Giving up Meat

I didnt call vegitarimism stupid, I said any OTHER reason than that then it would be stupid. To give up meat for the love of animals is a great thing, to give up meat for the avoidance of cancer or to simply lose weight is not good.

No good certified personal trainer will advise you to give up all meat in the intention of losing weight, and they are the specialists in weight loss, not Dr's - they may know what's good for your nutrition but do not specialise in losing weight - and considering that's the whole point in this, I would have thought you would want advise on what's good for losing weight.

And for the record I didn't call you stupid, I was merely stating that it would be a stupid idea.

Before you go ahead and attack me next time, realise you were the one looking for advice, that was my advice - take it or leave it, whatever works for you.

Easy there. It was just confusing because "vegetarianism" refers to someone who excludes meat from their diet, not just for people who choose not to eat animals for ethical reasons. Most people [including me] probably just misunderstood what you meant.

This is my choice!! Thanks for your input but you don't have to be negative!! : )

Unfortunately, that's the way it is... But don't let those posts get you down or discourage you. Some don't answer your question; they simply give you their personal opinion or two cents about why you should eat meat. As a matter of fact, they simply don't care about the poster's question. They care about preaching what THEY think is right.

So in the end, do what you want to do for YOU, from YOU, to YOU!

Keep in mind that there are also great suggestions here from healthy vegetarians and vegans that have been, by choice, for many years! So befriend them and share recipes, lifestyles and learn lots! I sure have ;-)

I don't remember the specific wording of the OPs reply to someone who asked why they decided to give up meat, but I do remember OP saying something about either preventing or reducing risks of cancer(s). Saying meats cause cancer and not eating meat will prevent cancer is indeed inaccurate, but to say that meats are not a cause of *certain* cancers is also inaccurate. Yes, there are several types of cancers, and several ways to be susceptible to any number of those cancers, just as there are ways to REDUCE (not eliminate) your risks of developing certain types of cancer.

I'm not trying to say this to be argumentative, rather giving some clarification on the matter.
Eating a vegetarian diet will not prevent cancer, but reducing or eliminating your consumption of meats can reduce the risks to certain types of cancers.

Here are a few reputable articles regarding this matter -
http://preventcancer.aicr.org/site/PageServer?pagename=elements_red_processed_meat

http://www.cancerproject.org/survival/cancer_facts/meat.php

http://www.cancer.org/Healthy/EatHealthyGetActive/ACSGuidelinesonNutritionPhysicalActivityforCancerPrevention/acs-guidelines-on-nutrition-and-physical-activity-for-cancer-prevention-diet-cancer-questions

http://jama.ama-assn.org/content/293/2/172.abstract

While I do agree less meat consumption can help to reduce the risk of cancer, it should be looked at objectively. You can definitely reduce risk of death from not driving or flying, but would completely abstaining from flying or driving be beneficial? Probably not.
It's a matter of personal preference, that I'm sure we agree on, but like any other food, if meat is consumed responsibly, then it can be part of a good diet.


A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

One thing that I really don't understand, and probably never will, is people's incessant need to be troll-like when it comes to things they don't fully understand, or want to participate in for themselves.

If you have no supportive, encouraging words to say, or no recipes to share, there is no need to bash this person's decisions. Just because eating meat is "the norm" according to society, and you don't agree with vegetarianism for YOUR PERSONAL decisions in life, then don't be a vegetarian, but don't go around bashing those who choose this lifestyle. Didn't anyone ever tell you "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all?"... This is supposed to be a SUPPORTIVE community. So BE SUPPORTIVE!"

this ^^^ she didn't ask for opinions on her choice!
Seriously! Why is it necessary to tell her she's wrong. People live veg every day - LIVE, I say! There's nothing wrong with deciding to not eat meat.

The book I found most helpful was Vegan on the Cheap... it's vegan but if you don't want to give up dairy/eggs you can add those things. It gives you recipes for seitan, vegan "mayo" and vegan "sour cream" which I find is much better tasting that "cower cream".

I was a vegetarian for about 4 years, and this past year switched to being a "localvore." I don't cook meat in my home, and I won't get meat unless I know the place where it came from, and have seen it with my own eyes - or if it is wild game. That limits me to about 3 restaurants in my area (all stick with sustainable meat supplies, and use local sources for meat), and a few close friends who hunt and from whom I'll buy some select cuts.

I originally went veg for financial reasons, and stuck with it for health. Now I avoid meat for ethical reasons. Driving by a factory meat plant every day is a sore reminder of some harsh realities on where 99% of meat comes from, and how the animals are treated.

As for replacing protein - you have a bunch of options -
Complete proteins:
dairy
eggs
soy (tofu, tempeh)

Incomplete proteins (eat combinations of these guys throughout the day):
Whole grains
Beans
Gluten (seitan)
Nuts

Altogether its really not that hard to get a decent level of protein. It just takes a little education. I highly recommend black bean chili, tofu parm, or seitan sausages. They're simple and delicious.

I can't give up meet; that's insulting to God.
If God did not want us eating animals, why did He make them out of meat?

Uh, humans are made of meat. So are dogs. God must want you to be a dog-eating zombie cannibal.

Humans are omnivores, as proven by our teeth. We can survive without meat, but we evolved eating both.

So? How does that matter? Humans used to be cave-dwellers once. Should that inform our dwelling choices now?

Being an omnivore means you can eat a whole spectrum of foods. Why not choose the best foods among them? Humans have the power of reason and discernment, so why not use it?

If you read breaking nutrition news, the overwhelming evidence is that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is optimal for more reasons than I can list. At best, these studies indicate if there is any meat in the diet at all, that it should be treated like a condiment.

Um, I think he was just trying to be funny? lol

Giving up meat is 100% the worst thing you can do for a diet! Clean protein like chicken and white fish is the best thing for you whislt dieting - give up carbs if you are serious about dieting and want to change your diet. Giving up all meat (for any reason other than vegetarianism) is very very stupid.

So very not true.

I was once told by a tricologist that vegetarianism was the very worst thing for you hair. Which is also so very very not true.

Congratulations! This is one of the best things you can do for your health! And, the cancer-causing research is undeniable. You will learn to love legumes and beans. Lentils are a good start because they cook up quickly and taste so good. I've been vegetarian fro 25 years; have never been overweight, run marathons, get plenty of protein. : ) Recipes and ways to go about vegetarianism are all over the net and bookstores. And hey, one of the first things I noticed when i stopped eating meat (in my twenties) -- you poop easier! ha it's true

I am a vegetarian just of family choice.... so I cannot really give advice, but I have never wanted to try meat, so I don't really have any advice for you

I can't give up meet; that's insulting to God.
If God did not want us eating animals, why did He make them out of meat?

Uh, humans are made of meat. So are dogs. God must want you to be a dog-eating zombie cannibal.

Humans are omnivores, as proven by our teeth. We can survive without meat, but we evolved eating both.

Um, I think he was just trying to be funny? lol

Upon rereading this, he was. I think I just had a knee-jerk response.

I've been a vegetarian for almost 40 years, and when I start hearing about teeth in relationship to vegetarianism, it makes me a little crazy. This is from countless arguments I have had on what constitutes the natural diet for humans. When I think I recognize the beginnings of this argument taking shape again, my eye starts twitching, my nostrils flare, and if I'm really stupid, I start typing or talking. Always a mistake. Sorry.