Off the Urban Grid

Start a Vegetarian Diet for the New Year

What diet are you going to try in 2010? With all of the diet fads, it might be hard to make a decision. However, instead of being on a diet for a few months to drop some excess pounds, why not enter the new year with the goal of a lifestyle change? Transitioning to a vegetarian or vegan is more than just a lifestyle. It also sets a compassion tone for you life, because you will reduce your dependency on factory farming and the dairy industry.

So how can you make this a smooth transition? Below are some tips to help you reach your goal this year.

• Limit the number of times per week that you eat meat. It’s okay if you can’t eliminate meat from your diet all at once. Consider raising chickens in your backyard, because instead of buying meat from the market, you can get fresh, organic chicken and eggs right from your backyard.
• Add more color to your diet with homegrown fruits and vegetables. Starting a garden is quite a task, but if you have a successful one, you can freeze some of your harvest and have it for later in the year.
• Try alternative protein sources such as nuts, seaweed, whole grain breads and pastas, etc. You can add walnuts to your salad or create a honey pecan dressing.
• Partner with family or friends, because reducing your meat intake is hard work. It’s helpful to have someone to motivate you as well as someone who will experiment and exchange tasty vegetarian and vegan recipes with you. You can also learn some tips from experienced vegetarians or vegans who are trying to live more off the grid.

Adopting a vegetarian or vegan diet as your 2010 resolution is a great way to start the year, and you can get more out of your garden or backyard farm.

Tags: new year diet, vegan diet, vegetarian diet