Anyone Vegan or Vegetarian?

sarahsxt

Thank you for everyone's response. I am slowly adding all of you. Since MFP only lets me add 5 friends per 10 minutes, I am only able to add 5 of you every time I log in, haha Feel free to add me!

Shock_Wave

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sarahsxt

Labels are like numbers on the scale. It indicates a general ball park, but is not an accurate measurement by any means. Most of the time, labels are just a source of unnecessary conflict!

I applaud everyone who eats vegan but on an odd day eats a slice of cheese. I applaud everyone vegetarian who sometimes just really wants a slice of bacon. I applaud everyone who eats fish but is not afraid to say he or she supports vegetarianism.

Animals, the environment, and your health benefit more from an imperfect long term commitment in the right direction, than a perfect short term commitment under the right label.

So forget labels, call yourself what you will, and eat what makes you feel good about your food.

ScreenGem

Labels are like numbers on the scale. It indicates a general ball park, but is not an accurate measurement by any means. Most of the time, labels are just a source of unnecessary conflict!

I applaud everyone who eats vegan but on an odd day eats a slice of cheese. I applaud everyone vegetarian who sometimes just really wants a slice of bacon. I applaud everyone who eats fish but is not afraid to say he or she supports vegetarianism.

Animals, the environment, and your health benefit more from an imperfect long term commitment in the right direction, than a perfect short term commitment under the right label.

So forget labels, call yourself what you will, and eat what makes you feel good about your food.

Nicely Done SARAH.
I couldn't agree more...

Heatherzilla92

I've been a vegan for a little over 3 years now and I was a vegetarian for a few years before that. Feel free to add me, though I'm not sure how exciting my diary is. I can be pretty terrible at logging my food.

racheofmany

I've been a vegan since June and love it! Its taken me awhile to get lots of recipes in my belt and figure out how best to get my daily vitamin intake. I lost 30lbs and was pre-baby size, and then gained it all back by eating way too many carbs! I'm now working on improving that and going back to mostly veg diet. I just joined the site so my food diary is almost non-existent, but it would be great to get some vegan/vegetarian friends to share food ideas with!

vmessyness

I'm a vegetarian, and have been since I was born (raised by vegetarian parents). Any vegans/vegetarians are free to add me, I'm always interested in swapping recipes and getting/giving new ideas. I don't eat eggs, but I do eat some cheese, yogurt, and occasional butter. Otherwise eat lots and lots of vegan food, including as many raw fruits and vegetables as possible.

Also, I keep a photo-journal of the meals I make, which might provide folks with some inspiration, at www.photobucket.com/appetiteforreduction

reallyregina

I've been a plant eater (that's what I prefer to go by) for almost a year. I currently follow the Happy Herbivore weekly meal plan. It has made my life so much easier. It takes all the guess work out of shopping and cooking. I've saved money and time. Her meals are made with simple ingredients and are easy to make. Also you can mix and match up meals based on what you like. The individual plan is based on 1200 calories. You can add snacks and meals as needed and she includes a list of healthy snack options with their calories in the plan.

Not advertising for her, I just really love the plan. Before doing it I was just winging it and not very well. I'd be too tired to cook myself something so I'd just eat the rice or noodles I make the kids and whatever veggie I cooked for dinner. It was boring.

fuzzyslipperz

I've been a vegetarian for five years now. I have my own pet free range chickens so I have LOTS of eggs!

shalinimunjal

I'm ovo-lacto. For protein I eat eggs, cheese, greek yogurt, nuts, whole grains, PB, edamame, quinoa, tofu, beans, chickpeas, lentils, and there's more I'm forgetting! When all else fails, protein powder and bars.

bluefox9er

vegetarian my entire life..i have never even tasted meat. i don't eat eggs ( unless they are ' invisible') and don't consider people who eat fish to be vegetarians. I really don't miss what I have never tried, no matter how good bacon sandwiches smell.

claram5415

I'm mostly vegetarian (I eat fish, yogurt and the occasional egg) slowly transitioning to veganism just by making more vegan meals and dishes. I just made an awesome banana-quinoa-cashew quick bread that was only 108 calories per serving

This would make you a pescatarian, not a "mostly vegetarian", as there is no such thing. :-)

It's true that the correct word is pescatarian, however, it is easier to say "mostly vegetarian" than to have to explain what pescatarian is. People get "mostly vegetarian" when you're talking to restaurant workers, people at a party, and so on. Sometimes I just say that I eat "healthy."

claram5415

As far as what to eat, I would eat lots of beans, fresh fruit and vegetables. And for what to eat there are lots of books at your public library, assuming you live in an area with a nearby public library. Feel free to friend/follow me but don't take yesterdays menu for an example. Ate healthy, vegetarian stuff but too much of it!

bluefox9er

[/quote]

It's true that the correct word is pescatarian, however, it is easier to say "mostly vegetarian" than to have to explain what pescatarian is. People get "mostly vegetarian" when you're talking to restaurant workers, people at a party, and so on. Sometimes I just say that I eat "healthy."
[/quote]

I totally understand your point but replacing vegetarianism for 'eating healthy' isn't that interchangeable..I have been veggie since birth and ballooned to 260 lbs on a veggie diet...go figure!

bluefox9er

I'm mostly vegetarian (I eat fish, yogurt and the occasional egg) slowly transitioning to veganism just by making more vegan meals and dishes. I just made an awesome banana-quinoa-cashew quick bread that was only 108 calories per serving

This would make you a pescatarian, not a "mostly vegetarian", as there is no such thing. :-)

Thank you, I appreciate your opinion, but I think "mostly vegetarian" describes my diet just fine I'm actually mostly vegan. Most days, I don't consume any animal products. I'm not morally opposed to eating seafood and do so about two or three times per month, but 80+ meals per month are entirely plant-based and often free of animal products altogether.

Not everyone means "vegetarian" to describe a political identity.

I also don't recommend soy-based meat substitutes, as for the most part, they're loaded with sugar, sodium and preservatives to make them taste edible. If you're looking for extra protein, I recommend experimenting with legumes and whole soy products such as tempeh, tofu, edamame and soy nuts. Organic and GMO-free only, though! But that's just me.

being vegetarian isn't a political identity. Hitler was a vegetarian and didn't use his diet as a means of gaining political standing or kudos. Being a vegetarian is a a lifestyle choice..I don't see how it makes people 'political.

laurenlind

First, let's just ignore any negativity fighting over the definition of vegetarianism. So silly to waste energy on something like that.

Anyway, I became a vegetarian my junior year in college, so that was in 2003 I believe, making me meat free for about 9 years now. When I first started, it was due to a class in college in which we learned about the meat industry and over-consumption of meat, especially in America, and it just turned my stomach so much that I could not bring myself to eat meat any longer. I thought I would get my taste for meat back, but I never have. The problem at that time was that I REALLY did not know the proper way to eat in the first place, much less as a vegetarian. LOTS of pasta, carbs in general, cheese, cheese, and oh, did I mention cheese, and processed junk. This obviously did not lead me down a great road weight-wise, and on several ocassions, I noticed that several people looked quite shocked to find out that I was a vegetarian, since my body did not exactly scream, "I eat vegetables!!!"
A few years after college, I lost some of the weight that I had gained, and tried to eat a more balanced diet. It was definitely better than what I was eating before, but at that time, I included a lot of soy products that I try not to really eat any more (veggie burgers, veggie sausage, etc).
I slipped back into old ways after my wedding (newlywed bliss makes you forget the rest of the world sometimes, oops), and gained all the weight back and then some. Which brings me to present day...
I am working on trying to really balance out my vegetarian diet to give my body what it really needs. I think I am on a good path, and my diary is open, so you are welcome to follow me or friend me or whatever, if you like. My general philosophy now is: eat as many whole foods as possible- that is, try to cook and eat fresh, not from a box, can or any container (this is a general rule and I try not to overthink it), get protein from natural sources like nuts, quinoa, chia seeds, hemp seeds, and limited dairy (the HARDEST part for me!!!), eat vegetables with every meal and never feel bad about eating as much vegetables as you damn well please, and finally, every once in a while, eat whatever you want!!!

laurenlind

Labels are like numbers on the scale. It indicates a general ball park, but is not an accurate measurement by any means. Most of the time, labels are just a source of unnecessary conflict!

I applaud everyone who eats vegan but on an odd day eats a slice of cheese. I applaud everyone vegetarian who sometimes just really wants a slice of bacon. I applaud everyone who eats fish but is not afraid to say he or she supports vegetarianism.

Animals, the environment, and your health benefit more from an imperfect long term commitment in the right direction, than a perfect short term commitment under the right label.

So forget labels, call yourself what you will, and eat what makes you feel good about your food.

^^^this!!!^^^ Right on, OP!

ipsamet

I just made an awesome banana-quinoa-cashew quick bread that was only 108 calories per serving

omg, this sounds amazing, I want the recipe!

JenniTheVeggie

I have been a vegetarian since 1995.....I am always looking for more vegetarian friends!

lilmisfit

I've been a vegetarian for five years now. I have my own pet free range chickens so I have LOTS of eggs!

I want a pet chicken so bad, but I live in the city :-(