Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Understand why you want to become a vegetarian and tell someone you know
• Method 2 of 3: Getting Started
• Method 3 of 3: Reducing Meat Consumption
• Tips
• Warnings

There are many reasons why you can become a vegetarian - caring for your health, caring for animals, and wanting to pollute the environment less. And contrary to popular belief, a vegetarian diet is not boring - as long as you are interested in it. Here are some ways to become a vegetarian and get rid of meat in your diet!

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Understand why you want to become a vegetarian and tell someone you know

1. 1 For what reasons do you want to become a vegetarian? As already mentioned, the reasons are different. Moreover, you can even be moved by several at once! So it's very important to understand your motives in order to understand exactly what goals you want to achieve by becoming a vegetarian. It will also make it easier for you to communicate with others (and they will ask).
   • Some of the possible reasons are: moral or ethical aspects of animal husbandry and slaughterhouses, religious beliefs, health conditions, concern for the environment, or both.
   • Some vegetarians simply have a persistent dislike for the taste and texture of meat, which is later superimposed on a sense of the relationship between all living things in the world.
2. 2 Tell your parents or other important people about your decision. Telling loved ones about your decision to become a vegetarian as early as possible is a good idea. This will let them know that it's time to change the list of groceries they buy in the house, and also give you the opportunity to practice explaining your decision to those who can understand and support. However, with the latter - not a fact. Vegetarianism in some cultures is not considered to be something normal: few people will ask a meat-eater why he eats meat, but few will refuse to ask a vegetarian why he does not eat meat!
   • It will not be superfluous to support your decision with a serious study of the issue. You should not justify your decision with the results obtained, but nevertheless these facts will help the curious to answer and avoid unnecessary comments about your new diet. Pay attention to the benefits of vegetarianism, the moral or religious aspects of good animal welfare, and so on.
   • Be polite and patient when you share your decision with your family - even if they are not overly supportive of your decision.
   • Avoid controversy. Some people will take your decision as a political statement or even almost as a personal insult. In some cases, this is annoying and very often leads to the fact that vegetarians are trying to get involved in an argument about whether people should eat meat and so on. You can avoid an argument by saying that this is your business and that you feel healthier that way.
   • Invite your family and friends to try vegetarian food.Sometimes, a plate of delicious vegetarian food is the best advertisement for vegetarianism.

Method 2 of 3: Getting Started

1. 1 Find interesting vegetarian recipes. They can be found in vegetarian cookbooks and recipe sites. Plus, vegetarian food is a great way to try many different new foods that you haven't tried yet. In some places, there are vegetarian fairs and festivals that you can visit - also because of the gastronomic interest.
   • If you liked a vegetarian dish, ask for a recipe. If they share, then this dish can become popular in your home.
   • Ask your vegetarian friends to share interesting recipes with you.
2. 2 Start shopping as a vegetarian. You will find a huge variety of vegetarian products at local grocery stores, health food stores, and farmers markets. When you stop putting meat in your grocery basket, you have a lot to choose from! Try the following foods:
   • Many supermarkets sell meat and chicken flavored soy products, vegetarian hot dogs, and burgers. Not every vegetarian likes them - some may not like the taste, some may not like the color, but, in any case, it's worth a try.
   • Try fruits and vegetables you haven't eaten yet, such as tropical star, grapefruit, pomegranates, etc.
   • Try new grains like quinoa, couscous, barley, millet, alfalfa, and more.
   • Try tofu, tempeh, and seitan. There are many recipes with these meat substitutes, and besides, they are cheaper than meat products, which is due to the peculiarities of their manufacture.
3. 3 Learn to read labels more carefully. Many dietary supplements go against a vegetarian diet. You need to know what to avoid and what to look for when buying. You can get yourself a small card with notes, if you do not really hope for memory. If you are simply in doubt, then do not buy the product until you have thoroughly familiarized yourself with its composition.
4. 4 Know your nutritional needs. The most important thing for a vegetarian is to get enough vitamin B12, calcium and protein, as well as other vitamins and minerals. question If you do not want to go the natural way and get all the nutrients from quality food, as nature intended, take vitamin complexes - it will help.
   • If you eat dairy products and eggs, B12 deficiency is not a problem. Those who do not eat these foods may need to take nutritional supplements to avoid B12 deficiency. If you feel that your sense of smell has diminished, then you are deficient in vitamin B12.
   • Keep in mind that many will be interested in what you get your protein from and what gives you energy. Remind the curious that many edible foods contain protein. The belief that it is only found in meat and eggs is a big mistake. Moreover, many plant foods contain a lot of amino acids, so, say, eating the right amount of rice and beans can maintain the right protein balance. And soy products, for example, contain all the essential amino acids.
   • Remember, giving up meat and eating groceries, chocolate bars and junk food is not healthy at all, and even very harmful. A vegetarian who eats in this manner and does not cook anything from vegetables, grains, beans, and so on, and has every chance of encountering nutritional deficiencies, which will definitely affect his health.
   • Eating seasonal fruits and vegetables is also appropriate - more vitamins for less money. And remember, the fresher vegetables and fruits are, the healthier they are.
   • Keep a recipe book handy for each season so you can make the most of your pumpkins or cherries when they're ripe!
   • Whether or not you eat organic food is up to you. Read about the features of a vegetarian diet - the Internet is full of information on this topic.Organic food is very expensive, so choose the organic food you need most.
   • Try to grow your own food. There is nothing tastier than vegetables "watered with your own sweat"! But you can even grow food on the windowsill in the kitchen - for example, onions, tomatoes and lettuce.

Method 3 of 3: Reducing Meat Consumption

1. 1 For starters, don't skip meat altogether, but eat as much vegetarian as possible. Learn to enjoy vegetarian food before you ditch meat. Give up meat gradually. You can refuse meat products in the following order:
   • First from fish and chicken.
   • A week later - from pork.
   • A week later - from red meat.
   • Two weeks later - from seafood.
2. 2 Gradually switch to vegetarian food. If in the first days you broke loose and ate meat, it doesn't matter - just remind yourself of your decision and try to control yourself in the future. These breakdowns are normal, and with practice you will become a more consistent vegetarian.
   • Many people forget about meat after a couple of weeks.
   • It will be better if you immediately remove meat from your diet and try to hold out for at least a few weeks. Then the craving for meat will weaken and you will no longer want to eat it.
3. 3 If you freak out and eat meat from time to time, try being a vegetarian for only a few days a week. And gradually increase the length of the vegetarian period until you finally stop eating meat altogether.
   • Remember, if you ate meat or fish, then you are no longer a vegetarian, but, at best, a semi-vegetarian. If you only eat fish, you will become a vegetarian, eating fish and seafood. A true, “purebred” vegetarian does not eat animal flesh at all.
4. 4 Make sure you eat enough. Protein is found in many foods, so if you eat 1200 calories a day, you will not experience a lack of protein. But if you are trying to gain weight, then you need to eat a lot of legumes, nuts and grains to be sure to consume enough calories and healthy fats.

Tips

• Be strong in convictions! If they ask you why you decided to become a vegetarian, proudly explain your motives (you want to save animals from violence, improve your health, etc.).
• If it pulls and pulls uncontrollably to meat - think about that unfortunate creature from which this meat is made. Don't you feel sorry for her ?! You will quickly lose your appetite and want something else.
• Many of your favorite foods can be made vegetarian, such as lasagne, spaghetti without meat or meat additives.
• Try Indian vegetarian food. India is home to the largest number of obese vegetarians in the world, they already know how to eat. Many Indian dishes are not spicy, so there are literally hundreds of alternatives to tantalizing salads.
• Many of the foods in your diet - such as peanut butter, tomato paste, and rice - are already vegetarian foods.
• If the lack of meat in your diet is difficult for you, try eating something you like, such as chocolate. Vegetarianism can help you lose weight, so perhaps it can help balance the effects of eating homemade foods.
• Indian, Thai, Chinese and Japanese restaurants have vegetarian menus.
• Search for vegetarian groups both offline and online. It will be easier for you in the company of like-minded people. Plus, it's a great place to share recipes, ask for advice, or get support!
• In the United States, many restaurants can prepare you a meat-free dish if you warn the waiter about it. However, sometimes you have to explain the reasons. In other countries, this may not be possible, so if anything, try to find a place where you are fed according to your views on food. In any case, be careful and then a family dinner at a non-vegetarian restaurant will not be a problem for anyone.

Warnings

• Be vigilant and don't use vegetarianism as an excuse for feeling unwell. Get tested for low levels of iron, vitamin B12, and be prepared for the effects of stress, exertion, ecology, insomnia, and so on. As a rule, vegetarians are very healthy people, because the willingness to undergo a medical examination often pays off. manner.