Thoughts about switching to a vegetarian/vegan lifestyle

Personally, I did it cold turkey 2 years ago and had no trouble in doing so. That's odd, because I loved meat. However, I got less stomach upsets after becoming accustomed to my new diet and I felt more active- though that easily could be the result of other things and not just going vegan.
Turning vegetarian/vegan doesn't automatically put you on a weight-loss diet. I know quite a few veggiepeople on the heavier side. Mix in the new diet with exercise, it'll help your body adjust =)
+ I've had some tofu chicken nuggets recommended to me by a friend, and apparently they taste like the real deal. Try substitutes if you get a meat craving! (Tofurky mmm )

 

I was a ovo-lacto vegetarian for a long time, then briefly vegan but that didn't fucking last haha I like omelettes too much. I don't remember any serious issues switching over, at first I tried to cling to any semblance of meat by eating tofu-meat substitutes but I even gave up on that after a while. There weren't any really negative effects that I can think of, though I did have more energy, better skin, and just generally felt better (but I switched when I was like eighteen and lived on HotPockets and instant noodles so that's really not a big surprise). I was, and remained, stupidly skinny but that is just my metabolism.

As long as you're not living on rice and pasta because it's technically vegetarian, you're going to see positive changes on your own. And I don't know, if you're really doing it for health benefits, in switching your diet and learning more about it I think there's a good chance you'll end up getting fitter, and especially healthier. I don't know what your diet is like right now though, so I can't say. You might not start shedding pounds immediately but it's definitely a healthier lifestyle when done correctly, than a primarily meat-based diet.

I'm not a vegetarian any more, but my diet is still primarily vegetable-based for my own reasons. When I stopped the first thing I did was eat a tonne of bacon, but besides that I don't even really crave meat, I rarely cook it and never buy it. I guess that's a good thing?

 

I used to be a vegan and I had mixed results with it.

Just make sure you cover all your bases when it comes to nutrients. Especially when it comes to proteins, fats, and iron. Eat plenty of leafy green vegetables, legumes, and natural fats (olive oil is great.) Avoid eating extra carbohydrates to fill you up from a lack of meat. Watch your energy levels throughout the day, that's your best indicator to whether you're eating right.

Also look into all of the different meat substitutes available: tofu, seitan, TVP, tempeh,quorn, and more.

Good Luck

 

Meat, isn't necessarily the reason people gain weight. You can still eat a lot of cookies(like oreos) and snacks if you are vegan. Vegetarians still have the option to eat dairy products which can make you fat. Carbs found in wheat products help add weight as well.

My sister is a vegetarian and still goes on other diets to lose weight, because like I said meat isn't the reason people gain weight. Some people go on meat only diets and successfully lose weight because of the lack of carbs.

I think being a vegan or vegetarian should only be chosen when you don't like what eating meat means. I have trouble eating pork because I have issues with how smart, and sentient pigs are. I also don't eat veal or lamb, and if I had more money I would only eat free range meat. If you have issues with eating sentient beings, and don't find it morally right to eat meat, then you should become a vegetarian.

But doing it for dietary reasons is a bit ridiculous. Unless it is temporary. Meat really isn't the reason why everyone is fat, I am sure twinkies, chips and pop don't help either.

I know of three other vegetarians, one had to go back for a while because they were deficient in essential vitamins, the other has a gut and is definately over weight(not by much), and the other is my sister who diets frequently. I am super skinny and eat meat all the time, I only stay skinny because I am so active and burn a lot of calories at work.

If I wanted to diet, I would be cutting out sugary and carby foods. The fat you get from meat is usually good fat that your body needs, trans and saturated fats can be found in a lot of products that could be considered vegetarians.

Also consider the fat humans are meant to eat meat, it has been in our diet throughout evolution, the shape of our molars proves we were eating tough chewy foods in the past.

Some scientist even consider the fact we starting cooking our meat as the be one of the reasons our brains evolved so heavily and why we are intelligent. This also goes for cooking vegetables, but I think it's not a good idea to cut out a part of our evolutionary diet based on the desire for weight loss.

Yes you can be healthy as a vegetarian, but a little meat is almost essential to our diet as human beings.

I'd like to see a study on people that have been vegetarian since birth, to see how they developed and if it negatively or positively impacted people that developed without meat.

It's good your taking a step to lose weight but I really don't think an extreme thing like becoming a vegetarian is a good choice. Any diet that requires you to consult your doctor(and it is recommended you talk to your doctor about this decision) on it, really isn't 100% healthy.

-- On the other hand, cutting down on fatty and red meats isn't the worst decision.

So maybe try eating less meat.

If you don't feel for the animals slaughtered for your consumption than cutting meat out of your diet isn't the best decision. If you can live with eating meat, you most likely should continue to do so. The only time I'd advise becoming vegetarian is if the guilt and stress of eating another living being is affecting you.

Good luck nonetheless.

 

I have been vegan for 12 years with no problems whatsoever. Like others said, its important, as with any diet, to just make sure that you are eating a good balance of things. Tons of junk food is vegan and its easy to just start eating french fries and oreos (because delicious).

I never really liked meat or eggs and I am lactose intolerance so it was actually a very easy transition for me, though this isn't the case for everyone. My suggestion would be to look around online for some healthy vegan or vegetarian recipes (there are tons of blogs) and find some things you'd like to try. Lots of omnivorous people I know tell me that they like the vegan versions of stuff that I have made more than the meat/egg/dairy versions.

Really the only negative used to be that it was harder to go out to eat, but most places have gotten much more vegan-friendly that that's not even much of a problem anymore.

Good luck to you! Let me know if you are looking for a recipe for anything!

 

I've been a vegetarian since I was 7/8 or so, and have found many advantages with it. For one, it meant I never had to eat questionable lasagna at family reunions. However, I am an irresponsible teenage, and when I go on sugar only eating binges for days at a time, I can definitely feel it negatively effecting me.

But like others have said, going vegan/vegetarian isn't a weight loss diet, it's simply a different type of diet that has just as much potential for weight gain as any other diet. I stay skinny because I eat a lot of fruit and protein and do a lot of exercise, not because I'm a vegetarian. Yes, what I eat as protein is different, and generally, due to these dietary restrictions, I can't gorge myself at places like buffets, but being a vegetarian and being skinny are two unrelated facts for me.

If you're looking to lose weight, exercise more, and factor in some more fruits and protein into your diet, and less carbs. Even after being a vegetarian for over half of my life, I still can't say that a vegetarian diet is necessarily healthier than the diet of an omnivore. The only reason this myth, so to speak, exists is due to the fact that vegetarians generally have to watch with more care what they eat. A vegetarian can't just order the steak special of the day at a resturaunt, we have to scour the menus hopes of finding something that is both tasty and vegetarian. And, if you're me, cheap. Vegetarians have to watch what we eat simply because there is always the possibility of chicken broth being used in the soup du jour, or the potential for gelatin in the pudding dessert. And as a consequence, vegetarians order more salads and the like, simply because that is the only viable option on the menu. At home, meals are different, but somewhere along the way, the veg in both vegetarian and vegetables starts to get to you, and you find yourself eating actual healthy food. *shudder*

So becoming a vegetarian is a good idea, but only if it's because you want to stop eating poor innocent animals or something of the like. Not because you want to lose weight. If being veggie doesn't work for you, you could just try cutting red meat out of your diet, as I hear that's fairly unhealthy for you. Good luck!

 

I would probably starve if I became a vegetarian. Especially if I was vegan.

I have trouble figuring out meals for myself (executive dysfunction plus blood sugar fluctuation plus picky eater is a bad combination), so I have a standard list of 'easy to eat' stuff I go for when I'm getting hypoglycemic. Topping the list are leftover meat, sunny-side-up eggs and crackers with melted cheese on top.

If I went vegan, I'd probably live off of oriental noodles and meal replacements, with toast and jam occasionally.

It's hard enough making sure I actually eat regular meals. No sense restricting my diet any further.

 

As a chef, I feel the need to chime in. Keeping my own personal opinions on vegans aside, Im a firm believer in "everything in moderation." Lean meats with lots of vegetables, grains, fruits, and good oils/fats is a perfectly healthy diet. Mix that with exercise and you're good to go. I also am an advocate for many smaller "meals" eaten throughout the day, as opposed to the "normal" breakfast/lunch/dinner. Those 3 plus throwing in some snacks of fruit, yogurt, shakes, etc.

 

I juice! I haven't in a while but I used to do occasional cleanses. I definitely don't recommend prolonged juice fasts, but cleanses, after the initial shitty feeling, are a good way to "correct" yourself and boost your nutrient intake. You can also juice once or twice a day if you don't think you're getting enough vitamins and nutrients just from eating vegetarian. I had a lot of beets one time so I used to juice the fuck out of them along with kale.

There are a lot of humane meat options available, I'm not saying don't go vegetarian or vegan because I think it's a fine idea no matter your reason, but if it doesn't work out you can always ask around at alternative grocers (think co-ops and smaller natural-food stores) where their meat comes from. Most will be happy to tell you. Or you can find someone who hunts or slaughters their own meat to your own ethics and see if you can't purchase from them, or help them raise. My re-introduction to meat was when my friends dad stocked her freezer with a load of pork from one of his pigs. I've seen those pigs, they were incredibly well taken care of and killed in probably "nicest" way you can kill something (if there ever was).

If you go ovo-lacto just be sure to research where your eggs and dairy products are coming from, because egg and milk farms can be just as cruel as meat farms. Also, if you're concerned for the environment, buy seasonally and try to buy organic-- but I know that can be really difficult on a budget.