So I am a new vegitarian... I'm afraid to tell my mom, coz she'll try to discourage me and get me to eat meat.!
My question is,
How do I tell my mother, so she is aware, without her getting irrational, and then having information on vitamins and things so I could possibly purchase some..
I need answers, and fast..
I've never really hit her with something like this, so I'm kinda scared...
Help.
Also, what type of vitamins would I need??
o.O
Thanks..
xoxo
Ali
Answers: I'm afraid that My mom isn't going to approve of my recent decision, but I've been thinking about it for a long time.
My question is,
How do I tell my mother, so she is aware, without her getting irrational, and then having information on vitamins and things so I could possibly purchase some..
I need answers, and fast..
I've never really hit her with something like this, so I'm kinda scared...
Help.
Also, what type of vitamins would I need??
o.O
Thanks..
xoxo
Ali
o.k. i am a Mom - raised all 5 kids veggies - all are very healthy and Big. first things first - EDUCATION is power! buy her a veggie cookbook - the kind that has all the do's and don'ts. ask for her help- to make sure you do it the "right" way - let her know you want to "TRY" this - give her all the reasons you personally want to do it - like you don't want to kill animals or you want to be helping the environment - being veggie is very GREEN - ask her to try it with you - let her know it will be good for her HEART - even if she only tries it for a while she and her heart will benefit. oh and when you give her the cookbook make it a gift - do it alone, just you and her tell her it means alot to you to include her in this very big change in your life - also let her know you will be willing to prepare your meals so as not to disrupt family dinner or meal time. as far as others being negative - most humans are afraid of change - things that they do not understand - like someone changing their diet to something unusual. remember try not to alienate folks along the way - you will need support. good for you for trying & good luck with MOM - this mom will be in your corner :)
Well if you have been thinking about this for a long time you should already know what types of vitamins you should take.
As far as your mom goes, if you talk to her like an adult and tell her why you are making this decision and that you plan on making the transition very healthy and positive, that might help. Don't do it like my sister did, which was to say she was a vegetarian so she wouldn't have to eat dinner and then fill up on junk food like sugary cereals all day long. I really think that being upfront and responsible about this decision would help your mom see why you are interested in trying it.
Also, tell her you will help making dinner and go grocery shopping with her. I know a lot of friends parent's who balked at the idea because they were expected to change THEIR habits to suit their child, which is not the case. If you want to implement this lifestyle, then help make it easy for everyone.
Also - I was not trying to be a "smarty pants" when I said you should already know what vitamins to take. I meant that if you are trying to present the front that you have been thinking about this for a longtime, one might already have the knowledge about what they should do in this lifestyle. That's all - I know personally I like to make decisions based on all the information available to me, but I guess that's just being responsible about life decisions.
well I'm just gona answer the bit abot how to telll ur mum, watch a vid about how animals get killed for food, then say in a casual voice im gona tri to be vegetarian for a week, the the next week say yess i did it then say im gona trie it again, soon your mm will soon get used to it
byeeeee
just remember, she can never make you eat meat, you can give in, but she cant make you
unless she is a sadist
i just went throught the same thing, when we were going to eat i plainly let her know i am planning on becoming a vegetarian (i've made the change now), and when she started to say something discouraging (i could tell by her voice) i stopped her mid sentance and said "i don't want to hear that i can't do it, it would just be really cool if you support my decision" and when i said that, i suddenly felt like i had more power over my decisions/ choices, and now i'm not sure if she supports me, but she doesn't deny me the right, or speak up against it
It sounds like your Mum is going to be quite threatened by your healthy life choice. She might feel underneath that she hasn't done well enough for you.
Perhaps you could offer to prepare some simple meat free dishes for the family and try to see it as something that you could both learn about and therefore develop your relationship.
As for you "failing to thrive" on a vegetarian diet, you could try pointing out that vegetarians are generally healthier and live longer. The freshness and variety of vegetarian food will give you all the vitamins and minerals you need. However to placate your Mum and give her time hopefully to learn a general multivitamin supplement will do no harm!
Good luck
okay, I dont know the answer to anything really. but I can give you some web sites.. lol wait!
I can answer bout ur momma. lol. I dont think she'll mind. Just tell her why you want to be veg head - ed. she;ll probaly be cool about it. lol You know, I PREDICTED THIS! Remember when I "wrote" that stupid story back in like, 6th grade? I SAID YOU UR CHARACTER WAS VEGETARIAN! I AM SO AWESOME! lol anywaiz, here is some web sites.. lol
http://www.goveg.com/
http://www.vrg.org/
http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/Everyday-C...
watch Earthling with her :)
Just tell your mom you want to be a vegetarian for whatever your reason is and have her read The China Study, watch Earthlings, and look at information about vegetarianism on veg*an sites such as:
http://veganpeace.blogspot.com/
http://www.vegan.org/
http://www.veganoutreach.org/
http://www.goveg.com/
http://www.tryveg.com/cfi/toc/
http://www.vegansociety.com/html/
And people are being negative because they are ignorant due to the fact they are not educated on veg*anism.
And you need the same vitamins as any other diet, here is information on vegan nutrition:
http://www.vegsoc.org/health/
http://www.vegsource.com/nutrition/pyram...
well just let your mom know and she should most likey except your dision. oh and if you dont eat meat eat beans and nuts they give you the same thing and i think eggs im no sure.
tell your parents that you are want their help and very mature about what you will be eating. - and really they can stop you now, but what about when you move out, so why not work together as family versus having arguements
Plan your meals.
1) Breakfast: cereal, toast, bagel, fruit etcs.. - this covers your daily carbs, better to have carbs in the morning versus at night.
2) Mid morning: yogurt, apple, protein bar. this will give you energy
3) Lunch: veggie sandwich, grilled veggies, veggie soup with lots of beans - you'll get your proteins and with the veggies, get your "a,b,c,d,e" vitamins.
4) Dinner: big spinach salad, or a leafy green salad, with a main course veggie dish. the salad covers your iron and more protein, with great vitamins. - b12
The main course veggie dish, - you can basically have what you want as along as it not to heavey in crabs. like don't eat loads and loads of paste or bread. but a little is good!
For ideas for recipes go on-line and there are loads of healthy free veggie recipes!
I suggest sitting down with your mom and talking to her. Let her know you have decided to become a vegetarian. Be sure that you know your info, this way any of your mothers "concerns" will be answered on the spot. When you talk to her, keep in mind you are not hitting her with anything terrible. You are looking to eat healthier and become more aware of what is going into your body. Look at this as something you can do together(cooking, learning, shopping). You shouldn't be scared to tell her, most children begin to discover their independence and ability to make their own decisions(as long as they do not harm themselves or others). This is just another step in growing up, she is raising you well(as you are able to decide things for yourself).
You may want to go to the library and get a few cook books and books on vegetarian nutrition so your mom can read through them. Your moms concerns are going to be based on misinformation, so getting knowledge and offering her books to read on the subject(if she chooses to) will help her understand that you are eating healthy.
As for vitamins, you do not need them if you are eating a wide variety of foods. There is nothing in meat that cannot be found in a vegetarian source. It is far better to get your vitamins/nutrients from actual food rather than a pill. If you do choose to take a vitamin(some people like to be 100% sure they are getting everything), than a regular multivitamin(vegetarian, of course) sould be fine.
Definitely a multivitamin. Not every one is going to offer the exact same amount of each nutrient. Compare some multis. You might want to compare their calcium, iron, and B vitamins. I suggest increasing your fiber (maybe try Benefiber or Fibersure), fruit, veggie, legume, whole grain, and water intake. You need to decide what type of vegetarian you want to be: lacto-ovo (dairy and eggs), lacto (dairy, no eggs), ovo (eggs, no dairy), or vegan (no dairy or eggs). This site might help you decide what foods you need to incorporate into your diet: http://www.soystache.com/iron.htm. To keep from being anemic, look for protein-rich foods: milk, soymilk, eggs, cheese, yogurt, peanut butter, lentils, beans, tofu, grains including pasta and bread, nuts and seeds.
These sites might help with protein: http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/protein.htm and http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/whattoe... Obviously ignore the meat items. If your diet doesn't include extra virgin olive oil, flaxseed oil, ground flaxseed (fiber), and wheat germ (good in yogurt), you might want to add these in. You might be adventurous enough to try odd-sounding staples such as tempeh, tofu, and soy. If you want to add soymilk to your diet I recommend Almond Breeze (if you like nuts). I tried their chocolate soymilk but not their vanilla. It's got a touch of almond that really helps the taste. I can't find the issue of First magazine but the article recommended a soy-whey protein shake for after workouts. The powders are expensive, but if you want to make the shake you can add milk or soymilk. Since the powders I buy are very plain I usually add chocolate soymilk and peanut butter (my favorite source of protein).
Find a quiet time when your mom's not stressed, annoyed, or busy and approach her about your decision. Maybe you two could work out some meal plans together. She can still cook the meats (if she's the cook), but maybe you can have some say in the side dishes. Vegetarian diets can be healthy, but you have to be creative to get what you need. I think the green leafy foods have calcium, iron, fiber, and maybe a little protein. I'm not quite sure, but they do offer something you need. That's where baby spinach and dark green lettuce come in handy (salads, sandwiches).
To put your mom's mind at ease, try these sites:
http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/die...
http://www.youngwomenshealth.org/vegetar...
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vegetar...
http://www.vegan.org/FAQs/index.html#1
Good sources for recipes: First magazine, Weight Watchers (online or magazine), Vegetarian Times, and http://vegweb.com/. Also, if you want to type an ingredient into http://www.cooks.com/ you can see what recipes appeal to you. I hope my suggestions are helpful. Best wishes on your new nutritional endeavor. :o)
don't worry! it's not as scary as you think it is, i'm also a vegeterian, from almost 3 months ago now and it's great! but i was very scared to tell my parents, but basically i just thought, wats the worst that could happen? and just went to them and said "i want to become a vegeterian" and then they'll ask you why, and you give them the straight out reason, whether its animal cruelty, heath stuff, or something else, and if they keep hassling you, give them facts and stuff about how what your doing is good. Here are the two reasons most people become vegeterian, and you can tell this to your parents to convince them:
If you are doing it because of animal cruelty: Good on you! same with me. It's the best feeling in the world. Some of the benefits include saving an average of 100 animals a year! It's a fact I read on the peta website, and i read somewhere else that the average vegetarian saves about 36 pigs a year (i can't remember how many other animals). It makes you feel SO good about yourself, to know that you are not contributing to the inhumane torture and slaughter of innocent, defensless animals. Vegeterians are unique people who are slowly becoming more and more common, only for the better! We are the people who care:):):)
If you are doing it for health reasons: good for you again! In my opinion becoming vegeterian is one of the healthiest things you can do. There is no nutrients you can get from meat that you can't get from a balanced vegeterian diet and/or dietry suppliments. You do end up taking in more vegetables than usual by eating vegeburgers instead of meat ones, vege-lasagne, etc. Not eating meat can dramatically decrease your chance of getting a heart disease, and you will most likely lose weight as well as having your body detoxed.
dw, its really easy to make your normal meals into vegetarian ones.. i thought of these myself :)
*tacos/burritos (instead of meat, beans but with the same spices)
*have sandwiches with vegetables and lots of cheese (you could add toferky but i personally think it tastes like dog food)
*vegetable lasagne
*when your family eats burgers, have a VEGE burger, you can buy them in the frozen section their goood
*tofu cooked with spices, soy sauce, and sweet chilli/tomato sause, when your family is eating meat
*PASTA
*cheese/vegetarian pizza
*stirfries
*noodle boxes (their boxes of like pad thai, satay noodles and stuff and all you do is add water and microwave)
*vege-nuggets (havent had them but apparently their even better than chiken nuggets)
*avacado and cheese quesidillas
*ceasar salad
*spinach queche- no ham of course
As a vegeterian you can easily miss out on iron and protein. So i suggest taking these suppliments, especially iron, but protein is not as neccessary if you eat things like tofu, beans and nuts alot.
here are some sights that also might help with tips and recipes as well:
http://vegkitchen.com/
http://www.vegetariantimes.com/
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/...
http://www.recipesource.com/special-diet...
http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/Everyday-C...
http://www.vrg.org/recipes/
Hope this helps!!! :D:D:D
I wouldn't worry about vitamins. It is a common myth that vegetarians can't be healthy without supplements. It just isn't true.
I'd suggest you become vegetarian for a while, and then say "I've been vegetarian for a month" rather than "I'm going to become vegetarian". If it sounds like you're already doing it, it will be much harder for her to argue with you than if it sounds like you are thinking about it.
I think before you can educate your mom on your choice, you need to educate yourself. Read everything you can. Google "veganism" and read, read, read. Then you should be able to back up your reasons for wanting to go vegan. It's not going to be very persuasive when you say "I want to be vegetarian because um....i think animals are cute." Your mom will probably respond with the typical "But where will you get your protein!?!??!?!"
http://www.pcrm.org/health/veginfo/vsk/p...
http://www.goveg.com
Regarding vitamins, if you eat well, you shouldn't need to supplement. You should eat lots of fruits, veggies, and greens. If you WANT to take a supplement, then do so. I'm vegan and I add an omega 3-6-9 oil to my smoothies 1-2x a week & a b complex.
http://www.vegetarianlunchbox.com
http://www.veganlunchbox.com
http://www.vegcooking.com
http://www.fatfreevegan.com
http://www.theppk.com
Good luck.
You're making a wonderful decision not only for your health and your future health, but the planet. The best thing you can do is arm yourself with knowledge - "Skinny B*tch" is a fantastic, well-researched book about the benefits of a veg diet, and it will give you the information you need to tell your mother. It is a myth that vegetarian and vegan diets lead to protein and iron deficiencies, which is likely something your mother will point out - so you may want to take her to a natural food store and have the store nutritionist take you guys around and show you all of the many ways you'll be able to get what you need. There are plenty of vegetarian and vegan multi-vitamins available, which is a must. Another one of my favorite ways to introduce a veg diet is to say "hey, let me cook tonight" - you don't have to tell them ahead of time your intentions, and then go and cook a wide variety of vegetarian dishes and show them you will be eating real food and be fine. Good luck!
I don't agree with you decision but it's you decision and you have to live with it. I strongly suggest you get up close and personal with a couple of nutrition book so you understand what you are doing to your body. And not just veggie books because they tend to be a bit biased (surprise surprise). I mean real textbooks on nutrition. Then you can answer questions from doubters and other concerned individuals like your mother who is worried about your health.
PhD Food Chemistry and Nutrition