I've been seriously considering vegetarianism for quite sometime now. Any advice before I take the plunge?!
Once you remove the meat, you'll realize that you're not missing that much... seriously...
Keep eggs and dairy in your diet. You're not eating flesh and production of those products keeps animals living long and healthy lives...
Don't forget about how awesome and varied pastas can be with no meat at all. Alfredo sauce can be jazzed up with broccoli and red peppers... marinara can be kicked up with zucchini, mushrooms and shredded carrots. Toss cooked pasta with soy sauce and stir-fried veggies and you've got lo mein.
Ditto with rice. Stir fry it with your favorite combinations of veggies (if you don't have time to chop all that stuff up, visit your local market salad bar and pick up a container of whatever you choose.)
Pizzas are so incredibly flexible and wonderful with no meat at all!
Return to PB&J lunches... salads with black beans, jack cheese and salsa... tacos with refried beans, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, just skip the taco meat part... still yummy!
A lot of Mexican and Asian cooking, when done the way it is in the home, is virtually meat-free. Chinese restaurants in the USA add far more meat to the dishes for us than they do in their own country. It would explain why we're overweight and they are not - lol
If you really get in the mood for something "beefy" use mushrooms. Portobella mushrooms particularly have a beefy texture and flavor and you can take the large ones and broil them with a bit of Worchestershire and olive oil, top them with your favorite cheese and serve it on a whole wheat hamburger bun with shredded lettuce and tomato slices if you wish.
Chop lots of those mushrooms up into cream of mushroom soup, add sour cream and a splash of red wine, serve over brown rice or noodles and you'll never miss the beef that used to be in there.
Have a huge baked potato, stuffed with lowfat cheeses, sour cream and lightly steamed broccoli. This and a salad makes a great dinner...
Removing meat is not hard. Trying to pretend something is meat when it's not is just gross - lol (For me it just makes me remember I'm not eating meat!)
Answers: Yes. Don't try to use those nasty pretend foods. Like SmartDogs and whatever. Let the food be what it is. Trying to make vegetables and soy look and taste like hot dogs is just too weird... ditto for fake "meatballs" etc and tofurkey.
Once you remove the meat, you'll realize that you're not missing that much... seriously...
Keep eggs and dairy in your diet. You're not eating flesh and production of those products keeps animals living long and healthy lives...
Don't forget about how awesome and varied pastas can be with no meat at all. Alfredo sauce can be jazzed up with broccoli and red peppers... marinara can be kicked up with zucchini, mushrooms and shredded carrots. Toss cooked pasta with soy sauce and stir-fried veggies and you've got lo mein.
Ditto with rice. Stir fry it with your favorite combinations of veggies (if you don't have time to chop all that stuff up, visit your local market salad bar and pick up a container of whatever you choose.)
Pizzas are so incredibly flexible and wonderful with no meat at all!
Return to PB&J lunches... salads with black beans, jack cheese and salsa... tacos with refried beans, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, just skip the taco meat part... still yummy!
A lot of Mexican and Asian cooking, when done the way it is in the home, is virtually meat-free. Chinese restaurants in the USA add far more meat to the dishes for us than they do in their own country. It would explain why we're overweight and they are not - lol
If you really get in the mood for something "beefy" use mushrooms. Portobella mushrooms particularly have a beefy texture and flavor and you can take the large ones and broil them with a bit of Worchestershire and olive oil, top them with your favorite cheese and serve it on a whole wheat hamburger bun with shredded lettuce and tomato slices if you wish.
Chop lots of those mushrooms up into cream of mushroom soup, add sour cream and a splash of red wine, serve over brown rice or noodles and you'll never miss the beef that used to be in there.
Have a huge baked potato, stuffed with lowfat cheeses, sour cream and lightly steamed broccoli. This and a salad makes a great dinner...
Removing meat is not hard. Trying to pretend something is meat when it's not is just gross - lol (For me it just makes me remember I'm not eating meat!)
I would make a gradual transition from your current diet to a Vegetarian diet. If the change is to sudden it will be difficult because the body will be craving for it's normal sources of protein.
I am on that path dude ! what I would advice is don't stop eating meat all of a sudden.
you would lose your protein intake. You should gradually substitute the protein from meat with alternatives like soya, lentils, milk etc.
Go slow and steady !
Make sure you research it well before you go for it. There are so many different types of vegetarians. My father is a strict vegan which means he won't, wear, eat, buy, or use anything with animal products or tested on animals. I used to be an ovolacto vegetarian which ment I only ate chicken, eggs, dairy, and fish. Find one that you think will suit you before you jump into it. Also what ever type you decide to be make sure you research what vitamines, minerals, and nutrients you will be missing out on because of what you may not be eating anymore. You will have to find other things to replace it so you can still stay healthy. Good Luck!
don't even go there,you'll be frustrated as hell.
don't you'll get so sick of veggies soy and other stuff that you'll quit anyway. by the way if you're doing it for the animals it really doesn't matter that you don't eat it. that animal and all the others that you don't eat are just as dead. no offense to anyone whose doing that because they don't agree with killing animals and stuff,
Whenever you eliminate an entire class of food from your diet, you're courting deficiencies. So you'll have to do some careful research.
Advice:
Learn about B-12; hard to get in a completely veggie diet.
Go to the health food store and buy quinoa (pronounced keen-wah). It's a very tasty seed that eats like a grain and is rich in complete proteins and low in fat. Very versatile.
Learn to cook in new ways by reading vegetarian magazines and websites. Don't just eliminate meat - add quinoa, soy, lentils, brown rice, tempeh, etc.
Learn to combine foods to create complete proteins.
Decide what level of vegetarianism you want to pursue, and why. Will you eat cheese? Eggs? Fish? Are you concerned about the plight of animals for "humanitarian" reasons, or religious reasons? Or maybe about the ecological inefficiency of the meat industry? Or about growth hormones and antibiotics in your meat? Or cholesterol?
And if you find that you're getting weak or lightheaded, or losing muscle mass, or getting sick or pale, then your diet isn't sufficient. Pay attention and adjust - even if it means going back to meat. Some people just aren't cut out for a strict veggie routine.
"You can obtain all the necessary protein, minerals, and vitamins quite easily on a vegetarian regime if you eat a variety of wholesome foods."
You may want to read this online article about becoming vegetarian:
<>http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0...
Also, check out this website, you might find something useful:
http://www.hacres.com/
Congrats for considering a vegetarian way of life!