I’ve decided to go vegetarian! Not because it’s popular but because my body needs it. My doctor has been asking me for years to make drastic life style changes such as cutting out meat (keeping eggs & fish in my diet). I have been saying to myself I need meat, but the fact of the matter is WE DO NOT NEED MEAT.

Reality is our bodies function better without meat. Red meat weights us down and takes a very long time to digest, while chicken is full of pesticides and germs, and pork is just well pork. None of those things were made to be consumed by humans but hey everything in moderation.

Meat every 2 weeks is great, meat once a month is amazing, but I know a challenge when we are accustomed to eating meat with just about every meal. We can’t make a grocery list without meat, but I said meat will no longer be my vice. For it’s causing me more harm than benefits.

My vegetarian grocery list:

• Rice
• Sweet potatoes
• Broccoli
• Salad mix
• Tuna (canned)
• Salmon (fresh)
• Shrimp (flash frozen, raw)
• Onions
• Bell peppers (various colors)
• Grapes
• Bananas
• garlic
• Ginger
• Pita bread
• Cucumbers
• Tomatoes
• Oatmeal
• Eggs
• Cheese

I also got my personal snacks, protein powder (plant based) and water. Meal preparation is now next, you must have a general guide/structure for each meal

Breakfast – protein, fruit, carbs

Lunch – veggies, carbs and protein

Dinner- protein, veggies, two carbs

Snacks – 2 a day any of my choice (keeping sodium in mind)

Sample Breakfast meals

• Veggie omelette
• Oatmeal and fruit
• Grits and toast

Sample lunch meals

• Tofu salad
• Pasta salad
• Tuna salad

Sample Dinner meals

• Salmon patty with broccoli and rice
• Sweet potatoes and shrimp
• Stir fry (veggie or tofu, shrimp)

These are just a few as the week processes I will have more meal ideas for you to try.

During this time I will also be doing

• Yoga
• Meditation
• Weight lifting