Start the year off right by making some key changes to your routine. Many of the following resolutions benefit animals and the planet, and can lead to enhanced health and well-being. If your plan involves going vegetarian or vegan, be sure to check out our one week  Veggie Challenge. Participants receive supportive emails with recipes, tips and information about nutrition.

Go vegetarian
Start by reading our Top 10 reasons to go vegetarian, then check out What to Eat. This page has meal suggestions and tips for new vegetarians about eating out, ordering in, and adjusting the meals you currently make. Also see our Cuisine page for meal plans, shortcuts to vegetarian cooking, basic veggie meals, and the best recipe links.

Go vegan
Eggs are an optional part of a vegetarian diet. Eliminating eggs will spare hens from the horrors of factory farms. Eggs are also high in cholesterol. See our Eggs page for more information and egg substitutes. See our Cow's Milk page for an in depth overview of some of the potential problems associated with dairy, and a look at the alternatives. See our Nutrition page for answers to see how an optimal plant-based diet can meet anyone's nutritional needs and protect against common health problems.

Become veggie and fit
Incorporate fitness into your lifestyle and become a shining example of a strong healthy vegetarian. Bike, run or walk instead taking the car. Or skate, cross country ski, dance, swim, do yoga or anything else that will inspire you to move your body. OranicAthlete.org has an excellent guide to vegan sports nutrition.

Cut back on sweets
The average North American consumes about 150 pounds of sweeteners per year. For a review of the different types of sweeteners and the controversy surrounding most of them, see From Sugar to Agave – How Sweet It Is?

Eat local foods
Buying locally grown food supports nearby farmers, and greatly reduces the energy and resources necessary to transport and store foods. Even in the winter, you can find locally grown potatoes, cabbage, carrots, turnips, squash, apples, and more. Check out our Local & Organic page for more information.

Go organic
By voting with your food dollars, you can support organic methods while at the same time saying no to chemical agriculture. Modern conventional farming relies on soil fumigants, herbicides, systemic insecticides, pesticides, fertilizers, and fungicides. Check out our Local & Organic page for more information.

Try a raw foods diet
Raw and living foods include fruits, vegetables, sprouts, nuts, seeds, grains and sea vegetables. Eating such foods uncooked preserves enzymes and nutrient values. Many people say they feel healthier eating more raw foods. Some take on a raw diet as a temporary cleanse. See our Raw page for more information.

Lose weight
Vegetarians and vegans are more likely to keep to a healthy weight. A recent study found that vegetarians are, on average, 3 percent to 20 percent lighter than meat-eaters. The researchers found that a low-fat vegan diet leads to weight loss of about one pound per week, even without additional exercise or limits on portion sizes, calories, or carbohydrates. However, some feel they need a little extra help. The Veg Family website has a review of popular weight loss programs. See Peta.org for some vegetarian weight loss Success stories (includes photos).

Gain weight
See our High energy vegetarian foods article. If you really want to bulk up, check out www.veganbodybuilding.com.