For whatever reason, you’ve decided to stop eating meat. Maybe you’ve watched one too many Netflix documentaries exposing the gory details about meat production, maybe you’re doing it in an effort to be healthier, or maybe you just really love animals and you’ve decided you simply can’t keep eating meat anymore. No matter what your reason is, becoming a vegetarian is a difficult and admirable process. While you can certainly maintain your health on a meatless diet, here are a few tips to keep in mind while making the switch from chicken strips to soy nuggets.
Find protein alternatives.
When you stop eating meat you lose an easy protien source. We need protein to keep our bodies going, so it’s important that you make sure you’re getting enough of it after you’ve said your final farewells to hamburgers and bacon. Foods like nuts, nut butters, beans, hummus, and soy are all good sources of protein that you can easily incorporate into your diet.
Take a multivitamin.
Trying to figure out what kinds of vitamins you need to take as a vegetarian can be extremely confusing so you should consider talking to your doctor about what you can do to make sure your body is getting all the important nutrients it needs. In the meantime, taking a multivitamin is a good place for you to start taking care of your body. Trader Joe’s offers an inexpensive multivitamin for women that contains Vitamin B12, Calcium, Iron, and other nutrients that are important to your overall health. You can read more here about the nutrient supplements a vegetarian needs.
Don’t limit yourself to junk food.
So you’ve cut meat out of your diet and you’ve noticed that you’re eating an abundance of not-so-healthy snacks like french fries and pizza. Don’t feel guilty! This happens to a lot of us that are trying to make the switch. It’s even harder for those of us living on campuses with veggie options that are less than stellar. Before you cut meat out of your diet, make sure you have the time and the resources to do it the healthy way. Make no mistake—we aren’t advocating against french fries and pizza—just make sure you balance foods like those with healthier options!
Find your favorite veggie meal.
One of the best parts about becoming a vegetarian is realizing that there are tons of amazing and easy veggie options just waiting for you to try. For starters, there are plenty of vegetarian and vegan friendly restaurants all over Austin. Check out Bouldin Creek Café on South 1st Street, or grab a delicious veggie burger from one of the many P Terry’s locations. When you need something you can whip up at home, search Pinterest for vegetarian recipes and grocery lists that will help you learn how to shop and cook for a meat-free diet.
These are just some general tips to think about, but it’s always beneficial to visit with your doctor and do your own research before you make any kind of drastic change in your diet. If you want to learn more about plant-based eating, watch the documentary “Forks Over Kives” on Netflix.