Day 1

Welcome to my blog! I started this blog because recently my friends have been asking me for tips on becoming vegetarian. I have been a vegetarian for over 5 years so I consider myself somewhat experienced. My hope is to blog everyday for 365 days and include tips, recipes, and other ideas for being vegetarian and leading a healthy lifestyle.

Contrary to popular belief vegetarians do not sit around all day and eat only salad. We eat a variety of fruits and vegetables and just about everything non-vegetarians eat. The only difference is that we choose not to eat meat.

If you are a new vegetarian or someone considering becoming vegetarian there are a few things to think about:
1. Why do you want to be a vegetarian? There are a lot of different reasons people go vegetarian. Some do it for the health benefits, others do it because of the way animals are treated, and some do it because it is considered the new "fad." 
2. What kind of vegetarian do you want to be? There are a lot of different types of vegetarians in this day and age. You need to think about what types of foods you are willing to eat and what you are not. For example, Vegans eat only foods with no animal by-products, while pescetarians don't eat meat but they eat fish.

I am attaching a link to a video PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) put out regarding slaughterhouses. *BEWARE!!! This clip is very graphic and should not be viewed if you have a weak stomach.

*Tip of the day* If you are a new vegetarian do NOT stop eating meat cold-turkey. Gradually adjust your diet to fit your needs until you ease out of eating meat all together.

*Recipe of the day*http://www.recipe.com/barley-vegetable-soup/
This recipe is for a great vegetable soup. It is full of fiber, protein, and essential vitamins, plus it tastes amazing! Happy eating!