Congratulations! And good for you!
It's not usually very hard. After a few months, cravings you might have will be way less, and they usually disappear altogether eventually. I gave up meat more than a dozen years ago, and I don't even remember the taste of meat so I certainly don't crave it. I never really had huge cravings. I do remember that I was sad I couldn't have clam chowder any more, but it turns out that the part I liked about the clam chowder wasn't the clams anyway (heck, the texture used to gross me out, even before I became a vegetarian), and potato chowder was just as good! So sometimes it's just about finding things like that that will work for your cravings and substitute things you really love.
The truth is -- and this can be hard to convince people who've been indoctrinated on the Department of Agriculture's diet plan -- you will get enough protein
even if you don't try. Almost every American eats FAR more protein than they need. You also do not need to worry about matching proteins if you are eating a varied diet including legumes and whole grains.
I can provide tons of books by doctors and athletes to corroborate this if you don't think your mom will believe you when you tell her. But it's true, protein is not one of the things vegetarians -- or even vegans -- are missing.
If you absolutely can't convince her, protein is one of the absolutely easiest things to get in your diet. Did you know broccoli has more protein per calorie than steak? Eat some beans, eat some whole grains, and if you want, you can even get meat substitutes and have pure protein at every meal -- fake deli meats, grounds, sausages and burgers. Other protein sources include tempeh, seitan, and, of course, tofu.
The
American Diatetic Association says, "Plant sources of protein alone can provide adequate amounts of the essential and nonessential amino adds, assuming that dietary protein sources from plants are reasonably varied and that caloric intake is sufficient to meet energy needs."
The Mayo Clinic says, "No matter what your age or situation, a well-planned vegetarian diet can meet your nutritional needs."
The only reason adding extra protein to the diet is touted is if it *replaces junk food* -- refined grains, sugar, and the like. Some protein is necessary of course, and it's more important for people who work out hard, as it rebuilds muscles that have been broken down by exercise, but too much can be damaging for people who aren't healthy, such as people suffering from kidney problems or Diabetes.
But really, like with everyone else, protein is not what you should be worried about. A German study found that vegans were deficient in a few nutrients. However, they found that omnivores were deficient in all those PLUS some others -- seven in total! So vegetarians are much better off getting all the nutrients they need from their diet.
A healthy diet is a healthy diet. If you are a vegetarian who lives off french fries and ice cream, you will not be healthy and you will not get all the nutrients you need.
Remember, the so called "healthy eating pyramid" was designed by the Agricultural Department of the United States -- not the health department. Not to be all conspiracy-theory about it, but it was designed by people who have a motive to promote their products, including meat and dairy. Since then better, more accurate pyramids have been designed by people who are actually dieticians writing from a healthy living point of view. And they all say to limit meat consumption.