Since September last year 2023, I’ve been eating only vegetarian food. I’m consuming plant food and dairy food like milk, curd, cheese etc. But no meat and egg items at all.
This was a conscious and religious decision. Conscious because I wanted to change it, as my ancestors, and my family are primarily vegetarians, my habit changed with egg meal provided in my school days. Then in my days in college I studied Hotel management, where I was introduced to meat.
One more thing I observed was that it affected my body a lot. It creates obesity, stress and many health issues just because of meat eating.
The starting point
I’ve been thinking about turning completely vegetarian but I was very much attached to non-veg food that whenever I saw any stall, street food vendor or hotel, my go-to order was to choose any egg or chicken-based food item to complete my meal. But then I got introduced to Premanand Maharaj. My spiritual guru. You call it a miracle, magic, blessing or whatever you say it, it just happened. I just left non-veg food. For many months the craving for non-veg food was there. It was very difficult to resist, but I did it somehow.
As I was in the direction of completely becoming vegetarian, and since childhood I’ve been born and raised in a vegetarian family, becoming vegetarian and following the routine was easy.
Challenges in the early days
I think god tests your ability and willpower, whether you want to change or not, in anything you want to achieve. Similarly in my case also, he tested my willpower in my ways for many months.
Many of my friends started to boycott me still do because of my habit. Many friends made me eat the thing many times with many great orders while I was there with them in a restaurant and eating any vegetarian item of my choice. Still, I said NO. Saying NO is hard, but I had to do it. I didn’t want to enter into the world of non-vegetarian food habits again. Even my family members especially my mother are very much against it that I’m eating any non-vegetarian food.
Positive Changes I Experienced
The best thing was money, I spent less on quality food than before. Quality in terms of digestion and peace of mind. You know in the back of your mind that no animals are harmed to become your food. You are eating your plant-based food which is naturally given by nature and directed by the almighty to consume to live my life.
I used to spend a lot on my credit cards or bank accounts just on food and non-vegetarian food costs a lot in big fancy restaurants like KFC or MCD etc. But when I stopped the non-veg food, the food cost went down, and I started consuming more healthy and delicious varieties of vegetarian food.
Favorite Recipes or Dishes
I mostly eat at home, but sometime in the morning I usually prefer to have breakfast outside. I generally prefer to go for south Indian dishes like Idly, Vada and Dosa. These are my comfort food.
I generally go to multicuisine restaurants, but even though my friends order non-veg food of their choice, I always order any vegetarian alternative.
Health and Nutritional Benefits
There are many health benefits that I got from it. First of all my obesity and gastric and indigestion problem got solved. Cholesterol level is in control. Usually, my work involves a lot of stress and taking non-veg food makes it double, but having a vegetarian diet keeps it balanced and calm.
I usually consume tea and coffee, but still, I’m trying hard to leave these habits as well. Generally with vegetarian food habits, getting all kinds of nutrition is easy with proteins from nuts, fruits vegetables and milk products; Carbo from rice and wheat and other fruit items, and Vitamins and minerals from all other vegetables and legumes etc.
Social and Cultural Experiences
This is very shocking to me nowadays. Finding good only veg restaurants is very difficult in today’s scenario. To find a good place to dine veg only dishes you have to find and travel hard to find and spot some.
The second strange thing is that your near and dear ones would not invite you to any dining gatherings or restaurants or eatouts just because you’re different in the group, you eat differently. and some will mock you, and offer you non-veg food regularly. But you have to face them regularly with a strong heart.
Because to achieve something, you have to sacrifice many. But finally, my family and myself are very happy about my decision to quit eating non-veg foods. It’s almost a year and seems like a great journey so far.
Advice for Those Considering a Vegetarian Lifestyle
You can’t be strict about it if you are trying to become vegetarian. Give it some time. and second thing is that you won’t find enough places to dine veg food. So be ready in places where non-veg food is even cooked sometimes.
Choose for those restaurants where veg dishes are offered primarily.
Keep away your friends who insist you to go to non-veg restaurants or something related to that like opting for a non-veg snacks during movie time.
Conclusion
Whatever it may be I’m very happy internally about my decision. I had reasons to leave non-veg food, if you have any such reasons, please do quit as soon as possible. There’s no better time than now.