How to become a vegetarian- a very correct question, because people who choose a life without meat must completely change their diet so that the body receives a sufficient amount of necessary substances. Therefore, in one day, simply giving up meat products and not changing anything else in the food system is wrong and fraught with health problems. Let's sort it out in order.

Why people become vegetarians: the most common reasons

? There are a huge number of reasons why they choose as a way of life. Of course, everyone has their own motivation - someone is worried about their health, for someone it is a priority to improve their appearance, and someone refuses meat for humane reasons.

The most common reasons for going vegan are:

• Extended Lifespan – According to scientific research, vegetarians live an average of 7 years longer than meat eaters, while vegans live up to 15 years longer. At the same time, the quality of life improves: endurance increases, more strength appears, mood improves, the vast majority of people develop harmonious relationships with themselves and the world around them;
• improvement of the digestive tract - vegetables contain a large amount of fiber, which plays an important role in the promotion of fecal masses, while meat does not contribute to this at all, and often meat products even impede such movement. The predominance of vegetables in the diet helps to reduce constipation, irritable bowel syndrome and manifestations of hemorrhoids;
• reducing the risk of getting sick - we are talking about diseases in general (colds, viral, depletion of the body), because with the exclusion of meat products, the body becomes less clogged, which means that all systems work better, immunity is stronger, and quite serious diseases, such as diabetes and oncological diseases;
• strengthening the heart - the consumption of vegetables and fruits containing a large amount of antioxidants helps protect the heart and blood vessels, as well as a significant reduction in cholesterol;
• improvement in appearance, weight loss - the absence of meat products in the diet contributes to a natural decrease in body weight, and due to the improvement of the gastrointestinal tract due to the predominance of healthy foods in the diet, positive changes occur in appearance in general: the condition of the skin, hair, nails improves. As a result of such positive changes in the body, vegetarians look younger than their years;
• humanity - compassion for animals that are raised for slaughter, concern for the environmental situation as a whole (growing feed for livestock significantly depletes the soil, animal products pollute the atmosphere, water, and land).

Interesting! Vegetarians are sure that by refusing meat, they are cleansed not only physically, but also spiritually, which opens up unlimited prospects for self-development and self-improvement.

Advantages and disadvantages of living without meat

vegetarians. Top view healthy food clean eating: fruit, vegetable, seeds, superfood, leaf vegetable on white background with copy space

Carefully! When deciding to move to a new way of life, it is important to think about how to become a vegetarian without harm for health and the body as a whole.

In addition to weighty arguments in favor of abandoning meat-eating, such as reducing the risk of developing serious diseases, improving the quality of life due to a good mood and harmony in relations with the outside world, positive changes in appearance and a significant increase in life expectancy, there are certain disadvantages in exclusion from the diet. meat products. They also should not be discounted, it is important to deal with the fact that how to become a vegetarian.

Vegetarianism is fraught with such dangers:

• an increased risk of developing iron deficiency anemia due to a lack of iron, which is best absorbed when taken from meat products;
• the likelihood of a shortage of important trace elements when refusing fish - potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, manganese, highly digestible protein and many other useful substances do not enter the human body, which can lead to health problems;
• the ability to easily gain excess weight - such a surprise can be presented by the use of high-calorie plant foods (honey, legumes, nuts).

Each of these problems can be solved: iron deficiency is replenished through the use of nuts, legumes, mushrooms, buckwheat, soy products, lack of important trace elements - by taking multivitamin complexes, and the likelihood of excess weight is removed thanks to a competent approach to the vegetarian diet. The most important thing is to be aware of the possible dangers of a vegetarian lifestyle and consider them in order to understand how to become a vegetarian and not die.

The right transition to a vegetarian lifestyle: the rules

To answer the question very briefly how to become and stay a vegetarian, suffice it to say: choose the right type of vegetarianism, regularly take blood tests and constantly try to diversify your diet. This is what medical experts think, and it's hard to argue with that. Where to start a life without meat and how to organize it correctly?

Rules for the transition to vegetarianism:

• be examined by medical specialists - take a blood test, identify possible health problems or contraindications for the transition to a life without meat;
• practice gradualness - you can’t give up meat and animal products in one day and forever, as this provokes stress for the body with a high probability of the subsequent development of gastrointestinal disease. It is necessary to gradually reduce the amount of consumed meat products and other foods of animal origin: give up red meat, leaving poultry, eggs, fish, dairy products. After the body adapts within 3-4 weeks, exclude the next product, etc.;
• learn to combine - by asking a question how to become a vegetarian you need to prepare for what the new diet will be like. It is important to study how different foods fit together in order for a vegetarian diet to be complete and balanced;
• keep a balance - knowing the characteristics of your body (inflammatory processes in the intestines, pancreas, and other problems), you should reasonably approach the combination of thermally processed and unprocessed food. In the presence of diseases of the digestive system, there may be an insufficient amount of enzymes for the digestion of fiber;
• eat foods that facilitate the transition to vegetarianism - for example, quinoa seeds, which contain a lot of high-quality protein, amaranth - contains the important amino acid lysine, soy products, milk of plant origin (from almonds, poppy seeds, coconuts).

Realizing how to gradually become a vegetarian and putting this basic rule into practice, you can significantly improve your health, improve the quality of life and become a happy centenarian.

“We don’t kill anyone”, “We don’t eat those who look into our eyes” are the main slogans of vegetarians that literally touch the soul. Numerous social videos with touching stories leave no one indifferent. The beautiful Pamela Anderson, the idol of many Tobey Maguire and even Mike Tyson are telling us from the screens about the rejection of meat. More and more people begin to adhere to the principles of healthy eating, and eventually come to this ideology. And now, having read the thematic literature and seen enough inspiring films, I want to join it, to become a part of this amazing culture.

The only question is how to become a vegetarian so that it does not adversely affect health. Indeed, it is harmful to change the habitual diet too drastically. And the more carefully you prepare for the transition, the less will be the risk of breaking loose.

Step 1. Pass a medical examination

To become a vegetarian without harm to health, you need to know the whole truth about the state of your body. Even if you feel great, still go to the therapist and ask him for a referral for a complete medical examination. As an option - a paid service in private clinics: this way you will get results faster. Get ready for numerous tests, ultrasound, cardiograms, fluorography and other laboratory tests.

Wait for the results. Now consult your doctor. Openly admit to him that you want to give up meat and become a vegetarian. Let him evaluate your health from a professional point of view and advise whether you should continue to realize your dream or there are obstacles from the body. Listen to what he has to say.

Take the initiative yourself. Review a number of contraindications for vegetarianism:

• pregnancy;
• lactation;
• age up to 16 years;
• constant hard physical labor;
• anemia;
• serious chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
• oncology stage III-IV;
• weight deficit.

After receiving the results of the examination, if there are any diagnoses or deviations, compare them with this list. Any matches? Then this ideology is not your path!

If you have no contraindications, if you have received permission from your doctor to switch to a meat-free diet, you can safely take the next step.

Step 2. Determine the goal

Now it's time to admit to yourself (only honestly), why do you need it. It’s not enough just to say “I want” - you need to justify your desire. In practice, only 10 people out of 100 who wish become real vegetarians. And they all pursued a specific goal, consciously refusing meat.

There are pre-failed motivations that cannot keep a person for a long time - accordingly, he soon breaks down and returns to his previous eating habits. Among them:

• it is fashionable;
• my idol is a vegetarian and I want to be like him;
• Anya (Tanya, Katya ...) became vegetarians - why am I worse?
• want to change something in your life;
• I don’t really like meat, I can do without it for a long time;
• I want to lose weight.

Almost all of these formulations reflect weak motivation. They can only inspire for a while, and then the fashion will pass, the idol will change, the girlfriend will leave, etc. - and everything will return to normal. If you want to lose weight by giving up meat, then there is generally a completely different option - just sit on.

In fact, the desire to become a vegetarian should be deeper. There must be serious reasons to leave the old way of life and completely change your eating habits, menus, favorite dishes. Consider which one is your case.

• medical factor

Many (including experts) believe that giving up meat is a step towards a healthy lifestyle. No wonder this nutrition system is promoted by yogis - well-known centenarians and owners of remarkable health.

According to studies, vegetarians have a lower risk of getting some life-threatening diseases (like cancer, or diabetes, or). And there are a number of diseases in which it is even recommended to either limit the consumption of meat, or abandon it altogether. These include: renal failure, phenylketonuria, acute pancreatitis, gout, lymphoma, etc.

One of the modern theories of healthy eating claims that meat is contraindicated for people with blood type II, because initially, by their nature, they are vegetarians.

• Moral / ethical

If you love animals very much, are close to nature, are a member of the local branch of Greenpeace and cannot look at how someone mocks our smaller brothers, you are a real vegetarian in your spiritual makeup. It remains only to transfer the attitude to a slightly different plane - to spread their views on food.

It is very easy to do this. There are a huge number of public service videos about the mass killing of animals in order to satisfy human needs. If you look at them, statistics and documentaries about how meat gets on our table, an ordinary person can become ill. And for you, who advocate for the good attitude towards animals, this can serve as a strong motivation to gradually switch to a vegetarian diet.

• Religious

A rare motive in life, but very strong. As a rule, a person from childhood is brought up in some kind of religious system and adheres to the special principles of nutrition prescribed by it. But there are still situations when you have to change your faith (moved to live in another country, got married, succumbed to propaganda, experienced a difficult life situation). And if it is, for example, Buddhism, Hinduism or Seventh-day Adventists, then meat will automatically have to be abandoned in accordance with their teachings. This is how you become a vegetarian.

• Ecological

Rarely does anyone become a vegetarian, wanting to improve the ecological situation on Earth. And yet there are such people. It is enough to study the information about the damage the meat industry causes to the environment in order to minimize the consumption of this product.

It leads to water and air pollution, massive deforestation, land degradation, climate change, loss of topsoil, inappropriate use of natural resources (especially oil and water), and loss of biodiversity. In 2006, the United Nations announced from a grand podium that the livestock sector is the most important "contributor" to the Earth's environmental problems on all scales - from local to global.

• Economic

A slightly mercantile motive, but in some cases it also works, although it does not stand up to criticism. Many believe that if they become vegetarians and do not buy meat, it will save their family budget. Indeed, both meat and fish are quite expensive. But do not forget, they will need to be replaced with something equivalent in terms of the content of useful substances. And these are fruits, vegetables, nuts, cereals, etc.

In the summer, perhaps, such motivation will be justified, since these products will be in abundance and at relatively low prices. But in winter, get ready for a rise in price, and most of them will disappear from the shelves. So be careful when setting yourself such a goal.

Step 3. Get inspired

It is necessary for the motivating factor to work for a long time - it will depend on this whether you eventually break down or not, become a real vegetarian or not be able to go this way to the end. To do this, you will have to constantly maintain the fire of enthusiasm in yourself. The following measures will help with this:

1. Make a list of books about vegetarians. Read at least 50 pages daily.
2. Make a similar list of films about these amazing people: about their biographies, achievements, worldview, nutrition system.
3. Read about famous vegetarians - their examples are inspiring. It is especially good if your idol is among them.
4. Find like-minded people. If they are not among your acquaintances, get to know such people in social networks or on forums. Communicate, ask for advice, ask questions.

At this stage, the desire to become a real vegetarian should not only be strengthened, but also intensified. And as soon as you feel that you are mentally ready for the transition, it's time to take more concrete measures.

Step 4. Prepare

The more thoroughly you prepare at this stage, the easier the transition will be. This step must be taken without fail, otherwise everything can end either with health problems or a breakdown in a week. To prevent this from happening, do everything right - in accordance with the recommendations of specialists (nutritionists, doctors, experienced vegetarians). The plan might be like this.

1. It's time to set a date for when you will begin the transition to a vegetarian menu. Give yourself 1-2 weeks to prepare.
2. Decide on two lists of products: prohibited and permitted. Reading literature, you should have become acquainted with various. Who will you become? Expert tip: Start with a lacto-ovo course. Then you can drop ovo (eggs), then lacto (dairy) and go vegan (but only over time). Both lists should be as complete as possible, printed out and hung on the wall in a prominent place.
3. Based on the compiled lists, find recipes for dishes that will suit your taste. No need to eat boiled vegetables alone, which will cause depression and make you give up what you want. Look for what you like.
4. Make a rough menu for at least a week. This will allow you not to think about food during the transition.
5. At this stage, it is advisable to quit smoking and limit yourself to drinking alcohol. At the very least, let it be dry red wine, good for blood vessels, and not beer, which promotes the growth of visceral fat.

And finally, at this stage, you should have an important conversation with family and friends who are part of your close circle of friends. Let them know about your decision. Explain your position and be persuasive. Get ready for someone to dissuade you.

In the conversation, be sure to touch on the topic of further nutrition. Those with whom you share the same roof must respect your menu. If possible, do not tempt (or offend) you with meat products on the table. You must have special dishes (you won’t cook vegetables in a saucepan, where is the spirit of freshly cooked aspic still “alive”?). Friends shouldn't tease you about this. With your loved one, agree on which cafes and restaurants you can go to, where vegetarian dishes are also offered.

Step 5 Gradually Change Your Diet

It remains to take the last step. At this stage, it is very important to observe one rule - gradualness. That is, from Monday it is impossible to take and completely refuse both meat and fish. The body can not bear such stress. This will lead to a nervous breakdown, intestinal disorders, poor health, and as a result, nothing will work. So change your diet slowly.

For each of the steps below, do not be lazy to allocate a sufficient amount of time - at least a week. This will allow the stomach to get used to the new diet and respond to it correctly.

1. First, give up fatty meats in any form: pork and lamb. You leave beef, veal and poultry, but try not to fry them, but eat them boiled, stewed, baked, etc. In parallel, include legumes in your diet every other day - you also need to get used to their taste.
2. Next week is the rejection of beef and veal. In this case, one of the snacks should consist of a handful of dried fruits or nuts. From the meat you leave the bird, but again, do not fry it.
3. For many, the most difficult thing is to give up juicy, dietary chicken meat. But, finally, this moment has come. Now your menu should not have meat in any form. Instead, increase your daily intake of fruits and vegetables. Mushrooms are a good substitute.
4. In the fourth week, you give up any kind of fish.
5. The last transitional stage is the exclusion from the diet of seafood.

After that, you can finally be congratulated on the full transition to a vegetarian menu. Now the main thing is to hold positions. You did everything right, in accordance with the recommendations of experts, so there should not be any side effects and harm to health.

In order not to break loose, having already become a vegetarian, try to follow the advice of the guru:

1. Plant foods often lead to overeating, which is fraught not only with excess weight, but also with health problems. Therefore, at first, weigh portions and count calories so as not to “go overboard”.
2. Try not to make deposits of fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator and pantry. The fresher they are, the better.
3. Remember: vegetarianism is not a diet. There are no indulgences like "I will only eat a tiny piece of meat or fish." Here you can not break loose and start all over again. This is a categorical and complete rejection of a certain number of products forever.
4. The transition to a new type of vegetarianism (for example, from lacto-ovo to lacto) should also be gradual.
5. Keep in touch with like-minded people - they should be your anchor and inspiration throughout the journey.

Becoming a vegetarian, you will quickly feel whether this is your lifestyle or not. Someone does not withstand pressure from society, someone begins to have health problems, someone simply cannot do without meat for a long time. And only 10% of those who started this difficult path reach the end. If you are one of them, you can be proud of it.

And remember: a month or even six months of life without meat and fish products is not yet the right to be called a vegetarian. Yes Yes. As experts say, a year is already a period that allows you to attribute yourself to this ideology. So be patient and don't give up on your dreams!

Interest in the question of how to become a vegetarian can arise for various reasons. For some, compassion for animals becomes such a reason, for others it is health care. But in any case, the transition to vegetarianism is a very responsible step, and it should be well thought out.

In this article, we will tell you how to become a vegetarian without harm to health, paying attention not only to changes in the diet, but also to psychological aspects.

Why become a vegetarian?

So, where to start and how to become a vegetarian seriously and for a long time? The most correct way is to decide why you need it.

The desire to become a real vegetarian can be accompanied by many factors: a reverent attitude towards animals, concern for the environment

The main reasons why people become vegetarians are as follows:

1. Physiological. Quite often, people have to avoid meat and other animal products due to poor tolerance or food allergies. So, willy-nilly, people are forced to figure out how to gradually become a vegetarian.
2. Ethical. Here, the priority is empathy with animals that are destroyed or exploited in food production.
3. Ecological. The production of meat products causes much more harm to the environment than crop production.
4. Health care. According to many experts, the rejection of animal food helps to bring the body back to normal (reducing the risk of exacerbation of chronic diseases, weight loss, etc.).

Read also:

The whole truth about curd glazed curds: harm or benefit

Most people become vegetarians for a variety of reasons. But in any case, a simple rejection of meat is unlikely to be effective: it can only undermine health. Therefore, it is necessary to act deliberately, gradually and after careful theoretical preparation.

Many people think that vegetarians have practically nothing to eat, but this is not at all the case.

Theoretical part

Getting support

Anyone who plans to give up animal products can recommend the book "How to be a vegan" by a recognized expert in this field, Elizabeth Kastoria. The book tells how to become a vegetarian and how to live a vegetarian life without feeling the discomfort of restrictions.

Another very useful book is How to Become, Be, and Stay Vegetarian by Juliet Gellatly. In addition to these two sources, you can read other literature, but in any case, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the basics before taking any active steps.

One of the most important aspects that affects all authors writing for beginner vegetarians is moral support. In the early stages, you are almost guaranteed to be very difficult, because it is so important that you are helped by loved ones.

Focus more on the benefits of vegetarianism

To get support, do the following:

• Talk to your parents, spouse, and other loved ones about your decision. The sooner you announce it, the easier communication will be built.
• Be as honest and candid as possible about the reasons that prompted you to give up animal food. If appropriate, you can provide scientific evidence to support your claim.
• Avoid discussion whenever possible. Even if your decision will be perceived disapprovingly, remember: you do not have to convince anyone.
• Directly ask for support, especially in the early stages. Most likely, close people will not refuse you - even if they do not share your beliefs!

Read also:

The whole truth about bread: harm or benefit

The most common mistake at this stage is trying to encourage others to become vegetarians too. This decision must be made by the individual. So the best arguments in favor of giving up meat will be your flowering appearance, excellent health and delicious vegetarian dishes.

Give reasoned arguments that would allow your relatives and friends to ask you fewer incriminating questions

We study the needs of the body

When switching to a vegetarian diet, it is important not to harm the body. The main problems here will be a deficiency of protein, vitamin B12 and some trace elements.

Vegetarians deal with these issues in a variety of ways, so here are some suggestions you should check out:

1. The main sources of proteins and amino acids are legumes, nuts, some cereals, sea kale.
2. Vitamin B12 is found in dairy products and eggs - if you allow them, then there should be no problems. If you also refuse eggs with milk, then you should periodically use nutritional supplements.
3. Deficiency of vitamins and microelements is easy to "overcome" by diversifying nutrition. Find a balanced vegan menu for the week, study it and choose foods (vegetables, fruits, nuts) to cover your basic needs.

Vegetarianism is rich in an assortment of vegetables, fruits, nuts and berries

Practical part

Gradually reduce the amount of meat in the diet

If you think that vegetarian dishes do not look very appetizing, then especially for you we have prepared a selection of photos of vegetarian dishes, from which even avid meat eaters will salivate!

Typical vegetarian dish

Vegetarianism is an extremely interesting topic that contains many myths from both the vegetarians themselves and the meat-eaters. It implies a nutrition system that excludes the consumption of animal meat. Let's understand this difficult topic with the help of science.

First you need to discard the entire ideological component of vegetarianism in the form of “not like everyone else” boys and girls losing weight and muscle mass (and sometimes consciousness on the streets), as well as animal lovers (there are those who really feel sorry).

Now we are left with one bare fact: the absence of meat in the diet, at least of mammals. You need to approach it impartially, so let's find out if scientists know a way to switch to plant foods without harm to the body.

Vegetarianism: good or bad for health?

In general, the person walked in an interesting way. That group of Australopithecus, which gave rise to us (homo sapiens), achieved success largely due to omnivores.

Just eating plant foods is not energy efficient (look at elephants). To survive, the ancient man needed intelligence, which was the reason for the increase in brain volume, and, as a result,.

But the problem is that people have long been living in a non-natural environment, and many of us can afford to eat exclusively processed plant foods. With the right approach, such a refusal is safe, and in some cases even useful.

The lack of any nutrients can always be compensated. For example, in nature, B12 vitamins are produced exclusively by bacteria in the colon in mammals. And the assimilation of vitamins of this group occurs in the small intestine, and it is located "above" along the route.

Carnivores do not have these problems, as they get their B12 vitamins from eating herbivores. But vegetarian animals are forced to make sacrifices. For example, gorillas are forced to eat their own feces to get valuable vitamins.

People do not have to eat their own excrement. Of course, if you approach it sensibly. After all, the lack of B12 can be compensated for by artificially enriched food: various cereals and yeast.

You can identify a lack of protein by taking a blood test for albumin levels, and if necessary, include the right foods in your diet. For example, some legumes contain more protein than meat. Protein is also found in dairy products, eggs, fish, etc.

That is, if you want to become a vegetarian without harm to your health, then get ready for a comprehensive approach to nutrition, which includes planning a varied diet and regular testing. In an ideal world, not only vegetarians should take care of their health in this way, but all people in general.

The opinion of doctors about strict vegetarianism (veganism)

As for vegans who practice strict vegetarianism, they need to monitor the state of their body three times more carefully. According to the largest studies of the 90s (“Mortality in vegetarians and nonvegetarians: detailed findings from a collaborative analysis of 5 prospective studies” by Timothy J Key, Gary E Fraser…), vegans get sick and die earlier than others.

According to the same studies, non-strict vegetarians are the healthiest on a number of indicators. For example, they are the least likely to suffer from coronary heart disease and the least.

In modern scientific articles published in 2015 (“Mortality in vegetarians and comparable nonvegetarians in the UK” by Paul N Appleby, Ruth C Travis…) for the UK, vegans also get sick more often and die faster than others. They were separated into a separate group.

Is there any harm in eating meat?

When it comes to the harms of eating mammalian meat, the evidence is mixed. There are studies that show a relationship between red meat consumption and the incidence of malignant tumors (oncologies) and coronary heart disease, and there is a scientific article that refutes this correlation.

Probably, in this case, various cultural characteristics of eating meat play a big role. For example, deep frying and barbecuing, typical of the United States, are not the best way to reflect on the safety of meat products. There are no data at all for Russia and the CIS countries.

Scientific research also reflects the fact that vegetarians generally lead a healthier lifestyle: sleep more, smoke less, monitor their health. Scientists try to take this fact into account, make adjustments, but this is not always possible.

Outcome:

Being a vegetarian is possible and even safe. The main thing is to have a varied diet and not shun any micro and macro elements and other nutritional supplements. Read also on our website the exposure of the myth that. Love science, read WikiScience!

30 Jan 09:54/2018

How to become a vegetarian

We tell you what to do if you decide to give up meat

According to Google statistics, over the past 5 years, the number of searches for the word "vegan" has increased by 200%. Some become vegetarians for ethical and environmental reasons, others do it to be healthy and feel energetic. If you also want to become a vegetarian in 2018, we have compiled a guide for beginners.

Which type of vegetarianism to choose

Many people think that a vegetarian is someone who does not eat meat, but this is not entirely true. There are several types of vegetarianism and everyone chooses for himself the option that suits him.

Types of Vegetarianism:

Lacto-ovo vegetarians- these are those who have completely abandoned meat, fish and seafood (products of animal origin), but eat eggs and consume dairy products.

Ovo Vegetarians- these are those who refused all products of animal origin, including milk and products that are made on its basis. However, ovo-vegetarians also eat eggs.

Lacto Vegetarians- these are those who do not eat all animal products, do not eat eggs, but consume milk and dairy products.

Vegans- people who have given up all animal products and there are no exceptions. Vegans refuse meat and fish, eggs and milk, sometimes they refuse honey. Also, vegans do not wear clothes made of natural fur and wool, do not buy leather clothes, shoes and bags. Veganism is a form of vegetarianism that is more ethical in dealing with animals.

The first step towards becoming a vegetarian is to choose the type of vegetarianism that suits you. You can start as a lacto-ovo vegetarian and work your way up to vegan. If your decision is based on ethical issues, you may want to go vegan right away.

How to choose the type of vegetarianism

To choose a type of vegetarianism, write down the reasons that motivate you:

If you want to lose weight and look better, you can do without vegetarianism. You can cut out fast food and processed sugar, and cut down on the amount of meat in your diet a bit and eat more fresh produce.

If you still want to go vegan, a lacto-ovo vegan diet where you cut out meat and eat more simple foods may be enough for you.

If your body is lactose intolerant, an ovo-vegetarian diet is the way to go.

- If for health or ethical reasons you want to exclude all animal products, your way is vegan.

After you choose your type of vegetarianism, the main thing is to choose a pace that is comfortable for you. Here you should not rush and change the entire diet in 3 days. Give your body time.

The main advantages of vegetarianism

Pros of Vegetarianism:

-Unloads the digestive system and helps to reduce weight
Plant foods are less caloric and rich in fiber, so they are quickly absorbed and normalize the intestinal microflora.

- Removes toxins and normalizes cholesterol levels
A vegetarian diet is considered an excellent prevention of hypertension, certain types of cancer, asthma, allergies, arthrosis, arthritis, and type 2 diabetes. Vegetarians are also less likely to develop kidney and gallstones. Such a nutrition system strengthens the immune system and has a good effect on appearance (the condition of hair, skin and nails).

-Gives a burst of energy
The body spends less energy on digestion and provides a surge of energy. Vegetarians do not experience a feeling of heaviness after eating and their sleep becomes better (due to the removal of stress from the gastrointestinal tract).

-Changes mindset and mood
A person becomes more active, begins to be more conscious about his diet and learns a lot of new information. This changes his way of thinking and becomes the beginning of big changes: from a positive outlook on life to new hobbies.

1. Understand your motivation
At the beginning of the journey, there are always moments when the stock of enthusiasm for something new ends and you want to quit everything. At such times, a list where you wrote down the reasons for switching to vegetarianism will help you. Think about why this is important to you. You don't want to participate in the killing of animals, you want to feel good and stay healthy. Write down the reasons and keep them handy so that at the right time they support your resolve.

2. Tell your friends about your decision
Tell family and friends that you have decided to become a vegetarian and why it is important to you. Ask them to support you, read literature on the topic and try vegetarian food. Be prepared for the fact that not everyone will support you and that's okay. The main thing is to clearly define your position and not allow pressure on you.

3. Consult your doctor
Talk to your doctor and get tested to monitor your health during the transition to a vegetarian diet. Make sure that you have no contraindications to such a diet.

4. Competently compose your diet
The main argument of opponents of vegetarianism is that the rejection of animal products causes a deficiency of important vitamins and minerals. However, it is not. All substances necessary for the body can be obtained from plant products. For example, protein can be obtained not only from meat, but also from legumes. Competently compose your diet so that the diet is complete.

6. Find a mentor
Among friends or through an online service, you can find a mentor who has already walked your path. He will give valuable advice, support in difficult times and give you confidence. If you feel like an expert in matters of vegetarianism, then you yourself can become someone's mentor.

7. Upgrade your favorite dishes
Make a list of your favorite foods and look for recipes for vegan versions of them. You can try vegetarian lasagna, ice cream, burger and olivier. Today, there are so many recipes that allow you to cook vegetarian food that is not inferior in taste and beauty to dishes made from animal products. Do not give up your favorite dishes, just modernize the recipe a little, keeping the usual taste.

8. Try new food and different brands
Date desserts, beans, tofu patties, avocado toast - there are so many vegan options out there that you might not even have heard of. Constantly try something new and look for what you like.
Also, always try products from different manufacturers. Because different manufacturers of coconut milk can vary in taste and appearance. Just find the right brand.

9. Read Labels Carefully
To distinguish vegan food and cosmetics from the usual, you need to read the labels. Manufacturers may put a vegetarian or vegan label on their product, but this is not always true. Read the ingredients of the product to be sure.

10. Map Your Vegetarian Places
Visit only verified places. Use Google Maps or social media to gather information about stores, cafes, and markets that sell quality vegetarian food and items.

11. Always take a snack with you
If you are away from home for a long time, take a snack with you. It's hard to make good decisions when you're hungry. And if vegetarian food is not on hand in time, you can satisfy your hunger with food that you would not normally eat. Always carry dates or other healthy snacks with you so you don't depend on hunger.

12. Don't Waste Your Time Going Vegetarian
The best result is the path of small steps. Do not rush and become a vegetarian overnight. Give yourself and your body time to get used to the new diet. Take one small step at a time and observe your condition.

13. Seek inspiration
Subscribe on Youtube and Instagram to vegetarians so that every day they give you inspiration. Personal stories of vegetarians, beautiful photographs of healthy meals, radiant faces of vegans - inspiring materials will support you every day.

14. Explore Vegetarianism
Keep learning about vegetarianism. Read books, watch videos and view the latest scientific research. This will help you solidify your decision and keep up to date with the latest news. You will also be able to reasonably answer questions that may be asked by opponents of vegetarianism.

15. Be kind to yourself.
Be kind to yourself. Vegetarianism is a way of self-improvement. Sometimes you can make mistakes, but the only important thing is that you keep going.