I wanna become a vegetarian, but its hardd. please help?

Question

KIND OF LONG BUT PLEASE READDD !!!!!

i have really been considering this lately. i do have a lot of vegetarian friends. only one is a vegan. but its so hard. no one is my family are vegetarians. and we always go out to places with meat. and whenever i eat i always think of the animal im eating and i instantly im not even hungry. and some meat i look at it, and it discust me. i really do love food..just i think not meat anymore. its harder then i thought to become a vegetarian..and i have been looking some info. about it online. pleasse help ! what are some ways i can easily progress into a vegetarian. im almost 15..and im pretty sure this is what i want. even though age has nothing to do with this hahaa. oh well. any help here !!!

(: thannk you.

Answer 1

Changing ones diet honestly is a life long process. You don't at one moment eat a certain way and BAM suddenly you are eating completely and utterly different.

Think of it in terms of evolution. You are starting with the desire to eat more healthy as well as being compassionate. Right desire is the beginning to any true spiritual transformation.

When I first wanted to go vegetarian I decided on the incremental approach. First I started with something simple like not eating meat every day...

When I thought i had mastered this I tried eating meat only once a week, on the weekends, or something to that effect... After this only on special occasions like at a party, or if I was of my parents house would I accept an offering of meat.

Finally I was able to give it up all together and then attempted to go vegan. At some point I vacillated and eventually fell off the wagon so to speak. Actually it was a bout with fundamentalism that caused me to falter the first time...

After coming through that phase I felt the pangs of the vegetarian lifestyle calling me back. Thank God I listened as it honestly Was the most spiritual decision I have ever made in my entire life. Suddenly I started to see animals as my friends, my health improved, and I learned how my lifestyle was helping and not hurting the environment, an issue I very much care about.

In time I faltered again by traveling abroad. Traveling can be quite stressful and the food options limited. In time I returned once again to my vegetarian lifestyle and eventually transitioned to veganism in which I have remained for some many years, and even dabbled in raw food veganism.

My point is it all starts with a desire. You have a good heart and if you follow it I'm sure you will end up where you want to be.

You did not chose your family, where you grew up, etc. You could have been born to a family of compassionate vegan Buddhists and had a totally different experience and hence probably a very different life from the one you have now. But alas we play the hand we are dealt and make the best of what we've got.

Just take one step at a time. Read. Do research. Get involved in the veg*n (vegetarian & vegan) community. Learn how to cook and shop vegetarian. Etc.

There is tons of information and various veg*n communities on the net that can help you live out your ideals. You have already taken the first steps. And as a vegan I heartily welcome you into our community no matter what stage you are at on you path.

Peace and Blessings to You ( =

Answer 2

I felt the same as you before I became a vegetarian. I was sickened when i ate meat but didn't know what else to do.

You can live just as healthy and happy (if not more) as a vegetation. Doing what your heart tells you is a powerful action.

I suggest doing your research and making the transition as slowly as you want to. I bought "The New Becoming Vegetarian" book. It tells you about nutrition, meal plans, social aspects like telling family, judgments you may face, and eating in restaurants.

Vegetarians save over 100 animals a years and you will be helping the environment by not contributing to the meat industry who is responsible for contaminating water and torturing animals.

Peta's website has many resources to aid in the process of becoming a vegetarian!

http://www.peta.org/

Answer 3

The best thing I would say is to take your time and continue to research it.  There have been people that eat meat and make the transition to being a vegetarian too quickly and that can even be fatal in some cases depending on that person's previous diet.

When it come to being healthy as a vegetarian you will want to get plenty of fresh vegetables, whole grains like quinoa, amaranth, teff, kamut, and rye, fruits in season, and nuts--either sprouted or roasted so that your body is able to use them.

If your need sources of fake meat, I would avoid soy and go with tempeh.  Tempeh is actually fermented soy and your body can actually use it whereas non-fermented soy products take a toll on your system and you will not be getting the nutrition from it that you may be led to believe.

Unfortunately a lot of vegetarians around are sold on soy and don't understand the effects it has on the body.

Good luck,

Answer 4

I noticed that someone suggested you take a look at peta's website. It's not a bad site, but peta2 (www.peta2.com) offers much of the same info, plus a little more stuff geared toward a younger crowd. Plus, they have a lot of very useful "kits" for becoming a veg.

Other than that, becoming veg wasn't hard for me. I thought about it for a while, and woke up one morning and said "Today is the day!" and here I am, 6 years later and still veg. All it takes is a little will power for the first week or two, and then it's pretty easy, almost automatic, after that. (And all of this is coming from the product a very omni "foodie" type household- my mom and stepdad own a restaurant and a catering business.)

Answer 5

Create the demand for vegetarian food in a non-vegetarian eateries, that will help to solve your problem while dinning with family.

There are still lots of stuff that vegetarian can eat, you can always cross over to other cuisine which is vegetarian.  Vegetarian can be delectable and interesting. If you come over to Singapore, you will agreed with it.

If you like to see what I eat, you can visit my Asian Vegetarian recipe blog with picture http://www.crystalbyblog.blogspot.com/

There are many ways:

You learn to do simple cooking.

You do your shopping and stock up on veggie foods.

You create the demand of vegetarian food like veggie fried rice/baked rice/pasta, veggie spring roll and so on at the supermarket, so you can get "heat-up" instant food.

Go to vegetarian society website or more info : )

Answer 6

If you want to be a vegetarian you have to eat stuff that has no meat in it.

Answer 7

That's great you're interested in going veg. It really helps to find some delicious fake meat products that you can use instead of meat in your favorite meals and recipes. Here's a list: http://vegcooking.com/guide-favs.asp

Also, feel free to go at your own pace. You could spend some time making a gradual transition, adding more and more vegetarian meals. This site has a guide to making the transition in a month: http://www.tryveg.com/cfi/toc/?v=06makin...

Check out these guides to vegetarian food at fast food restaurants and chain restaurants:

http://www.vegcooking.com/VegFastFood.as...

http://www.vegcooking.com/ChainRestauran...

More info and transition tips:

http://vegcooking.com/makingthetransitio...

Hope this helps!!

Answer 8

That's not too long.  I know it can be tough.  But most places have vegetarian options or should be able to at least work up a plate of veggies for you (although I've had the misfortune of being dragged to places by omni family members where I couldn't get something to eat, so I hear ya).

Check out The Vegetarian Resource Group (www.vrg.org) website for nutritional information.  Google "vegetarian starter guide"; you'll find numerous organizations that will send you a free booklet, many with recipes to get you started.

You need to convince your parents that this is what's right for you, and that it's perfectly healthy to be veg.  Offer to cook a meal once a week.  Offer to cook your veggie entree if your mom will make the sides veggie.

Talk to your veg*an friends (that's short for "vegetarian and vegan") and ask them how they got their family to go along with their choice.  You have friends who are veg, and that will help you transition.

Answer 9

Hi! congrats!

I agree with Alaf that make the transition  slowly.I remember actually I was at your age at first when I became veggie.Yet,I couldn't keep it cause I did it so fast.Now im veggie again though.

Ok,2 things to keep in mind beside other things: being careful of ur iron-have supplements if u got loss of it,next,go to a dietitian if u do vigorous exercise .

Answer 10

It's not that hard, but you have to do your research first. Talk to your veggie friends, borrow some books form your school library, buy a vegetarian cookbook. Be careful getting information off of sites like YA, about 50% of it is posted by trolls. and is inaccurate.

My parents are both vegens and I was born a vegan.