Eliminating Meat from my Diet
Replies
-
Paul_Collyer wrote: »Don't do it! Eliminate added sugar and eat less high GI carbs instead
No.0 -
-
That's a great idea if your only goal is to cleanse your body of meat. Success!!!
But, if your goal is weight loss, a much better strategy is to focus on your calorie intake.0 -
Take it from a fat vegetarian...eliminating meat doesn't mean you'll lose weight. Being a vegetarian didn't stop me from eating too many chips or ice cream and gaining over 100 lbs. Also, you'll still be eating those calories from meat but with meat substitutes (i.e. chick pea burgers, seitan, tofu). It's not like eliminating meat is taking calories off your plate completely. When people say they lost weight after switching to a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, I think it's more about them paying closer attention to their eating habits overall rather than it having to do with any particular path over another.
That being said, if you still want to take out meat, I suggest you do it slowly--one food at a time and finding some alternatives you like before moving on to the next. When someone is motivated by medical or ethical reasons, it's easier to go cold turkey. To be budget friendly, don't rely solely on pre-packaged vegetarian products. They're a great starting point, but the cost can add up quickly especially if you have a family or significant other you're also feeding. Not all vegetarian food is created equal. It'll be trial and error for a while.0 -
Start small. Eliminate red meat for 6 months, see how you do. Move on to eliminating pork. Ditto for chicken and seafood. I stopped eating beef/pork/chicken starting about 8 years ago. I cut out one meat per year. I still eat seafood because I L-O-V-E salmon/tuna/shrimp. There's nothing wrong with not eating meat, you just have to find protein elsewhere. Your body doesn't really know the difference between pork and chicken and fish and beef protein-wise, we never lose the ability to digest it, no matter how long we've stopped consuming. You can't really "cleanse" by cutting it out, but personally, it made me feel better digestively. I stopped eating beef in 2007 because I don't digest it well--no matter now much fiber and water I drank I was always....sluggish...in the bathroom. Once I quit eating meat (except seafood) I regulated to 2-3 times a day (TMI!) and I feel SOOOO MUCH MORE ENERGETIC. But thats just me! It may be different for you! The biggest challenge will be eating enough protein, but here are my go-tos:
Kale salad. Look for whole foods garlicky kale online. Easy to make at home and keeps for a couple of days in fridge.
Nutritional yeast: make mashed cauliflower, sprinkle on popcorn instead of butter or cheese powder, sprinkle on pasta, veggies, rice. 3G protein in 1 tbsp. tastes kind of nutty/cheesy. My partner is lactose intolerant and hates spicy food so I make her a lot of veggies with NY on/in them to jazz them up without added fat and salt or heat.
QUINOA QUINOA QUINOA. I make mine with water, then as it's boiling down add unsalted veg stock. Extra flavor! My partner loves when I add dried cherries or pomegranate seeds or dried crans and green onions right before you serve it.
Egg whites make great frittata, quiche, etc. I love a good quiche with asparagus and...you guessed it...nutritional yeast (sprinkle on top).
Edamame makes a great addition to stir fry or soups or just roasted and snacked on. Chick peas too. I find I don't get as gassy with chick peas as much as other peas/beans.
Extra firm tofu makes a great meat substitute for sandwiches/burgers/chicken sammies. Slice it into 5-6 slices and press between paper towels for 10 min before you cook it. I press mine under a dinner plate with cans of veggies on the plate. Then I sear it in a nonstick skillet and make a buffalo sauce/blue cheese/lettuce topping and eat on a wrap or bread. Also cut into strips and make stir fry with edamame, peppers, broccoli, etc, and of course QUINOA!
If you end up like me, I cut meat out for health reasons but it moved to ethical reasons later on. I stopped wearing leather and eating cheese with rennet. Cheese is my downfall and it's hard to find vegetarian cheeses because most labels just list "enzymes" as an ingredient but they don't say if they were harvested from cow stomach lining or vegetable sources.
Good luck! I'm happy to share recipes!0 -
Vegetarians and vegans as a group have much better cholesterol profiles and less heart disease and strokes
So besides watching calories if you eat meat- and I am a happy carnivore- choose your meat carefully- the person who asked the question is on the right track- I only eat meat a few days a week and would be vegetarian if I wouldn't miss it- my 3 kids are all vegetarian - vegan for ethical reasons and my husband and I have raised them allowing this and making sure their nutrition is balanced - I am the only one who is overweight- because I eat too much of a good thing- any advice is appreciated - ie how to avoid second helpings!
As for the cleansing- I agree with the bother comments- the body does a great job as long as your liver and kidney are working ok
Good luck to all0 -
-
TheChelseaElizabeth wrote: »I've been vegan for three years and it's one of the best decisions I've ever made for myself. With that said, I didn't do it for weight loss or any type of cleansing. There are tons of protein options out there (tofu, seitan, beans, nuts, whole grains, seeds, etc.), and going meat-free can be a very healthy, wholesome diet when done properly. Do some research, think about it, and then make whatever decision you feel is best for you. While I did drop a few pounds initially without trying (it's hard to get meat-free fast food as a meal, for instance), I do agree that equating cutting meat with weight loss will probably only end in disappointment
I'm not a veggie but very nice post !
0 -
i'm sorry i love my bacon too much haha0
-
I am thinking of eliminating meat from my diet. I think it would be a great way to cleanse my body. Boost weightloss!
I decided to go vegetarian on January 1st, mainly because of ethical reasons. There are plenty of great ways to get healthy protein sources through plant sources. Just do your research. But you don't need to clease your body. The body is an amazing machine. Going vegetarian in a personal choice and no one shold tell you its right or wrong for whatever reason. Eating meat is a personal choice. If you choose to continue to eat a meat based diet fine, but you don't need to give up meat for a cleanse. Since going vegetarian, I have managed to lose 4.2 lbs in 10 days. It gave my body a bit of a kick since the change in routine. I'm sure it will slow in the coming weeks.0 -
Why do you have to completely eliminate meat? Why not just cut back some, and see how you feel?
I've written several vegetarian cookbooks, and I write for several food websites, mostly about alternatives to meat. If you need any recipes, just let me know. I make the worlds best vegetarian chili, faux crab salad, faux chicken salad, etc.......They all taste like the real thing.0 -
Why do you have to completely eliminate meat? Why not just cut back some, and see how you feel?
I've written several vegetarian cookbooks, and I write for several food websites, mostly about alternatives to meat. If you need any recipes, just let me know. I make the worlds best vegetarian chili, faux crab salad, faux chicken salad, etc.......They all taste like the real thing.
Nice guitar , Ovation ?
0 -
Why do you have to completely eliminate meat? Why not just cut back some, and see how you feel?
I've written several vegetarian cookbooks, and I write for several food websites, mostly about alternatives to meat. If you need any recipes, just let me know. I make the worlds best vegetarian chili, faux crab salad, faux chicken salad, etc.......They all taste like the real thing.
Nice guitar , Ovation ?
definitely0 -
My body cleanses itself every day at about 9 am.0
This discussion has been closed.
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 393.6K Introduce Yourself
- 43.8K Getting Started
- 260.3K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.9K Food and Nutrition
- 47.5K Recipes
- 232.5K Fitness and Exercise
- 431 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.6K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153K Motivation and Support
- 8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.8K MyFitnessPal Information
- 24 News and Announcements
- 1.1K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.6K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions