A question for the Vegetarians that were once meat eaters...?

Question

I've been considereing cutting meat out of my diet. I was just wondering if it's a difficult transition. Also, did your body experience any set backs or withdrawls from not eating meat?

Answer 1

No, nothing special that I can recall as far as having any physical wet backs or withdrawals. Quite the contrary, I actually felt better and lost weight.

There are products out there to help with the transition, but I do not suggest a regular use of them. They are not all that healthy.

As far as difficulty..... A lot of that depends on your mindset. What is your reason for doing this? Are you committed to it totally? Is your family committed?

I have often heard it suggested that you start with 2 meals a week and then gradually build up until you are doing all of your meals vegetarian. I'm not sure which will work the best for you... the cold turkey or the gradual.

We did it with a gradual shift. It wasn't a shock to any ones taste buds or system. I will warn you that once you have made this transition to vegetarian and you go back and eat meat...... it will upset your stomach...... to say the least. Thought I would let you know that.... no one warned me and I was in public.

The main thing to be concerned about when discontinuing meat is your Vit B-12. Take a good supplement and that is not a concern.

You can get all the nutrients your body needs from the vegan/vegetarian diet. (I used to manage a health food store that heald vegan cooking classes with health lectures)
Please feel free to contact me if you have any further questions.

Answer 2

I once was a big meat eat who decided to become a vegetarian after much deliberation. I'd thought that I would have withdrawals and wouldn't be able to stick to it, but once I began, I never looked back. I'm surprised at how easily I can give up eating meat, and not miss it to the point of wanting to take another bite.
Of course, initially, there were times when I would smell the meat dish, and have the temptation to just take a rest for a meal from vegetarianism, but checked myself. The feeling would pass in a few minutes. Now, I'm actually repulsed at the sight of meat...and the journey's not been as hard as I thought it would be at all!
Thing is, once you put your heart and mind into it, your body will respond in the same way. Just persevere, and soon enough, you'll be a full fledged vegetarian!
Do remember, however, that you're giving up your main source of protein, which is essential to your body. You need to find appropriate alternatives, which can easily be gotten from soy and soy products such as tofu, as well as in beans. If you're deciding to be an octo-lacto vegetarian, you can get the necessary proteins from milk and dairy products and eggs as well.
That said, it was difficult for me to go cold turkey straight away. And I wish you all the best in your quest :)

Answer 3

I have not ate any meat in about 2 months. No not at all is it a hard transition to becoming vegetarian. I basically chose to do it when i was eating a hamburger and i got the meat strings stuck in my teeth. I wanted to through up i could not take it anymore. So i went from eating a hamburger for dinner and the next day being a vegetarian. My body does not really feel anything yet (i think it is a bit to early for me to tell yet) but i do feel alittle more natural. ( Like I'm not filled with gross fatty food).

Answer 4

The change does feel a little weird, and it sucks because at the begining you have a hard time finding what to eat from a menu. But you soon get used to it, and also your eating habits improve. Its great because I soon began to lose weight and I feel much better that I dont have yucky red meat in my system building in fat into a ugly gut. As for my body experienceing any changes, well there was no set backs. Everything was fine and fake meat actually tastes good and its way healthier 2!

Answer 5

I am over 30. I cut it out at 20. It's not a difficult transition if you just decide to eat it less and less and not declare yourself a full blown vegetarian (I am veg. It's more work to eat at other people's parties.) I think the biggest challenge with getting older is I can't just eat a plate of corn chips smothered in cheese and not expect to get fat. It's still important to watch your carbs (sugar and deepfried & salted). Find a good couple of cookbooks (at the bookstore, online won't allow you to check through and see if they are doing supreme cooking or easy stuff, I have too many cookbooks with braised fennel type dishes that I will never make)
The biggest difference in my life recently has been working out on the elliptical 30 min/day to stop the middle age spread. Also, hooking up with people in the Seventh Day Adventist church to by fake meats has been a real money saver (they don't expect me to join the religion and will sell me Morningstar Farms products for less than Super Wal-Mart).

Answer 6

it can be hard especially if you don't go about it slowely and the right way.. oh oh i can't spell again... too lazy can't use spell check!

go into google.com and key up vegan, vegetarian, vegan recipes, vegan life, vegetarian cuisine (things like that you'll come across a smorgasborge of (spelling again) sites.

start out slow. i cut meat out of my diet because of gerd.

i eat fresh produce, nothing frozen or canned.. (unless i want a treat) fresh has the most minerals. steaming also is a good idea, learn how to steam each vegetable to fulfill your vitamin needs.

never boil a vegetable there goes all the goodies that will help you in the transition. look for electric steamers, grillers.. like the "super pot" to help you. great way for starters to get into vegetarianism and steaming. (super pot is an electric bowl shaped item that looks like a mini grill wonderful invention, and none of this 300 piece steamer set that if you don't watch out you'll boil or burn your veggies)

anywho.. also look into soy alternatives for meat and milk.

:D

silk is a great milk made of soy! comes in a few flavors... and morning star has great tasting soy meat items....

look into tofu and soy cheese...

talk with other vegans and vegetarians also.. this shall help. watch out for those fundi-neizen types they can't help much and they're fanatical and can ruin the experience.

you may want to talk to your doctor if you so wish to help this along.

also don't make yourself anemic... check that blood chemistry also at times.. make sure you have enough potassium in that blood too.. sometimes especially with females potassium levels drop when there's a diet change that isn't doing someone all the good that it can.

knowlege is power.. duh i know you knew that.

in the begining if you feel weak, tired, and your body is craving meat.. try a lil bit of it.. you don't have to go crazy in order to recover.. remember you haven't failed your quest...

and as time goes along.. researching what you can replace meat with in a vegan, vegetarian diet can help too.

learn about legums and tubers and... those pesky little nuts too. protein isn't the only reason why folks eat meat... there's many other elements to meats also that make a person crave for a slice of beef or a breast of chicken.

take your time, there's no hurry.. don't just drop meat from the plate ok? not immediately, not right away, don't rush the transision.

patience, no one is going to kidnap you or take anything away if you eat a piece of meat once ever so often during this period while you learn what your options are.

and maybe some day you'll succeed and not pick up a piece of animal muscle ever again.

key is, time.

good luck.

Answer 7

I felt horrible when I ate meat and I didn't realize it until I stopped. It was the BEST decision I ever made. I dropped 15 pounds and have NEVER felt better in my entire life. The only bad thing that came out of going veg... I had to hear a lot of crap from my family. Once the weight started dropping off and they noticed I was much happier, they changed their tune. Read "The China Study." It's the best book I've ever read (I'm reading it now). I will never go back to eating meat. I highly recommend Morningstar Farms products too! The Grillers Original, sausage, and griller crumbles (great in tacos) are delicious! Good luck!

Answer 8

It's pretty easy actually. However, I was a strict vegetarian for about 3 years and changed to eat meat occassionally, but my diet is still about 99% non-meat. The primary reason is that there is absolutely no way you can get B12 from eating vegetables alone. Educate yourself on this by conduct your own research, don't believe how other people tell you otherwise.

Answer 9

Some people cannot live without meat because of something that is found in meat. This is what my vegetarian friend told me and i dont know the whole story so you should talk to your doctor before making the switch.

Answer 10

It isn't hard at all. You just have to get passionate about it. Check out some of the videos on the link below. Like Kentucky Fired Cruelty. You need to relize that your meat had feelings like you before it was brutally murdered. Everytime you see meat at the store. Remember where it came from.