Thinking of going veggie

[Kitty]

So, I am actually considering going veggie (and possibly vegan if it works out OK). As it is I don't eat red meat, and I don't even cook meat on my own. I was veggie for about 4 years of my life, but then I started eating chicken and fish because it was just easier.

Recently though, I can't eat meat. Its just gross to me. I got this salad today with chicken chunks in it and i started thinking about how the chicken probably came from like 6 different chickens or something and it FREAKED me out.

Any tips or words of wisdom for those of you veggie?

[shimmer728]

I consider myself a pesco-vegetarian, which means I eat fish, but no other kinds of meat. I haven't had any meat in about seven years, though I pick at General Tso's Chicken every now and then. I'm just not a fan of red or white meat.

As for advice......hmm, well, I've never been the healthiest of vegetarians, mostly because I can't cook. I eat a LOOTTTT of bagels and other carb-laden foods. I'd say they're a mainstay of my diet, which probably isn't good. I also eat a lot of soy products. I LOVE gardenburgers. The Morningstar brand is my favorite, though it's expensive.

[Kitty]

I am actually considering ONLY eating fish too!!

I already eat all the veggie foods because I was veggie for so long. I love tofu hot dogs, meatless meatballs, veggie burgets, etc.

[cornflakegirl]

i am a vegetarian trying to be vegan. haven't had any meat in 8 years. trying to kick the dairy habit & on most days i am doing a good job.

in terms of advice, what type are you looking for? since you have been there before, you probably know how to transition. small steps are more successful than overhauling your diet in 1 day, although i did have success with this (i guess being in a 3rd world country helped). at first, try to eat 2 meals a day without meat or maybe eat meat 1x/week, whatever works for you.

i think it is easy to fall into the trap of being a junk food veggie. i definitely ate shit when i made the change. it is possible to be a vegetarian & not eat veggies. i think i subsisted on carbs the first year. eating out can be tricky, but being in the bay area, it shouldn't be too difficult.

if you enjoy cooking, i recommend buying a new cookbook that is vegetarian only or vegan only. there are some great ones out there & it always gets me excited to cook when i have an entire book of recipes that i can eat.

[wordsmith]

I ate vegetarian for a couple of years, when I lived with other people who were, it was just easier, and I like eating that way. I ate well, I didn't eat like shit, because I lived with very nutritionally well-versed people. But I also have nothing against meat. I rarely cook it, I'm more used to cooking vegetarian dishes, and meat is expensive and I'm poor. I know from experience I'm fine as a vegeterian. I have issues with anemia, but I have those even when I'm eating meat. I live in the heartland, so eating out here sucks if you don't eat meat, but not eating out so much isn't a bad thing, either.

I dislike processed vegeterian fare, though...processed garden burgers, fake meats and the like. I make a fantastic meatless burger from scratch (it's not vegan, though, it does use egg as a binder), and it's a lot better than a lot of the stuff marketed.

[bostongirl]

I'm reading Fast Food Nation right now and if that doesn't make you want to go veggie, nothing will... I could never be vegan since I love dairy... but I could see myself converting to only eating fish after reading this book... its scary... (I really do like my meat occasionally though, so if I knew where it was from, I might still eat it...)

-Margaret

[cornflakegirl]

i read fast food nation about a year ago & was truly amazed by it. i found the history of the fast food restaurants pretty interesting. and the conditions that workers, especially illegal immigrants, work under in the meat packing & slaughtering industries horrific. a really great book.

[Kitty]

I agree liz that it is very easy to become a junk-food veggie or to fall into the trap of eating a lot of carbs. I guess thats why I am a little scared. Its just that meat is grossing me out more and more these days...

[Deadend]

meat packing & slaughtering industries horrific. a really great book.

Nevermind third world, I had a couple friends back in high school that worked at the pork slaughterhouse in town. 20 000 "units" a day or something like that. You didn't have to be pretty to work there, like you did at the mall, and the pay was pretty decent.

Still, my one buddy. He was the "ear guy". All day long the heads rolled by, he cut the ears off. Lemme tell ya, by the end of that gig - he was getting kind of weird.

[Tayl405]

Kitty--I'm actually trying to do the same thing right now!

Except I'm not giving up meat completely--I still love turkey and won't give that up for anything. :) And I'll probably have a burger or cheesesteak every once in awhile, but for the most part I'm trying to cut it out. Meat grosses me out too, and lately eggs have been as well (I've just been hearing such awful things). I eat a LOT of fish though. Should I get my mercury levels checked??

[Kitty]

Kitty--I'm actually trying to do the same thing right now!

Except I'm not giving up meat completely--I still love turkey and won't give that up for anything. :) And I'll probably have a burger or cheesesteak every once in awhile, but for the most part I'm trying to cut it out. Meat grosses me out too, and lately eggs have been as well (I've just been hearing such awful things). I eat a LOT of fish though. Should I get my mercury levels checked??

Cool!! Let me know how it is going for you.

If I think about any type of animal product, including dairy, I can very very easily gross myself out. I doubt I will ever be able to become hardcore vegan, but I'd like to try to move in that direction.

[Angyl]

I go through phases of this. Some months i eat almsot no meat. some months ai eat a ton *shrug*


Just make sure you take a multi-vitamin and get your calcium and protein. I still take them, beucase my eating habits are so strange.

[Kitty]

Yeah, I have been taking calcium for a long time now because I'm paranoid about bone diseases (runs in the family).

I think once you go veggie long enough there is no way you can turn back.

I stopped eating red meat when I was really really young, and I honestly cannot even FATHOM consuming it now. Its almost not even food to me at this point. I think i'd throw up.

[pisces2473]

Hooray for the Fast Food Nation readers!!!! :) One of my faves...

Hey, look I didn't mention that other book ;)

[mishl982]

Hooray for the Fast Food Nation readers!!!! :) One of my faves...

Hey, look I didn't mention that other book ;)
Well you did manage to sneak it in by saying that. ;):

[biodork]

I've thought about going veggie but seriously I LOVE meat (and I don't care what any book says, I won't stop eating!). And also I would be spending a TON of extra money on food because I know my bf would not go veggie and we would be making 2 seperate meals a night. It's just easier this way :)

[Tayl405]

I stopped eating red meat when I was really really young, and I honestly cannot even FATHOM consuming it now. Its almost not even food to me at this point. I think i'd throw up.

That actually happened to me--I don't eat much red meat (just the occassional burger or steak), but I had a roast beef sandwich the other night and came home and threw up. I think it was the combination of red meat and grease. Kinda sucks though because it was really good!

[paiger81]

Yeah, I have bathroom issues when I eat red meat.

Be careful with giving up meat cause the doctors figured that it's part of the reason why I have my B-12 deficiency. I rarely eat it, I usually stick to turkey breasts or fish. Once in a great while I will crave a steak or something, but for the most part, I just don't like the taste.

[Tayl405]

Yeah I'm not doing it to lose weight or anything (because that's irrelevant anyway). I just have been hearing such gross stories about how the animals are treated, which is awful obviously for them and I don't want to contribute, but it's also really unhealthy. I also read recently about conventional eggs and becasue of how badly the chickens are treated, the eggs can contain more bacteria, etc. I'd rather just stay away from it (although I'm not giving up eggs b/c I LOVE them, I'm switching to humane eggs or whatever they're called).

[bostongirl]

I've thought about going veggie but seriously I LOVE meat (and I don't care what any book says, I won't stop eating!). And also I would be spending a TON of extra money on food because I know my bf would not go veggie and we would be making 2 seperate meals a night. It's just easier this way :)

read this book... I like my meat too (and could also never really go veggie, but now I'm going to be much more careful w/ my meat 'cause there is no way I'm giving up good steak forever!), but the fact that the meatpacking industry (according to the book, and I'm inclined to believe it) basically trys to do as much as it can to get around basic health regulation is what got me... all I can say is ewwww (and if you can read the book and still be all ready to go for a burger, the more power to you :) , esp since you've got a science background) I read the meat packing part on the train into the city last night and I wanted to throw up when I got off the train and was faced w/ a McDonalds... I had to have the veggie sandwich at work today I couldn't stop thinking about it... which is okay, I love my roasted veggies :huge:

[Tayl405]

Super Size me really affected the way I eat. I thought it was really interesting. I still have to read Fast Food Nation.

[NoWomanNoCry]

I've been veggie for a long time now (at least ten years) but, like Allison, I eat fish. No white or red meat.

I could never be vegan - I love dairy.

My advice: just make sure your getting enough vitamins. It's probably wise to take a supplement everday - make sure it has iron. That's the biggest thing you miss out on without meat and it can lead to anemia.

I eat lots of energy bars, which have a lot of vitamins and minerals. I'm also a fan of the soy everything, but soy tends to give you gas! :googly:

Right now I'm on the "cereal diet" - that's where your too poor to afford anything but cereal! :rolleyes: I need to try and follow my own advice.

[biodork]

read this book... I like my meat too (and could also never really go veggie, but now I'm going to be much more careful w/ my meat 'cause there is no way I'm giving up good steak forever!), but the fact that the meatpacking industry (according to the book, and I'm inclined to believe it) basically trys to do as much as it can to get around basic health regulation is what got me... all I can say is ewwww (and if you can read the book and still be all ready to go for a burger, the more power to you :) , esp since you've got a science background) I read the meat packing part on the train into the city last night and I wanted to throw up when I got off the train and was faced w/ a McDonalds... I had to have the veggie sandwich at work today I couldn't stop thinking about it... which is okay, I love my roasted veggies :huge:

That's the thing though, I prob won't read the book. I like meat. Ok yeah some things are inhumane, but I like meat. And I don't want to give it up.

And PLEASE DONT START A DEBATE ON THIS but I think that a lion's prey in the wild prob isn't killed "humanely" as with so many other animals in the wild, so I compare it to that. Yeah we aren't wild but whatever. I like meat.

And I'm the type of person to say "hey, a plant didn't want to be picked, didn't you see Ferngully? It feels pain"

So yeah those are my thoughts. PLEASE NO DEBATE PEOPLE.

[mishl982]

So yeah those are my thoughts. PLEASE NO DEBATE PEOPLE.
Hehe, DEBATE! DEBATE! DEBATE!! :p (I'm so immature)
This girl loves meat so much she even mentions it in her sig line!!

Right now I'm on the "cereal diet" - that's where your too poor to afford anything but cereal! I need to try and follow my own advice. Mmmm I love cereal for lunch or dinner sometimes.

[paiger81]

And I'm the type of person to say "hey, a plant didn't want to be picked, didn't you see Ferngully? It feels pain"

OMG :huge: That is the best line ever! I'm putting it under my name.

I feel the same way, but normally I describe it as the whole Circle of Life/Lion King thing.

Pretty hilarious that our reasoning comes from Disney Cartoons :huge:

[biodork]

OMG :huge: That is the best line ever! I'm putting it under my name.
:huge:

I feel the same way, but normally I describe it as the whole Circle of Life/Lion King thing.

Pretty hilarious that our reasoning comes from Disney Cartoons :huge
Well where else will we learn life's valuable lessons? :rolleyes:
(my other favorite comment is about letting domesticated animals that we eat go free in the wild. They will all get eaten and die anyways. Better we preserve them!)

[megrocks]

If you liked Fast Food Nation, another good book to read is Beyond Beef. It has a more global view on the impact of current diets, and it also gives important facts about the enivornmental devastion it causes. Creation of more grazing land for cattle is the main reason why rainforests are being destroyed, methane from cow feces is a main cause of the hole in the ozone layer, and the amount of water needed for the irrigation to raise the cattle feed causes water shortages.

I gave up eating red meat for a while in college but it didn't last very long and I don't have a good reason why I went back. Thankfully I'm not as bad as my parents. They honestly eat beef every day. I can't stand it.

[cornflakegirl]

And PLEASE DONT START A DEBATE ON THIS but I think that a lion's prey in the wild prob isn't killed "humanely" as with so many other animals in the wild, so I compare it to that. Yeah we aren't wild but whatever. I like meat.


i am not debating, just stating a fact. animals are living & feeling creatures. they have the ability to suffer, plants do not. there is a HUGE difference. equating animals to plants is inaccurate. for further understanding of animal suffering, check out resources on the internet or take a look at your pet. does he or she respond to painful stimulus?

i am currently reading the diet for a new america. it is written by a man whose family ran baskin-robbins, which he was in line to run. another very interesting book. i have just been reading about factory farming & it is really is heartbreaking knowing how all the animals are treated. he brings up a good point that if this was happening to any of our domesticated house pets, that there would be an uproar.

originally when i stopped eating meat it was because of the treatment of animals. i think it is easy to detach from what is on your plate & what it actually is. you look at it as food & not necessarily an animal that is living. in the last few years, i have become interested in nutrition & it is quite appaling what we are taking in with our animal foods - antibiotics & other chemicals. lots of these animals were very sick (90% of chickens in a government study were found to have cancer - diet for a new america). eating animal products is linked to heart disease, high blood pressure, some cancers & various other health issues in people. from just the standpoint of nutrition, it is obvious what the consequences of consumption is. i heard someone speak about the dairy industry & he made a great point that the dairy industry had to have some amazing marketing to convince people that it is normal to drink what comes from a cow. i recommend reading up on nutrition from a pure vegetarian perspective.

kitty - re: calcium. there are some great sources of non-animal calcium in the form of leavy greens like broccoli & kale. also, sesame seeds. something few people realize is that protein cause the leaching of calcium from one's bones. osteoporosis is a problem in nations with large amounts of protein (especially animal) in their diet. in countries where animal proteins are rarely consumed, osteoporsis is virtually nonexistant. increasing calcium intake, in spite of huge consumptions of animal protein, is not enough to cover the loss of calcium due to leaching.

[Kitty]

I agree that it is totally weird that we drink milk. It has always completely and totally freaked me out - which is why I never liked it (even as a kid).

That is an interesting fact about calcium and meat. I never knew that. I think there was some talk on the boards recently about caffiene inhibiting calcium absorption.

Interesting stuff!

[Desiderata]

I too am slowly transitioning to the veggie/vegan lifestyle. But I'm giving myself alot of latitude and time to do so. Recently tried out the veggie burgers/non-meat meats/hot dogs, etc... not bad. Slowly introducing soy to replace milk (currently a 50/50 mix)... though the soy milk seems to go bad a good number of days before regular milk, so that kinda pisses me off. I am making a point to eat more veggies, fruits, etc... also I started suppliments.

So give yourself time to change a lifestyle, it's not easy. Especially when its just you and you may not have any experience with it before. Takes 20 years to eat like crap, won't change in 20 days.

[biodork]

Ok Liz-its not like Im STUPID and don't know this, my statement was made sarcastically. I mentioned that this is the type of person I am. So you really didn't need to post that in response to my post, because I am well aware of the fact as I am sure all other posters on this thread are as they are mostly vegetarians and vegans. And your statement won't change my position on eating meat.

Sorry, but when I feel like I'm being insulted I feel I have to respond

[paiger81]

eating animal products is linked to heart disease, high blood pressure, some cancers & various other health issues in people.

So is doing pretty much anything else these days. In high school I was told that using Carmex(lip balm) will give you cancer, I still have used it on my lips every night.

Sorry, I get annoyed when people bring up "((Insert product)) is linked to ((Insert Disease))". When you look at a lot of those studies, the people who end up getting the diseases usually have a family history of them.

[biodork]

Sorry, I get annoyed when people bring up "((Insert product)) is linked to ((Insert Disease))". When you look at a lot of those studies, the people who end up getting the diseases usually have a family history of them.

Yeah I understand that, I feel the same way. You just need to do things in moderation, for EVERYTHING. I mean drinking too much WATER can kill you, even if you are an athlete in great shape.

[pisces2473]

Yeah I understand that, I feel the same way. You just need to do things in moderation, for EVERYTHING. I mean drinking too much WATER can kill you, even if you are an athlete in great shape.
No, that's TEA! LOL

[biodork]

No, that's TEA! LOL


NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

;)


(PS it really can http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0414water14.html)

[cornflakegirl]

Ok Liz-its not like Im STUPID and don't know this, my statement was made sarcastically. I mentioned that this is the type of person I am. So you really didn't need to post that in response to my post, because I am well aware of the fact as I am sure all other posters on this thread are as they are mostly vegetarians and vegans. And your statement won't change my position on eating meat.

Sorry, but when I feel like I'm being insulted I feel I have to respond

first off your statement didn't come off as sarcastic to me so i didn't realize your intent. i was actually offended by your statement & that is why I responded. you can't expect to make the statement that animals are like plants & then type, but i don't want to talk about it. and no, not everyone knows that animals feel. there is a long history of animals being considered the same as machines & if you look at an agribusiness magazine, you will see that there are still people who agree with this. believe me, people have looked at me very confused when i tell them that i don't it chicken because it is meat. so i can't assume that everyone knows what i stated. and elyse, i am not trying to convert you, merely stating the truth.

while it seems that everything today causes cancer, there are plenty of studies that validate my previous post concerning the health risks associated with animals products. cholesterol is only found in animals products. animal products also have the highest concentration of saturated fats. so of course, a diet centered around animal product is going to be linked to disease. yes there is heredity & environmental factors that also contribute to cancers, but diet is the one think that we can control when it comes to our proclivity to certain diseases. eliminating animal products has a substantial affect on ones diet. for those interested in the benefits, you can check out this link.

http://www.pcrm.org/health/veginfo/vegetarian_foods.html

desi - the soymilk i use keeps for a long time. it takes me awhile to use it all. i am rather particular about soymilk & prefer the silk plain unsweetened variety that comes in the green carton. what kind have you been trying.

[paiger81]

Liz, please calm down, cause you are starting to sound kind of rant-y.

Basically what Bio & I are trying to say, is that WE ARE AWARE of "dangers" & the "violence" and what not, but we are not going to change our opinions on eating meat. We like it, we are going to continue to eat it.

IF you chose not to, that's great, I respect your right to not eat it. But don't preach to me the evils of eating meat.

That is all, thank you, goodby :huge:

[cornflakegirl]

actually paige, this entire thread is about transitioning to a vegetarian or semi-veggie diet. and certain things were brought up that are inaccurate, so i thought i'd correct them. this is something that i do educate myself about so i have a lot of knowledge surrounding this topic so i thought i'd share what i have learned. if you aren't interested in learning about the benefits of a veggie diet or helpful hints towards a veggie diet, then why are you even coming to this thread?

[paiger81]

If you read my previous posts on this topic I am a semi-vegetarian. I eat Turkey & fish, but rarely meat.

I was actually a vegan for nearly 3 years in my late teens, but decided I wanted to add back turkey & fish.

My choosing to eat this way has NOTHING to do with feeling bad for animals, it has to do with the fact that I don't really like the taste of red meat, never have. On the very rare occasion that I want meat, I eat it, and enjoy it.

[MetFanL]

Liz, is it more expensive to be vegetarian/vegan? Do you have enough energy to work out? Do you sacrifice your ability to build muscle?

These are my main concerns. Also, I have digestive problems, and I often wonder what this would do to my stomach -- meaning feel better or worse as a result of my diet...

[biodork]

Liz-Threads go off topic all the time, which is why we are here. And my first post mentioned my thinking of going vegetarian, but for practical reasons I couldn't, and my second response about why I chose not to be a vegetarian was simply responding to someone's suggestion that I read a certain book.

Paige (and I'm assuming other people because no one else tried to correct me) understood my comment about veggies and feelings was sarcastic, I'm sorry if you took that seriously. I didn't think a comment about a cartoon movie would be taken this seriously.

[cornflakegirl]

Liz, is it more expensive to be vegetarian/vegan? Do you have enough energy to work out? Do you sacrifice your ability to build muscle?

These are my main concerns. Also, I have digestive problems, and I often wonder what this would do to my stomach -- meaning feel better or worse as a result of my diet...

i end up spending a fair amount of groceries, but more so because i try to buy organic. i started buying my own groceries after i made the switch so i really don't have any point of comparision.

i do have enough energy to exercise & am able to gain muscle mass. i tend to gain muscle fairly easily. i have never had any issues with anemia or any nutritional deficiencies. i think my body does pretty well on vegetarian diet. i have been reading up on the blood type diet & am excited to find out my blood type is. certain blood types fair better without meat.

i was just reading an article about an ironman triathelete, brendan brazier, who is a vegan. he is a pretty intense competitor whose times actually decreased as he became vegan. there are a fair amount of veggie athletes if you do a google search. here is a question he answered regarding maintaining muscle mass http://www.vegparadise.com/athlete5.html

in terms of digestion, eating more whole grains & veggies & less dairy can improve digestion. most people's bodies can't handle dairy. it stresses the body & it often manifests in various ways- sinus problems, allergies, bloating, gas. i have been playing around with dairy in my diet & didn't realize how it affected my stomach till i started eating it again after a 4 month break. it worth a shot.

[cornflakegirl]

Liz-Threads go off topic all the time, which is why we are here. And my first post mentioned my thinking of going vegetarian, but for practical reasons I couldn't, and my second response about why I chose not to be a vegetarian was simply responding to someone's suggestion that I read a certain book.

Paige (and I'm assuming other people because no one else tried to correct me) understood my comment about veggies and feelings was sarcastic, I'm sorry if you took that seriously. I didn't think a comment about a cartoon movie would be taken this seriously.

honestly, i had no idea you were being sarcastic. i was addressing the lion in the wild comment & not the ferngully one. the queen of sarcasm did recognize that one. the book really isn't so much about calling all people to become vegetarians, but more about the history of the fast food industry & how it functions as a business. i understand if you aren't interested though. sorry, if i came off as dogmatic. anyways, water under the bridge . . .

[MetFanL]

Thanks for the info, Liz. I'm trying to improve my diet and stick to a basic Mediterranean diet. I think that's probably, genetically, what's best for me and it seems to be working. However, w/ all my digestive issues and stress realted stuff that wreaks havic on my stomach, I like to explore other options...

I battle with what's easily digestible and what's more difficult, but bc it's difficult, you feel full longer, it makes your body work harder, yada, yada...

I've read up a little on the blood type stuff, too. I think it's hard b/c we're all basically mutts at this point and, genetically, you have no idea what's the best diet for you b/c you don't know what traits you inherited from where. There was an article in the NY Times awhile back on this subject... I give you credit for studying nutrition... It's not easy b/c there are no hard and fast rules... it seems to be different for everyone.

[cornflakegirl]

so far from what i have read, it is all about individualizing it to what works for your body type. one book i read discussed combining blood type, ancestry & whether one is "slow burner" or "fast burner" (in regards to metabolism) to figure out what works best. so going with a mediterranean diet for you would make sense if that is where your ancestry is from. when i was reading this, the idea of blood type intrigued me more than ancestry because of the mutt factor. i've got england, austria or germany & somewhere on the african subcontinent as my places of ancestry. i can't even begin to figure out what that means i should be eating. when i figure out my blood type, i am gonna give it a try & see how my body responds.

[SunDevil]

The best quote I've ever heard from a vegetarian was this:
"I'm not a vegetarian because I love animals, I just hate plants."

[Desiderata]

liz- the stuff i've been using is called "so good" and I find it a fair bit thicker than usual milk... tried one other brand, but didn't care for it. there isn't much varieyt at most stores up here... haven't tried the flavoured ones yet either, have you? And do you have any specific websites about blood types and veganism?? I'm curious how I'd fair...

[cornflakegirl]

chocolate soy mik is tasty. a good treat & good if you make it in a smoothie with banana & peanut butter. i mostly stick to plain though


desi - check out the physicians committee for responsible medicine
http://www.pcrm.org/health/

http://www.vegparadise.com/ just came across this site yesterday. seems interesting.

i usually read more about veganism in books than online. same with the blood type diet. the main guy is peter d'adamo. here is his website http://www.dadamo.com i am sure it won't give much away, because then you wouldn't buy the book, which i am gonna buy tonight. in tend to get fixated on things for awhile & the blood type diet is my new interest.