If you HAD to, how difficult would it be to give up meat for the rest of your life? (meals, vegan)

[sn63]

It would probably take 3 months or so but I could do it. You just have to rethink what your staples are and figure out how to plan dinner without meat

[warren zee]

Originally Posted by Nema98

I could easily convert to the other type of "meat", it actually is just as good and sometimes better and healthier than real meat.

I really enjoy fake meats - I think some of them are delicious. I am not a total vegetarian - but I once was. My doctor recommended that I add fish back to my diet. I eat fist two or three nights a week. I was eating too much dairy. I wish I could give that up - but it's not looking good.

He told me that sticking with a red meat and poultry free diet was fine with him. I've already outlived my father and three uncles. They ate meat like it was going out of style.

I haven't eaten red meat or chicken for 22 years.

What I couldn't give up are vegetables and fruit.

[Tia 914]

It wouldn't be a problem for me. I don't care if I eat meat or not. Most times it's only because I can't think of anything else to cook.

[Mightyqueen801]

I think I could. I still eat meat but more and more as I get older, there are times when it just grosses me out. Didn't eat any yesterday. Haven't today so far, either.

[cindersslipper]

It would suck.

I don't even eat much meat but I am a firm believer in a balanced diet which includes meat.

So going without entirely would be unhealthy in my head and I would never do it. My daughter is vegetarian and it remains a constant bone of contention. Most people don't know that particular cancers are only seen in vegetarians...scary stuff.

However I would cope with it better than most because I LOVE vegetarian food.

I could never convince colleagues I wasn't a vego because I always ate vege lunches by choice.

[moscowborn]

If one really studied the processing of large scale farm meat, and how certain meat products are actually made, going w/o may be a lot easier than you think. Unfortunately, unless you are fairly well off financially, eating organic, small farm raised meat is a hardship on the pocketbook. The more we understand the impacts on the planet of factory farms, perhaps future generations will not think twice about eating less to none. In truth, our digestive tracts do not seem truly designed for meat eating, as it is more in line w/herbivores than carnivores. Perhaps this is why we see such a large population suffering from bowel cancers.

[Miss Hepburn]

Since I was a vegetarian for 15 years, not even eggs or egg baked goods...
It is extremely doable.
SO many many great recipes making up complete protein....however
the carbs in the grain, beans, multi-grain breads...I would not look fwd to.
Weight gain would be inevitable for me.

Ha...newsflash..my friends that continued on being vegetarians for over 40 years have
just been diagnosed with pre diabetes, high cholesterol... (both are slender)...
Well SURE...I see the homemade bread in their house, pastries, pastas, hunks of cheeses...
they do NOT eat balanced....I finally talked them into having protein shakes...it gave them more stamina.

They will cook up some br rice with some veggies...well, where are the DAILY
beans/tofu/tempeh to make it a complete protein...no where... for decades!
Makes me nuts.

[warren zee]

Originally Posted by moscowborn

If one really studied the processing of large scale farm meat, and how certain meat products are actually made, going w/o may be a lot easier than you think. Unfortunately, unless you are fairly well off financially, eating organic, small farm raised meat is a hardship on the pocketbook. The more we understand the impacts on the planet of factory farms, perhaps future generations will not think twice about eating less to none. In truth, our digestive tracts do not seem truly designed for meat eating, as it is more in line w/herbivores than carnivores. Perhaps this is why we see such a large population suffering from bowel cancers.

That's what I think.

There are many cancers that can be avoided by not eating meat. Factory Farming is animal torture.

I have never heard of any cancers that vegetarians are susceptible to. I have conventional Drs. who praise that I do not eat meat and poultry.

[Tia 914]

Originally Posted by warren zee

That's what I think.

There are many cancers that can be avoided by not eating meat. Factory Farming is animal torture.

I have never heard of any cancers that vegetarians are susceptible to. I have conventional Drs. who praise that I do not eat meat and poultry.

And it's not only the meat itself, but the crud that's being injected into the farm animals these days- antibiotics, steroids, etc.

[Mightyqueen801]

Originally Posted by warren zee

That's what I think.

There are many cancers that can be avoided by not eating meat. Factory Farming is animal torture.

I have never heard of any cancers that vegetarians are susceptible to. I have conventional Drs. who praise that I do not eat meat and poultry.

This is why I will end up quitting eating meat. It always bothered me to think of killing animals, but I could detach those thoughts from the package of ground beef in the supermarket. As I get older and learn more, that's getting harder to do.

My daughter has that list of horrible documentaries that she wants me to watch about factory farming. I haven't, but she has made me more aware by giving me dribs and drabs of the details. She went from letting me treat her to a prime rib dinner one week to being a vegan the next. That was over a year ago, and although she says she "had a few encounters with dairy" on special occasions, she has gotten into plant-based cooking with a passion.

I haven't seen her in a year because she lives on the other side of the planet, but before she left, I enjoyed the challenge of making her some meals with plant-based ingredients only.