Becoming a veg: How hard is it?

Question

I really want to become a vegetarian. Just so I can become healthier and not support hurting animals.

I have signed up for PETA's veg. starter kit but that wont come for 4-6 weeks.

What kind of things do I need to take so that I can get the nutrients and vitamins that came from the meat and other things?

Any help is appreciated.

Answer 1

It was the easiest thing I have ever done. I just quit and haven't missed it at all. I enjoy all the great soy meats. They are loaded with protein. I don't take any supplement, I don't need to. I eat fruits, vegetables I include my organic milk, eggs, cheese ect into my diet. I think vegans might have to take a supplement. Buy yourself some bocca burgers and make it just like you would if it were real....they also have smart dogs, soy taco meat, chicken..the list goes on...

Answer 2

I got the peta vegetarian starter kit because I was interested in vegetarianism. I quit cold turkey that same day and haven't eaten anything dead since!!! It wasn't completely easy because I was 16, living with my parents, and they weren't very supportive of my choice - and pretty much any others that I made! But I cared too much about the environment, my health, and the animals to let their constant harassment get me down and/or change my mind. I immediately read hundreds of articles about veg nutrition - I have always been interested in that - and tried to incorporate the ideas into my life. I'll admit that the first few months I probably didn't get everything I needed - mostly just vegetables, pasta, fruit, bread, etc., but then I started using foods such as tofu, soy protein, TVP, etc. My diet is pretty healthy now. I'm trying to be especially careful since I am now pregnant. Yay! :) By the way, I am going to raise my children vegetarian. I also take a multi-vitamin/mineral and a calcium supplement. Depending on your diet you may also want to take a B or Super B-complex, especially if you are vegan. If you go on my pyramid.gov there is actually a vegetarian pyramid that can be very helpful. To sum it all up, if you are ingesting a good variety of fruits, veggies, proteins, and whole grains and taking a supplement or two, your diet will be healthy!!! So, bon appetit and good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 3

It's not hard as long as you have a working knowledge of basic nutrition. If you're eating a varied and balanced diet, you don't really need to take anything extra to get the nutrition you need (the exception would be supplemental B12 if you're going to go vegan.) I do take a vegetarian formulated multivitamin every day.

Other than that, you just need to eat healthy. Some people will tell you that you'll be missing out on protein by going veg, but that's simply not true. Vegetarian sources of protein include whole grains, beans and other legumes, soy products, dairy products, eggs and dark green vegetables.

Answer 4

First figure out how far you want to go with it. Do you want to go vegan or are you happy with just being a vegetarian? Also, there are different types of vegetarians - ones who eat dairy and ones who eat eggs. I have been vegan and "lacto" (dairy) but I recently went back to eating eggs since my health was deteriorating and it's hard for me to get vegetarian alternatives in my region. For me, I'm okay with an egg as long as it isn't fertilized, and production eggs come from hens who never see a rooster in their lives. It's the best way (for me) to get my B vitamins and proteins, but it certainly isn't for everyone.

Once you've decided, you can work from there. There is SO much to learn. Honestly, when I became one (at 11-12) I don't think I *truly* became a vegetarian until my late teens b/c of all the secret ingredients that are meat-derived which I didn't know about (gelatin, rennet etc....) but learned along the way - just do what you know for now, and try eating what you've been eating all along, only with veggie meat subsitutions. Then you can experiment with more veggies and beans etc. Pick up some protein powders or Ensure/Boost (chocolate is great) if you're worried at all. Really, you shouldn't have to worry so much about protein, it's just the iron and B vitamins that could get tricky. B12 in particular. Look for vegetarian friendly supplements at your drugstore or healthfood store. Fortified breakfast cereals are great, and most veggie meats are enriched with all the vitamins vegetarians need. Good luck! You might find it hard at first, but just like an addiction the longer you stop eating meat, the less you crave it. Since Thanksgiving is coming up, you could pick up a Tofurky kit and keep it in your freezer. It tastes pretty good if you cook it right, and it comes with gravy and rice stuffing, and yummy cranberry apple dumplings. It's not shaped like a turkey either, which a lot of ppl think. I found the holidays the toughest times to get through - the overwhelming smells, and then just sitting off to the side and not eating the same things. You feel left out. It's important to not let your vegetarianism alienate you from your friends and family. Get right in there and go out of your way to make yourself happy and content. Make yourself a feast at Thanksgiving and you'll feel better for it.

Answer 5

Sometimes it's best not to quit "cold turkey." Especially if you're a hard-core carnivore. I've been a vegetarian for seven years. I quit red meat first, then a few months later cut out chicken and turkey as well. It's also easier if you're somewhat passionate about it. For instance, I hate the idea of animal cruelty, so my convictions really drove my choice.

If you make sure you eat protein, you should still feel full and not miss meat at all. Eat nuts, soy protein (like tofu), avocado, cottage cheese, and tons of veggies. Eat what you like, and you won't feel deprived.

I haven't found it hard at all. I eat out a lot and there are always choices at restaurants for me. Even hamburger joints usually offer some veggie burger selection. Just read menus, read up on being vegetarian and stick to your choice!

Good luck!

Answer 6

i've been a vegetarian all my life. you can just eat normal stuff, try eating a handful of nuts for snack every day because you get all the nutrients that you need from vegetables, but protein from nuts is basically the only thing you need. and so that you dont go back to being a non-vegetarian, here's some info: feeding a cow, you feed it 14 times the amount of meat that you can sell after you butcher it.

Answer 7

CHeck out the Vegetarian Food Pyramid.

It's not hard at all if you think eating rotting flesh is disgusting.

I'm not sure what you mean by what things you need to take. If you eat healthy and balanced, you dont need to take supplements but in reality, lots of people don't eat all that balanced. In that case, Health food stores will carry vegetarian vitamins.

Answer 8

Depends on "the type" of vegetarian you want to be.

The most stringent is vegan...no animal products whatsoever. That includes not consuming eggs, milk, cheese...and so on. That one, is a little rough to start with.

I started out eliminating eating our furry friends from my diet, but ate fish and poultry. Then, stopped eating the feathers and fin crowd, but did not give up eggs, milk, cheese...just the stuff that required them to give up their little lives (ovo-lacto vegetarian).

Going vegan makes it harder to keep the nutrients balanced without a supplement. It can be done, but you have to think about your diet more. With vegetarian, just no meat, it's not quite as tough to get all the nutrients.

So, it depends on how serious you want to go with this.

I added meat back in my diet, but limit the beef and pork. I also have "meatless" days at least three times a week. I don't know that I'll ever be vegetarian again...(*shrug*)

Answer 9

take vitamin B12 liquid is better to absolve under your tongue eat tofu sea weed nuts soak the nuts water and two table spoon of apple cider vinegar for 20 min. to kill the mold is not good for your health eat lots of fresh green veg. and juice whenever you can vegan or vegetarian is a very healthy diet but it has do be done proper otherwise you can effect your immune system if you have deficiency of vitamin B12 it can damage your mental clarity numbness in your fingers and feet I'm vegan myself and I'm having problem with my toes no circulation vitamin B12 is vital and good luck with the transition

Answer 10

First off, take a multi-vitamin every day.
As far as getting nutrients, you can get your protein from almonds, eggs (depending on how strict you are... some vegans don't use eggs), peanut butter, beans, and other things like that.
I have been a vegetraian for about a year and I love it. I have never felt healthier.