How can I become a vegetarian. I have trouble not eating meat, I crave it.?!
How can I become a vegetarian. I have trouble not eating meat, I crave it.?
I feel sick within a few days of not eating it but I feel strongly against animal slaughter since I've known my vegetarian friend. Any ideas of how I cant detox myself from meat once and for all?
Answers:
First, it's great that you've decided to even try. A lot of people who are conscious of disgusting animal abuse don't give it a second thought.
How you quit your meat habit depends upon your personality.. whether you choose to do it all at once, or gradually. Have you ever quit any other habits? How did you do that, if you succeeded or not?
I think one of the most helpful things while giving up meat is to buy some fake meat! Quorn, Morningstar, Boca, Gardenburger... all make *really* good meat substitutes. After a while you forget what real meat tastes like and can satisfy your meat cravings with these products. Cook really good dishes and you won't really want meat. These foods will help you switch your diet in a healthy way, although they aren't good to eat for every meal, they will help keep your protein intake normal, and with a combination of vegetables there isn't much along the lines of nutrients that you can't get. The only one that I'm aware of that you can't get without meat is vitamin b-12, but apparently the liver stores that vitamin for years and you can supplement it with a vitamin or many protein drinks. If you really balance out your diet from the get go, you won't feel sick.
Once in a while I'll crave some meat until I think of things like the video "Meet Your Meat", or think of what meat looks like raw, or words like "flesh" and how "eating flesh" doesn't sound good. It might help to expose yourself to living cows, chickens, pigs... whatever and see them and look them in the eyes. I don't think it's necessary to scare yourself by visiting a slaughterhouse, just pull off the road if you pass a farm, or heck, even look at pictures of living, grazing farm animals. Many times these animals will acknowledge you and greet you and this is something you could recall when cravings come about.
Doing a literal cleanse or fast could possibly help too, although I don't think there is much to guarantee that. I know someone who was able to give up his smoking habit after a fast and cleanse, though, so you never know unless you try.
Good luck with your adventure in vegetarianism!
choosing to become a vegan or vegetarian is a choice...and depends on how much of a conviction you want to put forth...good luck
Take a tour of a slaughter house . If that does not work , get a job in the meat department of a supermarket. That should do it.
I personally believe that everyone should have a balanced diet. Including veggies, fruits, bread, dairy, meat, and even a little bit of sugar. I believe that your body needs all the different nutrients in order to grow and be healthy. I also believe animals were put here, on this land, for us to eat.
But you aren't asking about that....
Anyways, I would think that if you were so strongly against animal slaughter, then maybe you could research it out more. Put those "bad images" in your mind. That way your mind is controlling your body. And in the end, you won't want to eat meat. Does that make sense?
linda mccartney vegetarian food or quorn could be an alternative if you like the taste of meat but dislike the idea of animal slaughter.
the best detox ever to clean your system out of any item:
mix:
1-2 TBSP fresh squeezed lemon juice
1-2 TBSP PURE maple syrup
dash cayenne pepper
8-10 oz water
drink this, and only this (you can have plain water too)
there are enough calories in the mixture to sustain you. you can safely do this cleanse anywhere from 3 days to 3 weeks.. you will know when it is time to stop.
if you have any sort of medical condition or are on medications.. you'll want to ask your dr first.
also.. look into a colonic. i know it sounds awful.. but meat stays in your colon for quite some time.
good luck
just stop eating it, and stop thinking of it.
maybe it would help if you realise that meat is better the more rotten it gets, the most tender meat is so because it decomposes to get softer. Also meat in the supermarket goes through a cycle, first it's nice fresh meat> then they add colours to it cos it goes gray> then it goes a bit green after a few days on the shelf/in the packet, so they scratch that stuff off >then, when it's too gross to sell like fresh they either marinate it, or mince it > and finally when even the mince is too foul they make sausages. Yum.
You should look around for meat substitutes, like soy stuff, and if you are lucky your supermarket will have lots of meat-like foods that arent actually meat.
But maybe you really want to eat meat?
Or could be your body needs stuff that the meat has, try to balance a meat free diet so you get lots of protein and take some vitamins and minerals (like iron tablets for example) if you arent getting what you need.
.
you know vegetarians aren't just for thinking about animals... it's also about your health .. so if you become a vegetarian ... you will have lesser blood pressure cholesterol and other bad effects on the body by eating lots of meat ... well you can do this .. eat veggies and eat really small amounts of sweets .... sweets.... you could choose to eat ice cream , candy , chocolates , ... but the best vegetable "sweets" are fruits ... so its better to eat fruits than veggies I think hehehe .... so you might just wanna try my idea ... hehehe
You have to do it slowly. Start by not eating red meat. For example, if you eat pork or beef three times a day, then you can reduce your consumption to once a day, then once a week and so on until you have completely weaned yourself off it. You'll also have to start increasing your consumption of vegetables and fruits. Then, you can try to stop eating chicken and eggs, then fish and seafoods until finally, your system has already adjusted to eating just vegetables.
It may take some time so you'll have to be very patient. Sometimes, it also helps to eat meat substitutes like veggie burgers, veggie hotdogs, etc. when you feel like you want to eat something that looks like meat.
try doing it in steps. Start with taking out red meat from your diet and work on that until you're comfortable, then chicken, fish etc. or you could start with what you crave the least until you remove what you crave the most.
Also, You could also try giving yourself something else to get your mind off the craving- like a piece of chocolate,a call to a friend.
I don't know if fake meats (soy products) taste the same as meat but they do taste good and maybe can help any cravings for burgers, hot dogs and the like.
Just remember to eat a balanced diet with lots of veggies and you'll physically feel good so your body won't crave fatty meats.
Good luck
i suggest u sign up for a fear factor challenge cos they giv u all sorts of disgusting n rotten meat to eat..maybe dat will make u stay off meat
Just stop eating the meat and ignore what your body tells you.
Fill up on vegetables. Plants are better for you than meat. Actually, plants are better than meat, period. Research shows that plants respond to environmental stimuli, communicate chemically, warn neighboring plants of attack by pests, and even compete strategically for resources.
Best thing, though, is that they are totally incapable of running away when we come to cut them apart. And when we eat them fresh, the plant tissues are still very much living, and can feel our teeth grinding them up.
Yeah, down with eating animals. Eating plants is SO much more compassionate.
You definately don't need to do it all at once. You can start by cutting meat out of one meal a day, then two meals a day, and so on. Take as long as you feel you have to. The important thing is to make the effort and keep trying. You may also want to stop eatting red meat right way, since it is probably the worst for your body.
You might always want to get meat replacements that give you the taste and feel of meat to ease the transition. I personally love tvp, and buy it in beef and chicken flavors so I still make some of the comfort food I grew up with.
Some people have a very sensitive diegestive system and if they make radical dietary changes over night it can wreck havock with their sensitive systems. Even making it more likely that they will get ill since much of your immune system is in the diegestive track.
You known your body better than anyone else, and you should listen to what it's telling you. More than likely it's just complaining about the sudden change, and probably the increased fiber. Take your time.
1st drop meat out of one meal a day, then two, and so on, you can be a ovo-lacto vegetarian for awhile after that, then slowly work your way to vegan if that's you ulimate goal. Also make sure your getting enough water.
Not getting enough water and increasing your fiber by eating more vegetables will always cause problems. Fiber needs water to work correctly, and if you don't get enough water the fiber binds up your gut and will make you feel sick.
You are welcome to contact me if I can help in anyway with your transition.
Here are some links to vegetarian starter kits that should also help.
A uhm... meat addiction? Never heard of that before.
I guess you could just slowly cut it out of your diet. Eat less portions and start skipping days that you eat it.
The best bet might be to ask a doctor or a dietician as to why you're getting sick from not eating it because there may be a underlying problem.
Just make sure you get plenty of protein and take a multi-vitamin.
If you have chosen to BE a vegetarian, then simply DO the things a vegetarian does.
Poof you're a vegetarian.
Yes, you might have some cravings from time to time. They might come back years down the road too. That happens.
But who is in control of your choices? You are.
Make sure you are eating other types of protein such as beans, nuts and seeds. Some vegetarians still eat some dairy and eggs. You could do it gradually such as go off one meat at a time - Beef, then pork, then poultry, on to fish. I haven't eaten beef or pork in 18 years but I still enjoy the smell. The longer you avoid it, the easier it will be. I still consume dairy, fish and eggs in moderation, along with beans, nuts and seeds for protein.
Take a healthy choice not an idealistic one. Simply increase the amount of fruit and vegetables in what you eat as well as limiting the amount of fat. We don't need quite as much protein in our diet as is our custom to eat so limiting your intake to at least the recommended limit would be a step towards achieving your goal. It's not so simple to be vegetarian in the culture we live in. Do your homework and find out what is available to eat as a vegetarian.
It can get kinda difficult, but you can do it! It'll be hard at first, but after time you will get used to it, and not even want meat. What I did was instead of eating meat every day, I started eating it maybe 3 times a week. Then once a week, then finally eliminated it completely. Because by then, I was used to eating other dishes not containing meat, and wasn't struggling trying to find new recipes.
Another thing is to use meat replacer, like soy based products. At first, something like Garden burgers (or Boca, and Morningstar Farm brands) seem gross, (well, they did to me at least) but after a while they are Soooo good. Now that it's summer, everyone else eats their burgers and hot dogs, but I'm quite happy with my Boca burger. I actually think they taste better honestly.
Anyway, hopefully that helped. Just gradually eat less and less meat until it's totally gone from your diet instead of quitting cold turkey (pardon the pun :)
Hang in there & get through it. Detox can be helped by Juicing & Fruit & Green Smoothies. That ill feeling is literly posion coming out of your cells into the main system to be removed from the body. Try to get some extra rest, drink plenty of clean water.
Flesh has a addictive quality too it, just like all addictions there is a withdrawl period. Do not do a Fast, until you have been eating CLEAN for 3 months or so the shock(Detox) would be brutal.
Lots of luck.
I have a similar problem Cravings tend to indicate physical need. I would like to give you the answer but all I can offer is sympathy.
if u hav cravings 4 meat, try soya protein which is mock meat... try beancurd... tht too is mock meat.. gud luk! :)
try marinated portobello mushrooms! their tase and texture is so close to that of steak i don't like them because of the resemblance. and keep up the good work girl.... you're doing the right thing! and believe me, it gets easier to not eat meat the longer you resist the cravings. it's like quitting a drug.... withdrawl is so hard, you think you have to go back, but once you're free of addiction, you know that this is the best thing you've ever done for yourself. good luck!!!!!!!!!!!
I have two tips for when you crave meat 1. pop a peice of mint gum in your mouth. or 2. think what that animal must have went through, so pritty much try to think of bacon as a pig hanging by its feet squleing right before if gets his/her head choped off, and think of chicken as poor little chicke on a convaer belt getting there beaks and feet cut off by faceless and masked figures derssed in white.
that all ways helps me!