This year marks my 4th year of being a full time vegetarian. I say full time because I have had small timeframes when I tried to be vegetarian but 2020 was the first year that I was able to fully embrace it. And I will also say that it gets so much easier the longer you stick to a vegetarian diet. It was about 6 months in that I fully believed that this was a permanent dietary change for me. And now 4 years in I still believe that!

But I do remember how overwhelming it was when I first started. Would I be able to travel as a vegetarian (spoiler alert: absolutely!)? Would it be hard during the holidays (yeah it is… but it’s worth it!)? Would I be able to be healthy and eat a fully healthy diet (yes!!)?

There absolutely has been challenging parts but for my personal reasons I fully believe the small challenges are more than worth all of the reasons that I choose to stop eating meat. If anyone is curious (I would be, Im nosy!) I am vegetarian for animal protection/love as well as the sustainability stand point. If anyone wants to know more about those and the pull I feel towards vegetarianism then let me know and I can do a longer post.

But now let’s get into my 8 tips for becoming a vegetarian this year!

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8 Tips For Becoming A Vegetarian This Year!

How to become a vegetarian:

1. Educate Yourself:
   • Start by learning about the different types of vegetarianism, such as lacto-vegetarian (includes dairy), ovo-vegetarian (includes eggs), or vegan (excludes all animal products). Understanding your chosen path will help you make informed dietary decisions. Plus knowing where you stand on the “gray area” items that can help you correctly order and answer questions when restaurants/others cooking for you ask!
   • Gray area? That is what I personally call the items that some people consider vegetarian and others don’t. The most common that I have encountered are eggs and gelatin! I will leave the research to you if you want to read about why those aren’t clearly vegetarian or not but I warned you now to approach with caution if you are easily put off by queasy things!
2. Gradual Transition:
   • Consider transitioning gradually. Start by reducing your meat intake and incorporating more plant-based foods into your diet. This gradual approach can make the transition smoother.
   • A great way to do this is to try meatless Mondays! Pick a day (doesn’t have to be Mondays of course) that you don’t eat any meat. Then add another day after a few weeks then I recommend doing week days meatless until fully transitioning to vegetarian 7 days a week.
3. Plan Balanced Meals:
   • Ensure your meals are balanced by including a variety of fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, nuts, and seeds. This provides the necessary nutrients, such as protein, iron, calcium, and vitamins, that may be less abundant in a vegetarian diet.
   • Iron is the only thing that I initially struggled with and if you find yourself struggling with that too I highly recommend making overnight protein oats to eat in the morning! I have a bunch of recipes on my TikTok here.
4. Protein Sources:
   • Explore alternative protein sources like tofu, tempeh, beans, lentils, chickpeas, and quinoa. These foods are high in protein and can be delicious additions to your meals. And I mean seriously high don’t let any “gym bros” try to tell you that you can’t get enough protein as a vegetarian.
   • Also, I will say that if you choose to eat eggs (I personally do) it does make it easier to ensure you are getting enough protein if you have very high protein goals. But if not it is still totally easy you will just want to get good at making some of the common alternatives. Also, the Beyond/Impossible products that exist are also high protein and easier to cook than meat!
5. Read Labels:
   • Pay attention to food labels to identify hidden animal-derived ingredients, such as gelatin, rennet, and certain food colorings. Familiarize yourself with common animal-based additives.
   • Also get used to googling things that you aren’t sure, eventually you will know what you need to know! Don’t worry it will get easier and less time consuming.
6. Meal Planning:
   • Plan your meals in advance to ensure you have a variety of vegetarian options readily available. This helps prevent last-minute cravings for non-vegetarian foods.
   • Meal planning is something I encourage regardless but when you are removing a part of the common American diet you will want to make sure that you are planning for what your meals are because grabbing something quick isn’t always easy. AKA McDonalds doesn’t have any vegetarian main meals, Ive even heard the fries aren’t technically vegetarian!
7. Seek Recipe Inspiration:
   • Explore vegetarian cookbooks, blogs, and online communities for recipe inspiration and cooking tips. Experiment with new flavors and cuisines to keep your meals exciting.
   • No surprise but of course I recommend searching Pinterest. But also Instagram and TikTok have so many unique and fun vegetarian recipes too.
8. Nutritional Supplements:
   • Consider consulting a healthcare professional or dietitian to determine if you need any nutritional supplements, such as vitamin B12 or iron, to support your vegetarian diet. Definitely talk to your doctor and get your levels checked before and during the start of your vegetarian journey to ensure you are being as healthy as you can be.
   • Though I do want to say that going vegetarian made me think a lot more about what I was consuming and my overall “health levels” improved notably and my doctor has praised the difference it has made. And has no concern or reason to believe that I can’t be vegetarian forever!

Remember that becoming a vegetarian is a personal journey, and it’s essential to listen to your body’s needs and preferences. Take your time, be open to trying new foods, and embrace the positive impact your choices can have on your health and the environment.

Korra The Explorer

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