My parents want me to stop being vegetarian?

Question

I stopped eating meat a while ago, and since then I have dropped several pounds rather quickly. My mum and dad are really worried because people have commented on the fact that I look skinnier (I used to be a kind of plump) and they made me go to the doctor and have blood work done. I don't think I am too thin, I am 13, 5'4 - 5'5, and 7 stones and 5 lbs, or 103 lbs. Lately my family has been trying to force me to eat meat again, but I really don't want to. I also think it is a little hypocritical because my dad is a very strict vegan, and his diet is one of the reasons I decided to become a vegetarian. It's not like I don't eat healthily now, either. For breakfast I eat porridge or wheaty cereal

Lunch is usually something like a cheese and vegetable sandwich, or salad

Dinner is whatever my mum is making, minus the meat, so usually pasta or rice, vegetables, and salad

How can I convince my parents that I am healthy and should stay a vegetarian? Please help!

Answer 1

Always eat desired.

Answer 2

You do what you want...that's all there is to say. Don't give up something you feel strongly about just becuase someone tells you to. Eating meat isn't the only way to put weight on. Nuts are quite high in fat and calorie for example. Good luck, but if I were in your shoes I would tell my parents where to go!

Answer 3

Yes, it would be better to intake more protein stuffs such as milk, fish, meat, eggs, and beans as possible as you can which is very important for your second growth spur at your age also to your brain developement as well.   I know a lot of teenagers prone to choose to be vegetarian now cuz afraid of gaining too much weight especially for girls.

    A lot of neutrients you can't get simplely from vegie especial from meats and fish that contains a lot of essential vitamines you can't get them from any vegies such as OMEGA3 and the others if go to internet to check this up, then you will know.

    You look a bit slim but not skiny which is good... but for a long run of lacking of these above described vitamine will be harm for your health and developement somehow.  You could ask your dady who might be enter middle age for a long period of being vegetarian... see what kind minor or major health problem he has.  One day when you reach his age you will encounter the same problem as him.  From what I saw it is not healthier at all to be vegetarian that they used a lot of butters in cooking and heavier dressing on their food and spice which is not healthy at all.  

An indian friends whose religion is Hinduism... all of his family are vegan... guess what?  All memebers of his family is rolly polly and got cardiovasculary disease and arthritus. They are all aged above 50 yrs old... It is kind sarcastic to stick on vegie without taking any meat but still in poor health in middle age. would you want to be just like that?  Neh, for me... If you are not an active type of girl... then drop it ... eat some meat with plenty of vegie will be the best for you.  Just look a big picture!!

Answer 4

Nobody can force you to eat meat.  I've had the same problem with people want me to eat it, but I don't care.  Just get the protein.  YOu should be able to eat what you want.

Answer 5

I'm vegetarian myself and I remember the pressure that my friends put on my when I became vegetarian. My only advice to you is to try to incorporate some way of protein in your diet. For your description on what you eat you lack of proteins and iron. Try add some kind of whey or soy protein, even eggs in your diet. A  girl your age needs protein to keep growing.

I bet that's the only reason your parents are worried about you.Try to understand that parents do (most of the time at least ) what they think it's best for their children. Ask your dad for some alternative ways to incorporate protein and iron in your diet and they would see that you are conscious about your health and serious about your chose of been vegetarian.

Answer 6

idk but you don't sound too skinny,

though people on here will tell you that your BMI is low,

but that's also because you're only 13.

tell your dad that if he's allowed to choose how he eats then you should be able to, too.

tell him you'll eat more, and actually do it.

Answer 7

They are just trying to do the right and health thing for a growing child. Children need the best sources of protein and that can only come from having turkey, chicken, fish or beef. Once your health has been restored when you finish college you can see if the vega thing is still a trend you want to be involved in or not, by that time I suspect not.

Answer 8

Get some interesing cookbooks. Get into lentis and mung and sprouting also. Mix with brown rice or other interesting grains (in health food shops). Learn how to make Indian sweets with milk if you like sweets. Make for your Mum too. Eat avacados-heaps. Theyre full of healthy fats. Eat good oils like olive oil in your diet. And ghee, clarified butter really puts on weight.You can fry things in it. Like tofu or milk curd. Get a really balanced diet. Learn how to cook. Indian vegetarian cookbooks are full of fattening things also like cauliflower fritters in chickpea flour fried in ghee. No need to be vegan yet while you're growing. Get nutrition now. You need to have some education to be vegan. But your dad can tell you. Just don't give up being vege. It's best. Your Mum will follow you one day. Mine did!

Answer 9

You sound about healthy weight. Everyone loses a few pounds after not eating meat. Don't worry about it. Take iron supplements and substitute the meat in things with fake meat or tofu.

Answer 10

Since your dad is a vegan, It's a good bet he'd like you to follow in his footsteps *after* you have finished growing. A little weight loss by itself is not dangerous, but it may be a sign of something more subtle like protein or calcium deficiency. You certainly don't want to do something at age 13 that could lead to osteoporosis when you are in late middle age. (Yeah, I know that teenagers never think about that!)

Eat what your mum cooks for you, and go vegetarian when you are older.

Answer 11

Your Dad being a vegan means that he must know a lot about nutrition.  Ask him how to improve your diet while remaining vegetarian.  From what you describe you are eating an omnivorous diet minus the meat.  That's not a good way to eat, you need to be getting the right mix of plant proteins which are incomplete to make up for not getting complete animal proteins.

Answer 12

When I became a vegetarian, I simply told my mother my reasons why, and that it was very important for me to do this. Since your dad is a vegan, they should be able to see that you can be healthy and not eat meat. Next to talking to them, I would say have a conversation with them and your doctor or a nutritionist at the same time, who can help tell them and you what you need to be eating to make up for the lost nutrients.

Answer 13

Do some research and show them that you can infact eat a healthy diet being a vegetarian.

As long as you eat a variety of foods you will get everything you need no doubt. You only need about 20 to 40 grams of protein daily and you can get that all through vegetarian foods. Animal protein has actually been proven to be determintal to the human body. Your likely to get way too much protein from it than what you need. Which by the way makes more people sick now days than not enough of it, and thats a fact!

I am 17, been vegetarian for more than a year and have more energy now than I ever did eating meat. I also haven't gotten sick once since I've switched, and my hair, skin and eyes glow more than they ever did before :)

-Oh and to that person who commented about "protein calcium deficiency", high protein diets (meats/milk) actually cause the body to leach calcium from the bones to help handle all the extra acids. The two actually counteract eachother when you get more than you need. You need a balance of them both to stay healthy. Which comes strictly from a vegetarian diet.