Need advice from fellow vegetarians please?

Question

I have been vegetarian for about a month now (3-4 weeks since I gave up meat). I must say its really hard when it comes to resturaunts, fast food places in general because most of the stuff they have is meat-based and don't carry meat-subsititues (Boca, morningstar, etc...) options when it comes to burgers and chicken patties. It's incredibly frustrating and part of me misses meat (though i really don't want to admit it). What should I do? Have I made the right choice by going vegetarian or should I just go back to eating meat?

(Please don't leave any rude or sarcastic answers, i'm serious).

I noticed my health has been better since though, although my options seem limiting. I don't eat chicken and very rarely will I eat fish. (I'm 19, by the way, so is that a healthy age to be vegetarian?).

You guys have given me such good advice, thank you all so much. I needed reassurance :-)

Answer 1

First of all congratulations for taking that first step. Second of all there is no right age for becoming vegetarian. Human beings are meant to be vegetarian and this is why their system has a hard time digesting meat.
Becoming vegetarian at first might come across as a big sacrifice when it comes to practicality, social life... These are things you learn to overcome with time. If you are really dedicated to a cause then nothing will stop you from continuing. The meat craving will go away gradually and think of all the good you are doing for the living creatures, the planet and your own health. This google video can show you how important it is to go on a veggie diet. Please watch it if you have time. Hopefully it will give you the motivation to continue.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6799801929001936259&q=john+robbins

What helped me the most was to start hanging out with other people who were vegetarians. We always go to great vegetarian restaurants, exchange recipes with each other....
I have never been very attracted to fast food so that was not a big issue when I became vegetarian.
I guess that you have to get organized and bring your own lunch with you and start discovering the vegetarian and vegetarian friendly restaurants in your city:
http://www.happycow.net/north_america/usa/index.html
If you really have no options but to go to a fast food then here are your veggie options:
http://www.vegetarian-restaurants.net/OtherInfo/FastFoodRest.htm

Best of luck to you my friend.

Answer 2

It's okay to have some doubts about your new lifestyle, especially while you're transitioning. Good for you for lasting 3 weeks, but I think you should give it a lot more time before deciding it's not for you.

As another answer stated, think about where you eat regularly. Is it steakhouses, fast food, and burger joints? If so, you may need to do a little pre-planning (looking up menus online, etc) to see what you can eat. I always ask the server if I'm not sure - "I'm sorry, I'm a vegetarian. Can you recommend a dish?" You can almost always have them leave the meat off of a salad, pasta, etc. as well. Saves money for the restaurant!

I would ask your health concious friends (if you have any, if not an online search would do well too) where they would suggest. Places that serve less fattening fare are more likely to have food you want to eat.

As for fast food, McDonalds has their Asian Chicken Salad; it's really good! Just ask them to make it without chicken. I doubt you will be the first person to ask. =) Yogurt parfaits from there are also good, as well as getting a full burger without the patty. (cheese, sauce or ketchup, lettuce, etc. all the fixin's!)

If you go for foods with nuts, avocados, some cheese.. in other words, a little fat, you'll feel more satisfied longer.

Hope this helps. I have been a veg in a small town for 9 years, you can do it! (If nothing else, watch a slaughterhouse video to strengthen your resolve. euuugghh!)

Answer 3

First of all, CONGRATULATIONS! You have taken the first step towards leading a very satisfying lifestyle. :)

Second, if you eat fish, you're NOT a vegetarian - you're a pescetarian. Vegetarians do not eat any animals at all, just as vegans do not eat any animals OR animal products.

I went vegetarian when I was 17 and have been veggie ever since. When I first gave up meat, boy, did I ever crave it. To this day I have dreams about fried chicken (Morningstar, WHEN will you come up with a friend chicken substitute??), but overall, most of the meat substitutes in the grocery store are pretty passable.

At restaurants, if there is nothing vegetarian on the menu, ask them if they can prepare you a vegetarian entree - most chefs are happy to oblige. If there is something that hs just one meat in it (e.g., pasta with bacon), ask if it can be made without the bacon. Generally, both waitstaff and cooks are very helpful in these situations.

Fast food can be more difficult. The best thing I have found to do is order burgers without the burger, so you get cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, etc., on a bun (a cheese sandwich, essentially). Unfortunately, this often confuses the hell out of the person taking the order. :) At Taco Bell they will remove the meat from the taco salad and add rice if you ask, and they don't seem confused by this request. You can also get chalupas with no meat, etc.

It gets easier with time, I promise. Good luck!

Answer 4

It's a difficult transition to be sure, but you can do it. Most fast food places really do have the veggie burgers; I know for a fact that Burger King does. They are not always on 'the board' so don't feel shy about asking. There are salads, of course, and other alternatives. Plus, you don't really have to do the fast food thing. Take food with you from home...

If you really miss meat that much, perhaps you jumped in too fast. Try adding a bit more fish to your diet for a week or so, then gradually reduce the amount.

I don't think you should give up just yet, but if your body is seriously craving meats, you may not be getting enough protein. Add some almonds, cheeses and broccoli to your diet, all of which contain protein.

Good luck!!

Answer 5

I am not a strict vegetarian but I don't eat very much meat because it is really hard to find organic free-range meat anywhere. I usually only eat meat/eggs at home and rarely because there are a lot of other great options for food. I find that many of the fast food options are just plain not healthy for anybody. Unfortunately, eating healthy is not convenient. It is especially hard for teenagers and young-adults because your peers are eating whatever they want and go out to eat at these junk food places. Also when you are on a tight budget and either starting college or a new career it can be hard to feed yourself properly and quickly.

Think of it as an investment of your future. Watching what you eat now can save you hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical expenses when you are older, and not in the too-distant future either. More and more younger people are being diagnosed with Adult-onset diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. This is mostly due to the food that they consume. When you go out with your friends, you don't have to preach to them about it, but know that in 10-20 years they will be suffering from one or more of these conditions if they continue to eat like they do. Just lead by example and know what you are eating, make sure it is good for you. Feed your body, not your taste buds.

Being vegetarian is a good choice, just be sure to do it for the right reasons and to do it in a healthy way. Also, be a smart vegetarian. Learn about power foods (like Quinoa which is a grain-like seed that has the highest protein of any grain, even more than some legumes, plus it is a complete protein). Learn about food combining and how to get all your vitamins and minerals. If it is a lifestyle choice, get all the facts and take good care of yourself because it can be a very healthy track.

Answer 6

please don't give up just yet! i know it can be a bit frustrating when eating out a restaurant that doesn't "cater" to a vegetarian diet. you have made a good choice to become a vegetarian, but that will take a little more effort on your part.

don't eat out at restaurants anymore. take the time to do a little research on recipes and quick meals. a quick meal for me is a boca burger (which is actually cooking in the oven right now). they are so simply to make, and they really satisfy the cravings. just slap the patty between some bread, top with [your choice] cheese and voila!

if you've got a very hectic schedule, try to find some way to free up at least ten minutes of your schedule to make a nutritious meal. if you have to get up early the next day, make your meal the night before. do as much as you can... after all, this is for your health. treat your body well and you will be rewarded with good health and vitality.

best wishes!

Answer 7

Its normal to be frustrated at first. Eating in restaurants is even more frustrating, because they certainly dont offer many vegetarian choices. It gets easier as you move through the process. Often, the only thing that can be found in a restaurant for veggies is a side salad or a baked potato. I heard that burger king has a vegetarian burger, but I havent eaten in a fast food restaurant in 20 plus years, so I dont know for sure. Its okay to admit missing meat!! You were raised on it, and told your whole life you "needed" it. It takes awhile to undo that mindset. Remind yourself the reasons why you dont eat meat-animal cruelty, environmental issues, health, etc. For me, it was a matter of force-I developed severe allergies to meat and HAD to give it up. That was really hard, because my other allergies caused me to have to give up wheat, soy, eggs, and other foods I was used to as well. I ate nothing but iceburg lettuce and rice for months, until I was able to heal and start adding other things to my diet. Its still hard, because I cant eat most of the things other vegetarians can, but I make interesting and creative dishes that work for me. Stick with it, you will adjust. Your body is still detoxing from meat. When it does, you will lose your cravings for it, and will likely be repulsed by it anyway. Good luck!

Answer 8

Praise God! I am so happy to hear when people are conscientious about the temples that God has given to us. Being a true vegetarian far outweighs meat eating. Many, many noble men have been vegetarians in the past, such as Benjamin Franklin for example. It is not a wrong choice at all. There are many different things to eat, enough that we do not need to eat flesh food. I am so glad that someone sent you websites for recipes and the such. I have a wonderful cookbook that tells you how to cook many different varieties of vegetarian foods that substitute many things. The best part about Veganism is that it is what God intended for us in Eden. Read about it in Genesis chapters 1 and 2. Praise God.

Answer 9

I've been a vegetarian for about 5 years, vegan for 4, and it IS really hard at first but you've definitely made the right choice. I hardly ever eat out, and avoid fast food restaurants completely so I don't have much advice about what to eat while you are there... but since I stopped eating animal product I've found tons of great recipes that are really easy to make and usually better than anything I've ever tried before. Also when you are eating out it's almost inevitable that you will have to ask a lot of questions, and combine dishes, leaving things out....but sometimes It's really fun to invent new things.

Answer 10

I was a vegetarian for a few years, one thing that helped at fastfood, was getting a burger with no meat, they serve everything else on the bun, sans meat patty. I know its hard, but its a good way of life. At resturaunts order pastas they regularly serve with chicken, and tell them to leave the chicken off, 'veggie pasta'. Im sure others will have ideas too