Vegetarian thinking about eating meat again-help!

Eskimopie

I've been a vegetarian since I was 13, I'm now 23. Quite honestly, I don't even really view meat as food anymore. That includes all meat, fish, and gelatin. I do eat eggs and dairy.

However...I was recently diagnosed with high cholestoral and a slow thyroid. Plus, I have a really difficult time meeting my protein goals. I think I just eat wayyy too much sugar and carbs (I'm an addict!)

So I've been considering eating small quantities of chicken and beef from a local, organic, grass-fed, free-range farm near my house. With my ethics, that's the best I can do, short of raising the animals myself, to ensure they live relatively free of cruelty. I can't stomach the idea of fish, it just grosses me out.

Any advice for how to ease back into meat eating for someone kind of grossed out by the idea? How often do you think would be enough, I don't think I could do it daily, not to mention this kind of meat is expensive. Is this a silly idea and I should just concentrate on eliminating refined carbs and sugar? Ack!

Thanks in advance for any advice!

HungryTuna

There are numerous ways to meet your protein needs without incorporating meat into your diet. Nuts, seeds, beans, legumes, soy (edamame or tofu are great), rice, grains, some veggies (in higher quantities)... I mean, why is meat the only way? I think being vegetarian for that long is wonderful. Just make it a goal to cut back on sugary foods, and keep your carbs clean and complex (e.g. grains, brown rice, fruit)..
Also, since you consume dairy and eggs, protein shouldn't be hard to come by in this area. Best of luck!

Zoe9636

Can you ask your doctor to refer you to a dietician to see if there is anything you can do and still be a vegetarian, it seems a shame to start eating meat without exploring all the options.

JennLifts

I'd honestly be more concerned about how sick you might get the first time you ate it. But I would start small for sure. Maybe a soup with shredded chicken, or something where it's not the main portion of the meal.
I'd either way work on the refined carbs and sugar though.
Do know that meat is a cholesterol carrrrrrrier

myukniewicz

There are numerous ways to meet your protein needs without incorporating meat into your diet. Nuts, seeds, beans, legumes, soy (edamame or tofu are great), rice, grains, some veggies (in higher quantities)... I mean, why is meat the only way? I think being vegetarian for that long is wonderful. Just make it a goal to cut back on sugary foods, and keep your carbs clean and complex (e.g. grains, brown rice, fruit)..
Also, since you consume dairy and eggs, protein shouldn't be hard to come by in this area. Best of luck!

i agree completely.
i don't think meat is the only option for protein. I am a pescatarian, so i do eat fish, but i mostly eat strictly vegetarian the majority of the time. i am able to meet my protein goals with eating the foods that are listed above. and when u eat carbs, make sure they are complex carbs, and not highly processed.

best of luck!

rfcollins33

hey! sorry, I read it but didn't see why you'd want to eat meat again if it "grosses you out." Why don't you just continue being a vegetarian and eat healthier breads, fruit, veggies, etc? Just curious....

myukniewicz

Do know that meat is a cholesterol carrrrrrrier

thank you for making this point. lol i forgot to say that.

rfcollins33

Do know that meat is a cholesterol carrrrrrrier

thank you for making this point. lol i forgot to say that.

so true....

elliecolorado

If you don't want to eat meat, you should still be able to get enough protein without it. You said you still eat eggs and dairy, eggs have a lot of protein, you could also add a protein shake once a day, I have one after I work out. Also you could eat peanut butter, get the natural kind with no sugar added. There are plenty of ways to get protein with out eating meat.

wvjanie

I've been a vegetarian since 1977, but also was addicted to sugar. As HungryTuna mentioned, there are many good sources of protein, some dense in calories (read that nuts), as well as coconut products, oils and avocados. The first thing I did was stop eating anything with corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, and derivatives. Not only did that eliminate most of the unhealthy foods I was eating, but also got rid of the intense sugar cravings after about a week. Then I started eating only unrefined grains, fruits and vegetables, and foods made from the same. It has really helped with my cholesterol readings and my overall sense of well being.
I am also hypothyroid. I would recommend having your Vit. D level checked by your doctor and taking a good supplement, the does relative to what you find your level is. It seems that Vit. D is involved in the immune system (along with many other things), and low levels can affect your thyroid function.
Exercise and the ensuing weight loss, seems to have been very effective in lowering my bad cholesterol and increasing the good, where other things have failed. Good luck!

auntiebabs

I can't seem to find my copy of "diet for a small planet"

It had a very easy to understand chart of which food groups to combine to make a "COMPLETE PROTEINS"

If I find it I'll scan it and post the chart. But I still haven't unpacked boxes from my last move. So maybe someone else will be able to get to it before me.

I thought for sure a quick google would turn up something similar, but I had no luck

eeeekie

I haven't had beef in over 8 years. About 3 years ago I was dared to try a bite of steak (with also the trade that the person would try a cherry because he hates cherries). I put it in my mouth, chewed down on it and nearly threw up. I spit it out immediately. I don't think I'll ever eat red meat ever again and that experience reassured me that I knew I didn't want it. Another thing that keeps me from eating it (added reassurance) is that I know if I ate it it would make me super sick.

If you don't WANT to eat it then don't eat it. It will take awhile for your stomach to get used to it again. There are other ways to get those nutrients...other foods and vitamins.

wonnder1

I'm a big fan of meat. But if you have ethics against it, how can you even think about it?

No, I say you just learn the proper way to be vegetarian. It seems like a lot of work to me, but then, our core values are the things that define us. Are you going to give up yourself to lose weight?

gingerfoxxx

I eased my way back in with fish, and then realized i was content with only adding fish. There is a lot of variety, and its a great source of protein. The texture is more familiar to a vegetarian then chicken or beef. i just started with small portions. I had no problems adjusting (i heard horror stories about people getting sick, but i never did!)

sweet_lotus

What % of total calories are you setting aside for protein?

Protein rich vegetarian foods: tofu, seitan, tempeh, soy nuts, peanuts, beans, hemp seeds, quinoa. If you are lacto-ovo: greek yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs. Grains, and even vegetables have a little bit.

You can be veg, and even do high protein low carb - I know someone who did vegan Atkins -- hahahaha!

If you need to eat meat for your health, though, do it. I ate it for two weeks because of illness - related appetite loss. Meat is calorie dense so it was easier for me to get enough food in one meal. I hadn't eaten any meat in 10 years. It was really gross, though. The smell alone - totally nauseating. So glad that symptom is gone.

Definitely ditch the junk food. Hope your health improves!

TourThePast

Eating a healthy vegetarian diet, you need to be pretty committed to eating properly. Of course that is a goal that we should all share, but if it's not actually happening then yes I can understand your considering eating meat.

So, I wondered whether maybe any of the food you eat is "meat substitute" food. For instance a veggie friend of mine eats some sort of manufactured protein thing that resembles bacon. So if there is something you eat a veggie version of, for instance soya mince, that might be a first start?

Eskimopie

Thanks all!

I know there are many protein sources...but when I log it, I still see that it just isn't that much. For instance, an egg is 6 grams. And I keep hearing that I shouldn't be eating soy alllll the time. Nuts only have so much as well, and they aren't complete proteins. I set aside maybe 30 percent, but I don't usually meet that goal. Even though I eat eggs regulary, tofu regulary, etc. I've been adding lentils and quinoa lately as well.

When I say meat grosses me out, it's mostly that I haven't had it in so long that I don't view it as food. Also, I mean that I despise the whole concept of factory farming. I don't think eating meat is inherently wrong like some vegetarians do, just the way we treat animals/the earth is, thus I don't have so much of an ideological problem with happily-raised, environmentally-friendly farming methods. I know not everyone has the means to spend $8 on a dozen eggs, but I do, and I would get my meat from the same source. (Edit to say I'm way far from rich and hope I don't sound like a jerk here. Just that I have no kids, no loans, no car and cheap rent...so I can spend more on food.)

I'm thinking that I will stay veggie for now and drastically reduce my sugar and white flour consumption, and see how my levels are in 4 months. I can always reevaluate then.

Eskimopie

I am also hypothyroid. I would recommend having your Vit. D level checked by your doctor and taking a good supplement, the does relative to what you find your level is. It seems that Vit. D is involved in the immune system (along with many other things), and low levels can affect your thyroid function.
Exercise and the ensuing weight loss, seems to have been very effective in lowering my bad cholesterol and increasing the good, where other things have failed. Good luck!

Interesting! I had extremely low vitamin D levels about a year ago, it was like 16 or something. I was put on mega doses of it and raised it to the 30's but I haven't been very good about continuing to take maintenance supplements. I'm also very good about avoiding the sun and wearing sunscreen, so my levels are probably not that good again. I'll have to work on taking them every day. I've been exercising much more hardcore lately, I just got back from my lunchtime gym workout in fact. Hope it helps!

Eskimopie

Can you ask your doctor to refer you to a dietitian to see if there is anything you can do and still be a vegetarian, it seems a shame to start eating meat without exploring all the options.

Haha maybe I should. She advised me to eat more fish when I said I was a vegetarian. I told her I don't eat fish either and she rolled her eyes....and told me to eat flax. She is wonderful overall though and is the only doctor I've found who takes my general complaints seriously, so I won't hold that one against her. Maybe if someone put together a meal plan for me I'd have an easier time.

busygirl1

There are numerous ways to meet your protein needs without incorporating meat into your diet. Nuts, seeds, beans, legumes, soy (edamame or tofu are great), rice, grains, some veggies (in higher quantities)... I mean, why is meat the only way? I think being vegetarian for that long is wonderful. Just make it a goal to cut back on sugary foods, and keep your carbs clean and complex (e.g. grains, brown rice, fruit)..
Also, since you consume dairy and eggs, protein shouldn't be hard to come by in this area. Best of luck!

i agree completely.
i don't think meat is the only option for protein. I am a pescatarian, so i do eat fish, but i mostly eat strictly vegetarian the majority of the time. i am able to meet my protein goals with eating the foods that are listed above. and when u eat carbs, make sure they are complex carbs, and not highly processed.

best of luck!

ditto to this

therobinator

Why not protein powder (whey, not soy) in smoothies, baked goods, etc.....instead of meat?