I want to become a vegatarian??!
Answers: How do I start this? Anyone have any tips or info before i begin?
I just posted this on another thread, but think it applies here too:
Go to this website, and order the Vegetarian Starter Kit. It's free:
www.vegetarianstarterkit.com
The easiest way initially is to make the same foods you ate before, but to substitute meat alternatives. For instance, if you ate pizza before, then make pizza with cheese and veggies (no meat), or you can also not put any cheese if you want it vegan. Or if you do to the health food stores you can buy these vegetarian pepperoni slices, and you can put them on your pizza instead of actually meat pepperoni. When you to your stores freezer section, check out the veggie burgers, vegetarian chicken patties, and vegetarian deli slices-- so that when you make sandwiches, you can just have that in your sandwich instead of real meat. When you make soup, just substitute veggie broth instead of chicken broth, and leave out any meat you'd add. Or you can have tacos, but use soy crumbles instead of actual beef. It's pretty easy this way-- and the Vegetarian Starter Kit will give you a lot of good ideas. You can also go to: http://www.vrg.org/recipes/ to see more vegetarian recipes.
Although these small changes aren't too big of an issue, the biggest tip I have is to really understand why you want to be vegetarian in the first place. For me, I became vegetarian because I was so appalled by animal cruelty and slaughterhouses. So I read up a lot of this topic. There were times when I'd think about some nice chicken dish I'd use to like, but when I'm remember the horrible cruelty done to those birds-- I didn't want chicken anymore. The most important thing I think is to read as much as you can about how to be a healthy vegetarian, and to read about the reasons to be a vegetarian. If it were purely for health reasons, I don't think I would be a 100% vegetarian, as fish and stuff is considered healthy (for purely health reasons, I would be a vegetarian plus fish). However, I became vegetarian (now vegan) as a means to stop animal cruelty.... so even if someone tells me the benefit of omega 3 in fish, it doesn't matter to me... as I don't think killing is acceptable. So I won't eat it regardless. Reading as much as you can about being vegetarian is important, so that you know how to stay healthy. There are a lot of misinformed people who will tell you that you may not get enough protein and such being a vegetarian-- but that is totally untrue if you know how to balance a vegetarian diet. So that's why it's important to read as much as you can about being healthy. I am happy as a vegan now, and am more at peace with my choices. Here's one website I really like a lot, which talks about compassion and animal advocacy, which is really a strong motivator for many people to go vegetarian: http://www.veganoutreach.org/
Good luck!
Research on the commitment you will have to make and know that you will have to stay focused.
Start eating more veggies and you'll get the hand of it.
Good luck!
A Vegetarian Starter Kit:
http://www.pcrm.org/health/veginfo/vsk/
Congratulations!
All you really need to do is WANT to be one. Think of the pros and cons.....and dont eat meat.
good luck.
vegetarianstarterkit.com
A lot of research.!!
Veggies will rule the world one day!!
you can do it gradually, like remove one animal from your food at a time. -
first month, don't eat cows,
second month, don't eat cows, and pigs, etcc..
but at the same time increase your own intake of geat healthy vegetarian food.
for free and easy recipes go to
http://vegetariantimes.com
good luck. - don't back to the dark side.
Don't listen to anyone that says you need to take vitamins or see your doctor!
The path to true enlightenment lies this way. Welcome.
Why would you want to? If God hadn't wanted us to eat meat, He wouldn't have made meat taste so good, and He wouldn't have given us teeth to eat meat with.
i used to be a vegetarian. when you want to start, i recomend that you get rid of every single piece of meat in your house. its not hard once you get started. just buy a lot of black bean nd tofu so you get protiens. cheese works too.
Well first you have to decide what kind of vegetarian you want to be.
Lacto Vegetarian: Eats NO meat, NO eggs, No geletain, but does eat dairy products
Ovo Vegetarian: Eats NO meat, No dairy products, NO geletain, but does eat eggs
Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian: eats No meat, No geletain, but does eat eggs and dairy products.
vegan: Nothing from animals. No meat, geletain, eggs, dairy prodcuts, etc.
after you figure that out you have to figure out how your going to get your protein. i reccomend googling recipes.
HTH!