this whole new world i just discovered is wonderful all the answers you need at your fingertips! Thanx for the help & advice!

Hi Micheal, I have been very discouraged in the past few weeks on this site. I think the Animal Rights Activists and Vegans are not detached enough to provide proper advice to new Vegitarians. I advocate a separation between Vegitarian and Vegan-- basically so a new person knows who they are talking to. I have experienced "ambush" situations where someone poses a friendly question "gee, I'd really like to get your opinions on this" which will eventually become a Vegan Vulture pit (i.e., parsing. rude. Ritgeous. For such an ambush check out the Milk question thread) Vegitarian is a lifestyle, a cuisine-- yes, but Veganism is a Religious Mission. I Really resent it. If this site is a Vegan site, then change the name. Say it is a Vegan site and egg/milk eaters need not apply. I've been an off and on Vegitarian since my 20's and I have always eaten eggs, milk, and cheese, as organically processed as possible. I really resent being cast as a criminal on a site suppposedly devoted to vegitarians because of a "radical" or "in" movement (2%of vegitarians but apparently all with a lot of time on their hands). Oh, and Vegitarianism is not the grammar school of the enlightened Vegan. I know Vegitarians in every level of life-- I do not know any Vegans-- they are the sweaty guys handing out flyers by the slaughterhouses-- or do they actually get outside much? So perhaps you can publish a list of places where the majority of Vegitarians can feel at home, because it is not here? Thanks

Hi,
I just wanted to say a couple things regarding this forum.
The first is that I didn't realize it was so new. That being said and considering I'm a very new vegetarian (2 weeks), I feel that something must have drawn me here, and I'm happy to be here.
I think this forum- thus far- is a great thing- and I think if we all try to spread word of mouth (or e-mail or what-have-you) that this could be a great thing, and really take off.
Second, I like and appreciate the message regarding supporting each other, and us new comers and our efforts towards vegetarian/veganism.
On that I want to mention that deciding to become vegetarian and actually doing so, is a lot like deciding to quit smoking, or drinking, or start exersizing, etc. Some can quit cold turkey- or cold tofu as the case may be, and others(like myself) make many attempts before that one day comes that you just don't want it anymore. Just because someone decided to stop eating meat, doesn't mean they're not going to crave it, especially when every corner you turn there are fast food restarants, and even regular restaurants, where just about everything involves meat.
Just food for thought.
Thanks

i'm on the brink of trying out vegetarianism for a while at least, and I wasn't sure if this is the right part of the forum, but i'd basically like some tips on how to start, should i just stop eating meat altogether immediately or wean myself slowly, and what stuff is there good to eat when i'm just starting, is this the right place to ask this stuff?

You should do whatever works best for you. To ease your way into it I'd suggest eating veg 1 day the first week, 2 days the second week, 3 days the third week, and so on. You'd probably get more responses if you posted a seperate thread in this forum.

Hey robofleicester, welcome! Michael's idea is really great. When starting out, I found mexican food (bean burritos, quesadillas), grilled peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, and meatless chilis to be great, easy foods to rely on. Maybe try one new soy product (tofu, soy burgers, fake chicken nuggets) a week and experiment with different brands to see what you like. Good luck, and welcome again!

This is why I like your forum guys!!! cuz Ive been veggie for yearsssss but I dont jump down peoples throats.. Im vegan and I work at a vegan cafe' and we strongly discourage any of our employees being rude to our customers whether they eat meat or not.. everyone goes at their own pace dude..

Later

Since I have become vegetarian (since January), I have not had any trouble cutting anything meat out of my diet, but appreciate that there is a support forum for the newbies like me. I have had a whole bunch of people come up to me basically complimenting me on my decision, but saying how they could never do it, because they love the taste of meat so much. Most of us are being raised that way, and face it, we like what we are used to, right? Anyone needing my support, you got it.....

yay! thank you!

Great idea. New myself. I was on another site the other day which launched into a tiraid about how real vegetarians don't eat eggs or milk etc. It occured to me that vegetarians are often their own worst enemies. You want others to be like you, but if they aren't instantly like you, you ride herd on them. imagine if you were a jogger and wanted others to jog, you wouldn't respond to a curious new part itme jogger by attacking them for not jogging 10 miles a day every day.

Great idea. New myself. I was on another site the other day which launched into a tiraid about how real vegetarians don't eat eggs or milk etc. It occured to me that vegetarians are often their own worst enemies. You want others to be like you, but if they aren't instantly like you, you ride herd on them. imagine if you were a jogger and wanted others to jog, you wouldn't respond to a curious new part itme jogger by attacking them for not jogging 10 miles a day every day.

I really like that analogy... I'll be holding onto that for the next time I get jumped on for saying "But I'm trying to get there eventually..." :D

Great idea. New myself. I was on another site the other day which launched into a tiraid about how real vegetarians don't eat eggs or milk etc. It occured to me that vegetarians are often their own worst enemies. You want others to be like you, but if they aren't instantly like you, you ride herd on them. imagine if you were a jogger and wanted others to jog, you wouldn't respond to a curious new part itme jogger by attacking them for not jogging 10 miles a day every day.

Great point. I think we've all thought it many times. We're all here for one come reason- Vegetarian/Vegan. It doesn't matter what level you're at. Something is a lot better than nothing. I think we should be supportive of one-another.

YAY for Veg's
at any stage

*end cornball, cheesey rant haha

-
funwithyourfood

Howdy i am a new veggie as well i reckon this would be the best place to start if any , i have cut out eating any and all meat i ve done for about 1 week now , and still finghting urges to eat meat at first i had the biggest headach is that normal, i am also trying to find out what i should be taking because i am not eating any meat.... hey if someone could help me out w/ ansewering my inqys it sure would be great! Awesome!

Hi, my husband and I have been 'most of the time vegetarians' for many years now. But when we look at the world today, we see a world addicted to
violence, wars, homelessness, racism, people dieing from starvation, as well as starvation-related diseases. We feel the only choice before us is to remember what Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King taught us so many years ago! we have to find a way to get to A 'non violence' state of being. we must believe that ALL LIFE IS SACRED. we must think about what were doing,

Since starting this new way of living, I find we are being looked differently, have any of you had this happen? like were the BAD guys, I'm so excited, I just want to spread the news, we can make a difference if enough people were with us! but when I start talking I start losing them. how do you cope with this?

Lead by example. Most people are turned off when confronted with the truth.

yay! yay! yay!

i'm so glad to finally see a "?forum?" about becoming a
veggie eater-any stage. I found this site a few months ago and i've been just reading because i am so terrified after some of the things i've seen written. They just attack you.

I think that whenever you start doing something new you are nervous and hesitant about it. It isn't helpful when people scream at you that you haven't gone far enough and all the stuff you have done up to now (all the cravings and late meatdreams-yes i dream of meat) have ment nothing. Thats horrible. It is better to do something than nothing at all.

We now have beem completly vegetarian 3 months, Its not hard at all. We feel good, and we feel good in our hearts that we are making the world a little
bit better, along with all of you. now we are taking it one step farther. 'VEGAN" so ok,,, We don't drink milk, havn't in 3 years , love silk soy,, use smart bal. for butter. now eggs'''' What about eggs from the well loved pet chickens in my very large back yard? who are the queens of the back yard.
is it wrong to take and eat thier eggs? they have a beautiful and comfortable
house to go into at night. the best food , and they are loved.please someone answer this for me? is it that eggs are bad for us?
also i'm trying different cheese's but need help finding one that taste good and melts. thank you.
I'm very happy to have found you guys, we can hopfully help each other on this rightous path were traveling down.

Can you lead me to posts about blackstrap molasses?
Thanks

You can search for it here...

http://www.veggieboards.com/boards/search.php

Or if you don't find anything you can start a new discussion on it.

yay! yay! yay!

i'm so glad to finally see a "?forum?" about becoming a
veggie eater-any stage. I found this site a few months ago and i've been just reading because i am so terrified after some of the things i've seen written. They just attack you.

I think that whenever you start doing something new you are nervous and hesitant about it. It isn't helpful when people scream at you that you haven't gone far enough and all the stuff you have done up to now (all the cravings and late meatdreams-yes i dream of meat) have ment nothing. Thats horrible. It is better to do something than nothing at all.

No kidding! I was over at the Veganfreaks forum and they can be quite viscious. sad to say..

also i'm trying different cheese's but need help finding one that taste good and melts. thank you.


Vegan Rella isn't bad. I like the mozzerella , some people think it's nasty but I like it! it melts and is good on pizza and taco's etc.. I wouldn't eat a chunk of it alone though..

We now have beem completly vegetarian 3 months, Its not hard at all. We feel good, and we feel good in our hearts that we are making the world a little
bit better, along with all of you. now we are taking it one step farther. 'VEGAN" so ok,,, We don't drink milk, havn't in 3 years , love silk soy,, use smart bal. for butter. now eggs'''' What about eggs from the well loved pet chickens in my very large back yard? who are the queens of the back yard.
is it wrong to take and eat thier eggs? they have a beautiful and comfortable
house to go into at night. the best food , and they are loved.please someone answer this for me? is it that eggs are bad for us?
also i'm trying different cheese's but need help finding one that taste good and melts. thank you.
I'm very happy to have found you guys, we can hopfully help each other on this rightous path were traveling down.

That's up to you, delta! It sounds to me like your chickens are well-loved and cared for, so if it doesn't bother you go right ahead! Even if you are taking eggs from your own chickens, you'll need to label yourselves ovo-vegetarians and not vegans to prevent confusion. :)

Hey I'm new to this site and to being an ovo-lacto-vegetarian, does anyone have any really quick and easy recipes to share? any help would be greatly appreciated!

i really like that idea, i just became vegetarian a few months ago, and i figured i would start out slow, so i still eat fish, and people having been jumping all over me about it. i plan to give up fish eventually, but right now i just have to move slowly, get used to the new concept and make sure i'm getting the the vitamins, minerals, and calories i need. so thank you