Thinking of becoming a vegetarian?

[saveadollardiva]

Hi Everyone,

So, I am thinking of becoming a vegetarian. (Thought I would never say those words, being such a big meat eater) I have been reading a lot about the benefits of becoming a vegetarian, and, of course I am trying to become more healthy all around and I am trying to educate myself on what I am actually putting into my body. It's just that it has been very hard, as, I eat meat all the time. This is very important to me, as, I am trying to be as natural as possible in what I am putting into my body, and, I feel becoming a vegetarian could be the best way to go. This is new territory to me, as, I have been a meat eater all my life, so, I know this is not going to be easy.

If any of you are vegetarians or are starting to become vegetarians please let me know what your doing with your diets. Should I slowly take myself off meat, or, is it better to go cold turkey (No meat intended) and just start trying to urge my meat cravings? Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks!

[fairycheap]

Be advised that you will need to supplement your iron as you gain a lot of iron with the red meats.Eat plenty of beans for iron...google for more.

[lecale]

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[saveadollardiva]

Be advised that you will need to supplement your iron as you gain a lot of iron with the red meats.Eat plenty of beans for iron...google for more.

Thanks for advice fairycheap! I like beans so that is not an issue, and I have been looking online and alot of the meals I have seen have had some type of bean added to it. I will for sure look into it further though. I have been reading that for iron many recommend you have nriched cereals, whole-grain products,dark leafy green vegetables and dried fruit, strawberries, citrus fruits, tomatoes, cabbage and broccoli. So you pretty much have to double that intake with these various items to get the iron you would get from meat.

[fairycheap]

I was vegan for a few years...I developed bad bruising and low iron. I am not a huge meat eater to begin with, but I am back to meat and am healthy.The thing that I picked up from a vegetarian lifestyle is eating a lot more vegetables. I think about the vegetable I want in my meals before the meat.I also found milk was pretty important to my diet in terms of protein. The processed food soy drinks are nothing like real Chinese soybeans-and-water soymilk. They are sugar-and-flavouring filled laboratory cocktails, expensive and not as nourishing IMO.Vegetarian/organic processed foods are still processed foods and they aren't any healthier than anything else that comes out of a package, IMO.I would say: be skeptical about processed foods, even vegetarian ones.

Did you find that with eating primarily vegetables, you found the desire to eat at a more frequent rate/got hungry quicker? Sorry to hear about your bruising/glad your back on track!!

[saveadollardiva]

I was vegan for a few years...I developed bad bruising and low iron. I am not a huge meat eater to begin with, but I am back to meat and am healthy.

The thing that I picked up from a vegetarian lifestyle is eating a lot more vegetables. I think about the vegetable I want in my meals before the meat.

I also found milk was pretty important to my diet in terms of protein. The processed food soy drinks are nothing like real Chinese soybeans-and-water soymilk. They are sugar-and-flavouring filled laboratory cocktails, expensive and not as nourishing IMO.

Vegetarian/organic processed foods are still processed foods and they aren't any healthier than anything else that comes out of a package, IMO.

I would say: be skeptical about processed foods, even vegetarian ones.

Thanks for the advice lecale! I am pretty much not going to be eating anything processed. I cook dinner every night with fresh veggies and other fresh items. I still will be cooking meat, as, my husband is a meat eater and I do not expect him to just eat veggies lol. But, I will be seeing what other dishes I can make that are healthy and that are meat free. I can not get over how much chemicals they actually put into meat it is scary. Not saying they do the same with vegetables, but, when I was reading about all the chemicals they put into meat (especially chicken) I was like "wow shocker!" I seriously don't want that going into my body, again, I am trying to really be careful what I put into my body.

[lecale]

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[saveadollardiva]

I ate all of the above daily and still didn't have iron levels high enough to donate blood. Especially if you are younger, you lose a lot of iron through your period. I don't think you can go veg and not take an iron supplement...at least in my experience. Beans grains and leafy greens won't cut it.

I see, I will look into seeing if an iron supplement would be best for me. Is there one that maybe is a bit more natural? I know that maybe a stupid question, but, I am trying to be as natural with my body as possible, as, it is VERY important to me.

[lovelikewinter3]

I know they make some liquid iron supplements that digest much easier and don't cause stomach upset.

As for how to get meat out of your diet, best way in my opinion is to slowly decrease the amount you're eating. Maybe make half servings of meat every meal instead of full ones, and fill the space in the plate with other protein/nutrient rich foods. Come off of the red meats first, and then the white meats, and eventually the fish/seafood (if you plan to cut those out). This will lead to less shock on your system, and also allow you learning time in order to ensure that you are comfortable with each stage of the change in your diet.

I was vegetarian for years, by choice, and am now eating meat again (just not as much) because honestly I missed steak hah! But as someone who used to have very low iron, even on supplements, I was able to increase my iron levels to above the lowest healthy number and was able to donate blood while I was vegetarian.

I see, I will look into seeing if an iron supplement would be best for me. Is there one that maybe is a bit more natural? I know that maybe a stupid question, but, I am trying to be as natural with my body as possible, as, it is VERY important to me.

[saveadollardiva]

I know they make some liquid iron supplements that digest much easier and don't cause stomach upset.

As for how to get meat out of your diet, best way in my opinion is to slowly decrease the amount you're eating. Maybe make half servings of meat every meal instead of full ones, and fill the space in the plate with other protein/nutrient rich foods. Come off of the red meats first, and then the white meats, and eventually the fish/seafood (if you plan to cut those out). This will lead to less shock on your system, and also allow you learning time in order to ensure that you are comfortable with each stage of the change in your diet.

I was vegetarian for years, by choice, and am now eating meat again (just not as much) because honestly I missed steak hah! But as someone who used to have very low iron, even on supplements, I was able to increase my iron levels to above the lowest healthy number and was able to donate blood while I was vegetarian.

Thanks for the advice! I actually did good my first day, didn't eat any meat at all just vegetables and fruit! But, I had a slip up LOL...It's funny how you mentioned steak, well, that was my down fall lol. DH and I had steak for dinner, and, I tried so hard to look away, but, I couldn't help myself lol. Not my best moment, but, I am doing what your suggesting. I have been trying to eat less meat and fill it with other things to eat etc. I am Portuguese lol, so, our diet pretty much consist of meat and fish. This is going to be hard, but, I am slowly trying to cut the meat out.