You want to stop eating meat, improve your health, and feel better about the food you’re putting in your body? Maybe you want to cut back on eating meat, or maybe you want to go full-on vegan. Whatever the case may be, these tips for going vegetarian will help!
Find your reason. Whether it’s compassion for animals, your desire to improve your overall health, or something else entirely – find your reason! Having a reason makes the transition much easier, and makes it easier to stick with, too! Zen Habits does a great job of talking about why you should become a vegetarian.
Start small – or don’t. You can go “cold turkey” (pardon the pun), or you can slowly start cutting meat out of your diet. If you want to start slowly, first start by getting rid of red meat and pork. Then, cut out turkey and chicken. Last, get rid of fish (or keep it – some vegetarians do). If you’re going vegan, now’s the time to start cutting out milk, eggs, and other animal byproducts.
Read up! Follow amazing blogs such as No Meat Athlete, to read about day-to-day life as a vegetarian from someone who is doing it in an awesome way! It’s inspiring to read about people doing great things, becoming healthier, and living active lives.
Eat the right foods. Be sure you’re getting all the nutrients you need by choosing lots of leafy greens, nuts, and legumes to fill your diet. There are so many options for vegetarians nowadays, you’ll never get bored!
Avoid the crap. Do not replace meat with pasta! I repeat: do not replace meat with pasta! Don’t start adding cheese to every dish you eat, just because you can. At first, it can be tough to come up with meal ideas that don’t include pasta. Lacking inspiration? Check out this Vegetarian Meal Plan to give you tons of ideas.
Be prepared for arguments. When you first become a vegetarian – or even for years after – you will get constant arguments from meat-eaters that simply could never understand how you could give up bacon. Or how in the world you could skip a steak dinner. Or can’t wrap their minds around the fact that you’re still eating plenty of protein to fuel your body – without eating chicken or fish. As long as you have your reason, as long as you have your goals in mind, dealing with arguments isn’t too bad. Soon enough, they’ll “get it” and most will leave you alone about your food choices.
Are you a vegetarian? Any tips to add? Leave them in the comments!
Thanks for the information!
I have no desire to become a vegetarian, but I’m sure this is super helpful for those who do.
my son went vegetarian at 10 then vegan at 16 now he’s back to vegetarian
Going “vegetarian” or “vegan” should be approached with caution. There are nutrients in red meat that your body NEEDS. If a person doesn’t know which non-meat options will replace them, they run the risk of harming their bodies and will not get any desired health benefits.
I used to rarely ever eat meat because I always had tummy issues but then I got pregnant and loved meat! I would love to go back to eating not much eat and eating more veggies and fruits. It’s hard but with determination .. it can be done.
It was an eye opponent realizing that you should really be careful of I taking too much pasta or cheese. You share great resources for a healthy and smooth path to becoming a vegetarian
I eat meat that is specifically slaughtered when I’m out so it’s mostly a vegetarian diet outside of the home.
This is really interesting – I’ve often wondered how people manage to go from one to the other, I don’t eat much meet as it is but I’m not sure I could completely go without.
This is really helpful for those looking for tips on becoming a vegetarian. I am not one, but when I was having some strange health issues I was unable to eat, touch or even look at meat.
Great info. As much as my heart wants me to become one, I couldn’t survive. I don’t eat enough veggies or like enough to be able to sadly. Hopefully one day I can convince my self.
Great article, I do like my meat though. We eat mostly chicken however, I have added more veggies into our diet too!
I don’t think I could ever do it. I love those other foods too much.
I was never much of a meat eater even growing up. My parents thought I was weird. I can probably give up red meat & pork already 😛
My husband and daughter are both vegetarians and I really admire them for it. I don’t have the discipline and would find it impossible to give up some of the foods I love most.
these is a good guide for those interested to start their journey to being a vegetarian – thank you!
Great article! It’s important to remember that their are different levels of vegetarianism and many don’t eat cheese or if they do, its soy. I haven’t found a soy cheese I like. I do like nut cheeses though, especially homemade. YUM!
I am not vegetarian, but at the same time I do not eat a lot of meat. It’s funny to me that people feel the NEED to have meat at every meal or they aren’t satisfied. I am just fine going days with no meat.
I have tried a few times, but I love meat & just give in eventually.
I’ve been a vegetarian since I was a child. I specifically remember the battles at the dinner table because I didn’t want to eat my meat.
I’m not vegetarian but I don’t eat much meat. I do eat “clean” and people question me all the time about how can I pass up all the foods they are eating but I really have no desire for any of that anymore.
This is a great post. My sister in law is Vegan and i am always looking for new recipes for her to try. I like to replace meat in my recipes with a soy ground round when i can.
my youngest doesn’t care for meat. The texture and taste. So I work to find meals that will give her the nutrition her growing body needs, while only providing non meat meals. She has recently tried Tofu and its been a great addiction to her meals!
Thank you for the great tips, I have been thinking of doing this.
I don’t envision ever giving up meat entirely, but I would seriously consider cutting way back. I like many foods that are good sources of protein and I do believe our planet would be better off if we reduced our meat consumption overall. I really do admire people who make this commitment (as long as they aren’t preachy about it!) 🙂
I have been wanting to cut out meat for several months now, even though I love meat. My reason is for reading about the way some of these animals are slaughtered and 1st reason just loving all animals totally. My problem is there are very few foods I eat or can eat. I don’t eat even hald as much meat as I did before. My other problem is having trouble gaining and keeping weight on. I’m close to only 100 pounds and my average weight my entire life was 125. I have COPD and although I quit smoking last year after smoking for 40 years, the COPD burns up all of my calories.
I don’t think I could do it, but probably a healthy choice!
Thanks for the great tips!
I am not a vegetarian, but have found as I have gotten older I have been eating less meat. It is just not as appealing to me as it used to be. But, I need to use some of the tips because I have tended to eat more pasta and other similar dishes and it shows!
Been thinking of becoming a vegetarian.
Interesting article. I’ve considered going vegetarian, because I don’t love the idea that animals are being killed so I can eat them. I do love chicken, though! I’m trying baby steps: if I can try as much as possible to eat ethically raised and slaughtered poultry, I feel a lot better about it. I do try to eat a meatless dinner once or twice a week.
Vegan is way too hard core for me, partly because I really don’t like the idea of “substitutes” – e.g. vegan cheese. Blech!
I enjoy meat too much. Mostly, chicken and fish. I love bacon but don’t indulge very often. I do feel guilty eating the pigs. I think pigs are so cool, but they are also very tasty.
I admire the will power of the vegans, I don’t have that kind of discipline.