Thinking about going vegetarian
Replies
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So my questions are: what's the need to take on the label of "vegetarian"? I mean, if you like chicken, why not just reduce how often you eat it? is it because if you label yourself "vegetarian" you have put a set of perceived restrictions on yourself?
if you go days without eating meat and not miss it, just continue to do that. and sometimes eat chicken, fish and eggs.0 -
i started easing into a vegetarian diet for a lot of reasons, but my first and main immediate benefit was to force myself to plan my meals carefully. instead of just eating a couple of cheap hot dogs at dinner and figuring i was set, i felt like i had to actually keep track of my protein to make sure i was getting enough. the danger of drastically under-nourishing myself by eating nothing but bread was enough for me to start actually getting enough protein. i eat way more now than i did two years ago before i started.
i started out "only 3 meals with meat each week" and now i only eat meat under very special occasions, maybe five times a year? family holidays i will eat meat, also sometimes if im really drunk and tired i will forget and order some chicken nuggets at mcdonalds haha.
another thing i like about vegetarianism is that i automatically have cheaper protein sources. i dont like imitation meat, so i mostly just eat beans, nuts, dairy, and eggs every day to meet my protein and fat needs. eggs are $1.29 a dozen around here nowadays! nuts can get expensive though. also ive had to try new vegetables (eggplant parmesan instead of chicken) and i have to say, i like quite a bit of them now that i'm not a child anymore.
so, to recap, being vegetarian hasnt helped me with weight loss directly, but it has helped me be more aware of what im eating and what kind of macronutrient goals i can easily reach. i started slow as a challenge, and now am happily subsisting on pbjs and scrambled eggs with very occasional indulgences. if you decide to do this, good luck, and im sure you'll learn a lot about yourself along the way.0 -
I dated/lived with a vegetarian for a couple of years. He's been a vegetarian all his life - cultural. He was chubby as a vegetarian, he was underweight as a vegetarian, and he put on muscle as a vegetarian because it all came down to calorie intake (and protein, to a degree).
I cooked vegetarian for us and would only eat meat if we went out to eat. I found it a pain to hit my protein goals while staying at my calorie goal. I felt sluggish. I upped my dairy to try to get more protein in, and my skin broke out. It wasn't a way of eating I found sustainable for me, and admittedly I didn't research it as well as I should have. If you're going to go vegetarian, make sure you do it for the right reasons and prepare yourself for it. It's not as big of a lifestyle shift as veganism, but it does take thought and preparation to get adequate nutrition.0 -
Well, going vegetarian is tricky because you will limit your options in food that has protein content in them. Legumes, beans etc will give you carbs along wth protein. Since nonvegetarian ppl get protein readily from many options like fish, initially t will be difficult to find the proper foods with the macros you r looking for. You can find protein in eggs, so vegetarian life is better than vegans I guess
But you will definitely feel the difference once you get adapted to the vegetarian lifestyle. 0 -
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EmilyHughes801 wrote: »Okay, so I've been thinking maybe I should try going vegetarian. Mostly because I hate the way animals are treated leading up to their deaths basically. Also, I want to see if it'll help me lose weight faster and lead to a healthier body. Problem is I really love chicken like a lot. I also hate most fish. I can sometimes go days without eating meat and not miss it, but if my family or friends are going out to eat I have to have meat. I've tried giving up beef before, but sometimes I actually forget when I'm eating it. I've also never been a big pork fan and have never had lamb. Anyways I'm rambling now, but to the vegetarians out there...is it worth it? I mean it'll be hard for me at first, but did you guys see results pretty quickly?
Vegetarians still contribute to the death and mistreatment of animals. A vegan diet will help you lose weight and not harm all animals.
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redraidergirl2009 wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »One of my really good friends is a vegetarian...she's about 150 Lbs overweight...she basically lives off of processed veggie burgers, potato chips, french fries, cookies, and coca cola.
I'm an omnivore and eat a diet substantially of whole foods...I eat about 6 servings of veg daily and a couple servings of fruit...lots of whole grains and legumes and whole food starches...lean sourced protein (lots of chicken and fish) and healthy fats from things like avocados, nuts, and good cooking oils.
Who has the healthier diet? Hint, I'm pretty lean and fit and healthy...my vegetarian friend needs to lose a lot of weight.
Any diet can be unhealthy if you want it to be.
That was kind of my point...duh0 -
A calorie is not a calorie. Each nutrient acts differently. You will stay fat and hungry as long as you continue to eat a diet high in carbs. Your Body can't get to stored fat while lots of sugar is circulating in the blood because big bully INSULIN will not allow it. INSULIN is a fat inhibitor. Humans must have protein and fat to survive. Carbohydrates are not a necessary ingredient for human health. The lens of your eyes and your red blood cells need a tiny bit of glycogen but the liver can make this from the protein we eat. The Masai in Africa lived for millennia on animal blood, fatty meats and goats milk. No carbs folks. Check them out. Strong and tall and powerful people. The Inuit ate blubber from seals and Elk and no carbs. In the early 1900's a scientist lived with them and they ate solely fat and meat for 10 YEARS. Frequent blood tests continued over the years to show no ill effects. But I learned this all from watching Dr. Lustig, Dr. Jeff Volek, Dr. Stephen Phinney and Professor Tim Noakes on U-tube. Nothing is better than the truth. We have been lied too for over 40 years. When you find out you are carbohydrate intolerant, just like lactose intolerant, you realize for the first time, "Hey, I can't eat this stuff all I want because I will get sick and I will get fat". All this fat is from sugar molecules, for some people trans fats too, but not me. I was careful and followed that stupid food pyramid and ate what at the time I was told was healthy food, whole wheat grain bread and cereals, fruit like no tomorrow and tons of vegetables. Little did I know at the time that the body processes each nutrient differently. Little did I know that a sugar molecule was made up of half sucrose and half fructose. Yes I knew fructose was bad for you and I DID NOT DRINK POP or sports drinks, but I had no idea that the body sees the same amount of sugar in something like an ounce of pop and the equivalent of calories in fruit. The body processes it the same. Fruit is natures candy. The higher the carb content in your diet the more difficult to burn fat because as I said above, INSULIN is a bully and as long as it has lots of glycogen to burn, fat will never be utilized.0
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MonicaRAmbs wrote: »A calorie is not a calorie. Each nutrient acts differently. You will stay fat and hungry as long as you continue to eat a diet high in carbs. Your Body can't get to stored fat while lots of sugar is circulating in the blood because big bully INSULIN will not allow it. INSULIN is a fat inhibitor. Humans must have protein and fat to survive. Carbohydrates are not a necessary ingredient for human health. The lens of your eyes and your red blood cells need a tiny bit of glycogen but the liver can make this from the protein we eat. The Masai in Africa lived for millennia on animal blood, fatty meats and goats milk. No carbs folks. Check them out. Strong and tall and powerful people. The Inuit ate blubber from seals and Elk and no carbs. In the early 1900's a scientist lived with them and they ate solely fat and meat for 10 YEARS. Frequent blood tests continued over the years to show no ill effects. But I learned this all from watching Dr. Lustig, Dr. Jeff Volek, Dr. Stephen Phinney and Professor Tim Noakes on U-tube. Nothing is better than the truth. We have been lied too for over 40 years. When you find out you are carbohydrate intolerant, just like lactose intolerant, you realize for the first time, "Hey, I can't eat this stuff all I want because I will get sick and I will get fat". All this fat is from sugar molecules, for some people trans fats too, but not me. I was careful and followed that stupid food pyramid and ate what at the time I was told was healthy food, whole wheat grain bread and cereals, fruit like no tomorrow and tons of vegetables. Little did I know at the time that the body processes each nutrient differently. Little did I know that a sugar molecule was made up of half sucrose and half fructose. Yes I knew fructose was bad for you and I DID NOT DRINK POP or sports drinks, but I had no idea that the body sees the same amount of sugar in something like an ounce of pop and the equivalent of calories in fruit. The body processes it the same. Fruit is natures candy. The higher the carb content in your diet the more difficult to burn fat because as I said above, INSULIN is a bully and as long as it has lots of glycogen to burn, fat will never be utilized.
Thanks, I needed a good laugh...9 -
MonicaRAmbs wrote: »A calorie is not a calorie. Each nutrient acts differently. You will stay fat and hungry as long as you continue to eat a diet high in carbs. Your Body can't get to stored fat while lots of sugar is circulating in the blood because big bully INSULIN will not allow it. INSULIN is a fat inhibitor. Humans must have protein and fat to survive. Carbohydrates are not a necessary ingredient for human health. The lens of your eyes and your red blood cells need a tiny bit of glycogen but the liver can make this from the protein we eat. The Masai in Africa lived for millennia on animal blood, fatty meats and goats milk. No carbs folks. Check them out. Strong and tall and powerful people. The Inuit ate blubber from seals and Elk and no carbs. In the early 1900's a scientist lived with them and they ate solely fat and meat for 10 YEARS. Frequent blood tests continued over the years to show no ill effects. But I learned this all from watching Dr. Lustig, Dr. Jeff Volek, Dr. Stephen Phinney and Professor Tim Noakes on U-tube. Nothing is better than the truth. We have been lied too for over 40 years. When you find out you are carbohydrate intolerant, just like lactose intolerant, you realize for the first time, "Hey, I can't eat this stuff all I want because I will get sick and I will get fat". All this fat is from sugar molecules, for some people trans fats too, but not me. I was careful and followed that stupid food pyramid and ate what at the time I was told was healthy food, whole wheat grain bread and cereals, fruit like no tomorrow and tons of vegetables. Little did I know at the time that the body processes each nutrient differently. Little did I know that a sugar molecule was made up of half sucrose and half fructose. Yes I knew fructose was bad for you and I DID NOT DRINK POP or sports drinks, but I had no idea that the body sees the same amount of sugar in something like an ounce of pop and the equivalent of calories in fruit. The body processes it the same. Fruit is natures candy. The higher the carb content in your diet the more difficult to burn fat because as I said above, INSULIN is a bully and as long as it has lots of glycogen to burn, fat will never be utilized.
So how do you explain the blue zones where people commonly live to be over 100 in good health? They eat moderate to high carb.
Good lord, this post is filled with serious nonsense.1 -
Every single food i tend to over eat would be classed as vegetarian. Can't say I've ever binged out on meat.0
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alanlmarshall wrote: »
We are on the top of the food chain. It's entirely possible that chickens would be extinct but for their usefulness as human food. I get worrying about whales and even pigs but chickens are idiots. They're basically walking vegetables with protein.2 -
MonicaRAmbs wrote: »A calorie is not a calorie. Each nutrient acts differently. You will stay fat and hungry as long as you continue to eat a diet high in carbs. Your Body can't get to stored fat while lots of sugar is circulating in the blood because big bully INSULIN will not allow it. INSULIN is a fat inhibitor. Humans must have protein and fat to survive. Carbohydrates are not a necessary ingredient for human health. The lens of your eyes and your red blood cells need a tiny bit of glycogen but the liver can make this from the protein we eat. The Masai in Africa lived for millennia on animal blood, fatty meats and goats milk. No carbs folks. Check them out. Strong and tall and powerful people. The Inuit ate blubber from seals and Elk and no carbs. In the early 1900's a scientist lived with them and they ate solely fat and meat for 10 YEARS. Frequent blood tests continued over the years to show no ill effects. But I learned this all from watching Dr. Lustig, Dr. Jeff Volek, Dr. Stephen Phinney and Professor Tim Noakes on U-tube. Nothing is better than the truth. We have been lied too for over 40 years. When you find out you are carbohydrate intolerant, just like lactose intolerant, you realize for the first time, "Hey, I can't eat this stuff all I want because I will get sick and I will get fat". All this fat is from sugar molecules, for some people trans fats too, but not me. I was careful and followed that stupid food pyramid and ate what at the time I was told was healthy food, whole wheat grain bread and cereals, fruit like no tomorrow and tons of vegetables. Little did I know at the time that the body processes each nutrient differently. Little did I know that a sugar molecule was made up of half sucrose and half fructose. Yes I knew fructose was bad for you and I DID NOT DRINK POP or sports drinks, but I had no idea that the body sees the same amount of sugar in something like an ounce of pop and the equivalent of calories in fruit. The body processes it the same. Fruit is natures candy. The higher the carb content in your diet the more difficult to burn fat because as I said above, INSULIN is a bully and as long as it has lots of glycogen to burn, fat will never be utilized.
You must be new here.... 1 -
I am an occasional meat eater. I eat mostly vegetarian, but have encountered a problem. I cannot for the life of me get enough protein. It's not a bad thing, but comes with it's own set of problems.0
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sandybarnes280913 wrote: »EmilyHughes801 wrote: »Okay, so I've been thinking maybe I should try going vegetarian. Mostly because I hate the way animals are treated leading up to their deaths basically. Also, I want to see if it'll help me lose weight faster and lead to a healthier body. Problem is I really love chicken like a lot. I also hate most fish. I can sometimes go days without eating meat and not miss it, but if my family or friends are going out to eat I have to have meat. I've tried giving up beef before, but sometimes I actually forget when I'm eating it. I've also never been a big pork fan and have never had lamb. Anyways I'm rambling now, but to the vegetarians out there...is it worth it? I mean it'll be hard for me at first, but did you guys see results pretty quickly?
Vegetarians still contribute to the death and mistreatment of animals. A vegan diet will help you lose weight and not harm all animals.
Except the gophers and mice that get gruesomely ground up during harvest of all those soy beans.... But somehow they don't "count".
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I was vegetarian for a year and gained weight when I expected to lose pounds. Reflecting on that experience now, I realize that I was trying to be veggie while relying on my college dining hall for food, where I found myself eating hummus and cheese sandwiches, pasta, and cheese pizza more often than not. I eat a more veggie diet now that I'm living on my own and it's much easier to make better veggie choices. I still eat my cheese sandwiches and pasta, but I can bulk them up with a variety of veggies and I've come to enjoy my meatless meals. I would also say that you don't have to go all-or-nothing -- I eat mostly veggie meals, but I never turn down a burger when I go out to eat
Good luck!! 1 -
tlflag1620 wrote: »sandybarnes280913 wrote: »EmilyHughes801 wrote: »Okay, so I've been thinking maybe I should try going vegetarian. Mostly because I hate the way animals are treated leading up to their deaths basically. Also, I want to see if it'll help me lose weight faster and lead to a healthier body. Problem is I really love chicken like a lot. I also hate most fish. I can sometimes go days without eating meat and not miss it, but if my family or friends are going out to eat I have to have meat. I've tried giving up beef before, but sometimes I actually forget when I'm eating it. I've also never been a big pork fan and have never had lamb. Anyways I'm rambling now, but to the vegetarians out there...is it worth it? I mean it'll be hard for me at first, but did you guys see results pretty quickly?
Vegetarians still contribute to the death and mistreatment of animals. A vegan diet will help you lose weight and not harm all animals.
Except the gophers and mice that get gruesomely ground up during harvest of all those soy beans.... But somehow they don't "count".
They aren't farming the gophers and mice to eat is the difference.1 -
sunnybeaches105 wrote: »alanlmarshall wrote: »
We are on the top of the food chain. It's entirely possible that chickens would be extinct but for their usefulness as human food. I get worrying about whales and even pigs but chickens are idiots. They're basically walking vegetables with protein.
I disagree, but that's not the point. Eating free range chickens is a weak alternative to ethical vegetarianism.
1 -
redraidergirl2009 wrote: »tlflag1620 wrote: »sandybarnes280913 wrote: »EmilyHughes801 wrote: »Okay, so I've been thinking maybe I should try going vegetarian. Mostly because I hate the way animals are treated leading up to their deaths basically. Also, I want to see if it'll help me lose weight faster and lead to a healthier body. Problem is I really love chicken like a lot. I also hate most fish. I can sometimes go days without eating meat and not miss it, but if my family or friends are going out to eat I have to have meat. I've tried giving up beef before, but sometimes I actually forget when I'm eating it. I've also never been a big pork fan and have never had lamb. Anyways I'm rambling now, but to the vegetarians out there...is it worth it? I mean it'll be hard for me at first, but did you guys see results pretty quickly?
Vegetarians still contribute to the death and mistreatment of animals. A vegan diet will help you lose weight and not harm all animals.
Except the gophers and mice that get gruesomely ground up during harvest of all those soy beans.... But somehow they don't "count".
They aren't farming the gophers and mice to eat is the difference.
It would be less wasteful if they were.2 -
The vast majority of vegetarians I've met are overweight and very unhealthy. They're just more smug about what they eat is all. "Oh, you're gonna eat that? That's soo bad for you." *proceeds to eat a pound of processed pasta and candy bars*. Morally, they're often like the hybrid driver that preaches how awesome they are and what you should do simply for owning the car while doing absolitely nothing else that's productive or altruistic.
Bottom line: It won't necessarily make you lose weight. If you don't find alternatives to proteins it's not good for you. If you do go vegetarian, great but no one needs to hear about it more than once.1 -
Based onalanlmarshall wrote: »sunnybeaches105 wrote: »alanlmarshall wrote: »
We are on the top of the food chain. It's entirely possible that chickens would be extinct but for their usefulness as human food. I get worrying about whales and even pigs but chickens are idiots. They're basically walking vegetables with protein.
I disagree, but that's not the point. Eating free range chickens is a weak alternative to ethical vegetarianism.
Based on what made up ethical system? One that puts the lives of chickens ahead of human health? No thank you. Enjoy a diet that require supplementation and is sub-optimal. I'll enjoy what evolution gave me thank you very much.2 -
sunnybeaches105 wrote: »Based onalanlmarshall wrote: »sunnybeaches105 wrote: »alanlmarshall wrote: »
We are on the top of the food chain. It's entirely possible that chickens would be extinct but for their usefulness as human food. I get worrying about whales and even pigs but chickens are idiots. They're basically walking vegetables with protein.
I disagree, but that's not the point. Eating free range chickens is a weak alternative to ethical vegetarianism.
Based on what made up ethical system? One that puts the lives of chickens ahead of human health? No thank you. Enjoy a diet that require supplementation and is sub-optimal. I'll enjoy what evolution gave me thank you very much.
You can be perfectly healthy not eating chickens.1 -
redraidergirl2009 wrote: »tlflag1620 wrote: »sandybarnes280913 wrote: »EmilyHughes801 wrote: »Okay, so I've been thinking maybe I should try going vegetarian. Mostly because I hate the way animals are treated leading up to their deaths basically. Also, I want to see if it'll help me lose weight faster and lead to a healthier body. Problem is I really love chicken like a lot. I also hate most fish. I can sometimes go days without eating meat and not miss it, but if my family or friends are going out to eat I have to have meat. I've tried giving up beef before, but sometimes I actually forget when I'm eating it. I've also never been a big pork fan and have never had lamb. Anyways I'm rambling now, but to the vegetarians out there...is it worth it? I mean it'll be hard for me at first, but did you guys see results pretty quickly?
Vegetarians still contribute to the death and mistreatment of animals. A vegan diet will help you lose weight and not harm all animals.
Except the gophers and mice that get gruesomely ground up during harvest of all those soy beans.... But somehow they don't "count".
They aren't farming the gophers and mice to eat is the difference.
They aren't any less dead whether someone eats them or not.
1 -
redraidergirl2009 wrote: »sunnybeaches105 wrote: »Based onalanlmarshall wrote: »sunnybeaches105 wrote: »alanlmarshall wrote: »
We are on the top of the food chain. It's entirely possible that chickens would be extinct but for their usefulness as human food. I get worrying about whales and even pigs but chickens are idiots. They're basically walking vegetables with protein.
I disagree, but that's not the point. Eating free range chickens is a weak alternative to ethical vegetarianism.
Based on what made up ethical system? One that puts the lives of chickens ahead of human health? No thank you. Enjoy a diet that require supplementation and is sub-optimal. I'll enjoy what evolution gave me thank you very much.
You can be perfectly healthy not eating chickens.
True. I prefer beef and pork.
1 -
tlflag1620 wrote: »redraidergirl2009 wrote: »sunnybeaches105 wrote: »Based onalanlmarshall wrote: »sunnybeaches105 wrote: »alanlmarshall wrote: »
We are on the top of the food chain. It's entirely possible that chickens would be extinct but for their usefulness as human food. I get worrying about whales and even pigs but chickens are idiots. They're basically walking vegetables with protein.
I disagree, but that's not the point. Eating free range chickens is a weak alternative to ethical vegetarianism.
Based on what made up ethical system? One that puts the lives of chickens ahead of human health? No thank you. Enjoy a diet that require supplementation and is sub-optimal. I'll enjoy what evolution gave me thank you very much.
You can be perfectly healthy not eating chickens.
True. I prefer beef and pork.
And I, fish. Love fish.1 -
redraidergirl2009 wrote: »sunnybeaches105 wrote: »Based onalanlmarshall wrote: »sunnybeaches105 wrote: »alanlmarshall wrote: »
We are on the top of the food chain. It's entirely possible that chickens would be extinct but for their usefulness as human food. I get worrying about whales and even pigs but chickens are idiots. They're basically walking vegetables with protein.
I disagree, but that's not the point. Eating free range chickens is a weak alternative to ethical vegetarianism.
Based on what made up ethical system? One that puts the lives of chickens ahead of human health? No thank you. Enjoy a diet that require supplementation and is sub-optimal. I'll enjoy what evolution gave me thank you very much.
You can be perfectly healthy not eating chickens.
#firstworldrighteousness2 -
I call myself a vegetarian to make it easier for my friends and family. So that they are clear I probably won't eat meat. But I do sometimes eat it with my husband, cause I'm a grown up and can do what I want. I found it's way more about other people being able to feel like they can classify you than anything else. We live in a society where meat with meals is the norm, and people struggle to understand that I have 90% of my meals without meat, they need the label to understand.
There is no reason you can't be a healthy veggie. MFP is good for tracking your macros, make sure you get enough protein and don't eat all the carbs. This was never a problem for me since I don't like most traditional carby things. There are plenty of unhealthy people on both side of the fence.0 -
Chicken Good...
Fish Good...
Red Meat - Twice a month - Good...
Bacon.... Thank you for this creation..1 -
Alluminati wrote: »tlflag1620 wrote: »redraidergirl2009 wrote: »sunnybeaches105 wrote: »Based onalanlmarshall wrote: »sunnybeaches105 wrote: »alanlmarshall wrote: »
We are on the top of the food chain. It's entirely possible that chickens would be extinct but for their usefulness as human food. I get worrying about whales and even pigs but chickens are idiots. They're basically walking vegetables with protein.
I disagree, but that's not the point. Eating free range chickens is a weak alternative to ethical vegetarianism.
Based on what made up ethical system? One that puts the lives of chickens ahead of human health? No thank you. Enjoy a diet that require supplementation and is sub-optimal. I'll enjoy what evolution gave me thank you very much.
You can be perfectly healthy not eating chickens.
True. I prefer beef and pork.
And I, fish. Love fish.
Kermit, flies need love too!1 -
sandybarnes280913 wrote: »EmilyHughes801 wrote: »Okay, so I've been thinking maybe I should try going vegetarian. Mostly because I hate the way animals are treated leading up to their deaths basically. Also, I want to see if it'll help me lose weight faster and lead to a healthier body. Problem is I really love chicken like a lot. I also hate most fish. I can sometimes go days without eating meat and not miss it, but if my family or friends are going out to eat I have to have meat. I've tried giving up beef before, but sometimes I actually forget when I'm eating it. I've also never been a big pork fan and have never had lamb. Anyways I'm rambling now, but to the vegetarians out there...is it worth it? I mean it'll be hard for me at first, but did you guys see results pretty quickly?
Vegetarians still contribute to the death and mistreatment of animals. A vegan diet will help you lose weight and not harm all animals.
No a vegan diet will NOT cause weight loss. You can still over eat on a vegan diet.0
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