by Kristen J K

Created on: February 19, 2009   Last Updated: February 20, 2009

After being emotionally scarred from one of those terrifying slaughterhouse documentaries, I was definitely turned off meat. I decided that I would swear off animals for one month. As someone who ate meat virtually everyday, no one thought I would last and I must admit that I had my own doubts.

I knew that living on a university campus and eating in a cafeteria might make my task difficult. At first I really had to think about what food I was buying and it felt like being a vegetarian was going to be a lot of work and a pain in my butt. The initial guilt and disgust I had experienced from the video were fading and I felt a little jealous watching my friends eat their chicken fingers. However, as the days went on, I became accustomed to looking for things without meat and I thought, "maybe I can do this".

As the weeks progressed, I found that I wasn't even thinking about meat and didn't have any desire to eat it. I am proud to say that I made it through the month and have been a happy vegetarian for 2 years now! I no longer have any desire to eat meat and find it an easy life-style to maintain.

I would say the most essential thing in making a successful transition into vegetarianism is a true desire to. Before you decide if it is the right choice for you, do some research. During the first few months as a vegetarian, I read up on meat production, health benefits, health concerns, and vegetarian protein substitutes. I felt that there were many aspects of the meat production industry that I did not want to support (a whole other article!) and therefore my desire to be vegetarian grew substantially.

There are many reasons for becoming vegetarian; just make sure that you believe in what you are doing and feel good about you decision. Take a look at vegetarian eating options so you are prepared to eat healthily. Personally, I found that becoming a vegetarian was pretty easy. Of course, the initial few weeks required a bit of conscious effort, but it was worth it! Perhaps the trickiest part is making sure you are getting all the protein and nutrients your body requires.

Tofu is a great meat substitute that can be used is lots of recipes. Yves makes a wide range of veggie "meat" products that can be used in place of ground beef, ground turkey, chicken, etc. Some of these products taste just like meat, are packed with protein, and have half the calories! I used the Mexican seasoned ground round on nachos for my sister (who loves meat) and she didn't even know she wasn't eating real meat until I told her.

To sum it up, if you are thinking about becoming a vegetarian (which I think is a great idea!), do some research, and give it a try. The transition is easy once you make the decision!

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