I recently became vegetarian (a few months now) and initially was slightly worried about how it would affect the fitness and bodybuilding side of things, but there really was nothing to worry about. My weight didn’t drop or anything drastic like that. It can be difficult since you may be unsure of what or how to eat, so here are 5 tips to help get you started if you want to make the change.

1. Don’t be obsessed with the notion that more protein is better.

In every magazine and plastered all over the internet is the ideology that the more protein you eat the better it is for muscle building. While protein is needed, the extreme quantities that are recommended are not all that necessary. Just be sure to keep your total calories high enough and you will be fine.

2. Meat alternatives.

There are many meat alternatives around (e.g. Quorn and Frys products) so initially use them in place of where you would have normally had meat, and some are really tasty you may not even know the difference. You can do this until you get used to eating more vegetables and fruit and find different recipes. You may feel strange not having some form of meat when you eat because you are so used to it, but this will fade after some time.

3. Eat more fruit.

Also plastered all over the place is the notion that fruit is so bad because it is full of sugar etc etc.. Fruit is great for natural vitamins and minerals and fiber, and yes they do contain some sugar but not enough to have them cut out of your diet.

4. Oats are your best friend!

One of the best foods out there is raw natural oats. It is full of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and even contains a good amount of protein. It is also really easy to turn it into a tasty breakfast by adding some fruit such as berries or bananas to it!

I pretty much eat oats everyday for breakfast and most times late at night before bed (There goes the myth that eating carbs before bed makes you fat :p)

5. Research.

Do a lot of research. With the internet there is so much information out there so there is no excuse. There are also great vegan and vegetarian people and bodybuilders that give out great advice such as Jon Venus. If you are on the fence and think vegetarian food is boring and bland, (and if you like Indian food) find a local Hare Krishna temple and go join them for a free meal to see how good it can taste!