So one week has passed since becoming vegetarian and I’m glad to report that I’ve at least kept to the goal, whilst keeping my lifestyle as normal as possible. I’ve had some great support from friends, with hints and tips galore about what I should try and what things I should avoid. I’ve learned that vegetarians who allow themselves to eat seafood are actually pescatarian (which makes the name of the restaurant Pescatore a whole lot more sense). I’ve also learned that gelatin is derived from animals, and some forms of rennet (used in some cheeses) is also derived from animals.

I’ve gone to dim sum with some friends, missing out on a whole heap of normal dishes I would very much enjoy, and even went to dinner at the Argentinian Steakhouse, Buen Ayre (whose grilled pesto mushroom dish is fantastic). At a Vietnamese restaurant I went to during the week I missed out on the free appetiser (it had meat) and I could only order one main meal on the meal, aptly name ‘The Vegetarian Dish’.

I’m not missing meat as much as I thought I would and I’m finding a whole heap of new food combinations to eat. Grocery shopping is certainly different as many of the prepared or semi prepared parts of a meal all contain some sort of meat. I’m also not as tired as I thought I would be. In a way I actually feel a little bit better.

Bring on week two!