Vegetarian/Vegan?

cannotfailunlessyoustoptrying

I have been a vegetarian for over 2 years. I was not to difficult for me since I hardly ate any meat other than chicken and an occasional burger. The only thing I did have issues with at first was not enough iron or protein. I now take iron supplements. I eat a lot of eggs and soy products now for protein and also protein powder in different recipes. Not eating meat had made a great impact on my skin. I don't break out at all ( maybe one pimple on my tom but that is all) I don't gain weight as fast, and I just feel lighter after I eat. not as dragged down.

The only difficult thing for me now is every now and then I smell bbq or a mcdonalds cheese burger and I just really wish i would eat one but I'd hate myself forever! I guess that is what Bocca was made for :laugh:

kayemme

I'm not a vegetarian, but I don't really eat meat. I don't find it difficult to go without meat because there's just so much else that is more interesting to eat.

if you are looking to go vegetarian from a meat-heavy diet, I suggest having a meat-free day once a week for 2-3 weeks, then adding another meat free day for 2 weeks and than again and again until you're meat free.

if you do choose to eat meat occasionally, buy the best quality, local meat you can afford.

edit to elaborate on my own experience: i have a primarily vegetarian-leaning-to-vegan diet. I will say that on most days that I eat closer to vegan, I feel better than ever, full of energy and I feel "light" even though I'm not really.

edit to answer question: ominvore's dilemma (Pollan) is a great book! also diet for a new america (Robbins)

macpatti

I love it when someone is interested in exploring vegetarianism/veganism and someone else tells them to keep eating meat if they like it.

I really don't have anything to add. Just commenting so I can get my friend, VoV to comment here!

Reneefit135

I was a vegetarian for 4 years with a few bouts (30 days at at time) of Vegan eating. I think it is fantastic for you and i try to have a plant strong diet still. However, I gained a lot of weight while i was vegetarian it wasn't the fault of the diet but my fault for eating too many carbs. I found it difficult to follow a lower carb diet without eating meat so i added back chicken and fish. I still mainly get my protein from beans but chicken has become my new best friend. I hope to eventually go back to eating veg/vegan but i dont think i can lose weight with it. I do know many who have lost weight eating that way. The way they did it was to eat mainly salads and lots of tofu but because of my female issues tofu (soy) not an option for me. Hope this helps.

deb3129

I was vegetarian for about 4 years, and then kind of fell off the wagon because I was the only one in my household of 6 that did not eat meat, and it was too 'hard' to continue. But then 5 months ago I stopped eating meat, dairy, and any animal product. It was not hard for me to give up meat AT ALL. I am very fortunate because I have always loved veggies. I thought it would be hard to give up cheese, but I have not missed it at all. There are some things you have to be a little creative when you don't eat cheese,since cheese holds stuff together. I have not eaten cow milk in a long time, preferring either almond or soy milk.

Within about a week of switching to a plant based diet, my energy level went WAY up. I get up every morning, regardles of how long I slept with a ton of energy, and it never wanes during the day. I had problems sleeping a lot before, and now I sleep like a baby. My skin is not dry anymore, and I never break out. Within the first three months I lost about 50 pounds, while still eating a lot. I was not exercising at all for those first few months, it was just the dietary changes. Now i have lost over 70, and am still losing, though I do walk about an hour a day now.

The only hard part is going out to eat, or eating at someone elses house. But is it SOOO worth it

Reneefit135

Oh and it wasnt difficult for me to give up meat but i have to say i didnt see a difference in how i felt

magj0y

I have always looked at the vegetarian concept of 'more power to you, but nothing I'm interested'

This is the 1st speech that has ever made me think twice.
http://nutritionfacts.org/video/uprooting-the-leading-causes-of-death/

Just listen to the 1st 20 mins.

That said, I don't plan on completely cutting out meat, but will def. be having more meatless meals!

Just educate yourself on how to get proper amounts of real protein & iron that doesn't come in a pill/powder/supplement drink.

For anyone who has always shrugged off a vegetarian diet, I highly suggest you listen when you get a minute. He's very easy to listen to and understand. He speaks for laymen, not medical professionals, intelligent people or even people who know a lot about anatomy or biology.

**The whole speech is an hour long, the first 20 minutes is eye opening and that's as far as I have gotten so far.

p.s., thank you mfp person who posted the link.

_VoV

Thanks to my friend, MacPatti, I'm here to address the questions raised by the OP. I agree with MacPatti that it's really irritating when people come onto threads like this and say 'Oh if you like meat, keep eating it.' It's dismissive of the OP's question.

So now for the OP's questions:


-Was it difficult to give up eating meat?

I gave up eating eat as a teenager in 1973. Back then, there were almost no specialty foods for vegetarians. Even soymilk had to be made from scratch. Back then, I substituted way too much dairy for the meat I wasn't eating. It was delicious, but fattening as all get out. Now, I think there are veg-friendly products in even small grocery stores, so I think it would be much easier. Just think about the foods you eat now and enjoy--some are probably naturally vegetarian, and some can be adapted with faux 'burger' etc.

-What kind of a difference has giving up meat made in how you feel/your health?

That's hard to say since it's going on 40 years! But, many people my age (57) have cancer, heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, arthritis, and I don't have any of those problems. Can I prove for sure it's the vegetarian diet that has kept me healthy? No. But, I suspect it has played a part. I feel great!

-What are some good resources to learn more about plant based diets?

My favorite book on nutrition is 'Vegan for Life' by Virginia Messina. She has a very useful website too: www.theveganrd.com

Best of luck to you! Feel free to message my anytime or 'friend' me.

projectxreborn

Check out the "Forks over Knives" documentary dvd ... there is tons of info on there. I have been vegetarian for five years and vegan/vegetarian for about 6 months. I have lost 60 lbs and feel sooo much more energy, my skin is better and you never get that heavy gross feelingyou get when you eat meat. It was not hard for me to give up meat...I just kept thinking "there is a piece of dead
flesh on my plate." If you make sure you get the right combos of foods you can get all the protein and nutrition you need.

carld256

I had no difficulty at all in giving up meat. It was like turning off a light switch. I quit and walked away. It's been much harder to give up processed junk and eat an overall healthier diet. I'm doing a lot better than I used to, but it's still a work in progress.

Oh, and for the best way to go about eating a plant-based diet I suggest The Engine 2 Diet. You can get a pretty good intro by checking out the Engine 2 videos on YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kItn6Tn16rw&feature=plcp

kayemme

I had no difficulty at all in giving up meat. It was like turning off a light switch. I quit and walked away. It's been much harder to give up processed junk and eat an overall healthier diet. I'm doing a lot better than I used to, but it's still a work in progress.

I agree with this wholeheartedly. it takes far more dedication to eat whole foods (with or without meat) than it does to go vegetarian, mostly because it's not terribly convenient. for those of us that a) don't eat meat and b) prepare everything from scratch, it can be time consuming and overwhelming at first, but as you get into it, it gets easier, just like any intentional change.

best of luck (and remember to cook for an army and eat on the same things for a few days at a time).

Bentley2718

Thanks to my friend, MacPatti, I'm here to address the questions raised by the OP. I agree with MacPatti that it's really irritating when people come onto threads like this and say 'Oh if you like meat, keep eating it.' It's dismissive of the OP's question.

So now for the OP's questions:


-Was it difficult to give up eating meat?

I gave up eating eat as a teenager in 1973. Back then, there were almost no specialty foods for vegetarians. Even soymilk had to be made from scratch. Back then, I substituted way too much dairy for the meat I wasn't eating. It was delicious, but fattening as all get out. Now, I think there are veg-friendly products in even small grocery stores, so I think it would be much easier. Just think about the foods you eat now and enjoy--some are probably naturally vegetarian, and some can be adapted with faux 'burger' etc.

-What kind of a difference has giving up meat made in how you feel/your health?

That's hard to say since it's going on 40 years! But, many people my age (57) have cancer, heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, arthritis, and I don't have any of those problems. Can I prove for sure it's the vegetarian diet that has kept me healthy? No. But, I suspect it has played a part. I feel great!

-What are some good resources to learn more about plant based diets?

My favorite book on nutrition is 'Vegan for Life' by Virginia Messina. She has a very useful website too: www.theveganrd.com

Best of luck to you! Feel free to message my anytime or 'friend' me.

I'm mostly here to second Vegan For Life and www.veganrd.com. Awesome resources, including good documentation of peer reviewed publications (I hate when I read something and the author doesn't tell me where the info is coming from).

But while I'm here I'll answer the rest anyway.

-Was it difficult to give up eating meat?
Not at all. I had this strange idea that I "couldn't give up meat" (partially because I have a genetic form of mild anemia), but I had a lot of ethical issues with meat. So I was purposefully cutting down on my meat consumption, I figured even if I couldn't give meat up completely, less meat was better. After a couple of months of "cutting down" I went to someone's home for Thanksgiving and was served free-range, organic turkey. And I couldn't eat it, it grossed me out. Almost 10 years later I haven't looked back. I don't miss meat at all. I don't eat many meat substitutes (a veggie burger once in a *long* while), because they just don't appeal to me. Cheese and yogurt were harder to give up, because I loved both, but again, when I consciously cut back on them over a period of time, I eventually found that I lost my taste for them.


-What kind of a difference has giving up meat made in how you feel/your health?

When I gave up meat, I noticed that some GI issues I'd had for years improved significantly. Other than that, I don't know how much of a difference it makes. I believe that there are healthy and unhealthy diets across the eating spectrum (omni to vegan), but I can tell you that veg*n diets are better for animals and the planet.

sbrooks0387

-Was it difficult to give up eating meat?

not at all! it's harder for other people to know what to make if they invite us over for dinner.

-What kind of a difference has giving up meat made in how you feel/your health?

couldn't really tell you. i don't rember how i felt when i ate meat. besides i would feel sick to my stomach sometimes but that was a mental thing about eating an animal.

-What are some good resources to learn more about plant based diets?

i didn't really look anything up. i'd c a recipe somewhere and copy it or see something i liked and just leave the meat out when i made it.

running4myfuture

Thank you all so much for your answers! Yes, I am taking more into consideration than just the health aspect of being vegetarian/vegan, I was just curious about the effect the decision would have on physical health. Do you feel that it's better to use the meat substitute products, or to leave them out as well?

xshortiex

I've been a vegetarian for practically my whole life. I used to eat chicken, but for some reason gave that up a few years ago (I don't know why, it just happened. I guess I just stopped liking it).

The biggest issue with being a vegetarian is getting enough protein in your diet. My protein most often comes from lentils (in the form of the Indian dish "dal," usually). Green vegetables like kale also have lots of protein, as do dairy products. I also eat eggs, which take care of a lot of nutrients I need.

Being a vegetarian isn't hard for me; it's just habit. It's easier for me probably because I don't like meat: it's just not appetizing. I find that curving your appetite away from certain foods and towards others is much easier if you have the attitude that you "don't" eat certain foods, instead of telling yourself that you "can't."

running4myfuture

I had no difficulty at all in giving up meat. It was like turning off a light switch. I quit and walked away. It's been much harder to give up processed junk and eat an overall healthier diet. I'm doing a lot better than I used to, but it's still a work in progress.

Oh, and for the best way to go about eating a plant-based diet I suggest The Engine 2 Diet. You can get a pretty good intro by checking out the Engine 2 videos on YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kItn6Tn16rw&feature=plcp

I'm planning on buying this book! Have you read it?

nrach

I LOVED meat, especially buffalo wings. All the same, I found it very easy to cut meat out of my diet! I do eat fish still though--easy protein (and I just can't live without sushi). It's important though that on this diet you don't compensate for not eating meat by eating more sweets or processed food.

BinaryPulsar

I became a vegetarian on my own when I was 13. It was not difficult for me because I had always disliked meat. Now, I am no longer a vegetarian, but I still eat a predominantly plant based diet on a daily basis and that is just natural for me. But, I also eat eggs, plain yogurt and sometimes chicken (at restaurants I order salad with chicken).

carld256

I had no difficulty at all in giving up meat. It was like turning off a light switch. I quit and walked away. It's been much harder to give up processed junk and eat an overall healthier diet. I'm doing a lot better than I used to, but it's still a work in progress.

Oh, and for the best way to go about eating a plant-based diet I suggest The Engine 2 Diet. You can get a pretty good intro by checking out the Engine 2 videos on YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kItn6Tn16rw&feature=plcp

I'm planning on buying this book! Have you read it?

Multiple times, it's sitting right here on my bookshelf.

mushroomcup

I'm coming up on 8 years of vegetarianism; one of those years (plus a few months) I was a full vegan.

-was it difficult to give up eating meat?
Even though I loved meat (except for pig-based meats, oddly, since everyone goes on and on about how wonderful bacon is), it was relatively easy for me to give it up. Like someone else mentioned, it was just kind of a switch. I no longer see it as food. I'm sure I'd love it just as much if I started eating it again, but it's off the table for me (pun intended).

-what kind of a difference has giving up meat made in how you feel/your health?
I don't think it's made much of a difference. I lost around 10 to 15lbs when I first went vegetarian, but I think that's mostly because I started eating clean. Before that I had been eating a lot of junk. It's easy to be healthy as a vegetarian, but it's also easy to be unhealthy as one imo. Veganism is a little harder I think, but still doable as a healthy diet/lifestyle. I think I'd be just as healthy/unhealthy as an omnivore as it's really about how well-rounded you make your diet and how much you rely on processed foods, sugars, too many fats, carbs, etc. You can make those mistakes either way. I'm an "ethical vegetarian" (sounds so awful: stuffy and condescending). I don't do it for health. However, if you think it will keep you away from naughty foods and improve your health and/or if you care about the ethical aspect of the diet, definitely go for it. ^__^

-what are some good resources to learn more about plant based diets?
I hate to mention Peta as I think the organization is sort of evil and full of crazies... however they do have a lot of data about various vegetarian and particularly vegan issues (I used it to look up restaurant chains that are particularly accommodating, foods you might not realize are vegan friendly, etc.)
Also, http://www.happycow.net/ is awesome for finding restaurants in your area with vegetarian/vegan options.

If you aren't sure, you can have a trial period where you eat vegetarian/vegan for a month or so. Experiment. See how your body reacts. Go with what works for you. Good luck!

ETA: A lot of the meat substitutes are less healthy options than just cooking vegetarian foods from scratch. They tend to be breaded and have a lot of fillers in them. That being said, as long as you don't go crazy with them, you'll be fine.