I want to become a vegetarian, but I love meat so much?

Question

how do I kick the habit and craving for meat?

Answer 1

Here is good news for you. Your body needs a balance diet. Meat is part of it. So don't become a vegetarian, it doesn't mean you'll be healthy ;)

Answer 2

My first suggestion would be to go to websites with videos of slaughterhouses and factory farms.

Secondly, I suggest asking yourself 'Was the life of that animal worth the momentary pleasure I might get from eating it?" every time you're confronted with a craving for meat.

Thirdly, keep vegetarian foods on hand and eat them often so you don't get hungry ... and when you do get a craving, use meat substitutes. Sooner or later, you'll find meat repugnant.

You can also visit vegan/vegetarian forums for support and keep a diary of your slip-ups, etc. to help yourself keep on track.

Another good tip is to start out slowly. Designate certain days as vegetarian - and add more and more of those days until you're totally vegetarian.

Hope it helps you kick the (disgusting) habit!

Answer 3

I suggesest as others have to watch some of the videos of what really goes on within the walls of slaughter houses.

You are craving meat because your body is used to it. It may last for a bit, but after your body is used to eating less fat, cholesterole, etc your cravings will go away. It's just like people who eat alot of caffine, sugar, etc and than stop, thier bodies go through withdrawl.

When I first started as a vegetarian I craved the mean, but after a month or so it stopped and now I can't even imagine myself ever craving the stuff.

At first it may be easier to use mean substitutes, Quorn is a great substitute. After a bit you can switch to eating less artificial meats.

Answer 4

I assume you already know all the bad facts about meat. Why else would you want to be a vegetarian despite loving meat? Your best bet is to have fun in the kitchen. Think of all the foods you like that are meatless. Then start adding to it. Find recipies in books, online, or from other vegetarians. Myself, I always disliked imitation meat (except Gimme Lean fake sausage...that was alright). It tasted nasty, and besides, it didn't seem very sensible to me to try to pretend to eat what I didn't eat....a veggie burger never could fill the craving I had for a real burger, but a tasty stir-fry was good, good for me, and didn't make me think of something "better". It was hard for awhile, but eventually I didn't miss it.

Answer 5

educate yourself about how nasty meat really is-full of hormones, blood, pus, parasites, bacteria, purine, amines, cholesterol, steroids, diseases the animal had, antibiotics and all sorts of other creepy stuff. If someone had told me 10 years ago that I would become a content vegetarian, I would have laughed until I split my vocal cords, and yet here I am-content after 3 years veggie. I am a gourmet cook, and the focal point of my meal was always meat. Now, I cook lots of tasty vegetarian foods that are far more healthy and enjoyable than meat. Its all in how you approach it. At first, I would be upset to have to bypass the meat counter, but now, I cant even walk past it without being repulsed. Once you have the knowledge, it really eliminates the craving. Here is a link to a good site with some valid info. Check out each of the catagories on the left-it should enlighten you. Good luck on your journey. I feel much better knowing nothing had to bleed or die in order for me to satisfy my own greed and appetitie.
http://www.factoryfarming.com/index.htm

Answer 6

Well, personally, unless you had a problem with the way they killed the animals to get the meat, I don't know why you would WANT to give up meat (if you hadn't grown up that way), but one suggestion would be to fix recipes that had a meat substitute. For example, fix lasagna, but use plain tomato sauce and substitute spinach for the meat. It will give it a heartiness and cut out the meat. Try eggplant parmesean (instead of veal or chicken). I don't know - do vegetarians eat eggs? If so, have a ELT (instead of BLT).

Answer 7

Why do you want to be a vegetarian if you love meat so much? I dont get it.

I am a vegetarian and I dont crave meat and never did... dream about it sometimes though :)

Your body is probably craving it because you need it, try taking an iron supplement.

Answer 8

Are you kidding me? You can't be a vegetarian and love meat, dear. Go to Peta, watch "meet your meat" and perhaps the cruelty that animals go thru to make your craving for meat possible, will cure you.

Answer 9

I am kind of like that. but i just don't want to eat animals. some meats gross me out and some i love. What i do is take some vegetarian foods and add my own thing to it. example: salad with little meat chicken strips in it .
or you could take a vegetarian food in form of meat.
example: veggie burgers.
so you are being a vegetarian but just tricking your body to think your not.

Answer 10

Peta is annoying but some of their videos are really graphic and gross. That is how I became a vegetarian, I saw one of those GoVeg commercials. I could give you some peta links, also maybe read "The Jungle" by Upton Sinclair (fiction, but based on true events) or "Fast food nation" by Eric Schlosser (non- fiction), really may turn you off the meat all together.
Here are the links to some Peta movies:
http://www.meetyourmeat.com/

http://www.kentuckyfriedcruelty.com/

Here are some other links:

http://www.chooseveg.com/videos.asp?bandwidth=high&rate=267

http://www.meat.org/

And here is a website with a bunch of vegan and vegetarian links for info:

http://www.chooseveg.com/websites.asp
Hope this stuff helps.

Answer 11

Buy a veggie cookbook. Start slowly - maybe 1 meal a week. As Ginger mentoned, there are meat substitutes that taste a lot like meat (soy, nuts, grains). And remember, slowly! You can't change your whole diet overnight, so don't try to. Experiment and have fun!