Becoming Vegetarian

[Aum namah Śivāya]

नमस्ते,

I recognize the importance of becoming vegetarian, but am uncertain how to make the transition. I'm fine with giving up beef, even if that's even a bit difficult, but I know that is definitely necessary.

My problem is that I have always, always hated vegetables, except for a very few. The biggest repulsion for me is the texture of them. I'm visually impaired, so I pay a lot of attention to the texture of food.

I love fruits, though, almost any kind of them.

So I'm not sure how to transition into becoming a vegetarian with this in mind. Has anyone else had this same struggle?

ॐ नमः शिवाय

[Eastern Mind]

Vannakkam: Sticking with mostly raw might help with the texture bit. It's also healthier.

It's also important to remember you're not feeding your mouth, you're feeding your whole body, and ultimately the soul body that inhabits it.

Aum Namasivaya

[rainbowlotus]

For you it seems like it wouldn't be a good idea to go cold turkey on meat. Because you don't like a lot of vegetables you need to purchase vitamins so that you get the nutrients you need. There are so many things you can do with vegetables. I still struggle with my pickyness with food. Could you be more specific on why you have a hard time eating vegetables?

[Aum namah Śivāya]

For you it seems like it wouldn't be a good idea to go cold turkey on meat. Because you don't like a lot of vegetables you need to purchase vitamins so that you get the nutrients you need. There are so many things you can do with vegetables. I still struggle with my pickyness with food. Could you be more specific on why you have a hard time eating vegetables?

नमस्ते rainbowlotus,

Yeah you are probably right it is not good to go cold-turkey. Perhaps I can give up one thing at a time, starting with beef.

The biggest thing for me is beef (love cheeseburgers), chicken, and seafood.

Again, I'm not sure why exactly I don't like vegetables, besides the texture thing. Though I do like carrots, as long as they are raw, raw spinach, lettuce, etc.

ॐ नमः शिवाय

[Vaikuntha Bound.]

For me, giving up meat actually began with my daughter. When she first started eating solid food, she'd eat anything we'd put in front of her. Meat loaf, steak, mixed veggies, apple slices... anything. She'd try things indiscriminately and always finish what was on her plate.

As she got a little older, she just stopped eating meat. Sure, she'd eat eggs, but after a few weeks, I started realizing that all she was eating were our vegetable side dishes. That didn't seem fair, so I started integrating more and more vegetarian meals into our diet. I began buying cookbooks (the moosewood restaurant's simple suppers and mark bittman's "how to cook everything vegetarian" were great starters). I found foods that I liked. That my daughter liked. That my wife liked. Then I realized that I had lost a few pounds, was feeling better, was becoming a better, more creative cook. My daughter was growing and seemed happier at meal time, I felt comfortable that she was getting adequate and healthy proteins and fats, that she was getting a lot of minerals and vitamins from the smoothies we were drinking at breakfast. My wife is having a smoother second pregnancy than what we had with our daughter. All in all, everything felt good. It became both a self-reinforcing cycle and an operation of grace, and it all started through my little girl.

But the important thing about becoming vegetarian was learning how to cook vegetarian meals, finding recipes that everyone could enjoy, and then seeing the benefit from that. It's easier when you look at what you're gaining, rather than what you're giving up.

All the best.

[Maya3]

Vegetables are excellent for you but they are not a replacement for protein. They are really added vitamins etc to your diet.

What you need to think about is how to get healthy protein, as in grains, nuts, beans and lentils, you can cook amazing things with these, and if you combine them you get all the amino acids you need.
You can also add fake meat to your dishes, they are very processed and it's not the healthiest thing to eat, but now and then they can be a tasty addition to any dish.
They even have fake bacon made of soy. NOT healthy, look at the long list of unpronounceable ingredients! But once in a while it's not going to hurt you.
I'm not sure if it tastes like bacon though, but...

But things like tofu and seitan are good alternative that is more pure. Sauteed Seitan with hot spices is amazing!

Maya

[Eastern Mind]

Vannakkam: The protein issue for vegetarians is over-rated, IMHO. The average American gets like 300% of the daily requirement. Especially if you remain lacto-vegetarian, the regular daily consumption of dairy will most likely ensure your daily protein requirement.

Lentils (includes chick peas and much more) grains, and rice all contain protein. Brown rice is recommended as being far better nutritionally.

For dietary needs, without vegetables and fruit, a much higher concern from a nutritional standpoint would be vitamins, and minerals to a lesser degree.

I honestly think the concern over protein for vegetarians is an underhanded propaganda tactic by the meat industry lobby group.

Aum Namasivaya

[Maya3]

Vannakkam: The protein issue for vegetarians is over-rated, IMHO. The average American gets like 300% of the daily requirement. Especially if you remain lacto-vegetarian, the regular daily consumption of dairy will most likely ensure your daily protein requirement.

Lentils (includes chick peas and much more) grains, and rice all contain protein. Brown rice is recommended as being far better nutritionally.

For dietary needs, without vegetables and fruit, a much higher concern from a nutritional standpoint would be vitamins, and minerals to a lesser degree.

I honestly think the concern over protein for vegetarians is an underhanded propaganda tactic by the meat industry lobby group.

Aum Namasivaya

Definitely, there really are no vegetarians who eat healthy who are not getting enough protein. If you eat only vegetables and carbs, then yes, but not if you have a balanced diet.

I go to the gym and lift weights, my muscles build up just as fast as my meat eating husband, though of course it is a little different since men has a different physiche (sp?) then women.
But yes this, you will get sick without meat is simply not true.

Maya

[Jainarayan]

Namaste Maya.

I go to the gym and lift weights, my muscles build up just as fast as my meat eating husband, though of course it is a little different since men has a different physiche (sp?) then women.

Close: physique.

That out of the way when I was a powerlifter I held to the .8 - 1 g of protein per lb of lean body weight. For me that would be about 140-150 g of protein.

Now that I am not lifting like that... I do TRX, BodyPump, Boot Camp, kettlebells, all for conditioning, strength and weight loss (powerlifting really is no excuse to get fat)... I can get away with less protein.

Besides, being on Weight Watchers (22 lbs gone since Jan. 2; 23 lbs more to go) we don't count or track macros, just Daily, Weekly and Activity Points. WW has vegetarian sections too.

Now, for those who are concerned about protein, there is whey protein, Muscle Milk, Pure Protein bars, none of which are bad at all. After leaving the fitness club I gobble down a Pure Protein bar.

Just using a few of those a day (2-3), a cup of cottage cheese, 1 or 2 glasses of milk, a cup of cooked beans, a cup of rice, a cup of non-fat yogurt can tally up to almost 110 g of protein.

[Aum namah Śivāya]

नमस्ते,

It seems that for the last week or two, every time I try to eat meat, it severely disagrees with me. Before finishing it, I feel weighed down and physically cannot eat anymore. I'm not sure why this has happened, as I wasn't planning on totally cutting off meat yet, but it happens anyway.

So I have not eaten meat since, I think, last Wednesday or Thursday. I'm not use whether I'll completely stop yet or not, but i don't like how I feel when I eat it, so I may just not eat it at all.

ॐ नमः शिवाय