Established 2005
Vegetarian Does Not Have To Be "All Or
Nothing"
by Melanie Mendelson, (c) 2004
Many people contemplate becoming a vegetarian at one point
or another. Some consider a meatless diet because they feel
sorry for the animals. Others think a vegetarian way of
eating will improve their health.
However, out of those well-intentioned people very few
actually follow through and change their way of eating. The
idea of completely giving up meat forms a big stumbling
block for most.
For some reason, when it comes to vegetarian cooking, most
people only see the "extremist" approach: either give up
meat completely or you might as well include the meat in
every meal. This "all or nothing" thinking becomes a mental
barrier that keeps a lot of people from eating more
vegetarian meals.
How about finding a happy medium? Drastic changes to one's
diet never last. Do not beat yourself up for eating meat.
There is no need to give it up completely. Just try eating
a little less of it, that's all.
Start right now by making one meatless dinner every week.
Keep everything else the same. Eating just one vegetarian
dinner every week is definitely doable and easy. It will be
just a nice change instead of deprivation!
If you think going meatless one day a week would not make a
big difference, consider these simple numbers: if everyone
ate vegetarian meals just one day a week, it would save one
out of seven animals. Out of 92 million animals that are
consumed in the United States alone every year, over 13
million animals would be spared. This is a huge impact!
In addition to doing good for our planet, you'll enjoy great
health benefits by including more fruits and vegetables in
your diet. Fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamins,
nutrients, anti-oxidants and fiber - all the things that are
good for us. They can help with weight loss and prevent
diseases. Numerous studies show that diets high in fruits
and vegetables reduce the risks of deadly diseases such as
cancer, heart attack and stroke.
Also, by trying out new dishes, you will break your food
routine and discover new tasty recipes and food
combinations. It's really nice to eat something different
once in a while instead of being stuck in a food rut.
This simple shift of mindset from "all or nothing" to a
happy middle ground will do wonders. Vegetarian eating does
not need to be a full-time commitment, sacrifice and strive
for unattainable perfection. Just do what you can to eat a
little less meat, have fun trying new vegetarian meals and enjoy the
benefits.
Melanie Mendelson is the author of "Vegetarian Main Dishes -
Yummy Recipes That Even Meat Eaters Will Love". Visit her
website at
http://www.vegetarian-recipes-cookbook.com