Starting A Pescetarian Diet: Why and How To Start Your Journey

Following a certain type of diet is no longer new. For decades, many people have been dieting in order to achieve their health and fitness goals faster. Many believe that as long as diets are practiced consistently and coupled with an active lifestyle, gaining or losing weight can come off easier. But if you’re one of those people who’s been dieting for years but is still unhappy with the results you’re seeing, consider a pescatarian diet. This type of diet requires you to substitute meat and poultry with fish, and consume large amounts of plant-based foods. pescatarians also eat dairy products and packaged foods, along with fruits and vegetables. Just like any other types of diets, the pescatarian diet promises several benefits namely:

A pescatarian diet is a healthy compromise

Generally, diets don’t usually work because it requires an individual to sacrifice certain food groups which can lead to nutrient deficiency. They’ll become sickly while following a certain diet and this can shorten the longevity of their efforts. Fortunately, a pescatarian diet doesn’t work this way. You’ll still have the best of both worlds as you’ll get to eat a lot of fish, vegetables, fruits, and grains without sacrificing your body’s nutritional needs. Fish is rich in omega-3 fats which can lower your risks for cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease.

A pescatarian diet can benefit the environment, too

You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to know that the environment is getting worse day by day. If you want to create a positive impact on the environment, follow a pescatarian diet. A pound of soy only requires about 250 gallons of water while a pound of beef requires about 2,500 gallons. Additionally, you’ll lessen the need for deforestation just to create space for livestock. A pescatarian diet means a healthier lifestyle and a better environment over time.

A pescatarian diet improves your mood and fights depression

It’s common for diets to give you several health benefits. Most diets can protect you from common illnesses and diseases long-term. Following a pescatarian diet can alleviate all of these benefits – you’ll not only take care of your physical health but your mental health, as well. The omega 3s you can get from fish, and other types of seafood are associated with better mental functions and lower risks for anxiety and depression. This type of diet is considered as a depression diet as it can fight mental conditions during its earliest stages.

So How Can You Become A Pescatarian?

The benefits of a pescatarian diet might be enough reason for you to immediately head out, buy fish which can last for a week and disregard any poultry products at home. For sure, you’d want to live a healthier life in the easiest way possible, right? The excitement you feel right now can be your motivation to follow a pescatarian diet long-term. But before you start your journey as a pescatarian, consider the tips below. The beginning is usually the hardest part of the process, and these tips can make your life as a pescatarian a lot easier:

Take baby steps

Regardless of the reason why you’re starting a pescatarian diet, you should take baby steps. Don’t immediately erase poultry from your meals. Instead, slowly reduce your poultry consumption until you can last a day without it. If you’re used to eating one serving of meat every meal, decide to cut your consumption by half in a week and then totally wipe out meat from your diet. Doing this is an effective way of preparing your mind and body for the changes you’ll make in your diet.

Keep yourself accountable

With all the scrumptious recipes and videos you can access through social media, it’s common practice to avoid this platform when you’re starting a new diet. You’ll be tempted to revert to your old ways. But with the right determination and use, social media can help you as a pescatarian. Announce in your social media accounts how you’ll adapt to a pescatarian diet as this will make you more accountable with your actions. Plus, this can also entice your friends and family to do the same.

Go easy on the detoxing

Detoxing can be very beneficial to your body as it flushes out harmful toxins. Once done successfully, detoxing allows your body to start with a clean slate as a pescatarian. But the maxim which states, “Too much of anything is bad” is still true when it comes to detoxing. Water fasting can be tempting, but this is a little too extreme and might not be the best decision especially if you’re still new to the pescatarian diet. A safer option is to add natural cranberry juice, bananas and turmeric to your diet and consume these regularly.

Have fun in the kitchen

Who says that fish, vegetables, and fruits are boring to eat? If you want to love being a pescatarian, don’t forget to have fun in the kitchen. Look for different recipes which use fish as the main ingredient. Fruits and vegetables aren’t only for salads, so make sure you also look for recipes. Be creative with your meals using these foods and soon enough, you’ll be able to discover another favorite from your experiments in the kitchen!

Get lots of sleep

Everyone in this world has too much on their plate, but this shouldn’t be reason enough for you to lose sleep. If you want to experience the best results with a pescatarian diet, prioritize your sleep at all time. Keep a sleep schedule and stick to it no matter how busy you are during the day. Getting enough sleep keeps your metabolism healthy. The healthier your metabolism is, the quicker foods will be digested.

Check With The Pros First

At a glance, the pescatarian diet might seem like the be all and end all to all of your fitness dilemmas. And because this type of diet will require you to eat more fish, and leafy greens, maintaining this long-term is relatively cheap. However, if you want to attain the best results from this endeavor, seek approval from your doctor first. You shouldn’t try out a new diet fad just to hop into the bandwagon; you should do it because it’s one way of living a healthy lifestyle.