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Just curious as to how many of you reading these posts are Vegetarian, Vegan, or Omni?
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indieleen
Intermediate Beginner
Posts 48
Points 48
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i'm an omnivore.. how about you jaredmdame?
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Steve G
Intermediate
Posts 193
Points 195
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Vegetarian and for all the animals
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souled
Advanced Intermediate
Posts 217
Points 217
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Omni here, tried cutting out meat a few times before. Most people in SA are huge meat eaters, we braai and eat biltong and dry worse while watching rugby, and hell the dry worse and biltong will be my down fall in life.
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Vegetarian but only because of honey so that might make me a Hegan huh?
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lguthrie
Intermediate Beginner
Posts 32
Points 32
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Right now I'm an omni, but I really would like to be veg...I've been trying for the past couple months to eat less meat and when I do eat meat to focus on fish or meats that I know where they came from, but overall it's been quite difficult for me to change. I also live in a very very big meat eating society (Alberta, Canada...where it is believed beef is the greatest thing under the sun). Any suggestions?
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Steve G
Intermediate
Posts 193
Points 195
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 | lguthrie posted the following on Wednesday 26th September 2007
Right now I'm an omni, but I really would like to be veg...I've been trying for the past couple months to eat less meat and when I do eat meat to focus on fish or meats that I know where they came from, but overall it's been quite difficult for me to change. I also live in a very very big meat eating society (Alberta, Canada...where it is believed beef is the greatest thing under the sun). Any suggestions?
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Hi lguthrie, ye, suggestions. Just about every country in the world is big on meat eating, its a tragedy - people just think its okay. My g/f of some years back was a nursery school teacher. When she explained to her classroom kids where hamburgers come from, some of them started crying. Sad hey - if they had a choice they'd never eat meat from the start. I stopped red meat, then a year later I stopped eating chickens. Then about 2 years later I finally stopped fish. I always thought it would be impossible to do, because I literally lusted after the meat. But it was easier than I thought. So, be simple, just end red meat. If you're worried about iron or protein, you'll find a solution - it's not that hard. And, good luck with it, for real. |
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souled
Advanced Intermediate
Posts 217
Points 217
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just a question though, dont you feel weak without all the meat? i mean, what's your main source of protein?
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I have some answers for the last two questions posed on this forum.
First Question: Suggestions on becoming Vegetarian - I would say the first thing you need to do is become educated on the basics of nutrition (this will inform you of how protein is metabolized in the body as well as where vital nutrients like Iron, B12, B6 come from). I have listed a couple of resource books that will guide you on the way and can be found in public libraries most of the time. First myth is that Protein only comes from eggs, cheese, and animals - this is entirely wrong in fact if you begin to read more of the labels on your veggies you will see that certain groups contain more protein than you would have first thought. Bean, Nuts, Seeds, Peas, Legumes (like my fav Peanut Butter or raw peanuts), Quinoa, Buckwheat, Spelt, Wheat, Soy, Rice, Hemp, Flax, as well as other unsuspecting varieties of grains and veggies. In fact they human body really only needs about 5% of protein by volume although the FDA gives the number 8-9%, but the sad fact is that Americans intake about 11-16% which is really really bad for you and studies are now showing this leads to things like cancer and as most of us Veg/Vegans would attest to a not to pleasant body odor.
Online resources:
www.happycow.net
www.compassionatecooks.com
Books:
Becoming Vegetarian by Vesanto Melina and Brenda Davis
or
Becoming Vegan by the same authors
Student's Vegetarian Cookbook, Revised: Quick, Easy, Cheap, and Tasty Vegetarian Recipes
by Carole Raymond
(Really good one for fast and efficient meals)
Second Question: Do I feel weak with the absence of meat - Good question and no I do not feel weak in fact I have better endurance, strength, and energy since going meat-free. I am 6'4 215lbs and participate in swimming, crossfit, kettlebelling, and martial arts and have never worried about my energy levels save for the times that I have over trained.
If you guys have more pressing needs with switching diets I will have to get my wife on the forum as that is her field of study!
Blessings and good night.
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A few years ago I cut red meat out of my diet (but still ate fish and chicken). I read Fast Food Nation and the discussion of butcherys made me so disgusted that I stopped eating red meat and pork. Then when I was pregnant I craved red meat. If I didn't eat it I became anemic. Ever since then I have continued to eat all foods. I still eat very little red meat though. It is still difficult for me to digest since I gave it up for so long.
So I guess that makes my answer onmi.  |
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Steve G
Intermediate
Posts 193
Points 195
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Thanks for that Jared, it's very useful.
Tracey, I gave up red meat twice. The first time I went back to it, because I thought I was anaemic, but I'm not convinced that I really was. It does take time for the body to accustomize when you stop something. Have a look at Jared's sites and reconsider, as you've seen the horror that is being perpetrated on animals.
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Thanks Steve. I just might look at it again.
As for the anemia, I really was and was under a doctor's care for it. Considering that and that I had a high risk pregnancy, they weren't going to mess around.
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The other thing to consider is that when you stop meat for a plant based diet your body will require ~one month for every year you were omni in order to fully purge the meat from your body (it has a lot to do with the way people store fat and the organs that filter our food and blood) I was also told by a Raw Vegan (nothing cooked) that during the first few months you can crave the meat although I did not crave this doesn't elude to the fact that everyone will have my experience.
Also for more information most omni's in America are anemic anyway as much of the food and meals planned revolve around meat dishes and people forget that the dark greens contain much in the way of Iron and other essentials that are easier for the body to absorb.
If you get anything out of this study history and how much meat our Great Grandparents ate during the depression and as well as times before factory farming. My grandmother a religious meat eater approached me with the question on whether my wife and I were having financial troubles, and upon my question as to why the question she remarked that during her youth when money was scarce they had abundance of veggies but would eat meat every couple weeks when they stored up enough money on a chicken quit producing eggs. I further asked after how they ate before and after the depression and she told me that meat was consumed on average about three -four times a week. Now if we take into account the fact that most Americans eat meat with every meal (or at least lunch and dinner) that is a large movement away from what was customary and that leads to the question on the health factor of eating as much meat as we possibly can get our hands on.
Also think about it another way it takes ~16 lbs of grain to produce 1lb of meat ... so much for Eco-living.
Anyway I respect other decisions so please no one take offense.
Best Regards to all!
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I'n not a veggie buff. Of course I like fresh fruits. I sometimes take fruits instead of my usual lunch or dinner. When in season I take the fruit during breakfast, lunch and even dinner. But I also meat.
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