Being a Vegetarian?

Heres the deal. I love animals and i know meat is MURDER. And see i really want to become a vegetarian ive gone about 3 days without meat and its going fine but i need to start thinking about in the long run. Is it normal to find it hard to lose the meat? i mean i love bacon and chicken thats it. But anyways i want to know what should i do i ABSOLUTELY do not want to lose weight. And also another thing i need to know what vitamins should i take to sub meat? just wanting to know. I am really healty and i want to stay like that ( have nice skin nice hair healthy teeth/nails) etc, Please help thank you.

Being a Vegetarian?
I haven't eaten meat in five years and I've been vegan for four. The longer you are committed to it the easier it becomes. There is nothing that your body needs that can't be provided by a veg diet. People have just been brainwashed to believe the opposite even though they haven't done a bit of research.








If you want to become a lacto-ovo vegetarian, the transition should be quite simple. Almost all meats have widely available commercial replacements. All that you have to do is replace any flesh in your diet (beef, pork, poultry, seafood) with meat analogs or just leave it out altogether.





You should keep in mind that a journey such as this can be quite short but should just be the beginning of a longer one to a plant-based diet with no animal products. This is because of the reality of factory farming in which animals that are kept alive to produce milk, eggs, etc suffer much more and longer than animals that are raised to a certain weight and then slaughtered.http://www.veganoutreach.org/whyvegan/


http://meat.org


Some people use the word "vegan" in reference to this idea, but be aware that applying that label to yourself should always come with the inclusion of wise activism and advocacy.http://www.veganoutreach.org/advocacy/in...


Two extremely important examples of this are that you should never speak to someone about vegetarianism/veganism without their consent and genuine interest or as a comment on what they are eating AND your dietary beliefs should never be used as an introduction or explanation of who you are as a person. Veg*ism should be something that comes up AFTER people get to know you and they offer you a situation that makes it confusing to withhold the information/dicussion. Also, if you are presented something that you choose not to eat or you are


ordering food/eating together somewhere/picking the best place to eat.





A responsible vegan ALWAYS studies the subject of their own health and how to keep their body completely provided for in every sense. http://www.veganhealth.org/sh


To neglect their body is to define a plant-based diet as unhealthy and is the opposite of helping the animals.





When you you hold off on the subject until it's necessary and then act like it isn't a big deal at all, people are usually surprised and WAY more interested and curious than if you were to bring it up when someone's eating or just using it as a conversation starter.





Just to clear things up, the vegetarian/vegan diet is not composed of salads, vegetables, fruit and fake meat.


A balanced plant-based diet includes grains(breads, pasta, rice,cereal), legumes(soy, beans, peas, lentils), fruit and vegetables.


http://www.pcrm.org/health/veginfo/vsk/f...


http://www.peta.org/accidentallyVegan/


http://www.veganoutreach.org/whyvegan/ea...


Being vegan can be an art, one whose challenge is to take things that involve the suffering of the innocent and change them into something free of cruelty.





A vegan woman can create an ENTIRELY NEW,HEALTHY HUMAN BEING INSIDE OF HER. Many of these children stay vegan and grow up to be perfectly healthy adults. So just keep yourself educated about what you eat and don't let anyone tell you that a veg diet is lacking anything essential.





Technically the term "vegetarian" does imply that you don't consume anything that comes from the body of an animal that requires killing it. Many ingredients such as gelatin and glycerin are found in many candies, Fig-Newtons, and many of other foods as well as rennet found in many cheeses.


http://www.happycow.net/health-animal-in...


The best thing to remember is to take your time so that for example: when you are comfortable not eating beef and pork you can then give up chicken when you are sure you can make the commitment permanently.


Depending on your age or reliance on parents or regional options, it may not be best to give yourself a label. The important thing is to do your best to make progress and be committed to your compassion towards animals. Never put your focus onto what you or other people use to describe yourself.





If you meet someone that talks down to people for eating meat, dairy, etc or to you because they think they are "more veg" than you, laugh in their face and tell them they are a disgrace to the entire philosophy. People like this only hurt the idea of veg*ism AND the animals. The point of all of this is to live compassionately and and as free from cruelty as you can, all the while maintaining your health and a positive attitude. People who don't maintain either, need not open their mouths and represent our beliefs.





If you actually choose to read all of this, I hope it helps. If not, feel free to e-mail me if you have questions.





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I'm vegan and these are some of my favorite things to eat:





Breakfast: bananas, cream of wheat with brown sugar and soy butter, cereal, pancakes or french toast with real maple syrup, vegan "sausage" patties, smoothies.





Lunch: VEGAN "SAUSAGE" SANDWICHES, sandwiches with vegan deli slices(Tofurkey is the only one that's kinda funky), fruit, dinner leftovers, couscous salad, vegan sushi, potato or pasta salad.





Dinner: sloppy joes, "sausage" and gravy with homemade biscuits, Spaghetti and Trader Joe's "meatballs" or TVP, lasagna, Thai pad see ew, pad khi mao(drunkard's noodles), pad prig king, tofu+eggplant with basil sauce, yellow thai curry with tofu or vegan chikn and veggies and jasmine rice, Indian dal with homemade roti or dosai, channa masala, aloo gobi, vegetable or minestrone soup, pizza, STEAMED "PORK" BUNS with potstickers or spring rolls, sweet%26amp;sour/orange/lemon chikn, vegan pho or wonton soup





I use these sites to find recipes:


http://www.foodnetwork.com


http://vegweb.com


http://www.recipezaar.com
Reply:Its very hard to give up meat because you need protein. I know people hate that we kill animals but just look at nature. A lion kills a deer to survive, a seagull eats a fish and so on. So all this meat is murder to me is subjective. the only thing im against is animal cruelty.
Reply:Here's a good source of impartial information for you.


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15194356/
Reply:Edgar is right. It is normal for humans to eat meat. We are omnivores. Our bodies are designed to process meat. I know I'll get a lot of thumbs down for saying that, but fact is fact. Nothing can change that.
Reply:i'm a vegetarian. All you have to do is make sure you take a vitamin with iron in it. Eat lots of tofu. If you have a craving for meat then you can buy frozen foods are are made with tofu like Boca brand or Morning Star. I haven't lost any weight at all.
Reply:Start taking a Multivitamin and you should be fine with that...If you love bacon and chicken try some of the "fake" bacon and chicken, its really good..Drink soy milk...Or go to Healthy food store or they call them a Co-Op...You can find a lot of stuff there.Make sure you get a lot protein in you..once you stop eating meat..you will lose your protein..look on line for other advice and I'm sure you will be fine!
Reply:You need to compensate for the protein that your diet is now lacking. You need to seriously research this by using proper sources on the internet, reading books from reputable authors at the libraary and speaking with your doctor.





It's not that difficult but you need to make sure you do it right. Eating beans and rice together or peanut butter are complete proteins. Also you should make sure you are taking some vitamins, of which I'm not sure but the research will help.





Make sure to eat as many calories as you were and you will keep your weight. You might even be able to get away with eating more since you have cut most of the fat out of your diet.





On that note, make sure you still are eating some fat. I don't mean french fries but olive oil with satueed veggies or flaxseed oil on your salad.





One more thing, my Mom takes a pill specifically for hair and nail growth and she loves it, try looking into that.
Reply:Wow, good luck. I am a vegetarian, and have never in my life personally had meat. If you are planning on becoming a veegetarian, I suggest you visit your doctor, and sort out a diet plan. You need to make sure to get your protein, I suggest, you look deeply into that. Eat plenty of eggs, nuts, tofu, and other sources of protein. If you take your concerns to a doctor or a nutritionist (preferably a nutritionist actually, for your sake) they should be able to clear this up and suggest some vitamins you can take to keep you healthy, fit, with plenty of energy. You cannot just give up your proteiens, even for a short while, otherwise you can become very sick. I forget the name right now, but their is some sort of fish oil that is very very good for you to take in a capsule to sub what you would normally get from eating fish. Good luck, and keep yourself healthy!


I also suggest perhaps gradually going awya from the meat, instead of all at once, because you could get sick, unless you do it properly.Once again, good luck!
Reply:im going to try as well..hope it works out for you ♥
Reply:I know many long term vegetarians how are incredibly healthy. none of which have ever needed to taken any kind of supplements what so ever. I know many people who have been vegan for 10+ years and are also most of the time even healthier than meat eaters.





I have been strict vegetarian for about 9 months now and have actually put muscle on. without taking any supplements at all, eating a diet predominantly comprised of vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, legumes and grains. nuts are also a great source of protein, and are quite good for you in many other ways as well.





One of the things about protein, is the need to understand the bigger picture. The human digestive tract functions much better under alkaline conditions. meat is acidic, so whilst it may have protein in it, its harder for the body to get at it because it brings so much acid into the digestive tract which hampers absorption. Most vegetables on the other hand are alkaline, the protein in them is much easier for the body to absorb. Vegetables also contain much enzymes which also increase the effectiveness of the digestive system.





Recommended dietary amounts of protein are based on an average human diet, which is a meat eating - digestive system hampered diet, in reality there is plenty of protein in most of the things we eat





Dont believe the hype, a lot of it is aimed towards selling you unnatural supplements that we don't need, what we need is a natural varied diet, rich in vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, legumes and grains.





All plants contain protein. Or else plants wouldn't be hard and couldn't stand up!





Broccoli and beans are a great source of protein. check out the first link in my sources it has a great list of protein containing foods.





As for your worry about losing weight, just eat more, i know i do.
Reply:Humans are not "just supposed to eat meat." Never think that. Some Indians never do, and they are among the healthiest. It's not that hard once you really think about it, trust me. I ate meat all my life (and I'm indian) but last year I decided to only eat read meat at first, they go for none. It's really not that hard, and if you eat right, it wont make you lost weight, but cleanse your system, too.
Reply:well ok i'm a vegetarain and its reli simple first you decide wat kinda of vegetarian you are. for example some only eat white meat and not red meat and vis versa. or just don't eat meat period and you can eat seafood ( just i don't) but thats you're own personal decision. and you can take multi vitamins to replace wat you've lost or eat beans and avocadoes, tofu(soybeans) is a good sub too. just depends where you buy it and the brand. well yah......you can eat eggs too.. if you want too. or if you want you can be a vegan. no dairy, no meat, no animal testing(i totaly hate when ppl do tht!) and no eggs and nothin made from animals , you no wool ,and fur , and leather. so yah hoped i helped you if you need any more help just ask away i'm sure someone can answer!


l8r g8r
Reply:Many vegetarians experience cravings 3-6 months after giving up meat, but most don't. If you're strong and determined, you will have no problem.


As for not losing weight, just eat plenty of nuts, beans, etc., and pop any standard multivitamin tablet every day or two.
Reply:Congrats on taking a step to being even MORE healthy! And to those who say its "normal" to eat meat, I'd like to know how many of them have killed and eaten a cow with their bare hands....





Anyways, here's what I did to go veg. It worked for me, so I can only hope it will work for you:


http://vegetarian.about.com/od/vegetaria...





As far as losing weight, some people do, and I know some who have gained weight. Just make sure you eat enough calories. Bottom line.





If you're just going vegetarian and not vegan, you don't need to worry about vitamins, but its my own opinion, that EVERYONE (well, all of us who eat crappy American diets) should be taking a multi-vitamin! As a veg, you'll likely get MORE nutrients than you did before.





You can find some pretty good mock meats out there that taste and look like bacon and chicken. Some are better than others, so if you don' like one, try another.
Reply:I've been vegan for about two years and I've never felt healthier. I don't take supplements. Maybe the occasional b-12, but I can also found that in fermented foods, kombucha, nutritional yeast, etc.





This whole lacking protein is a MYTH. It's based on an outdated study done in the early 1900s! And then a woman in the 70s wrote a book claiming you have to combine certain foods to get complete proteins, for which she later corrected herself realizing she was wrong. If you eat a varied diet, you will get all the protein you need. Where on earth do you think a cow, in its natural state gets its protein? You never see an elephant dying for a protein fix. Unless you're completely starving yourself, it's just not going to happen. Eat enough calories, you're sure to get enough protein. It's interesting to note that 100 calories of cow has 5.4 grams of protein while 100 calories of broccoli has 11.2! Everything has protein - amino acids - that's why they are deemed the "building blocks of life." If you're concerned about protein, though, I highly suggest quinoa. It's a delicious seed that acts as a grain and is also packed full of nutrition, including calcium, and has all the amino acids, making it a "complete protein." So is hemp protein - from hemp milk. . .I could go on, but I promise - don't worry about it if you're eating enough.





If you love food and don't want to lose weight, then you're in luck, because you can eat a lot. Unless you're packing in the dairy. Plant foods, while higher in nutrients, are also much lower in calories and fat than animal products. And they have that added bonus of fiber, which keeps your insides clean, helps your liver function well and binds fat and toxins to help usher them out of your body. And they don't have the artery clogging cholesterol. Or the antibiotics, steroids. . .list goes on. . .or get this, perchlorate. Rocket fuel. Yuck.





There's some interesting things here: veganjacks.blogspot.com





I also suggest googling "veg books" or typing that into Amazon and then going into your local book store and reading a few. For example, The China Study by T. Colin Campbel, Ph.D., Eat to Live by Joel Fuhrman, M.D., anything by Neal Barnard, Skinny B*tch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin. . .good luck! :)
Reply:You're wise to think about the long-term. I know it could be difficult to stop thinking about meat when we're surrounded by meat-eaters %26amp; their mindless propaganda - the social conditioning to look at meat as neat little "nuggets," "drumsticks," etc. instead of decaying animals. So, of course it's normal to miss them, since that's what you've been eating %26amp; have been conditioned to see as food.





Try thinking in these terms: it is not meat you are missing, but the flavor/texture. Flavors %26amp; textures can be re-created. This is where the mock meats come in handy for you to transition into a meatless diet. Of course, there's plenty of commercial veg burgers, "bacon" and such, you'll want to test different brands as everyone's tastes are different. On the rare occasion I've eaten them, some were good (e.g., Yves), but others really were awful (e.g., Tofu pups). Also, try making Seitan (recipe below), which is a good substitute for "chicken," %26amp; other meats.





Trust me, as long as you maintain a balanced veg diet (i.e., you need more than just low calorie foods like salads), you won't lose weight. Don't forget carbs, legumes, %26amp; healthy fats (from flax, nuts, etc. which are good for your body inside %26amp; out) in addition to a variety of fruits %26amp; veggies. Some meal plans to help you get started here: http://www.veganhealth.org/articles/meal... until you get more comfortable in experimenting w/ recipes such as from http://www.theppk.com/





There is no vitamin to "sub meat" as your body does not need meat. Remember, protein is protein, the animals you used to eat got their protein from plants %26amp; so can you. It is a good idea to take B-12, which comes from bacteria, not meat. It can be found in enriched soy milk, cereals, whole-grain, yeast-based bread, etc. For iron, don't count on raw spinach as your body cannot absorb its iron. Iron can be found in dark-green, leafy, non-oxalic acid vegetables, such as kale %26amp; collard greens.





Seitan (Basic Boiling Recipe)


from Vegan Vittles, © J. Stepaniak 1997





Dry ingredients


* 1 1/2 C instant gluten flour (vital wheat gluten)


* 1/4 C nutritional yeast flakes (optional; adds a deeper flavor and vitamin B-12)


* 1/2 t garlic granules (optional; can vary amount)


* 1/2 t onion granules (optional; can vary amount)


* Desired herbs %26amp; spices (optional)





Liquid ingredients


* 1 C water, vegetable broth, tomato juice, or a combination (the juice adds a "beefier" flavor)


* 3 T soy sauce


* 1 T olive oil (optional)





Simmering broth


* 10 C water or vegetable broth


* 1/2 C soy sauce (optional)





Combine dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Combine liquid ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Pour into dry ingredients, mix well. If there is still flour around the edges, add a small amount of additional water.





Knead the gluten directly in the mixing bowl for about a minute. Slice the gluten into 3 relatively equal pieces, and set aside.





Place the ingredients for the simmering broth into a 4 1/2 quart saucepan or Dutch oven, add the gluten pieces, and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer with pot partially covered for 1 hr. Maintain the heat so that the liquid barely simmers, and turn the gluten over during cooking. Let cool in broth uncovered.





Transfer to storage containers, adding enough of the broth to keep seitan immersed. Seal containers tightly and store in the refrigerator up to ten days or in the freezer for up to six months. To extend the life of fresh or defrosted seitan, boil it in its soy sauce broth for 10 min., 2 times a week.
Reply:its not hard to become a veg, its just hard to find something to eat when your out of the house


you may lose, you may not. it depends on the people, some do, some dont. you can find vegetarian vitamins at any superstore
Reply:its is VERY hard to become a vegetarian, i know.





I myself will still eat fish, and i have not gone completely vegan.


just still have dairy products and things like peanuts for protein.