Considering vegetarianism

[Gorn]

I've been on a very strict diet for 3 weeks. I'm 6'1" and was 275 three weeks ago and I'm down to 263 as of this morning. I'm doing my best to eat small meals. Very little carbs. Very little meat. Nothing fried. No sweets. No sugar. No booze. It sucks, but it's working. I'm tired of being a chubster.

Anyway, I'm eating very little meat and the meat I'm eating isn't very satisfying. A lot of low sodium turkey. Chicken. Fish. Egg whites.

I've been thinking about it and while I'm motivated to do this, what if I just give up meat entirely? I'm not really enjoying the meat I'm eating, so if I cut it out entirely I don't think it would be a big deal.

 

[slobake]

Your choice. If you do give up meat try and have some legumes in your diet and look into what supplements you should take. There are a few things we can only get from animal protein.
I lost 20 lbs and my blood pressure returned to normal by eating about 20% meat and 80% fruit, veggies and grains. Very little processed food, no sugar and whole grains.
It is an acquired taste but I have gotten used to it. Investing time in learning to cook good tasting food has helped. I have kept my weight for almost three years now. I look at it as a paradigm change instead of a diet.
Have you been riding you bike? Spring is here.

 

[thabassmon]

I am a vegetarian and have been for six or so years.
I honestly feel healthier than I've ever been.
I switched because it didn't seem natural the we (humans) eat meat when we lack all the natural adaptations that meat eaters have.
No canines or claws. And we herbivorous digestive system. Long intestines to slowly breakdown plant matter, true carnivores have short intestines so the meat can be ejected before it rots.
so anyway I found my reason to switch, I feel trim, happy and healthy because of it.
Best of luck, and I hope you find what works best for you.

 

[Gorn]

I think I'm already at about 80/20 vegetables to meat. So maybe if I cut out the meat entirely and up my legume intake, it would help.

No bike riding yet. Maybe soon. I've been walking a lot.

 

[Gorn]

I am a vegetarian and have been for six or so years.
I honestly feel healthier than I've ever been.
I switched because it didn't seem natural the we (humans) eat meat when we lack all the natural adaptations that meat eaters have.
No canines or claws. And we herbivorous digestive system. Long intestines to slowly breakdown plant matter, true carnivores have short intestines so the meat can be ejected before it rots.
so anyway I found my reason to switch, I feel trim, happy and healthy because of it.
Best of luck, and I hope you find what works best for you.

Thanks. Based on my understanding of human evolution, I think eating meat is perfectly normal for us. It's said that our brain size greatly increased once our ancestors discovered fire and were able to consume more meat, cuz our stomachs couldn't handle it raw. My reason for considering giving up delicious, delicious animal flesh is purely for weight loss.

I just figure while I'm motivated, I should go as hardcore with this diet as possible and the meat I've been eating wouldn't really be missed.

 

[thabassmon]

Cool man, like I said I hope you find what works best for you.

I think meat tastes good too, my favourite used to be prosciutto or smoked lamb. I just choose not to eat it that's all.

I just use my chef training to make what I eat now just as enjoyable.

Light cardio may be helpful.

Good Luck

 

[MJ5150]

I gave up meat several weeks ago, five or six. I haven't missed it one bit. I'm getting to the point now where the smell of burning animal flesh is unpleasant to me. I didn't do it to lose weight or because of dietary restrictions, just for other reasons.

While I have been losing some weight, I feel much better overall. I don't believe eating animal flesh was ruining my health, I think it is more of replacing those food items with clean/raw foods that is having more of an impact to my increased energy, mental clarity, overall better mood, and lower weight.

The key to my success was planning out my meals and snacks to satisfy my bodies need for the nutrients it got from animal flesh, working closely with my wife to create menus, learning new cooking techniques and recipes (thank you Roku and Jamie Oliver). I realized it wasn't the actual food my body craved, but what it provided me by way of nutrition. It took me a long time to understand that relationship, and now that I understand better, it's working for me. I tried to go vegetarian years ago, was not nearly as prepared, so I gained a ton of weight as I was eating all kinds of carbs and other foods left and right to try and compensate for what my body was losing.

Check out Laura Miller. She has a channel on Roku called Raw.Vegan.Not Gross. I'm not ready to be a vegan, I love cheese, but she has some super awesome recipes and cooking techniques that she teaches in a really cool atmosphere. She doesn't talk down to anyone, act superior, or say bad things about those who eat animal flesh. She isn't on some kind of crusade to save the animals.

Full disclosure: I did have a beef hamburger one week ago.

-Mike

 

[Gaolee]

We are scavengers, and I'm personally not to interested in going back to that kind of diet. Beans are the food of the gods, though. I not been eating much red meat for a long time. Eating beans, bean soup, beans in burritos, and all that means I don't miss it very much. I'm not vegetarian by any stretch. Even so, I think there's a whole lot to be said for that kind of diet if you approach it right.

 

[slobake]

We are scavengers, and I'm personally not to interested in going back to that kind of diet. Beans are the food of the gods, though. I not been eating much red meat for a long time. Eating beans, bean soup, beans in burritos, and all that means I don't miss it very much. I'm not vegetarian by any stretch. Even so, I think there's a whole lot to be said for that kind of diet if you approach it right.

You said BURRITOS ! drool

 

[Mktrat]

You said BURRITOS ! drool

You beat me to it!!

 

[Luke19Boarder]

Bacon, cheeseburgers, fish, steak, pepperoni, ham, bacon, sausage, gyros, roast beef, chicken, bacon, lobster, crab, calamari, turkey, bacon, hot dogs, bratwurst, corned beef, buffalo burgers, shark steak, sushi ... no way I'm saying goodbye to some of my mouth's best friends

(and sorry if I missed any, which I'm certain I did)

edit: but good on all those who have given up meat, I certainly understand many reasons as to why one might.

 

[RedMoses]

I was raised eating meat 3 times a day, past few years I have been trying to have one or more Vegetarian days a week and it feels good.

If you don't want to be a chubster anymore you MUST exercise regularly, combined with a sensible diet you will look and feel good.

 

[2.6kHz]

Eat grilled fish, it's really good for you.

 

[paste]

Just don't be so hard on yourself if you do fail. I heard something like 80% of the people who cut out 100% of the meat from there diet eventually end up going back. So statistically, you're bound to fail.

 

[thabassmon]

@Luke19Boarder
What's a Gyro?

 

[Luke19Boarder]

@Luke19Boarder
What's a Gyro?

 

[thabassmon]

Oh Turkish kebabs sort of. Cheers looks alright

 

[slobake]

stay away from tofu

 

[Stevorebob]

Vegan here. No meat for over 40 years.

My advice is:

- Eat real food and avoid processed food-like substances and "transition" foods -- e.g., fake meats (not a lot of goodness there, and lots of sodium). The more it looks like a plant the better.
- Take a sublingual B12 supplement.
- Beans are an excellent protein source. Canned will do, but better is to buy dried and make them yourself. It's worth the time.
- Don't be a jerk about it. No one likes a vegan/vegetarian holier-than-thou A-hole except vegan/vegetarian holier-than-thou A-holes, and you'll have few friends.

It's a kind thing to do: good for you, good for animals, good for your wallet and good for the planet. Enjoy!

 

[paste]

Vegan here. No meat for over 40 years.

My advice is:

- Eat real food and avoid processed food-like substances and "transition" foods -- e.g., fake meats (not a lot of goodness there, and lots of sodium). The more it looks like a plant the better.
- Take a sublingual B12 supplement.
- Beans are an excellent protein source. Canned will do, but better is to buy dried and make them yourself. It's worth the time.
- Don't be a jerk about it. No one likes a vegan/vegetarian holier-than-thou A-hole except vegan/vegetarian holier-than-thou A-holes, and you'll have few friends.

It's a kind thing to do: good for you, good for animals, good for your wallet and good for the planet. Enjoy!

Kind on your wallet? Are you serious... eating "real food" is way more expensive then the junk most people eat. Maybe where you live it's different, but up here in the great North, organic food's are expensive as shiz.