Eliminating Meat from my Diet
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It does not aid in weight loss... I have been a vegetarian my entire life, not even a single bite has entered my mouth. I eat healthy but I have big portions which end with weight gain. You should stick to what you are doing but just pick leaner sources of meat, but if you think being vegetarian will work for you then go for it. It is your life and you can do whatever you set your mind to.0
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I was vegetarian for 12 years, fat for 12 years too.
It wasn't untill I started being mindful of what I ate, which meant including small amounts of quality meat from 'happy' animals that I lost weight and became so much healthier.0 -
'Vegetarian' sounds healthy, and you can imagine it resulting in a diet full of nothing but vegetables and fruits and seeds and the like, but it's just as easy to be unhealthy as a vegetarian as somebody who eats meat - the only thing you're dropping, after all, is meat, which isn't inherently bad for you.
I know vegetarians who eat healthily, sure, I also know some that eat huge amounts of bread and cake and chocolate and crisps etc. Trust me, they are not boosting their weightloss by not eating chicken instead.0 -
Don't do it! Eliminate added sugar and eat less high GI carbs instead
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throw away absolutely everything you think you know about losing weight
focus on calories in < calories out
because ... it works0 -
lol0
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"cleanse"
Yer funny.0 -
I'm a vegetarian because I can't digest meat properly. Others are vegetarians for ethical reasons.
No one is a vegetarian to "cleanse" their body because the body cleanses itself just fine.0 -
I would only eliminate it if you have major ethical issues from it. Otherwise, it will make getting essential amino acids more difficult. Also take into consideration, you might have to get b12 shots (or supplement) and you have to be careful about getting enough iron. I have personally seen a few people who thought going vegetarian just meant giving up me.. to only end up in the hospital with severe deficiencies.
There is nothing unhealthy about protein, in fact it increases satiety and helps with muscle retention, but it may be beneficial to limit large quantities.0 -
Paul_Collyer wrote: »Don't do it! Eliminate added sugar and eat less high GI carbs instead
No.0 -
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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 -
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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 !
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i'm sorry i love my bacon too much haha0
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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
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