Wanting to become a vegetarian!!! any tips!?!
Wanting to become a vegetarian!!! any tips!?
im 14 right now, after reading a book called "Vegetarianism For Everyone" i feel like i need to make the right choice! So how do i start off? tips?
Answers:
Good girl! My 12 year old is a happy veggie-has been most of her life. The trick is to not complicate it. Just simply dont eat meat or poultry. Eat all of the other foods that you enjoy, find substitutes for meats, like boca burgers, morningstar farms, etc. If you get to craving a hamburger, just toss a portabello mushroom in a pan with a little olive oil, and cook over medium heat for a few minutes until it softens a bit. Then, eat it on a bun just like you would a burger, topped with your favorite condiments and cheese, tomato, whatever you normally have on a burger. Look into ethnic foods for ideas-we love tacos made with pinto beans and cheese. Like I said, keep it simple. When you normally eat meat, just substitute a baked potato, mushroom, or meat sub. Continue to enjoy your other faves. Good luck, sweetie-and dont let the meat eaters who try to convince you that you NEED meat. I havent had meat in years and I am thriving. Make sure you get protein from beans, legumes, and grains such as quinoa (pronounced keen wa) available at health food store. And be prepared-people will criticize your decision, but just proudly OWN the fact that you made an informed choice about the foods you choose to eat.
edit: Ignore the closed minded posters who tell you to see a doctor-vegetarianism is NOT A DISEASE! Its a choice. You sound like you have a great attitude about this. People who eat the standard american diet do so because they are uneducated about what its really about, and unlike you, they dont care to read about it and learn how TOXIC it really is. Pitty them and bless their ignorance. But, you kind of have to wonder why so many of them hang out in the veggie section. Wannabees without the courage, perhaps?
My 14 year old son wants to legally change his name from Karl to "Cash-Money God". I don't understand the meaning behind it, we are well off but still. I understand why, I changed my name a few years ago to Super-King but thats awesome and bada s s. Should I let him do as he wants?
Don't...eat what you crave. Your genetics may be different, veggies are not for everyone...you might be a hardcore carnivore.
I know I drool when someone talks about small animals like bunnies...
First realize that there is no "right choice" in diet. Second, if you want to be a vegetarian, stop eating meat.
Just make sure you get all the nutrients your still growing body needs. Like complete proteins.
Honestly, i dont think you should become a vegetarian, my sister did it and she became extremely skinny.
Also, if you are not going to eat meat, eat foods that have protein in them and then become a vegetarian.
If you do become sick, start eating meat again, think of it this way, what's more important, your life or the animal???
Stop eating meat. That would be a good start.
Is being a vegetarian something you want to do or something that sounds interesting? You need to consult with a dietitian and or Doctor before drastically changing your diet. Vegetarian could be no meat, dairy or eggs. Some vegetarians choose to have dairy and or eggs. Which ever choice you make it is important to get professional guidance.
I wouldn't become a vegetarian because some book PROMOTING vegetarianism said so . You're too young. . . don't do it until you ask a DOCTOR . What they don't tell you is women's breasts shrink dramatically or don't develop properly at all . Most women would chose otherwise if they only knew that .
EDIT* - Ya see, there's women telling you to make sure to eat protein/meat . Because lack of protein is what causes the condition that I described . Go ask your parents .
Dont think about meat, learn to hate it, associate every meat with a live animal and pretty soon you will detest meat and it will be a very healthy lifestyle and great for your health. Eat lots of green leafy vegetables.
GO you! I'd say that you should try to slowly eliminate animal products from your diet. Get rid of the easiest (least favorite foods and those that you never eat) first, then slowly graduate to the harder stuff. Remember that gelatin and meat stocks are still made from animals. Make sure to replace the foods with others and to concentrate on making sure that you still feel healthy and aren't hungry all the time. I think that if you end up hungry, you can search yahoo answers for information on that.
Or you can just use my preferred method and cut the meat "cold turkey" (no pun intended...). Then if you feel sick, then you can replace it or whatever. I had no problems with that, and it helped me stick with vegetarianism.
As for telling your parents, just go up to them and say "I want to go vegetarian, I've researched it and will do it as healthily as I know how, if I have any health problems I'll stop and try to revise my diet around them, and I will try to make my own food if you won't." I always hear about people who don't tell their parents right away, and end up miserable or afraid of what they'll say. Your parents should respect your decision, and if your set on vegetarianism you should be able to convince them.
Keep reading! If you have any more questions that you run into, you can ask at www.veggieboards.com- they can answer most of the specific things, seeing how lots of them are vegan geniuses. Good luck, and stick with it!
EDIT: And don't listen to the former posters! You know what you want, so if you really want to try vegetarianism you can always stop if you don't like it! As long as you eat healthily, you should get healthier, not sick! Dietitians aren't completely neccessary- if you are thinking about what nutrients you get then you should be eating better, not worse! And last but not least, in response to some incredibly confused poster, I am pretty sure that I've never met a vegetarian female who has complained of shrinking breasts. Of all of the vegetarian or vegan girls I know of at my high school, we're all averagely developed, as far as I know. What a strange claim! The only reason that I can think of that it might be true is because if you end up losing weight through vegetarianism (I've heard that lots of people lose about 5 pounds when they go veg, though it isn't what always happens), then that would happen just like any other weight loss.
Oh, and you could go lacto-ovo vegetarian (no meat but eggs and milk) or vegan (no animal products whatsoever) or one of the five or so other vegetarian types. Whatever you feel you can and wish to do!
Yes, the first month or so is hard. But it's not as difficult as people make it sound to be the only vegetarian in a meat eating family- cook your own yummy food! Just remember that you're doing the right thing.
Im 14 too and became a vegetarian not to long ago. Like a month ago. For me the first month was hard. Its gonna be difficult at first. But you'll get used to it like I did. I havent gone to the doctor yet, but a whole bunch of people say on this website "you neeed to check with your doctor" or "you need to check with a dietian". I will but havent got a chance to. Eat lots of protien like beans! Just eat a variety of goods. Beans and grains are great for you.
I am not a vegetarian, but I have tried it for short amounts of time. The first thing you need to do is really talk this over with your parents. It is hard on a household if only one person is actually a vegetarian. Just recognize the fact that dealing with people who are close to you may not understand or do not want to understand the reasoning behind you becoming a vegetarian. With this being said I would start off by talking to your family doctor and possibly seeing if he could recommend a dietitian.
I think then you should decide what level of a vegetarian you want to be. Some people consider themselves vegetarians and still eat fish, and you can go as far as to be a vegan. If you are unsure just start off slowly first cut out red meat, then pork, chicken and so on. Remember this is a full lifestyle change. Realize that in restaurants just because the item does not have a big chunk of meat in it does not mean that it is vegetarian. Many restaurants use chicken stock to flavor dishes. Also try to be involved at home for dinner and try to have a couple of nights that you cook the meals and everyone eats vegetarian. Good Luck.
GREATTTTTTT!!!!!! im 14 too and i love being a vegetarian!!!!!! One thing that I was worried about--and everyone else around me--was that i wasnt getting enough of the vitamins and protein that i needed everyday. become a vetgetarian meant that i cut out meat (which i hadnt been eating much of anyway) and wedged in more cheese and bread etc. which was def. not the right thing. ! Check out this book: "The Dieat for Teenagers Only" it is a great book for every teenager. I do not need to loose weight, but it is still very helpful. It is an easy reader and tells you what is good for you to eat and how much (protein, dairy products, veggies)! Becoming a vegetarian can be a big step, but with this book I know that I am a healthy veggie girl who gets exactly everything that I need!
Good,that is the right choice and maybe you want to take a look at this vedio http://www.meat.org
don't eat a whole lot of processed foods, stick to fruits and vegetables and some soy foods.
Its worth a shot. I mean make sure you talk with your doctor about b9 injections. This will provide the nutrients lacking in many vegan diets(especially if your just starting out). Let your parents in on this so meals can be planned. You and your parents should visit a registered dietician to aid you in this venture. Proteins need to be complete proteins. Their are 20 essential proteins needed for proper nutrition. Certain ones together make complete proteins( ie rice and peas or peanut butter on whole grain) Make sure those complete proteins are getting in. They are the building blocks of your body!