“What would spur a person to be a vegetarian?” In other words, how or what factors made them arrive at this decision? The reason for becoming a vegetarian varies from one person to another.
Someone can become a vegetarian by a doctor’s recommendation. After one of many studies on the reasons for many illnesses, one can decide not to eat meat as a preventive measure. Another factor is because of ethical reasons – the quest to save the animals or for religious purposes. Some may have have been influenced by friends who are vegetarian. However, the most fundamental reason is the desire for healthier living. Whatever the reasons may be, below are steps to take when making a decision to be a vegetarian.
- Be Informed:
The first thing to do is to decide why you want to be a vegetarian as in the reasons listed above or apart from it. You need to clarify your reason and confirm it to yourself.
And before you decide to move forward because your friend is also vegetarian, start researching information on the subject and relate it to your current circumstance and link it to your “why”. (tabbouleh)
Will you be able to continue after starting it? How do you intend to adapt to the new lifestyle? Ask yourself these questions and do not make a move on until you are satisfied with the answers you have.
Lastly, check with your physician to make sure that going vegetarian will not conflict with any health complications.
2. This Or That?
Since you now know the reason you want to be a vegetarian, the next thing is to decide what category you want to be. Think about the foods you want to avoid or include. Understanding these categories will help with short-term or long-term goals in becoming a vegetarian. Take note that decisions do not have to be set in stone. This is because as you continue, you will learn more about being a vegetarian and start making new decisions. You may wish to create your own different recipes yourself.
Therefore there is a need to discuss the types of vegetarians:
Ovo-Lacto Vegetarians – Vegetarians who add dairy products and eggs in their eating plan.
Ovo-Vegetarians – Add only eggs to their eating plan.
Lacto-Vegetarians – Vegetarians include only dairy products in their eating plan.
Vegans – Vegetarians that eat raw or cooked vegetable foods, no animal products or by-products.
Raw vegans – Eat only raw plant based foods.
“Ovo” comes from the Latin word for egg. “Lacto” comes from the Latin word for dairy.
The simple vegetarian diet is one that is made up of main fruits, nuts, beans, vegetables, grains, seeds, and herbs. There is also more variation of the major types of vegetarians than the ones described above because different people make various diet combinations based on their individual tastes. You can decide the combination of foods you want in a vegetarian meal.
3. Narrowing Your Choices:
After deciding the type of eating plan you wish to start with, the next step is to check off unacceptable food items in your current eating plan and make a list of the new food items you will like to add. Note that this new eating plan must include lots of fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains as much as possible. You do not have to remove everything at once. You can decide to remove old food items gradually as you get used to your vegetarian lifestyle. Now you can start having fun by creating your own amazing recipes from acceptable food items.
Gone are the days when vegetable meals are restricted to just a big bowl of salad and lots of fruits. Make other people around you curious by creating mouth-watering dishes. You can find recipes on online food blogs if you are unsure where to begin.
4. Meal Plan
The next step is to make a menu based on your new choices and start prepping. Join food blogs, request for vegan recipes, and make friends with other people in the vegetarian community. Read books on vegetarian cooking, experiment with different combos. You can prep five to six recipes of your favorite vegetable meal for the week. Combine your least favorite vegetable along with your most favorite or blend them into a smoothie. You never can tell when you will fall in love with it!
Finally, never stop learning. If you want to add more to your food stock, inquire about the benefits of the vegetable you want to add. Keep yourself informed of the health benefits of fruits, vegetables, grains, and other choices of food you make.