Anyone considering a switch to a Vegitarian diet?

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KyleB65
KyleB65 Posts: 1,196 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Due to a recent High Blood Pressure diagnosis. I have dramatically dropped the amount of meat that I eat. Along with sodium rich processed foods and junk food in general.

I have been rolling around in my head for some time the possibility of making the switch to a Vegetarian diet (Not Vegan, don't think I could handle Vegan!)

Anyone out there considering this type of diet change?

Anyone who has made the change recently? If so, any pitfalls or difficulties?

Anyone who is Vegetarian who lives with non-Vegetarians? If so, how is this working in your home?

In my mind I know that the switch will benefit my health greatly. But, to be honest, I was raised in a meat & potato family. The smell of a steak on the BBQ or Bacon frying is pleasure to my nose, not to mention my tastes buds.

Thanks for any feedback.
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Replies

  • ahirani3
    ahirani3 Posts: 3 Member
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    I have done it once for about a month or two...I definitely liked the results! It's hard, though. Very hard. As far as family goes...if they are into vegetables and you start making yummy meals with veggies they'll go for them, too. Good luck!
  • sineadangele1
    sineadangele1 Posts: 97 Member
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    I've drastically cut down on my red meat intake but I will never give up chicken. NEVER lol.
  • kslindner
    kslindner Posts: 107
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    The only "meat" I eat now is fish. My daughter and I became vegetarians in January 2011 and we love it. I didn't really have any difficulties with it. After about a couple of weeks, u get used to it.
  • russelljclarke
    russelljclarke Posts: 836 Member
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    I was vegetarian for a lonnnnnnnng time, but recently reintroduced fish to up my protein (which is something veggies are often low on.) I'd recommend doing it in a staged way, and in tandem with advice from your GP.

    BTW, veggies NEVER get over bacon lust LOL
  • Timeforme714
    Timeforme714 Posts: 189 Member
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    I've been a vegetarian for 12 years. I love it! Go for it :smile:
  • melkadee
    melkadee Posts: 5,598 Member
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    I tried a this years ago for a few months. I felt great. It was difficult back then eating out with family because of the lack of choices on the menu. I would think that it would be easier now.
  • Gilbrod
    Gilbrod Posts: 1,216 Member
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    I tried. I couldn't after hanging with my vegan sister for a week. Maybe I wasn't eating enough tofu. But I was lathargic until I had some chicken and beef. That, and I read about the effects of soy on men. At least I tried.
  • DietingMommy08
    DietingMommy08 Posts: 1,366 Member
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    I still eat chicken, turkey and fish. I completely gave up beef and pork many many years ago.

    There are a lot of vegetarian bi-products. Boca burgers are amazing. So is anything made by morningstar. :o)

    They also have a salt subsitute that you can buy in exchange for salt.
  • crfeeney
    crfeeney Posts: 28
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    I switched to a vegetarian diet about 2 months ago. I had done it once before for about a year, but I as unsucessful due to low iron, but I think I'm going to do well this time. It's not that hard. The worst part is taking supplements. You should take B12 and iron supplements just to make sure you're getting all essential nutrients into your diet :)

    Good luck!!
  • crummywatertowr
    crummywatertowr Posts: 45 Member
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    Also diagnosed with HBP, I mostly eat vegetarian until supper. I don't do it every day, but I've been consciously trying to make breakfast and lunch vegetarian. It's helped with my blood pressure and my waistline. It also helps me buy higher quality meats since I'm eating less of it.
  • M0mM0use
    M0mM0use Posts: 1
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    I am currently cutting back the red meat in my diet... I have it about once a week or maybe every other week right now. By November I won't have any red meat at all & in January I plan to go vegetarian. My bf is vegan & I would like to be able to eat meals with him when I move to Seattle so I am gradually cutting out meat. I also don't think I will ever go vegan but plan to be able to eat meals w/ him several times a week.
  • rebeccask
    rebeccask Posts: 170
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    I've been vegetarian for 5 years. Unlike you, the change was easy for me but took awhile to fully understand the diet. I'd suggest doing your research. Make sure you're eating a variety of vegetables, fruits, legumes, grains since you're no longer at the convenience of complete proteins. It might be easier for you if you start out by slowly cutting every meat out of your diet. There's also different types of vegetarians as in lacto-ovo (eat eggs) and pescatarian (eat fish), etc. My boyfriend eats meat/loves meat but I do most of the cooking and it's easy for him to not feel like he's "missing" anything in the meals; it really comes down to recipes. There's vegetarian/vegan recipe books out there that target the meat lovers. Good luck!
  • sleepy7
    sleepy7 Posts: 104
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    I switched to vegetarianism pretty recently. I do eat fish and dairy also i started taking a complete multi vitamin because was low on iron and did not want to become aneimic. it's been working out great so far!
  • fastbelly
    fastbelly Posts: 727 Member
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    I reduced meat intake dramatically since starting this journey. I now have meat (and mostly white lean meat) only twice a week. Most of my diet is vegetables and wholegrains now and I'm loving it really.
    I believe in moderation and that we should be able to experience a bit of everything, so I'm not considering (yet) going full vegetarian or vegan but I'm not considering changing my new lifestyle either.

    For over 2 months I've been without any medication for the high blood pressure that I had been taking for 2 years before this. I monitor the blood pressure daily and have found that it has been ALWAYS within normal boundaries for the past two months. Couldn't be happier with my diet and lifestyle choice.
  • Charger440
    Charger440 Posts: 1,474 Member
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    I've seen all the talk on here about being veg something or another. I'd have to say after thinking about it for a few min. that two things are extremely apparent to me. 1) As humans we are the top of the food chain and as such we are designed to eat BOTH meat and veggies as part of our NATURAL diet. 2) Meat of any kind is WAY too good to give up for any reason. Just remember if you cut out meat OR veggies you are not getting the nutrition nature says you should get.
  • flea2449
    flea2449 Posts: 500 Member
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    I'm trying to just eat fish this week. So far so good. We will see what happens.
  • Midori_i
    Midori_i Posts: 91 Member
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    I was a vegetarian for 7 years, but not for weight loss or health reasons. It wasn't good for me, because vegetarian doesn't equal healthy eating. I just ate a ****load of carbs and sugar, too little protein and no veggies.

    It was easy actually, even though I'd loved meat before. I just ate more of the other stuff I really enjoyed - like chocolate and cake. So going vegetarian was a pretty pointless change for me.

    But if you're goal is to make healthier choices, sure, vegetarian can work for you. Keeping away from all the deep fried stuff and the saturated fat is good, if that is how you used to enjoy your meat. Just make sure you get your protein from somewhere else. :)
  • russelljclarke
    russelljclarke Posts: 836 Member
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    You don't need an iron substitute, just eat plenty of green veg like spinach and broccoli
  • jgic2009
    jgic2009 Posts: 531 Member
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    I am sort of flirting with the idea of going pescatarian or ovo-lacto vegetarian. I often choose vegetarian meals when dining out, and have been experimenting a bit with meatless cooking.

    If you do decide to make the switch, be sure to do your research on how to get proper nutrition.
  • savethecat
    savethecat Posts: 290 Member
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    I made the switch about 6 years ago now. It was difficult for about the first 3 months. Just out of habit I would want certain meaty foods. But after that 3 month hump I never looked back. I don't miss it at all now and I love how amazing it made me feel within just the first year of cutting it out.

    I do highly suggest doing it gradually. The first few years I continued to eat fish and it really helped guide me into a *healthy* fully veg lifestyle. For some, cutting it all out at once creates pitfalls because they feel there are a lack of meal options. (Which isn't true at all, but I can surely see why it feels that way- I've been there!)

    I have lived with carnivores while being a vegetarian (I still do) and they love my food! Sometimes I get crap, mostly from family, but for the most part those closest to me are always trying to invite themselves to my dinner parties. No one ever turns my food down and everyone is very accommodating when we eat at their house.

    Anyway, good luck to you! I hope that helps a little.

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