So, I am contemplating changing my lifestyle and incorporating vegetarianism. I just have a few questions for everyone:

1. Why did you decide to make the change?
2. Was it hard for you? And if so, what was the hardest part?
3. Why do some self-proclaimed vegetarians eat fish and/or chicken? Doesn't that completely contradict "vegetarian"?

Feel free to add anything else you think someone in my shoes should know... Thanks guys! xoxoxo

1. I personally tried to go vegetarian previous based on weight loss is easier for me when eating no meat. But I fully dove in after reading the book 'Skinny B****', which made me not even have a second thought about wanting this to be my life style. the book isn't for anyone who can't take some dirty words and sailor talk.

2. Before reading the book I would do well for awhile not eating meat but at 'special occasions' I'd always end up eating meat because it was served and looked good. I think it was hard then because I didn't have enough desire and knowledge behind the reason I of wanting to be vegetarian.

3. I personally have no idea for this question. Definitley doesn't seem like you are still vegetarian if you eat meat and fish. I think some people try to slowly eliminate meats before becoming a full blown vegetarian.

Otherwise there are so many great vegetarian/vegan recipes and so much food once you realize the things you can eat. Theres websites with recipes and you can also go to your local library and check some out. My favorite website is: www.vegweb.com

Good luck! And if you do or don't decide, we are all here for you!

Oh also depending where you live you can check and see if your area has vegetarian restaurants (which are absoloutley DELICIOUS) I took my friends who love meat there... we each had a different type of 'fake meat' and they LOVED everything. One guy was a chef and was blown away by how real it can taste... also I love frozen fake meats... Boca, MorningStarFarms etc. So look around and try some food!

1. Why did you decide to make the change?

I made the change for many reasons. As an animal-lover, I just felt like if I don't have to eat them, then I shouldn't. I think the meat industry is incredibly cruel to animals and I cannot support them. I think even meat-eaters should be looking for meat from animals that have been raised in a more natural environment, grass-fed, not overstressed/ abused and not pumped with hormones and anti-biotics. I can understand people choosing to eat meat, by I don't understand people not demanding higher quality (which would require better treatment of the "meat" before it dies). Health-wise, I have a hard time being convinced that the meat we are currently being fed is healthy ... I don't want to eat something that was stressed out so badly (stress releases all sorts of hormones and chemicals in the body and will remain in the meat after the animal is killed ... why would I want that in my body?).

2. Was it hard for you? And if so, what was the hardest part?

It was a long, long process. I didn't rush myself. It took me years to get there psychologically. My mind shifted before my eating did. At one point, I just was grossed out anytime I ate meat. It's easy not to eat something that grosses you out. Don't get me wrong - I was addicted to beef during my PMS each month (iron), so I did miss that for a few months until I did my homework on other good sources of iron (now when I get to that point, I have a smoothie full of iron-rich veggies and it does the same job that the beef did ... now I crave the smoothie during PMS and not the beef).

The hardest part for me has been the social aspect. I'm surrounded in my husband's family with antagonistic carnivores who have been so ridiculously mocking and mean about this process that it has made family meals with them very, very unpleasant. Mind you, I don't preach this stuff. I made the change and would just say "no, thank you" when meat got passed around. I didn't feel the need ot make a big announcement or give anyone a lecture on animal cruelty. They noticed, of course, so eventually I had to reply that I wasn't eating meat bcause I've become a vegetarian. I made sure to reassure them that they have to do nothing special for me at meals, I would eat the veggies foods offered at the table. Even then, the mockery and BS continued. For me, that's the hardest (it's only on hubbies' family side - not hubby, he became veggie too)

3. Why do some self-proclaimed vegetarians eat fish and/or chicken? Doesn't that completely contradict "vegetarian"?

I don't eat chicken. However, I still eat fish and I'm aware that it's hypocritical. But for me, this is a process - not an overnight thing. Even when I started, I cut out one type of meat at a time as I learned to cook as a veggie and to eat as a veggie. Just haven't gotten to fish yet. Will get there. Since I'm not doing this to belong to any kind of club or to be given any kind of badge, I'm not worried about the contradictions. I do my best and what I can at the moment. Every little bit helps. I even appreciate people who merely cut down their meat consumption.

Sorry to be so long-winded!!

I found this website for you Theres some good information and you can order a free starter kit.

http://www.tryveg.com/cfi/toc/

1. The only meat I ever liked was chicken and occasionally salmon. One day I was eating a chicken sandwich and I bit down on a piece of cartilage and it just totally grossed me out. It then hit me that I was eating dead bird carcass. Haven't touched meat since.

2. The hardest part was giving up my fast food addiction. I used to go through the drive thru everyday at lunch, but being veggie makes it very hard to eat at those kinds of places. It's also tough going out to restaurants with friends because I have no veggie friends and they always seem to want to go to steakhouses. Most places are pretty accommodating though.

3. Cow = Meat for a lot of people. Poultry and fish don't count for some reason.

Congrats on wanting to go veg. Give it a try for a few weeks. No need to cut out meat entirely at first. Even if you decide that it's not for you, making a few all veggie meals a week is great way to get in your vegetables and save on calories.

1. Why did you decide to make the change?

Personally, I'm one of those who didn't go for ethics reasons. I was raised on a farm where eating meat was okay etc etc etc. But when I turned 17, I had my gallbladder removed I found myself having extreme abdominal pain. I discounted this to being on a high fat "diet" (meaning eating everything I wanted) so I went on a low fat diet. This eventually made the discomfort and pain go away. For a while after I gave up the low fat diet, I started to feel the ache. It started off as a slight discomfort about 3 months ago...it was pain so excrutiating, that I went to the hospital. When the hospital could do nothing for me...I decided that it was me that was going to have to figure out what was wrong with me.

So I did experiments with what kinds of food I was eating. I started with different frutis, veggies, and ended up with meat. Meat was what was triggering this horrible pain. Turns out I can't digest meat properly since I had my gallbladder taken out.

Don't get me wrong...as I've come to become more educated about AR and veg*nism, I've come to become a compassionate one, who is further driven not only by my health, but for those who can not speak but have the same emotions as me...the animals.


2. Was it hard for you? And if so, what was the hardest part?
Being a vegetarian wasn't hard, and in all honesty veganism wasn't hard because I made myself informed. Sure, there are days when I'll crave cheese, because as a meat eater, cheese was my staple. Honestly, being more informed makes the transition seemless.


3. Why do some self-proclaimed vegetarians eat fish and/or chicken? Doesn't that completely contradict "vegetarian"?

Me...I personally don't have an explaination. Not too long ago there was a discussion on this board about it if you'd like to check it out:
http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=145908


I probably wasn't any help Good luck in your journey though!

I am not a vegetarian, but I eat mostly vegetarian. I have had the same experience as Itstime in regards that it is a process. My husband has been one since he was 17 so the thought of cooking meat in the house is gross to him. We do not cook meat in the house. I do BarBQ any meat that I eat. Over the past 10 years, I have cut out beef and pork and I have noticed that chicken is becoming less appetizing to me. I do eat it in salads when we go out though. And I don't think I will ever give up seafood or fish. I also believe that we do not need so much meat in our diets. I have no "beef" with people who eat meat, but I don't agree with how much they eat. It just seems like too much and wasteful. We live in a very meat oriented area and there isn't one veggie restaurant in the immediate town that we live in and so we have to drive a ways to eat yummy food. I wish our community was a little more open minded. I don't really mind people who say they are vegetarian but still eat some meats. Maybe it's just easier to give yourself a quickie label than explain it all out. I know it bugs my husband when people say they are one and then end up eating meat. : )

1. Why did you decide to make the change?

I'm still making it. I haven't had meat for 17 days . I had been feeling kinda grossed out by meat for a long time. Mostly I ignored it, I guess I didn't have the energy to face a big change. But I finally decided it was ridiculous to keep eating something that kinda grossed me out.

It wasn't that the idea was totally foreign to me. My older sister has been vegetarian since she was a teenage. I grew up in a religious culture that was mostly vegetarian. But my family still thinks I'm being a little weird.

But recently I read some books, and was pretty horrified at how animals are treated, and further grossed out about the quality of the meat we get. I figured I couldn't do it anymore if what they described was even half true. And the health benefits made sense to me too. I'm not a spring chicken anymore .

2. Was it hard for you? And if so, what was the hardest part?

It's kinda hard. It's a big change, and I wasn't even a big meat eater. I wasn't even having meat every day even before I contemplated being vegetarian. I kinda figured at first that I would still eat meat on occasion, but now I'm thinking not. But I'm not fretting over small amounts of non-vegetarian ingredients in restaurant or other home-cooked food. Maybe later. But I am watching ingredients in things I buy. But I don't buy all that much convenience/prepared food. I suppose that also makes it harder - I really don't feel like I can rely on veg*n junk or highly processed convenience foods.

I'm still right in the thick of learning new foods and ways to cook, and creating a new way of eating and getting great nutrition.

3. Why do some self-proclaimed vegetarians eat fish and/or chicken? Doesn't that completely contradict "vegetarian"?

There is just a lot of people that think of "meat" as red meat. So these people give up red meat, and think they're vegetarian. I think this use of the word is phasing out. Or they think not eating any meat but fish makes them vegetarian. I think this use is still around quite a bit, especially since the healthfulness of omega-3's has been publicized. But in general, as veg*nism gains ground, the usage of these terms is gradually getting better.

I had a very gradual change. I started getting into a lot of environmentally friendly things and found some great recipes that by pure coincidence were veg. Slowly but surely it all just fell into place... it was also very helpful when I got my own apartment because previously I had lived with my parents and then in a college dorm. When I started doing my own cooking all of the time, I had a demon to deal with: raw meat has always grossed me out. Plus meat is expensive!

i don't eat fish or chicken or anything, so I can't answer the question on that. One thing I can say is that from an environmental standpoint, cows are by far the worst animals to raise for food.

I forgot about that! Yes, once I stopped eating junk and fast food all the time, and cooking instead, I was not enjoying having to deal with raw meat. That was indeed a contributing factor.

Hi!

1. For me, I went Veggie a couple years ago, after I had one of those new 64 slice CT scans on my heart to test for early heart disease, which is rampant in my family. They found 3 blockages, 2 30% and one 40%, already and I was only 32!!!! It scared me straight and I did all kinds of research on documented health reasons for going vegetarian and learned that if you get your cholesterol under 150 and keep it there, you will likely never have a heart attack! If you can get your LDL (bad cholesterol) under 70 you can even REVERSE what is in your arteries already! For me, with my hereditary cholesterol problem (300+ without diet changes) the only way I could get my cholesterol under 150 is to go veggie. it worked like a charm,and I lost 72 pounds. Then I got married and gained a bunch back on the POOR standard American diet (SAD).

So I am back on track now, losing weight fast and this time I am actually closer to vegan, with no dairy or eggs. An occasional Boca product might have egg whites but I try to avoid it.

I also love ALL living things and have grown less and less attracted to meat over the years and often grossed out by eating my animal friends who have suffered only to land on my plate. Ethically this is the right thing for me.


2. The first time it was a bit hard and I substituted a lot of Boca stuff. I still eat some of it but I don't eat the breaded or high fat stuff. This time I feel so refreshed and do not miss meat whatsoever. I also have found tons of great recipes so I get more variety now than when I was eating unhealthy convenience food.


3. There are basically 3 kinds of vegetarian.

A. Vegetarian Lacto (vegetarian + dairy)
B. Vegetarian Lacto/Ovo (vegetarian + dairy and eggs)
c. Vegan (no dairy or eggs or any animal byproducts)

This is oversimplifying but is basically it. Now I say I am close to Vegan but I cross over into Lacto/Ovo on some bread products, etc, though I really do try to avoid it. I don't know why some eat meat occasionally. I think it is very personal though. I have one friend who has been veggie since she was a teenager but will eat fish if we are out and that is all they have.

Hi

I decided to become veg. because like jillnicole I read Skinny Bit**....not knowing by the way that I would never touch a piece of meat or dairy product again! I guess I never liked to think about what I was eating..I do have to admit I never liked meat to begin with...I always would opt for a bowl of lentils or escarole. After reading what the skinny bit** girls had to say I then read The China Study, THe Food Revolution, Fit for Life, and couldnt believe I didn't read this incredible info. sooner. I am also big into the environment and being vegetarian/vegan is one of the most beneficial ways to make ur Eco-footprint alot smaller...
Not to mention the weight that flew off me!!
The hardest part for me is my family loves to eat meat..I have to be honest it bothers me to watch them when I know what I know.

The Food Revolution is def. a great read...the author is actually John Robbins (son and nephew of Baskin Robbins) I highly recommend!

Hey Chickpea, I believe Fit For Life was written by Dr. Fuhrman, correct? I am just about following his cholesterol protection for life plan, except I do not eat nuts at the moment. it's nice to see another person who did this for health reasons!

I have to pick up Skinny B*tch, i keep hearing about it here!

1. Why did you decide to make the change? I was pregnant with my first child. It made me analyze what I was eating and what I wanted to feed my baby. Back in the 80s, hormones and pesticides were huge topics of discussion. Their use was not regulated very much (though many would question if it is regulated enough now - including me)

2. Was it hard for you? And if so, what was the hardest part? No. It was much harder for my husband who was raised in a family that bought half a cow to put in the freezer each year. I would say that barbecues and holidays were hard the first few years. It took a while for family and friends to realize that we could be part of the festivities and not partake of the main course. And - that we weren't radicals that couldn't be invited to events where meat was served. They learned that we would just bring our own main dish

3. Why do some self-proclaimed vegetarians eat fish and/or chicken? Doesn't that completely contradict "vegetarian"?

While, I will not eat anything where an animal must be killed to produce it, I am not vegan. I do use some dairy, honey, etc. I think the word vegetarian has come to mean many, many things. I personally don't think someone is a vegetarian if they eat fish and chicken, but I whole-heartedly applaud anyone that moves away from eating meat in their diet. I will not confront them, even if I believe their definition of the word is incorrect.