diet conversion

[lorin]

I just dont want to eat meat anymore. There are not many reasons to keep eating meat, its unhealthy for the body, unhealthy for the planet, and.... forgive the bleeding heart here...........sad.

but the problem is I love meat.

I want to convert over to vegetarian but am having a really hard time. Another concern I have is weight . I have lost a lot of weight and all those carbs scare me. How do I maintain the protein without adding the carbs?

Anyone have any suggestions to ease my way?

[Menolly]

Make smart choices regarding what starches you do eat. Only eat complex carbohydrates, including whole grains, and try to only eat them to make complete proteins with beans, tofu, or what other protein sources you are eating.

Find good sources of recipes, don't rely solely on carb heavy dishes. For instance, a marinated grilled portabello mushroom with cheese (if going lacto), wrapped in lettuce leaves and served with all the condiments, can help the transition from meat. As can carrot dogs, if you open yourself to the idea of a different base than commercially made vegetarian substitutes.

When I was vegetarian (many, many moons ago), I found it much easier to stop the cravings for meat and similar products by not trying to substitute for them. But, that was my solution. You will need to find the approach that works best for you.

In the meantime, the Index of Recipes has a few good recipes for vegetarians, classified by category. Some other good sites are:

Fatfree Vegan Recipes
cookingcache.com ~ Vegan
cookingcache.com ~ Vegetable
cookingcache.com ~ Vegetarian
International Vegetarian Union

These are just a few suggested sites. There are lots out there. Browse around, and find wholesome recipes that will fit the way you wish to eat. Good luck. If you are committed, you will do this!

[StevieG]

Be sure to check out Cail's Vegetarian Recipe too...

[kimwolhee]

I decided to stop eating meat over a year ago. It was a personal decision mostly based on ethical, rather than health, reasons. Like you, I loved meat (especially steak). I thought it would be difficult to give up.

Surprisingly, it has been very easy. I am not very good about making sure each and every meal is healthy, and I'm not terribly good about eating fresh veggies, but I haven't been especially sick or weak...and I do think about trying to incorporate a little protein each time.

What I do eat:

I love pastas with alll kinds of sauces: pesto; garlic, oil and hot peppers; bruschetta-type sauces. I make pizzas with garlic, grilled onions, sliced tomatoes, feta cheese and fresh basil; black beans and rice; broccoli rabe with pasta, hot peppers, garlic, olive oil and good grated cheese. I like veggie burgers that are not faux meat. Surprisingly, in a pinch, Burger King has a good one! (I try not to think about the fact that it is grilled on the same grill as the meat). There are also many yummy soups to be bought or made....

Eating out: ethnic is better/easier!! Especially Asian...almost anything can be made all veggie or with tofu. I love tofu in sauces, and while I always thought I preferred fried, I'm finding steamed soaks up the sauces better. I LOVE Indian food, too, the spicier, the better...plus, lots of it is all vegetarian. We have all-vegetarian Indian buffets here...yum!!

In general, if you love variety and spice in food, being vegetarian is quite an adventure. If you tend toward bland foods, though, I suspect it can become boring eventually. I eat dairy so I get protein through cheeses and yogurts, and occasionally I'll eat fish (which feels a bit hypocritical to me, but I do it anyway, in a pinch...).

I also have a rabid sweet tooth, but that's another story... Hope this helps...

[Menolly]

Hi Melinda!!!

Now that I got you to finally join the Watch, come say hello and introduce yourself.

[Orlion]

This may help:start smallish. Though I am a far cry from becoming a vegetarian, for health reasons I've decided to make some cut backs on meat. First: I've nearly cut out out completely my consumption of beef. I limit myself to mainly chicken and fish (oh, how I love my fish). It's surprising how easy it is to not eat beef and not have withdrawl.

Though it's easiest to get your protein from meat, you don't have to eat a lot of it, and ans Menolly pointed out, milk and cheeses are a good source (and eggs, if you still wanted to eat those).

[Menolly]

Another concern I have is weight . I have lost a lot of weight and all those carbs scare me. How do I maintain the protein without adding the carbs?

This is not advice on how to stick with being vegetarian, but perhaps this will be motivating.

I was always slightly chunky as a kid. Nothing like I am now, but even as a dancer {three nights a week two hour class (one ballet/one jazz) plus performances} I never had the svelte "ballerina" body. Except for when I was vegetarian between 18 and 22 years old. By following the guidelines I posted above, here are a couple of pictures of how I looked back then...



Keep in mind, this was a long time ago.
But, if I could do it.
So can you.
Let us know how it goes, lorin.

[StevieG]

Nice pics Menolly! I personally find it very interesting looking back at old photos (a little off-topic I know...)

[JazFusion]

There's a huge myth surrounding protein. Yes, meat is high in protein, but there are an abundance of other sources of protein: eggs, yogurt, milk, cheese, beans,legumes, nuts and whole grains are all great sources of protein. High amounts of protein are really only needed when muscles need to become larger, as through weight lifting. Your body cannot store proteins, so an overabundance of them leads to adverse effects on the body.

About 54 grams of protein a day is ideal for a woman (67.5 grams for a man). If you eat 1/4 almonds, 1 cup cannellini beans, 1 cup white rice, and 1 cup non-fat yogurt you're already at 41 grams of protein. Add in some fresh fruits and veggies and you'll meet more then the recommended 54 grams a day (not to mention almost completely cutting out the fat and saturated fat!). Or you could eat a 4 oz. T-bone steak and get 25 grams of protein, but also get 35 grams of fat as well.

The biggest thing to remember about going vegetarian is to eat a wide variety of things, and try to eat as "pure" as possible. Overly-processed food, even fruits and vegetables, significantly lowers their nutritional value.

[lorin]

There's a huge myth surrounding protein. Yes, meat is high in protein, but there are an abundance of other sources of protein: eggs, yogurt, milk, cheese, beans,legumes, nuts and whole grains are all great sources of protein. High amounts of protein are really only needed when muscles need to become larger, as through weight lifting. Your body cannot store proteins, so an overabundance of them leads to adverse effects on the body.

I guess one of my real confusion is the information we get about carbs. Some say it is "poison" to the system, others say it is vital. Then there are simple carbs and complex carb. All I know for sure is that the more carbs I eat, the more I want. They ARE addictive. And that there be my fear. Eliminating meat increases my carb intake, which increases my hunger.

[Menolly]

All I know for sure is that the more carbs I eat, the more I want. They ARE addictive. And that there be my fear. Eliminating meat increases my carb intake, which increases my hunger.

When you must eat carbs, stick with complex carbs. The body metabolizes them differently than simple carbs, and the cravings are not as intense.

You are in control.
Trust yourself.

[Cail]

I went veggie for Lent last year, but apparently I didn't go "full" veggie, as I still ate fish and seafood. My observations:

I ate a ton of fish. Fish is delish. Seriously. I'm back to being an omnivore again, but I probably only eat meat 4-5 days out of 7. Fish is good.

I learned to spice things. Spice is nice. Sauce is boss. I became a much better cook by having to go outside my comfort zone to have a variety of meals.

A wok is your best friend. A wok is.....OK, I can't rhyme that one. Say goodbye to soggy vegetables. Sauce, spice, fresh veggies, and shrimp or scallops, and you look like a freakin' genius.

The only downside to the whole thing was how much it slowed my metabolism down. I was in great shape (if I do say so myself) then, but found that when I went back to eating normally I put on weight. For reference, I was running about 5 miles a day, biking 30-40 miles a day, lifting weights daily, and rock climbing 3-4 days a week. I also found that I had a lot more energy once I went back to eating meat. Without starting an argument, we were designed to be omnivores, and your body will run better if you eat a wide variety of food(s).

I didn't do it this year for Lent as I've crossed that magical threshold (40), and it's just too damn hard to shuck off weight and inches anymore.

[aliantha]

You got that right, Cail. Crossing the magical threshold of 50 makes it even worse.

Lorin, I've heard it said that simple carbs (white bread, white potatoes, white rice) tend to act on your system the same way sugar does -- sugar, of course, being another simple carb. If you change your diet so that you avoid white things, that should help. So: brown rice instead of white, whole-wheat bread and pastas instead of the regular kind, sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes. These substitutions are not that hard to make, honest. There are some whole-wheat-blend pastas and white-whole-wheat breads on the market now.

Oh, and forget juice. It's basically liquid candy. Stick to whole fruits.