Vegetarianism for Beginners Part 2

Your WHY

Welcome to part two in the series on vegetarianism for beginners!  Now that you’ve decided what type of vegetarian you want to be, you need to identify WHY you want to make this lifestyle change.  You’ll notice I said lifestyle.  This is not a diet.  It’s a way of life.

So, let’s get to it!  There are a variety of reasons why people choose to give up animal protein.

• ethical issue—you don’t like how animals are treated at slaughter houses
• moral issue—you don’t believe in eating living creatures or you want to reduce your carbon footprint on the planet
• religious reasons—you belong to a religion that believes in reincarnation and opposes eating animals
• health reasons—you want to improve your health and minimize the risk of certain diseases
• personal reasons—you’re just plain sick of animal protein
• weight loss—you want to lose a few pounds and inches

For me, it was a combination of things that made me go vegetarian 30 years ago.  I had royally screwed up my metabolism with yo-yo dieting and a nutritionist recommended I lay off the heavy animal protein.  This was the impetus that started this lifestyle for me.  Over the years, my why has evolved and yours will, too.  Today, it saddens me to think that animals are being killed for human consumption.  I am a huge animal lover!  Yes, I’m the person at a party who will be in the corner playing with the host’s dog.  LOL!  But, I digress. . .

Having a clearly identifiable reason, or WHY, will help you stay committed to your vegetarian nutrition plan when the going gets rough (and believe me, it WILL get rough)!  All change is difficult initially.  Let’s get real here, stepping outside of one’s comfort zone is well. . . uncomfortable!  BUT, you know what?  That’s where the magic of change happens!  Stick to your plan and you’ll reap the benefits of the vegetarian lifestyle.

If you’re becoming a vegetarian because it’s the trendy thing to do or your significant other is pushing you to do it, the odds are that you’ll quit before you even truly get too far into it.  Getting in touch with your why will help you stick with it for the long haul.

I’d love to hear what your reason is for becoming a vegetarian, so drop a comment below and share!  I’ll see you back here tomorrow for part three of our series.  Until then, remember to FUEL UP for a FIT LIFE!