What steps do I make to become a Vegetarian?!

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Vegetarian diets can be very healthy, but eating a balanced diet when you are vegetarian usually requires a little extra attention. Because vegetarians eliminate certain foods from their diets, they often need to work to add foods into their diet that will provide the nutrients found in meat products. By eating a variety of foods including fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, you can get nutrients you need from non–meat sources. Vegans need to pay special attention to getting enough iron, calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin B12.

Carbohydrates provide energy and vitamins for your brain and muscles. Grain products, especially whole grains, are very important because they provide the carbohydrate, fiber, and many vitamins that your body needs.

Fat is needed by your body to stay healthy. Fat provides essential fatty acids and helps your body absorb certain vitamins. Vegetarians need to include sources of fat such as nuts, oils, or avocado.

Protein is needed for your muscles to grow. Vegetarians have to be careful not to just cut meat out of their diet, but to replace the meat with high–protein vegetarian foods. Nuts, peanut butter, soy foods, and legumes such as beans, peas, and lentils all provide protein. Protein is also found in dairy foods such as milk, yogurt, and cheese for vegetarians who eat these foods.

Zinc is important for growth and your immune system. Zinc is found in whole grains, fortified breakfast cereals, dairy products, soy foods, and legumes.

Iron is important for your blood and is found in beans, seeds, soy foods, fortified breakfast cereals, and dark green leafy vegetables, like spinach. Vitamin C helps your body to absorb iron so it is important to eat foods rich in vitamin C, such as citrus fruits and certain vegetables (such as tomatoes) as well.

Calcium is required to build strong bones for later in life. Calcium is found in dairy products such as milk, yogurt and cheese. Some foods are not naturally high in calcium but have calcium added to them; these foods are called calcium–fortified. Some soy products, orange juices, cereals, and cereal bars are calcium fortified. Look at the Nutrition Facts Label to find out which brands are highest in calcium.

Vitamin D is necessary for strong bones and is particularly important for people who live in colder climates because you need the sun to make it. During the winter the sun is not as strong and you are not able to make enough vitamin D. Therefore, it is especially important to make sure you get vitamin D from the foods you eat, such as fortified dairy products and soy milk, or from a supplement.

Vitamin B12 is only found in animal foods, so vegans must eat food fortified with B12. Examples include nutritional yeast flakes, fortified soymilk, and fortified cereals.

Sample Menu:
Day 1:
Breakfast
1 cup Whole Grain Total? cereal
1 cup 1% milk
2 tbsp slivered almonds
1 banana

Lunch
1 bagel
2 tbsp almond butter
1 tbsp jelly
1 cup carrot sticks
1 cup yogurt
1 apple

Dinner
1 cup spaghetti
? cup mushroom/tomato sauce
3 soy meatballs

Salad:
1 cup lettuce
? cup assorted vegetables
2 tsp. dressing
1 cup 1% milk

Snack
2 cups popcorn
1 pear

Day 2 :
Breakfast
2 slices wheat toast
2 eggs
? cup strawberries
1 cup soy milk

Lunch
1 whole wheat wrap
1/3 cup hummus
? cup assorted veggies such as carrots, sprouts, mushrooms, etc. (in the wrap)
1 cup vegetable soup
1 cup soy milk
1 orange

Dinner
1 cup brown rice
1 cup red kidney beans
? cup canned/stewed tomatoes
2 oz. shredded cheese

Snack
? cup celery sticks
1 tbsp peanut or soy nut butter

you also get receipes from this site....it comes out well i have tried alot
http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/Everyday-C…

wish you happy veggie journey!!!!

step1) stop eating meat
... thats about it
you can take those iron tablets if u want 2

Eat vegetables?

Don't do it worse thing you'll ever do.

Stop buying and eatting meat...