Website design By BotEap.comThere is no doubt that following a vegetarian diet is good for your health. Those who choose to follow this lifestyle typically benefit from weighing 15% less than meat eaters, generally have a lower rate of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, and also tend to live longer than carnivores. But many of us just can’t fathom the idea of ​​giving up meat entirely. No turkey on Thanksgiving? No big juicy steak on the grill? No hot dogs on the 4th of July at the family cookout? How could we survive?

Website design By BotEap.comWell, this is how you can be a vegetarian, “cheat” a little, and still maintain a healthy lifestyle. It’s called a “flexitarian” and allows you to be a “casual” vegetarian by adding meat to your diet on a limited basis. In Dawn Jackson Blatner’s book, “The Flexitarian Diet” offers 3 levels: Beginner, Advanced, and Expert. In each of these levels you opt for days without meat. For example, a beginner would only need to have 2 meatless days a week, that doesn’t seem so hard!

Website design By BotEap.comThe author points out that it’s not so much about giving up things in your diet as it is about adding healthier options like beans, nuts, whole grains, and produce. His plan is based on around 1500 calories a day, which will help you lose weight, but it can be easily tweaked up or down: Skip snacks to cut calories, or double breakfast to boost calories.

Website design By BotEap.comYour protein sources will be beans, nuts, and seeds, and since meat is typically the most expensive grocery item, you can actually save money by eating it this way. But, by adding the occasional meat meal, it makes it much easier to stick with this plan. Plus, you’ll find that simply adding a small amount of meat to some dishes will satisfy your cravings without adding too many extra calories.

Website design By BotEap.comAnother benefit of eating this modified vegetarian diet plan is that it can help you “wean” yourself off meat if you later decide to become a “full-fledged” vegetarian. It really is just a matter of re-educating yourself and moving away from the idea of ​​meat as the main dish and using it more as a “condiment” for some of your plant-based dishes.

Website design By BotEap.comSo, whether or not you choose to follow a strict vegetarian diet plan, most nutrition experts will agree that reducing your meat intake is definitely a healthier way to eat.