Though some people do. One day they're subsisting on greasy burgers, chicken wings and cheese sauces, and the next it's cholesterol-free veggie burgers, baked potatoes and red beans and rice.

For others, the dietary shift is a gradual one, first pushing meat from the center to the side of the plate, and then off the menu entirely. Whatever pace you choose, these guidelines can help make the transition a smooth one.

Currently, each of us is somewhere on a food continuum. On one end, there's the meat-centered, Standard American Diet (appropriately referred to as SAD). On the other is the purely plant-based diet, containing no animal products whatsoever. Wherever you find yourself on the continuum, that is your point of departure.

To begin changing the way you eat, first look at your eating habits. Make a list of your meals for at least three days--even better, do it for a week. Write down exactly what you eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and don't forget the snacks and desserts. Categorize the different foods as "vegan" (those containing no animal products, like a bean burrito without cheese or sour cream), ovo-lacto vegetarian (a bean burrito with cheese and sour cream), and non-vegetarian (a beef burrito). The more thoroughly you conduct this step, the clearer you'll be about your position on the food continuum. In turn, you'll be better-positioned to take a step in a healthy direction.

Begin by preparing and eating larger portions of plant-based items while serving ever-smaller portions of meat. Consider how the non-vegetarian meals from your list can be turned into plant-based: make your spaghetti with a rich, savory sauce, but leave out the meatballs; make your split-pea soup with vegetable broth and herbs, and omit the ham. Accompany calcium-rich, green, leafy vegetables with nutritious and filling potatoes or grains like rice, quinoa, bulgur wheat or barley. When dining out, choose the vegetable chow-mein instead of the pork fried rice at your favorite Chinese restaurant. Eating Italian? Opt for the pasta primavera. Mexican? Try a veggie tostada.

There's a stunning variety of soy- and vegetable-based burgers and hot dogs on the market that make for a tasty culinary expedition. TVP (textured vegetable protein) has the cooked texture of ground beef and is a wonderful meat substitute in tacos, sloppy joes, stir-fry and chili. Delicious milks, cheeses and frozen desserts based on soy, rice, nuts and seeds are available in many grocery and health food stores. Though these products might not taste exactly like what you're used to, with an open mind and adventurous spirit you may find their distinctive flavors divine.

A plethora of vegetarian magazines and cookbooks line the shelves of many bookstores, and can be borrowed from libraries or the kitchens of your friends. (The EarthSave catalog contains more than a dozen cookbooks at discounted rates for members.) Many hospitals and community recreation centers offer vegetarian cooking classes. For a nominal fee, you can gain new ideas from the experts and practice in the classroom. Spend an afternoon perusing the World Wide Web or the aisles of your local health food store reading labels and investigating new ingredients.

Several weeks into your transition, spend a few more days tracking your meals. Pull out your old list, and compare your intake of plant-based foods and animal products. If you have been following the transition steps, you will likely notice marked reductions in your intake of cholesterol and fat. Congratulations! You've embarked on what will likely be a long and fruitful path.

According to the Surgeon General, nearly 70% of all disease in the US is diet-based.
More than 2,500 Americans die each day from heart disease, the leading killer of both women and men.
Physicians may be able to reverse existing heart disease in more that 70% of patients by prescribing a low-fat vegetarian diet.
Amount of cholesterol in a 3 ounce serving of: T-bone steak = 72 mg; Chicken = 75 mg; Turkey = 76 mg; Salmon = 74 mg; Shrimp = 166 mg; Any plant food = 0 mg.
More than 1.2 million Americans are diagnosed with cancer each year, and more than 500,000 die from the disease.
A study of more than 11,000 people found that those eating a vegetarian diet have 40% less chance of contracting cancer than people who eat meat.
60% of all cancers in females (breast, ovary and uterus) are related to consumption of dietary fat.
In 128 of 156 dietary studies reviewed recently, fruit and vegetable consumption was found to provide significant protection against many cancers.
In September 1996, the American Cancer Society issued dietary guidelines recommending that people "Choose most of the foods you eat from plant sources."