Did you know that October is ‘Vegetarian Month’? If you’re thinking of becoming a vegetarian, think again. Speaking from personal experience I can say that converting to vegetarianism is definitely not a cakewalk.
It all started for me about two years ago. I was at the mall with my family enjoying a burger at a certain ‘mcrestaurant’ when my sister went on a rant about a video she had just watched. “They make meat products at food factories,” she told us. “They get lazy, and the chickens’ beaks and claws end up getting mixed in with the meat and chicken that are used in the burgers and nuggets.” Although she had no proof of the video’s credibility, I lost my appetite and couldn’t continue eating my burger. From that day onwards, I’ve had a different outlook on meat products.
Over the following year I decided to abstain from meat, chicken, and fish – I had essentially become a full-fledged vegetarian! Much to my mom’s consternation, I had not thought to look for a substitute for the proteins I was lacking. And especially because I was heavily into sports my mom worried that vegetarianism would pose a threat to my stamina, endurance, and even health.
I found out that she was right in some ways. I was unable to keep up with my dance classes, and I found my attention span and concentration deteriorating. A flight of stairs seemed like a hundred, and l was experiencing extreme fatigue.
Since my entire family members are non-vegetarians I did not have many options at home when it came to daily meals. This went on for a couple of months before my mother decided that enough was enough. She demanded I find a protein substitute immediately or that she would stage an intervention.
When I failed to find that protein substitute, she stripped off my vegetarian status. At that time I was furious because I truly felt that my body was becoming gradually accustomed to my vegetarian diet – to the point where the smell of meat ruined my appetite. But, mothers being so good at what they do, she managed to completely flip me back to my old state. And not too long after that I was back to my old ways.
Looking back at this brief episode in my life, I don’t regret my decision to become a vegetarian. In fact, I plan down the line on becoming a vegan. But just not now.
So, my advice to anyone who is considering crossing that bridge towards vegetarianism is right from the start don’t forget to find a protein substitute; don’t miss meals simply because there are no vegetarian dishes; and stay healthy. And also, be sure to listen to your mom.
By Nisma Hamid/ @NismaHamid
