New vegetarian

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emma1488
emma1488 Posts: 175
in Food and Nutrition
Hello all you lovelies.

So i have recently decided to become vegetarian (today:drinker: ) and am wondering if anyone has any tips/advice to give to transition into it.

Also nutrition wise-i've heard you have to take iron supplements...Should i see a doctor/naturopath about specific quantities etc?

Thanks:)

Replies

  • NineInchGirl
    NineInchGirl Posts: 169
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    wow, how funny, 2 days ago, i decided i was taking the vegetarian path. So my friend suggested id do a 9 day food detox, to ween my body from junk food and processed foods. So im currently on day 2. So far so good! But um, i guess if i had to suggest anything, it's to not forget to eat a good source of protein. Like chickpeas, tofu and lentil. They also sell awesome veggie patty burgers and veggie dogs. Oh and eggs, oatmeal and brown rice are your friends =) well that and your fruits and vegs of course! Oh and dairy of course! Milk your diet! ppl who drink milk and eat yogurt lose more =) Hope it helps!
  • Beebee78
    Beebee78 Posts: 703
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    Good luck on your journey xxx
  • emma1488
    emma1488 Posts: 175
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    I just found this website and had a bit of a look http://zenhabits.net/how-to-become-a-vegetarian-the-easy-way/
    might be helpful.

    I;m doing this more for a 'save the animals/planet' reason...and the health and weight loss benefits will just be added bonuses:)

    Have you had any problems with family?

    I dont have any vegos in mine or my partners family, so not sure how they are gonna react:S
  • vegigal
    vegigal Posts: 7 Member
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    Welcome to the veggies!

    Im in the UK so things may be different where you live.

    I became a vegetarian about 20 years ago for ethical reasons - I wasnt sure that I could do this but gave myself 3 months to go without any animal products and to be honest I found it so easy that I never looked back. So I eat foods that do not have any animal by products in my food such as beef gelatine etc. I also drink soya milk but this is because I became dairy intolerant (unrelated to becoming vegetarian).

    The Vegetarian Society http://www.vegsoc.org/ which helps people become vegetarian and is also an excellent source of information. You may find it useful.

    Family and friends - its more a matter of educating them - you let them know that you are now a vegetarian and yes mistakes will happen, and yes, they will question you about why you are doing it until you become so exasperated. However when they are faced with the status quo and see that you are determined to follow this new eating pattern they will do everything they can to help. You wont win them all over and will certainly get arguments about why you should be eating meat, but if you are resolved enough then you will follow through.

    Re weight - Im on this site because Im overweight. Giving up meat doesnt mean that you eat more healthily - it is so easy to just fill up with high carbohydrate foods. So care still needs to be taken unfortunately.

    Good luck and feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

    Karen x
  • elloradannon
    elloradannon Posts: 111
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    Good for you! Friday is officially "Hug a Vegetarian Day" so you picked a good week to adopt a cruelty-free lifestyle! I became vegan about 5 months ago and LOVE it! My husband followed soon after. My kids eat vegan at our house, but they eat meat and dairy at daycare. I have NEVER had more energy or felt better in my life. My advice would be to be careful to not become a "potato chip vegetarian". I was a vegetarian several years ago and all I ate was white bread and cheese oh and white pasta... thus gaining lots of weight! I am doing it the smart and nutritious way and it feels amazing. Two of my favorite websites for recipes and general information (and I subscribe to the magazines as well) are www.vegnews.com and www.vegetariantimes.com

    If you like to read "Skinny *****" is a great read and will only make you more informed and feel better about your decision to omit meat from your diet. Also, there is a book called "Becoming Vegetarian" (and one called "Becoming Vegan") that has great nutritional information. Good luck and let me know if you need any help!
  • emma1488
    emma1488 Posts: 175
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    Thanks all. I've got a vegetarian friend who inspires me, however I think she falls into the potato chip vegetarian slot...I would love to start cooking some of these awesome meals.

    Any ideas for quick snacks? I'm not a fan of fruit:-/ but eat most veges:D
  • mcarmon
    mcarmon Posts: 22 Member
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    Hi I'm new here. I am also a vegetarian and have been for a year. For snacks, I would say that nuts are good, fresh fruits or vegetables, and smoothies. I am still looking for cheaper/easier to carry snacks as well so that I can start to lose weight. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

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