On March 20th, the first day of spring, I have decided to give vegetarian diet a try for one month, inspired by Steve Pavlina’s 30 day trial system for acquiring new habits. I am proud to say that this first trial of mine was successful and I have indeed cut meat out of my diet for 30 days. The fact that I have made a conscious decision to do such a thing was exciting enough, and to complete the task was very fulfilling and encouraging.
I must say that this trial wasn’t as difficult as one might think, because I have been considering trying vegetarianism for quite some time and additionally I have chosen a very liberal form of lacto-ovo vegetarianism, which means that I was consuming milk, dairy products and eggs. I have also been reducing the meat consumption gradually in the months preceding the trial.
In a way I guess I was preparing myself, but it wasn’t until the day I have chosen to give up meat that I have finally made the switch. And that’s the only thing that counts – turning your ideas into action! I have encountered some resistance from family and friends, but generally my decision has been accepted very well. I guess the 30 day trial period works well both for the person who is doing the trial, as well as for the people who have to accept the change – “it’s only for a month, you know” 🙂
One of the most enjoyable moments was the family barbecue at my parent’s house – at that time I have not yet seen the Simpsons episode where Lisa (a vegetarian herself) ruins Homer’s BBQ party as an act of protest 🙂 For the first time in my life I have prepared grilled mushrooms, carrots and other veggies instead of burgers and chicken wings, and it was both fun and very tasty – everybody have had a bite of my cuisine.
Right now I have returned to non-vegetarian diet since I have not made it clear to myself if I really want to be a vegetarian for life, but the 30 day journey brought me several benefits:
- I have made a conscious decision about an important part of my life, which is great
- I have tried some very tasty vegetable recipes for the first time… mmmm… grilled cauliflower 🙂
- I have focused more on what I eat, which is important
- Hopefully I have influenced a few people to think about their eating habits
Danijel Gajan 