Some people are born into families who consume more vegetables and less meat and fish in their diets. Many people in India for instance are completely vegetarian or mostly so, with the result that their bodies are used to working with less protein than normal. But if you grew up eating chicken wings and cheese burgers and are now contemplating turning into a vegetarian, then you will have to remember a few things.

Less NutritionOur main sources of protein are poultry, fish and dairy products. Depending on how far you take your vegetarianism, you will be receiving less of these nutrients than usual and this can lead to imbalances and deficiencies. You might feel more tired, have less energy than usual in the mornings and feel sleepy. To combat these effects, take a pea protein powder with your morning cup of tea or coffee, or have it in the form of a shake. This will restore your usual intake and help your body adjust to receiving some nutrients from alternate sources instead. To view more about the benefits of pea protein, please visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pea_protein. 

Compensation TimeIn addition, you might want to amp up your intake of vital greens and fruits, especially things like soy products that contain the nutrients that you are losing out on. Cereals and grains like Indian dhal, millet, soy and others can compensate for the deficiencies in your diet. Remember that your body isn’t used to receiving its nutrition from so many veggies so it might take a while for you to start feeling at your peak again. If dairy products are still part of your diet, consume a lot of milk and cheese as it will help your body adjust.

CravingsEver heard of the cravings that pregnant women have? Be prepared for some serious ones of your own. Unless you gave up meat because you are genuinely disgusted by it, you will keep craving the taste, texture and smell of meat and fish for some time after you stop eating it. The best way to deal with it is not to stop immediately, but to gradually reduce your intake of it till you do stop. Even afterwards, you can buy vegetarian sausages, veggie patties and ‘meat’ balls, and meat-substitute for almost everything, mostly available in large super markets and food stores. If you try to suppress the craving, it might take over, so the best thing to do is to sublimate it by either projecting it onto something that you can eat or by finding alternates and substitutes that are very similar.