Vegetarian - Become One and Be Healthier Today With These Simple Tips

Becoming a vegetarian will make you healthier and give you more energy.

Many people think it is difficult to adpot a vegetarain lifestyle but there are a huge amount of choices open to you and this article will show you how to in simple steps.

Vegetarian Dishes

Once having made the decision to become a vegetarian, you must decide which kind you are. There are for main varieties:

o Lacto vegetarianism : Lacto vegetarians do not eat meat or eggs but do eat dairy products. Most vegetarians in India and other Hindu areas, as well as those in the classical

Mediterranean lands, such as Pythagoreans, are or were lacto vegetarian.

o Lacto-ovo vegetarianism : Lacto-ovo vegetarians do not eat meat but do eat dairy products and eggs. This is currently the most common variety in the Western world.

o Ovo-vegetarianism : Ovo vegetarians do not eat meat or dairy products but do eat eggs.

o Veganism : Those who avoid eating any animal products, including eggs, milk, cheese, and sometimes honey, are known specifically as dietary vegans.

Basic rules of being vegetarian

Whichever of the above systems you follow, there are some basic rules to follow.

You must remember that you have been eating meat and meat products most of your life.

To stop instantly is possible, but better if you ease off meat slowly, and then stop altogether. Do not worry about getting enough protein.

Generally we all eat too much protein, and you can get all you need (see below) by a wide variety of alternatives.

You must eat smaller meals and more often when you become a vegetarian and should add as much fruit as is possible to your daily diet.

Keeping cholesterol down

Do not over-indulge in eggs and cheese.

Remember, the same protein is available in soy products, lentils (pulses), and nuts. Eating too many eggs to replace meat can have negative consequences of raising the cholesterol and blood pressure.

Eating too much cheese can also add very many calories to your diet that you may not need.

let people know you are a vegitarian

Inform your friends or hosts (should you be a guest somewhere) of your choice of diets, and the reason for it.

This attitude is generally appreciated by all, and will avoid unpleasant surprises at diner tables.

Airlines all have alternative menus for vegetarians, and informing them before your flight insures a tasty meal in conformation to your dietary choice.

Starting Out

Most new vegetarians find salads with a wide variety of vegetables a good start.

Also visiting Indian, Kosher, and Ethnic (especially Lebanese or Greek) restaurants is very helpful. All will have plenty of non-meat dishes that are both tasty and wholesome.

Vegetarianism is easy with today's food choices

The modern international supermarket will have some soy products, which include the soy meat substitutes, tofu, and edamame.

As fish is excluded from the diet, you can get your Omega 3 from some eggs where the chickens were specially fed grains, or by eating walnut and pumpkin seeds, and using Canola oil.

Search the supermarket for meat alternatives, and you will be sure to find an ample supply.

Do not underestimate the value of brown rice. If cooked well, and using sesame oil, it is a magic replacement for meat in your diet.

Never feel hungry as a vegetarian

You will feel full and satisfied, you will receive many vitamins and minerals as well as protein, and reap the health benefits of this wonderful food.

Maintaining Your Diet & Getting healthy

As you watch your weight slowly drop to its ideal, and your energy levels rise, you will understand how beneficial the change of becoming a vegitarian has been for you.

You will notice it most in the morning, when you awaken fresh from sleep, and your body feeling light and refreshed.

Start your day with a large breakfast of fruits, cereals, and if your diet allows, milk products. Coffee and tea is your personal choice, but its best to keep coffee limited to the mornings.

Drinking tea during the day is always permitted, but choose green tea if a choice is possible.

Eating smaller and more frequent meals, interspersed with fruit is recommended. Make sure to include Greek olive oil (extra-virgin and cold pressed if available) as it is rich in essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals.

Variety the key to overall health

Some vegetarians find taking dietary supplements helpful and a
good multi-vitamin should give you any element you may be missing by a lack of variety in foods.

It is good to remember that the Japanese diet (which is essentially vegetarian in nature) has over 100 varieties of food a week, while the typical Western diet has less than 30. Be creative, and choose more variety in your food.

Eating for a longer healthier life

You can always consult a professional dietician. They will be able to correct any misconceptions or errors in your eating habits or choices.

It is also recommended to inform you doctor of your choice and get their advice as well on such a major change in life-style.

However, 9 times out of 10 they will congratulate you and give you encouragement in becoming a vegetarian and becoming fitter healthier as result.

Vegetarian - Become One and Be Healthier Today With These Simple Tips

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So You Think You Want to Become a Vegetarian

So, you think you want to become a vegetarian. Why? That is probably the first question you should ask yourself. The reason for that question, of course, is that in order to make a significant change in your life - and it will be significant - you need to have a reason to commit. Otherwise you may find yourself frustrated and unwilling to continue toward achieving your goal.

There are any number of articles, books and other publications that will provide you with a list of methods to follow to achieve a transition to a vegetarian lifestyle. I use the term lifestylerather than diet because, as I said, it is a significant change. It is a lifestyle that you will follow because you will be faced with challenges at every turn. Family and friends may scoff ortry to talk you out of your decision. Restaurants that serve a variety of vegetarian dishes are still difficult to find in many parts of the country. And, if you like meat to begin with, youwill be tempted by the aroma of that steak on your neighbor's grill or the scent that wafts through your car window as you drive past the fast food joint in town, or simply going out for dinner with friends.

Vegetarian Dishes

So, think about it. Do you want to become a vegetarian for health reasons? Is it because you are concerned about the environment and the impact that raising livestock has on it? Are you finding a sense of compassion that has come to make you realize that the suffering of animals matters? Whatever your reason(s), learn as much as you can before or as you begin. Google it - use keywords like "animal welfare", "animal rights", "vegetarian nutrition", "plant-based diet" and so on. As I said, there is a wealth of information out there so study a little and you will makeyour commitment stronger. Also consider talking with your physician and/or a registered dietician, particularly if you may have health issues which may be impacted by your decision to become vegetarian. Get several opinions. Not all physicians are attuned to the benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle either. So if yours isn't, perhaps you can find one who is and get a second opinion.

All of that said, here are 6 simple ways you can begin to make the transition.

1. Start gradually

Give up red meat first. It is probably the worst from the standpoint of what it does to your body. Even then, phase it out gradually. If you eat red meat once a week now, try to cut back to every other week for a couple of months. Then, after you have pretty much cut the red out of your diet altogether you can begin to work on other meats.

2. Experiment

Get yourself a good, simple vegetarian cookbook. You don't need to worry about becoming a gourmet vegetarian cook just yet! Some of the best vegetarian cookbooks are those that offer simple recipes that have a limited number of ingredients or a short prep time. You know what I mean. The book states "50 vegetarian dishes that you can make in 30 minutes or less" or "Great vegetarian recipes with only five ingredients". Get the idea? Try a few recipes so that you have some variation as you begin the transition. Bookmark the ones you like best. Mix up your weekly menu, again for variety. Also, check out the abundance of good websites which have wonderful vegetarian and vegan recipes. Again, Google the keywords and you'll find some gems!

3. Slowly work in things of which you are unsure

You don't want to get turned off right away! I can remember thinking I could never eat tofu. I didn't like the looks of it or the texture, both important nuances for enjoying what you eat. I found that by finding dishes which could utilize tofu as an optional or added ingredient and adding a little at a time each time I had that dish, I gradually became accustomed to tofu. I found that it does take on the flavor of what it is cooked with a lot of the time so dishes with a lot of onion or garlic helped! Sometimes crumbling it or cutting smaller "chunks" made it more palatable, rather than having a large "slab" with which to deal. Marinating it overnight or for at least several hours also works well.

4. Continue to educate yourself

Read whatever you can find about plant-based diets and vegetarian nutrition. Find out how to insure that you are planning meals and eating enough variety to provide the nutrients your body needs, particularly protein and vitamin B12. Visit a natural foods store and ask questions. They will be glad to help. Seek out other vegetarians or vegans for support, encouragement and ideas. Or, join a vegetarian "club" or organization. If you don't have any in your area, why not start one?

5. Use substitutes

What do I mean, use substitutes? Well, since most of the food you will be eating is "lighter" than a meat based meal, you may not feel as full as you were accustomed to being after you finish a meal. In that respect you may be tempted to snack more. If you are, try to substitute the snacks you used to eat with fruit, berries, nuts and so on. These will be better for you and help to contribute to your daily intake of protein. Drink lots of water. It will not only help you stay properly hydrated but also fill your tummy a bit, taking away some of the cravings. If you have a sweet tooth try to avoid sugar and foods with a lot of sugar in them. If you feel the urge to eat something that you normally put sugar on (I eat a lot of cereal snacks) try using agave nectar instead.

6. Enjoy yourself

Make it fun! Experimenting with new recipes is always fun. When you think about the good you are doing for yourself, for the environment and for the animals, it will be even more fun. Vary your meal plans so you have a wide variety and you won't tire of it or get discouraged. Set goals like a month of total vegetarianism equals a reward of a new cookbook! If the whole friends and family thing becomes too much, turn the tables on them and challenge them to join you even if it's for just one meal! Keep a journal - it may become your best seller one day! As I said before, there are many ways to make the transition to a vegetarian lifestyle and just as many books, magazines, articles, blogs and websites to tell you "their way". The bottom line is this - do it because you want to and you know the reasons it's important to you. Find a website, a friend or a book that you trust and let that trust be your guide. Monitor your health and wellness and be sure to get proper nutrition and exercise. You will succeed! Be proud of that in advance! Bon appetite!

So You Think You Want to Become a Vegetarian

R.C. Heiser is an artist and author and a vegetarian. He is the creator and webmaster for http://www.not-just-recipes.com a vegetarian website.

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How to Become a Vegetarian - Go From Carnivore to Vegetarian in 7 Steps

After years of eating meat, you want to make the switch to a no-meat diet. Good for you! You will find vegetarianism to be a healthy change in your life. While you are rip-roaring ready to go, you're hit with a big question: how to become a vegetarian? Although the answer might seem obvious (stop eating meat, duh!), it's not so easy changing a dietary lifestyle ingrained into you by family, friends, and society in general, probably since day 1. Here's how you can do it.

The 7 steps to being a vegetarian

Vegetarian Dishes

1. Have a big enough why, and you can conquer any how. Start by answering a simple question: why do I want to become a vegetarian? Becoming a vegetarian is a paradigm change in how you'll live your life, so you will need a strong driving force behind it.

2. Read up. Start reading about vegetarianism, get a good grasp of what it is and is not. Start searching for vegetarian recipes that you'll like and be able to do

3. Slow and steady wins the race. A change in diet is nothing more than a change in habit. Don't go trying to eliminate all meat from your diet starting tomorrow if you know you either 1) can't do it or 2) can't maintain it. But if you know you can go cold shoulder, then go for it. I know I did.

4. Substitution. Start replacing the meat dishes with vegetarian meals. Instead of eating that cheeseburger, eat a veggie burger with 2 slices of soy cheese. I strongly suggest you at least start replacing and phasing away all red meats.

5. The meat sabbath. Choose any day of the week you are most comfortable with and make that a vegetarian only day. Commit to eating vegetables, grains, fruits, nuts and no meat. Soon you'll be comfortable expanding those meatless days throughout the days of the week till all seven days are meat-free.

6. The company you keep. Start making vegetarian friends. Don't underestimate the influence of the people you surround yourself with. Having vegetarian friends will push you to stay true to your commitment to vegetarianism. You'll also find vegetarians to be easy-going and friendly people.

7. Get Started!

How to Become a Vegetarian - Go From Carnivore to Vegetarian in 7 Steps

The steps to being a vegetarian are simple in and of themselves, but the real effort comes in actually putting the steps into practice. The sooner you get started the sooner you can bring about the improvements in your health. So what are you waiting for?

If you wanna skip steps 1-6 and get to 7 this is a good place to get started!

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Committing to Become a Vegetarian

So you've made the commitment to become a vegetarian, but don't know where to start... This seems like an ambitious endeavor but lucky for you, this article will give you simple tips to make that transition a smooth one.

You can begin by committing to having vegetarian meals for three days a week, in the first two weeks. Start substituting ingredients in your favorite dishes to make them truly meat-free.

Vegetarian Dishes

For example, you can throw in some mushrooms into that marinara sauce to replace meatballs. Another thing you can do is replace the meat in lasagna with beans. Making simple changes in some tried and tested recipes can motivate you to stay on track once you realize that its vegetarian counterparts are just as good.

Next, commit to having vegetarian meals five days a week, for the next two weeks. Study the natural foods aisle at your local store to give you ideas for new recipes. The internet can also be a good source of information when it comes to vegetarian meals. Of course, once in a while, you must treat yourself to new vegetarian products and incorporate them into your meals.

But most importantly, don't limit yourself to being a vegetarian only in the comforts of your own home. Meaning to say, whenever you choose to dine out, stick to your game plan. While you're at it, try experimenting with new vegetarian dishes. Who knows where the inspiration for your next home-cooked veggie meal may come from?

Now at the rate you're going, all you have to do is add two more days and you'll be an officially converted vegetarian! You've been doing this for a month now, so it won't be that hard. Be proud of what you've done because being a vegetarian requires an immense amount of self-control and discipline. With that, not only are you helping yourself become healthier, you're helping conserve the environment as well.

Just keep in mind that it's not about getting it right immediately. Making changes in your diet and lifestyle is a gradual process. Just continue rewarding yourself for making good dietary choices and you'll certainly be motivated to continue heading for the right direction.

Committing to Become a Vegetarian

Warm foods are always appetizing. Keep your vegetarian foods warm using a chafing dish. Read about its benefits here.

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Become A Vegetarian

There are many people who have considered becoming vegetarian for one reason or another. They may have seen a television program demonstrating that man's compassion stops at the door of the animal kingdom! They might have thought that if they were vegetarian it could help to alleviate the problem. They might ask themselves what possible difference one extra vegetarian could make, forget about the TV program, and even wish they had switched it off!

So, if you really set your mind to it, what would be your reason for becoming vegetarian? Would you become vegetarian to:

Vegetarian Dishes

1) Improve Your Health?

2) Reduce Cruelty to Animals?

3) Improve the Environment?

4) All Three of the Above?

The medical evidence to support the fact that meat is bad for you is overwhelming. There are healthy vegetarian dishes that will more than compensate for the meat that is alien to a vegetarian diet.

Vegetarians are less likely to get heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, or diabetes.

Vegetarians are much less likely to be overweight, or clinically obese.

Vegetarians do not ingest the germs carried by dead animals, or remnants of the drugs that were perversely used to keep them alive.

There have been food scandals in many countries, but the bigger scandal is when they are hushed up. There was a British Health Minister, who was forced to resign and discredited, for telling the truth about eggs and salmonella. Can't really say whether the good lady is vegetarian or not! However, it's not just the eggs that may cause disease, but the chickens themselves. We are advised not to allow them to come into contact with other foods, for fear of cross contamination. Vegetarians don't buy the chickens, so they don't run the risk.

There was another outcry in the UK when cattle was infected with CJD. It is a deadly, incurable disease that destroys brain cells, and ultimately results in an untimely and lingering death. Although much of the cattle was culled, or killed to put it more bluntly, people are still dying from the disease. Fortunately, it seems that the epidemic that could have occurred has not happened, but how long will it be before a new disease arrives or an old one re-emerges? Of course there is a way to protect yourself. Just become a vegetarian!

More recently it has been demonstrated, on national television, that there is an even greater issue threatening the nation from imported chicken, which may cause a drug resistant strain of E. Coli. It seems that there may be many of these imported birds that find their way into supermarket products. Of course it would be convenient to blame all our ills on "foreigners", but it is not that long ago that there was a threat from bird flu, because of the failure of a company to uphold the necessary standards. Of course there is a way to protect yourself. Just become a vegetarian!

There are more reasons for becoming a vegetarian than protecting yourself from disease. What about the animals themselves? Were we really put on this earth to cram chickens into wire cages, with no room to move about? Then debeak them, to stop them pecking each other, and fill them full of drugs, to try to stop them from getting diseases, from the filthy conditions imposed upon them.

Vegetarians know that it's not just chickens, but many other animals that are subjected to the horrors of factory farming. We can be thankful to the oft-criticized media, because they do sometimes draw attention to these matters, and highlight problems that governments would seem to prefer to cover up.

There has been much publicity given to global warming, which is undoubtedly of serious concern, as much to vegetarians as anybody else. However, it is not generally realized that animal waste is a substantial factor. It has been reported that US livestock produce 250,000 pounds of waste per second. That is twenty times as much as humans. The waste is a gaseous substance, adding to the methane passing into the air from both ends of farm animals. Of course if more people were vegetarian, less animals would be required. It is clear that there are environmental reasons - as well as humane reasons - as well as health reasons for becoming a vegetarian.

The more people who become vegetarian, the healthier they will become, in addition to helping our planet. Many people have considered becoming vegetarian, but have found it hard to break their meat eating habit. So, the next time there is a program on the TV, dealing with factory farming, animal welfare, or meat-induced illnesses, make a point of looking in. Record the program and use it as a prop to help you break the meat habit. It is so easy to mean to do something really worthwhile, and then forget it, but a rerun of a horror story might be all that is needed to consolidate your best intentions.

For your health's sake, For the planet's sake, For the animal's sake - Become a Vegetarian.

Become A Vegetarian

Richard Wise writes articles on natural health, aromatherapy, herbal remedies, antioxidants, allergies and vegetarianism. If you require to know about vegetarians please visit his web site http://www.vegetarianismonline.com which includes information concerning Why Become a Vegetarian and related vegetarian issues. This article is not intended to serve as a medical source of information. Please use your own judgement with regard to whether a vegetarian lifestyle is suitable for you. To be sure please undertake further research on your own. Anyone unsure about taking a particular food or preparation, be it vegetarian or otherwise, should seek the advice of their doctor, or other suitably qualified professional person.

The author cannot accept any liability whatsoever, for any consequences arising from or thought to be arising from using this article.

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Become A Vegetarian

There are many people who have considered becoming vegetarian for one reason or another. They may have seen a television program demonstrating that man's compassion stops at the door of the animal kingdom! They might have thought that if they were vegetarian it could help to alleviate the problem. They might ask themselves what possible difference one extra vegetarian could make, forget about the TV program, and even wish they had switched it off!

So, if you really set your mind to it, what would be your reason for becoming vegetarian? Would you become vegetarian to:

1) Improve Your Health?

2) Reduce Cruelty to Animals?

3) Improve the Environment?

4) All Three of the Above?

The medical evidence to support the fact that meat is bad for you is overwhelming. There are healthy vegetarian dishes that will more than compensate for the meat that is alien to a vegetarian diet.

Vegetarians are less likely to get heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, or diabetes.

Vegetarians are much less likely to be overweight, or clinically obese.

Vegetarians do not ingest the germs carried by dead animals, or remnants of the drugs that were perversely used to keep them alive.

There have been food scandals in many countries, but the bigger scandal is when they are hushed up. There was a British Health Minister, who was forced to resign and discredited, for telling the truth about eggs and salmonella. Can't really say whether the good lady is vegetarian or not! However, it's not just the eggs that may cause disease, but the chickens themselves. We are advised not to allow them to come into contact with other foods, for fear of cross contamination. Vegetarians don't buy the chickens, so they don't run the risk.

There was another outcry in the UK when cattle was infected with CJD. It is a deadly, incurable disease that destroys brain cells, and ultimately results in an untimely and lingering death. Although much of the cattle was culled, or killed to put it more bluntly, people are still dying from the disease. Fortunately, it seems that the epidemic that could have occurred has not happened, but how long will it be before a new disease arrives or an old one re-emerges? Of course there is a way to protect yourself. Just become a vegetarian!

More recently it has been demonstrated, on national television, that there is an even greater issue threatening the nation from imported chicken, which may cause a drug resistant strain of E. Coli. It seems that there may be many of these imported birds that find their way into supermarket products. Of course it would be convenient to blame all our ills on "foreigners", but it is not that long ago that there was a threat from bird flu, because of the failure of a company to uphold the necessary standards. Of course there is a way to protect yourself. Just become a vegetarian!

There are more reasons for becoming a vegetarian than protecting yourself from disease. What about the animals themselves? Were we really put on this earth to cram chickens into wire cages, with no room to move about? Then debeak them, to stop them pecking each other, and fill them full of drugs, to try to stop them from getting diseases, from the filthy conditions imposed upon them.

Vegetarians know that it's not just chickens, but many other animals that are subjected to the horrors of factory farming. We can be thankful to the oft-criticized media, because they do sometimes draw attention to these matters, and highlight problems that governments would seem to prefer to cover up.

There has been much publicity given to global warming, which is undoubtedly of serious concern, as much to vegetarians as anybody else. However, it is not generally realized that animal waste is a substantial factor. It has been reported that US livestock produce 250,000 pounds of waste per second. That is twenty times as much as humans. The waste is a gaseous substance, adding to the methane passing into the air from both ends of farm animals. Of course if more people were vegetarian, less animals would be required. It is clear that there are environmental reasons - as well as humane reasons - as well as health reasons for becoming a vegetarian.

The more people who become vegetarian, the healthier they will become, in addition to helping our planet. Many people have considered becoming vegetarian, but have found it hard to break their meat eating habit. So, the next time there is a program on the TV, dealing with factory farming, animal welfare, or meat-induced illnesses, make a point of looking in. Record the program and use it as a prop to help you break the meat habit. It is so easy to mean to do something really worthwhile, and then forget it, but a rerun of a horror story might be all that is needed to consolidate your best intentions.

For your health's sake, For the planet's sake, For the animal's sake - Become a Vegetarian.

Richard Wise writes articles on natural health, aromatherapy, herbal remedies, antioxidants, allergies and vegetarianism. If you require to know about vegetarians please visit his web site http://www.vegetarianismonline.com which includes information concerning Why Become a Vegetarian and related vegetarian issues. This article is not intended to serve as a medical source of information. Please use your own judgement with regard to whether a vegetarian lifestyle is suitable for you. To be sure please undertake further research on your own. Anyone unsure about taking a particular food or preparation, be it vegetarian or otherwise, should seek the advice of their doctor, or other suitably qualified professional person.

The author cannot accept any liability whatsoever, for any consequences arising from or thought to be arising from using this article.

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So You Think You Want to Become a Vegetarian

So, you think you want to become a vegetarian. Why? That is probably the first question you should ask yourself. The reason for that question, of course, is that in order to make a significant change in your life - and it will be significant - you need to have a reason to commit. Otherwise you may find yourself frustrated and unwilling to continue toward achieving your goal.

There are any number of articles, books and other publications that will provide you with a list of methods to follow to achieve a transition to a vegetarian lifestyle. I use the term lifestylerather than diet because, as I said, it is a significant change. It is a lifestyle that you will follow because you will be faced with challenges at every turn. Family and friends may scoff ortry to talk you out of your decision. Restaurants that serve a variety of vegetarian dishes are still difficult to find in many parts of the country. And, if you like meat to begin with, youwill be tempted by the aroma of that steak on your neighbor's grill or the scent that wafts through your car window as you drive past the fast food joint in town, or simply going out for dinner with friends.

So, think about it. Do you want to become a vegetarian for health reasons? Is it because you are concerned about the environment and the impact that raising livestock has on it? Are you finding a sense of compassion that has come to make you realize that the suffering of animals matters? Whatever your reason(s), learn as much as you can before or as you begin. Google it - use keywords like "animal welfare", "animal rights", "vegetarian nutrition", "plant-based diet" and so on. As I said, there is a wealth of information out there so study a little and you will makeyour commitment stronger. Also consider talking with your physician and/or a registered dietician, particularly if you may have health issues which may be impacted by your decision to become vegetarian. Get several opinions. Not all physicians are attuned to the benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle either. So if yours isn't, perhaps you can find one who is and get a second opinion.

All of that said, here are 6 simple ways you can begin to make the transition.

1. Start gradually

Give up red meat first. It is probably the worst from the standpoint of what it does to your body. Even then, phase it out gradually. If you eat red meat once a week now, try to cut back to every other week for a couple of months. Then, after you have pretty much cut the red out of your diet altogether you can begin to work on other meats.

2. Experiment

Get yourself a good, simple vegetarian cookbook. You don't need to worry about becoming a gourmet vegetarian cook just yet! Some of the best vegetarian cookbooks are those that offer simple recipes that have a limited number of ingredients or a short prep time. You know what I mean. The book states "50 vegetarian dishes that you can make in 30 minutes or less" or "Great vegetarian recipes with only five ingredients". Get the idea? Try a few recipes so that you have some variation as you begin the transition. Bookmark the ones you like best. Mix up your weekly menu, again for variety. Also, check out the abundance of good websites which have wonderful vegetarian and vegan recipes. Again, Google the keywords and you'll find some gems!

3. Slowly work in things of which you are unsure

You don't want to get turned off right away! I can remember thinking I could never eat tofu. I didn't like the looks of it or the texture, both important nuances for enjoying what you eat. I found that by finding dishes which could utilize tofu as an optional or added ingredient and adding a little at a time each time I had that dish, I gradually became accustomed to tofu. I found that it does take on the flavor of what it is cooked with a lot of the time so dishes with a lot of onion or garlic helped! Sometimes crumbling it or cutting smaller "chunks" made it more palatable, rather than having a large "slab" with which to deal. Marinating it overnight or for at least several hours also works well.

4. Continue to educate yourself

Read whatever you can find about plant-based diets and vegetarian nutrition. Find out how to insure that you are planning meals and eating enough variety to provide the nutrients your body needs, particularly protein and vitamin B12. Visit a natural foods store and ask questions. They will be glad to help. Seek out other vegetarians or vegans for support, encouragement and ideas. Or, join a vegetarian "club" or organization. If you don't have any in your area, why not start one?

5. Use substitutes

What do I mean, use substitutes? Well, since most of the food you will be eating is "lighter" than a meat based meal, you may not feel as full as you were accustomed to being after you finish a meal. In that respect you may be tempted to snack more. If you are, try to substitute the snacks you used to eat with fruit, berries, nuts and so on. These will be better for you and help to contribute to your daily intake of protein. Drink lots of water. It will not only help you stay properly hydrated but also fill your tummy a bit, taking away some of the cravings. If you have a sweet tooth try to avoid sugar and foods with a lot of sugar in them. If you feel the urge to eat something that you normally put sugar on (I eat a lot of cereal snacks) try using agave nectar instead.

6. Enjoy yourself

Make it fun! Experimenting with new recipes is always fun. When you think about the good you are doing for yourself, for the environment and for the animals, it will be even more fun. Vary your meal plans so you have a wide variety and you won't tire of it or get discouraged. Set goals like a month of total vegetarianism equals a reward of a new cookbook! If the whole friends and family thing becomes too much, turn the tables on them and challenge them to join you even if it's for just one meal! Keep a journal - it may become your best seller one day! As I said before, there are many ways to make the transition to a vegetarian lifestyle and just as many books, magazines, articles, blogs and websites to tell you "their way". The bottom line is this - do it because you want to and you know the reasons it's important to you. Find a website, a friend or a book that you trust and let that trust be your guide. Monitor your health and wellness and be sure to get proper nutrition and exercise. You will succeed! Be proud of that in advance! Bon appetite!

R.C. Heiser is an artist and author and a vegetarian. He is the creator and webmaster for http://www.not-just-recipes.com a vegetarian website.

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Want To Become A Vegetarian? Here's 3 Tips That Will Help You

If you're looking to become a vegetarian, then you've made a wise choice. Becoming a vegetarian is one of the smartest things that you can do for yourself if you want to start living and eating better. It doesn't matter if this is your first time trying to become a vegetarian, there's a good chance that it can work for you. The truth is that making the transition into the vegetarian lifestyle doesn't have to be a hard thing to do. Many people make the switch everyday and you can be one of them.

In this article, we will take a look at some of the things that you can do to make the vegetarian lifestyle work for you. You want to integrate these tips and ideas into your lifestyle today so that you can gradually make the transition permanently. Slow and steady wins the race, so keep this in mind as you try out my vegetarian suggestions. Here's the first tip that I can give you regarding becoming a vegetarian.

1) Cook a vegetarian recipe once a week

You don't have to go all out and start making a ton of vegetarian dishes all at once. Try only one new dish once a week and gradually move yourself into the making the transition. Eventually you will have a list of awesome vegetarian recipes that you enjoy. And soon, you can replace your old meals with these new ones and finally make the transition into the vegetarian lifestyle. Even if you have about 5-10 recipes that you cook on a regular basis, this is a good start. Here's another tip for making the transition.

2) Use substitutes

Instead of using meat all the time in your meals, replace them with a meatless substitute. There are manufacturers such as Morning Star and Bocca who create ground-beef replacements - so you can use them in your vegetarian dishes. There are all kinds of beef substitutes that you can take up. For example, instead of eat ground beef, substitute with ground turkey. It's a healthier alternative, but it may cost you more - so keep that in mind.

3) Consider switching your dairy products

Some people like to go this far with their vegetarianism but this is purely optional. Some people stop eating eggs and drinking milk as a way to protect animal suffering. This choice is totally up to you, and it's purely a judgment call. Going vegetarian does help the environment, so keep this in mind also.

The case for going vegetarian is obvious. You improve your overall health along with the health of the planet. Whether or not it's for you is something that you need to decide as you gradually make the transition into it.

Good luck with becoming a vegetarian.

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