Trying to go vegetarian? ?!

I didn't find it hard, myself...

I had read this book that told me to stop eating meat with seasoning (not even salt) for a couple of weeks first... When I did this, I found the taste of the meat without seasoning was disgusting... Their theory was that if I had to season something, then that something must not be good to begin w/,

After that whole steaming ordeal, I began eating mostly beans, rice and veggies...
I noticed changes in my energy, because the anemia I'd had for 5 years disappeared on the vegetarian diet (I believe my body had become better able to absorb nutrients without all the heavy protein in my stomach)... Also, my mind changed, my all-too-familiar depression disappeared within a few days. My head cleared up. Also, my tendency to go into rages disappeared as well... (Now, I'm just as happy as a well loved pet cow chewin' cud)... :)

Within weeks, I felt lighter... My cravings didn't go away for a couple of months (I also did a couple of juice fasts, you may not wish to be as extreme), I believe it takes some time for the old meat to get out of the digestive system therefore no longer sending "cravings" up through the bloodstream making you want more of it's kind. After a while, you just don't care for it anymore... Now, mind you, should you choose to try it again (say, in a couple of weeks or longer) you will feel all the things you lost that were good (clear headedness and better temperament. in my case) return. I caved in and had one of my mother's meals two weeks after my transition, and therein was the effect. I didn't feel it was worth it. I'm much happier off of meat! Also, I don't have to walk around justifying my killing of animals all of the time to other people as well as in my head. I find this to be a good thing as well.

How to stay fit? Good question... I've found my body is just as fit as it was before I became vegetarian. I had to learn how to make sure that I was getting enough protein on the vegetarian diet. Other than that, I walk, stretch, exercise like normal and my body is more likely to take to the changes... (They say that it's quicker for some reason for a vegetarian to get fit on a fitness program than one who's not veg. I found this to be true for me.) I maintain a healthy weight and I follow a plan of eating (just so I can remember to get in a healthy amount of protein, and so that I don't binge eat on whatever...)

Thanks!

12 years vegetarian

I became a vegetarian about 6 months ago and it wasn't nearly as hard as I thought it would be. I was never a really big meat eater though, I just don't like cooking very much. Meat always grossed me out and I could never handle it raw. After about a month it got much easier. I still eat dairy and eggs. If you try to cut out eggs it gets very difficult because EVERYTHING contains eggs, lol.

There are also lots of products geared to vegetarians now. Eating out can sometimes be a challenge. You can try doing it gradually if you do currently eat a lot of meat. You don't want to shock your body.

As for the energy, I noticed a change pretty quickly. Probably after a month I felt better overall. I also do yoga 3 times a week, which is how I stay fit. Any exercise is good. You'll be eating less fat in general. The challenge is keeping your protein level adequate. You have to add a lot of beans or soy to your diet. I personally have come to love tofu. When prepared properly it is delicious.

Good luck!

Experience

Giving up meat isn't hard. Sometimes it helps to have mock meats to start out with before you learn to cook vegetarian foods. Finding a good vegetarian cookbook isn't too hard. Look for anything by Robin Robertson. She's awesome.

It varies from person to person on the energy changes. If you eat a lot of whole grains and veggies, you should notice a change in energy within a couple of days. If you eat junk food, you won't have any changes in energy.

Exercise to stay fit, of course. If you find something you like to do, exercising isn't hard at all. Some people like to lift weights, others like to run, some like yoga. Just do what you like because it'll be more likely that you'll stick to exercising.

Good luck on your journey into vegetarianism. =3

Vegan

I've been a vegetarian for 3 years and a vegan for a few months now. It's really not that hard, it just takes a little getting used to and some dedication. Just don't get upset if you slip up. It's a process.

Psychologically, I felt better pretty fast - like less guilty. It could take a little while but you'll notice a difference.
As far as staying fit goes, it's pretty hard to be fat when you're vegetarian, just make sure you're not replacing meat with carbohydrates and make sure you're getting tons of protein, which isn't that hard. I'd suggest picking a day when you have a little extra time to go through the grocery store and find things that appeal to you that are also vegetarian. Eventually, you'll figure out what you like and what you don't like, and once you reach that point it's a lot easier. You'll probably end up losing a little weight eventually, just make sure you exercise, because that never hurts.

lol thats funny . you wont get weak dear . dont go hardcore vegan right off the bat though, you will get protein from eggs n dairy , n soy . etc.... decide later if you want to stay lacto ovo or go vegan. up to you.

No its not hard., just keep in mind what it is and where it comes from .


exercise like you normally do , check out the huge fake meat section in your supermarket like morningstar , boca etc... theres every type of fake meat you can think of. , frozen foods like Amy's are organic and vegetarian , theres many brands.

I was a vegetarian for a long time, and I never felt a difference in my energy, etc. I did notice that my waistline didn't expand much. Then again, it didn't expand much when I went back either, but still...going vegetarian has kept me from ever doing much fast food (I still don't), and that might have something to do with it.

Being vegetarian probably makes it easier to stay fit, not harder. It's easier to get the protein you need than society makes it out to be, unless you're working our especially hard.

Yes, parts of giving it up were hard. Fish and poultry were easy; shrimp and shellfish (e.g., clam chowder) were hard. Giving up things like pepperoni pizza was tough. Giving up soup was kind of hard, though it's possible to cook good substitutes now. Of course the "just pick the meat out" comments were a constant eye-roller.

i think it depends on how much meat was in your diet before
i didnt eat much meat to begin with so when i went veg. i didnt have to change much
a true vegetarian diet is a super healthy way of eating.. you wont have to try to hard to stay fit unless you eat the crap veggie foods.. ie: lots of white pastas.. white rice.. basically just fillers tthat you feel you need to make up for the meat.... you can have a "junk food" veggie diet or a healthy veggie diet.. just get some veggie cook books or something.. or just cook something that you normally would and leave out the meat.. ie: spaghetti - basic tomato sauce whole wheat pasta and i add lots of mushrooms and sometimes zuchini to the sauce instead of meat - instead of like chicken parm. do eggplant or zucchini..

Giving up meat is easy, as long as you stay away from the good meats. Try to separate your self from meat for about a week and try to avoid it like skipping MC Donalds and burger king. If that is too hard for you wean your self off of meat by getting less and less every day.Then things get easier. You will notice energy changes in about a week or so, faster if you exercise. I myself jog and take a weight lifting class for P.E. I am not a super model, but I feel a heck of a lot healthier. You should try to be vegetarian. With America being the fattest country in the world, a healthy life style is ideal.

Giving up for meats its not hard, we can have a meat substitution for that like tokwa or glutten with equivalent value as of meat.

Maybe a week you will notice that you feel lighter.

Maybe it will take some time to achieve a fit body.

Good luck.

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you do not need to become a vegetarian. to be healthy.. you just need to have ur diet controled..
we all survive how we can and eatin meat is defenetly a way to survivee. try controling your diet instead.. look at some websitess.. while you do ... plan a schedule of what to eat.. make a list.. or something that will help ..you
becomin a vegetarian can be hard especially if you are surrounded by people that eat meat.