I had always admired people who chose to live a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle. Growing up in your typical, meat loving Italian family, I never imagined that one day I would completely change my lifestyle in such an extreme manor. But to my dismay, and my entire family's, I decided it was time to try something new. I am now a vegetarian. As I broke the news to my family, their reactions were exactly as expected. I got a lot of strange looks and a lot of "Why on Earth would you do this to yourself?" The truth is, I've always loved a challenge. I enjoy testing myself and my willpower and discovering what I am capable of doing. I figured this would be the perfect thing to try it out. I thought it was all fun and games until it was dinner time, then I recognized the true struggles of being a vegetarian. Struggles such as:
1. It's nearly impossible eating out.
When it comes to being a vegetarian, eating out is an obstacle in itself because most restaurants don't save quinoa burgers or zucchini pasta, more often than not the only vegetarian item you'll be dining on is a bowl of succulent lettuce.
2. You're basically the next Martha Stewart.
Becoming a vegetarian basically means you might as well have your own show on Food Network. Because you have to do a complete 360 with what you're consuming, a lot of trial and error goes on in the kitchen finding substitutes that are just as tasty as all of the meat you used to indulge in.
3. The cravings are intense.
Being a vegetarian is all about will power. It's about remembering your goal and why you set it in the first place. Although it's a great thing to try, that's not to say those craving just automatically go away. When you see your friends chowing down on their burgers at the barbecue, or your Mom makes her famous spaghetti and meatballs, it's only natural for you to want to throw in the towel then and there. That's when this lifestyle can become difficult.
4. Having to explain yourself.
Everyone has their own personal reasons for choosing the vegetarian lifestyle. Some do it for health reasons, environmental reasons or just to try something new. Whatever the reason may be, it can be irritating to constantly deal with the puzzling looks and the constant "What's the point?" or "Don't you miss it?"
5. The cooking.
Because you have to exclude a lot of ingredients from your day to day cooking being a vegetarian, sometimes going through the process of creating a meal can be complicated and time consuming. Although the results are worth it, sometimes it's easier to throw a burger on the grill than having to make a veggie patty. If you don't like cooking, being a vegetarian might not be the best path for you to take.
6. Protein!
One of the common misconceptions of becoming a vegetarian is the worry of not having enough protein. Because you're excluding meat from your diet, which is a main source of protein, it is understandable for your family and friends to be worried about your health and nutrition. But if you've done your research, then you know there are so many other sources of protein that are vegetarian friendly!
Fun fact: It's common for vegetarians to consume more protein than non-vegetarians.
Sure, being a vegetarian can be challenging at times, but so far, it has been one of the most rewarding challenges I've taken upon myself. For anyone that has ever considered taking the plunge into a lifestyle such as this one, I 100 percent recommend it. I believe that it's a challenge people should consider taking on.
