Since the last vegetarian blog post, more and more of our clients are switching to our vegetarian or vegan program! Due to the high popularity, our meal-planning team has come up with some brand-new, fresh and flavorful recipes that would be implemented next week!
For those who are still unsure whether vegetarianism is for them, or have tried and failed, making such a big change in your lifestyle can be difficult! Some people can wake up one day and decide to quit meat cold turkey, right off the bat. That works fine for some people, but for many others, quitting meat in one go can be too much to handle, and they end up being unhappy with their new diet…or lifestyle as I like to call it. So they end up quitting!
So here are some tips to make the transition as smooth as possible.
Tip #1: Be a vegetarian once per week! Try out one vegetarian recipe a week, learn where you can buy healthy vegetarian lunches near your office, and figure out which meatless proteins you like and dislike. Follow the Meatless Monday (Green Monday!) concept, or start by choosing one vegetarian meal per week. Then gradually work up to more and more meat-free days when you feel ready.
Tip #2: Make salad eating fun not boring! There’s absolutely nothing wrong with a big bowl of spinach topped with carrots, tomatoes and bell peppers. They provide plenty of vitamins and minerals as well as fibre! But, don’t forget that your body also needs protein, fat and other vitamins and minerals that aren’t found in vegetables. Sprinkle your salad with other protein and healthy fat rich ingredients, such as walnuts, pecans, sesame seeds, chickpeas, avocado, cheese. Also, branch out from salads, which brings me to my next tip…
Tip #3: Never abandon on your favourite dishes! Many people think that becoming a vegetarian means giving up on your favourite foods. Don’t forget that you can take your favourite recipes and tweak them. Adding tofu instead of shrimp in your Phad Thai, substitute that ground beef with beans in your chilli, trade that cheeseburger for a sweet potato black bean burger.
Tip #4: Give yourself a break! And no, I don’t necessarily mean from vegetarianism. But don’t be afraid to let yourself enjoy some less-than-ideal foods. Pizza is vegetarian, so is mac n’ cheese. Sure, these aren’t great for you, but the point is to ease the shock and make the transition as enjoyable as possible so that you are less tempted to quit. Sometimes all it takes is an occasional splurge on a diet, to help you make better choices the other 99% of the time.
Tip #5: Ask for help! Making such a big change in your life can be intimidating and overwhelming, so never be ashamed to ask for help. Talk to friends who are vegetarian, get advice from a Registered Dietitian – they can also help you identify whether your diet is lacking any nutrients!
If you want to try out our vegetarian or vegan program, but is unsure whether you can commit full time to it. We can accommodate and switch between meat and vegetarian meals. Just let us know 48 hours in advance, then you will be good to go!