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1K views 20 replies 11 participants last post by  cftwo 
#1 ·
So after months of wanting to go Vegetarian I decided finally that I should just go ahead and go along with it, But I am completely clueless on how to start out, should I just go straight to only eating veggies? or gradually take chicken and stuff off my diet, im actually not a person to eat meat that much, I dont like red meat I mostly ate chicken, So that would be what I would take off my diet. I also used to go on very bad fad diets that would leave me weak and tired, so I am looking for a healthy approach to feeling healthier and less scared of eating. So if someone knows anything that is good to start off with for the week, a website, your own personal plan, or whatever you think would be useful. So far today Ive just eaten a bowl of smart start cereal for breakfast when I got home I had a tuna fish sandwich, then some corn, tea, and now a bowl of rice. But I feel im doing this very disorganized, So if someone could give me some suggestions?. Please


Thanks
 
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#2 ·
you're in the right place to find information. Before you take any drastic action that you might not be ready to follow thru with, READ. there's a ton of info right here in the New to Vegetarianism forum. Read the Vegetarian Tip of the Day thread. It should put you in a much stronger position to make some safe, healthy, and conscientious choices.

Welcome!!

ETA: Here's the link to the tip of the day thread.

http://www.veggieboards.com/boards/s...ad.php?t=50249
 
#4 ·
I highly recommend the book "Becoming Vegetarian" by Melina and Davis. Also, here's a link to the vegetarian food pyramid:

http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg...5_ENU_HTML.htm

Also, you mentioned that you ate tuna for lunch. Just so you know, the definition of the word "vegetarian" is someone who doesn't eat any animals, not even fish. If you're just cutting most meat out of your diet, but continuing to eat fish, that will still do a lot of good for your health, the environment, and a lot of innocent chickens.
Personally, I continued to eat fish for the first few weeks while I was transitioning to a vegetarian diet. Whether or not you want to continue eating fish is entirely up to you.

There are a lot of people who call themselves vegetarian, but still eat fish. Technically, they'd be pescatarians, not vegetarians. Unfortunately, the confusion in the general public because of this makes life tougher for vegetarians, for instance when we go to restaurants or parties and are offered fish as a "vegetarian" option, even though we don't eat fish. So please don't call yourself a vegetarian if you're going to continue to eat fish. If you help by educating those around you about this, I'm sure we'd all appreciate it.


Anyway, welcome to VB. Hope this helps!


--Fromper

 
#6 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by *~Oriana~* View Post

see! I didnt realize that about tuna
im so happy I came here lol , yay
hehe. Thanks so much
Yeah. Fish is still meat, so to be "true" veggie marine life is a no-no. Remember, it was alive once!

You'll get it. For many people it is an eventual transition that you have to work into. You could order a Vegetarian Starter Kit. That might help. There are many organizations you can order them from for free.

Order Your Free Vegetarian Starter Kit
 
#9 ·
Oriana,

congrats on making this decision, and for wanting to educate yourself to do it.

You certainly have come to the right place. It may seem overwhelming at first, but going veg is such a wonderful thing for the environment, for animals and for your health.

The links people have given are great. I also have to second the nomination to get 'Becoming Vegetarian'. That book was my bible for the first 6 months.

Good luck!!!!
 
#10 ·
Welcome to VB!


A lot of people jump straight into vegetarianism, and if you can deal with it this is a great way to go about it. Just start cooking veg meals instead of meat ones - there are tons of recipes on this site. Others find it easier to be veg one of two days a week, and increase this as they become more comfortable with the diet. Other people find it helpful to cut out one type of meat at a time.

However you decide to do it, good luck with your switch!
 
#11 ·
Vegetarians don't JUST eat vegetables. We eat vegetables, fruits, starches, whole grains, nuts, beans, soy products, tofu, seitan, tempeh, faux meats, and lacto-ovo's eat dairy products and eggs as well. There is more food that you CAN eat than you can't.

What vegetarians do not eat is animals of any kind (mammals, birds, fish, crustacians), and anything made with those things, like broth, fish sauce, gelatin.

Just to give you a few ideas of the kind of things veg*ns eat... Last week for dinners I made roasted veggies and rice pilaf one night, vegetable stir fry with seitan and brown rice one night, and then a cassarole I invented with eggplant, spinach, pasta, and rice cheeze. Next week for dinner I think I'm making a seitan "meat"loaf with roasted sweet potatoes and steamed veggies, corn chowder and biscuits, vegetable risotto, and a spinach pie.
 
#13 ·
Im currently recovering from an eating disorder...so I dont want to get scared if I gain weight and relapse or anything, I NEED to know , right now im at normal weight and decided to do this , will turning vegetarian make me gain weight?

I know it sounds like a stupid question but I just dont want to go down the wrong road again, I want to be healthy for life.
 
#14 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by *~Oriana~* View Post

Im currently recovering from an eating disorder...so I dont want to get scared if I gain weight and relapse or anything, I NEED to know , right now im at normal weight and decided to do this , will turning vegetarian make me gain weight?

I know it sounds like a stupid question but I just dont want to go down the wrong road again, I want to be healthy for life.
That depends on how you do it. Vegetarians are less likely to be overweight than meat eaters. But how much you gain or lose will depend on how healthy you eat overall. Becoming informed enough to know you're eating healthy is the best way to control your weight, under any circumstances.

Personally, I've been veg for about 2 months now, and my weight has gone nowhere. I'm trying to lose a few pounds, but not too much. I think my ideal weight is about 10-15 pounds less than my current weight.

--Fromper

 
#15 ·
since you're in recovery from an ED, I'm assuming you've learned a lot recently about nutrition, yes?

The rules to healthy eating are basically the same whether you're veg*n, raw, omni, or whatever.... Eat balanced meals with a variety of foods and a healthy ratio of protein/carbs/fats (as directed by your physician) and you'll do fine.

It is certainly possible to gain weight on a veg diet. I'm living proof. but it wasn't the veggies that made me gain weight, it was my poor lifestyle choices and my indulgence in Doritos.

mmmmmmm Doritos....
 
#17 ·
The first step I took toward becoming a vegetarian was not cooking meat at home. Then after I got used to that (but I was still bringing in pre cooked meat in various forms) I stopped bringing meat into the house, but I'd still eat meat when I was eating out. Then I stopped eating meat totally (although I still have an occasional lapse but those are getting fewer).
 
#18 ·
So far today i ate cereal in the morning then some tea , then just a few minutes ago I ate some spagetti with spinach and some peas , Am I doing something wrong because I feel really weak and lightheaded right now...so im trying to eat some peanuts to see if tht brings my energy up, Did I miss something? or is this part of the transition from meat to veggies?
 
#19 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by *~Oriana~* View Post

So far today i ate cereal in the morning then some tea , then just a few minutes ago I ate some spagetti with spinach and some peas , Am I doing something wrong because I feel really weak and lightheaded right now...so im trying to eat some peanuts to see if tht brings my energy up, Did I miss something? or is this part of the transition from meat to veggies?
Well, you've not really had much protein or fat today, so that could do it. Depending on how much pasta you ate, it isn't so many calories either for this late in the day.
 
#20 ·
Hello! Im pretty much a pescatarian right now, as I havent took fish or seafood out of my dietI also need to cut out chicken brothwith will be the hardest thing for me. I do however have some foods that I love, the smart life chicken strips are great and anything boca
 
#21 ·
Feeling weak and lightheaded can happen for a variety of reasons. Was the spaghetti with veggies for a mid-day meal or an evening meal? Did the peanuts help? Do you have any other health problems?

Some people lose weight on a vegetarian diet, to some degree because they just leave the meat off their plate and don't replace it with anything. You still need those calories, so you'll need to find something to replace them with. (You can also gain weight on a vegetarian diet if you eat too much or become a "junk food vegetarian.") Next time, you might try adding some chickpeas/garbanzo beans to your spaghetti and spinach, or add a sauce of some kind (even a little olive oil and garlic would taste good). That will add some protein (from the beans in particular) and some fats.

Look for some vegetarian cookbooks in your library or bookstore - you'll see what a huge selection there is for vegetarians!
 
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