Anyone considering a switch to a Vegitarian diet?

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!

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.

I've been a vegetarian for 12 years. I love it! Go for it

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.

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!!

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

Meat is not the only source of protein out there. You can (and many people do) have a balanced diet that does not include meat.

Try switching slowly. My doctor ordered diet is one portion of poultry or seafood every other day.

My husband has lost 50 pounds on my diet and is quite pleased with himself. Previously if I was watching what I eat then he would passive aggressively rebel until he hit 280 pounds and could hardly tie his shoes.

My daugther has a husband who now has a limited diet so she is very pleased to cook within my diet limits within reason but he is kicking and screaming the whole way. Her latest arguement with him was that all beef is equal. He wants prime rib to be a part of his diet!

I'm pescatarian (i eat dairy, fish and eggs) I really love it.
I still have moments where I want to eat meat...but they pass quickly.

If you really want a reason to not eat meat....watch "Food Inc." it should help deter you from it.

We have TVP in the UK, mainly Quorn products. They're great, and low calorie too.

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.

I'm a vegan living in a house full of carnivores. (Okay, omnivores.) It definitely works.

I went on a vegan diet almost two years ago to hopefully stave off a host of health related issues that run in both sides of my family (high cholesterol and heart disease on my dad's side, diabetes and high blood pressure on my mom's). My dad went vegan more than 10 years ago to reduce his astronomically high cholesterol level (over 400) and it's now less than 150.

I was also raised in a household where meat was the star of the meal with a starch and a veggie on the plate playing only bit parts.

Before I changed my diet so drastically, I decided to cut back on the meat we were eating. Mainly for economic reasons, but health played a little role as well. I started by making a menu for the week and sticking with it. A vegetarian meal one day a week. Then it went to two days a week, fish two days, chicken two days, red meat only one. Lots of veggies. Rare starches. Added whole grains like quinoa in there.

Then I started using recipes that used meat as an ingredient only rather than the star. Can you see where this is going?

The impetus to go completely vegan actually was a result of a fast our church does twice a year. It's called the Daniel Fast - only fruits and veggies. I felt so much better on the Daniel fast that after the third time, I was ready to scrap meat altogether. My husband had gone on the fast with me and at the end of it I asked him if he'd be okay with alternating meat meals with vegan meals. He said yes.

It is almost two years later and we definitely eat more vegan meals than meat meals. Beef and pork are very rarely seen at our house. I have introduced my family to Field Roast grain meats and use those occasionally in dishes. I used the Field Roast Italian sausage in a dressing for last Thanksgiving and everyone loved it - even before they knew it was vegan and "fake" meat. I've served it to guests in pasta and they had no clue. Well, until I ate it. :laugh:

I have always loved cooking and my family is used to me trying things out on them. This vegan journey has been no exception. There are many things I have made that have become family favorites - vegan or not. They just love it. My advice would be to start trying some yummy vegetarian recipes and don't say a word to them. If they say anything, tell them you're participating in the new nation-wide craze of Meatless Monday. Before long, they'll be looking forward to Tofu Tuesdays!

Oh - and why vegan instead of vegetarian for me? The dairy and eggs eaten on a vegetarian diet but not on a vegan diet would be my very downfalls - I'm doing this to reduce my cholesterol! Dairy and eggs are chock full of cholesterol. I will, however, serve cheese on the table for my family to add to their vegan dish when appropriate (like veggie fajitas). I just don't tuck into it.