8 tips for an effective vegetarian transition

Hello Veggies !

It's decided ! You want to improve your lifestyle and become a vegetarian, but you don't know how to take action, because it's a total blur to find the right information. I understand you. I've been there.

Do not panic ! Here are 8 tips to adopt to move from desire to action, and learn to travel towards a multi-sensory vegetarian cuisine with many culinary treasures. Try ! and you will quickly adopt the vegetarian lifestyle!

#1 I want to become a vegetarian because ...

Start by listing your motivations: What are your reasons: is it for your health, for the environment, to limit animal suffering, out of simple disgust for meat and other animal products, for all these reasons, etc. ?

#2 Identify your new habits to put in place

The first step is to list your current habits from sunrise to sunset. Then choose the ones you want to modify.

For example: “I usually buy charcuterie in the supermarket, eat red meat every day”, “I hardly eat any vegetables”, “I cook little”.

And then replace them with new habits to put in place.

Some examples that helped me start my transition:

• I eat more vegetables

• I go to the market to do my shopping

• I am learning to make a homemade vegetarian recipe

• I try a new food every week

• Every Sunday I prepare my vegetarian meals in advance, for 3 or 4 meals

• I make a shopping list of healthy products and I stick to it

#3 Take action

Taking action means moving from defining your goal and your new habits, to creating small everyday changes.

Here is an example of an ACTION PLAN to be spread over a period that suits you (1 month, 6 months, 1 year, etc.).

Tip: take time to make a weekly schedule, and a shopping list, to be scrupulously respected. You will be less tempted to buy foods you want to reduce or eliminate. Fill your fridge with new foods, and remember: the more choices you have, the more you can experiment and vary the pleasures.

Use the compound effect. These are small actions repeated regularly on your diet that will impact your food transition in the long term. The more you repeat these actions, the more their effects accumulate. Repetitions will become automatic. Little by little you reprogram yourself.

You can also dedicate one day a week to an exclusively vegetarian diet: replace meat or fish proteins with vegetable proteins such as chickpeas, in the form of hummus for example, or with lentils; replace cow's milk with other plant-based milks such as almond milk, soy milk or rice milk. Decide to assign the same day of the week, it will be easier to stick to your goal, and to get used to the change. Then do it 2 days a week, etc.

#4 Take your time

Don't worry if you feel you need more time than just one click. Going vegetarian takes some getting used to, but also figuring out what will work best for you.

You test, you discover, and the more you advance in this change, the more you assert yourself on your choice of vegetarian transition, and the better you will approach this new way of life, outside your home, with friends, in restaurants, etc.

TIP: Write down in the form of a list or logbook, on paper, on your pc or mobile, the small changes made daily, and take stock a month later: you will see what worked and what can be improved.

#5 Get out of your food comfort zone

Go explore new flavors, test new foods. When I started, I was so used to buy the same products, the same foods, and preparing the same dishes very often, that I realized how little I knew about the incredible diversity of plant-based products. There are thousands of vegetarian recipes around the world, and you can make interesting variations on your old favorite meat or fish dishes. Go out, explore organic stores, greengrocers, go to classic or exotic markets and treat your taste buds to new flavors. Make mixtures that you would never have dared, test, and adhere...or not, but above all ENJOY YOURSELF !

Do not hesitate to share your discoveries, by talking about it around you, or by posting a photo of your new dishes, on your social networks, and why not invite your friends and prepare them a vegetarian dish, or take them to a restaurant exclusively vegetarian. Sharing a good meal is a precious moment, and it will allow your guests to discover new recipes, and make them want something else.

If you have the budget, treat yourself to 2 or 3 vegetarian cookbooks, it will inspire you at first. If you prefer to pick up your recipes on the internet, the choice is vast, cooking sites offer more and more veggie recipes. Social networks Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, are a good way to quickly find ideas.

#6 Keep learning

It is not easy to be vegetarian or vegan in today's world. This requires a lot of courage and above all a lot of curiosity. Most people refer to the omnivorous, and/or carnivorous diet. For many people it is a new concept, while vegetarianism is at the origin of civilizations.

It is important to allow yourself time to better understand your need for change, and how you will make this vegetarian transition, while balancing your diet; and this goes through the need to know more about the varieties of vegetarianism, to anchor one's motivation, to discover new foods, and to organize oneself in one's daily life.

Go see vegan fairs or festivals, there is a lot to discover: new foods, recipe books, clothes made with plant materials, culinary workshops.

Some time ago I signed up as a volunteer at a vegan festival. I met vegetarians, vegans and even omnivores curious to discover the festival. I was able to interact with each of the organizers or volunteers, and discuss their way of approaching their food transition. It was very rewarding.

You can also participate to conferences, vegetarian cooking workshops, or even decide to follow your future "mentor" of vegetarianism (a person you admire, a well-known personality or not, who regularly publishes on social networks, on his blog or who has written on the subject).

#7 Ask for help

Do not hesitate to ask restaurants for a vegetarian adaptation of their carnivorous or fish dish. I strongly recommend that you go to specialized sites to find information. You can also register on Facebook pages dedicated to vegetarianism or veganism. Ask questions: “where can I buy vegan cheese? What can I substitute for eggs in cakes? »

There is a whole community, very friendly, which will be able to answer your requests, because in their minds, the more questions there are from Internet users, and the more there are changes in the world towards a healthier and more respectful diet. animals and the environment. It's "win-win", everyone wins. They too have gone through this stage of food transition, and some have become experts in replacing animal proteins, or in the ways of cooking this or that food. Do not hesitate, ask!

Personally, I participated in a study proposed by the AVF (Vegetarian Association of France) because I live in Paris ( you can find a lot of association for vegetarian or vegan all over the world). I felt a little alone in my food transition, and I wanted to see if others, like me, had the same difficulties. There is nothing more comforting than getting information or seeking advice, to ease your learning curve. Do not hesitate to seek advice from your general practitioner, nutritionists and dieticians, who will agree to answer you, especially if they are "Veggie friendly". Don't be afraid: you are not alone!

#8 Don't give up !

Be sure to regularly remind yourself of the reasons why you chose to change your diet, or even your lifestyle, and appreciate the benefits that come with each day. You made the right choice. You will find that switching to a vegetarian or even vegan diet is much easier than you imagined.

Be honest with yourself and think carefully about what you really want to do and achieve. Surround yourself with people who see opportunity in change, and it will be easier for you to cultivate this approach to life. The more important the cause of your investment is for society and the more it will have a positive impact on a large number of people, the easier it will be for you to work for it.

In the end, greening your plate is not that difficult, and you will see that you can live better by eating differently.

Feel free to share your experience by leaving a comment.