going vegetarian in 2013

Anyone else turning veggie for 2013? :)

This is something I have thought about for a long time, and finally decided to take the plunge.

Dont nesc. think meat is wrong-- still not sure exactly what I think -- but I do think it's sad, and no longer for me.
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Replies

  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    Anyone else turning veggie for 2013? :)

    This is something I have thought about for a long time, and finally decided to take the plunge.

    Dont nesc. think meat is wrong-- still not sure exactly what I think -- but I do think it's sad, and no longer for me.
    I did it about three or four years ago. I don't miss meat at all.
  • Bentley2718
    Bentley2718 Posts: 1,689 Member
    I've been a veggie for over a decade now. Personally, it wasn't all that difficult once I realized it was what I wanted to do, and I don't miss meat at all. Now I eat a mostly (like 98%) vegan diet, it's a work in progress.

    Edited to add, best of luck to you! Friend me if you'd like.
  • ilovedeadlifts
    ilovedeadlifts Posts: 2,923 Member
    nope. I tried it when I was 16, was deathly skinny, and grew out of the whole "moral" objection to eating meat.
  • _VoV
    _VoV Posts: 1,494 Member
    I'm wishing you a very easy transition to vegetarian-eating. I've been a vegetarian since 1973, and love the way it makes me feel. Friend me if you would like a veggie friend.
  • Firefox7275
    Firefox7275 Posts: 2,040 Member
    Go for it, but be sure you carefully research a balanced diet - consider taking a marine algae supplement for the long chain omega-3s to replace those found in oily fish.
  • cHaRlIe0411
    cHaRlIe0411 Posts: 137 Member
    I'm going partly vegetarian... meaning meat isn't really part of my routine anymore. However, I still like meat, and I will eat it when I go out or to someone's house (my parents, for example).

    Best of luck to you, and have a happy year!
  • _VoV
    _VoV Posts: 1,494 Member
    nope. I tried it when I was 16, was deathly skinny, and grew out of the whole "moral" objection to eating meat.

    Perhaps you didn't intend to be insulting, but you were, nonetheless. Are you trying to start a flame war?
  • groversa
    groversa Posts: 450 Member
    I've been vegetarian for 2 years! :D
  • i've been vegetarian for 5 years now and im 18. there is only one word to say...QUORN, this is worlds best meat substitute, you can have all the meals you used to have but with quorn products (mince, sausages, fillets, nuggets etc) instead. i dont miss meat at all, plus quorn is lower is caloris and fat! goodluck!!
  • jw17695
    jw17695 Posts: 438 Member
    Yay. Good luck!
  • MouseFood
    MouseFood Posts: 169 Member
    nope. I tried it when I was 16, was deathly skinny, and grew out of the whole "moral" objection to eating meat.

    Perhaps you didn't intend to be insulting, but you were, nonetheless. Are you trying to start a flame war?

    I agree ... I'm NOT offended, but I know many would be because I've now been on both sides of this issue.
    I'd prefer if this post didn't turn into a fight ... I just wanted people who ARE veggie or planning to switch to talk about it. Not people who are not veggie/not planning to switch. :)
  • I think it's awesome when anyone pauses a moment and thinks about the source. Even if you don't become a vegetarian, just giving thought to where food comes from the process behind it is a step in the right direction!
    Mindfulness.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    Go for it, but be sure you carefully research a balanced diet - consider taking a marine algae supplement for the long chain omega-3s to replace those found in oily fish.
    Or eat flax/use flax oil.
  • CinnamonKai
    CinnamonKai Posts: 42 Member
    I've been a vegetarian for about 8 or 9 years now... (I've lost count of the years). It was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I do not miss meat at all. Sometimes, I do have a slight temptation; however, it is not enough to drive me to eat meat.

    I do not preach to people about not eating meat. It is not my place to say nor judge. Those are one of the annoying stigmas of being a vegetarian; people assuming that you're trying to convert them into vegetarianism.
  • _VoV
    _VoV Posts: 1,494 Member
    nope. I tried it when I was 16, was deathly skinny, and grew out of the whole "moral" objection to eating meat.

    Perhaps you didn't intend to be insulting, but you were, nonetheless. Are you trying to start a flame war?

    I agree ... I'm NOT offended, but I know many would be because I've now been on both sides of this issue.
    I'd prefer if this post didn't turn into a fight ... I just wanted people who ARE veggie or planning to switch to talk about it. Not people who are not veggie/not planning to switch. :)

    I appreciate your desire to keep things positive. That is my intention as well. I'm very happy you are exploring a lifestyle which has served me so well for a very long time.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    nope. I tried it when I was 16, was deathly skinny, and grew out of the whole "moral" objection to eating meat.

    Perhaps you didn't intend to be insulting, but you were, nonetheless. Are you trying to start a flame war?

    I agree ... I'm NOT offended, but I know many would be because I've now been on both sides of this issue.
    I'd prefer if this post didn't turn into a fight ... I just wanted people who ARE veggie or planning to switch to talk about it. Not people who are not veggie/not planning to switch. :)
    My main thought when I read that was he was doing it wrong. I WISH I could be skinny just because I eat a vegetarian diet! lol My life would be much easier.

    Alas, not so. Still have to watch calories and exercise and stuff. My salads are more than 300 calories. :-)
  • I was a veggie for about a year and really messed up my body. I am not knocking it by any means but if you want to be a vegetarian you really have to watch what you eat to make sure you are getting the nutrition that you need! That's where I failed. Now I try to get meat and dairy from places where I know the animals were not harmed.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    I was a veggie for about a year and really messed up my body. I am not knocking it by any means but if you want to be a vegetarian you really have to watch what you eat to make sure you are getting the nutrition that you need! That's where I failed. Now I try to get meat and dairy from places where I know the animals were not harmed.

    Yeah. If you eat a lot of junk, it isn't good. I eat pretty much whole foods. Lots of fruits and veggies, whole grains, eggs and dairy. .A very balanced diet and I'm very healthy. But a lot of people go veg and eat a lot of bread and cheese maybe and not much else. Doesn't work out! But if you already enjoy eating fruits and veggies and stuff like that, you should be fine.
  • Bentley2718
    Bentley2718 Posts: 1,689 Member
    I'm wishing you a very easy transition to vegetarian-eating. I've been a vegetarian since 1973, and love the way it makes me feel. Friend me if you would like a veggie friend.

    VoV is an awesome veg*n friend!
  • _VoV
    _VoV Posts: 1,494 Member
    I was a veggie for about a year and really messed up my body. I am not knocking it by any means but if you want to be a vegetarian you really have to watch what you eat to make sure you are getting the nutrition that you need! That's where I failed. Now I try to get meat and dairy from places where I know the animals were not harmed.

    I would say that there is a steeper learning curve if you are going vegan, but if you are going lacto-ovo vegetarian, the transition need not be a huge struggle. So many popular foods are vegetarian to begin with and pack a lot of nutrition in. Plus many family recipes can be tweaked a bit, e.g. substitute a veggie protein for meat without a huge change in taste and nutritional profile.
  • I tried being a vegetarian and a vegan but I didn't even lasted a day :'(
  • Syreeta6
    Syreeta6 Posts: 377 Member
    I'm going partly vegetarian... meaning meat isn't really part of my routine anymore. However, I still like meat, and I will eat it when I go out or to someone's house (my parents, for example).

    Best of luck to you, and have a happy year!

    Same here, my hubby has recently returned to vegetarianism so I am mostly by default (since I do most of the cooking). When he did it the first time I actually had fun searching for new recipes to try, it's not bad and I love mushrooms now.
  • Bentley2718
    Bentley2718 Posts: 1,689 Member
    I was a veggie for about a year and really messed up my body. I am not knocking it by any means but if you want to be a vegetarian you really have to watch what you eat to make sure you are getting the nutrition that you need! That's where I failed. Now I try to get meat and dairy from places where I know the animals were not harmed.

    1) Being killed = harmed. I think you mean not maltreated while they are alive.

    2) You do not have to "really watch what you eat" to be a health vegetarian, any more than you have to watch what you eat if you want to be a healthy omnivore. Veggies, whole grains, beans, nuts, fruit. If you are ovo-lacto add in eggs and dairy (not too much cheese), and you're go to go. Where a lot of people go wrong is that they replace all the meat in their diet with pasta and cheese, of course you're going to get sick, anyone would.
  • Dementedllama
    Dementedllama Posts: 177 Member
    YAY congrats! I went vegetarian last year. I don't miss the meat at all.
  • saltedcaramel86
    saltedcaramel86 Posts: 238 Member
    I've been a vegetarian for about 8 or 9 years now... (I've lost count of the years). It was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I do not miss meat at all. Sometimes, I do have a slight temptation; however, it is not enough to drive me to eat meat.

    I do not preach to people about not eating meat. It is not my place to say nor judge. Those are one of the annoying stigmas of being a vegetarian; people assuming that you're trying to convert them into vegetarianism.

    Basically this, except I only became pesca-vegetarian since beginning of this year and hope to make the full transition in 2013. It's also made cooking more imaginative and exciting.
  • Syreeta6
    Syreeta6 Posts: 377 Member
    I will say this I do get annoyed by the same basic and lack of vegetarian dishes restaurants offer. They could be more accommodating.
  • I've been vegetarian over 3 years now :) I'd been borderline for years and I'm glad I made the switch. The hardest part is eating out with friends and meals with family. There are few options. Usually I play it safe and just eat ahead :)
  • _VoV
    _VoV Posts: 1,494 Member
    I'm wishing you a very easy transition to vegetarian-eating. I've been a vegetarian since 1973, and love the way it makes me feel. Friend me if you would like a veggie friend.

    VoV is an awesome veg*n friend!

    Thanks, Mellisant. You are too!
  • amandaj1966
    amandaj1966 Posts: 342 Member
    I haven't eaten meat for 3 years, was a vegetarian for a few years before I had my children but went back to eating meat when they were younger. I do eat fish maybe once a week but would rather not. At the moment its easier for my family and friends that I eat fish but I know its only a matter of time and I will give that up to.

    All the best with your journey to being a vegetarian. xx
  • rlmiller73190
    rlmiller73190 Posts: 342 Member
    Good luck! I'll be celebrating 4 years in february on the same day I run my half marathon! I LOVE being a vegetarian. I started out doing it as something just to try; it has since evolved into a celebration of my love for the environment (if you do enough research and buy locally grown produce/milks/etc., it lowers your carbon foot print) and my love for animals. I felt amazing when I first switched over, and I still feel great! I don't really eat eggs, unless it's in a pastry or something, and I don't drink milk, but I'll eat ice cream and cheese (just personal preferences). Good luck!!!