It can sometimes feel like, Where do I evenstart?
First, there are a bunch of reasons why you may consider trying to limit your meat.
And there may also be benefits outside your body for cutting down on meat.
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The whole meatless (or meat-less) thing doesnt have to be as overwhelming as it seems.
Together, over time, these kinds of steps can add up to significant progress.
Ready to get started?
Lets do this veggie thing.
Plan aheadand plan for leftovers.
Coming up with balanced, nutritious menus on the fly can be tough.
(Sorry, store-bought rotisserie chicken.)
Were not talking about a bowl of broccoli and rice here.
While youre at it, plan to make extras for the next day and even beyond.
Now youve taken care of at least two meals, making a meatless dinner seem way less daunting.
Start with just one meatless day a week.
Theres no prize for becoming vegetarian or vegan overnight (or ever, actually).
So why not take it slowly?
Start with at least one day a week where you go meatless.
The snails pace is low-stress, since you dont have to suddenly figure out every meal at once.
And to be honest, its easier on your system too.
Gradually increasing your intake helps your body adjust more easily, Acharya says.
(So does making sure youdrink enough water!)
Take advantage of breakfast.
The first meal of the day tends to be the easiest to make meatlessor even completely plant-based.
Think about adding, not subtracting.
Youre probably not going to put an actual steak next to that crispy cauliflower steak, right?
Opting for fare that leans into the more-veggie mentality makes this extra easy.
Homemade pizza can always take some broccoli or spinach tossed on top, for instance.
Try out some tofu or tempeh.
It can be very bland on its own, says Jones.
Jones loves it crumbled up as an alternative to ground meat or poultry.
Embrace the snack board.
Permission to think outside the protein-and-two-sides format granted.
Plenty of plant-basedsnacks can become lunch or dinnerwith very little effort.
Sounds like a pretty stellar meal, right?
Treat lentils like ground meat.
And make extra to store in the freezer.
When you need them, just thaw them and use just as you would fresh-cooked lentils.
Buddy up with a friend who also wants to eat less meat.
Partnering with a like-minded friend can help you stay the course, says vegan dietitianRhyan Geiger, R.D.N.
you could move toward those meat-based choices together, Geiger says.