No more meat...

I don't have any suggestions for you but I will definately keep an eye on your post for ideas from others.

I really don't have an interest in going completely vegetarian but I've really neve liked meat and certainly never get a craving for a big, fat, slab of steak. YUCK !!

I don't mind eggs so much (as long as the yoke is busted and throughly cooked) but I get my protein from peanut butter and other nuts (which is also my greatest source of fat) so I'm really not sure how to make it work.

Great topic !! I hope you get lots of advice.

Good luck.

Eva

Make sure you take some supplements. There are certain enzymes in meats that your body requires. Don't be freaked out by certain bodily changes...they will go away (hairloss, constipation, can't remember others).

What? I was vegetarian for almost a year and didn't take any supplements and I didn't have any body changes except becoming thinner and more 'regular'. Hair loss??? Meat is not required to grow hair.

I like to cook with TVP.. it's cheap and full of protein, and it takes on the flavor of whatever you cook it in.

Let me preface this by saying, I am NOT a vegetarian. I LOVE meat in all of its various forms.

HOWEVER, I do sometimes go days without eating meat at all, and its mostly because I try to balance my diet with other forms of protein like: Tofu, beans, lentils, chick peas, nuts, seeds and the like. They're great in Mexican food, and can be completely substituted for meat in things like chili, curries and other delicious stuff. They can be added to salads, blended into dips, baked into muffins - the possibilities are endless!

You might also want to consider adding a protein shake to your diet to make sure you are getting enough protein. I make mine breakfast every morning with a banana and some almond milk.

Remember, protein helps build muscle, so if you're cutting meat from your diet, you need to make sure you replace it with as many different sources as you can. Our bodies like variety, so if you're not willing to try as many different replacements as possible, you might want to reconsider!

Hope this helps! Good luck on your journey!

Make sure you take some supplements. There are certain enzymes in meats that your body requires. Don't be freaked out by certain bodily changes...they will go away (hairloss, constipation, can't remember others).

What? I was vegetarian for almost a year and didn't take any supplements and I didn't have any body changes except becoming thinner and more 'regular'. Hair loss??? Meat is not required to grow hair.

I've been vegetarian for almost 5 years now and never had any 'side effects'! As long as you know what to eat to get all the vitamins & minerals you need then you'll be fine!

I don't eat meat (do sometimes eat fish)...feel free to friend me, my diary is open to friends, so you can have a look at things I typically eat.

I last ate meat when I was 16 and I'm 39 now....I don't take supplements and am feeling just fine, lol!

I would like to know what "not going completely" vegetarian means. If you don't eat meat...?? Unless you mean eggs? Or fish? I don't know, in my book being a vegetarian means no animals period. So no eggs or fish, but I know a lot of people see that differently!

I know several ppl who say they are vegetarian but still eat seafood, some even eat chicken. As if not eating beef or pork makes then vegetarian. Growing up (I'm a grandma now) I had never even heard the word vegan. Either you ate meat or you didn't.

I would like to know what "not going completely" vegetarian means. If you don't eat meat...?? Unless you mean eggs? Or fish? I don't know, in my book being a vegetarian means no animals period. So no eggs or fish, but I know a lot of people see that differently!

I know several ppl who say they are vegetarian but still eat seafood, some even eat chicken. As if not eating beef or pork makes then vegetarian. Growing up (I'm a grandma now) I had never even heard the word vegan. Either you ate meat or you didn't.

Yeah, that irritated me A LOT when I heard people say that. "OMG I'M VEGETARIAN TOO! I HAD CHICKEN NUGGETS EARLIER!!" Ugh. But different strokes for different folks I guess!!

Make sure you take some supplements. There are certain enzymes in meats that your body requires. Don't be freaked out by certain bodily changes...they will go away (hairloss, constipation, can't remember others).

Just fyi, I was vegetarian or vegan for many years and never had any of those issues. They were the healthiest years of my life. Some people may experience some of those things for a brief time. especially if they are switching from a very meat and dairy centered diet, but they are temporary. Some people may also need to supplement B12 at some point, but not everyone needs to. (I didn't.) And contrary to what most people have been told, you do not necessarily need daily doses of B12. Your body is capable of storing enough to last YEARS. If you feel better taking supplements, that's ok, but don't feel like you "have" to.

IMO the key to a healthy vegetarian diet is VARIETY. Eat a very wide variety of high quality foods from all across the spectrum of choices - lots of different whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, fruits, and veggies - and you will get the best nutrition. My family eats occasional chicken, eggs, and dairy now (and my kids sometimes eat a few other meats), but many of our favorite foods are still veg. We eat different nuts, seeds, and butters from companies like Artisana, Rejuvinative Foods, and Blue Mountain Organics. We don't eat a lot of meat substitutes, but do like sprouted tofu once in a while. Sprouted tofu is easier to digest and higher in certain nutrients than regular tofu. For summer cookouts, we prefer "burgers" that are made with whole grains and vegetables like Sunshine Burgers and Amy's Bistro Burgers, rather than ones made with soy protein and wheat gluten. (My husband can not tolerate much wheat and we try not to eat a lot of soy.) We eat lots of different whole grains and flours, and we often sprout them as well for more nutrition. Quinoa is a big favorite around here. It's quick, easy, nutritious, and very tasty. We buy pre-sprouted quinoa from Tru Roots. We only eat small quantities of dairy, so what we do eat is the best quality we can buy - natural cheeses and butter from grass fed cows, homemade kefir and Greek yogurt, etc. We raise chickens for fresh eggs and also have a huge garden and fruit trees, so our produce is very fresh in the summer. (I personally think this is why I didn't need B12 supplements. B12 is found in microorganisms that live in the soil and I only wash our organic veggies if they are very dirty. Most of them are eaten right in the garden!) We also make a lot of green smoothies. I feel FANTASTIC when I'm drinking green smoothies on a regular basis. I also find that when I am eating high quality, fiber filled, nutrient dense foods, smaller portions tend to make me feel full and satisfied much more quickly than refined and processed foods. A slice or two of homemade veggie pizza with sprouted grain crust will make me feel satiated in a way that an entire pizza from a restaurant just can't.