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I'm seriously considering becoming a vegetarian. I have no idea how and have no vegetarian friends. I try to eat right and find when I just do my juicing and take a break from eating meats and processed food, I feel 100% better. I'd like to completely turn around my eating habits but am afraid I will miss meat. Although, there are plenty of times I think I could go easily and be a vegetarian. I think mostly, I'd miss fish.
Does anyone have a realistic, easily transitional plan to convert over??
Thanks for stopping by and congratulations on considering this wonderful lifestyle change. You'll get some great inputs from people here so you can choose the ideas you want to think about. Here is my two cents worth:
First, realize that it requires learning to look at the food groups in a different way so be sure to learn your new food pyramid (www.vegetariantimes.com/2007/pdf/vegetarian_starter_kit.pdf - broken link). It sounds like you may be ready to start weaning yourself from a meat-based diet. I tried and eventually failed to go cold turkey (twice) but finally went veggie for good by easing into it. I've not had any cravings for meat ever since and feel great every day.
I would suggest a few things:
-Stop buying meat altogether and consider throwing out some of what you already have (save only what you need to achieve a soft landing).
-Explore other ethnic foods, especially Indian and Middle Eastern. We love couscous, samosas, quinoa, etc.
-Beans are your friend: A veggie filled burrito with beans, corn, etc is so much better than one with meat in it.
-Heat up peppers with a bit of oil and a bit of salt (we get nice juicy ones from Morocco and Spain here) - the perfect snack.
-Find a veggie restaurant and sample lots on the menu.
-Cut meat down until you are left with only fish, then ease out from there.
-Be ready to feel great after eating (not heavy and bloated) and expect your GI system to do a bit of "house cleaning" when you've finally gone 100% veg.
-Look around in this subforum and you'll find some great recipes and ideas, not to mention lots of nice people with much better advice than I can offer.
-Expect that not all of your friends and family will understand but you'll look and feel so great that you'll know you are doing the right thing. Remember, today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that stood its ground.
-Let us know how you are progressing so we can offer our support.
I'm seriously considering becoming a vegetarian. I have no idea how and have no vegetarian friends. I try to eat right and find when I just do my juicing and take a break from eating meats and processed food, I feel 100% better. I'd like to completely turn around my eating habits but am afraid I will miss meat. Although, there are plenty of times I think I could go easily and be a vegetarian. I think mostly, I'd miss fish.
Does anyone have a realistic, easily transitional plan to convert over??
Thanks for your thoughts....
Why be one or the other? Why not eat what you like and if it is meat or veg for a month, who cares?
You don't have to become a veg, you don't have to become a meat monger, eat what your body/mind tells you to eat.
Balance and moderation is the key to everything. Why "shut a door"? Is it just for a title/social status/attention?
Just curious.
If you like fish, be a veg but eat fish....what is the big deal w/being one or the other?
Good luck w/your decision, I wish you the best.
FYI - Not a bash, not try'n to convert, just an opinion and some questions. Don't anyone go ape $h!t on me, please.
You could always be a pescetarian (fish being the only animal flesh you eat, the rest veggie). There are many fishes that are actually quite good for you. Just pick wisely.
I'm seriously considering becoming a vegetarian. I have no idea how and have no vegetarian friends. I try to eat right and find when I just do my juicing and take a break from eating meats and processed food, I feel 100% better. I'd like to completely turn around my eating habits but am afraid I will miss meat. Although, there are plenty of times I think I could go easily and be a vegetarian. I think mostly, I'd miss fish.
Does anyone have a realistic, easily transitional plan to convert over??
Thanks for your thoughts....
Very beautiful ponies you have there!
Xpat gave you some really good info, and there's not a whole lot to add. Good idea to stop eating as much processed foods as you can. I swear, they'll do you in! There are some really good frozen foods out there now - kind of a stop-gap in case you don't want to cook! Amy's is a good one, as is Kashi's (so I'm told).
I was never enthused about eating meat, so I can't help you with any transitional plan, sorry. Psychologically or physically, there was never a great need for it, so it wasn't a big deal to me to find other sources of healthful food.
You very well may miss eating meat, at least for awhile. Maybe it's partly due to the fact that meat is promoted as our main food source. And it's part of our culture to be told we need it at every meal - or we're missing out. Not so, imo, nutritionally speaking.
There's no reason to think you're limited in what you can have. You have a tremendous amount of food options.
Good luck with whatever you choose to do. At the very least, we can share non-meat recipes ~
Thanks for stopping by and congratulations on considering this wonderful lifestyle change. You'll get some great inputs from people here so you can choose the ideas you want to think about. Here is my two cents worth:
First, realize that it requires learning to look at the food groups in a different way so be sure to learn your new food pyramid (http://www.vegetariantimes.com/2007/pdf/vegetarian_starter_kit.pdf - broken link). It sounds like you may be ready to start weaning yourself from a meat-based diet. I tried and eventually failed to go cold turkey (twice) but finally went veggie for good by easing into it. I've not had any cravings for meat ever since and feel great every day.
I would suggest a few things:
-Stop buying meat altogether and consider throwing out some of what you already have (save only what you need to achieve a soft landing).
-Explore other ethnic foods, especially Indian and Middle Eastern. We love couscous, samosas, quinoa, etc.
-Beans are your friend: A veggie filled burrito with beans, corn, etc is so much better than one with meat in it.
-Heat up peppers with a bit of oil and a bit of salt (we get nice juicy ones from Morocco and Spain here) - the perfect snack.
-Find a veggie restaurant and sample lots on the menu.
-Cut meat down until you are left with only fish, then ease out from there.
-Be ready to feel great after eating (not heavy and bloated) and expect your GI system to do a bit of "house cleaning" when you've finally gone 100% veg.
-Look around in this subforum and you'll find some great recipes and ideas, not to mention lots of nice people with much better advice than I can offer.
-Expect that not all of your friends and family will understand but you'll look and feel so great that you'll know you are doing the right thing. Remember, today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that stood its ground.
-Let us know how you are progressing so we can offer our support.
OMG! thank you so much for this very valuable information!! It's funny that you mentioned the ethnic foods. I actually really like Indian food and would be able to eat like that often. I wondered though about the Sodium in those foods?? What about Asian foods too? There are a lot that don't involve any mean or fish but the sodium is so high. Isn't that bad for me?
Why be one or the other? Why not eat what you like and if it is meat or veg for a month, who cares?
You don't have to become a veg, you don't have to become a meat monger, eat what your body/mind tells you to eat.
Balance and moderation is the key to everything. Why "shut a door"? Is it just for a title/social status/attention?
Just curious.
If you like fish, be a veg but eat fish....what is the big deal w/being one or the other?
Good luck w/your decision, I wish you the best.
FYI - Not a bash, not try'n to convert, just an opinion and some questions. Don't anyone go ape $h!t on me, please.
Oh no not all!! I do agree with you in that you don't have to completely convert just for the sake of what society views as good or bad (just an example). My reason for wanting to come off of red meat is purely my own ideas about how it's processed, all of the drugs going into our cattle, etc, etc... I love fish, that probably won't be completely eliminated from my diet but I have researched quite a bit and this is just a very personal decision. My fiance is a BIG meat eater... so the change will only go for myself. But, I like your thoughts and do agree.
Xpat gave you some really good info, and there's not a whole lot to add. Good idea to stop eating as much processed foods as you can. I swear, they'll do you in! There are some really good frozen foods out there now - kind of a stop-gap in case you don't want to cook! Amy's is a good one, as is Kashi's (so I'm told).
I was never enthused about eating meat, so I can't help you with any transitional plan, sorry. Psychologically or physically, there was never a great need for it, so it wasn't a big deal to me to find other sources of healthful food.
You very well may miss eating meat, at least for awhile. Maybe it's partly due to the fact that meat is promoted as our main food source. And it's part of our culture to be told we need it at every meal - or we're missing out. Not so, imo, nutritionally speaking.
There's no reason to think you're limited in what you can have. You have a tremendous amount of food options.
Good luck with whatever you choose to do. At the very least, we can share non-meat recipes ~
Thanks for the compliment, your advice and insight. If I go a couple of weeks and not eat any red meat, I admit, I do crave a steak, but then after I eat it, I always feel like, why did I do that!!?? LOL
I'm going to check out the namebrands of boxed meals too just for in a pinch or at work over lunchtime. I do love Kashi brand stuff but never thought to try their frozen meals.
thanks again!
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