**Calling all Vegetarians**

Welcome back!

So this is probably my 3rd time trying to be a vegetarian and I think I will be for good this time around. Each time I learned something different (like taking my vitamins, there are so many great recipes out there, and making sure I take in enough protein). So far things have been going well - I feel more energy and I am more satisfied with my meals. I am still exploring different ingredients and such in the kitchen, but the process has been great this time around

I have removed meat from my diet without an issue. I still consume some dairy products (yogurt/ice cream). I do not eat eggs, but I do eat things that may contain eggs. I am trying to ween myself from dairy and eggs, but not sure if I am committed to doing that yet lol

Many of the dishes from my country (dominican republic) can be made vegetarian or are already vegetarian friendly so for me, it has not been too bad of a transition. I find myself cooking more, but that's never a bad thing!

Anyways - hope it works out for you!

I also took time to transition to being vegetarian - about six months. I started with cutting out red meat and pork (wasn't that hard for me really, I was never a huge fan), and then chicken (that was harder, mostly because I didn't know what else to make). Never liked or ate fish to start with. I chose to go vegetarian for moral reasons, but it was still a bit of a hurdle for me to get over in terms of family acceptance (oh the ridiculing I had to endure, the endless explaining and defending! They eventually got over it.), and relearning how to cook. I would actually say that going vegetarian forced me to learn how to REALLY cook

At no point have I ever missed or had cravings for meat; in fact, like Alecia, I find the smell disgusting now (it just smells dead and rotting, blech), however, I have no problems with people eating meat around me. To each their own, I say. I have been vegetarian for 14 years now, and was fully vegan for at least 3 of those, although I am not currently vegan. Both of my children have been vegetarian since birth.

My best piece of advice on this is to realize that a vegetarian diet does not automatically equal a healthy diet. You can live on soda and french fries and call yourself vegan, technically. Learn how to put meals together from real, whole foods first. "Meat substitutes" (I immensely dislike that whole marketing angle) can be tasty (just don't expect it to be like meat!) and a good source of concentrated vegetarian protein, but can actually be very limiting to your culinary creativity which in turn can hamper learning what a healthy well-balanced vegetarian diet is like.

Good luck!

I'm currently on a search for all sorts of information relating to vegetarian/vegan diets and health, and I found a lot of this very interesting!

Over the past six months I've gradually been going off meat, as I find that I'm becoming more and more aware that it's flesh, and simply not enjoying eating it. I've also found I feel incredibly bloated and sluggish if I've had heavily meat-based dishes.
I've been trying out various quorn recipes for the meat dishes that I do really enjoy, and last night I made a vegan curry which was so delicious, filling and healthy that it's really spurred me on to try more things.

I'm very keen to start experimenting more with veggie/vegan food, and to gradually start cutting out various meats - not only because of my new dislike for some meats, but also for the health benefits. There are a few types of meat that I do still enjoy on a rare occasion, so I don't think I will be 100% vegetarian, but I'm keen for any encouragement and tips to really get the most out of a change in diet!

I've been vegetarian for about 6 years now, but I can still remember how it was when I first decided to cut out meat. I was in college and still living with my meat-eating family, so I did have to cook all my own meals separately - but I enjoy cooking so I didn't mind that. Over the years I've found that it's surprisingly easy to find veggie alternatives to most 'regular' meals - spaghetti bolognaise, shepherd's pie, chilli con carne, etc can all be made just as well with Quorn mince, and things like curries can be made either with Quorn pieces or just with veg - I found potatoes work very well as the bulk of a curry. Even things like roast dinners/Sunday lunch have been fine - you can get all sorts of nut roasts or Quorn roasts, as well as other interesting things like risotto bakes which serve as the main part of a roast dinner.

As for traveling abroad, it can be pretty difficult in some countries, because not every culture has vegetarianism as a common diet. If travel is important for you, I think it will all come down to your personal reasons for going veggie in the first place - if you're doing it purely for dietary reasons, I don't see a problem with you eating meat/fish when you're traveling. However, if you're doing it for moral or environmental reasons (eg. you're against the way most animals are treated when they're bread for meat), then you're probably going to have to compromise. Having said all that, I've been to South Africa, Thailand, and Tenerife since turning veggie and I don't feel I missed out too much. I actually found (in Tenerife) some restaurants were happy to come up with meat-free dishes when I explained my diet to them (in rather bad Spanish).

I had ben vegetarian and then vegan, then started 2 months ago to eat dairy, and chicken and fish..I feel awful and I am trying to get back but, I am having a hard time with it. Anyone experience this? any support would be appreciated. thanks

Hey! Welcome back
I have been meat free all my life!

Hey! I've been a vegetarian for about a year now, but only about a month ago I stopped eating fish. So I am completely 100% a true vegetarian now and I love it!! Maybe when I'm older I will become a vegan, but for right now I am content on being a vegetarian, and I recommend the veggie lifestyle to anyone:) I can't tell you how great it is knowing I'm not harming any animals by eating them or contributing to buying meat. Good luck:)

Hey! Welcome back I've been vegetarian since I was 10 (13years), and I can remember the transition clearly.
I started by cutting red meats out (wisn't a big fan anyway) then I cut the chicken and fish out after a few months. I didn't crave anything at all. It's only recently I started craving things like nuggets and meatballs so I've upped the protein intake and the cravings have gone.
You can do it if you really want to, like others I done it for ethical and "aawww I can't eat those lambs and piglets they're my fwiends".
If you do, make sure you get the other source of protein ^_^ and best of luck!! Xx

i've been a vegetarian since january, 1994 -not my first time being a vegetarian, but the one that stuck. the reason was probably because i used some meatlike veggie stuff in my diet. the first time i went veg, an arby's sandwich seduced me back to meat. in 1994, they used to have faux roast beef that was amazing, and it got me over the hard part. my meat eating relatives sometimes join me in a faux turkey for thanksgiving, and my son - a bigtime meat eater - now eats morningstar farms sausage for breakfast. my husband went veggie about a year after he and i got together.

keep in mind that potatoes, bread, oatmeal are all vegetarian, as is pasta, so there's a lot of easy, inexpensive veggie options - and since you do dairy, that means parmesean on your pasta