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Diets: Vegetarian, Vegan, Marcobiotic, raw foods, etc.

I've been a vegetarian for five years now, and I can't see myself ever going back, honestly. Vegetarianism has made me a much healthier person, much more conscious of what I put into my body. After five years, I know how to cook well and what I need to intake each day (adequate amount of proteins, vitamins, etc.) to stay healthy. I have a sizable garden at my house (I'm going to have about 100 ripe ripe tomatoes in a week or two!) and I live in a town with a nice farmer's market just a five minute bike ride away twice a week, so I have access to local, organically grown foods which makes my diet that much better.
 
Kenickie said:
why don't you eat daiya cheeze? It melts and is just as good as normal cheese imho.
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*checks it out* Hmm, interesting, but it looks too processed for me, plus it contains canola oil and I don't eat that. I'm more about the whole foods for my general diet. Thanks for the suggestion though! I may use it for a special occasion or cooking for others at some point. :)
 
So I currently classify myself as "pescatarian"... meaning I eat seafood. I am careful not to use the term vegetarian, even though i only eat seafood about once every a month or two as I know it pisses off true vegos :)

I was raised on a predominantly vegetarian diet, my mum eats some seafood but rarely cooked it at home and I only started liking fish a few years ago.

I tried all kinds of meat growing up, but am sticking to my diet mainly as I know I don't need to eat meat to be healthy as I eat a variety of foods that provide enough nutrition. I have been low in vitamin B12 in the past as well as Vitamin D and possibly E - but I now try and eat more eggs and milk to have my levels stay adequate. (and its also why i try eat fish as much as I can - even tho i dont get around to it much) I also try get some sun every day where possible! VItamin D deficiency is quite prominant in Australia - which is funny considering we have such high rates of skin cancer... Vitamin D deficiency will affect the way calcium is absorbed - so its really important to get enough Vitamin D as if you don't it can lead to osteoporosis long term amongst other things!

Anyway im blabbing. Moral of the story is - its totally manageable to stay healthy on a vegetarian diet (with occasional fish) - if you have some kind of knowledge about food and about what you need to be eating to get all the right nutrients. If you are worried - go get a blood test from your doctor or see a Dietitian for help :)
 
^ yep yep, so long as you're aware of any potential deficiencies, educate yourself and aim for a balanced diet then pescatarian/vegetarian/vegan (supplementing B12) diets can be extremely healthy :) I've been vegetarian for over a decade and have been meaning to cut out dairy for the last few years. I'm going to try the following challenge in November along with my flatmates though:

http://veganeasy.org/Vegan-Easy-Challenge

(30 day vegan challenge in November organised by Animal Liberation Victoria)
 
Hi, i apologize if i am in the wrong catagory, but I would like to become a vegetarian. My father cooks meat ALL time, and he always wants me to eat it, but I honestly just dont like meat, and It grosses me out. How can I become a vegetarian without upsetting my father too much? Because whenever he makes dinner, the main item is always the meat! Any tips/advice/recipes would be helpful <3
 
^ Hi, FOX420. Welcome to BL. :)

This thread isn't really a "how to go vegetarian" thread, but it's more so for the general discussion of such fringe diets. ;)

That being said, I've been in your situation--Only replace "father" with "grandma." Until I learned to cook for myself (which I think might be your best option), I ate the side dishes. My grandma eventually got fed up with me only eating the side dishes and demanded I either eat it all or none of it. I went with none of it and learned to cook. After all, it was my decision to go vegetarian--Why should my grandma have to cook something else for me? I should be able to feed myself if I'm choosing not to eat what is provided.

Feel free to PM me if you have any more questions/concerns as I have been there.

And yes, I still do not eat meat. Gave that up Nov. 1st, 2004. So, almost seven years ago! You can do it if you really make up your mind and follow through with your decision. :)

P.S. Check out The Recipe Thread! Part II in Second Opinion for some stuff you may be able to eat/make. :P I haven't perused the thread enough to know how much of it is plant-based. Also, there's a search engine in every forum you can use to find stuff on your own.
 
Welcome fox420 :)

Maybe you could eat whatever your father cooks, but just leave out the meat. Since I'm sure he will be worried about your protein you could eat some soy, seeds, or nuts along with your meal. There are many "fake meat" products that are good for people new to vegetarianism. I pretty much lived on them when I first became vegan.

Now my diet is lots of raw nuts and seeds, fresh fruit, fresh veg, and fresh juice, with one or two big cooked meals every day. I process a lot of things with a food processor or a high powered blender. Otherwise you have to take a lot of time to chew plants very thoroughly or you won't digest it properly. Your area of California is blessed with many year round farmer's markets, I would suggest buying the bulk of your produce there. Also, up the coast in Los Osos and Morro Bay there are two restaurants called BeLoved and Shine Cafe that have great veg food to give you ideas. Maybe you get your father to try eating there to inspire his home cooking. Good luck!
 
Since finding Ayurveda I have been shifting my dietary habits towards it completely and my body has been thanking me.

This summer I will be going for a raw food diet, but meat included if I go to a BBQ and there's chicken wings lol. Next year I will do spring and summer raw if this year goes well, which I'm sure it will.

I think as long as you get free range everything then there is no problem with eating meat, other than that it's been killed - if I have the opportunity I will hunt my own meat, and I am learning and putting this into practice with more animals and methods this year - other than that I will eat organic or halal meat. I also eat fish, am not big on dairy when it comes to cheese, unless it is part of a recipe - but considering my body type - dairy is very good for me, to slow down my metabolism a bit - summer it will be perfect to cool me and calm me down.

Eggs, milk and meat are part of a well balanced diet for me - I eat more meat during the winter and pretty much fuck all during the summer, as ayurveda dictates, and I have found great results.
 
i am vegan, but it's purely for animal welfare reasons. thus, if i raised my own rescued chickens and they happened to lay eggs, i would have no problem eating them :)
roughjack: how did you get started with ayurveda? is it possible to do vegan ayurveda?
 
Taliana said:
So I currently classify myself as "pescatarian"... meaning I eat seafood. I am careful not to use the term vegetarian, even though i only eat seafood about once every a month or two as I know it pisses off true vegos :)
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Lol that's so true! I'm a vegetarian (no fish!) but it drives me crazy when people are like "I'm a vegetarian, but I still eat fish." I think it's awesome that you don't eat most meat! But my coworker, she says she's a vegetarian, but she eats fish. I'm like no, you're a pescatarian!!! Lol!!

I've been vegetarian for a year. I'm kind of working towards vegan. I eat probably a 75-80% vegan diet. I avoid eggs and dairy products as much as possible. But I will still eat some things. For example, if my parents visit me and bring some food that has eggs or dairy in it, I will eat it. Or if there is something at my work with eggs and dairy, I'll eat that too. And, once a month, my bf and I order pizza (that's my weakness!!!). But I won't buy these products. If I want milk or something, I'll get soy milk. I use Daiya cheese as a substitute for cheese.

I eat a lot of veggies, fruits, tofu, beans, and rice. I feel like my choice to become vegetarian was one of the best choices I have made.
My boyfriend and I are both vegetarian and we both love to cook so we always have something good around :)

When I'm high, I don't cheat! lol.
 
i find it odd when people assume i would want to still eat meat/am restraining myself. i've chosen to be this way since i was 12. =P

maybe in the beginning...during high school i made myself eat a small piece of chicken in some kind of weird freak out and i just made myself throw up and felt massively sick afterward.
 
I've been a pescetarian (I only eat seafood as far as 'meat' goes) for almost seven years and I love it. Eventually I'd like to cut it out of my diet, but I can't get over my love for sushi. :(
 
addictivepersona said:
I am currently a Vegan and have been for a few months now. I used to be a Vegetarian and was one for five years. I am currently flirting with the idea of going raw.

I went Vegetarian (at 16) <snip>
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Well, after nearly a decade of being one form of vegetarian or another, it caught up with me:

Around April/May of this past year, I felt like complete and total shit. When the feelings persisted for longer than a week, I made an appointment to see the doctor--Which of course was another week away. Saw the doctor, explained the extreme feelings of lethargy, no appetite, etc. She ordered numerous blood tests to be run... Came back fine. Ran some more blood tests... Came back Vit. D deficient and nearing B12 deficiency... Started supplementing both (pills and shots respectively)...

Early-/Mid-July, I still wasn't feeling any better. Primary care physician suggested psychotherapy as I was undergoing a lot of stress and perhaps that was the "real problem" or at least the "root of the problem." Made a few phone calls and couldn't find a psychotherapist who would take cash (I have health insurance but really can't use it for anything other than physical ailments. Long story.).

Got to thinking that maybe, just maybe there was something missing in my diet. Evaluated it, reevaluated it. Could not find anything missing. Not to sound smug, but I had a pretty good/complete ovo-vegetarian diet. Then the one day at work it hit me, that maybe I should add a source of protein that was of "high biological availability." I contemplated it, then decided to give having a serving (4oz) of chicken each day for a few days a chance, see if it made any difference... Lo and behold, I started to feel better...

Could've been psychosomatic or coincidental. Who knows. All I know is that now, overall, I feel absolutely amazing compared to how I have in a long time. My sex drive is incredible (before, more than once or twice a week was unheard of), my mood is far more stable, and I just feel better.

Perhaps long-term (5+ year) vegetarian/vegan diets work for some. I am not against that way of eating. It just wasn't ideal for my body, apparently.

It was an interesting journey to say the least. I do not regret it. And, I have no plans on converting to the so-called SAD ("Standard American Diet"). I will still choose my foods ethically as I did as a vegetarian. Because, after all, how are things going to get better for the animals if those who care quit buying their products and don't who don't care are the only ones who do buy the products? Those who don't care won't buy the double-price chicken breast because it was "raised humanely." Those who do care can put their purchasing dollar to the "raised humanely" meat and in a way tell that farmer, "Hey, I care about where my food comes from!" /gets off soapbox
 
The husband and I are both vegans, have been for a couple months now and both are feeling truly amazing for it. :)

While I have always been against animal cruelty, the health benefits are the reason why we have made the change.

Its amazing, i always viewed a vegan diet as rather daunting with how strict is it, but you will be amazed how delicious vegan food is! The husband especially being a big meat and cheese eater all his life, is actually satisfied and has only caved once in the last 2 months and gone out to buy a burger haha. And he said he noticed pretty much straight away he felt ill and bloated after eating it (it doesn't help that a burger is the worst thing you can eat after being vegan for a few weeks!) so he is happily back on board.

Once i discovered that soy ice cream is actually delicious, i knew id be able to manage :D

So yeah so far so good for us as vegans. We seems to be operating a lot better without any animal products in our system but i know it isn't for everyone.
 
Wow, dfrs I had no idea you guys had taken up this huge lifestyle change! How amazing. It almost gives me hope that I could manage a change like this.. maybe.. one day, haha. I'm a HUGE dairy lover, and I adore all sorts of meat. :\

I was bought up vegetarian until around the age of 15, and even then I only ate select meats (chicken, bacon and a few other things). It wasn't until I moved out and started socialising with different people that I felt comfortable enough to try some of the things I had missed out on.. and discovered I really, really, really like all kinds of meat.

I would be interested to experiment a little and monitor how I feel when lowering the amount of meat in my diet.
 
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