Suppose you’ve decided to cut down on meat consumption from your food routine; know that you only have to win! In addition to joining forces in preserving our planet with all the environmental issues you may have heard about, you will start an incredible journey of discoveries, new flavours, enhance your nutrient consumption and, best of all, conquer an excellent quality of life.
All this is very exciting, and it is almost impossible to control anxiety, but know that to achieve this goal, it is essential to trace a route with conscious planning so that this new habit is a healthy process since meat consumption should probably be present in your routine since childhood.
Starting this new phase in a disorderly way can harm your body; in addition to disrupting your purpose, it can even wholly discourage you in the middle of the way.
But relax; we are here to help you create a good plan, which will make your process much more manageable. Come on?
First of all, know your food routine.
Knowing your routine is the first and most crucial step at the beginning of the meat reduction process. That’s because you need to see the amount consumed on your way to have a more or less idea of how much protein your body is used to receiving. Thus, it will be possible to think of protein foods of plant origin to insert into your diet, avoiding potential risks to your health.
It is good to remember that you will be entering a process of food reeducation, which first of all starts in your mind; after all, it is a new learning experience, with new habits and a new vision of food as a whole. For this reason, help and support will never be too much! Seeking the advice of a nutrition professional will make all the difference.
By the way, if you have doubts about vegetable protein, if they are accurate enough for our body, here on our website, we have a blog analyzing myths and truths about this protein source that will change your view on the subject. [insert link in paragraph]
Five steps to reduce meat consumption:
Step 1: Determine who will be the star of your dish
A good start is redefining who will be your plate’s star, which may have been meant to occupy that place for many years. That way, you will have the feeling of addition, not replacement and withdrawal.
Make creative mealtime choices by opting for more vegetables, veggies, fruits and grains with just a tiny slice of meat. As the days go by, you will notice that your taste buds will see the shine of other foods, craving animal protein less.
Step 2: One meal at a time
But if the feeling of substitution or withdrawal is not a problem, mapping which meals are present throughout your day is very important to understand in which of these moments you feel more comfortable in starting to give up, if in the cafe morning, lunch, dinner or snacks throughout the day.
A good trick is not to eat meat for breakfast as a stimulus for the rest of the day and to be a very peaceful starting point, enjoying a lot of fruits combined with grains, non-dairy milk, whole-grain pancakes and many others. Options.
Step 3: Specific days
For those thinking of venturing a little further, a good option is to choose specific days of the week not to consume any meat. You can start with just one day and increase as you feel comfortable. From just one day, it goes to two. From two, it goes to 3, one day yes and one day no. Or even, who knows, spend the whole week without meat, consuming it only on weekends with family and friends.
Step 4: Eat meaty foods.
You may miss the texture of meats a lot. To avoid relapses, add plant foods with a similar texture, such as mushrooms, eggplants and soy.
Step 5: Explore the plant universe
There is no universe more varied than the vegetable one! In it, you will find thousands of species and families that, combined, are an actual explosion of flavours.
You must diversify your menu so that your taste buds discover new foods and fall in love with them, completely forgetting about meats. In addition, this diversification will help you maintain the nutrients consumed by cores and obtain many others, making a massive difference in your well-being.
And finally, don’t lose focus!
Cutting down on meat consumption can be challenging, but to make it easier, you should avoid self-demands or an intense pursuit of perfection; after all, it’s okay if you eat meat out of your plan once in a while. This whole process should be light and peaceful, giving you incredible experiences and a positive change in your way of living.
Remembering what motivated you to start this new phase is a necessary stimulus to stay focused. Consuming content and meeting movements that think like you are also a critical encouragement to move forward with your purpose.
And to help you even more on this journey, here at Real, we have several delicious, healthy, vegan dishes that will make this reeducation process natural and much more delicious the way it should be.