Vegetarian or Vegan?

[neenee]

Our lifestyle has changed so much over the last year with mine and my husband's healthy eating and fitness that we have slowly just sort of progressed toward a vegetarian lifestyle. We recently did decide to give up most of our animal fats as well though and have been eating more like vegans for about a week. We are more like 90% vegans. For now anyway. I really don't know how long we will maintain this lifestyle though because, as with any change I have a hard time committing to forever because that is a very long time and puts too much pressure on me.

I was just wondering how many of you might be vegetarians or vegans and wondering if you might share some things about the lifestyle with me. Challenges, tips, snack ideas, etc.

[YepBrook]

I'm not a vegetarian or vegan, so I have no help to offer... but can I just say you look FANTASTIC in that pic!

[ayaandjudah]

Awesome for you, Nee!

I'd suggest grilling a lot. One way for us to get extra veggies and less meat is through the grill. Drizzle veggies with sunflower oil and grill. YUM we love grilled: Beets, baby broccoli, squash, pepper, onion.

I found that a lot of places make vegan alternative to almost any food. Do you have a trader joe's by you?

[kelley]

I'm vegetarian, but my family is not. I eat lots of fresh veggies, beans. I do eat cheese and butter though! My favorites are Italian and Mexican, and they are both very easy to adapt to vegetarian usually. Not so sure about vegan though because I wouldn't know what to do without my cheese

[rach3975]

I'm a vegetarian. I couldn't give up cheese, so I'll never be vegan.

My biggest recommendation is just to be sure you're getting protein from other sources. I eat a lot of tofu, beans, and meat alternatives (like Smart Dogs and Quorn Naked Chicken Cutlets). You can substitute tofu for meat in a lot of recipes, just squeeze out as much water as you can from the tofu. Some of my favorites are tofu marsala and tofu with barbeque sauce served over salad. I like the "ground beef" crumbles from Morningstar Farms, and when I make it I add crumbled tofu, onions, and mushrooms to stretch it further and add more veggies. I eat it over salad with salsa and sour cream.

[lovely1m]

I'm a vegetarian. Been one most of my life, but totally since I was 16. I eat lots of nuts and beans.

[mariewilcox]

I've been vegetarian for about 30 years and Cheyanne has been since she was born (12 years in a week!). I'm not a fan of meat substitutes and I actually can't stand tofu - LOL. I will use silken tofu in baking and smoothies, but no tofu as a meat replacement.

I'm not vegan, however. I don't mind not having cheese and I don't drink cow's milk, but I do like yogurt and ice cream and the vegan alternatives don't do it for me And I don't eat eggs because I hate them and always have, but I do bake with real eggs.

We eat lots of fresh vegetables (of course) and lots of beans, lentils, grains such as bulgur, wheatberries, quinoa, rice, nuts, seeds, etc. Lots of soups/stews. Like Kelley said Mexican is easily adaptable to a vegetarian style. We eat some pasta but not a lot really.

[lovely1m]

Oh, Marie, will you come cook for me? You seriously eat just like me.

[mariewilcox]

Originally Posted by lovely1m

Oh, Marie, will you come cook for me? You seriously eat just like me.

LOL Mari - I do like to cook I was thinking of moving in 6 years (when Cheyanne graduates HS) but I was thinking more of a warmer climate than here in Maine!

[lovely1m]

Originally Posted by mariewilcox

LOL Mari - I do like to cook I was thinking of moving in 6 years (when Cheyanne graduates HS) but I was thinking more of a warmer climate than here in Maine!

hahaha...Yeah, you're not coming here then.

[Penny Springmann]

Hey, girl! You look FABULOUS!!!
I just watched Forks over Knives this week and it is making me rethink the way we eat, but I also don't think we can realistically go Vegan, kwim? It's such a HUGE commitment and since Paul is from WI, he has to have his cheese and brats!
I purchased Happy Herbivore's cook books. The Everyday one looks really promising. Although, I don't know if I will ever really be able to embrace tofu...

I doubt we will ever be true vegans, so I was excited when I found The Food Matters Cookbook the yesterday at the library and I think it will probably be a perfect compromise. The author realizes there is no way he can be a perfect Vegan, so he eats vegan throughout the day, and then after 6 he does eat meat/dairy etc, but the meat is used as a side, not as the featured dish. The recipes look so good, even without any images, they have me drooling. :P

Good luck!!!!

[mariewilcox]

Forks Over Knives is an excellent watch and very thought provoking - I've watched it several times in fact, even though I haven't eaten meat in 30 years - LOL.

The documentary Food Matters is also an excellent watch, though I'm not sure if it can be watched for free right now. I watched it a few months ago when it was being offered for free on line.

[iScrap]

I've been vegetarian most of my life, too. I wont give-up cheese, so being vegan is not for me. I do watch how much I eat of it, though. My biggest piece of advice is to ensure you're eating enough protein. Veggies have protein, but you'll need more. We eat a lot of quinoa (a complete food) and beans. I avoid a lot of soy products because too much of it can lead to a lot of health problems - especially for women. I stick with the most natural source of soy - the actual bean - and pass on other more processed foods like tofu and replacement products made with soy.

If you're missing chicken, I recommend Quorn products. They're not soy-based and they come pretty close to the texture of chicken. My DH loves the patties when he wants a "meat" sandwich.

I also take a B12 supplement because it's only found naturally in animal products.

You are looking good, momma. Keep up the great work and keep feeling good about yourself!

[neenee]

Originally Posted by YepBrook

I'm not a vegetarian or vegan, so I have no help to offer... but can I just say you look FANTASTIC in that pic!

Awww....thank you Brook!

[neenee]

I was reading all these on my Kindle and decided I better get on my laptop so I can type faster. LOL

Thank you too Penny and Jennifer. XO

Actually watching Forks Over Knives last week is what pushed me over the brink to decide to go vegan. I then watched a few other documentaries and I have always avoided watching anything that showed or talked about animal cruelty but, one of the ones I watched had some of it in there and then that totally sealed the deal for me to give up meat. I don't know how long it will last but, the thought of meat right now makes me sick. I hate to just live in denial but, in this case....I would have preferred to live in oblivion. It wears too heavy on my heart.

Today is a week for me with no meat. However, I have had some cheese the last two days. I don't know that I can truly be completely Vegan. I too love cheese and my yogurt. I am not a big milk person and eggs have always kind of made me yak so I'm good there. I think that a vegetarian lifestyle is going to work best for us.

We did start taking a B12 supplement as well. I have had issues with my B12 in the past because I have never been a big meat eater.

Do any of you eat fish? Or is fish a no-no on a Vegetarian diet?

[neenee]

Originally Posted by mariewilcox

Forks Over Knives is an excellent watch and very thought provoking - I've watched it several times in fact, even though I haven't eaten meat in 30 years - LOL.

The documentary Food Matters is also an excellent watch, though I'm not sure if it can be watched for free right now. I watched it a few months ago when it was being offered for free on line.

I will look to see if I can get that Food Matters on Netflix Marie. Forks Over Knives was a really good movie. I tried to get hubs to watch it but he fell asleep.

[neenee]

Originally Posted by Penny Springmann

Hey, girl! You look FABULOUS!!!
I just watched Forks over Knives this week and it is making me rethink the way we eat, but I also don't think we can realistically go Vegan, kwim? It's such a HUGE commitment and since Paul is from WI, he has to have his cheese and brats!
I purchased Happy Herbivore's cook books. The Everyday one looks really promising. Although, I don't know if I will ever really be able to embrace tofu...

I doubt we will ever be true vegans, so I was excited when I found The Food Matters Cookbook the yesterday at the library and I think it will probably be a perfect compromise. The author realizes there is no way he can be a perfect Vegan, so he eats vegan throughout the day, and then after 6 he does eat meat/dairy etc, but the meat is used as a side, not as the featured dish. The recipes look so good, even without any images, they have me drooling. :P

Good luck!!!!

Thank you for your suggestions Penny. We bought the Forks Over Knives cookbook. We have tried about 4 recipes in it. I just wish it had more pictures. I love cookbooks with lots of pictures. I like to see what I eat before I cook it. So I can drool like you said!

[mariewilcox]

I recently bought the Eat Clean Diet Vegetarian Cookbook too - lots of pics and some good recipes. It is also categorized by different forms of vegetarianism - everything for lacto, ovo, vegan, and pescetarian (fish/seafood).

I personally don't eat fish or seafood and I actually became deathly allergic to shellfish when I was about 22 so I can't eat it anyway.

[iScrap]

Pescetarians are "vegetarians" who eat fish/seafood. They're not really vegetarians, but it's still a very healthy diet. Some of our friends are pescetarians.

[mariewilcox]

Originally Posted by iScrap

Pescetarians are "vegetarians" who eat fish/seafood. They're not really vegetarians, but it's still a very healthy diet. Some of our friends are pescetarians.

I agree that they aren't really vegetarians

[iScrap]

I totally missed your previous post, Marie! I'm glad we agree though.

[lovely1m]

Originally Posted by mariewilcox

I agree that they aren't really vegetarians

me, too! Mostly cause whenever I say I am a vegetarian the first question is always, "Do you eat fish?" No, fish is a meat. lol Then I get, "Do you eat chicken?" Again, a meat.

[mariewilcox]

Originally Posted by lovely1m

me, too! Mostly cause whenever I say I am a vegetarian the first question is always, "Do you eat fish?" No, fish is a meat. lol Then I get, "Do you eat chicken?" Again, a meat.

LOL - The chicken thing drives me nuts! Um yeah, it's a meat! I always tell people if it had a face and parents I don't eat it

[MissKim]

My son is a vegetarian. No meat. He had issues throughout his life, but about a year ago finally just said "I'm a vegetarian." We eat more vegetarian meals now. I made manicotti tonight and didn't add meat to the sauce the way I would have two years ago. When I make tacos, I buy a can of black beans so he can eat the same food. It requires some thought to have a vegetarian alternative on hand (and there's always veggie burgers in the freezer) but other than that, he's a lot happier as a vegetarian. The dr did tell him he's underweight. He's over six foot and has always been on the skinny side. He's dropped at least a pant size since going vegetarian. Just makes us more aware of getting proteins for him. Lots of eggs, cheese, beans. Some protein bars. I am glad he's not vegan because I think that would make it really difficult for him to get enough protein.

I do have a question... my daughter has a friend who says she's basically a vegetarian because she doesn't eat red meat. I don't agree because eating any meat means you're not vegetarian in my book. Anyway, I asked what this girl was eating when they stop at McDonalds for dinner. Kiah said the girl eats chicken nuggets. Is beef the only "red meat"? Is chicken not "red meat"? I guess there's dark meat and white meat chicken, but I chicken nuggets are just assorted parts so how would you know if they were white or dark?

I've been pondering this for awhile, can you tell?

[lovely1m]

Kim, lots of people say they are basically a vegetarian cause they don't eat red meat. I hear it all the time. Its not true, they just don't eat beef usually. Its not vegetarian, its not even close. They are normally the reason people ask vegetarians if they eat fish or chicken.

[iScrap]

I went to a picnic once and someone had made baked beans with ham and they said it would be vegetarian if I picked out the ham.

No. lolol

[mariewilcox]

Exactly what Mari said - if you eat anything that had a face, parents, slithers, walks, crawls, swims, or is a flesh you are not a vegetarian. Period. Vegetarians eat plants and foods derived from plants.

If you eat fish/seafood you are a pescetarian.

If you eat chicken, light or dark meat (it's still meat no matter what color) you are a carnivore.

If you eat pork you are a carnivore.

If you eat red meat you are a carnivore.

[lovely1m]

Originally Posted by iScrap

I went to a picnic once and someone had made baked beans with ham and they said it would be vegetarian if I picked out the ham.

No. lolol

Bahaha....also a very normal thing to hear.

[MissKim]

One thing I've learned is to be sensitive to how I cook (i.e. using separate utensils to stir something with meat vs the same something without meat, or cutting his pizza first then the meat pizza so I don't cross contaminate). One thing I can't control is restaurants. We went to a Japanese steak house and even though he ordered a vegetarian meal, they put the meat on the grill before serving his vegetables, so he wouldn't eat the vegetables. I think the chef immediately realized what he did, but by then what could he do? Even at Subway we have to let him go first so that they don't use the knife to cut the sandwich on my Italian then cut his veggie. If we're at a regular restaurant where he can't see the food being prepared, he just lets it go but if he can see that it's made with something that's touched meat, it bugs him. It's very difficult when we go on vacation. I have to google and find menus from everywhere we're considering eating. We search out non-chains because a lot of chains -- Applebees, etc. -- are not very vegetarian friendly. I assume it's coming, but they're not there yet.

[lovely1m]

Totally agree with you on all account, Kim. I can't tell you how many times my salad with the meat on the side that I give to whomever I am eating with has clearly had the meat dumped on, then picked back off like its no big deal at Applebees.