Today is everyone seems to be eating less meat. Whether it be the seemingly increasing number of vegetarians and vegans, or the increase in non-meat options, forging meat has become pretty popular. As someone who has been a vegetarian for almost seven years now, I'm thrilled to see more and more people opting out on meat. However, I know how hard it can be to give up meat whether it be for a meal or for life.

I became a vegetarian at the age of 12, after a lifetime of being a meat lover, and coming from a family of meat lovers, this was no easy transition. This was also long before the prominence of veganism and trendy food on Instagram, and I faced considerable resistance from my family, who thought cutting out meat from my diet was only a step below cutting off a limb. And most of this attitude was because they didn't know what I would eat or how I would go about my life with such a siginicant change. The root of it all was a lack of knowledge on how I was going to navigate this new chapter. But it doesn't have to be so confusing and seemingly earth-shattering.

Cutting out meat from your diet is straight forward in principle, you stop eating meat. However, getting there can be tricky. That's why I have some advice for you. Meatless Fridays or meatless forever, these tips will help you through whatever you decide to embark on (or hopefully encourage you to embark on some sort of meat-free journey)!

Start Slow

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You don't have to give up meat all at once! Maybe it's one meal a week, one day a week, or when you cook at home, that you don't eat meat. Proving to yourself that you can do this can give you the confidence, as well as show you, that this is something you can do!

Get comfortable in the kitchen

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Get comfortable cooking! Knowing your way around the kitchen can lead to experimenting with new recipes, especially vegetarian/vegan ones. Being able to cook meatless recipes will help you eat less meat. This could also lead to a potential new hobby!

Encourage others to join you

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Having a friend/family member/etc. to accompany you on your journey can be a big help. Not only will it allow you to have someone going through the same experience as you, it gives you someone to go out to eat with, make recipes with, ask questions to, and be another potential resource of knowledge.

Research

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Do your research! Learn more about vegetarianism and veganism. Learn about why people stop eating meat, and how not eating meat could benefit you. Learn about different foods you wouldn't normally eat, research new recipes and restuarants. Learn as much as you can!

Believe in yourself

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If not eating meat is something that is important to you, believe you can do it! Where there's a will, there's a way. If this is something that you really want to do, you need to know it's something you can do. If you tell yourself that not eating meat is impossible or unattainable, then that will probably be the case for you. But if you go into it with a positive attitude, are forgiving with yourself, as well as determined, you'll be able to accomplish your goals!