Thinking about going Vegetarian

Well you are about to becomine inundated with opinions. Here's my two cents worth. I've been vegetarian for what I feel like is forever. You need to do what is right for yourself. There seem to be benefits to vegetarianism for some however it certainly isn't for everyone. I suggest taking a long read of this website

nomeatathlete.com

Whether you are a runner or not he has some awesome recipes and some plain old smart stuff to say about macronutrients and how to ensure you get the correct amount of protein from a veg based diet. Just made the lemon poppy zucchini bread today and it is delish!!!!

Best of luck.

I guess it depends on why you're doing it. One alternative if you like the taste of meat is to eat it less often but get it from good sources which treat the animals with respect while alive and when slaughtering. This is something I am considering but haven't started doing yet.

A vegetarian diet is so easy these days- most restaurants have delicious options, the grocery store is full of alternatives and there is much more of a general consciousness about it. That being said, it is very important to do your research so that you make sure you're getting enough of the vitamins and protein your body needs. I've met several people who have tried to make the switch, only to discover they really don't like many vegetables! Vegetarianism will require you to explore your local market and really start to experiment with all sorts of different veggies, proteins and grains. You can do amazing things with tempeh, tofu, yuba and other soy products. I personally love the flavor of "fake meats" like chix patties, boca burgers and fakin' bacon... but remember that too much of that processed soy isn't that great for you. Beans and legumes are full of protein and quinoa is such an amazing super grain! Really use all of the tools at your disposal to come up with a great vegetarian plan- it will be fun AND delicious!

It is becoming easier and easier. Especially with the Meatless Monday program. They have great recipes. Google Meatless Mondays.
My protein is mostly from beans. I make a couple pots of beans, they keep about a week in the fridge or I put them in the freezer. I try and stay away from fake meats so lots of beans are in my diet. Also raw nuts and seeds. I do sometimes eat cheese. I keep that low since it can have sat. fat. I do eat eggs sometimes too.

I'm curious what makes you want to go vegetarian. I think it is a great idea. You might want to make it a gradual process since your family is not supportive. You can eliminate meat from your lunch and start making more meatless dishes for your family's dinner. I cut out all meat other than fish for awhile. It has been over 3 months since I have eaten red meat. I don't think I will eat beef that was not humanely produced ever again. I agree with an earlier poster, check out nomeatathlete.com and other vegetarian blogs (eatingbirdfood.com is a good one). I'll be honest, you will feel different when you first cut meat from your diet but if you will stick with it and learn to eat a balanced diet you will feel great. Good luck.

From a scientific standpoint, we human beings evolved as omnivores. People in different areas ate different amounts of meat & veggies, but historically, there has never been a tribe of human beings that survived without meat, even if it was just insects sometimes.

This isn't true. http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/todays-paper/tp-life/article2204749.ece

Maybe some tribes/societies didn't have access to vegetable proteins so they only choice was to eat meat. But we live in a society that is very easy to live without meat.

Going veggie is great IF you can do it healthy -- you can still eat pizza, fries, potato chips and chocolate on a veggie diet. If you can get a variety of vegetables and non-processed protein choices, then it will be much healthier and environmentally friendly than a meat-based diet. I personally tried to go veggie for a while but had a really hard time trying to get a significant amount of protein (I refuse to eat processed, chemical-laden meat substitutes), and I was craving meat pretty frequently. So now I stick to a mainly fish-based diet (like my ancestors who were Pacific Islanders) and naturally raised organic red meat no more than once a week. That's what works for me, you have to decide what works for you.

Contrary to this still thriving myth, protein is not the hardest thing to get on a vegetarian or even vegan diet. Vegetarians still eat cheese and eggs, so there are two animal protein sources right there for people who like to go on about protein, beans of course are a good protein source, but veggies have protein too and there are many with high protein content. If you are going to go vegetarian, my main advice would be to make sure you eat a varied whole foods diet and not a lot of processed junk (and I bet you'll find that your diet becomes healthier and more varied than your family's, unless they eat a healthy and varied omni diet). If you vary your veggies, eat a separate protein at two meals a day, and eat some whole grains, there should be little problem with you getting what you need - but you have to do those things and not be a junk food veggie (and this is absolutely no different from making sure an omni diet is healthy). If you are concerned about anything, it would be to watch your calcium and iron intake rather than protein, but if your diet is varied those shouldn't pose a problem. It's easy to find sites dealing with vegetarian sources of common nutrients. If you decided to go vegan, that would be a whole other story, but since you're just looking at going veg, we need not discuss veganism.

From a scientific standpoint, we human beings evolved as omnivores. People in different areas ate different amounts of meat & veggies, but historically, there has never been a tribe of human beings that survived without meat, even if it was just insects sometimes.

This isn't true. http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/todays-paper/tp-life/article2204749.ece

Maybe some tribes/societies didn't have access to vegetable proteins so they only choice was to eat meat. But we live in a society that is very easy to live without meat.

I didn't make myself clear, I guess. I'm not talking about cultural traditions; obviously, several cultures have developed taboos against different kinds of meat and have not eaten them for thousands of years. But what I was talking about is the evolution of human beings over the last 500,000 years. 5,000 years is really not that long when you're talking about human evolution. Anthropologists have confirmed, and our own scientific analysis of our bodies confirms, that human beings evolved to eat both plants and animals. The shape of our teeth, the way our digestive systems work, all of the artifacts found at various archaeological sites, etc. point to this as an absolute fact. Like it or not, we are omnivores.

Like I said before, that doesn't negate the idea of vegetarianism or veganism. It just means that you have to be careful to do it properly because it's not what your body was designed for. Obviously, the tribe referenced here came up with a good sustainable method. But I also find it interesting that this group only marries within itself. If it was started by people with metabolisms that don't need as much meat and could handle carbohydrates very well, the interbreeding probably reinforced this and helped make the diet sustainable for the group.

But vegetarianism is not possible for everyone. I'm speaking from experience, as someone whose ancestors apparently evolved in a different environment: if I tried to live as a vegetarian or vegan, it would literally kill me. My particular metabolism can't handle carbs, so my doctor says I need a diet of 5% carbs, 30% fat and 65% protein to stay healthy; and there is no possible way for me to get that without eating meat / fish / eggs.

So, again, I say if you want to try it, go for it. But depending on your ancestry, it may be harder for some people than others. Just be smart and make sure you can do it healthily. It does take extra work & forethought to sustain your omnivore body properly using only veggies.