Going Vegetarian...

equinehugger3
equinehugger3 Posts: 75 Member
edited September 30 in Health and Weight Loss
I've been thinking about going vegetarian for a while, but I'm not sure where to start... Do you guys have any tips? I'm also wondering - What are some vitamins and things (like protein, etc) that I'll be missing if I don't eat meat, and what can I eat to get those vitamins? Thank you! :D

Replies

  • AggieCass09
    AggieCass09 Posts: 1,867 Member
    there are TONS of websites out there that have great veggie info.

    For me, I just cut out meat cold turkey and made sure I was eating enough protein. I take a vegetarian multivitamin to get enough b12 and other vitamins that i could be deficient in.

    my protein sources include: cottage cheese, protein powder (Optimum Nutrition brand), greek yogurt, granola, kashi protein cereal, peanut butter, nuts, cheese, milk, etc.
  • dayzeerock
    dayzeerock Posts: 918 Member
    You will absolutely not be missing any nutrients or vitamins from not eating meat, I promise. The one and only thing that is a little harder to get is B12, which you can get from eating Nutritional yeast or Mushrooms. Think about it...the worlds strongest animals are herbivores...they gotta get their protein from somewhere and guess what? They get it from plants! I have been vegetarian since I was 10 years old and vegan for the past 5 years. I have never once had to take a supplement to make sure my nutrient levels were adequate, and my anemia which I battled since I was a toddler went away and never came back! I suggest reading "The Kind Diet", "The China Study" and "Crazy Sexy Diet" to see how simple it is to get all your nutrients. Best of luck to you!
  • ashbee62
    ashbee62 Posts: 2
    Hello! I recently became a vegetarian. I suppose part of the issue when you make that lifestyle choice is whether or not you really love the taste of meat. For me, it was never really an issue, I could take chicken or leave it :tongue: That being said, there are many great "fake" meat products. There are soy ckn nuggets, protein veggie hotdogs, fake meatballs, the list continues. There is tofurkey which is actually pretty good. I love Gardenburgers veggie burgers as well.

    Just make sure to be eating a lot of protein in the form of eggs, beans, tofu, or protein bars/shakes. I think it will help ease the transition.
  • whatsyour1020
    whatsyour1020 Posts: 29
    I've been a vegetarian for 16 years because I just don't like meat. Substitute beans and veggies for meat and make sure you drink protein shakes. I have 2 a day and it's amazing how much better I started feeling since. Although, I don't use tofu (sp?) like most vegetarians because, well, it tastes like meat, that might be a good protein option for you.
  • roointheuk
    roointheuk Posts: 25
    beans, romaine lettuce, broccoli all have good high protein counts. You could start slowly and cut out red meat, keep fish and chicken for a couple of times a week. found this really useful, not as a diet but a guide to which foods are high in protein but not calori dense.
    http://www.drfuhrman.com/
  • milaxx
    milaxx Posts: 1,122 Member
    I went cold turkey as well. I am ovo-lacto which makes getting protein easy. I eat eggs, beans, legumes, quinoa, small amounts of soy and even smaller of tofu, almond butter, almond milk, greek yogurt, cheese that doesn't contain animal rennet, vegan protein powder. Also if you google, there is actually lots of vegetable that also contain protein. I limit fake meats because often they are just as processed as well regular processed foods. I use the vegan protein powder before work outs. The only vitamin I take is D3 and that has more to do with being a cancer survivor than my vegetarianism.
  • VeganGal84
    VeganGal84 Posts: 938 Member
    Good luck, vegetarian eating rocks! You are making a great decision. I second the recommendation for reading up on vegetarain and even vegan eating. :heart:

    I eat about 50 grams of protein a day (that's all I need) in beans, whole grains (12 grams protein in 1 cup of oats!), veggies, nuts, and nut butters. And an occasional soy burger.

    I do want to start regularly taking a supplement, but I haven't gotten around to it yet and I've been vegan for over a year now and the doctor says I'm quite healthy. YOU CAN DO THIS!!! :flowerforyou:
  • randomartisrgirl
    randomartisrgirl Posts: 133
    Morning Star has some great vegetarian protein products, if you'd like to try that. But congrats on your decision!
  • BlueAventer
    BlueAventer Posts: 129
    I'm a lacto-ovo vegetarian and have been for almost two years. Although I haven't always eaten healthfully as a vegetarian (it is so easy to go carb-crazy) I'm the healthiest I've been since I was a kid. I can't even tell you the last time I was sick.. I stopped getting any kind of sickness when I went veggie. :smile:

    It's a process, but you can do it. Be sure to do your own research. My suggestion would be to stay away from the processed vegetarian/vegan foods. They are good if you are just starting out and need a substitute for meat. Personally, I just don't like most of them very much.
  • pjgjnfl
    pjgjnfl Posts: 45 Member
    beans, romaine lettuce, broccoli all have good high protein counts. You could start slowly and cut out red meat, keep fish and chicken for a couple of times a week. found this really useful, not as a diet but a guide to which foods are high in protein but not calori dense.
    http://www.drfuhrman.com/

    I was waiting for someone to say that... so many veggies have good protein. Quiona is good, too... superfood. I've been vegan for a few years... vegetarian prior... and haven't' eaten pigs or cows since 96... I don't miss a thing. My doctor wishes his other patients would go veg because of the impact it has had on my overall health, bloodwork, cholesterol, and medications.

    Vegweb.com is another great site.

    And i have a few recipes and info up on my site (it's just a hobby)... www.popvegonline.com

    Good luck - and I (and many others) are here to help / answer questions / bounce ideas around.

    Best
    Patrick
  • pjgjnfl
    pjgjnfl Posts: 45 Member
    Morning Star has some great vegetarian protein products, if you'd like to try that. But congrats on your decision!

    Morningstar has some great stuff - but if you aren't wanting eggs, watch their ingredients. My FAVORITE sub is Gardein... amazing stuff.
  • pjgjnfl
    pjgjnfl Posts: 45 Member
    Oh - one more thing (sorry I didn't do all this in one post!!!)

    Read this book>>>>>> SKINNY *****

    It's funny, has fantastic scientific data and research in a fun to read and easy to digest form.

    It's amazing... so good.

    There. I'm done.
    :-)
  • BlueAventer
    BlueAventer Posts: 129
    Not to hijack this post... but if anyone is vegan/vegetarian please add me (if you'd like). I'd like to get food ideas from your dairies. I'm sort of stuck eating the same things, same types of things all the time. :smile:
  • BlueAventer
    BlueAventer Posts: 129
    Oh - one more thing (sorry I didn't do all this in one post!!!)

    Read this book>>>>>> SKINNY *****

    It's funny, has fantastic scientific data and research in a fun to read and easy to digest form.

    It's amazing... so good.

    There. I'm done.
    :-)

    Not to create discord, but I didn't really like Skinny B****. To me, the focus was too much on processed veggie foods. Just my opinion. :smile: :smile:
  • equinehugger3
    equinehugger3 Posts: 75 Member
    Thank ALL of you! :D You can add me if you want. (: Thank you! :smile:
  • dreanance
    dreanance Posts: 246
    I'd be careful not to over do it on the fake meats in the beginning (or ever). Tofu is one thing, but all the fake sausages/burgers/chicken can get to be really processed and high in sodium. Thing's I've learned to love as "meat" - tofu, tempeh, edamame, chick peas, beans, lentils.
  • BlueAventer
    BlueAventer Posts: 129
    I'd be careful not to over do it on the fake meats in the beginning (or ever). Tofu is one thing, but all the fake sausages/burgers/chicken can get to be really processed and high in sodium. Thing's I've learned to love as "meat" - tofu, tempeh, edamame, chick peas, beans, lentils.

    I'm so glad to know I'm not the only one. :smile: :smile:
  • veganbaum
    veganbaum Posts: 1,865 Member
    Listen to dayzeerock! If you are going vegetarian you are unlikely to be missing anything. Vegan, you have to watch your B12. Don't let people fool you into thinking you won't get enough protein. As long as you are eating healthy, whole foods, it is shockingly easy to get the daily recommended amount of protein simply from eating veggies and whole grains. If you are vegetarian and still eating cheese, you are getting even more protein. The only time you need to be active about your protein is if you workout heavily, then just make sure you have a separate protein at every meal. If you focus on whole grains, a variety of veggies especially green leaf veggies, fresh fruits, and you're still eating cheese there is not anything toworry about for most people. When going vegan, then you should take a B12 supplement and watch your calcium and iron intakes, but that's not something that's as much of a concern on a health vegetarian diet.
  • veganbaum
    veganbaum Posts: 1,865 Member
    And I agree with the several posts to stay away from the processed stuff - though occasionally it's okay. And look at the ingredients, because vegetarian faux meat products can contain eggs, as someone said. A lot of it contains dairy, too, but if you are vegetarian you don't have to worry about that. Good luck!
  • _eislek_
    _eislek_ Posts: 198 Member
    You'd be surprised how much protein you can still get being a vegetarian. I'm one, and yesterday I went OVER my daily goal for protein. Congrats on considering cutting meat out of your life, it is one of the BEST things I've ever done. I feel so much better when I'm not eating meat.
  • cupcakecarnivore
    cupcakecarnivore Posts: 267
    Lots of great tips from everyone......just wanted to chime in.....become best friends with beans/lentils. Learn to love them if you don't already:) Also use Quinoa as much as possible, even in the place of rice....its super healthy and high in protein if you are worried that you won't be getting enough (I wouldn't worry about it though, you will be surprised how quickly protein adds up).
  • paintitblack
    paintitblack Posts: 60
    I haven't eaten meat in years and, in fact, celebrated my two year anniversary as a vegan the other day! :D It's amazing how much awesome food is out there and it doesn't have to taste bland or like cardboard, which is a stereotype about veggie food. I think the main thing is to experiment. Changing your diet completely can be quite daunting and some people like to edge themselves in rather than just stop eating meat, which is something you might want to consider but isn't mandatory. Just find the veggie section at your local supermarket or health store and browse. Go grocery shopping and cook from scratch. Get a recipe book. Like with any diet, there'll be things you like and don't like so just try everything once until you can settle on a selection of varied, healthy meals with all the nutrients you need.

    It's such a nicer diet, I promise! You'll feel amazing whilst doing it. Just stick at it and have fun and you'll be fine!
  • driventotheend
    driventotheend Posts: 20
    Hi! I've been a vegetarian for 8 years now and have just decided to go vegan. My advice is to focus your diet on the "new 4 food groups": vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes (beans). Add in nuts and seeds and/or dairy/eggs just as a garnish and for flavor, but not as the base of your diet.

    You can absolutely get enough protein and other nutrients as a vegetarian. If you decide to not eat dairy or eggs the only thing you really need to consider is vitamin B-12 which you can take as a supplement or get in fortified foods such as nutritional yeast or soy milk, cereal,etc. Also remember to get your omega-3's from foods like walnuts, flaxseeds, and leafy green vegetables.
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