Why is it so hard to go vegetarian?

I really want to go vegetarian but it is sooo hard for me! If I even think about it I get overwhelming cravings for meat! I actually don't eat much meat when I'm not thinking about it, it's the thought of never having a thick juicy steak again that sends me into a tailspin. Also, I don't really favor dairy but don't know what to eat to replace the nutrients it supplies. Any suggestions on how to gingerly get started and replacing dairy?

? i don't really understand.. you want to be a vegetarian but you can't stand the thought of never eating meat again? why exactly are you wanting to go vegetarian?

If you have no desire to help the situation then please keep your comments to yourself. I obviously want to go vegetarian for healthier eating habits, nonetheless I crave meat. Not really rocket science stuff!

Eating meat doesn't make you automatically unhealthy and being vegetarian doesn't automatically make you healthy....  There are plenty of overweight, unfit, unhealthy vegetarians in existence!   If you enjoy leaner cuts of meat and fish in moderate amounts as part of a healthy diet, if you control your weight and if you take regular exercise you'll live just as long and healthy a life as anyone else.    Many people (myself included) choose to alternate between vegetarian dishes and meat-based dishes for reasons of economy, weight-control, good health and culinary variety...  That way it's not  'all or nothing' but the best of all worlds. 

The main benefits of dairy products are their calcium and protein content.  There are soya products that mimic dairy in terms of flavour and texture.  Calcium is present in other foods including dark green vegetables.

I became vegetarian just out of the way my lifestyle changed, it was an unconscious choice. I don't think you can just go cold turkey though (oh, managed to get a wee pun in there!). Maybe start off by just changing the milk and cheeses you eat (switch to soy/almond/ rice milk) and find something you ENJOY eating. Maybe next try out various ways of cooking vegetarian foods. If you ENJOY them you will eat them again! Have your meat meals. Cut them down to one night a week maybe? Then once every 2weeks? Carry on until you no longer need your 'nights off', i suppose?

When I realized I had no urges to eat meat anymore I became so keen on finding new types of food to eat and knowing that I'm more educated on how I need to balance my diet to keep it protein dense.

Original Post by feelfit2day:

If you have no desire to help the situation then please keep your comments to yourself. I obviously want to go vegetarian for healthier eating habits, nonetheless I crave meat. Not really rocket science stuff!

actually, you didn't say anything about wanting to go vegetarian for health reasons in your original post. there are a ton of reasons people change to vegetarian diets. i wasn't trying to be rude, i was just trying to clarify.

Thank you all for your comments, I really appreciate it!

I think any reason you decide to eat vegetarian is a good one and will hopefully be beneficial to you and the planet. I would recommend beginning by cutting out the meat products you don't really like a lot. I know that probably sounds obvious, and I don't know if you eat like I do, but I was taught to eat things so as not to waste them/hurt the cook's feelings, etc. I also ate a lot of things without putting to much thought into it, like hot dogs - ick! There were some things I didn't really like though- like pork or chicken on the bone. Just don't eat any meat unless you really want to, and maybe save the steak to be the last thing you cut out. I found also that by practicing my vegetarian cooking ( I basically had to relearn how to cook) I could make meals that felt satisfying and complete that didn't have to center around meat (or were centered around meat substitutes, some of which are really tasty). I feel physically better than I remember feeling as a meat eater- I am almost never overfull or sluggish from meals. Good luck with your efforts!

Hi,

I know it must be diffcult to find vegetarian recipes, have you ever tried any other cusine like indian or italian or mexican.. As Calcounter86 says you may have to strat relearning cooking.. 

I am an indian we have millions of vegetarian recipes. My friends have tried few and really liked them. I can give you some links, if you want to give it a try. 

I am guessing you are American (as am I) and I think it is difficult for most because of our culture.  I am basically Vegan and have been for about nine years.  Most of the taste in meat these days is from the sauces and marinades and not actually the meat.  I think you will find that there are many vegitarian alternatives that can have the same texture and taste that you currently crave.  I would suggest trying seitan (wheat gluten) dishes.

Dairy is basically good for the calcium.  You can easily replace that with fortified soy milk, supplements, or in many vegtables.  Try a nutrient search for calcium rich foods.

Best of luck!

If you really miss meat then you should try the replacements they pretty much taste the same. You can have soymilk instead of dairy. Soymilk has high nutrients too.

I LOVED meat when I went veg, it took about 8 mos. before I stopped craving meat. It was a hard 8 mos. but now I dont crave it. Meat is starting to gross me out now. So it might just take time. Many "fake" meats taste very similar to real meat, it might help your cravings. Watching Peta vidoes on YouTube keeps me in check. Oh, and I think taking daily vits also helps with the cravings. Good Luck! :)

Just think about it this way:

" I can have meat if I wanted to, but I'm trying to be a vegetarian so I'm choosing not too."

That helps me some, I just started a couple days ago lol.

Also, try to go just two weeks. After you've made it two weeks, decide if you want to go any longer=) hope it helps!

what helped me when i first converted was just taking away one type of meat at a time. i stopped eating red meat, then stopped eating chicken and eventually cut out fish as well. it allowed me to learn new things to eat so i didnt just eat pasta and salad every day :)

good luck

I use to be a vegetarian a long time ago.  Sadly I never stop craving meat.  Then a friend ask me why I made this decision.  And I said duh to eat healthy and lose weight. She said just because you don't eat meat doesn't mean you eat healthy and you'll lose weight. you still eat the same things you just took meat out.  and then she said you still craving meat, so your reasons aren't strong enough to keep you motivated.  She really pissed me off but after thinking about it she was right and I eat meat now. I didn't start eating meat because she disapproved but she made me realize I was doing it for the wrong reasons.