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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.
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