The process of becoming a vegetarian was a large time coming. I didn’t wake up one morning and decide to stop meat from my diet. Like most life changes it too some time to become a reality. I made my excuses and for a long time felt that I could never make it as a vegetarian. While I did all the research before making my final decision there were some things I did not expect. I expected my food choices to get smaller, I did not expect eating out to become practically impossible. Whether you are thinking about being vegetarian, are vegetarian and having a hard time, or simply interested in a vegetarians perspective this article will help you. These observations are personal, some may be universal, but don’t expect the exact same experience. With that being said, let’s get to the list.
Almost no one will Understand.This is perhaps the one thing I did not consider that has been the most troublesome. When I started telling people about my new lifestyle I expected to mention it and forget it. I didn’t plan on it being the topic of discussion every time I came around. This talk has died down, but for the first two weeks the only thing they were interested in was why I was becoming a vegetarian. Some questions/statements that everyone seems to utter. Why? Don’t you miss meat? I could never do that. I have to eat steak. MMM I love meat. You can eat fish right? I’d love to be a vegetarian but I don’t like salad. Do you just get bored with life and have to try new things? You better take multi-vitamins. Vegetarians are so pale and skinny, that’s not healthy. You still not eating meat? Yeah, but you won’t get enough protein. People are omnivores, you’re supposed to eat meat. That’s not natural.
Fish? Can I eat fish? Is fish a vegetable? Well, it’s only sort of meat. You have to kill it to eat it, I won’t eat it. Yeah but fish doesn’t count. *Sigh*
I found most people were expecting me to chastise or preach to them. I didn’t have to make a comment about their eating habits. They already assumed that I was going to say something ignorant. On the contrary I made it very clear that it was my lifestyle and I was not telling anyone else what to do. I have to say this about twenty times before they let their guard down and stop being defensive. I was some sort of minister to them. They were being defensive like I was preaching against their sins. You’re going to find that people love their eating habits yet feel the need to defend them. You decided to not eat something they love and they can’t handle that. Psychologically I think it is a defensive measure, they don’t want anyone telling them what they are doing is wrong.
Eating out is very difficult.
This was something I thought about but didn’t fully understand how difficult it would be. It is amazing how everything people eat is focused around a meat product. Fast food is almost completely out of the question. There’s the BK Veggie burger but it’s usually cooked with the other meat. You can have it made in the microwave but it tastes undercooked. Taco Bell has a few options, the Mexican pizza without meat is pretty tasty. McDonald’s is out of the question, no veggie burger and their fries contain beef seasoning. Wendy’s has a pretty tasty broccoli and cheese baked potato and their fries seem to be vegetarian. Subway has the veggie sub, pretty boring. Even with a couple selections you’re going to grow tired of the slim options very quickly. Most of the time I don’t eat at all if I am taking someone else out.
Eating in isn’t so easy either.
Eating at home can be a bit of a challenge as well. As a life long meat eater I found my recipe knowledge of meatless dishes to be rather scarce. The good thing is that it doesn’t take long to learn some tasty dishes. With the help of recipe websites and a little creativity you won’t be missing meat for long. For example, taco night is a treasured tradition in my household. Instead of using beef I now use MorningStar Farms Meal Starters Grillers Recipe Crumbles. At my local Wal-Mart it’s about $4 a bag. Get your taco seasoning as usual, cook it up, and it makes for one tasty taco. The bag of meat makes enough for my wife and I to eat tacos till we explode. I have also used this meat in spaghetti and it works fantastically.
The key to success as a vegetarian is variety. Beans, nuts, legumes, fruits, veggies, rice and pasta should all be eaten. If you stick to just salad or soup you will get bored quickly. You will also become sluggish and tired if you do not get the proper amount of vitamins. I have heard many people say they tried to be a vegetarian but we’re too tired. Getting yourself some vitamin C or B12 will perk you up just fine. You don’t need a hamburger to keep you going during the day.
Eating at Other People’s Houses is Even Tougher.
Eating at a friend’s house? Make sure they know you’re a vegetarian. The first few visits I found out that no one knows how to cook without meat. My first attempt eating at someone’s house they were making fried chicken. Another time, tacos. Another time, meatball sandwiches. The other day I got lucky and had a couple options, but the main dish was pork. Even if you tell people you don’t eat meat fully expect them to offer it anyway. “You want some of this?” No.. I’m not eating meat anymore, remember? “Yeah, but you need it.” No I don’t. As the weeks go on they will start to get the idea. Never expect anyone to accommodate for you. This is perhaps the worse part of it all. You don’t want to be a burden but you need to eat something, right?
The best solution is to introduce them to your dishes. I sent my mother some of this fantastic vegetarian chili a couple weeks back and she loved it. No meat in there folks, yet it tastes fantastic. Tofu may be a little intimidating but if your friends love you they’re try it anyway. Make sure you prepare it properly, incorrectly made tofu will turn them off for sure. Don’t back down, don’t sacrifice your decision just to make people happy! They will stick meat in your face, try to get you to eat their food and tell you “you know you want it.” No, I don’t, please respect my decision! That’s very important. You want to be sensitive to their eating habits so they should do the same for you. You don’t want to be rude but you do want to be clear. No meat, no, never. Thanks anyway.
You May Lose Weight. The main reason I became a vegetarian was to be healthier and lose weight. It should be noted that I currently live a mostly sedentary lifestyle. I work at home-for now-and most of my time is spent on a computer. That means little exercise or chance to burn off all those extra calories. Without any change in physical activity I have lost ten pounds over the last month. I feel a lot better as well. I don’t get sluggish or find it hard to stay up a couple extra hours. I am currently overweight, I have not lead a healthy lifestyle until just recently. Yet I feel great, even with the extra weight hanging around I feel like a much thinner man. When I start exercising I expect a lot more weight to fall off. Let’s not forget that a vegetarian diet also has plenty of health benefits down the road such as a lower risk for heart disease and cancer-both of which run in my family.
This doesn’t mean you can’t be an overweight vegetarian. Chow down on cookies, cake and ice cream all day and you’ll be just as overweight as any meat eater. Vegetarianism is not a one-way ticket to thin city. You still have to keep soda and sweet intake to a minimum. If I cut the sugar I put in my coffee or the occasional soda out of my diet I’m sure I’d lose more weight. I just don’t want to! There’s nothing wrong with a little treat once and awhile. The trick is to treat yourself from time to time to keep that healthy diet going. Don’t diet on weekends, go out for some ice cream or fry some zucchini at home. Just don’t over do it, the key is moderation.
Want a fantastic, delicious and easy snack? Frozen grapes. These are my favorite. The green ones taste the best. Just pluck them off their stems, put them in a freezer bag in the freezer and wait a couple hours. They will keep for a couple days but I doubt they’ll last that long.
You Won’t Look Back The first couple weeks are tough. Everywhere you look is meat. Every one around you will find it hard to accept and eating out will be almost impossible. Over time you will learn the tricks, the recipes and your friends will come around. If you do it right, make sure to get the right nutrients and mix up the food selection there will be absolutely no reason for you to eat meat ever again. You will feel better, you will look better and nothing will have to die for you to feel that way. The benefits of vegetarianism are clear, why wait? I was a steak lover, I ate it medium rare, and never thought I could live without it. You know what? I am, I don’t miss it and couldn’t care less about it.
It’s like a bad habit. It seems impossible to kick. You finally defeat it and when you look back, that habit begins to look as unappealing as it did irresistible to you before. Meat has become unappealing to me. I don’t get sick when I see it but if I think about it long enough I get a little nauseous. My body knows the damage it has done to me over the years. The extra weight, the fat and the grease. It really sound disgusting to me know. People on the outside may find that to be insulting. The reality is that I don’t care as much. I am trying to be nice and I will continue to. The rudeness has not been from me this first month of vegetarianism. It has been from the meat eaters. So if anyone needs to stop being self righteous it’s them, not me.
I hope these tips help you. I also hope you decide to take the dive and do what is best for your health. If not, that’s alright! I’m here to enlighten, not condemn.
