Becoming a Vegetarian....?

Question

Hey all, OK so I am thinking of becoming a vegetarian. Mainly for 2 reasons,

I need to lose some weight, red meat is bad for you. It just isn't healthy.

I like animals, I don't they should be killed for my meal.

Problem is:

1. I don't know how to start.

2. My parents absolutely hate vegetarians and when I told them I wanted to be one before, my mom bitched about how I am growing and stuff.

I have really not been feeling right and I know it is because of the amount of bad food that I eat. It's summer so I want to try to try it.

Where do I begin?

How does it work?

Explain the whole thing LOL

What can I say to my parents, is there any way I can still get the protein of meat while being a vegetarian?

Is there a book people read that helps them become vegetarian?

I was talking to someone on the Subway today and they told me they read a book and it helped them.

Help me with the process and share your experiences!

Thanks for the help!

Mitch

Answer 1

it can take years to figure out a healthy eating life style, there are literally a million healthy food choices, i am going to give you one.  all healthy eaters should have a heavy duty blender, buy about 6/8 bananas, allow them to ripen completely, put them in blender, add half cup of flax seed meal(that is ground flax seed) add water for blending viscosity, chill and drink(you could add fresh/ripe peaches).  also, remember the more complex your diet, the more different foods you use, the healthier your food paradigm will be.

Answer 2

i agree with the first answer! animals are cool!

Answer 3

Good for you to decide to go meat free. I've been a vegetarian for just over 15 years and love it. You should begin by cutting red meat out and eat just chicken and fish. Then work in more meat free options. Morningstar frozen foods makes GREAT meat substitutes, most made with soy. And soy is a wonderful source of protein. Check out the links below:

Answer 4

Answers to problems:

1) Start by having soy meat such as soy hot dogs etc.

2) your parents don't have to know, and if they loved you they would respect you for your wishes.

=]

Answer 5

All i can add is make sure you eat plenty of green leafy veg. to maintain your iron levels. Most nuts contain iron,especially almonds.But you must eat it in conjunction with Vitamin C as this helps with absorption.

Answer 6

eat salad o and do not eat no meat at all  so salads and fruit i used to be one and i lost 25 pounds man  so being a vegetarian is really good

Answer 7

mabey you could give up all meat but chicken so ur parents wont be so mad

Answer 8

That's great Mitch! My favorite group for information is PCRM. The site has documentation of people losing weight on Vegetarian diet and turning cancer and diabetes around as well. It is healthy, and healthy weight is part of it!

A good book is "The China Study"; They have some recipes, and then the ever popular "Diet for a Small Planet" by Frances Moore Lappe'.

Good luck!

Answer 9

I been a vegetarian since i was born

Answer 10

ok, i have never really liked meat and my diet is almost just like a vegetarians diet because i just like veggie food better. first of all, red meat isnt bad for you! if you have a lot of it, it's then that it becomes a problem but red meat contains a lot of iron and protein so it isnt all bad, it just contains a lot of fat.

ive never properly eaten meat because ive never really liked it but its not that hard to become a vegetarian, you just dont eat meat! it depends how much of a vegetarian you want to become, a lot of vegetarians who become veggie because of the animal cruelty aspect to it are very selective about what they can and cant eat, for example they wont eat gelatine (from cows) and this is present in lots of foods especially gummy sweets. if you want to go fully veggie like this then its gunna be hard as you will have to 100% check everything you are eating, but if you just dont want to eat meat then you just cut it out of your diet!

ill say to you know, being a vegetarian will only be beneficial to you if you actually like vegetables. they are a main part of the veggie diet so if you dont like fruit/veg then you might aswell give up now lol. there are a lot of vegetarian recipies out there and vegetarians arent rare or anything, if you just type in 'vegetarian recipies' in google it will come up with loads of meal suggestions. then again, if your parents do all the cooking and they hate vegetarians then cooking might be a problem!

on the subject of your parents, why do they hate vegetarians so much? is it their views or the fact they dont like meat or what? because it sounds to me like if you want to become veggie and your parents wont let you then they have little respect for you because even though you are growing, being vegetarian will not be a problem if you manage to substitute in other foods in the place of meat

the main meat substitute is Quorn. it comes in all varieties, sauasages, burgers, sliced meats (ham, beef, chicken etc style Quorn) and where i live in the UK you can get it in most supermarkets. Quorn is made from the same family that mushrooms come from apart from it has the same texture as meat, a lot of the products have the same meaty taste (Quorn smoky ham slices actually taste like chicken, haha) and because they are made from a kind of fungus, they are packed with protein which is what you will be lacking if you stop eating meat. its protein that you need when you are growing, so i think your moms argument about needing meat during growth is out the window now! you can also get tofu which i have never tried, but is made from soya milk, although i believe you either love it or you hate it! there are loads of other foods filled with protein such as nuts, pulses (lentils, beans) and cereals as well as eggs and green leafy vegetables (rocket, spinach). these will not only give you enough protein in your diet but will supply you with vitamins and minerals needed in the diet such as iron.

however because meat contains a lot of vitamins that you wont be getting if you dont eat it, i would recommend you take some dietary supplements which you could take once a day (or before every meal if that will remind you to take them) and these are just tablets which will make sure you still get all the right nutrients to stay healthy. i dont eat fish cos i dont like it so i take a omega fish oil capsule every day and i also take a multivitamin which gives me loads of vitamins at once.

youve just gotta make sure that you dont just cut out meat and not replace it with anything else because then you will become unhealthy. but if you just replace meat with other foods you should be fine! if your parents are troubling you about it just tell them that its what you want and if you can show to them that you know how to still get all the protein and nutrients without eating meat, maybe they will see you as being serious about becoming veggie and also see how responsible you are.

i hope this helped, good luck!

Answer 11

sorry i would not know i love meat

Answer 12

Well, I understand I don't like to eat shrimp anymore because I feel like I'm eating dead little bodies, but as far as steak and a good burger go, I could never give that up, I don't know where I'd be without my meat. But good luck! Try eating veggies and fruits.

Answer 13

1)  Stop Eating Meat,

2)  Check Internet Sites for More Info...!!

Answer 14

all i can really say is that you make sure that if you do become a vegetarian that you do eat properly because otherwise it can be harmful, the best thing would be to go to a dietician they can help you set up meal plans, as for talking to your parents about it, make sure you let them know how you feel and why it is that you want to become a vegetarian maybe they will respect the idea if they know where your coming from.

Answer 15

Give up meats slowly.  Try giving up some that you don't eat so much first.  After a week without it try giving up another meat until you are completely meatless.    Then try to cook your own vegetarian meals.  

check out   http://www.goveg.com/

try watching some of the videos of animal cruelty at the Peta website, it's hard to want to eat meat after seeing them.  Good luck and good job!

Answer 16

Well I am a vegetarian and it was hard for me to become one. I just started out by not going around fast food restaraunts that have meat, i didn't go by any sections that have meat in grocery stores, and eventally i just stopped eating meat

Answer 17

Uh, just stop eating meat.

Why are you making this so complicated?

Answer 18

I'm a vegetarian. You can tell your parents that you feel that eating meat is not the best thing for you. Meat is not the only thing that lets you grow tall. Try drinking some protein drinks.

Answer 19

i am 11 and I'm a vegetarian its really easy to be one because after a while you get used to it. as for explaining it to your parents, tell them your reasons and also add that you can make your own decisions. good luck=]

Answer 20

Okay I tried it but couldn't keep up with it, so you need to be sure you can do this. Next you need to research some websites that that give you recipes with no meat. You HAVE to eat a lot of protein when being a vegetarin!! you can buy fake meat (aka; ground vegetable in the shape of meat) or eat a lot of peanut butter!! good luck!

Answer 21

It's really easy to do if you straight up cut out all meat.  I do recommend that to get your protein, since most people have a hard time with getting it, that you eat fish.  

Beans and nuts have all the protein you need, however.  You just have to remember to eat them.

Tell your parents to research vegetarianism.  Make sure to tell the many stories of the vegetarians who are healthy!

Answer 22

Oh thants horrible im sory to hear that!

Answer 23

it's actually easier than you think.

i chose to become a vegetarian after learning about how terrible the meat and poultry industry really is. so i gave it up. i felt a little like you at first-- i was like, "what do i put in my sandwiches?!" lol but you learn to live without it, and you realize you don't even need it anymore! you open up your taste buds to things you would have never even thought of. my parents were pretty ok with it, i didn't eat a lot of meat to begin with. though my dad still thinks i'm weird lol. he sees it as a hassle. but anyway, go online, do some research. they have awesome sites available, as well as magazines, books, recipes, etc. it's really not difficult at all. we are fortunate to have amazing meat substitutes-- in vegetables and grains! you'd be surprised how they manage to make soy and tofu taste just like chicken and burgers. and the best part is that not only are you helping millions of animals a day, but it's a lot healthier too. i haven't eaten this many fruits and vegetables in my entire life! but it feels great, trust me. :) you will definitely feel the difference.

i wish you the best of luck, mitch. take it one day at a time, if it's not for you, then it's not for you. but believe me, there are soo many options available!

visit peta.org or goveg.com for useful information.

Answer 24

MonaVie enough said lol seriously best thing for your body

http://www.mymonavie.com/pureacaiberry/

Answer 25

ur parents sound like mine!!!!

Answer 26

You can eat nuts to get protein. There are also protein granola bars. That's a great start. You don't have to read a book to become a vegetarian. It will come to you, seriously! Start by buying a vegetarian cook book so you will have tasty recipes to make while you are still a vegetarian. Hope this helps!

Answer 27

Check this link below to learn how transition into a vegetarian/vegan diet

http://www.vegcooking.com/makingthetrans...

There will be information for your parents to read and learn from too. Maybe they'll want to join you on your vegetarian journey!

Answer 28

Your body needs protien to maintain itself.  if you take away meat there goes your best and most ample source of protein.  your skin can get saggy and your muscles smaller...but hey, at least you will loose some weight..

Answer 29

Sure meat isn't healthy but  dairy, eggs, honey isn't either.

There's lots of info about being vegetarian and vegan at

http://www.mercyforanimals.org/

http://www.veganoutreach.com/

http://www.peta.org/

You can get free vegan  leaftlets, dvds, etc. showing how healthy not eating animals products is. You can show your mom how animals products are cruel and  full of poison with no nutrition value at all.

Answer 30

I been one all my life and I love it!!!