Veeeegggitarian

xPocahontas

What are your opinions on going vegitarian? A no or a go? What are health benifits and health problems that go along with it

Why did you become vegitarian

mirandamayhem

I went vegetarian because I felt horrid and stodgy. I decided focussing on vegetables would be a good move forward in health. And I'm not that keen on meat.
But it's not something to be taken lightly.
Creating meals that meat all your nutritional needs takes time and effort

peachyxoxoxo

I became a vegetarian four years ago. It was for ethical reasons. I never liked meat in the first place so it hasn't been difficult for me. I guess the major health benefit for me was that it opened my eyes to lots of new ways to incorporate fruits and vegetables into my diet. I eat a much greater variety of foods now than I ever did before. Health problems related to nutrient deficits can be avoided by careful planning. But nutrient deficiencies can occur in an omnivore diet too! So no matter what, that's something important to focus on.

doubglass

If you are athletic and burn a lot of calories it is difficult to get enough protein without a lot of planning. Much easier to just get the right portions of lean meat and fish and eat plenty of fruits, whole grains and veggies.

I'm currently hitting @ 3000 calories a lot of days. I wouldn't be able to get that many calories and enough protein on a vegetarian diet. Life is a lot simpler when including small portions of lowfat meat, poultry and fish in your diet.

meerkat70

If you are athletic and burn a lot of calories it is difficult to get enough protein without a lot of planning. Much easier to just get the right portions of lean meat and fish and eat plenty of fruits, whole grains and veggies.

I'm currently hitting @ 3000 calories a lot of days. I wouldn't be able to get that many calories and enough protein on a vegetarian diet. Life is a lot simpler including small portions of lowfat meat, poultry and fish in your diet.

As a vegetarian, I'd beg to differ. It's easy enough to get enough protein, if you think through your food just a little. I rarely preplan my days that carefully, but I do ensure I have at least one serving of protein with every meal (pulses, nuts, cheese, eggs, quorn, tofu, yoghurt, milk.... ) and at least one protein based snack (cottage cheese, nuts, greek yoghurt), and I rarely struggle to get sufficient protein in.

Lina4Lina

I went vegetarian because I lost my taste in meat. You can eat healthy on a vegetarian diet but there are many things that can be unhealthy within a vegetarian diet as well.

I also have no problem getting enough protein and I don't include eggs/dairy in my diet.

mirandamayhem

If you are athletic and burn a lot of calories it is difficult to get enough protein without a lot of planning. Much easier to just get the right portions of lean meat and fish and eat plenty of fruits, whole grains and veggies.

I'm currently hitting @ 3000 calories a lot of days. I wouldn't be able to get that many calories and enough protein on a vegetarian diet. Life is a lot simpler including small portions of lowfat meat, poultry and fish in your diet.

As a vegetarian, I'd beg to differ. It's easy enough to get enough protein, if you think through your food just a little. I rarely preplan my days that carefully, but I do ensure I have at least one serving of protein with every meal (pulses, nuts, cheese, eggs, quorn, tofu, yoghurt, milk.... ) and at least one protein based snack (cottage cheese, nuts, greek yoghurt), and I rarely struggle to get sufficient protein in.

I don't think protein is really an issue at all. It's a horrid myth spread by the meat industry:laugh:
but a varied diet, as with a meat diet, is necessary to ensure you get all you need in terms of vitamins and minerals!

lilmisfit

I've been a vegetarian for a year and a half and can honestly say I've never felt better. I have not been sick even once since becoming veggie. And I am consistently eating around 100g of protein a day, so no worries there.

RawVeganFlirt

i did it for the healthy body, healthy mind, healthy environment, save water, save animals, save on pollution.. the reasons are endless! more people need to know about the benefits of vegetarianism

love4fitnesslove4food_wechange

this is a ridiculous thread. no offense, honest. I just don't see why it matters what others' opinions on this are. if you want to eat meat or don't want to then both lifestyle can be healthy. both can also be unhealthy. It's completely a personal choice.

xxvogue

You can get plenty of protein as a vegetarian. More than enough, so don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

I became a vegetarian for environmental reasons, it's better for the environment in so many ways than a meat eating life. Though, I'm not really again eating meat if you raise it/catch it yourself!

The biggest downside is how other people treat you..

redraidergirl2009

What are your opinions on going vegitarian? A no or a go? What are health benifits and health problems that go along with it

Why did you become vegitarian

*vegetarian.

neverstray

I'm fairly new to being veggie...however, I eat fish and eggs. I switched after doing some research. Most of the things people say about being nutrient deficient are total myths. It's just not real. What is real is that I am more nutrient rich than ever because I eat such a large variety of foods now. I used to rely on the meat as the main, and just supplemented with rice and some veggies. I don't do that anymore, so if anything I am far more healthier now. Protein is in everything. Rice has protein. Everything has protein. I was reading about how the meat industry along with our government has spent a lot of money brainwashing the public into thinking that the only way to get protein is through meat. We all believe it, but it's a myth and is not true.

You'll be fine. Another benefit is that I don't get heavy-full. I just get full. It's nice. It takes getting used to because at first, you want that heavy-full feeling after a meal. But, you get used to not having that feeling, and realize how nice it is.

Another thing, you stay full longer.

It's a win.

determinedbutlazy

I wanted to stick to 1350 cals and eat as much as possible, and veggie options are lower in fat and cals. Meat replacement products like quorn are rich in protein.
I have been (mostly) pescatarian for nearly a year and I don't ever want to go back to regularly eating meat. When I get a super meat craving, I have tuna steak or grilled basa or salmon over a salad.

I didn't do it for any ethical reason, it's just what worked for me. If bacon made me skinny, I'd eat 5 packs a day.

bluefox9er

my dad was a 'proper' hippy. he raised me to be a veggie until I was 13, then said i could eat whatever the hell i like. i chose not to. no dead animal has passed through my lips. a veggie diet can be equally unhealthy as a carnivorous one. I became very obese on a veggie diet....but live and let live ( for the sake of animals).

stylistchik

I went vegetarian because I lost my taste in meat. You can eat healthy on a vegetarian diet but there are many things that can be unhealthy within a vegetarian diet as well.

I also have no problem getting enough protein and I don't include eggs/dairy in my diet.

ditto. Try it, if it works for you, great! If not, try something else.

bluefox9er

this is a ridiculous thread. no offense, honest. I just don't see why it matters what others' opinions on this are. if you want to eat meat or don't want to then both lifestyle can be healthy. both can also be unhealthy. It's completely a personal choice.

yours is a pointless response. in the spirit of your 'contribution', the same could also apply to what exercises to do,advice for starting runnin,how to lift weights, what macros to adjust, how many calories to eat, where to source protein,good recipe for smoothes etc.

etherealdoll

I've been a vegetarian since I was 9 years old, so I can't really testify to how it's changed my health or lifestyle or anything. But I've never had any nutritional deficiencies or health problems that were caused by low protein (and I'm not even careful about trying to get enough protein in, I seriously have been eating like under 30g of protein a day for most of my life and I'm not dead yet). It's great for eating healthy and weight loss because it forces you to choose things like salads and steamed veggies instead of burgers and steak. I guess for some people it might be hard to give up meat, but it's become such a habit for me that I don't even think about it any more.

swordsmith

It took me about 9 months after I started losing weight to go veg. Luckily I had an awesome mentor (and still do) who guided me (especially when it came to protein intake).

I feel healthier, less loagy, etc. SOmetimes it can be a challenge and the one thing I really miss is chicken wings but even that is fading. And I have been a veg since November of last year.

keychick25

I went vegetarian about 5yrs ago, and I love it. It's alot easier to eat healthier because most of your food source will be vegetables. Now don't get my wrong it's VERY easy to eat badly as a veghead, so it's all about how healthy do you want to be. There's many ways to get protein, like from eggs(if you're an ovo-lacto vegetarian) or from nuts or whey protein powder, and many other things. It's all about research too. Find out what works for you. As long as it's a lifestyle change and not a diet than you'll do fine. Oh and I became a vegetarian because 1) i never really cared for meat 2) i hate animal abuse and 3) for health reasons.

redraidergirl2009

Long story short you can be healthy or unhealthy with either diet.

I switched because dairy was causing me lots of health issues. I decided to see if eating vegan would have any health benefits and it has so far, I'm not bloated basically ever, I can work out/recover better and faster. I feel better and never feel like a beached whale after eating a meal. I also don't go over on fat intake and I can eat more without gaining weight and can actually lose weight without being militant on what I eat. I eat far less junkfood. I also just don't have a taste for it anymore.

So it works for me. I also don't see why more people aren't veg seeing as how we can live and survive without eating animals or their secretions. There's a wide variety of veg food that's similar to non-veg like veggie burgers and veggie dogs, chick'n ect...the violence is not necessary and who says we can eat animals, that we have that right? Not to mention the damage that animals being raised for consumption are doing to the planet. In the economy, they are already estimating the prices of animal foods to go up again. This largely doesn't affect me aside from corn which will be in short supply soon from the drought.

postrockandcats

Haters to the left. I get just as much protien on meat free days. Sometimes more.

OP- I'm not full veg, but I'm doing it for health reasons and quality concerns.

Damiilla

I think a majority of people, like me, become vegetarian for ethical reasons foremost. I only became a clean eating vegetarian until recently and it admittedly took me a while to get to where I am. However, I'm happier now than I ever have been as a meat eater, and I've never had any deficiency issues. Not to mention I'm spending way less money!

love4fitnesslove4food_wechange

this is a ridiculous thread. no offense, honest. I just don't see why it matters what others' opinions on this are. if you want to eat meat or don't want to then both lifestyle can be healthy. both can also be unhealthy. It's completely a personal choice.

yours is a pointless response. in the spirit of your 'contribution', the same could also apply to what exercises to do,advice for starting runnin,how to lift weights, what macros to adjust, how many calories to eat, where to source protein,good recipe for smoothes etc.

yes and no. I mean, to ask about vegetarianism on a weight loss site it seems the impetus is to be "healthier" or lose weight. Vegetarianism is not required--I assume if the OP didn't like meat or had ethical reasons he/she simply wouldn't eat meat. That is logically not the situation so to ask others what they're doing and whether/not it's a good idea seems silly. If you like meat, eat it. Period.

I'd say the SAME thing if this was a post about running...running isn't the only form of cardio and you can do other workouts to get in shape/build your dream physique. So do what you like. That's the bottom line.

Eat what you like, do what you like. These things lead to LONG TERM success.

elv1ra

I dont know how accurate the protein deficiency argument is. Theres a girl on youtube called freelea(or something similar) that is a personal trainer and she eats a 95% fruits diet. but she eats like thousands of calories of fruit a day. like a case of oranges for one meal. shes in incredible shape.


I recently went vegetarian for ethical reasons. its not hard to get protein if youre eating faux meats. one jumbo veggie dog has 15 grams of protein 1 gram of fat and 90 calories. faux meats can be expensive but pairing them with fresh veggies and quality grains probably helps even out the cost. and theyre very quick to cook from frozen so when you`re feeling lazy theyre just as convenient as junk food.

doubglass

If you are athletic and burn a lot of calories it is difficult to get enough protein without a lot of planning. Much easier to just get the right portions of lean meat and fish and eat plenty of fruits, whole grains and veggies.

I'm currently hitting @ 3000 calories a lot of days. I wouldn't be able to get that many calories and enough protein on a vegetarian diet. Life is a lot simpler including small portions of lowfat meat, poultry and fish in your diet.

As a vegetarian, I'd beg to differ. It's easy enough to get enough protein, if you think through your food just a little. I rarely preplan my days that carefully, but I do ensure I have at least one serving of protein with every meal (pulses, nuts, cheese, eggs, quorn, tofu, yoghurt, milk.... ) and at least one protein based snack (cottage cheese, nuts, greek yoghurt), and I rarely struggle to get sufficient protein in.

Well, eliminating much of the protein dense, low calorie foods can't make it any easier. Some of us don't find fake meat palatable nor do we live in areas where it is easy to find. The fact of the matter is: it is easier to manage a healthy diet if you use low fat meats, fish and poultry carefully. I'll pass on the soy burgers.

mirandamayhem

The fact of the matter is: it is easier to manage a healthy diet if you use low fat meats, fish and poultry carefully. I'll pass on the soy burgers.

It is easier for you, and that is fine. But it is not everyone's experience. Beans are a great source of protein, as is tempeh, and of course there's quinoa. The constant scaremongering from people who want to keep eating meat and so spread the belief that you won't get enough protein from a meat free diet is very sad.

cjc166

I saw "Forks, Over, Knives" and "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead".
Eating a vegan or near vegan diet prevents most chronic diseases, and lowers your cancer risk significantly.
I recommend reading "Eat to Live" by Dr Fuhrman to find out one of the proper and healthy ways to go vegan or vegetarian.

suziecue66

I dont know how accurate the protein deficiency argument is. Theres a girl on youtube called freelea(or something similar) that is a personal trainer and she eats a 95% fruits diet. but she eats like thousands of calories of fruit a day. like a case of oranges for one meal. shes in incredible shape.


I recently went vegetarian for ethical reasons. its not hard to get protein if youre eating faux meats. one jumbo veggie dog has 15 grams of protein 1 gram of fat and 90 calories. faux meats can be expensive but pairing them with fresh veggies and quality grains probably helps even out the cost. and theyre very quick to cook from frozen so when you`re feeling lazy theyre just as convenient as junk food.

She's the one with the douche bag boyfriend - Durianrider. They have a website called 30 bananas a day!

cjc166

All whole plant foods have protein. The more calories you eat, the more protein you'll get. So, if you exercise more, naturally you'll need to eat more, and you're protein intake will go up accordingly. I eat all plants and hit my protein requirements each day. No problem.

However, if you're a junk food vegetarian, that eat a lot of processed food, then yeah, you'll have a problem getting protein.

Most people are misinformed about protein, I used to be.