How did you convert to vegetarianism...and succeed ?

Question

It's going to be very very difficult for me. My family is one reason, they have a healthy obnivore diet and meeting their needs plus mine will be difficult. I just am tired of meat (taste-wise) plus I had a pet chicken. But I think if I just quit meat cold turkey (no pun intended), I'm not going to last, is there a method, some tips that will help me convert ?

How did you guys manage it ?
Are there any books that you recommend ?


I really want to try this vegetarian thing out for the sake of MY conscious and my herbivore taste buds.

*conscience

Answer 1

Becoming Vegetarian was a long process for me.
I went more than 20 years eating from a natural foods co-op, taking supplements, etc, but I was under so much pressure from my family to eat/cook meat!
Just like quitting cigarettes, becoming Veggie is a trial and error process. Start out making several meals a week veggie. Go to the natural food stores and look around. Ask questions! Borrow or buy cookbooks,too. 'Diet for a Small Planet' is a great resource & has good recipes, too.
And remember, if you go from eating meat to eating only processed vegetarian foods, you haven't really made a big change. Quorn and some of the other products are almost as processed as lunch meats and Twinkies are. A nameless family member of mine says she's veggie, but I never see her eat a salad, beans, potatoes,etc. He diet is only fake hot dogs, fake sausage, etc. She's sick often,too.
For me, Vegetarianism is all about kindness for myself and towards animals. Be kind to yourself and get healthy.
Good luck.

Answer 2

I actually advise people to do this slowly. I have no formal education on this, just my own experiences, but I advise people to make these changes slowly.

Start by doing one or two entirely veggie meals a week. Work up from there. When you start doing this, it's probably easiest to use recipes that are similar to omnivore ones, such as veggie chili, meatless lasagna, etc. Use faux "meats" as part of your conversion. Actually, you should always keep some around, so that you can entertain omnivore guests in a manner that is comfortable to them. And the faux meat slices make a quick lunch to take to work or school.

Gradually increase the number of veggie meals and then gradually move towards dishes that aren't as obviously an imitation of an omnivore meal.

You'll get there. And by doing so gradually, by doing so at your own pace, you're more likely to stay there.

You're right about the books, but perhaps not for the reasons that you think. You need to make certain, as you do this, that you are doing so intelligently, making certain that your nutrition needs are being met. I'm giving you some titles that will help with that aspect. But if you go to PETA's website, they have a starter kit that you can order. That will help, too.

Congratulations on a good choice and a good strategy for getting there.

Answer 3

I went Vegetarian cold turkey and because I did it for a higher purpose (other than health) I was able to stick to it without a problem. At the beginning the challenge was that I really did not have a clue what to eat but I lived in a very vegetarian friendly city and I met many other vegetarians who were good cooks so I realized that a vegetarian diet had so much variety to offer. I also started to see improvement in my health and gave up junk food...
I bought a series of vegetarian cookbooks and developed a taste for cooking and trying different ways to make tofu...
If you have a hard time going cold turkey, know that the supermarkets are filled with imitation meat form mock chicken nuggets, veggie dogs, veggie burger, veggie bacon, pepperoni...
So start gradually and you will lose a taste for meat. If you are at an age where you have a part-time job, try to put some money aside for the tofu, veggie meat...
There are many interesting books to read and great websites on vegetarianism if you start googling.
Becoming Vegetarian is very informative for beginners. All you have to do is to go to your local public library and borrow vegetarian cookbooks and books on vegetarian nutrition.... Try and see if there is a vegetarian association in your city and hook up with them. Try to find vegetarian friends who can encourage you and give you information... It is very easy to be vegetarian these days.
Good luck

Answer 4

I had to do due to medical reasons, and I had to do it quickly. I had an allergic reaction to wheat and soy and ended up in the hospital, taken by ambulance. I had another reaction later that month after eating meat. My research showed that meats are injected with antimicrobial disinfectants that are made from wheat and soy. For me, the difference between eating meat or not is a matter of life or death. I really struggled with it for about a year-cravings, etc. Then, when I learned how animals raised for food are treated, and the unsanitary conditions, that was pretty much enough for me. You might consider going pescatarian (no meat, but eat seafood and fish) Thats how I manage. I no longer crave meat at all. At first, I was still having to cook meats for my family-which is damned hard when you cant eat what you are cooking! I also had to give up bread because of the wheat, so it was quite a struggle. I have posted a blog about my trials and errors that might help you overcome some of the pitfalls I went through. My daughter (age 12) is now a happy veggie head too, and we are grossed out by meat now (I was a gourmet chef, and meat was always a high priority) Now, I dont give it a thought. If anyone else wants meat, they have to eat it out. There will be no more dead animals in my house. I understand thats hard with kids, but educating yourself about the real deal, will likely put you off too. Only read my blog if you are ready to face some hard facts-parts of it are graphic, but educational. I thouroughly researched everything before I posted it-there is no unproven info on it. Hope this helps, here is the link
http://360.yahoo.com/profile-8un2KqU5fqcymrT5VxB0z8D4HEMAF4PLG8OJLQ--?cq=1

Answer 5

If you find it difficult, try to substitute your meat portions with meat substitutes. You can prepare practically the same things you used to eat by choosing vegetarian products such as Quorn. It comes in so many variations, you won't even miss meat. You can even eat fake bacon, burger, sausages, pot roasts, chicken fillets etc, and I have served these to meat eaters who wanted to see the pack in ororder to believe it.
Eventually you will see a vegetarian meal not as something with an empty space on the plate where the meat used to be, but as a full meal. Good luck. :)

Answer 6

Just stop eating meat and replace with fruits... every time U have an urge for meat just eat something else.. here's a fake
meat recipe: Canned Pumpkin 14 oz mix in 2 handfuls of cereal like oatmeal then add in enough wheat germ so mixture can form balls... add in 3 tablespoons or more of light soya sauce. Form into balls and cook with spagetti or form into patties and cook in fry pan for fake meat burgers! I have other
fake meat recipe.. If U like them email me for my booklet The Veggy Corner! Fake Bacon, Fake Bologna, Fake Susages,
are all in it! [e-mail] booklet isn't free!

Answer 7

different methods work for different people. what really helped me was making my house vegetarian. this does not mean having your whole household become vegetarian - they still eat meat outside of the house. it really depends on how willing your family is.

Answer 8

i tried again and again and learned from my mistakes
the key is to plan ahead, figure out what you like to eat, and what you need to eat, and don't be afraid to eat the samething everyday to keep things simple, when you get the hang of it, then you can eat whatever you want, but still plan out your meals, so you know what you'll have and not starve or have to go out for some bs from some bs resturants