What kind of lifestyle do you have, as a vegetarian?

Question

I have met several vegetarians who were very unhealthy (ie. they ate mostly veggie pizza, burgers, fries, etc and avoided salads and tofu)....

As a vegetarian do you think you live a healthier lifestyle than the general population? Here are some things to consider:

a) Are you a smoker/non-smoker?
b) Do you eat mostly organic/sometimes/ rarely?
c) Do you exercise often/sometimes/rarely?

Obvious, "healthy lifestyle" is subjective, but I'm basically wondering if you define yourself as healthy vegetarian versus an unhealthy one in more ways than diet.

Answer 1

I recently made some big changes to my diet. Living with three omnivores can be hard on a vegetarian, but I managed to get by eating lots of the unhealthy foods that you mentioned. While working on a vegetarian debate paper in English class, I decided that I had to do something about how I was getting my iron, protein, and other nutrients. Now, I'm all about raw fruits and vegetables, nuts and beans, whole grains, and the occasional low-fat dairy product. I'm watching my nutrient intake, and use a special web site (www.mypyramid.gov) to compare it each day. Now that I'm eating better, I've compared my diet to that of the rest of my family. I get enough vitamins and minerals without meat or a supplement, I get my recommended servings of fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy, and "meats," and I feel good. The rest of my family tends to lack in the fruits and vegetables department, but they're following my example and picking up an apple in the afternoon instead of a cookie.
I can't imagine myself smoking, although at family gatherings I sometimes inhale secondhand smoke. I rarely eat organic foods simply because I live with a family who doesn't care about that kind of stuff. I'm glad to be eating vegetarian, to be honest with you. I exercise a normal amount--plenty of horseback riding, mucking stalls, doing barn chores, racing to my car with my friend, and lots of stretches and physical therapy exercises.
I feel better than ever, and I'm always working for ways to improve my diet, so I think I'm pretty healthy.

Answer 2

If you do your research, you'll find that we vegetarians are healthier than meat eaters. Vegetarians are less at risk for cancer and other life-threatening diseases, plus we can on average live eight years longer!
Now to answer your questions:
I do not smoke, and never will. All the things I buy are organic. I make sure my milk and eggs come from free-range and cruelty free farms. I don't exercises a lot, but I'm not unhealthy.
A good vegetarian diet is delicious, and some meat alternatives are much nicer than real meat! Just the thought of eating an animals dead body creeps me out...ugh! Below is a typical daily menu for me:
Breakfast-Cereal and milk
Lunch-Salad or a quiche.
Snack-Pistachios are very nice and give you protein.
Dinner-Vegetable lasagna or a veggie burger cooked in sunflower oil.
Hope this helps!

Answer 3

Good question!
I consider myself to have a MUCH healthier lifestyle than the general population. I am a vegtarian and I eat very few processed foods. I have a salad everyday, I snack on fruit and veggies and I drink tons of water. I also exercise 4-5 times per week.
I don't smoke and I only drink occasionally. I use my juicer frequently...the juices that I make have specific purposes (i.e. eliminate stress, lower blood pressure, etc.). It is an excellent way to get a lot of nutrients at once.
I eat at home a lot and that enables me to make healthy, tasty meals.

Answer 4

a) definitely non-smoker
b) I eat about 60 per cent organic, fruits and veggies only from organic cultivation.
c) I exercise everyday - i run on alternating days and do a workout on the other day.

I think I live healthier the most others, but i don't think that I'm superior, of course.

Tofu is not as wholesome as one might think, but it's still better than those highly processed pizzas, burgers...
I hardly ever eat convenience food, maximum is once a week.

Despite of eating no sweets at all etc., and not eating dairy products in abundance, I'm slightly plumb.

Answer 5

a. no I don't smoke and never have.
b. I eat sometimes organic.
c. I try to exercise everyday.

all of these three things have nothing to do with being vegetarian, but if someone becomes a vegetarian for health reasons, they may be more inclined to take better care of their body.

Answer 6

Vegan


Non-smoker
100% sober
3hrs of cardio per week
weight training 5 days per week
Eat 75% organic, 8 to 10 servings
of leafy and crunchy veggies

No soft drinks , coffee or drugs
64 to 96 gallons of water a day
drunken

Physiognomy - fairly athletic and
muscular ( working to improve)

Answer 7

i dont smoke.

i have recently started eating organic food because it's price has come closer to normal produce prices, but i eat pretty few organic things.

I excersize fairly often, about 3-4 times a week. I run for the cross country team at my school, and I play tennis outside of and in school.

Answer 8

a) former.
b) sometimes, I don't make a point of it.
c) I'm at the gym as often as work allows.

I guarantee I live a healthier lifestyle then most of the general population.

Answer 9

Well, I do now, but until recently I didn't! Getting older has made me more concerned about my health, but I was originally vegetarian for ethical reasons. I used to smoke & eat (vegetarian) junk food, but not anymore.

Answer 10

a)hell no!
b)mostly buy organic
c)yes,exercise evryday.

Yes,I am way healthier than the general population.I run about 24 miles during the week,and do a little bit of cardio on the weekends,but mostly skateboarding.