Becoming Vegetarian Tips

Being A Vegetarian Doesn't Have To Be Boring

When many people hear the word "vegetarian" they think of waif skinny people consuming a diet of celery and carrot sticks. People often think that surrendering meat will cause their diet to become bland and boring. All of these ideas are falacies. Rest assured that limiting yourself to a vegetarian diet won't force you to dine on boiled rice and flimsy lettuce leaves every day.

There are hundreds of different vegetables, grains, pulses, nuts, fruits and seeds out there. So many, in fact, that it would be impossible for you to exaust all of the possibilities. You could use ten new exciting and delicious vegetarian recipes to prepare every meal from now until your hundreth birthday and you still wouldn't have experienced all that the wonderful world of vegtarianism can offer your pallet.

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Winning Athletes are Vegetarians

Many people are deterred from becoming vegetarians for reasons of athleticism. It is a common misconception that becoming a vegetarian will decrease athletic capabilities. Much to the contrary, every time you consume a vegetarian meal you are doing wonders for a body. Proper nutrition can and will affect athletic performance so, if an athlete chooses to go the vegetarian route, it is essential that adequate amounts of energy and protein are consumed so that he or she can still perform.

Being a vegetarian athlete can take a little more planning than someone on a meat-based diet, but it also offers far more benefits. Vegetarian athletes need to ensure an intake of nutrient-dense plant-based foods. Try not to exist primarily on highly processed and refined carbohydrates like pasta, bread and pretzels. Instead, include beans, tofu, nuts and vegetables to meet an athlete´s nutrient requirements. In other words, eat a well-balanced, high protein diet, and make every bite count. The less-processed the food, the better.

There are many vegetarian options that are nutritious. Here are some options:

• Whole grains


• Fruits


• Vegetables


• Nuts


• Seeds


• Legumes


• Dairy


• Soy products


• Tofu

Countless successful athletes are vegetarians including Olympic runners, karate national champions, swimming world-record-holders, and Mr. America bodybuilding champions.

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Vegetarians Beware

Although it is relatively simple to spot animal products in a listing of ingredients, such as gelatin, lard, rennet, and animal fat, the real trick is to read every single label of every single bit of food you are thinking about buying. You should realize that animal products show up in some of the most unlikely places: fruit pies, vegetable soups, Easter candy...the list is endless. If your goal is to avoid all animal products, make it a habit to search ingredient lists before taking a bite.

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Understand Your Reason For Becoming Vegetarian

Clearly understand the reason(s) that you desire to change. With well defined goals and objectives, the extra effort that is sometimes required to transitions diet lifestyles will not seem difficult. Reasons to change can range from concerns about the environment, concerns about how animals raised for slaughter are raised, religious beliefs, or the desire to lead a longer, happier, disease free life. Define your own reasons to insure your success.

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Peer Pressure

If you are new to vegetarianism, you might begin to notice a bit of peer pressure from some longtime vegetarians who have become vegans and are pushing you along to do so also. You may get this feeling from books, or people you'll meet. Ignore it, and compare yourself to no one but yourself. Adopting a vegetarian or partly vegetarian diet is a highly personal decision. Do what's right for you, and move at a pace that's comfortable for you.

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Fat Risk

In going vegetarian, some people end up replacing one fatty protein source (red meat) with others, such as cheese and soy products. Instead, plan meals around legumes and low-fat or fat-free dairy products, adding just enough of the fattier cheeses to give them some body and flavor.

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Eliminating Gas

When you first start out as a vegetarian, you may notice an increase in gas. Your body´s reaction to your change in diet is a very common and perfectly natural one. The gas is likely caused by the high fibre content in the foods you are now eating - which, by the way are great for your health. Bean-O, unfortunately, will not likely be effective, as is not designed to eliminate this type of gas, but is targeted towards the sugar that cannot be digested in some beans. Therefore, it only works after eating beans and some vegetables. Your body will adjust to the changes in your diet with time and you will be much more healthy because of it. However, if the gas is too much of a problem for you, you can try eating very slowly, chewing your food carefully and avoid swallowing any air. Activated charcoal tablets (available without a prescription) can also provide relief for you when taken before a meal.

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Food Diary

Keeping a food diary can help you chart your progress as you adopt a vegetarian eating style. Keep a log of what you eat for several days as you start your transition. Six month later, do this again. Compare the two, and note any changes. Do this at regular intervals to evaluate your progress and to recognize if you get stuck in a rut.

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Explaining Your Position to Others

If you find yourself in the awkward position of having to explain your decision to be a vegetarian simply answer in a sensitive, non-judgmental manner ,and remain very honest. Whether you made your transition for the sake of animals, the environment, or your own health, discuss your rationale with those who might inquire about your choice.

Also, to help ease tension among those close to you so they will understand and respect your choices, try to make yourself less of an "inconvenience" by bringing your own food to family get-togethers. Bring enough to share so they can taste what you eat and these foods will seem a little less intimidating. They might even agree on how exciting it can be to taste new foods.

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Educate Yourself

If you have switched to a vegetarian diet but find yourself feeling hungry, tired, and irritable, you may not be eating enough. Some people who switch overnight haven´t had time to figure out what they can eat thus they end up eating only a few different types of foods which don't provide enough calories or nutrients.

You might want to spend some time in the public library and find books about vegetarian diets where you will learn the different ways that you can substitute other nutritous foods for meats and dairy products(if you are vegan) and still be able to maintain your daily calorie requirements.

Another good option is to go online where there are several sites such as http://www.goveg.com/books.asp that will help point you in the right direction.

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Anytime Of The Year Is A Good Time To Become Vegetarian

You can start changing your eating habits at any time of the year. In the summer, there is the advantage of a wealth of fresh fruit and vegetables, and the tendency to eat lighter, including salads or a lunch of cheese, fruit and bread. In winter, there´s the comfort of soups, stews and baked things.

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Colleges are Vegetarian Friendly

If you are about to start college and are concerned how you will be able to stick to your vegetarian diet here are some great hints to help you:

• Always keep some healthy vegetarian snacks around to munch on during those all-nighters or after a night of partying.


• Talk with the school's dining hall directors (they can usually be found around mealtime, or are available upon appointment) and discuss ways to make your dining options more vegetarian-friendly.


• Request that they provide things like soymilk and veggie cheese, and veggie burgers and Portobello mushrooms by the grill. Also, ask them to clearly label all food selections as “vegetarian” or “non-vegetarian” (they can easily use a system where they put a “V” next to the label of each vegetarian option).


• Speak up! Often times, people will be happy to alter dishes for you. For example, if the stir fry has chicken in it, ask the chef to make you a special meatless batch, ask for pizza with no cheese.


• Mix and match! Mix some tofu and beans from the salad bar with some salsa from the taco bar and put it over some rice that is sure to be available.

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Famous Vegetarians

Here are some well-known vegetarians:

Daryl Hannah, Prince, Madonna, Paul McCartney, Lisa Bonet, Albert Einstein, Fiona Apple James Cromwell, Lindsay Wagner, The B-52´s, Cassandra Peterson, Casey Kasem, John Harvey Kellogg

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