In today's world, we see a lot of people becoming pescatarian, vegetarian, and vegan (the most common plant-based diets) all of the time. The media has a big impact on people's decision to change their diet, and many influencers on social media broadcast it to seem like an easy, needed change. But, in truth, many people struggle to maintain their new diet. As a vegetarian myself for three years now, I can confirm that it is not always easy, for many reasons.

As stated before, the media heavily affects if/when we decide to change what food we eat, due to how often it shows up on our feed (pun intended). We constantly see how altering to a plant-based diet can help save the environment, and how we can work hard to "stick" to the diet. While I have not yet strayed away from my vegetarianism, due to reasons behind my diet, I can say that trying a new diet IS tough and can include a lot of "slip-ups." I am here to say that is OK.

You do not need to constantly stick to a strict plant-based diet to help go green! You can help just by choosing meatless options whenever you feel up to it. You may have heard of the famous movement, Meatless Monday, which encourages people to go meat-free one day a week. By going meat-free, you can help to prevent deforestation, save the lives of many animals, and save water! If you think you want to try switching to a plant-based diet, slowly transition into it. First, decide WHY you are switching to this diet; this can help you stick to it easier. Second, stock up on healthy foods, like fruits, vegetables, and grains, so you do not spend all of your money eating out. However, trying new vegetarian/vegan restaurants and foods can be fun and exciting!

Life is hard, moves fast, and sometimes we just have to do our best to get by. A strict plant-based diet may not fit into all of our schedules. While, yes, it is true that sticking to a plant-based diet more strictly is more beneficial for the environment and health reasons, you do not have to label yourself as a plant-based eater to help go green!