegetarian is also trying to eat as clean as you can. I enjoy cooking and I think it's fun to make healthy and vegetarian meals such as homemade veggie burgers or stir fry! Some of my favorite recipes can be found here.

Being vegetarian is easier than you think! I haven't missed meat during these past weeks- I ordered grilled cheese at In-n-Out :) Good luck with your new diet!

xoxo,

Alyssa