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Hey all,
So almost 8 months ago my girlfriend and I decided to take the challenge and try to eat only vegetarian foods (i.e. no meat). Well I've been at it every since. :D Haven't had any meat (that includes chicken and fish for those who don't consider it to be meat) for almost 8 months, and I'm proud of it.
I don't care if you are or aren't a vegatarian, I seriously don't like to judge or impose my views. I just wondered if there were any other members here who are veggies.
Does that include Jello and marshmallows?
Watch out for those hidden foods. Gelatin is an animal by product.
Are you going hardcore. Switiching to a Miller Veggy Strop?
I was a veg head for 10 years. Loved it. Went away from it when we had kids and the costs were to great to keep up with.
Seitan and Tofu are the best. I love me some fried Tofu in cornstarch.
I've done it off and on. Mostly off. I went 3 years once. No eggs, dairy, chicken or fish. Stone veggie. My staple was brown rice mixed with soy beans. It is hard to be a vegetarian. Requires a lot of work. Now I eat a lot of brown rice, chicken and fish. I can't remember the last time I had beef, fast food or anything like that. Years ago.
I just seem to naturally eat less and less meat these days, but every now and again I just got to have a thick tender steak or a big juicy hamburger! I think I'll go eat lunch now.:D
I do try and watch out for those hidden animal products. A killer one that is cesar salad, it has fish oil in it! I didn't know that until I switched to a veggie.Quote:
Originally Posted by singlewedge
And I am looking into getting a vegan strop. I can't buy one now anyways, seeing Tony Miller is on vacation...
I have ruyn the gammut from hard-core carnivore to strict vegan. Right now, I am at the "I don't eat mammals" phase. Been there about 5 years or so.
Going vegan was really tough. It was an amazing experience, and shows just how deeply imbedded animal products are in our modern comforts.
You're right, animal products are EVERYWHERE. Just think about the clothes we wear, our footwear, etc.Quote:
Originally Posted by smokelaw1
I'm not a vegetarian by no means, but I seem to have reduced my consuption of red meat these days. I eat chicken and fish and eggs and sometimes pork. I seldom eat veal though I love it... but nowadays I seem to have these days when I look at meat and feel a bit sick...
Seitan and tofu is great, as is soy. These things can be cooked into anything! It is all in the way you do it and can be very nutritious and tasty foods. But it is a lot of work to be a vegetarian, I'm sure.
I've often considered the change... but there are things that I just cannot part with. If you are acquainted with portuguese food, you'll know what I mean! ;) If you don't know portuguese food, I suggest you investigate on it and delight with some of the sturdiest foods there are! :) But sometimes I think about vegetarianism... ;)
But there is something that has to be considered quite carefully: humans are omnivores, therefore we must ingest a bit of everything. Of course, being vegetarian doesn't mean you are an herbivore, but I sometimes wonder if vegetarianism is as healthy as announced, especially when compared with a balanced healthy diet with meat and eggs and vegetables and dairy products and cereals... What do you think?
I was strict veg for 8 years. Now I draw the line at lungs and describe myself a sushi-tarian. :D
Good for you! :tu
X
I have been almost vegan for about 6 months. I say almost because i am also a chef and have to try the sauces i make. But at home 100% vegan! I have been vegetarian for over 3 years and finally made the switch. Giving up cheese and processed sugar is not an easy task.
I have tried going vegan once. I didn't care for it, however I have reduced my meats to small portions and quality cuts. I've increased my intake vegetables and fruits and with that I've lost 25 solid pounds in 8 months. I believe the humans are omnivore. Eating meat is our nature. We have incisors for a reason.
I must say, I didn't expect so many responses to this thread so quickly! Thanks everyone for your posts. :tu
Yeah.... well ....... :rolleyes:Quote:
Originally Posted by Stephen436
First off, I'm not a vegetarian, and I don't have any feelings either way about it. I am curious about the last part of your OP... what makes you proud about it? Please don't get me wrong... I'm just genuinely curious about why you are proud of it.Quote:
Originally Posted by StraightRazorDave
I´m now a vegetarian for 10 month. No meat, no fish. But still milk, cheese and some time a egg. But I dont be radical with this. My kids get meat, when ever they want. If I would have the desire for eating meat, I would eat it - but I dont have ;)
I'm proud because it's something I've always wanted to do but never had the courage to try. I've always felt a sense of dependence on animals when I ate meat, and becoming a vegetarian has given me a real sense of freedom. It's a very personal thing to me, and I don't object to people eating meat (I still live with my parents who both eat meat). I'm just proud that I stuck with my commitment.Quote:
Originally Posted by Del1r1um
To each his own right?:D
I don't mean to be rude but that's a poor argument.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stephen436
What reason then would this vegan have for such incisors?
http://pescetarianlife.com/gteeth.jpg
It is more accurate to consider the length of your intestinal tract.
X
Well I didn't mean it like the only reason was to eat meat.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stephen436
Xman said I don't mean to be rude but that's a poor argument.
What reason then would this vegan have for such incisors?[/I]
I googled this and found:
Chimpanzees absolutely eat meat! And yes they love it, and yes they digest it just fine. Usually they eat monkeys. You can find many videos of chimps hunting and killing monkeys, which is not for the squeamish--it's horrible to behold.
Cannibalism has also been noted in chimps, mainly the eaten chimp is an infant that has been killed by an older male. Not all incidences of infanticide result in cannibalism, but the cannibalism has been seen before.
Gorillas do not eat meat. I don't believe that orangs do, and bonobos do not either.
As for as non-ape primates, baboons hunt and eat meat (and have killed smaller monkeys and even human infants), as well as langurs and various other odd species of monkeys.
Yup, I've been a veggie, for 9 years now. Love it, I'm a bit of a hippie mind. Cloth diapers for the kidlet, worm bin (for composting) in my city apartment, and I try to avoid buying animal products. I have several great vegan belts, and shoes from mooshoes. And so I have also been looking for a vegan strop, in fact I posted a WTB earlier this week.
As for the incissors type comments, you'll get that type of thing alot. I say if we have the biggest forebrains, and capacity for thought, reflection, and consciousness, shouldn't we use it. And arming yourself with a few good facts never hurts either. It takes seven pounds of grain, for every of pound of cow, make of that what you will.
So welcome to the no meat club, I think you'll be fairly suprised your in such good company as Leonardo Da Vinci, Einstein, president Abe, Kant, Gandhi, Voltaire and many more.
Gah you got me all hippie riled up.
You will forgive me for asking an obvious question but aren't you now more dependent on plant life? Aren't you only transferring one dependency for another? I am a little confused as to what the difference is.Quote:
Originally Posted by StraightRazorDave
I've been lacto-ovo vegetarian for the last 3 or 4 years. Lacto-ovo because I do eat dairy and eggs. I find it's not that hard being vegetarian at all, though I've never liked meat much when I was young anyway. I find seiten to be a perfect substitute for that savoury something extra in the meal.
I really can't imagine every eating meat again, there's something quite 'barbaric' about it (really no offense to anyone, just talking personally here). I would never buy a badger brush either, after seeing various videos on how the hair is obtained - really no "hobby" is worth that kind of horror... but anyways. I have several vintage leather strops that I keep in the spirit of re-use, since the object is already made so why waste it.. but I would never purchase a new leather strop....... I think I've gone off topic.
- Mike
I assure you that as 'barbaric' as eating meat seems to you limiting your diet to plants seems 'smug' to us omnivores (or as I like to call it "the way humans have successfully existed for thousands of years").Quote:
Originally Posted by Jasper Kade
The only way I limit my consumption of animal protein is I won't eat anything that paces when caged, I've spent a lot of time thinking about it and I've owned and observed MANY animals, and the only ones I have no objection to eating are the animals that don't pace in their cages(pretty much anything that isn't a large predator or omnivore).
I agree with you there, all animals deserve humane treatment, regardless of cognitive ability.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jasper Kade
It might be time for something like this. In The Deep End » 2006 » June
X
Yes and no. I am dependent on plant life, but no more than a meat eater is. A meat eater is indirectly dependent on plant life since the animals that provide the meat are plant eaters. So it still requires that dependence on plant life to sustain the animals that are eaten.Quote:
Originally Posted by JMS
Does that make sense?
I really enjoyed reading that. Thank you.Quote:
Originally Posted by xman
I've thought about it (mostly as my wife is a "fishatarian" won't eat anything with lungs (as someone cleverly coined it earlier in the thread)) but I don't find it appealing for several reasons:
1. meat tastes awesome. I'm a Texan and I'm pretty sure I would wither up and die without BBQ
2. getting enough protein becomes problematic (I lift weights... I'm already taking extra protein on top of the meat I eat, which is a lot)
3. energy density. it takes about 3500 kilocalories a day to maintain my current weight and activity level. eating salads and nuts, that is a ridiculous amount of food. if I can slip a couple pounds of beef in there, it's a lot easier to get enough to eat.
4. there is something primal and incredibly satisfying about eating meat, especially if it's raw or almost raw. if they ever invent a vegetable that tastes as good as raw toro, I'd never eat meat again :) plus, harvesting a plant is not terribly satisfying either. i don't really get anything out of mowing my lawn, but to kill (and then subsequently eat) a deer or hog is pretty cool. there's just something comforting about eating a rare, bloody steak, feeling the blood run down your jaw, that eating vegetables could never match.
those of you that are vegetarians, how did you overcome these obstacles? I'm stumped.
I don't have a large diet and I don't lift weights, so I personally don't have the issue with protein. There are a lot of alternative sources of protein out there other than meat. I found this if anyone's interested: Bodybuilding.com - Kristi Lees - Vegetarian Sources Of Protein & Alternative Foods To Spice Up Your Meals. So it is possible to get the proper nutrients from alternative sources, but I do realize it's not for everyone. :DQuote:
Originally Posted by jockeys
I was a vegetarian for 15 years. I had to give it up because of serious health problems. My doctor told me that I would be dead in two or three years if I kept it up. It seems that it is fine for carb types but a very bad choice for protein types like me. I was eating plenty of beans and cheese. It just was not enough protein.
As a meat eater i thank you for that, I love all sorts of veggies but i could never give up meatQuote:
Originally Posted by StraightRazorDave
I guess whatever a person's reasoning is to themselves is fine with me, as long as they don't try any argument or reasoning with me beyond pure health consideration. I don't like inhumane treatment of animals either, buy cage free eggs, believe in one shot kills etc. I however have no problem with leather, meat in my diet, man first or meat on the plate concepts. if others opinions vary fine, but that is all emotional and not rational.
I have gone red meat and chicken free for 4.5 months when I lived somewhere with bad meat and refrigeration. My wife is now 8 months no red meat no chicken. purely health. she read a book called the china study and did some extra research. something in red meat and chicken (not seafood) is bad for people. greatly i ncreases chances of cancer. since her mom and maternal aunt both had breast cancer and her paternal aunt died of lung cancer she is not taking chances.
I don't eat a lot of meat in general, but am not big on vegetables so my diet hasn't changed from the usual crap I eat. but I'm working slowly towards a bit healthier. more sushi. ;) I switched from milk chocolate to dark chocolate a long time ago. whisky and water instead of coke.
Red
PS
my kids get whatever kids eat, still get hotdogs sometimes, beans, pretty much whatever we're eating except red meat. they're both great eaters. the 14mo even eats more than my 3yo sometimes!