I recently committed to being a vegetarian and advice is welcome...?!
Answers: Any tips on how to ENDURE would be helpful. Also, if you have any food ALTERNATIVES or ways to get those essential VITAMINS, please say so in your answer.
For the guy who said you don't get protein, you're wrong. I get more protein now then I did when I ate meat. Yves has a selection of veggie "meat" products that are high in protein, especially their veggie dogs. Best part is, EVERYTHING I've tried by them aside from the bacon tastes exactly (and better) then real meat, only much more healthier.
If you have PC (President's Choice..may only be Canadian) where you live, try them too. They have healthy veggie meals and they even have veggie burgers and veggie "chicken" nuggets. My favourite veggie meal is from M&M, veggie spring rolls. SO delicious and a great lunch.
For dinner sometimes I will get a low carb wrap, and fill it with veggies and such (lettuce, tomatoes, jalapenos, peppers, pickles, mustard, swiss cheese..mmm - you can even add "veggie" chicken to it or whatever you like). Delicious.
Vitamins, I eat fruits for that. Oranges, grapes, bananas, apples, strawberries, watermelon, kiwi...many options. A lot of those are high in Vitamin A, B, C, fiber, etc.
Good-luck!
It's going to be tough to get all the protein you need.
So what happens, is your body starts eating away muscle tissue, which is made of protein, to fulfill it's needs.
You will lose your nice curves in your hips, and start to look like a board.
This is why so many women who are vegetarians don't look so... womanly anymore.
My ex-wife had a GREAT body.
Then she went Vegan, now she hardly has any hips, her legs are straight, and her boobs are limp and saggy looking, and her arms are too.
She looks thin, but flabby.
This is how people look who have protein deficiency.
So I don't recommend it.
At least eat fish. (that's what I do, I don't eat red meat.)
Its possible to have a very healthy Protein rich diet without eating meat.
but you have to do your homework. this is probably not the forum for getting good information.
wer
live in a family of vegans/vegetarians (Im a barbecuist tho)
More than with vitamins is the difficulty with protein. Find complementary amino acid foods, like legumes and rice, which together provide all essential amino acids (those the body doesn't make). Another problem is iron and other things that beef has. After about a month you will crave beef because of these things. Raisins have lots of iron, but there's still some nutrient I can't remember. Probably the best substitute/compromise is salmon, but stay away from the pond-fed stuff because they're loaded with pcb's.
go to your doctor and get some advice. there are vitamins that you can take. eat veggies and fruit. peanut butter is a good source of protein. calcium-yogurt,cheese,milk,broccoli.iron... meat,baked potatoes,apricots,raisins,dried beans,whole grain breads. good luck!
you can gets lots of protein from soy products, nuts, peanut butter, and protein shakes. as for endurance, there are tons of meat substitutes that still taste great, some taste even better in my opinion.
hmm, i'm a little frightened by the first answer you were given. not because it's true, but because it sounds a bit crazy. your 'hips' and 'boobs' are primarily fat. i'm not sure losing them has anything to do with protein intake. i'm guessing his wife began eating healthier and in turn lost weight (meaning dropped some FAT). anyway, it is nearly impossible to eat a balanced VEGETARIAN diet and not get enough protein. almost everything has protein... even french fries!!! and your doctor will tell you, a vegetarian diet is much healthier than a meat based diet. (vegetarians on average live 7 years longer than meat eaters.) try eating the same things you always have, just use substitutes. it makes the transition to a vegetarian lifestyle much easier. for example, instead of hamburgers, have veggie burgers. (Amy's has the best veggie burgers in my opinion. many of the publix chains are carrying them now.) instead of using hot dogs in your beans & franks, use veggie dogs. instead of using beef in your spaghetti sauce, use boca crumble. (again, you can get it at publix.) you can also use the taco bell brand taco seasoning packet with the boca crumble to make veggie tacos. i won't give you any more examples... i'm sure you get the idea. just know that you are making the right choice. stick with it!
Chickpeas, lentils, soymilk, green vegetables, fruits, ORGANIC FREE RANGE eggs, TOFU!! etc.
I go for days with only like 20 grams of vegetable protein and my muscles are doing fine...good grief.
Being committed is the answer to your own question, if you're committed, you will do it. It's not easy, but in time you'll get used to the different eatting habits and the lighter feeling in your stomach and after that a heavy meal will make you feel kinda ill. At least that's what happened to me.
Potatoes helped me a lot, they fill you up. Coffee is my secret weapon though. Whenever I'm eating stuff I shouldn't, coffee is the thing that ends the cravings for me.
Good luck and welcome to the club.
I've been a vegetarian for years. I take supplements, and I use nutritional yeast to get added protein. (tastes a little parmesan cheesy-you sprinkle it on your food) I'm healthy and happy. My husband uses Whey protein. Don't look at it as "enduring". It's just a life change. Changing your eating habits. Eating meat is disgusting and there are plenty of options that didn't have to die for you to eat! Most animals used for meat are treated horrendously, and then killed. There are soooo many meat alternatives out there...from deli lunch"meats" to roasts to things to put on the grill. Boca burgers are awesome and SO much healthier than a real meat burger-with WAY less fat and calories, and no yucky stuff like blood and flesh! Morningstar has many options as well. You can do this! Also, try TVP-which is textured vegetable protein. You get it in the store near oats and such. Bob's Red Mill makes great tvp. You have to add hot water to rehydrate it, and you can make some AWESOME "chicken" salad or sloppy joes, or tacos with it---you use it like ground beef! Ask your local grocery store if they have a cold vegetarian section as well as a frozen one. Most stores are carrying that sort of thing now with so many people going veg and caring about their bodies. You should ask your doctor which supplements are best for you...we don't know anything about your physical being. I need an iron supplement or I go anemic. Don't let ANYONE tell you that you can't be healthy and beautiful on a vegetarian diet. That is bullshit. The animals would thank you for it if they could talk. :o)
You really need to get Protein + Iron, or you could become Anemic. I'm 13 and I've been a vegetarian for 4 years and I take One a day women's as a vitamin and it works for me. Soymeat is also a good source of protein, you can find it in the freezer section at your local grocery store.
Protein is easy.
(Forget the idiot who said you would sag. That sounds like jealousy or love of fat.)
Soy comes in quite a variety.
Soy cheese. Soy milk (great for pudding and pie filling.)
Soy meats (Yeves is a good brand but there are others.)
Beans and legumes are also excellent sources.
Nuts are great.
All of the above are good for you and add GOOD fat and GOOD cholesterol.
Think about adding certain fish, though.
Salmon, Tilapia, Pollack (makes great artificial crab.)
You say you "committed" to being vegetarian.
Why?
If it's a commitment to be healthy...GREAT !!!
You'll never regret it.
Educate yourself, go to a book store and buy some veggie cook books. Far too many people go veggie and don't know how. It's not just about the not eating meat. You have to substitute a lot of proteins.
first of all.. i just wanted to say congratulations! I think that you could endure if you commit. I think its all about the mental stamina.. be strong, and resist. There are soooo many different and absolutely delicious vegetarian food to try, so check out some of the websites and get creative =). Of course, you will eventually get along the lines of having a healthy meal. But just remember the food guide, and have a balance of everything. Be sure to eat corn, carrots, beans and try different things. Also, there are so many ethnic food to try out, like chinese, indian, thai.. and many more! Also, if you're hungry and need to go to a restaurant, more than 75% of the stores have a nice vegetarian option. And even if they dont, dont feel shy, and ask. Finally, if you somehow miss the taste, try the veggie-chicken or veggie-beef that are pretty much avaialble everywhere. And last but not least, keep yourself in a positive environment and i'm sure you will be able to endure yourself as a vegetarian =)
take a one a day vitamin. That way you can get the stuff you don't eat in your diet. Good luck...