vegetarianism. ethical eating? anyone take part

let me fist say i love to eat meat. my whole life ive been that way.

i think i am going to give vegetarianism a try.
im not going to turn it into a religion. my car has leather seats. not selling it. not gonna stop wearing whatever shoes i wear and turn to jesus sandals.

i know humans were designed to eat meat. i know the whole story and the whole argument.

having said that the past few months ago the whole treatment of animals and how our meat is 'produced' has really been bothering me.

not saying i am never gonna eat meat again but i am going to give it a solid effort to cut meat out of my diet completely.


so the questions are

how do you feel on a vegetarian diet? in general i mean.
what tips or tricks do any vegetarians have?

thanks all

a reply to: TinySickTears

grow some of the veg , even if it's just sprouts or tomatos , potatoes , chard , radish , lettuce or anything easy . because a lot of veg is irradiated , comes from an environment with toxins. eat actual fresh organic vegetables on the other hand is very good for you

be a vegetarian but don't give up eggs or cheese , you'll need more of those to compensate. also : soya mince(fry it) and vegeburgers , make a happy veggie

a reply to: TinySickTears

I’ve been using the ol’ Reward System.

I go without eating any type of flesh for as long as I can, then when I feel like i’m hitting the wall, I enjoy flesh, usually high-end stuff like prime rib, filet mignon or marbled ribeye steak (my favorite).

Been following that strategy for almost 6 months now and I see and feel the changes. Also, I’m getting to the point where meat is becoming less attractive to me the longer I can go.

I think I may be able to actually kick that whole food group by summer time.

But honestly, some day down the road I’ll have enjoyed too much Scotch or smoke, or both, and put the incisor teeth back on the job doing what they were meant to do.

And yes, the animal cruelty does and should play a part in that decision.

Good luck with taking that path, stay strong, or somewhat strong...

originally posted by: ZIPMATT
a reply to: TinySickTears

grow some of the veg , even if it's just sprouts or tomatos , potatoes , chard , radish , lettuce or anything easy . because a lot of veg is irradiated , comes from an environment with toxins. eat actual fresh organic vegetables on the other hand is very good for you

be a vegetarian but don't give up eggs or cheese , you'll need more of those to compensate. also : soya mince(fry it) and vegeburgers , make a happy veggie

not giving up eggs and cheese.
i would love to be able to at least shop organic. for some of it but it is just too expensive.

we might be able to get a little tomato action happening though. i dont have much property so a garden is out

thanks

originally posted by: BestinShow
a reply to: TinySickTears

I’ve been using the ol’ Reward System.

I go without eating any type of flesh for as long as I can, then when I feel like i’m hitting the wall, I enjoy flesh, usually high-end stuff like prime rib, filet mignon or marbled ribeye steak (my favorite).

Been following that strategy for almost 6 months now and I see and feel the changes.

how long do you usually go before you cave?

a reply to: TinySickTears

Been Veggie now for about 3-4 years and I also no longer have Milk or Cheese, TBH there will no doubt be someone that eats deep fried Bacon Mars bars who is stick thin and running world record times but for me all I can say is I will never go back..

I was always into sports but was always on the chunky side, no matter what I tried to get to really fit I could never get my weight sorted or motivation in check..

In the end I went strict High Carb Vegan for a year and lost 4 stone whilst I starting to cycle more and more..

I always suffered with bloating previous and being lethargic and just feeling a bit # whilst being a moody #. I now have more energy than I know what to do with and look like a pro athlete body wise,..

I do feel being fit and eating well need to go hand in hand, for me eating differently allowed me to do more and I feel just more balanced body wise, I know that sounds a bit wanky but hey it is what it is...


Like I said everyone and their dog has diet advice, I use to love Pizza and Bacon covered BK burgers but the thought of eating that # now is not even open to debate..


Honestly if it was not for wanting to get fit for my sporting exploits I may never have made the change, but since I have I am more aware of what # is put in everyday food, how the large food chains get you hooked and also the dismal conditions the animals are kept in. I honestly cannot see any negatives and people commenting say Mmmmmmmm Bacon well honestly I would be the same but not no more...

For menu choices authentic Indian food is a great way to start, as is Asian. At the start it can very hard but once you get the ball rolling it is fairly easy, my only concern with someone going veggie is the motivation to do so, I have seen numerous people make the change and see benefits to relapse into a bucket of KFC whilst crying over "skinny girl" instagram posts asking why are they getting fat...

RA

a reply to: TinySickTears

Longest is 26 days, and the reason I didn’t make it to 30 was a buddy’s bday party was held at a local favorite Steak House...sometimes you just throw in the white towel.

If you're doing it for ethical reasons...I mean, that's great, but atrocities are everywhere in agriculture. If you don't know where your vegetables/grains/etc come from, it could be a whole other bag of worms. Think indentured slavery, clear cutting, wildlife being slaughtered byvfarm equipment.
It's kind of the norm with food production on a large scale.

a reply to: ZIPMATT

Soya is evil! One of the worst products for the environment contributing massively to global deforestation along with palm oil. It’s not just soya for human consumption but also for animal feeds. If you’re going to give up meat don’t replace with meat substitutes - a 5 bean chilli poops all a veggie mince one.

wwf.panda.org...

veganuary.com...

I can get with eating less meat, but equally it’s important to make the most of the meat you do eat and to make sure it’s ethically and responsibly sourced (if you can afford).

As someone who enjoys cooking, grows their own veg (well what I can) and keeps hens I do take some pride in knowing where most of what I cook comes from. Luckily have a number of farms nearby to satisfy most needs.

There are a couple of things I would suggest. Do not under any circumstances consider giving up cheese 🧀 it is the food of the gods and can be used in so many ways to turn humble veggies into a culinary delight. Herbs and spices are your friends and again can lift taste and add texture. The squash family are perfect for coating in spices and roasting - cumin and paprika are a winner.

I have a lot of time for the veggies and pescatarians in my life and taking the time to make their meal special if they are guests gives me a great deal of joy.

Bob

a reply to: TinySickTears

Tomatoes are awesome in hanging baskets and crop heavily, plenty of specialist varieties such as tumbling toms.

Bob

a reply to: TinySickTears

I haven’t eaten beef, poultry or pork in about 25 years. I do eat some seafood, though. I don’t feel deprived at all. I eat cheese and eggs, but am adding in more vegan meals. I try to buy my produce at the local farmer’s market when I can.

I feel great at almost 58 years young!

a reply to: TinySickTears

Vegetarian for 7 years now. Feel free to ask as many questions as you'd like.

how do you feel on a vegetarian diet?

This depends on what and how much you eat. Let me put it like this: if you try to follow the BS stereotype of what vegetarians eat, you'll starve yourself, feel miserable, and quit. You know, the whole "eat a salad everyday, eat asparagus and every other type of random vegetable (regardless of their taste), drink quinoa & kale smoothies blended with whatever, etc".

When I first went veggie, I tried that crap on top of buying a lot of the "vegetarian certified" prepacked meals. And I felt like crap. First, a lot of the "vegetarian certified" corporate-produced meals taste like garbage. To be more accurate, some are good but others can taste like stems, grass, and dirt while usually smelling raunchy because they overdo it with the spices (in order to compensate for the flavors). And second, that kind of "mostly vegan" diet had so few calories that I'd eat like 6 or 7 times a day and still only be getting 700-800 calories. I'm already a slim dude and I like to stay in shape, so that crap was literally starving me.

But if you think of it like "I can eat everything except meat", it'll become easy and enjoyable. That simple epiphany reminded me that I can still eat chocolate, cookies, brownies, ice cream, french fries, pies, and a lot of other junk foods lol. I love fruits, so I can damn near gorge myself on fruit and it's all good, too. And then there are entire cuisines out there that have vegetarian friendly alternatives, like a lot of Italian foods (vegetarian pizzas, spaghetti, lasagna, etc); Indian foods, Ethiopian foods, Japanese tempura, etc. I even get different Mexican foods & just use the meat alternatives.

what tips or tricks do any vegetarians have?

I already listed some tips above, but here are a few more.

1. When trying new vegetarian or vegan meals/products, start with only one of them! A lot of times, they'll be on sale or they'll have this amazing sales pitch on how healthy, earth friendly, blah blah blah they are. Unfortunately, they're usually on sale for a reason: because that specific product tastes like crap. I'm not joking. So the biggest tip I'd give is to buy/try individual servings first. If you like it, then get some more. If not, then dump it and move on to the next thing.

2. Make a list now of some vegetarian products that you absolutely love. Then keep your house stocked with some of those items. For example, I love chocolate bars, honey roasted peanuts, specific fruit juices, any number of fruits (like cantaloupe, grapes, navel oranges, etc), and Red Baron's 4-Cheese pizzas. (I forgot applesauce. yummmmmy...)

I try to keep these items in the house at all times because every now & then, I'll get a grumpy craving for certain meats or junk foods. So instead of longing for that flavor, I simply eat something else that I absolutely love. The initial craving usually goes away right then and there.

3. Make sure you understand basic nutrition and pay attention to food labels. It can only help. For example, vegetarians and especially vegans run the risk of Vitamin B12 deficiencies. And while you could take a simple Vitamin B supplement, a lot of vegetarian-friendly and vegan-friendly foods will also be fortified with Vitamin B12 (as are cereals). However, eggs and dairy products naturally contain it, so that mac & cheese dinner, grilled cheese sammich, or cheese pizza can actually be beneficial here.


4. And last, do what makes you feel good. It's your body so no one's criticism or praise should really matter here. If you want to eat eggs too, then do it. If you want to eat a non-vegetarian meal every now and then, then do that too. This isn't a religion and you don't have to follow anyone's predetermined criteria for what constitutes the "correct diet".

In some countries, it's not even about vegetarians & vegans; it's about the "raw food diet". And some of their extremists adherents will even go a set amount of days strictly eating one specific fruit or vegetable. Look up "banana island diet" to see an example.

originally posted by: DrBobH
a reply to: TinySickTears

Tomatoes are awesome in hanging baskets and crop heavily, plenty of specialist varieties such as tumbling toms.

Bob

Juliets are our favorite tomato variety to grow. Once those babies get started, they'll keep producing loads until the first frost. And the best part with them is if you prune a healthy branch or two then plant it, it'll grow and start producing as well.

As a person who loves a good bit of dead animal but goes by the "meat and two veg" which would of meant a protein source along with a few bits of dead plant which can scream itself when harvested...but thats a different thing.

A good chickpea curry or a lot of things are fine but would I give up dead animals no chance.

Recipe share: Recently I saw a recipe using the stems of King Oyster mushrooms to make a fake barbecue “pulled pork” dish. I had to go to an Asian grocery store to find the mushrooms, but I got some and tried making it. I don’t know when the last time was I ate pulled pork, so I don’t know how to compare, but it tasted pretty darn good to me! I put it on a toasted hamburger bun with mustard, a slice of purple onion, and some pickle slices. Ate it with some pinto beans on the side, for protein.

a reply to: TinySickTears

I won't be turning vegetarian any time soon. But the unethical and horrific treatment of animals in factory farms is something humanity will have to face in due time. Good luck.

a reply to: enlightenedservant

yeah man im not buying into any sort of program and what i should or should not do.
sticking with cheese and eggs

its just the # i have been thinking about lately with the treatment of the animals has been bothering me more so im gonna make a good effort to give it up.
might fail
probably gonna cave every now and again

something is better than nothing you know

originally posted by: kaylaluv
Recipe share: Recently I saw a recipe using the stems of King Oyster mushrooms to make a fake barbecue “pulled pork” dish. I had to go to an Asian grocery store to find the mushrooms, but I got some and tried making it. I don’t know when the last time was I ate pulled pork, so I don’t know how to compare, but it tasted pretty darn good to me! I put it on a toasted hamburger bun with mustard, a slice of purple onion, and some pickle slices. Ate it with some pinto beans on the side, for protein.

thats super interesting.
love mushrooms.

my wife makes 'burgers' out of mashed up black beans and it is delicious

a reply to: TinySickTears

If you can afford pastured eggs, that would be more humane. Not “cage free”, because that just really means the egg laying hens were smushed together in a barn without cages - still cruel. Pastured means they have to have so much space to roam around without being sardined in with a bunch of other chickens.

originally posted by: kaylaluv
a reply to: TinySickTears

If you can afford pastured eggs, that would be more humane. Not “cage free”, because that just really means the egg laying hens were smushed together in a barn without cages - still cruel. Pastured means they have to have so much space to roam around without being sardined in with a bunch of other chickens.

can you get those at the main stream grocers?