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Old 02-10-2009, 07:07 PM   #1  
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Wink Vegetarianism: Questions and Concerns

Okay.. where to begin. Well, I'm a huge animal lover. How about that for a start? I try to respect all living creatures and admittedly have a rather guilty conscious eating meat and other animal products. The logical step would naturally be to go Vegan, right? Right.. that's what I'm having some difficulty with. Let's continue with another important little fact about me: I love meat. Fish, turkey, chicken.. **** yes! They're my slaughter of choice. I'm trying to eat better, and so I started to think that maybe eating more conscientiously or humanely should be next on my to do list.

I'm a little concerned with how to get a good source of protein however, since beans are a thing I absolutely loath!!! Are there certain levels of vegetarianism where some meat consumption is acceptable? Salmon and shrimp is probably my greatest weakness and the one thing I could never ever let go of. Turkey and chicken I could learn to live without, but.. the salmon? =[ It's a rare occasion that I get to eat either of those, but I cherish those times!!!

I'm not sure what I hoped to accomplish here except maybe reaching out for some support. I know that meat isn't necessary, it even kind of goes against our genetics (the structure of our teeth and their function to gnash and grind rather than cut and rip indicates human beings were meant to eat a purely plant based diet). I just don't know how to let go of what 18 years of meat exposure has done to both my body and my taste buds. It kind of sounds like I'm making excuses but.. well, I am. Anyone care to kick my a$$ into shape? I really need to make a definitive decision here. Any information, support, or suggestions are greatly appreciate. Thanks for listening to me whine. ;D

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Old 02-10-2009, 07:24 PM   #2  
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I am not a vegan, but my dad is and my oldest daughter and my best friend and they are all AMAZINGLY HEALTHY!! My friend in particular, she was the "fat girl" in HS and here we are almost 50 and she in the size 8 jeans, which are BIG! She really inspires me.

One way you can go, which I just posted on another thread, is to stop the factory-farmed meat.....like only get the grass fed free-range meat, game, poultry & wild-caught fish. Eat it in smaller portions and fewer times a week.

Check out this article, "Vegan before 6." It's a good compromise. I think vegan is DEF the way to go for health, however, I lack the discipline and damn it I like some carne asada every once in a while!

http://www.rd.com/living-healthy/sim...cle109150.html
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Old 02-10-2009, 07:37 PM   #3  
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What you eat is really up to you. Vegetarians don't eat any meat. There are pescatarians that eat fish.

Honestly, I used to be a huge meat lover. I have totally switched and don't miss meat at all.

I've read about vegan non-bean eaters although beans overall are a great food. What don't you like about beans? You don't like hummus? tofu? edamame? lentils? refried beans? bean burgers? bean sprouts? oven roasted chickpeas? soy milk? peanut butter? (peanuts are actually a legume)

If you are interested in animal rights, I would suggest looking for 'earthlings' on youtube. Its an amazing and disturbing movie but I think everyone should watch it. It won many awards at a film festival and is a well researched documentary type film.

I'm not an animal rights vegan but I understand that animals are basically tortured and killed for our consumption. Dairy cows are tortured for their short lives until they stop giving milk and then they are killed for their meat. Chickens are tortured for their short laying egg life and then killed. I really do hope more awareness occurs to help change the industry if nothing else.

So back to what to eat. Well there are many things you can eat. There are complete protein grains such as amaranth and quinoa. Veggies have protein and so do fruits. Nuts and seeds are a good source of healthy fats and protein. You can also make your own fake meats or buy them in the store, aka seitan/wheat gluten. I'd also urge you to explore new foods, things you may not have tried before or tried in only a certain way.

As far as animal products go, the least objectionable animal product for me in terms of health and animal rights are true free range eggs. Of course they are very hard to come by and you generally can not get them in the grocery store. (Free range in the grocery store doesn't really mean free range) I don't eat them but if I did feel the need to eat an animal product, I'd probably go with eggs from a local farm although I'd have to disguise the taste somehow.

I think eating fish isn't the best for your health or the environment but you can make the best choices possible by reviewing your choices on this website:
http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/seafoodwatch.aspx
Before I stopped eating meat, I'd carry a copy in my purse to help me buy fish.

Also, feel free to make the change gradually. There is no specified timeline. I had started eating meat very rarely until the one day I decided to go vegan.

I'd also recommend reading some books including The China Study, it is a very good book.

Last edited by nelie; 02-10-2009 at 07:43 PM.
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Old 02-10-2009, 07:45 PM   #4  
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I agree with the suggestions K8-EEE and nelie made. I also think you can lose your taste for meat. A friend and I started eating whole foods, no white flour, no white sugar, and no meat right after the first of the year. Most days I don't eat dairy or eggs either. Am I vegetarian? No. I've had meat 3 times since beginning, so I can't claim to be veg.

Long story to get to this- What we've found is that we've really lost our taste for meat. Even if we crave something, once we get it, it doesn't taste right. As an example, I took one bite of my son's burrito from Taco Bell tonight and thought it was disgusting (and I love Taco Bell). I do think that it makes a difference that we are eating all unprocessed foods. I don't know if I would have lost my taste for meat as quickly if I were eating a SAD diet just without meat.

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Old 02-10-2009, 08:01 PM   #5  
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Since I cook for vegans and carnivores I love finding something that they ALL LOVE and speaking of taco bell, the powdered Taco Bell seasoning at the store, although full of salt and God knows what else, is actually vegan! No whey, no bullion....

I make the "Yves Good Ground" soy-based fake-O meat with it and NOBODY CAN TELL THE DIFF! FOR REAL! IT'S REALLY GOOD!

I can't even relate to not liking beans, I LOVE LOVE LOVE them....black, pinto, any kind of beans, split peas, lentils, love love love. Cheap yummy and healthy!
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Old 02-10-2009, 08:03 PM   #6  
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Oh yeah I forgot about split pea soup... soo soo good.

Although I've only had soy based fake meat grounds once and thought it was disgusting. It was many years ago but the memory of it makes me avoid any fake ground meat.

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Old 02-10-2009, 08:46 PM   #7  
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Also, read the book "Skinny *****" if you are honestly looking for a good kick in the butt. I`ll even send you my copy for free since Im done reading it if you would like it. It is an honest an effective kick in the right direction. Message me if you are interested.
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Old 02-10-2009, 09:44 PM   #8  
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That Earthlings movie Nelie mentioned is really worth the watch.

Along with The China Study she mentioned, I would also suggest Eat to Live.
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Old 02-11-2009, 07:31 PM   #9  
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if you truly have conviction it will out weigh anything else. salmon and shrimp are not weaknesses, they are sentient beings. if you eat them, you are not a vegetarian. so maybe just reflect and reevaluate your relationship with what you put in your body and see if it matches your values. choice is up to you and the spectrum is wide.

so maybe educate yourself. you can get a couple of pamphlets free from http://www.veganoutreach.org/.

i get my protein from nuts, soy, beans, lentils, grains, fruit, vegetables, hemp, bread...ummm...almost everything i put in me body. it can be done

good luck with your journey!
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Old 02-11-2009, 08:50 PM   #10  
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If there is one thing I will be thankful for the rest of my life, it was the suggestion to watch the Earthlings documentary. Out of a burning curiosity I gave it a glance, and after it started I wouldn't let myself stop watching until the very end. I cried from start to finish. This is probably one of those moments that's going to change the rest of my life, forever. How can I knowingly ignore all those cries for help and the suffering going on at my expense? I'm playing into a supply and demand for death and distress, but no longer.

I would like to make my girlfriend watch this, as well as my family members. I'm just not sure how they'll take it, or if they'll watch it all the way through. I think I might send an email out to the people I love and care about the most, explaining my decision and listing this video as one of my main motivators. I'll ask that they at least consider the video. If they can sit immobilized in front of a computer or television for hours on end, surely 90 minutes of their time is not too much to ask? I wish I could air this on every television station world wide and scream it to the world. What a heart wrenching, eye opening experience.. and all it took was an hour out of my day. More than worth it, if you ask me.

Thank you so much nelie & zinke! This was the deciding factor, that little push to tip me over the edge of uncertainty. It's a crippling truth, and the reason that I'll never go back to my meat eating self. Well, I'm off to research and figure out what to do with the meat filling my fridge. D; It hurts just to look at it. Now I just have to convince my girlfriend, the biggest carnivore of them all...

Yours gratefully,
Kimmy

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Old 02-11-2009, 11:45 PM   #11  
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Honestly, you might never be able to convince her. My husband is a omnivore, and he will always be one. He respects my lifestyle, even though it does often get in the way. We cant buy leather, we have to spend more money on simple cosmetic things like soap because of animal products, and we have a 7 month old son. But, Im lucky that he respects my lifestyle enough to be ok with me raising our son in a mostly vegan lifestyle....witht he exception of when he is old enough to make his own desicions.
Ive also found over my years of being a vegan, that some people have that natural compassion for animals and are easily swayed, but most dont understand our point of view and consider them objects....But I love your enthusiasm and your attempt at showing them what you believe in. If nothing else it might help them understand your choices and how to support you better.
After all that rambling, IM SO PROUD OF YOU!
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Old 02-12-2009, 12:02 AM   #12  
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Thank you erin! ^__^
My gf just got home from work a little bit ago. I pitched the idea of becoming vegetarian to her recently and asked that after she finished off all the meat and dairy products in the house that she tried 2 weeks of eating vegan with me. She assented, grumpily and what seemed unwillingly. I believe she thought it was just another one of my whims where I'll read about something and then want to try it, and I tried to explain how determined I was. I made her watch that video just half an hour ago, and she only got 24minutes in before breaking down in tears-- she just couldn't watch anymore. After some cuddling and comforting, we got to have a serious talk, and she's now determined to become a vegan as well!! We are in the process of going through the cupboard and fridge and taking out everything we now refuse to eat, thinking maybe her mother or mine could use the extra food. For now, we just have a lot of planning and researching to do. Making meals just took an interesting new twist, since we added some new rules to the game. As always, thanks for the support.

Kimmy
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Old 02-12-2009, 06:18 AM   #13  
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That's great Urthwurm! I'm not a vegan myself for very long, and I also went cold tofurky from omnivore. (though I have been vegetarian in the past) I haven't seen earthlings (the images in my head are bad enough) but I did see slaughterhouse from the bbc, which I can upload if somebody wants. I always loved this vid though it's short.

Also you shouldn't worry about protein while not eating beans, beans aren't eaten much here and I haven't seen anybody who suffers from a lack of protein in my life. What you should look out for is a B12 vitamin supplement.
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Old 02-18-2009, 12:43 PM   #14  
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The Skinny Beeyatches book is awesome and that is what made my daughter take the leap from vegetarian to vegan.....

Mom hasn't quite got the discipline for that (old dogs, new tricks and all) but I'm Vegan Til 6 seven days a week now....and I have a vegan dinner 3 or 4 times a week too.

JUST CUTTING BACK 50% ON ANIMAL PRODUCTS WOULD MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN OUR NATIONAL HEALTH AND ECOLOGY! There's really no down side to it.

Quote:
Originally Posted by erinmagill View Post
Also, read the book "Skinny *****" if you are honestly looking for a good kick in the butt. I`ll even send you my copy for free since Im done reading it if you would like it. It is an honest an effective kick in the right direction. Message me if you are interested.
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Old 02-18-2009, 12:48 PM   #15  
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Believe it or not my vegan daughter has taken a fair amount of abuse at college -- and she goes to vegan-friendly hippy enclave UC Santa Cruz! A top Peta rated college (different hot vegan entrees daily, organic salad bar etc!)

She says somebody offered her some food that she "no thank you'd" and someone else said, "oh forget about her, she's a self-righteous vegan!" What an *** -- she never tells anybody anything about their food she just eats what she eats. I told her the problem is people are 1) not wanting to think about what the salami they are eating and 2) jealous of her discipline and just the fact that she is a vegan brings out those things, their problem not hers.



Quote:
Originally Posted by erinmagill View Post
Honestly, you might never be able to convince her. My husband is a omnivore, and he will always be one. He respects my lifestyle, even though it does often get in the way. We cant buy leather, we have to spend more money on simple cosmetic things like soap because of animal products, and we have a 7 month old son. But, Im lucky that he respects my lifestyle enough to be ok with me raising our son in a mostly vegan lifestyle....witht he exception of when he is old enough to make his own desicions.
Ive also found over my years of being a vegan, that some people have that natural compassion for animals and are easily swayed, but most dont understand our point of view and consider them objects....But I love your enthusiasm and your attempt at showing them what you believe in. If nothing else it might help them understand your choices and how to support you better.
After all that rambling, IM SO PROUD OF YOU!
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