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Old 02-04-2014, 01:36 AM
 
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I am making my 2nd attempt to become a Vegetarian.

Does anyone have insight into any potential issues if you go straight from hard core Carnivore to Vegetarian?

Is it better to do a 180 or gradually make the move?

I plan on eating eggs for Breakfast and consuming three protein shakes each day.

I would be interested in experiences for those who have transitioned and how they did it.

Thanks.

 
Old 02-04-2014, 05:08 AM
 
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Whats the reason behind your need to become a vegetarian?
 
Old 02-04-2014, 05:34 AM
 
Location: SE Michigan
6,191 posts, read 18,179,731 times
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I also wonder what your motivation is? Ethics, better health, weight loss...?

In any case, the diet you're proposing sounds quite boring and lacking in fiber and "real" food. I wouldn't last a week drinking protein shakes and eating eggs!

I am currently an omnivore but have spent years in the past without eating meat (except for fish) and I don't eat meat that often now. Mainly because I like cooking and eating in general, really enjoy a wide variety of vegetarian dishes and different cuisines (Indian, Thai, Middle eastern, etc) and I feel better physically when I eat a fresh and varied diet. For much of my childhood and adolescence we ate 100% vegetarian at home. So it would not be a big deal to just stop eating meat now, although I would miss a few things. I probably only eat meat a few times a week as it is.

However, I think you'd probably have a better chance by slowly discovering and incorporating vegetarian dishes that you enjoy and gradually stop incorporating meat in each meal.
 
Old 02-04-2014, 08:48 AM
 
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For most people, in most situations, the key to a huge life change is slowly but surely.

Going cold (non-)turkey can be easy in the beginning days, when you're fired up, but leaves you with very little to fall back on the first time your enthusiasm wanes.

I'd start by taking stock of the meals you like now that are naturally vegetarian (or easily adaptable to be so). Pasta is always a good place to start, salads, a lot of Mexican-style meals are easily made without the meat. Also, as chiroptera said above, many cuisines from around the world do not rely on meat in their meals. Familiarizing yourself with those can be very helpful.

As far as the transition itself, starting slowly by eliminating one meat a week from your diet can help. Start with the one you'd miss the least -- maybe pork, maybe turkey? Whatever it is, drop that first. Each week, work your way up to the meat that makes up the biggest percentage of your diet, then when you feel ready, drop it too.

Also, a word about fake meats -- they have their place, but you have to know that even the best fake meat is not going to fool a hardcore carnivore, no matter what your vegetarian friend tells you. I was a vegetarian for several years, and swore that some of the fakes tasted just like the real thing. When I started eating meat again, I realized that I was very wrong about that. Some of them come close in texture, some come close in taste, but you will not confuse it for the real thing unless you have been without meat for awhile. They can, however, fulfill the craving for something burger-y on a bun, or a chicken parm-style patty over pasta, and a lot of transitioning vegetarians find them useful for that purpose.

Just be mindful of why you want to make this change, and keep that in your thoughts.

A good perspective shift can be to move your focus away from the things you will no longer be able to eat and instead think about the world of food opening up to you -- there are so many great things to eat in this world that don't include meat.
 
Old 02-04-2014, 10:10 AM
 
Location: Banana Republic, LA
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I'm six weeks into my 2nd attempt to be vegetarian (well, technically pescetarian as I want to eat fish/local seafood a couple times a week). Your diet sounds limited and boring, you will soon not want to look at an egg or protein shake!! When I tried last year, I failed big time because I didn't plan my meals very well and didn't know that you need to supplement with about 2,400 mg sublingual B-12. The B-12 is very important!!! Find a few meals that you like to cook and fix them one day a week. If you slip up and do end up eating some meat, keep in mind it does not mean you have failed! Just get back to eating healthy. Don't focus on what you cannot have; there are so many good things that God has given us to eat that you shouldn't have to rely on animal protein.
 
Old 02-04-2014, 12:23 PM
 
1,511 posts, read 1,976,061 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cy_flembeck View Post

Does anyone have insight into any potential issues if you go straight from hard core Carnivore to Vegetarian?
Sure. I would say the first one is to realize you haven't been a "carnivore" but rather an omnivore, so that means you've already been eating a vegetarian diet in part.

The second would be to to question why you would need three protein shakes a day.

The third would be to realize that siwtching to a vegetarian diet is actually an opportunity to eat a wider variety of foods and not just an exercise in cutting things out. So be adventurous about it!
 
Old 02-04-2014, 12:58 PM
 
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Gradually always, always sticks better than suddenly.
 
Old 02-04-2014, 03:22 PM
 
384 posts, read 596,841 times
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Thanks for the replies.

To clarify a few things:

I am changing because I simply feel like it is a healthier diet.

My diet will not just be eggs and protein shakes. I just want to make sure I get enough protein. I lift weights as part of my workout routine and am trying to lose 30 lbs in the process.
 
Old 02-04-2014, 04:30 PM
 
Location: Idaho/Wyoming
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Keep your meals interesting. So many vegetarians and vegans eat the most boring, god-awful food, as if they're required to sacrifice any enjoyment of food. Others eat almost exclusively pre-packaged, highly processed items, basically vegetarian junk food. I think that turns a lot of people off. Every vegetarian/vegan I've met who had issues or didn't feel well was eating a crappy, poorly thought out diet. Our household is vegan and we eat a huge variety of delicious, interesting food that is also fresh and healthful. My husband had never even considered vegetarianism when we met and he's now a happy vegan (who does Crossfit, so he's certainly not withering away and gets plenty of protein and nutrients). We both ski, hike, bike, climb, etc. and neither of us takes any supplemental protein. Eating well balanced and varied meals takes care of all our nutritional needs. Good luck to you!
 
Old 02-04-2014, 06:16 PM
 
Location: SE Michigan
6,191 posts, read 18,179,731 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cy_flembeck View Post
Thanks for the replies.

To clarify a few things:

I am changing because I simply feel like it is a healthier diet.

My diet will not just be eggs and protein shakes. I just want to make sure I get enough protein. I lift weights as part of my workout routine and am trying to lose 30 lbs in the process.
Protein is overrated, especially in the form of processed-food "protein shakes." I personally don't see any difference between processed shakes and eating meat, if all you're concerned about is protein.

My parents (now in their 80s) still run a sheep farm, hands-on, plus hike and are generally very active and they are vegetarian. Myself and my mostly-vegetarian-raised siblings are all in our 50s and also stupid healthy and very thin and active without the nonsense of "protein shakes" or other sillieness.

I assure you that all the many years I never ate meat I never felt the urge to eat "more protein." And I have an insanely physical job compared to your "weight lifting"....my youngest brother didn't eat meat until he was 21 and is a great big strong guy, and as long as you eat right no need for supplementation (I guess it won't hurt, though.)

"Lifting weights" isn't a big deal compared to real life physical activity: farming and construction and a generally active lifestyle; it's peanuts in comparison actually. Most cultures that are vegetarian lead a much more physically-active life that some urban schmoe who lifts weights, are you serious?

You've gotten awesome responses so far: look at this as an opportunity to learn to actually LOVE good, varied food and BE healthy instead of denying yourself a genuine pleasure by relying on synthetic powdered food. Good food of all sorts is awesome and tasty. Learn to love it instead of getting hung up on weight loss and protein requirements because that sort of preoccupation is not healthy (ie an unhealthy preoccupation with food) and won't stick with you long term.

Why not just figure out what foods you love eating and strike a balance between that and foods you don't enjoy and start from there? And from there, gradually phase out meat. There are thousands of amazingly good and high-protein vegetarian recipes (hello rice/pulses/beans) from all corners of the world to try out.
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