Giving up Meat

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  • nikkikickinfat
    nikkikickinfat Posts: 12
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    I personally do not eat anything fake. I am strickly veggies, soups, teas, and I enjoy it...
  • stylistchik
    stylistchik Posts: 1,436 Member
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    Way to go! Way to focus on veggies, and there are lots of like-minded people on here so don't let anyone get you down. If vegetarians are unhealthy then I can't figure out why I have the greatest immune system ever! :drinker:
  • melitsace
    melitsace Posts: 42 Member
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    I already don't eat fake food and don't plan on adding any fake food to the way I eat. Thank you all so much for your ideas and encouragement!! My mom has battled breast cancer and her docs were pretty adament about doing away with red meat for sure so, I'm ok with listening to them : ) I am also pretty independantly minded and when I put my mind to something it usually happens : ) Thanks again, this place is great!!
  • Raclex
    Raclex Posts: 238
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    You'll have a lot of people tell you that you need to eat meat, but becoming a vegetarian 7 years ago was one of the best choices I had ever made. I stopped having as many intestinal problems, and it made cooking at home more adventurous and in turn, sparked my love of healthy eating.

    This will be similar to what others have said but, here's how I've managed.

    You can still eat eggs, and get a lot of protein from them, as well as cheese and milk.

    Please try and stay away from all the "fake" meat products such as Boca and Morning Star. They're chalk full of sodium and they're really not that great for you. If you enjoy cooking, there are tons of recipes online for making your own. Here's one of my favorites.

    http://vegandad.blogspot.com/2008/03/homemade-sausages.html

    You can use his recipe for almost anything and really play with it.

    Tofu can take the place of the meat in many of your dishes. Pan seared tofu with onions and mushrooms, served with A1 can become a delicious steak. Summer time makes for great grilled tofu and corn on the cob.

    Come winter, instead of Chicken Noodle Soup, you can make Veggie Noodle Soup using Imagine Brand No-Chicken Broth, which mimics Chicken Broth. I will use tofu pan fried with poultry seasoning as the meat, and then follow the recipe normally.

    Please feel free to friend me and/or message me if you need any websites, recipes, or help!


    Very well put.

    I also cut meat out (well, still pescetarian but will eventually transition) and I have never felt better. My family MD actually suggested it since I've struggled with many digestive issues, for many years. At last, I am 90% better and haven't felt this great in years! I also have a hard time with the moral and environmental issues so it's a win-win situation ;-)
  • nikkikickinfat
    nikkikickinfat Posts: 12
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    Wow we have a lot in common after 10 tumors from my breast removed I too only listen to my dr's :)
  • dalgal26
    dalgal26 Posts: 781 Member
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    I am not vegetarian, but I must say that all of you have given some great alternatives to meat. I may even try to lessen my meat intake and add more of your ideas to my menu. Don't know about the tofu, but hey, anything is possible. I do like the idea of still being able to eat eggs, cheese, and milk. That seems like it would give you more of a variety.

    Have enjoyed reading the posts.
  • shannonichole
    shannonichole Posts: 126
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    Well, I gave up red meat because it really just seems to not be that great for my health. It's been tied to cancer etc. Then, I just decided I wanted to give up the rest of it and really focus on getting a lot more veggies into my diet. I don't know if I will keep it up forever, but I just needed to shake up my diet a bit so I can lose some more. : )

    Totally understand where you are coming from, I've considered a juice fast, drastic calorie reduction etc. in order to lose weight, but don't cut out meat for your "health". Those "links" to cancer are simply not proven, they are nothing but correlations which mean essentially nothing. By all means increase your vegetable intake, eats loads of vegetables but eat some meat too, your body will thank you.

    I've been vegan for 12 years and I am doing fine on it. You will be amazed how easy it is too get enough protein plus more. My body is clearly getting enough nutrition (obviously since I am on here trying to get less:wink: ) without meat. I will also add that asa child I was chronically ill, but when I gave up meat that all ended.
  • HealthyAcademic
    HealthyAcademic Posts: 85 Member
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    Just to let you know, the 21-day vegan kickstart starts tomorrow.

    I know you aren't vegan, but it's a great way to get motivated on your new commitment.

    I eat a mostly vegan diet for health reasons (I say mostly because I am human and slip but I try my hardest) -- I have definitely noticed an improvement in my health and my medical tests.
  • tecallahan
    tecallahan Posts: 732 Member
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    You might want to check out the book "Eat To Live" by Dr. Joel Furhman. It is loaded with ideas for vegetarian eating. I tried it for a while and really loved it, but I am insulin resistant and it was just too many carbs for me. He has tons of great recipes, too. He does say not to eat grains or dairy - so it's a big change.
  • NaytM84
    NaytM84 Posts: 38
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    I know ya said not a bean fan but I have a recipe somwhere for black bean burgers which are amazing! and im not a fan of black beans! I Will have to find it and give ya the recipe
  • Leapy75
    Leapy75 Posts: 3
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    There are so many veg options, it's hard to even know where to start. Since it's winter, I'd think about trying some great warm dishes, such as spinach lasagna (low-fat ricotta, lots of spinach, light on the mozz cheese), vegetarian chili, roasted root vegetables (yams, parsnips, carrots, etc.), lentil tacos (yummmm!) and veggie shepherd's pie.

    A few words on tofu... I agree that it's a great alternative, but if I knew then what I know now, I would have enjoyed it a lot sooner than I did. For instance, tofu comes in different packaging. The first (and more common in mainstream stores) is tofu packed in water, which is a little sponge-y. Start with firm or extra firm--soft can be weird for beginners, in my opinion. Once you open it, slice or dice it (whatever your recipe calls for) and drain it VERY well by pressing between tea towels under some heavy books for about 15 minutes. Tofu is delicious raw, but if you've never had it before, I recommend sauteing or baking at first. The other kind of tofu is aseptically packaged and is much slimier, for lack of a better word. It's still awesome baked or sauteed, but the texture is much different raw than the water-packed tofu.

    Good luck! Have fun!
  • vjrose
    vjrose Posts: 809 Member
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    I do agree with the Quorn user, it is a clean vegetable (well fungus protein) designed to look like meat but hasn't had a lot of stuff added, you can check out t heir website.
  • daffodilsoup
    daffodilsoup Posts: 1,972 Member
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    The Post-Punk Kitchen, Oh She Glows and The Vegan Stoner are some great websites to start at. They're mostly vegan recipes, but if you don't want to use the vegan milks, cheeses, etc., you can always replace them with whatever you like. They are easy and delicious!

    Also, there are lots of great threads on the MFP boards about animal-free proteins - my biggest faves are seitan, tempeh and tofu, but mushrooms, especially portobellos, have a very "meaty" texture and savory taste.
  • RedHatPatti
    RedHatPatti Posts: 78 Member
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    WOW that is amazing ...Good for you!!
  • oneandtwentyfive
    oneandtwentyfive Posts: 2
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    Good for you! Before anything else, I recommend reading the books The China Study and (if you'd like a lighter read and a bit of a laugh) Skinny *****. As for recipes, I get most of mine from vegetariantimes.com/recipes because they have the best search options and variety! You certainly don't have to rely on tofu. I get most of my protein just from having a balanced, varied diet most of the time. Learning what protein is helps a lot, and the same goes for all of your other necessary vitamins and nutrients! The more you educate yourself, the easier it will be and the less stress you'll feel about your choice overall!
  • Shock_Wave
    Shock_Wave Posts: 1,573 Member
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    Well, I gave up red meat because it really just seems to not be that great for my health. It's been tied to cancer etc. Then, I just decided I wanted to give up the rest of it and really focus on getting a lot more veggies into my diet. I don't know if I will keep it up forever, but I just needed to shake up my diet a bit so I can lose some more. : )
    breathing the air has been tied to cancer but you dont stop breathing.
  • tidmutt
    tidmutt Posts: 317
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    Nice people don't eat animals :)

    The Post-Punk Kitchen, Oh She Glows and The Vegan Stoner are some great websites to start at. They're mostly vegan recipes, but if you don't want to use the vegan milks, cheeses, etc., you can always replace them with whatever you like. They are easy and delicious!

    Also, there are lots of great threads on the MFP boards about animal-free proteins - my biggest faves are seitan, tempeh and tofu, but mushrooms, especially portobellos, have a very "meaty" texture and savory taste.

    I'm a nice person and over Christmas my wife and I had a party where we marinated a whole pig, had to crack it open with a hatchet to flatten it out and then slow cooked the entire pig for 4 hours. Was delicious. In other words, I LOVE meat but yet I'm still a nice person.
  • CharlieLopez2005
    CharlieLopez2005 Posts: 114
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    Nice people don't eat animals :)

    The Post-Punk Kitchen, Oh She Glows and The Vegan Stoner are some great websites to start at. They're mostly vegan recipes, but if you don't want to use the vegan milks, cheeses, etc., you can always replace them with whatever you like. They are easy and delicious!

    Also, there are lots of great threads on the MFP boards about animal-free proteins - my biggest faves are seitan, tempeh and tofu, but mushrooms, especially portobellos, have a very "meaty" texture and savory taste.

    In a way, I get that some people just don't like the taste of meat. I despise the taste of egg plants, for some reason. Everyone has their weird food preferences.

    But in terms of ethics or niceness, from a big picture perspective, there is no way to get around contributing to animal slaughter, even if it's more indirect than a red meat eater or omnivore. Consider the number of sentient creatures that must be killed in order to change an ecosystem into commercial farmland to produce vegetables and grains for sale. In fact, there is a good argument to be made that vegetarianism and veganism unwittingly contribute to more overall animal slaughter than omnivorousness:

    http://theconversation.edu.au/ordering-the-vegetarian-meal-theres-more-animal-blood-on-your-hands-4659
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,574 Member
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    Well, I gave up red meat because it really just seems to not be that great for my health. It's been tied to cancer etc. Then, I just decided I wanted to give up the rest of it and really focus on getting a lot more veggies into my diet. I don't know if I will keep it up forever, but I just needed to shake up my diet a bit so I can lose some more. : )
    Where are you getting your info?

    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • GymBunnyDG
    GymBunnyDG Posts: 31
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    Giving up meat is 100% the worst thing you can do for a diet! Clean protein like chicken and white fish is the best thing for you whislt dieting - give up carbs if you are serious about dieting and want to change your diet. Giving up all meat (for any reason other than vegetarianism) is very very stupid.

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