I set out to try the vegetarian diet for a week from Monday May 13th to Sunday May 19th, 2019.
 
These are the questions I aimed to answer:
 

1. Can I get enough complete protein from a vegetarian diet?
2. Can I get an adequate intake of omega-3s, iron, calcium, vitamin D, zinc, and vitamin B12?
3. Is a vegetarian diet as expensive as, cheaper, or more expensive than my usual diet?
4. What is my overall opinion of this diet at maintenance calories, taking into account my macronutrient and calorie requirements, personal food preferences, and fitness goals?

 
I tracked macros and calories, and kept a record of the micronutrients discussed here to the best of my abilities. However, if counting macros and calories isn’t an exact science, counting micronutrients is practically guesstimating, so take my results with a grain of salt.

Vegetarianism has become increasingly popular in recent years.
 
According to the Vegetarian Society, in the UK more than 1 million people follow a vegetarian or vegan diet.
 
But what are the benefits and downsides of a meat-free lifestyle?
 
In this article, I will strive to cover the following basics:
 

• Important nutrients in meat
• How to make up for potential deficiencies
• The benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle

 
If you are interested in vegetarianism or if you already follow a vegetarian diet, this article will be a good tool in your toolbox for optimal health.
 
A note of clarification: unless otherwise stated, the recommended daily intakes provided are based on current UK guidelines.

When we think “menstrual cycle,” we think PMS, cramps, chocolate cravings, and mood swings.
 
However, the menstrual cycle affects you all the time, not only during PMS week and when you’re bleeding. These hormonal changes can alter the way your body responds to training and nutrition, too.
 
For example, a study from 2018 showed that a resistance training programme and a high-protein weight loss diet, tailored to the different phases of the cycle, may result in higher weight loss than a protocol that doesn’t take the cycle into account.
 
With a deeper understanding of each phase, you can optimise your training and nutrition, learning to predict when you might need more recovery and when you are more likely to smash training and/or dieting.

In the UK, research shows that 75% of females are keen on a more active lifestyle, but feel intimidated by the gym environment and limited by work and family commitments. For that reason, in 2015 Sport England launched a campaign called This Girl Can to empower females to exercise.
 
In 2017, a similar survey on 1,000 people in America suggested that almost 65% of females, compared to 36% of males, are too anxious or self-conscious to go to the gym.
 
Most of the studies done on the transgender population in relation to fitness have focused on sport. Nevertheless, there is evidence that recreational exercisers experience discrimination and other negative experiences, too.
 
That, along with the amount of articles on how to overcome dysphoria at the gym, proves how hard it can be for female-bodied individuals of any gender to engage in a more active lifestyle.
 
So it’s important to find ways to increase our self-esteem and motivation. And what better way than knowledge?
 
With resistance training, in particular, we have the potential to accomplish great things. Unfortunately, we often underestimate that potential. When confronted with some buff gym bro, we think, “Why should I bother?”
 
For cis girls, the question stops there. For trans guys, it could become, “Why should I bother until I’m on testosterone?”
 
This lack of belief in ourselves can be a hard or impossible obstacle to overcome.
 
But what can this body do for us? What can we do for ourselves?
 
A lot, it turns out.
 
In this article, I’m going to give you three reasons why you should feel more confident in the gym.

Useful Links: Part 1
 
Myth #2 – Training legs and glutes will make them look more feminine
 
Short answer:
 
I think you already know where I’m going with this.