Six years ago I decided to become a vegetarian. After reading the book Skinny Bitch I couldn’t stand the thought of even trying to eat meat again. In all honestly I didn’t eat a lot of red meat prior to becoming a vegetarian, except the unhealthy kind like Big Macs.
To say my life has never been the same since becoming a vegetarian is an understatement. I originally did it to lose weight for an upcoming family trip to Spain, but then the lifestyle just kind of stuck with me. My decision to become a vegetarian wasn’t religious or political, it was strictly to lose weight – and it worked.
I lost almost twenty pounds in the months following my decision to give up meat. Unfortunately I have since gained them back by replacing everything I was missing with a lot of carbs and sugar. However I’m working hard again to get back on the healthy track.
If you’re thinking about becoming a vegetarian, I say do it. Trust me, with vegetarian versions of all your favorite meat products from turkey to meat balls, it’s not as hard as you think. After a while you won’t even miss it anymore.
Here are some benefits to adopting a vegetarian lifestyle:
It’s a lot cheaper
Living off dairy, fruits, veggies, cereal and nuts is a lot cheaper than buying fish, steak and chicken. It also takes a lot less time to prepare your food, which for those of us who don’t have the natural food instinct in the kitchen is a really good thing.
You eat more frequently
Almost every diet book I’ve ever read says that it’s a lot healthier to eat smaller portions several times a day than it is to eat three big meals. This happens naturally when you’re a vegetarian. You’ll find yourself hungry more often and therefore snacking throughout the day.
Eating several small meals is good for your metabolism because it’s easier for the body to break down smaller portions rather than trying to digest a big belly full of food.
Meat is not really good for you
According to Women’s Health Magazine eating meat has several health benefits, one of which is a healthy heart. “Fatty red meats and many processed meats are high in saturated fat, which raises LDL (bad) cholesterol and increases risk of coronary heart disease.” That’s definitely a good reason to cut out the carcass.
The one downside
There is one not so great thing about being a vegetarian – people treat you like an outsider. I actually don’t tell a lot of people that I’m a vegetarian because they always feel the need to make special arrangements whenever we eat together.
I usually let people figure out my eating habits on their own. When we go out to a restaurant and they see I don’t order meat they ask if I’m a vegetarian and I say yes. However I don’t like to tell people ahead of time because then the conversation changes from “Oh I love the food there” to “We have to make sure they have vegetarian options”. The truth is most restaurants are veggie friendly so don’t worry about being a hinder to your friends and family.
