5 cutlets. 6 meatballs. 4 pieces of crumbed chicken. 1 piece of extra cheesy beef lasagna.

After several months of being a vegetarian (to cut back on my greenhouse gas emissions), I lapsed on Easter Sunday lunch of this year.

The vegans and vegetarians of the world would have been disgusted with me and I have to confess I felt pretty disgusting the following day (bloated, full of gas and slower in my step).

Adopting a vegetarian diet has been a challenge for me. For starters, I’m Italian. Imagine if you were brought up on a diet of meatballs and cutlets and then suddenly (after 24 years) you decide to stop. All relatives tell you that you have ‘gone psycho’ for making such a decision. Friends tell you ‘You won’t have any energy!’ and ‘Why do that to yourself? Meat tastes so good!’

After doing a bit more research on the impact of the meat industry on the environment recently, meat (particularly beef) does not seem so appealing to me anymore. Check out the following facts:

Even the Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Dr Rajendra Pachauri, stated that the most recent IPCC report highlights the importance of lifestyle changes. He urges us -

‘Please eat less meat. Meat is a very carbon intensive commodity’.

I realise people need more than facts and information to make such dietary changes in their lives. Even cutting back on meat one or two days a week may seem like a massive challenge to some.

So how can you do it (especially if you’re a full on, die hard meat eater like I was)?

Ease into it: Swap beef for kangaroo (if you’re Australian)
Non Australians reading this, don’t be shocked. We can eat our national symbol and it is socially acceptable to do. Over the past year, it has become trendy and sustainable to eat kangaroo since these creatures don’t emit greenhouse gases, are low in fat and have less impact on our fragile, ancient soils. If you’re wondering where you can buy some from, try your local IGA store.

Get some vegetarian/vegan friends
It helps to have people around you who support and understand your decision to cut back on meat or become vegetarian. Earlier this year, I went on a hike with several vegetarians (who also happened to be really good cooks). Whilst being with these people I didn’t have to justify or feel anxious about not eating meat.

Treat yourself to a tasty vegetarian meal
I realised just how good vegetarian food was after several delicious dinners at a vegetarian friend’s place. This inspired me to borrow some vegetarian cookbooks from the library and experiment in my own kitchen.

Make yourself sick of the stuff
As a last resort you could always do what I did - why not try eating so much meat in a short space of time that you make yourself so sick that you never want to touch or go near it again?

Believe me it works.