I Think I'm Going to be a Vegetarian?!

1. Depending on your condition, cutting out animal protein (that means meat, but also dairy and eggs) can actually increase your health and overall quality of life. In fact, I went vegan (no meat, dairy, or eggs...no animal products at all) after I read it could help my fibromyalgia that I got while in the Marines. It hasn't cured it but has improved my quality of life enough that I won't go back to eating animal products. Many studies from around the world show that an animal-heavy diet (including dairy and eggs, so again you want to go vegan, not vegetarian) creates a host of medical problems, even when consumed in moderation. My recommendation if you want more information is to go to your library and rent The China Study (you can also buy it at book stores) and learn how bad it is for you.

2. Yes, they were all vegan in Genesis.

3. You don't need to go gradually. I went from an omnivore to vegan overnight. Especially if your parents are concerned with your health, have them look into this. Ask them to consider that maybe the way we've been eating really is contributing to our bad health as a nation.

4. Tofu tastes like whatever you cook it with. So it tastes as good as your cooking :) If you're worried about cooking, I do have a food blog. That way, you can also see what a vegan can eat on a regular basis. I'm a university student with a disability, so it's not like I have a bunch of time, money or good health to want to make all kinds of weird, specialty meals.
http://dailyveganeats.tumblr.com has recipes and daily menus.
http://twitter.com/dailyveganeats has by-the-meal updates.

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Cold turkey is the way to do it. Just make sure you get a balanced diet. Some people become vegans. they eat no meat or meat products of any kind, like milk ,cheese, broth, made from animals or eggs. If you are serious then talk to a dietitian and get you a list of some meals that are balanced.

If you really want to do this, it won't be hard at all. I became a vegetarian at 11.
If it becomes too hard, don't beat yourself up for it. Being a vegetarian is a commitment, and go at whatever paces you want. I'm a very recent vegan and sometimes I still cheat.
You don't need to live off of tofu, by the way. Just remember to get a vitamins in you. Complete proteins and enough calcium. Try not to be a french fry vegetarian too.
People will respect you for making an adult decision. You might have a tough time passing it off to your parents, but I'm sure they'll jump for you living longer.
Good luck honey :)
If you have anyway questions ciarashalifoe@gmail.com

Vegetarian for a long, long, loooong time.

I went vegetarian when I was 12 and honestly it was really easy. You just have to be willing to try new foods and explore your options.
To start, I'd recommend trying Morning Star or Boca products to you replace your meats. I used those products for quite a while and they are amazing. My mom (who eats meat), said they taste nearly identical to meat. They are basically fake meat products, made from soy and vegetables. They're also high in nutrients, which is good.
I've had tofu once... and it's pretty good. It depends on what you cook it with. If you like the Morning Star or Boca products (give those a try) you'll probably like tofu.
Just make sure you replace your meats, don't just eliminate them. Try some new vegetables/fruits. Before I went vegetarian literally ate apples and bananas, that was it. Now I absolutely love oranges, strawberries, broccoli, and celery. I never knew what types of foods where really out there. Once you give up McDonald's and other useless garbage and actually start to explore your grocery store, you'll be amazed at the foods that are out there. The opportunities are truly endless.
Try following the vegetarian food pyramid for a nutrition guide:
http://www.vegetarian-diet.info/vegetari…
I hope that helps:)

Nothing wrong with cutting meat out of the diet but just cutting meat doesn't automatically make you healthy/live longer-- don't believe propaganda, it's never that simple.

What's necessary is a balanced diet of healthy foods with loads of fresh veggies & fruits, mostly complex carbs, lean protien, some healthy fats (olive oil, avocado, etc), use as little preservatives and salt and sugars as possible, stay away from refined foods as much as possible ... you can do that with or without meat.

But a vegetarian who lives mostly on mac & chees or frozen pizza or french fries is not going to necessarily be healthier, just like eating a very healthy balanced fresh food diet is fine even if you eat meat in moderation.

Phasing meat out is a good way to transition because just changing the way you cook/eat one day can be overwhelming... but don't just cut out meat, try increasing things like beans, veggies & fruits as well.

No matter what you do in your life, some people aren't going to like it. It's not about other people though, you shouldn't even worry about that. Your eating habits are your own to determine, just don't expect everyone around you to share them.

Tofu can be really delicious, it comes soft which is great for desserts like puddings and firm which makes great main course. It doesn't have a whole lot of flavor on it's own, it will take on a lot of flavor with whatever you cook it with. Its great when you marinate it, I like it in stir fries, but you don't have to eat tofu either if you don't like it-- it's just one source of protien, not the only vegetarian source.

I'm not even going to comment on about you getting ideas from the Bible. I'll just help you with the vegetarian part since I've been a vegetarian for 5 years.

It's difficult to deal with out first. You are going from eating meat to eating no meat at all. Your family eats meat, but you now don't want to. They may or may not accept you going vegetarian. If they do, help them help you get your proper nutrients from vegetarians sources that you would usually get from meat sources. You just need to be able to keep up with getting proteins, iron, omega 3 fatty and acids.

You can eat mock meats, tofu, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, spinach, eggs, cheese, peanut/almond butter, almond milk, etc.

Watch out for non-vegetarian foods that seem like they'd be vegetarian. Look at the ingredients on the back of everything you pick up. If they have gelatin, oyster extract, anchovy paste, animal lard, animal extracts, chicken/beef fat, and rennet. All these are animal bi-products. They're made from scratch from animals.

Edit: Most tofu you find in stores has three different types; Soft, firm, and extra firm. They're like a sponge and soak up flavors of what you put them in. Soft tofu is best for soups. Firm and extra firm are best used in dishes like stir-fry, fried rice, salads, wraps, and can be dried. If you squeeze out the access water, put it in a zip lock bag and freeze it. It will have more of a chicken texture and can be used for any chicken type recipe.

you and your parents should discuss the possibility of enrolling you in cooking class or home economics class as soon as possible.you and your parents should look into the information below.

john robbins, the man who wrote the groundbreaking book "diet for a new america" as well as other books on vegetarianism has 2 websites on the life and work of vegetarian author john robbins:

the food revolution at http://www.foodrevolution.org

and http://www.johnrobbins.info

try the one-word-a-search idea such as: breakfast, lunch, sandwich, snacks, dinner, casserole, souffle, desserts and smoothies in the search box of the following websites:

vegetarian times at http://www.vegetariantimes.com

and veg web at http://vegweb.com

for information on the alternatives to fast food places as well as information on the health food stores in and around the area where you live go to happy cow at http://www.happycow.net

http://www.foodrevolution.org

http://www.johnrobbins.info

http://www.amazon.com

http://www.barnesandnoble.com

http://www.vegetariantimes.com

http://vegweb.com

http://www.happycow.net

You kind just gotta go for it! If you are really serious about becoming vegetarian, then its all about achieving this goal. Get used to just eating poultry and fish (if you like it). Eliminate all the red meats and this will help to take your taste away from the richer tastes of that kind of food. Continue just eating the poultry for as long as you want until you feel you are ready to stop eating land animals! One thing to expect is you might loose a little weight because you arent consuming foods that are as high in calories and fat content. You will also stop feeling the need to eat as much because you will be eating much lighter foods. A good vegetarian diet is lighter and contains lots of grains which are high in protein, such as quinoa or brown rice. Make sure to eat lots of vegetables (hence "vegeta"rian). Things like milk, yogurt, eggs, cheese, and even ice cream are good sources of both calcium and protein. Also dont forget TOFU! Its definately differenent but delicious when cooked right. I find that it tastes best when fried (not like deep fried but more like browned in a pan). It helps to make it not so mushy and adds delicious flavor. Hope you enjoy this new lifestyle! Good luck :D