i think. when i started losing weight i quit eating fast food and that was basically all the meat i had. i tried kinda to have chicken from the freezer sometimes but we only had the breaded kind and it was never worth the calories. now someone i met is vegan and ive been talking to him a lot about it. i figure since i havent eaten meat in like a month anyway i might as well try to just keep it out of my diet. i love milk tho, sorry (tho rice milk is excellent :))) ive been looking for some basic info online but most of what i have found is sort of general. what do i NEED to eat? right now i basically have oatmeal and fruits and a lot of bread and pasta and its basically carbs. i started eating nuts and some peanut butter (without trans fat!!) but that seems like more fat that anything else. i know my diet isnt what it should be. does anyone have any (links to) info about what i need if im not eating meat lol? just some basic things, im satisfied easily. i had like a cup of refried beans today but somehow i dont think thats going to help.
Go to Resources and Information for New Vegetarians/Vegans. The first post lists excellent resources. I'm also new to the vegan world and it's actually pretty awesome. I just finished reading Eat To Live and it is full of excellent information! Good luck!
My face looked sunken in.
ALOT less energy, Always always tired.
I really could not stand still or concetrate on anything.
Always angry,, mad, pissed, sad, But in a really Maniac-like way but dont be scared of me. =)
Ultimate almost blind ness reallly bad.
acne, Not that bad but just annoying.
Oh ya! Thin thin thin thin (And I have curly) hair!
So I added fish, although its pretty nasty it actually "cured" me, I feel a lot better. So eat fish I guess, thats my suggestion.
Start by looking at this:
How to use a Food Pyramid Scroll down and find the Vegetarian Pyramid. This will illustrate the balance you should eat.
Then print off this list
The World's Healthiest Foods Cross off all the animal products. This will leave most of the list for you to choose from
If you are accustomed to eating prepared, quick foods, you'll have to learn how to prepare fresh food from scratch. Once you do that, you will have an abundance of food and will never feel hungry.
I have never experienced anything that thebledx3 described. I have tons of energy, my hair is still fabulous, acne is only around TTOM, and I am definitely not maniacal. I think that maybe it depends upon the person. I don't know any vegetarians with problems like that.
http://www.vegcooking.com/guide-favs.asp
That should help too.
I would suggest eating beans, rice, pasta, oatmeal, fruit, berries, vegetables...look for a vegetarian cookbook. It can give you ideas for meals. As for blindness, mania etc, I know that not getting enough B12 can cause blindness in severe circumstances, but that shouldn't be a problem for you if you still eat eggs and milk. If you choose to become vegan, then you need to make sure you get B12, either by soymilk, nutritional yeast, or supplementation. According to the American Dietary Association a well planned vegetarian or vegan diet can give you all the nutrients you need, and B12 is the only nutrient that can not be found "naturally" in a vegan diet. All nutrients can be found in a vegetarian diet.
My experience has also been completely the opposite of that of thebledx3. I turned veggie almost a year ago, and finally completely stopped the rare eating of fish (oh, how I used to love sushi) a few months ago. I have lots of energy, less moodiness - even during that time of the month - glossy curls, the best skin of my life (I'm 33), and was recently described as looking "luminous." I take a B12 and calcium supplement on a semi-regular basis.
Every body's needs vary, you just have to pay close attention to the demands of your body. Eat healthy, and listen to your cravings (unless they're for Cheez-its). Your body will tell you what it needs - once you've broken its bad habits.
OK, editing because that was a crappy answer to the original question. Posters above have given some good links, and I believe those are the best places for you to start. It would also be a good idea to sign up for a nutrition class somewhere, like the local JC - I've never met anyone with actual nutritional training who didn't think that vegetarianism was an extremely healthy and nutritious way of life.
I hope Thebledx3's experience doesn't discourage anybody else from transitioning to a vegetarian diet.
nah i dont really care what thebledx3 said. my friend (bf?) is vegan and he's the healthiest person i have ever seen in my life and he's also an amazing cook! whenever i am with him i eat what he eats so its 100% vegan and low in sugar completely devoid of trans fat (of course) and of corn syrup and a ton of other things i cant pronounce. i dont even notice. i feel better and the food is great lol, i guess im lucky. and i dont think it will be a hard transition, im just doing it because i can really, and because most meat isnt really healthy. i dont feel like i am missing out or anything. its sorta like when i see a roast beef sandwich from Arby's.... sure they were kinda good and i would probably eat them from time to time, but its so gross lol, its not even worth eating.i dont care about animals, (my grandpa slaughters cows and i help :p) ive got bigger fish to fry (roflmao at me) its just not worth being all gross on the inside. and if the healthiest thing for your body to make you feel the best was to eat 1 pea per day id do it just because the way i feel is worth it lol. i dont care if i have to eat dirt. does that make sense?
thanks for the links im sure at least one will help. the recipes will -- im a terrible cook. and maybe i can make something for mr. vegan
and i posted this at 1233 AM just fyi.........
You know I had the same problem trying to go vegetarian.
honestly it's because i don't really like meat... not necessarily because i don't think we should kill animals... not to offend anyone for their personal choices and points of view though :)
I ended up exhausted (even though I carefully planned what I was going to eat to make sure I was getting enough nutrients...) I felt physically sick and got really bad headaches. so i did something similar to thebledx3 and started eating fish.
I didn't have a protein deficiency, but I don't know what caused my illness. I planned perfectly and ate plenty of protein.
Now I LOVE seafood.
It's the only meat I eat, which makes me a pescetarian not a vegetarian.
but other than the occasional seafood I eat a vegetarian diet.
The native americans had the utmost respect for the earth and for nature yet lived off of fish and vegetables.
therefore I follow their path and have similar views about nature and how we animals live off each other.
:]]]
thanks so much for all your help :)
tofu!!! you can add it to anything. nuts r good also, but in small quantities. beans/legumes (lentils, chickpeas, etc). TVP (its a soy-based protein very low in fat and very high in protein and fiber. u can find it in health-food stores). a good grain too is quinoa, which is high in protein, fiber, and lots of vitamins. u might need a supplement tho (i was veggie for a yr and became crazy anemic: turns out i was before i became veggie and didnt know it) so i eat meat sometimes in restaurants (mostly chicken, the occasional burger but no seafood since i'm allergic), but not at home. and i take supplements
Original Post by _lymabean_:
The native americans had the utmost respect for the earth and for nature yet lived off of fish and vegetables.
therefore I follow their path and have similar views about nature and how we animals live off each other.
Umm...we Native Americans were and are made up of thousands of cultures and subcultures, and the vast, vast, vast majority of these cultures include both game and fowl in their traditional diet.
I do appreciate your sentiment, though - it's definitely been the major factor in my choosing to eliminate meat from my diet. I've come to feel that the meat industry is horrible and disrespectful, and ultimately corrupting of both the environment and the human spirit. If one seeks them out, there are conscientious providers of humanely raised and killed animals. It's just not something I choose at this point in my life.
