Attempting Vegetarianism

After much research, talking, collecting recipes and more talking, Randy and I have decided to try eating vegetarian for the month of August...longer if it goes well. I just wanted to give my (few) readers a heads up in case you notice a change in the recipes I post. I'm still gathering as many recipe ideas as I can...and starting to wonder how we'll ever stay full without meat in our diet! I know people do it all the time and I just need to learn how to plan a meal around something besides a piece of meat. I honestly think it will be fun and challenging! If you have a favorite vegetarian dish (or several!) please share it with me! I could use all the help I could get :)

There are several reasons we decided to do this. Mainly for my health. I have PCOS and with that comes weight gain...mostly around the mid-section of my body. I've lost count of how many people have recently asked me if I'm pregnant, when my baby is due, etc. Each time it gets harder and harder to take. I have a good friend who also has PCOS and she decided to give up meat when she was diagnosed and her weight is most definitely under control now. She is one of my inspirations for trying vegetarianism. I'm also walking every day now and I love it! I hope that helps a little, too.

I've done a lot of research on how animals are slaughtered and prepared for food. Honestly, I'm disgusted. Here is a quote that stuck out to me from GoVeg.com: "Animals on today's factory farms have no legal protection from cruelty that would be illegal if it were inflicted on dogs or cats: neglect, mutilation, genetic manipulation, and drug regimens that cause chronic pain and crippling, transport through all weather extremes, and gruesome and violent slaughter. Yet farmed animals are no less intelligent or capable of feeling pain than are the dogs and cats we cherish as companions". They are given drugs to fatten them up and are genetically altered to grow faster. So by the time they go from the farm to our dinner plates they are not the way God intended for us to "enjoy" them. I'm not becoming a PETA advocate or anything, but these facts have given me more reason to want to try vegetarianism.

Randy is totally supportive of all this (and excited to get started!) which made it a lot easier for me to make the decision. We are also going to cut down on carbohydrates, fat and sugar...which is highly recommended for women with PCOS. We feel like this is a good time in our life to make this change and to raise Margot eating well, too. I could keep listing more reasons we want to do this...but I will leave you with these couple main ones.

It's not going to be easy (I looooove my carbs and sugar!) but we know it's the best thing for us. If the month of August goes well, we will most definitely continue with it.

-Chloe'