1. Everyone asked me about protein.
Listen up, people. There are countless sources of protein that are not animal products. Plants have protein. Beans, peanut butter, bread, oatmeal, quinoa, etc. etc. are all excellent sources of protein. Protein deficiency is damn near unheard of when you're eating enough calories and eating whole foods. But without fail, everyone was very concerned about where I would get it in my vegetarian diet.
2. I forgot I wasn't eating meat.
This happened twice in the beginning. Once when I had food poisoning and went straight for the chicken noodle soup. Then when my brother suggested going to Dairy Queen, and I immediately planned on getting chicken strips. I stayed strong though.
3. I ate tofu.
I never (I mean never) thought I would eat tofu. It always seemed like one of those weird hippy foods. But I'll tell ya, a veggie roll with peanut sauce from New Seasons is everything to me, and those things are filled with tofu. It's not so bad.
4. I leaned out.
I'm a tall girl, and thanks mostly to genetics, I've always been pretty slim. I've rarely thought of myself as someone with a lot of weight to lose, so I was a bit surprised when my body leaned out after I stopped eating meat. Everything looked slimmer. I suppose that is what happens when you cut out fat and cholesterol. I'm not complaining!
5. I spent more time in the kitchen.
Dinners in my house have always been pretty typical. We would regularly eat chicken, potatoes, and veggies. When I started eating vegetarian, I had to start making my own separate meals. I had to learn how to make myself lunch without including turkey or tuna. I realized that I like cooking, and experimenting with recipes, and I'm not terrible at it either!
6. I stopped wanting meat.
It has been about a month and a half since I went vegetarian, and meat is no longer appetizing to me (like at all). When I think about it, meat was never that appetizing to me unless it was covered in sauces and spices. Now, after all of the research I've done on animal agriculture, the idea of eating meat is pretty disgusting to me.
7. My entire diet improved.
Researching the negative effects of eating meat can only lead to hearing about the positive effects of eating a plant-based diet. It's kind of unreal how much I have supplemented my diet with fruits and veggies. I never calorie restrict because I know I'm eating healthy foods that my body will thrive on. I eat when I'm hungry, stop when I'm full, and I've never felt healthier.
