Over the last year, I have been gradually transitioning to a vegetarian diet. This all started when I watched the movie "Forks Over Knives" I innocently rented this movie from Netflix thinking it was just going to be all about how our overly processed diets were making us unhealthy. This is indeed what the movie is about, but it is also about how eating a whole food plant-based diet can enhance your health in unimaginable ways. So Ryan and I began to incorporate more vegetarian meals into our weekly menu. It started with one dinner a week, then 2 or 3, and then 5. Eventually, after reading a lot more on the subject, I decided to adopt a complete whole foods plant-based vegetarian diet. One book that really altered my thinking was The Food Revolution by John Robbins. If you are at all curious about the benefits of cutting animal products out of your diet then I highly recommend this movie and book.
As of January 1st, 2013, I became a full fledged vegetarian. This does not mean I plan to start writing a million posts about how being a vegetarian can save the world, and everyone must do it. I am just pretty darn excited about this change and wanted to share it with all of you. It has been a long transition for me, but I really do feel healthier and happier ever since I have made this change.
So now without much further adieu, here are my answers to a few of the many questions I receive when I tell people I am a vegetarian.
1.) Where do you get your protein? Actually, humans need very little protein to have a healthy balanced diet. They only need 2% of their total calories to be from protein. In addition to this, I am sure to eat lots of green vegetables which actually have more protein per calorie than a steak.
2.) Are you constantly starving? No, and believe me this was actually a fear of mine when I first starting incorporating meatless meals into my diet. I am actually very satisfied throughout the day, and when I do get hungry, I eat.
3.) Are you doing this for health reasons or ethical reasons? I first started cooking meatless meals for the health benefits. As I have started researching more in the subject I have started to find some ethical reasons to have a diet free of animal products.
4.) How can I start incorporating more meatless meals into my diet? Just start by making one meal a week meatless in your weekly meal plans. You don't have to eat anything "weird" like tofu, you can make a big salad, or a yummy pasta dish, or chili with chopped up mushrooms instead of ground beef. You can also find products that you don't mind replacing with animal free products. For me this was replacing cow's milk with almond milk. For you it may be replacing butter made with animal fat with butter made from plant based fats.
Well, there you have it. I feel like I've really gotten a lot off my chest. :) Now, if you feel like it, go out there and make a vegetarian dinner for yourself.
So now without much further adieu, here are my answers to a few of the many questions I receive when I tell people I am a vegetarian.
1.) Where do you get your protein? Actually, humans need very little protein to have a healthy balanced diet. They only need 2% of their total calories to be from protein. In addition to this, I am sure to eat lots of green vegetables which actually have more protein per calorie than a steak.
2.) Are you constantly starving? No, and believe me this was actually a fear of mine when I first starting incorporating meatless meals into my diet. I am actually very satisfied throughout the day, and when I do get hungry, I eat.
3.) Are you doing this for health reasons or ethical reasons? I first started cooking meatless meals for the health benefits. As I have started researching more in the subject I have started to find some ethical reasons to have a diet free of animal products.
4.) How can I start incorporating more meatless meals into my diet? Just start by making one meal a week meatless in your weekly meal plans. You don't have to eat anything "weird" like tofu, you can make a big salad, or a yummy pasta dish, or chili with chopped up mushrooms instead of ground beef. You can also find products that you don't mind replacing with animal free products. For me this was replacing cow's milk with almond milk. For you it may be replacing butter made with animal fat with butter made from plant based fats.
Well, there you have it. I feel like I've really gotten a lot off my chest. :) Now, if you feel like it, go out there and make a vegetarian dinner for yourself.
What I great post Sara. I too would have never thought I would be "mostly" vegetarian, but I am very happy we have made the transition. It's funny because I think the word "vegetarian" has some sort of a social stigma associated with it that is hard for people to get past.
ReplyDeleteYou'll have to work on Scott on this one for me, Sara! I don't think I could ever get him to give up his pig. I find that more and more whenever we eat out, I'm choosing a vegetarian offering and the mostly the same for what I've been fixing myself over the last fews months. I didn't know that there is butter made from plant fats. I'll have to check that out.
ReplyDeleteMandy, I thought pork would be what I'd miss the most, but I'm doing okay at it. I think I'm going to have to buy some fake sausage pretty soon, though and make some biscuits & gravy. I've had a hankering for it the past two weeks. The plant based butter I've found is called "Earth's Best". It's expensive so I buy it every other time. Since I'm not vegan I'll still do regular butter, but I feel better when I get to do more plant based stuff.
ReplyDeleteWell ---- that just means there will be more meat for the rest of us! Dad
ReplyDelete