Vegetarianism

spolice88WECHANGED
spolice88WECHANGED Posts: 5
in Health and Weight Loss
I am considering going for a more plant based diet. I went full vegetarian once when I was about 21 and HATED it. Recently though, whenever I eat a meat-heavy meal I feel disgusting. Thoughts on vegetarianism? For or against, all comments welcome!

Replies

  • thavoice
    thavoice Posts: 1,326 Member
    If there isnt some sort of dead animal on my plate then it is not considered a meal!
    Meat = meal

    No meat = snack
  • hellodangergirl
    hellodangergirl Posts: 15 Member
    I'm not vegetarian but I'm pretty darn close. I have a hard time getting enough protein unless I plan my meals around getting it. I don't mind, generally, but it can get a little tedious.


    Why not try reducing portion sizes and changing up how you're cooking the meat? Or changing what kind you're eating?
  • Pectinbean
    Pectinbean Posts: 62 Member
    I often toy with the idea of going back to veggie (now that I'm a 'sensible' adult). So long as you do your research and understand what your body needs daily (and where to get it) you'll be healthy. The weight dropped of me when I was veggie. Unfortunately so did my red blood cells and I became a quite poorly anaemic. But if you manage your nutrition properly (I did not), I reckon it's worth a bash for a shake up of the diet. Just remember not to become a cheesaterian, a downfall for some!
  • CitizenXVIII
    CitizenXVIII Posts: 117 Member
    Unless it's for ethical reasons, there is no reason to go that route. There's no health benefit to cutting out an entire food group. Meat is an integral part of a well-rounded diet. Doesn't mean you have to eat it every meal or, honestly, every day, but you should be eating lean meat regularly.
  • bekahlou75
    bekahlou75 Posts: 304 Member
    I eat more veggies than meat. Several times a week I will not eat meat. Mostly when I fix extra veggies and potatos. I still eat meat, but it's not the focus of my meal. Just a personal choice.
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
    Unless it's for ethical reasons, there is no reason to go that route. There's no health benefit to cutting out an entire food group. Meat is an integral part of a well-rounded diet. Doesn't mean you have to eat it every meal or, honestly, every day, but you should be eating lean meat regularly.

    I agree with this poster about the ethical reasons.
    Though I've been vegetarian for 24 years, so I don't believe that I (notice I said I) should be eating lean meat regularly. (and no, the poster didn't say vegetarians should be).
    It can be a bit harder to get protein as a vegetarian.

    I know you are looking for people's opinions, but personally I think it's a very personal decision. If you think that (and OP I'm not saying you do, but I've seen it a lot on the boards lately) by dropping meat you'll also drop weight, the answer is False. You do not lose weight by not eating meat. I'm a 37 yo fat vegetarian.

    If it's not making you feel well, that could be a number of things - quality, what was it cooked in, how was it cooked, etc.

    Good luck with your decision. There is no right or wrong way to eat. It's everyone's own personal choice.
  • snikkins
    snikkins Posts: 1,282 Member
    I've been a vegetarian for about three months now. I have always been a guilty meat eater, in that it ethically bothered me that I was doing it, and since paying attention to calorie counting, realized it just wasn't worth it to me any more. I don't feel any different than I did when I was eating meat; it's just now I don't. I will say that now that I have begun paying attention to macros and proper protein levels for my activities, it is often a challenge to get enough protein but it is doable.

    TL;DR: There's absolutely no reason to do it unless it's for ethical reasons and just know that it'll be a bit of a challenge.
  • Yakelmeyer
    Yakelmeyer Posts: 49 Member
    I've been vegan for over a year. I feel better, I'm not as gassy/bloated, my skin is glowing, I have more energy and drive, and the pounds melted away. I donate blood regularly hence am not anemic. My genetically high cholesterol is now text book low. If you do consider vegetarianism or veganism, I highly suggest not being a "junk food vegetarian/vegan" aka don't subsist entirely on potatoes, french fries, breads, etc. Eat your green leafy vegetables; eat the beans; eat the nuts; really experiment with a well rounded diet. Perhaps invest in a juicer as it is a great way to get the nutrients. It is an adventure and experimenting with new recipes is half the fun. You only need one reason to start a plant based diet. Once you start, there are multitudes more reasons to stay.
  • aliakynes
    aliakynes Posts: 352 Member
    whenever I eat a meat-heavy meal I feel disgusting.

    I think my first step would be to eat less meat and more of the other stuff if I started to feel this way.

    There are rarely consequences to eating little meat. But to cut it out successfully in the long term would require adequate research and planning (and should be done before medical issues kick in).

    P.S. You don't need to be a vegetarian to have a more plant based diet. Just eat more plants.
  • Watermelon_Crush
    Watermelon_Crush Posts: 170 Member
    I've been a vegetarian since I was a kid. I can't imagine eating meat again, I think my body would hate me LOL

    The trap I fall in to with it is that I tend to replace some of my protein with carb...which isn't great, I know, but I still manage to lose weight. I still make sure I have some protein, I'd just probably be more balanced and better off upping the protein and lowering the carb. Have to admit though, I'm not too bothered about it ;) LOL

    I'd recommend before going full on cold turkey that you instead change the meat you eat.

    It's well known that red meat is harder for the body to digest. So why don't you try out not having meat everyday, and when you do have meat, have white meats that are easier to digest or fish.
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
    I am considering going for a more plant based diet. I went full vegetarian once when I was about 21 and HATED it. Recently though, whenever I eat a meat-heavy meal I feel disgusting. Thoughts on vegetarianism? For or against, all comments welcome!

    If you hated it before why do you think you'll like it now? You don't have to radically change your diet - maybe just lay off the 'meat heavy meals' and consume them in moderation and lighter portions. In my experience, starting a 'diet' that you don't like NEVER works.
  • spolice88WECHANGED
    spolice88WECHANGED Posts: 5
    Good points raised by all.

    I have some ethical issues with certain kinds of meat. In an English class we watched a documentary about a pig farm in Ohio and I had to walk out of the room to stop myself from crying/vomiting. I kind of avoid pig now whenever I can. As I come across more and more videos of the way animals are treated on farms, my opinion is rapidly changing about cows and chickens to match that of my opinion on pigs. I do what I can now, buying beef & chicken from places that I know treat the animals well and aren't pumped full of hormones.

    In regards to hating it before and possibly thinking I would enjoy it now has a lot to do with where I work. The company I work for strongly encourages healthy lifestyles, provides vegan lunches every week and has helped expose me to the real possibilities of vegetables. In the past year I have tripled my raw/fresh fruit & veggie consumption, so now I am curious what else I can do.

    I agree it is a personal decision, but it always helps to get feedback from people who have had success with it and who haven't!
  • earthboundmisfit
    earthboundmisfit Posts: 192 Member
    I've been a vegetarian for 31 years and recently went vegan and feel great. It's easy to get enough protein on a vegetarian diet. I saw the movie Forks over Knives and it was illuminating. Plant-based diets reduce your risk of cancer and heart disease. And I'm horrified about factory farming, it is awful. If you're a vegan you need to take a vitamin B12 supplement because vitamin B12 is found only in meat and dairy products. I think it's found in nori (seaweed) but I don't like to eat that.
  • LB2812
    LB2812 Posts: 158 Member
    It's a personal decision, some people think it's a terrible idea, some love it and of course it all depends on why you're doing it and what you hope to get out of it.

    You could start by reducing your meat intake and ease into it slowly so as to ensure you are going about it in a healthy way. This could be by cutting meat groups (no red meat, then no chicken, etc.) or by doing a "no meat during the week, just weekends" route... or you could go cold turkey. See what works for you.

    I've been a vegetarian for over 15 years now and while a little overweight, my health is good and so long as I give some thought to my meals I don't have too much issue with protein and nutrition. You do have to give thought to your meals though. My husband has been slowly making his way veggie... he stopped eating pork, then a few years later, all red meat... as an unexpected side effect he realized he doesn't get heart burn anymore so he's pleased with that! He still eats some chicken/turkey and very occasionally seafood... Don't be afraid to find a mix of what works for you.
  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
    Unless it's for ethical reasons, there is no reason to go that route. There's no health benefit to cutting out an entire food group. Meat is an integral part of a well-rounded diet. Doesn't mean you have to eat it every meal or, honestly, every day, but you should be eating lean meat regularly.

    If someone doesn't like meat or how they feel after eating it them they shouldn't eat it. Vegetarianism isn't always an ethical choice. I know people that don't eat meat because they don't like. Before I was vegetarian I didn't eat fish because of the weird texture.
  • Iwantahealthierme30
    Iwantahealthierme30 Posts: 293 Member
    I have been vegetarian for about 5 months now and I LOVE IT. I find I enjoy finding ways around meat and that makes me think about what I'm eating and how healthy it is and I find I love vegetables now that I eat more of them. Yes, you have to watch your protein and iron but I am lacto-ovo (I eat dairy and eggs) so it's not that hard. I also take vitamins and it's working out for me. I do not miss meat even when other people are eating it, I just don't see it as food anymore.

    Much healthier than say a points diet on weight watchers or something, which I tried once and it made me anemic.

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