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The college I went to had a vegetarian only cafeteria. No meat was served on campus at all. I grew up eating meat and it was a biiig change for me. However, once I got used to it, I loved it! It is easy to just eat pasta/carbs in that type of situation, which a lot of people put on weight from, but the veggie meat options are really good. My FI and I are attempting to be mostly vegetarian now. Morning Star Farms make our favorite veggie meat products, but there's plenty of options for vegetarians. I'd suggest going for it....and if you don't like it you can always add in some meat here and there, but it is really a great way to go! Healthier too! Good luck!
Good for you! I was vegan for 8 months and recently, at the suggestion of my dr., went off of that diet. Now I eat a little bit of white meat, fish and small amounts of dairy, mostly goat and all hormone and antibiotic free. I still eat a ton of veggie meals. I think it's really important to pay attention to how we fuel our bodies and what they tell us, but from experience I will tell you it's easy to take it too far. It's all about balance and having a healthy, happy body! Good luck to you :)
Like you, for the past few years I had almost completely cut out meat from my diet. I had the occassional hamburger or prosciotto sandwich but it was not more than once a week. Then a little over a year ago, CA had a proposition on the ballet regarding conditions for animals at farms. I voted to improve conditions and basically make most farms close to free range because I'm a HUGE animal lover. After that I felt it was hypocritical for me to continue eating meat so I completely stopped,(I still eat fish and sea food). There are definitely a few foods that I miss, (carpacio, proscuitto, In n' Out), but I've been able to resist and I feel really good about it. In those situations I had to make healthier choices and that's a great side effect. I can't say that I've lost or gained weight but I know it's way better for my overall health.
I'm a pescatarian (don't eat beef, poultry, or pork...just seafood) and have been for over a year and never felt better! I made the switch last year after reading a book called "Skinny Bitch," hilarious book written by vegan models. After reading it, the images just stuck in my head and never had the craving for it anymore. My Fi is still a meat eater but we do well together, he just cooks different meals for me (thats LOVE!)
Do it! I did it gradually, reducing my meat consumption before my wedding a year ago, but cutting it out completely this June. I'm loving it. For me, it was because I started reading up about animal conditions, watching Food Inc., etc. Instead of pushing the uncomfortable thoughts out of my head so I could enjoy my damn steak, I started paying attention to those misgivings and soon it just wasn't worth the guilt anymore. Now, I feel like my actions are more in line with my values. If I was just doing it for health reasons, it wouldn't have lasted more than a few weeks, but I see it as a moral issue (for me, not judging anyone who disagrees) and that makes it a lot easier. It's become a no-brainer--why would I want to eat animals when I say I'm an animal lover? (I do eat dairy, eggs and sometimes fish when I'm out of the house, but I'm decreasing those and will probably stop altogether in the next few months.)
You should keep lots of snacks/meals around and don't think in terms of what you can't have, but in terms of what you can. I eat tons of pita/hummus, fresh fruit and veggies, recipes from vegetarian blogs, and I don't miss meat AT ALL. In fact, when my husband eats it I'm kind of grossed out, not craving it like I was in the early stages.
Good luck! It can be a process and I imagine is different for every person.
There was a book on Oprah called "Quantum Wellness". Basically its a 21 day detox from animal products, sugar, and alcohol. I've seriously considered doing it. I'd like to incorporate more non animal protein sources in my diet and the Quantum Wellness plan sounds interesting. Has anyone read the book or followed the plan?
I cut meat out for about 9 months this year. I didn't really miss it at all, in fact I really liked exploring all the veggie options that I'd never tried before. I ended up adding chicken and fish back in, but I hardly eat them - maybe once or twice a week. You should just try it out for a while and see if you like it.
my sister's a vegetarian and i feel like she doesn't get the proper nutrients, she's always breaking bones and tearing ligaments! she's constantly eating protein like nuts, etc, but it just doesn't seem like enough. she even had to have a shot of chicken fat (that's what the doctor said, it's chicken fat) injected into her after she tore a ligament, a nightmare for a vegetarian! just something to keep in mind...
I was a pescatarian for years, but no longer am. Mainly, it's because my DH won't give up meat, and cooking two meals or eating out all the time isn't an option. He eats far less meat now than he did before, and I eat some, but we still have several veg meals a week.
My condition for starting to eat meat again is that we eat ethically-raised, pastured meats. No supermarket garbage meats for us, and even though good meat is far more expensive, we eat reasonably-sized portions and not every day. Since my reason for not eating meat before was that factory farming is terrible for the environment and produces meats that taste disgusting to me, this compromise works. We buy most of our meats through a buying club, where a small farm about an hour away delivers to us once a month. We know where everything is coming from and what the conditions there are like, and I strongly support the particular agricultural methods they use.
Anyway, I say this mainly because it's really HARD to sustain veg/non-veg dinnertimes forever (I lasted a little over two years) so you might want to try to get your SO on board with it, or realize that it'll probably be a lot of work. And if you can't or don't want to be completely veg, it is possible to be conscientious about it. But if you can make vegetarianism work for you, it really is a great way of life!
Why make it so formal, unless it is for moral, ethical, or religious reasons? If you don't eat a lot of meat right now anyway, maybe just stick with what comes naturally? If you declare yourself a vegetarian and start adhering to steadfast rules, you may find yourself backed into a corner now and then.
I was a vegetarian for about ten years. But it eventually became more about being labeled a vegetarian and trying to stick to a plan than about doing what felt natural.
I say stick with what you are doing. If that means you don't really eat meat, then fine. But I think a formal declaration and rigid lifestyle isn't necessary if your natural eating habits are working for you. Who needs labels?
My husband is vegetarian, and I'm not. Although, I think before he went veggie, I ate far less meat than he did. He decided to do it for animal rights reasons, and I'm really proud of him. He says he doesn't miss meat at all. Not even at Thanksgiving.
At our wedding, we had our venue prepare a vegan meal, since we had a good number of veggies and vegans atteding. They prepared a non-egg pasta with mushrooms and tofu, and everyone seemed to like it. Easy peasy!
Sometimes I wish I could become vegetarian, but I would have a really hard time giving up seafood and steak. We live in Chicago, capital of steakhouses, and every six months or so, I like to treat myself to a steak dinner. Yum! But other than that, I don't really eat meat. No chicken, turkey (tofurkey at thanksgiving!), pork, bacon, sausage, etc. It's just that darn steak I can't live without every once in a while!
I think it's totally worth doing! I'm vegetarian and I feel great and I love exploring new veggie recipes. I admit that I sometimes missed meat when I first gave it up, but after a while, that feeling went away. Still, a vegan/vegetarian diet needs a bit of planning to make sure you're getting enough of all your nutrients. I regularly go on mypyramid.gov or other food tracking sites to check in on myself to make sure I'm not missing any important nutrients. My favorite protein source is quinoa, which I add to lots of things like rice and stuffed peppers. It has a complete protein profile, unlike most other vegetable sources, and it's easy to make. Also, you might want to start adding flaxseed or walnuts to your diet to make sure you're taking in enough omega-3 fatty acids.
Just want to add that if you decide to do it, please look into these nutritional concerns:
Vitamin B12- There are no vegetarian sources so supplementation is essential.
Iron- All vegetarian sources have phytates attached that leach more iron out than they put in.
Essential Fatty Acids ("Good Fat")- You can't get them all from vegetarian sources.
And obviously protein. You can stay healthy if you educate yourself but i find that a lot of people make this choice w/o doing so and end up not so healthy. I won't ever be a vegetarian, but we are trying to cut down on the meat and incorporate meatless meals.
Let me just say, good for you! I love when people make the transition the way you are, because it's so much easier on your body. I was 11 and didn't really get nutrition. My mom simply said that she wasn't cooking any special meals for me, so I started making myself mac and cheese just about every night. Not good! I realized really quickly that once I started eating healthy (I have a diet much like you described, lots of soy, tofu, beans, legumes, leafy greens, etc) I felt soooooo much better.
Honestly, I don't think the transition will be hard for you. Just be ready for people to be rude to you when you take the title - for me, it started out as aunts, uncles, friends' parents, etc, being rude to me about how I didn't have a "real" reason for being a vegetarian (um, I don't like to eat animals?) and that it would "pass." FBIL's mom's favorite thing to say every time she sees me is "I was a vegetarian for awhile, and then I got pregnant and never looked back! Wait til that happens to you!"
And then I got to college, and everything almost flipped - in the part of Chicago I live in, most places are extremely vegetarian friendly. I can walk into Whole Foods and have options for what to eat from the deli! (If I can afford their food, that is.) and restaurants don't just have salad and maybe a veggie burger. But there are a few overzealous vegans who have told me I'm not a "true" vegetarian because eggs are meat, and I eat eggs. Plus, I sometimes still buy leather, although I try to buy it used.
I honestly don't miss the taste of meat at all. I love most of the fake "meat" products out there, as well as other protein sources like black beans, brown rice, etc. There are a lot of wonderful vegetarian cookbooks out there so you can make balanced meals for less. Good luck!
Thanks for the responses everyone!
First: My SO is definitely on board. I cook most of our meals anyway, and whever we eat vegetarian, as long as there is an alternative source of protein (beans, lentils, tofu) he never complains, and really likes it! Having a supportive SO is very important.
Second: You guys are right about the label thing. Right now, its sort of hard to explain to people why I choose the veggie entree when we go out to eat, becuse they know I still eat meat. It's almost like "its not like you are vegetarian, why don't you get the chicken dish"? Weird huh? So I often tell people a long, drawn out explanation, like "I eat meat, but red meat very rarely, chicken sometimes, I just prefer vegetarian entrees".
Third: I like HL's suggestion about switching the types of meat I do buy for when I do eat meat. I already do this with fish (I personally find a big difference between wild salmon and farmed salmon). I hate meat from the supermarket. So perhaps for those rare times when I do eat meat, I should make a more ethical choice about where it comes from. Good meats where the animals are treated well are readily available in Vancouver, so I am lucky that way.
@Artbee - did your sister consult a dietician before switching to a veg. lifestyle? Its all about knowledge in how to substitute proteins in your diet. If she is not eating lots of beans, lentils, tofu, etc...she may not be getting enough protein. Education is key. Althought she may also just be one of those injury prone people, I know a few of those :)
I think you are doing a good job transitioning. I stopped eating all meat except seafood about 15 months ago. If you havent already, I highly recommend the book The New Becoming Vegetarian: The Essential guide to a Healthy Vegetarian Diet. It is very helpful!
Honestly, it wasn't hard for me as I wasn't raised on meat, just chicken and turkey. I saw something on TV about what they do to chickens in those places when I was like 18, and needless to say, I've been a vegetarian ever since. Look it up online if you're curious, and I bet you won't have trouble saying no to the poultry afterwards. yuck.
The switch wasn't hard for me either. I never really liked meat but ate it (not all the time) because that's what my parents made. A few years ago I got really sick and couldn't eat meat. I became so afraid to eat it that I've just cut it out all together. I never have cravings and will sometimes eat fish but only a few times a month, if at all.
It's hard because sometimes people will be like "oh you don't eat meat because of the animals thing" and it's like NO I don't LIKE it and it is better for me! I say go for it if it is something you want and the fact that your SO is on board makes it all the better! Good luck with your transition!
My guy and I have gone on meat hiatuses (???) on and off. We did it because of enviromental reasons and some ethical reasons. Its hard though, because I was raised in a very meat and potato family as was he. I don't think I will ever completely give up meats, but it is most definitely a goal of ours to eat it less frequently. If I cook for myself...I hardly ever eat meat or use a little and stretch it across many meals. Its when we feel like something special that we slip up more.
I think pp have given lots of good advice about nutritional concerns. Good luck and eat well. 
I was sort of forced into this because my parents decided to stop eating meat. My mom doesn't want to kill the animals and my dad has high cholesterol.
I will very rarely eat chicken when I'm out--and crave a hamburger every 3 months or so (usually when my iron is super low). We still drink milk, use butter, and eat eggs.
Especially if you decide to keep eating fish, there are so many options. My mom makes really good black bean burgers that have more flavor than real burgers. We eat fish, scallops, and shrimp a lot too.
Whatever you do, make sure to watch what you're eating from a vitamin standpoint. My mom was hardcore vegan for awhile but quickly realized that she wasn't getting all of the nutrients that she needed.
Let me try to explain this ... in the last year I have pretty much switched to being vegan ... except I eat red meat. I do it because I'm allergic to dairy and eggs and I don't eat chicken - but I love red meat... I just don't eat it that much.
Great ideas and suggestions. I will check out that book Tulip!
@MsHymanRoth: Ugh! Sometimes its difficult to explain your dietary preferences when you don't fit into a dietary group, so I feel you there!
Thanks for posting about nutritional concerns. Its true that if not done properly, you can miss on a lot of nutrients by eating a vegetarian diet. I currently supplement my diet with a Vitamin B complex (contains B12). I have also had my iron levels tested and they are within normal values, so I currently don't take a supplement and try to obtain most iron from dietary sources. Iron is particularly high in beans and dark leafy geens like kale and spinach, but it is the non-heme iron, which is less well absorbed, so I need to make sure I eat lots of it.
As for EFAs (mentioned by arizonabride), you are right that it can be easy to miss out on these important fats. I currently get my EFAs from nuts, seeds, and fish. But it probably couldn't hurt to add a supplement in.
My boyfriend is a pescatarian, no "animal" meat at all, thanks to his liver not being able to process animal proteins. Anyway, it's a healthy diet to be on, but you have to make sure you're getting enough protein. Also, meat proteins show up in REALLY random places that if you haven't had meat in a while, it'll "mess you up" (i.e. you spend aloooooot of time in the bathroom). For example, he went to a wedding a couple of weeks ago and one of the few things he thought he'd be able to eat was macaroni and cheese. Well, an hour later his stomach was cramping like CRAZY and he felt really, really sick- turns out the mac and cheese had been made with chicken stock. I think it's a good idea to eat some kind of meat once a week just for that reason.
I have not eaten meat since I saw the film Food, Inc. It really grossed me out. That being said, I am not necessarily a vegetarian, I just don't want to eat meat that is not raised and processed humanely, which is really hard to find. But I have found that I have to take some supplements when I am not eating meat - otherwise I feel weak and really tired.
If eating a vegetarian diet makes you feel good, do it! Everyone is a little different, so different diets work for them. Just make sure that you continue to feel good; if you start getting tired or have mental fog, talk to someone to make sure you are getting all of the necessary nutrients (such as all of the B vitamins, and iron).
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Hi Bees,
For the past 6 years, I have slowly been reducing the amount of meat in my diet and adding in more vegetarian protein alternatives, such as tofu, lentils, beans, and other legumes. I find that I am still fully satisfied and I don't have "cravings" for meat. Right now I eat chicken maybe once per week and rarely eat red meat. I think I am ready to make the switch to full vegetarian status - its a big step! I have lots of veg cookbooks and would still continue to eat animal "products", such as eggs, milk, butter and cheese. I would also continue to eat fish.
Has anyone made the switch recently? How did that go for you? Its especially daunting with the wedding a wedding coming up!