How do you become vegetarian...starting out slow?

Question

I really do support vegetarians and i am super interested. I love animals all of them! And eating meat makes me feel wrong and guilty. I would like to take it slow though! Please help with advice.

Answer 1

Do some reading (Try MAD COWBOY, FIT FOR LIFE, BECOMING VEGAN or other books your local bookstore might have on the subject) - learning about what a healthy and important decision becoming a vegetarian is will get you motivated and excited. Hang out here on the V&V section of Answers - there's a ton of good advice. I've learned SO much here! Go on veggie binges at your local farmer's market (preferred) or at a health food store. Picking and washing and preparing fresh fruits and vegetables is so therapeutic! Definitely get a book on vegetarian nutrition and go about it the correct way. There is a lot of misinformation on the web (and HERE) - if you end up not getting enough good nutrition you're going to feel like crap and give up. That BECOMING VEGAN book I mentioned is EXCELLENT! I'm just finishing reading it and it has really helped me understand how to plan healthy meals.
http://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Vegan-Complete-Adopting-Plant-Based/dp/1570671036/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/105-2443149-2024404?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1181001461&sr=8-1
It will be the single best thing you ever do for your body. Stick with it!

Answer 2

Well, I don't reccomend trying to go VEGAN (no dairy or eggs) right off. Substitute cheese dishes for meat ones (I.E.. lasagana).

Start experimenting with cooking Tofu. It's mostly tasteless, and that's the beauty of it! It takes on the flavor of whatever seasonings it's cooked with. A yummy thing to do is to cut tofu into largeish cubes, let them sit in soysauce and ginger powder, then lightly "fry" In a non-stick skillet (without oil even works) and mix it into your vegetable stir fry.

Start experimenting with vegetarian meat alternatives (i..E.. gargenburgers). DON"T EXPECT them to taste just ilke meat though! Enjoy the yummy flavor they have. They will give you something to take the place of the meat dishes you crave.

IF you wanna go slow, just gradually start weeding out meat and fasing in meatless dishes.

One thing I ALWAYS advise new Vegetarians is broaden your horizons, cullinary wise. Learn about Indian food, Korean food, all different types of ethnic dishes. Some cultures (I.E Indian) eat a very low-meat diet, and have many tasty curries, etc.. Or they have dishes that are easy to make w/o meat. By stepping outside the "meat and potato or Italian food" typical american diet box, my diet is ethnically MUCH more diverse than it was before I became vegetarian! You'll be shocked at how much your horizons are expanding. I find vegetarianism very "liberating" in the sense of what foods are available to me.

Answer 3

Starting it slow didn't work for me. I just said to myself one random night after thinking about becoming vegetarian that I was going to stop eating meat.

I don't think I could have thought while I was eating my last chicken meal that it was my last chicken dinner. That is why I quit cold-turkey.

But whatever works for you is great. I would incorporate vegetarian meal items in with your regular food and slowly stop. Maybe during your last meat-eating days just say that the next day you'll start being a vegetarian. Good luck!

Answer 4

Why do you want to start out slow? - just quit eating meat. But I don't think most vegetarians are vegetarians because they love animals. I think most are just trying to eat better or following a religious belief.

Answer 5

If you become aware of foods you eat on a daily basis (like i did),and realize what you're actually putting your body. Simply choose a date on the calender that you believe is the right time for you to stop eating meat and become a veg. I waited until my birthday. It was only 5 days ago and i don't regrete it one bit. The reason i don't is because i gave myself enough time to enjoy all the food i liked and put them behind me for good.
I've been a pescatarian for 5 days now. I have more energy and a better outlook on life. Hope This Helps: Jin

Answer 6

Well, I'm not sure if this is exactly the best way, but this is how my friend did it. Just start out giving up different kinds of meat. Starting with the red meats. Then, if you want to be completley vegan, then you start giving up the poultry and cow milk. Don't do it to fast though, you could get sick.

Answer 7

well i can tell you this my cause of becoming a veg was because i saw my father kill a pig. now if you want to go slow then start getting some of the veg recipise and making them and find what ones you like. that is the exact advice i gave my seven year old cousin when she told me she hated eating meat.

Answer 8

Well you can start out by giving up meat first. That part is easier. Then slowly give up seafood later on. I still have a hard time resisting seafood, but the meat part is really not a big problem.

Answer 9

It's really pretty easy. Just cut back at first. Try having as many meatless meals per week as possible. Before long, you won't miss it at all and you will be amazed at how much energy you have. When I went Veggie, I lost 30 pounds, got down to about 11% body fat, ran a marathon, etc. Not putting junk into your body really makes a difference.

Don't forget your proteins like beans, soy, whole grain, etc, and GOOD LUCK!

Answer 10

Start by cutting out pork. When that's easy, stop eating beef, lamb, etc. At this point, go ahead and use beef broth to flavor things, and start weaning yourself off that, while still allowing yourself poultry. Learn which foods you'll need to add to your diet to get enough iron and protein, and eat as much of them as you can, using broth and minimal poultry for flavoring. Then stop eating beef and start using poultry only as broth. You see how this is going, right? At each step wait until it's easy for you before taking the next step. You'll need to decide if and when to stop eating shellfish, then fish.