Becoming Vegetarian...Maybe

dirtieebirdiee

So, I'm thinking about going veg. Am I crazy? I like meat but it's like bleh and I feel like I could cut so much fat from my diet without it. Anyone else done it/doing it? Any tips? I semi-tried before but I just saw meat and forgot completely about my new initiative.
I'm also trying to get into jogging, which I have never done. Ever. Would it be good or bad to attempt both at once?

Anyway, I hope you all are lovely. Please add, I love having a support team

Thanks!
xxxooo :blushing:

dirtieebirdiee

Also...just discovered "Pesco-pollo vegetarian"
I could still eat fish and chicken. That sounds good. Anyways, kbai!

RawTriGal

I stumbled my way into vegetarian/vegan almost 13 years ago... once I found my way there I started exploring and researching... you may want to read Diet for a New America by John Robbins or Crazy Sexy Diet by Kris Carr ... just remember, it's not a religion, it's a lifestyle choice. ; ) Good Luck and feel free to friend me if you'd like support in that area.

...scatter joy...
lindy

valmb2

Hey there! I have been a vegetarian from the time I was 12, I am 29 now. I don't reaaly know anything different, and I LOVE it! I was a vegan for awhile but I love eggs and yogurt too much.

dakotawitch

I'm a flexitarian -- I eat limited amounts of beef, chicken, and pork, with occasional seafood. My partner is 100% vegetarian, which helps -- most of the meals we cook together at home are vegetarian. I feel much better when I limit meat to small portions a few times a week. Every once in a while I will splurge on a really good steak

We've been working at vegetarian-izing many recipes...you can find them at http://freerangetofu.wordpress.com One of my goals for the year is to update more often, so I need readers to keep me honest

Feel free to add me as a friend as well if you'd like.

yankeefamily05

I suppose I am the " pesco-pollo vegetarian" than!!! I quit eating pork/beef on New Year's Day!!! I really do not feel deprived at all!! And now about 3/4's of my dinner plates are veg, instead of half of that 3/4 being MEAT!

shanmackie

well first off it's great if you decide to cut out meat from your diet! "vegetarian" basically means you eat NO flesh; no chicken, beef, pork, fish, etc. pescatarian is not a type of vegetarian - but just someone that eats no flesh but fish. i guess pollotarian is a new thing? i hadn't heard of it before, but it's also not a type of vegetarian.

there's a huge community of vegetarians here though, so we will be happy to help you out in any way you need!!!

kprep

google 'link between vegetarianism and depression'
ive been a vegetarian for a while and while im not planning on going back, my mom really thinks that there is something to that...

blood6338

Our church did a Daniel Fast from December 1st to the 21st and I realized it wasn't so bad. I felt better and was losing weight. I had some meat during the holidays (and admittedly some other junk food) and didn't feel so good. Then I read the book Eat to Live by Dr. Joel Fuhrman and learned how bad meat and dairy are for you. I still occasionally eat eggs and cheese. Mostly when we go out to eat somewhere. I really haven't missed it all that much. I've found a lot of good alternatives so it's worked out pretty well. I wish you the best of luck with whatever you decide.

veganlisa

Hi there! I'm vegan and just started jogging too!
You may want to "ease" into the veggie thing if you like meat- try once a week (or what you are comfortable with) and build from there for success. You could also try eliminating certain foods, then eliminating more. Going cold turkey is tough! When I first went from vegetarian to vegan, I failed because I craved cheese big time, and gave in!
I really like Alicia Silverstone's The Kind Diet book- she talks about 'flirting' with becoming vegetarian. It's a laid back & easy read- with recipes too!

As for jogging- I found a wonderful program called No Boundaries through Fleet Feet (not sure if you have one near you). I just started training for a 5K and they are very supportive!

PS- it's important to have a supportive family if going veg. Family dinners are hard with little to no veggie dishes!
Good luck and feel free to add me!
Lisa

LoseYouself

If you're considering this, I highly recommend two books. "Skinny B****" by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin, as well as "Eat to Live" by Dr Joel Furhman. They're very helpful with presenting the information to help you make your decision. Personally, I'm vegan and if you had asked me a couple years ago, I never would have believed I would be. Learning the information changed my approach and attitude towards it though.. enough to TRY it, which is what made me realize this is something I wanted to do. I started as a vegetarian, and then transitioned to vegan after only being vegetarian 3 months. I dont plan to ever go back.

For the health side, the benefits you experience feel amazing. However, not all vegetarians and vegans are healthy JUST because they eliminate meat. It's not just about the elimination of meat, but the inclusion of more whole foods. More fruit, more veggies, more whole grains, more raw nuts/seeds, etc. A vegan can live off of oreos and fries, but definitely aren't going to have any health advantage over someone who eats meat. So it's about finding the proper balance with your vegetarian diet if that is something you decide to do. Do your research, make sure you're getting everything you need, and eat a wide variety of fresh foods. It can totally transform how you feel physically and mentally when it is a diet that is properly planned.

I wish you the best of luck!

dirtieebirdiee

woah! i've never heard of that being a side effect! That's bananas

dirtieebirdiee

google 'link between vegetarianism and depression'
ive been a vegetarian for a while and while im not planning on going back, my mom really thinks that there is something to that...

woah! i've never heard of that being a side effect! That's bananas

dirtieebirdiee

Our church did a Daniel Fast from December 1st to the 21st and I realized it wasn't so bad. I felt better and was losing weight. I had some meat during the holidays (and admittedly some other junk food) and didn't feel so good. Then I read the book Eat to Live by Dr. Joel Fuhrman and learned how bad meat and dairy are for you. I still occasionally eat eggs and cheese. Mostly when we go out to eat somewhere. I really haven't missed it all that much. I've found a lot of good alternatives so it's worked out pretty well. I wish you the best of luck with whatever you decide.

I think I might have to go get that book! Thank you so much!

angelams1019

well first off it's great if you decide to cut out meat from your diet! "vegetarian" basically means you eat NO flesh; no chicken, beef, pork, fish, etc. pescatarian is not a type of vegetarian - but just someone that eats no flesh but fish. i guess pollotarian is a new thing? i hadn't heard of it before, but it's also not a type of vegetarian.

there's a huge community of vegetarians here though, so we will be happy to help you out in any way you need!!!

Oh god! I LOVEEEE meat...All kinds....And I probably will never stop eating meat.

That being said, you calling it flesh just sounds AWFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!! (I know thats what it is....but it just sounds terrible! lol)

neanderthin

You certainly sound like the right demographic.

rockymtnlove

I am vegan and absolutely love it. Tons of energy, feel light and vibrant. Skin has improved, and it has made losing weight go a bit faster.

rockymtnlove

If you're considering this, I highly recommend two books. "Skinny B****" by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin, as well as "Eat to Live" by Dr Joel Furhman. They're very helpful with presenting the information to help you make your decision. Personally, I'm vegan and if you had asked me a couple years ago, I never would have believed I would be. Learning the information changed my approach and attitude towards it though.. enough to TRY it, which is what made me realize this is something I wanted to do. I started as a vegetarian, and then transitioned to vegan after only being vegetarian 3 months. I dont plan to ever go back.

For the health side, the benefits you experience feel amazing. However, not all vegetarians and vegans are healthy JUST because they eliminate meat. It's not just about the elimination of meat, but the inclusion of more whole foods. More fruit, more veggies, more whole grains, more raw nuts/seeds, etc. A vegan can live off of oreos and fries, but definitely aren't going to have any health advantage over someone who eats meat. So it's about finding the proper balance with your vegetarian diet if that is something you decide to do. Do your research, make sure you're getting everything you need, and eat a wide variety of fresh foods. It can totally transform how you feel physically and mentally when it is a diet that is properly planned.

I wish you the best of luck!

Great reply!!

kaypat09

google 'link between vegetarianism and depression'
ive been a vegetarian for a while and while im not planning on going back, my mom really thinks that there is something to that...

LULWUT.

Elzecat

Can't answer about being vegetarian as I have no interest (love chicken, fish, and the occasional bacon cheeseburger lol) and haven't purposely tried it (with the exception of being too poor to buy meat in college so I lived on rice, beans, and frozen veggies lol). But you can certainly research the benefits/downfalls of going vegetarian and there are several groups on MFP specifically devoted to eating vegetarian/vegan. As for running, I started running just about 2 years ago when I was 41 years old. Best thing I've ever done for myself. Google Couch to 5k program, Jeff Galloway, and/or the "Run Your Butt Off" book. All good starter walk/run interval programs to ease you into running without causing injury. I love to talk to people about running so feel free to add me. Good luck!

mcjabber

Different dietary choices work for different people. I'd say if you're doing it for ethical reasons, go for it, but if you're doing it for health, I wouldn't. I was vegetarian for 3 years and felt like crap the whole time, and I was making "smart" and careful choices. I know some people feel MORE energy, but I felt lethargic and depressed. I now try to stick to paleo eating and feel completely amazing most of the time, don't even need coffee anymore. And my body composition has changed drastically (for the better!). I think the main reason is that I'm eating very clean, very little from a package, and that is difficult to do as a vegetarian, due to all the meat substitutes (largely wheat based) and soy concoctions. I eat lots of lean meat, veggies, fruits, and fats (good fats, like coconut and avocado). It is a misconception that fat makes you fat! I have never looked better.

Definitely try going vegetarian if you are interested, but don't feel bad if you feel bad! Just means it doesn't work as well for you.

Edit: I recently read New Rules of Lifting for Women, and in it he cites a study about vegetarianism: while veg's have lower rates of heart disease, they do NOT have longer life expectancies. So if there's heart disease in your family, vegetarian might be a good thing, but otherwise you won't outlive the omnivores. I thought that was FASCINATING! :laugh:

paijing

google 'link between vegetarianism and depression'
ive been a vegetarian for a while and while im not planning on going back, my mom really thinks that there is something to that...

kprep, you should check out the studies on creatine + vegetarians and creatine + depression. If you're suffering from mental fatigue, creatine might be a supplement you'd want to check out. While creatine can be found in meats, the powdered supplements are synthetic and veg-friendly. Just a thought! (I'm not a doctor.

brevislux

I've been vegetarian for almost 15 years... I think it's a good idea to learn some new recipes and introduce yourself to new foods. The group Happy Herbivores has all sorts of recipes and ideas, and of course, the internet is a great source.

Poods71

It depends what kind of a vegetarian you are going to be. I stopped eating red meat when I heard about mad cow disease and after a few years I decided to give up eating meat all together. I didn't eat fish either as I think what is the difference that is a living creature too. Problem was I wasn't the healthiest of vegetarians and even though I like veg I seemed to eat a lot less of it when I was veggie, it just seems to go better with meat lol. So I ended up eating Pizzas, ready meals, more cheese than I used to eat and I found that I put on weight and my health suffered. Probably because there just wasn't as much choice for vegetarians then and my mum didn't have a clue what to make for me lol.

I started eating meat again when I was pregnant becuase I craved it so badly (obviously needed the iron) and have never really gone back but I do still like to have quorn and some other veggie stuff that I used to have sometimes.

Good luck if you are going to try it

bathsheba_c

Different dietary choices work for different people. I'd say if you're doing it for ethical reasons, go for it, but if you're doing it for health, I wouldn't. I was vegetarian for 3 years and felt like crap the whole time, and I was making "smart" and careful choices. I know some people feel MORE energy, but I felt lethargic and depressed.

This is not an uncommon experience. I have a cousin who eats very healthy, but felt like crap being a vegetarian, and was ordered by his doctor to eat fish once a week. After that, he felt much better. So, I guess the short version is that not everyone is made to be a vegetarian, but even they don't need as much meat as most people eat.

dovetail22uk

I was vegan for 3 years in my 20s. All I can say is that it was HARD WORK!

rudarbe

You should try it out. It's my 3rd week of being a vegetarian and I feel so much better about myself. I don't feel at all sluggish throughout the day and just overall a happier person. After you get into the groove of things meat is just "ehhh" to you and I found that tofu is the greatest thing ever invented as a meat substitute. I tried becoming a pesco-vegetarian because I love tuna, but when I ate tuna after a while of just eating salads and juicing veggies I didn't enjoy the taste as much as I thought I did. Well anyway good luck girl, it's definitely something you should explore

carly_am

google 'link between vegetarianism and depression'
ive been a vegetarian for a while and while im not planning on going back, my mom really thinks that there is something to that...

Unfortunately you can probably google anything and come up with some kind of evidence (or 'evidence') to support it. I'm agreat believer in using diet to address a number of ailments but you have to be so careful with what you read online. If you are suffering from depression you should really see a professional...

spamantha57

I say I'm "mostly vegan" - I couldn't give up cheese & don't want to, so I limit it, & allow myself meat only for birthdays, BBQs (I make great BBQ chicken) & Vegas lol

& yes - "Skinny *****" was a great book I read in 2006 that helped start my change of eating & I love it & recommend it to everyone.

If you're looking to start being a vegetarian or want to try it out, take steps like, when you go to the grocery store just don't buy meat. You can't eat it at home if you don't have it. When you go out to dinner or something, see what other options are available to you.

Try never to think that you "can't" have something. More often than not it'll make you want it more. Focus not on what you can't have, but all the other things you CAN that are so much better.

leilaphoenix

I'm a flexitarian -- I eat limited amounts of beef, chicken, and pork, with occasional seafood.

I can't believe there is a word for this.

brit_ks_89

i eat chicken, turkey and fish .. i dont like red meat