At the beginning of this year, I did something a little spontaneous, I decided to become vegetarian. There are many reasons why I chose to do this, but not any specific one really made the choice for me. I wanted to change my lifestyle all around; be healthier, try new foods/restaurants, get away from the horrors of the meat industry, learn how to cook different recipes and be more conscious all around with my choices of food and what actually goes into my body. So I decided to go vegetarian.

Before you go saying, "I could never do that!" trust me, you could if you wanted to. It's simple; there are so many different choices you can make to eliminate meat out of meals, and it only gets easier the more often you start to do it. I eat alllllll the time, and the meals I make or order from places fill me up and honestly give me plenty of nutrients and energy. People always ask, "so what do you even eat?" and that answer is honestly based off of personal preference for individual people. I eat an unhealthy amount of Mexican food, it's my favorite.....

But that's just me. Every person is different, so what you normally eat, or your go-to meal is what you should alter first. Once you have that figured out, and your favorite food is converted to a vegetarian meal, then the rest just comes easily. Starting with small things always works too, or by going a few days a week without meat will help you transition into becoming vegetarian. Many different people start by becoming a pescatarian, which means that you will eat fish but no other kind of meat. That's a good way to start, so your body can get used to the difference in protein, and you will have an option close to meat, so you don't feel like you are dwindling away.

Since you will be making adjustments to so many different aspects of your eating, it's nice to have quick recipes printed out or saved in your phone. You can also make sure you have plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables in your refrigerator at all times. That way, you can grab something and go, and you won't feel hungry during your downtime! You know you better than anyone else, so prepare yourself for the small adjustments little by little, and you won't even realize you're "missing" something in your meals after awhile. Even just making small substitutes in your lifestyle can really make huge changes in your outlook on life and your overall health. People who go without meat even once a week, such as "Meatless Mondays" can appreciate meals without meat and know it's possible to get all the nutrients you need in every meal.

Change is good for a person. Whether you are doing it because you hate the texture of meat, you don't want to eat Wilbur and his friends anymore, or you just feel like switching it up, your body will appreciate it. It's something you have control over and if you hate it, then you can stop... The world is becoming so open to the idea of vegetarians and vegans that you can pretty much find meals and options in almost all of the restaurants you go to and the grocery stores you shop at. So try it, you have nothing to lose!