Today’s blog post is a guest post from Olivia! I’ve never had anyone guest post on my blog before but if you would like to, email me/check out my ‘contact‘ page 🙂. Anyway, onto the post. Olivia talks about the benefits of being vegetarian – make sure you check out her blog too đź’—
Related post: 8 reasons to go vegetarian
I have followed a vegetarian diet for almost 6 years now, and wow I can’t believe how fast the time has flown. Deciding to be vegetarian was a decision that I made over quite a long period of time. It’s not something I dove into and did straight away. As with anything in life, slow and steady wins the race. One of the things I didn’t do before I decided to give up meat, was any research. Now it’s totally your choice if you want to do that, but it’s not even something I thought of. There is this bias online, where if you search for vegetarian benefits, it will probably show you the reasons why you shouldn’t be vegetarian first. That’s just the way online searches are. The world wants us to continue to consume meat.
As a way of introduction, my name’s Olivia and I am a lifestyle blogger at www.olivialucieblake.com. Over on my blog, I share posts on many different topics such as life, body positivity, mental health and so much more. I am so happy to be here today and guest posting on Caroline’s blog. I have been following Caroline for a while now and was so happy when this opportunity came around. For today’s post, I thought I would go through the benefits I have experienced following a vegetarian diet. Please remember I am no expert at this, which is why I am sharing my own experience rather than what you’d find on google!
Increased energy
Pretty much as soon as I cut out meat, I started to notice I felt so much more energised. No longer was I in a food coma after every meal. I remember how uncomfortable I would feel after eating a burger or chicken, and it was not pleasant. I’m not sure if it was just my stomach or it’s a thing that happens to everyone, but after I gave up meat I have not once felt like that. I guess another good thing is that I don’t get full really fast too. Of course, this depends on what food I’m eating, but generally, when I eat a vegetarian meal, I don’t get filled up quickly. Which is great for saving room for dessert Haha!
Having increased energy was a real benefit for me because it means that I am able to get more done in the day. I don’t feel like I need to sleep for longer and it actually helped my overall wellbeing and mental health a lot. Which is an unexpected bonus!
Trying new foods
Since following a vegetarian diet it’s meant that almost all of the foods I used to enjoy are now off the menu. Which means experimenting more with meals and new ingredients. It’s so much fun learning and trying new foods that I see this as such a major benefit of being vegetarian. When meat is no longer an option it gives you more of a reason to experiment and try new and different foods you wouldn’t normally.
I am probably the worst vegetarian because I HATE mushrooms. And mushrooms are in everything vegetarian. So that gave me even more of a push to keep trying new things. The great thing about being vegetarian is the new options we have available to us. When I first cut out meat the only real food company here in the UK to choose from was Quorn. And although their stuff was good, their selection wasn’t too big. Now in 2021, it’s amazing to see supermarket isles with dedicated spaces for veggie and vegan food options. It’s amazing to see how the demand has grown so much.
You save money
We all like to save money, don’t we? One of the biggest differences I have found from being vegetarian is how much cheaper it is. Meat can be so expensive, but swapping to a veggie diet is a lot cheaper. I have saved so much money from not eating meat. It’s especially great when going out for meals at restaurants. Next time you’re out, just have a look at the menu and see how the meat dish prices compare to the veggie prices. Research shows that you will reduce your spend on food by almost ÂŁ4,000 if you decide to switch to vegetarian only. How amazing is that?
Are you vegetarian? Have you ever considered trying a vegetarian diet?
Thanks so much again Caroline for hosting me on your blog today. I hope you all enjoy the post and I look forward to hearing your thoughts. Don’t forget to head over to my blog and say hello!
Yes, to be vegetarian is not bad, but it seems that lots of people think that they cannot survive without meat. Which is not bad, but we have to try new things every day! Thank you for sharing!
I think trying alternatives whilst still eating meat is the key. You can figure out what you like & whether it’s achievable. I would never want someone to force themselves to not eat a specific thing – that’s unhealthy. But there are so many great veggie foods that taste better than meat! Thank you for reading & commenting x
I’m not a vegeterian but think I could be if I wasn’t married to a carnivore. My husband is a meat and potatoes guy so there’s no way he will ever give up meat.
I do limit my meat consumption to no more than once a day, and I try to have one or two “meatless” days every week.
Having a meatless day or two is a great idea <3
I have been considering it for a long time and currently have meatless day during the week, I think it would be quite the easy swap for me. i think the only thing i would miss would be chicken, but tried fake one from M&S here in the UK and it’s great! Thanks for sharing x
I was the same! The only meat that I liked was chicken but if you try Quorn nuggets, I can’t really notice a difference x
Great guest post, was definitely good learning about these benefits 🙂
Thank you for reading & commenting x
I’ve considered a vegetarian diet before but I’ve been worried I couldn’t stick to it! Also I hate cheese and I know a lot of veggie options have it in them! But certainly I’m trying to be more aware of what I’m eating and cutting down on meat because there’s so many benefits to it! x
I’m not the biggest cheese fan but I will admit that I eat more than if I weren’t veggie. That’s hard but having a few meatless days is great too x
I loved reading the benefits of being a vegetarian! I’m not a vegetarian but I think a meat free day or two in the week is a good idea and it’s something I try to do in the week! x
Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk
Totally agree 🙂 x
Great post! I’ve been a vegetarian for 34 years and have never regretted that decision. There are so many benefits to not eating meat, not only for your health, but also the health of the planet. Thanks for sharing!
So true! x
Oooh! I love all of the benefits you’ve listed about being a vegetarian. Definitely, a big plus when it comes to eating cleaner. Vegetables and fruits can become more expensive if you decide to go down the organic route, but still cheaper per pound compared to meat. Thanks for sharing all of this!
Nancy ✨ mdrnminimalists.com
So true 🙂 x
I turned vegetarian late last year and although it was difficult at first, I’m loving it now. I feel more energised and there’s so many different alternatives out there so I never feel like I’m missing out x
Same! x
These are some great positive benefits from being veggie. I like to have alternatives or a veggie option. Thank you for sharing your experience and tips!
Agreed x
Loved this post! Although I’m not veggie it’s not that often I eat meat and I’ve been trying lots of veggie or vegan alternatives too to try and help the planet a bit more. Thanks for sharing this!
Tash – A Girl with a View
Love that! x
I definitely tried new foods when I was a vegetarian! I love these positive points, even though I started to eat a little meat recently I still stick to mainly veggie meals and I love that things are more accessible these days x
I’ve become much more adventurous as a vegetarian! x
I am really thinking of going vegetarian and I am in a position in my life where I really want to implement this new diet.
Thank you Olivia & Caroline for sharing this post🧡 xx
Sounds great! x
Changing to vegetarian has made me feel so much better in myself!
Amber | https://theunpredictedpage.com
I’m so glad! x
Great guest post! I eat mostly vegetarian because I HATE cooking meat so do it once a week max really … but I’d love to go totally vegetarian one day! Hope you’re having a good week Caroline x
That’s so great to hear! Before I went veggie, I hated cooking meat too so it’s a real bonus haha. Thank you, you too 🙂 x
Great post! I’m not a vegetarian myself but I do try and have meat free days / meals. I tend to LOVE all vegetarian meals I try though, so that’s great!
Having meat-free days is great! x
Great guest post, Caroline! I don’t think I’ll ever be vegan/vegetarian but I am very firm in balance. So, in my home, you’ll find meat products as well as vegan substitutes, regular cheese, non-diary milk and lots of fresh veggies and foods! Thanks for sharing xx
Lynn | http://www.lynnmumbingmejia.com
That’s fair enough, I was never a big meat eater! x