So this is month number six for me. It ain't a cruelty towards animals thing, I just find myself less bloated/lazy after eating a meal with out meat. That is especially true for lunch while at work - it is not as much a pain to get work done after lunch. I found it hard the first few months to avoid eating meat; the last time I ate meat was when a friend coaxed me into eating some pizza. To be truthful it is a little more difficult to avoid products with eggs (cookies, some breads, mayonaise, etc), but I have managed to do that quite well as of late. I think a vegetarian diet is something that everyone should at least consider and try for a few (3) weeks before ragging on it.
Im the opposite. I absolutely NEED meat in order to not feel starved. And no, I'm not going to eat all carbs for that - I already eat an ungodly amount of rice each day. Give me a salad for lunch and I'm going to have a growling stomach for the rest of the day.
Being a vegetarian doesn't just mean eating salads all day. There are just as many vegetarian options as non-veg out there. It just takes a little research on your part to see what else is out there. This is coming from someone who is going on 15 years being a vegetarian now.
I have cut back on meat the last two months but am not going full vegetarian. The hardest part is eating out with other people especially since I have a client who runs a restaurant and we meet there and she insist on treating us to lunch with her pick of food.
I'll occasional go meatless, but it's very difficult as I'm a big carnivore. If you don't consider fish to be meat I might be able to pull it off.
Yes there are a lot of options especially if you still eat dairy and eggs. Even going vegan there are plenty of options. There are nuts and beans. Tofu and tempeh comes in a lot of different varieties and textures. There is also hummus and felafel. If you aren't allergic to gluten and can tolerate MSG there are things like mock duck and a whole bunch of Asian meat substitutes that aren't too bad.
I try to go meatless as much as I can lately. Unfortunately my entire family eats meat all the freaking time. Makes it quite difficult...plus steaks and hamburgers are so nummy.
I used to feel the way you do about meat where I was never full. After a week or two that subsides. I was vegetarian for about a year. I really regret changing my diet and keep wanting to go back to veggie only because it made me feel so great.
Out of all the diet changes I've made over the years (dropping soft drinks, dropping sweets/junk food, etc.), going vegetarian was one of the easier changes. And I hate salads (though I try to eat them more when I can).
I see no reason to abandon meat personally. It can be quite cheap, it can be healthy, it's widely available. And it's delicious.
i find it incredibly easy to go vegetarian, as i love pretty much all meat analogues, tofu, tempeh, beans & rice (and for that matter i love salads too). but, i also love eating a burger or pepperoni pizza every so often too. my coworkers sometimes make these insane grilled steaks and bring leftovers. and i love love love love love love fish, i could eat tuna every day. i'd say i much healthier going easy on gluten rather than meat.
I was a strict vegetarian for 5 plus years, six months as pescetarian, and just a few weeks ago I began to eat meat again. Honestly, I feel better now than I have in a long while. I have cut way back on grains, beans, soy (which make up a large portion of a veg diet), and substituted with meat and more green veggies (vitamix to the rescue). I basically eat a less strict paleo diet. I purchased about 30 pounds of beef and poultry from a farm in Grandview, TX that is 100% grass fed. Hell no to fast food or hormone injected corn fed cows--I'd rather stay veg than that. The grains and beans kept me often bloated, meat does not, however. I am still adjusting to a omnivorous diet again, but I definitely have better energy, am less hungry and less bloated throughout the day than I was as a vegetarian. To go a little further, I think it's about more than simply meat/no meat. I felt better going from omnivorous to vegetarian six years ago because I was eating low quality food on the whole as an omnivore, and by switching to veg I eliminated a bunch of crap like fast food burgers and other heavy meat dishes. I think eating meat along with refined carbs, like bread, pasta, and starchy vegetables is the worst. So from my personal experiance: paleo style diet > vegetarian > typical western diet
A few years ago I gave up meat for Lent. It wasn't too tough surviving on fruits, vegetables and fish but I wouldn't want to do it for a longer period of time.
I've been a vegetarian for 4 years man. You stop thinking about it completely and everything works fine after the first month. It's not that hard! Every good food is without meat pretty much. glad to find other clutchfan vegetarians
I'm the opposite. I end up eating so much more, I feel more bloated without meat, especially beans. To me the best option is to still eat meat, just less of it & more vegetables. Unfortunately everyone has to be one extreme or the other- either bacon as a religion, or the level 5 vegans who insist everyone be on their exact diet & it must be for x amount of time before reaching enlightenment. I'm guessing sugars & all the processed stuff is much worse than meat anyway. But good for anyone who figured out what works for them.
When I am done putting on weight, I will try to eat only steaks, eggs, and certain green veg. Too much carbs in my system makes me feel lethargic, and eating alot of tofu makes me feel less manly (less strength, less full voice) for some reason.
I have been a vegetarian all my life (eggs and dairy included though) until recently. Now the only meat I eat is chicken. No beef, fish, pork etc. Be careful with overload of soy protein - it increases the female hormone estrogen in you while decreasing T
Not sure about being a full on vegetarian but I just recently bought a Blendtec and I've been blending all kinds of raw veggies and fruits to make smoothies and it's oh so tasty. Can't even taste the veggies. Nutritious and delicious FTW!