I recognize that adopting a vegetarian or vegan is not for everyone. However, I do believe that many people appreciate and support the reasons behind going veg, but are not willing or interested in committing to this diet themselves. I think the reason why some people steer clear from vegetarianism and veganism is because they don't want to restrict themselves or label their diet. With that said, I believe that everyone can benefit from a veggie meals every once and awhile. There are actually movements for people who want to eat more veg without fully committing. Movement examples include: Vegan before 6 pm, Meatless Mondays, and Monday to Friday Vegetarians.
Don't be a crash 'n burn vegetarian. I created this silly term after hearing many friends, classmates, etc. telling me that they had to give up vegetarianism because they had such low energy all of the time. I think these people decided to go veg without doing their homework. If meat is suddenly removed from the diet, a huge source of energy (protein and fats are very energy dense) is removed with it. In the short-term, the protein and fat deficit might not be noticeable, but the longer the diet is void of the energy-dense components, the lower the energy levels of the consumer may be. I think people have the idea that veggie meals are unsatisfying because when they are not properly planned, they are void of dense energy components.
My biggest advice (remember, I am not a doctor or a dietitian) is that when dabbling in the meat-free world, don't just cut out the meat, but replace it with plant-based proteins and healthy fats. This way you'll keep your energy up, nutritional profile complete, and won't crash 'n burn.
Some plant-based proteins to consider: chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans, lima beans, pinto beans, lentils (yellow, green, and red varieties), split peas, quinoa, bulgur, buckwheat, rice (especially brown), tofu, textured vegetable protein, seitan (wheat gluten), kamut, amaranth, nuts, and seeds.
Some healthy plant-based fats to consider: olive oil, coconut oil, sesame oil, flax oil, hemp oil, avocados, whole nuts and seeds, and nut butters.
Wow, that's exatly what happened to me when I first tried becoming a vegetarian in 2008 - I crashed and burned! Since then, I've done so much research and am slowly increasing the amount I know, and the portion of my intake consisting if vegetarian meals. It is my goal one day to fully commit, but that will take a few years!
ReplyDeleteYes, slow and steady is best. Don't feel guilty about still including some animal proteins in your diet every now and then either. I've noticed that some veg like to guilt-trip others when they are eating semi-veg or 'trying' to be veg (and not committing 100%). Every veg meal counts and every step towards cleaning up the diet is a good step indeed!
ReplyDeleteGood luck on your veg journey :)