Vegetarian Beginners

everybodysfav
everybodysfav Posts: 14 Member
edited November 22 in Health and Weight Loss
Any tips for becoming vegetarian and how to stay motivated?
«1

Replies

  • strong_curves
    strong_curves Posts: 2,229 Member
    I don't know but if you decide to become vegan I don't think this is the best site to ask how to become vegan.

    First detox teas now veganism, you're all over the place. Are you asking these questions because you're trying to find a weight loss plan for yourself?
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    I have been a lifelong vegetarian. My only tips are to try as many new recipes as possible.

    Find staple dishes that you actually ENJOY eating. You won't stay vegetarian very long if you don't genuinely enjoy your new diet. It has to be something you can maintain forever.

    EXPAND YOUR PALATE! Try new fruits, veggies, products, etc. Step outside the box. Re-try veggies you think you dont like right now by cooking them in different methods.

    Most of all, don't fall into the "it has no meat therefore its healthy" nonsense. I got fat when i was around 19 years old by eating "vegetarian" cheese fries with ranch, cheese pizza, fried noodles, ramen, ice cream, bean burritos, chips and queso, french fries, doritos, etc. These were staples in my diet. You can still eat too many calories while being vegetarian.
  • everybodysfav
    everybodysfav Posts: 14 Member
    yes I always wanted to become vegetarian. I tried but never could maintain it. Also a friend told me a the detox tea and yes I'm trying to find a good weight loss plan I could stick to that's not so challenging lol.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    strong_curves wrote: »
    I don't know but if you decide to become vegan I don't think this is the best site to ask how to become vegan.

    First detox teas now veganism, you're all over the place. Are you asking these questions because you're trying to find a weight loss plan for yourself?

    vegetarian*

    not vegan. atleast from what i read.
  • everybodysfav
    everybodysfav Posts: 14 Member
    I think becoming vegan is an huge step I wanted to take baby steps first by trying out being vegetarian again I did it for 3 weeks and I found myself slacking off.
  • luveydov
    luveydov Posts: 36 Member
    Are you asking how to stay motivated as a vegetarian. I've been a vegetarian for 25 years and never needed motivation to be one. I started for heart health reasons and then gradually developed ethical reasons. Vegetarianism is not a weight loss plan. I'm am 100 lbs overweight and am working CICO for weight loss.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    everybodysfav wrote: »
    I think becoming vegan is an huge step I wanted to take baby steps first by trying out being vegetarian again I did it for 3 weeks and I found myself slacking off.

    what were you eating during this time frame?

    AND:

    What do you actually like to eat? What are current staples in your diet that you found yourself not able to live without?
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    edited July 2015
    luveydov wrote: »
    Are you asking how to stay motivated as a vegetarian. I've been a vegetarian for 25 years and never needed motivation to be one. I started for heart health reasons and then gradually developed ethical reasons. Vegetarianism is not a weight loss plan. I'm am 100 lbs overweight and am working CICO for weight loss.

    Gosh Dang! I am only 24 years old (and a half :wink: ) and i've been vegetarian my whole life. And it's not often i hear of someone else being a vegetarian longer than me. Kudos to you!

    Also, yes. It is very easy to eat too many calories while being vegetarian.
  • Glampinupdoll
    Glampinupdoll Posts: 234 Member
    I've been vegetarian for about 4 months now. Not for weightloss reasons but for mass production of food reasons....anyhow, I eat the same things I did...just double portions of veggies/ sides to replace meat. Lots of water, I don't miss meat at all. If you really want to be vegetarian, you will. If you are doing it for weightloss only, I don't think it will last. Why not just eat what you want and count calories. I'm veg for reasons other than weightloss. If you really believe in those reasons, it shouldn't be a struggle. Good luck!!
  • everybodysfav
    everybodysfav Posts: 14 Member
    I always loved vegetables a lot since I was young so that wasn't the hard part. I seen myself slacking or going back to meat because I ran out of ideas especially for breakfast.
  • luveydov
    luveydov Posts: 36 Member
    I think I misunderstood your questions. You are asking for advice on how to stay on the path of vegetarianism? Preparation helps. Have everything you need at home to cook. Some of my favorite places for recipes are fat free vegan and oh she glows. If you eat out a lot, make sure you know what your options are before you get to the restaurant, even if you have to call ahead.
  • everybodysfav
    everybodysfav Posts: 14 Member
    luveydov wrote: »
    Are you asking how to stay motivated as a vegetarian. I've been a vegetarian for 25 years and never needed motivation to be one. I started for heart health reasons and then gradually developed ethical reasons. Vegetarianism is not a weight loss plan. I'm am 100 lbs overweight and am working CICO for weight loss.

    I know it isn't a weight loss plan it's something I'm interested in trying. I just wanted some tips on staying focus because we all are HUMAN!
  • everybodysfav
    everybodysfav Posts: 14 Member
    Glampinupdoll wrote: »
    I've been vegetarian for about 4 months now. Not for weightloss reasons but for mass production of food reasons....anyhow, I eat the same things I did...just double portions of veggies/ sides to replace meat. Lots of water, I don't miss meat at all. If you really want to be vegetarian, you will. If you are doing it for weightloss only, I don't think it will last. Why not just eat what you want and count calories. I'm veg for reasons other than weightloss. If you really believe in those reasons, it shouldn't be a struggle. Good luck!!

    Thank you so much!
  • mitch16
    mitch16 Posts: 2,113 Member
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    luveydov wrote: »
    Are you asking how to stay motivated as a vegetarian. I've been a vegetarian for 25 years and never needed motivation to be one. I started for heart health reasons and then gradually developed ethical reasons. Vegetarianism is not a weight loss plan. I'm am 100 lbs overweight and am working CICO for weight loss.

    Gosh Dang! I am only 24 years old (and a half :wink: ) and i've been vegetarian my whole life. And it's not often i hear of someone else being a vegetarian longer than me. Kudos to you!

    Also, yes. It is very easy to eat too many calories while being vegetarian.

    My sister turned 49 a few weeks ago and has been vegetarian since she decided to become one in the 7th grade! 36 years of not eating meat (and fish/shellfish went out of the diet 25 years ago due to her developing an allergy). I give her a lot of credit because I have gone meatless for years at a time but always seem to come back because I really appreciate a nice, rare filet mignon. Echoing the "not a weight loss plan"--you can still eat too much even if you a a vegetarian--even though I am 4 inches taller than her, we weigh about the same right now...

  • hactci
    hactci Posts: 7 Member
    There are those vegetarian meat things, its easy to make sandwiches out of them. I eat them a lot and they have a lot of protein, which some people say is hard to get on a veg diet. Target has a few, morning star makes ok chicken things, Gardein makes the best meatballs I think, and good turkey. Quorn has great chicken/turkey but its a bit more expensive.


    if you cook for yourself, Italian food is easy to do vegetarian, and so is chinese food if you substitute meats for tofu
    indian food is great for vegetarians because a lot of it is meatless anyway, but some people don't like it, and the ingredients can be uncommon.
  • luveydov
    luveydov Posts: 36 Member
    I hear you! I did not go cold turkey (no pun intended.) I started removing red meat from my diet, then poultry, and finally seafood (I became allergic.) Before I met my husband (also vegetarian) I was not very good at reading labels and makings sure everything was veg. Now I read everything. And always ask at restaurants, e.g. how is this soup made?
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    everybodysfav wrote: »
    Any tips for becoming vegetarian and how to stay motivated?

    what is your reason for becoming a vegetarian?? this isn't like trying to find some motivation to do a run when you really don't want to. you're fundamentally changing your diet. the reason is motivation enough.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    I'm not a vegetarian but I think when starting a new WOE it is a good idea to research and read as much as possible. Try googling best vegetarian books and read a few. Find a few bloggers that seem educated whom you aspire to emulate and copy them for a while. The more you know about it the easier it will be to follow that diet.

    Good luck with it!
  • everybodysfav
    everybodysfav Posts: 14 Member
    luveydov wrote: »
    I hear you! I did not go cold turkey (no pun intended.) I started removing red meat from my diet, then poultry, and finally seafood (I became allergic.) Before I met my husband (also vegetarian) I was not very good at reading labels and makings sure everything was veg. Now I read everything. And always ask at restaurants, e.g. how is this soup made?

    Okay and I think that was my problem. I was trying to make a huge change so quickly. I need to take step by step since I've already cut out red meats I need to go a step further then a step further thanks a lot!

  • everybodysfav
    everybodysfav Posts: 14 Member
    hactci wrote: »
    There are those vegetarian meat things, its easy to make sandwiches out of them. I eat them a lot and they have a lot of protein, which some people say is hard to get on a veg diet. Target has a few, morning star makes ok chicken things, Gardein makes the best meatballs I think, and good turkey. Quorn has great chicken/turkey but its a bit more expensive.


    if you cook for yourself, Italian food is easy to do vegetarian, and so is chinese food if you substitute meats for tofu
    indian food is great for vegetarians because a lot of it is meatless anyway, but some people don't like it, and the ingredients can be uncommon.

    thanks
  • luveydov
    luveydov Posts: 36 Member
    Ha Rainbow, I am plenty old enough! I became a vegetarian when my father told me his cardiologist recommended that all of his children have angiograms to test for heart disease. I was 30.

    OP Another thing is to make sure you don't beat yourself up. Just like dieting, if you "fall off the wagon" just get right back on. Eventually you won't crave those things.
  • ffbrown25
    ffbrown25 Posts: 110 Member
    everybodysfav wrote: »
    I always loved vegetables a lot since I was young so that wasn't the hard part. I seen myself slacking or going back to meat because I ran out of ideas especially for breakfast.

    I loooooooooove eating meatless sausage patties for breakfast! I have been a vegetarian for about thirteen years, though, and I don't really remember what meat tastes like. So I don't know if meatless sausage patties would hit that craving for you? But they are worth a shot!
  • ashypashy7
    ashypashy7 Posts: 50 Member
    Make sure to remember a complete vegetarian protein are things like beans and whole wheat rice. Try lots of recipes out and try not to get roped into pasta everyday all day lol. I too gained a lot of weight the first time I went vegetarian. I can easily never eat meat again, but I could never go vegan and give up cheese.
  • luveydov
    luveydov Posts: 36 Member
    What do you like to have for breakfast? If you really want "meat" for breakfast, try some of the meat substitutes. We keep Morningstar breakfast patties in the freezer. They have the same spices as regular sausage, so you are getting a similar flavor.
  • Athijade
    Athijade Posts: 3,300 Member
    You can ignore my advice if you want as I do eat meat, but only about 20% of the time. I also can not have soy die to a medical condition so I don't eat fake meat or tofu. When I could eat soy I did often have tofu, but I HATED the fake meat stuff. It was disgusting! The reasons I cut down on meat are cost and being able to get a local source of what I do eat.

    Being vegetarian means creativity. It's not as easy in general (for me) when it comes to coming up with meal ideas. My two favorite cookbooks are:

    How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman
    Cook Without, a Book Meatless Meals by Pam Anderson

    Both of these are amazing.

    Also, I have quite a few recipes saved on my Pinterest board. If you want a link to that, send me a message.

    Honestly, I could never be 100% vegetarian, but I do enjoy the way I do it now.
  • chrisfwood
    chrisfwood Posts: 37 Member
    Unless you have the right reasons to become veggie (or even pescatarian) you are not going to have any motivation beyond I fancy trying this, just like any diet the better the reason for starting the better your chances of success.

    I have been pescatarian for 28 years or as a veggie colleague calls me fussy, but then he has been veggie for life and I choose to become pescatarian.
  • britishswenglish
    britishswenglish Posts: 23 Member
    My dad had already been a vegetarian before I was born so I grew up eating vegetarian versions of everything. Nowadays there are so many veggie versions of meat products that it's quite easy to replace them directly in a recipe! A good brand I can recommend is Yves: http://www.yvesveggie.com/index.php It's a Canadian company but a quick search on their store locator shows that the products are available in the US as well. Even though I no longer live with my dad and haven't given up meat entirely, I still prefer using veggie ground round as opposed to ground beef in most recipes. There are a lot of good vegetarian cookbooks out there as well.

    If you're worried about giving up so much food at once it might be a good idea to go pescatarian first so you can still eat fish.
  • luveydov
    luveydov Posts: 36 Member
    That Mark Bittman book is great.

    I try to keep meals pretty simple. Today I am going to make some quinoa and add roasted brussels sprouts and black beans. I cook my quinoa in veg broth seasoned like chicken broth. Sometime I'll add bouillon for more flavor. This dish is good with any number of different kinds of vegetables, and super easy.
  • luveydov
    luveydov Posts: 36 Member
    As far as the fake meat is concerned. I almost never use it in cooking. Chilli with beans is just as good for me. Chopped up broccoli heads in marinara sauce, makes it seam meaty. At holidays, I make a vegetarian version of all our favorite side dishes and may add some sort of baked tofu steak, but not always. But, I do occasionally buy tofu pups hot dogs and boca vegan burgers. For both, I think the toppings make the dish and remind me of childhood favorites.
  • KMBarnes1981
    KMBarnes1981 Posts: 5 Member
    Green kitchen stories is one of my favourite veggie recipe blogs. You can get lots of recipe inspiration through sites such as yummly and Pinterest. The key is to make sure you have a varied diet - preferably one that isn't overloaded with carbs. Good luck!
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