# Thinking about going vegetarian over here...anyone with experience? wanna help?



## alexmurphy (Apr 18, 2010)

I've thought over this one for a long time. Dont get me wrong, a lot of the time I like meat. But now and then, I'll get a chicken wing with a feather or my taco meat will be crunchy, and it reminds me what im eating, where it came from (CAFOs), etc. 

I'm not so much one of those people where its like "those poor cows have feelings too." I don't know if this is bad but i dont care about animals all that much. I might be sad if I run over a dog but if someone kills a cow so I can eat...the cow can take it. My point is, i want to be a vegetarian because of the quality of america's meat. people have died eating mcdonalds because of e coli in the meat, and the FDA does almost nothing at all to stop this from happening again. America's meat is no longer exported out of the country (it apparently used to be exported to canada and the UK, neither will take it anymore). Most foreigners who come to my town will stay as far away from meat as possible. They know somethings wrong, like we should. 


Start here if you want the short version. So, i want to be vegetarian. But, i dont really know where to start. I know your not supposed to eat meat, but i always wondered if it was bad to just quit, or if you should try to ween yourself off. And then once you dont eat meat, aren't you missing a lot of essential nutrients? how do i get those without eating meat?

Basically, just give me a crash course/send me a website if you are lazy. Thanks 



Also, this is somewhat unrelated but I didn't want to start a new thread. I heard that if you have cancer, if you consume vegetable proteins instead of animal proteins it almost 100% goes away. I dont know if thats true or not, i dont even remember where I heard it. But if you have any info let me know


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## xXxPriestessxXx (Apr 18, 2010)

I have the same issue as you do with being reminded of where something comes from. I won't eat anything on a bone for that reason. Honestly I think it's best to ween yourself off. I have been really sick recently, and because of that I haven't had meat in almost a month. Now I don't really want it. I wasn't necessarily trying to become a vegetarian, but it was my experience that the less often I ate it the less often I wanted it.


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## rvai (Apr 18, 2010)

Well I´d say if you don´t want to eat cow, pork or chicken, then you should gradually stop consuming those, while increasing your daily vegetable intake, and actually you are right, if you eat nothing but vegetables you miss out on some essential nutrients, so you should definetely eat fish, any kind, since it containts proteins and essential fatty acids.

I´m a med student and it´s kind of sad when at the hospital I see people (mostly women) who want to get thinner or people who think eating meat is wrong, with severe conditions due to the lack of some nutrients.

So please take it slow, your body has been used to some metabolic routes for a very long time and it will take some time to change the routes that will be used.


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## alexmurphy (Apr 18, 2010)

rvai said:


> Well I´d say if you don´t want to eat cow, pork or chicken, then you should gradually stop consuming those, while increasing your daily vegetable intake, and actually you are right, if you eat nothing but vegetables you miss out on some essential nutrients, so you should definetely eat fish, any kind, since it containts proteins and essential fatty acids.
> 
> I´m a med student and it´s kind of sad when at the hospital I see people (mostly women) who want to get thinner or people who think eating meat is wrong, with severe conditions due to the lack of some nutrients.
> 
> So please take it slow, your body has been used to some metabolic routes for a very long time and it will take some time to change the routes that will be used.



well for me, being vegetarian implies that i dont eat fish either. For me, vegetarian means you dont eat anything that used to be an animal. 

I'm definitely not rushing into this, i have been pondering this since about this time last year. 

if i dont eat any meat though, is there a way i can still take pills or something to get those nutrients?


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## Bevo (Apr 18, 2010)

I have been a Veggie for most of my life even when i ate meat when I was younger. I just don't like meat because of the health and the food poisining issue. Had it a couple times and my dad has heart disiease.

Best thing to do is start to do one day a week totaly veg, just like you want to do. You can also start changing dinners to all veg and keep the lunch and breakfast normal.
You will find the less you eat the less you want and that is because your body is getting used to it.
Take it slow and try the veggie cookbooks to see whats out there.

I eat fish only and that is not every day, I use Canada's West Coast Salmon or localy caught fresh fish.
I also eat egg white protien which helps to keep the weight on.

You sound like you want to go Vegan and that is brutal, not much to eat if you go out lots of hard food choices and many hungry days.
The worst part is you will get fed up of the same food all the time, make it a plan to try all the ethnic foods you can, variety is now your spice of life.

I play hockey and used to race Motocross and Road bicycles and going without fish or some egg protien really made we weak.
Over the last few months I have been not eating any egg or fish and now I am paying the price. I have lost weight and strength and that not cool.

Think about where you get your food from and do your homework, try to stick to some fish and pure egg whites.
Go for natural foods as much as possible, local stuff with no weird crap you don't know on the label.

Whew!!!
Hope that helps, feel free to P me if you have questions.


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## renzoip (Apr 18, 2010)

I've been a veg for 4 years now and if there is something I can suggest is to stop eating meat gradually. Stopping suddenly without the proper protein replacement will make you crash (I did it to me). So I say gradually start easting more veggies and soy protein, also eggs, tofu and hummus are a good!


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## Bucks (Apr 18, 2010)

I was veggie from birth, and have kept a strict vegan diet for the last 10 years. Veggie friends tell me its very very easy to go from eating meat to vegetarian.

Having an entirely plant based diet you will soon notice improvements in health, you will physically look better and healthier, you will live longer and you will not get sick as often.

Of course you have to be sensible, poorly planned diets can be devastating for your health. Alot of people comment on the lack of protein, the answer? nuts and seeds are your best friends.
With a correctly planned vegetarian/vegan diet you are in no danger of missing out on important minerals and nutrients.

Try it out, i'm sure you will see the health benefits of cutting out meat (of course this is all without going into the ethical issues).


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## shadowlife (Apr 18, 2010)

These are your new best friends:

1- dark leafy green veggies (spinach, etc)
2- nuts and seeds, especially raw almonds and cashews
3- fish oil supplement, or if you don't want those, flax seeds
4- some sort of vitamin B complex supplement, especially B12 (try Red Star nutritional yeast- you can add it to anything, and it is loaded with B vitamins)
5- fruit, especially dark berries like blueberries
6- a vegetarian or vegan cookbook. You need to put some effort into this to make it work and ensure you are staying healthy, and a cookbook is a great source of info.

As others have stated, ethnic foods offer lots of great meat-free options for you to investigate.


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## ry_z (Apr 19, 2010)

I went vegetarian about a year ago, and vegan about six months ago now. Neither transition was sudden. I started by stopping red meat (since I was never fond of it anyway), then chicken, then fish. For a while I was eating macaroni and cheese for about 75% of my meals. I don't recommend that. 

Fake meat products can make the transition much easier if you're so inclined. There are a lot of good ones on the market these days. I'm trying to rely on them less and less (since they're typically really processed) but I often use them to throw on salads, since they're really fast and convenient.

The most important thing is to have balance in your diet - I don't typically worry too much about it, I just try to have a variety of different protein sources, etc.

As others have said here: soy, nuts, and beans are your friends.  Lentils are a staple for me, and I've taken a liking to tempeh. (which is made from whole soybeans)







General Tso-style tempeh.


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## DrunkyMunky (Apr 19, 2010)

I turned vegetarian about 5 years ago and I did it overnight. I just stopped eating animals one day and never looked back. Maybe I was lucky but my body took it very well. In fact, meat would send me to the hospital from time to time. Never happened again.

Oh and it's really easy to rely too much on cheese and eggs. I am struggling to go vegan but haven't mastered veggie level yet. 

I am currently in the process of learning to cook and eat better 'cause I don't put much effort into my meals - I don't plan what I eat and am a little overweight.


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## ralphy1976 (Apr 19, 2010)

i know i am going to get shot down in flames for that, but enlightened me a bit here : 

how do you put weight on by being on a vegetarian diet? or are you eating junk food sweet / coke..etc..as well as your diet?


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## josh pelican (Apr 19, 2010)

Glad to see other vegetarians (and vegans) here. I was a vegetarian since high school and became vegan in the last year. I stopped eating meat cold turkey (pardon the pun). I slowly cut out milk/coffee cream and started using soy. Then I cut out cheese and started using different things. There's not really any vegan cheese that melts around here.  

I make a mean stirfry which is one of my favorite weapons of choice. Everyone should eat stirfry.

I have a bit of weight on me and am trying to cut it off. Most people think I'm "too skinny" but I've got a bit of a gut on me. I have been loosing a bit of weight, so I'm happy. I don't eat any junkie food whatsoever, nor do I drink pop. I sure do drink a lot of fucking coffee, though. I don't have the most active lifestyle, but am hoping to be on the BMX a lot more when it warms up here.

I'm more than happy to discuss vegetarian/vegan meals and share recipes. I don't post here as much as I'd like to now that I'm working in the hospital. Feel free to shoot me a PM or e-mail me ([email protected]). Hell, you can find me on facebook, too!

If I see people messaging me, I'll certainly make my way over here and share ideas, too. I'd post some now but I'm supposed to be working. OOPS.


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## jymellis (Apr 19, 2010)

we have canine teeth for a reason. i love meat and its good for you. in moderation.


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## Bucks (Apr 19, 2010)

ralphy1976 said:


> i know i am going to get shot down in flames for that, but enlightened me a bit here :
> 
> how do you put weight on by being on a vegetarian diet? or are you eating junk food sweet / coke..etc..as well as your diet?



Its very easy to still be overweight on a veggie diet, because of dairy. Nuts and seeds contain alot of (healthy) fats and then you have potatoes and other stratchy carbs, rice, bread etc.

I'm 6ft and weigh 154lbs, so my BMI is pretty much spot on. It is a myth that veggie's/vegans are all very very skinny. I don't eat candy or any junk food and the only things I drink are water, green tea and every so often wine with dinner.


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## ralphy1976 (Apr 19, 2010)

got you, i forgot about dairy aspect of the diet.

as for the nuts /seeds..etc..i eat this too and i have to be careful when i don't exercise >8hrs / week to cut down on intake.


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## thraxil (Apr 19, 2010)

jymellis said:


> we have canine teeth for a reason.



FWIW, Gorillas have gigantic fangs: 






But are strict vegetarians. 

I've been a vegetarian for about a decade now. Started in large part because I've just never liked meat very much. I was doing a lot of yoga and meditation at the time, basically spending a lot of time observing the internal state of my own mind and body and I noticed significant differences when I ate meat. Meat made me feel slower and heavier, physically and mentally. Cutting it out of my diet completely made me feel lighter and more mentally agile. 

I do believe that everyone's metabolism is different though and you should experiment and make your own decision. Our bodies all process our food a little differently. Some people are lactose intolerant, some are celiacs, some have various allergies, and I think some people need meat or need to avoid/limit it. Though I doubt any one needs as much meat as the typical american eats currently.

I really recommend experimenting yourself. Give yourself at least a week of one dietary change at a time, trying to keep everything else relatively constant and spend some time observing the effects. After you eat, do you go into a "food coma" and feel sluggish? When does it kick in and how long does it last? How soon are you hungry again after you eat? How is your sleep? Are you feeling tired when you wake up in the morning? Do you have trouble concentrating on a task for a long time? When you exercise, do you fatigue faster or slower than normal? Try experimenting with cutting out meat, dairy, grains, alcohol, and sugar. Try specifically adding extra vegetables and fruit or drinking more water. If something seems to be a noticeable improvement, try running a month long trial to make sure it wasn't just something else that was going on that week.

Whether or not you eat meat, I think it's worth it to be informed about what you eat and the effects it has. Read up on nutrition and the basics of how your body absorbs and uses various nutrients. Read the ingredients on your food. If you don't recognize an ingredient, read up on it. Read up on the USDA and FDA regulations that govern how our food is produced and labeled. Decide for yourself what percentage of your food you're comfortable with being rat feces and take that into consideration when you think about buying some cheap ground beef.

One more bit of advice: If you do end up cutting something out of your diet, expect it to take at least a few months for your body's cravings to adapt. Eg, if you need more protein, your body will tell you, but an "I need more protein" signal will be interpreted as a craving for what your brain associates with protein, which is probably meat currently, but might turn into a craving for peanut butter or something else. 

Also, the thing about replacing animal proteins with plant proteins as a "cure" for cancer is 100% bogus. When you have


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## alexmurphy (Apr 19, 2010)

Bevo said:


> You sound like you want to go Vegan and that is brutal, not much to eat if you go out lots of hard food choices and many hungry days.
> The worst part is you will get fed up of the same food all the time, make it a plan to try all the ethnic foods you can, variety is now your spice of life.



HAH! I could never do that. I just want to stay away from eating physical meat. i dont mind eating cheese or eggs (i am disgusted by milk, however). 

anyway, thank you for the answer, i will be adding rep to a few people


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## alexmurphy (Apr 19, 2010)

josh pelican said:


> Glad to see other vegetarians (and vegans) here. I was a vegetarian since high school and became vegan in the last year. I stopped eating meat cold turkey (pardon the pun). I slowly cut out milk/coffee cream and started using soy. Then I cut out cheese and started using different things. There's not really any vegan cheese that melts around here.
> 
> I make a mean stirfry which is one of my favorite weapons of choice. Everyone should eat stirfry.
> 
> ...



id send you an invite but im on a school computer and its blocked. there's a link to my facebook in my sig, click on it and add me, if its not too much trouble.


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## signalgrey (Apr 19, 2010)

make sure you take your vitamins. there are several companies that make vegetarian oriented vitamin supplements. take them.


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## josh pelican (Apr 19, 2010)

alexmurphy said:


> id send you an invite but im on a school computer and its blocked. there's a link to my facebook in my sig, click on it and add me, if its not too much trouble.


 
I'll add you when I get home after work!

signalgrey - I don't take any vitamins, supplements, additives, or anything else. I just take a lot of hummus.


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## alexmurphy (Apr 19, 2010)

josh pelican said:


> I'll add you when I get home after work!
> 
> signalgrey - I don't take any vitamins, supplements, additives, or anything else. I just take a lot of hummus.


awesome!

Also,
what does hummus taste like? ive always wanted to know about that...


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## Bevo (Apr 19, 2010)

Seeing so many Vegans here I have to change my tune, it can't be that hard as long as you put the effort into it.
I do also think that where you live can make it easier, when I was in Vancouver we had veggie choices everywhere. Come to think of it I ate a ton of Vegan food out there. Here in Toronto its meat city but options are available if you look.

This may sound funny but I have known more than a few Veggies that were overweight and get this...never ate Veggies!
Pasta, bread and carbs are the kicker that puts on the pounds, if you control that then you will be ok.

Bottom line, more calories than you burn makes you fat, less callories than you burn makes you lose weight. It is as simple as that, for healthy people with no issues.


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## Uncle Remus (Apr 19, 2010)

I've got nothing to add as i've been a vegetarian from birth so I don't know the best way to change. But I wanna say well done for doing a seriously cool thing 

And don't let people ridicule you for it either. I have loads of people at my school who don't understand and are totally ignorant and narrow minded ie "you can't live without meat"


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## Bevo (Apr 19, 2010)

Missed the Hummus and mmmm your right, having some now on a whole grain cracker with some whisky and gingerale.
Mine is spicey with peppers in it and a red color.

It varies but has chickpeas, garlic, ground sesame seeds (tahini) and spices. Goes good as above or as part of a pita sandwhich, veggie dip, anything!! Worth a try but try lots as they are all different.

My favorite breakfast is egg whites, in a fry pan like an omlete, toss in onions, cheese, whatever vegies I have on hand, chopped veggie ham, cover till whites are hard from low heat. Usaly just long enough to make toast, close it up, add salsa with some hot sauce and a big slice of advacodo and the whole grain toast with peanut butter and jam.
25-30 grams protien, 5-10 grams fibre who cares about calories and fat is minimal.


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## josh pelican (Apr 19, 2010)

Bevo said:


> Missed the Hummus and mmmm your right, having some now on a whole grain cracker with some whisky and gingerale.
> Mine is spicey with peppers in it and a red color.



That's what I'm talking about right there.







Thank you, Costco!

If God exists/existed, he was in the form of hummus. (EDIT: Same with Jesus, Moses, Adam, Eve, the leaves they wore, and that tree with the apple)


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## Sang-Drax (Apr 19, 2010)

I know a few vegs that had to resume eating meat due to health issues. AFAIK, though, it's nothing irreversible... if you need to eat it again sometime in your life, just go back.

I'm not nearly close to being a veg nor I plan to become one, but whoever tries it has my full support and respect. I'm overall sensitive to all paradigm breakers, I think


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## NixerX (Apr 30, 2010)

josh pelican said:


> That's what I'm talking about right there.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



DuUUUDE im totally on this 3 week long hummus kick.

for dinner last night it was a Amy's Texas buger with some seriously sharp cheddar, Jalapenos, BBQ Sauce, Josephs supreme Hummus and some Habenero Tabasco. LOOOOVE!!!


TO the OP.

I was raised a Veg..started eating meat as a teen...but recently switched back to being a vegetarian. Partially because its healthier but mostly because ive never really totally enjoyed eating meat. Also if you read books like the China study, Skinny Bastard, or Diet for a New America you'll shit at what some of the dietary norms of our society actually do to out bodies...then mix in the chemicals that the FDA approves of.. 


As for switching. My wife and I bought a couple Vegetarian cook books and started experimenting with recipes.We haven't looked back since. We also eat fish a couple times a week so I guess that makes us Flexitarians or whatever but living on the coast of Maine we have access to some of the freshest seafood around.

Some people make being a veg religious thing...fuck that. If you eat a burger from time to time who cares but I think that once you switch you wont go back to eating meat.

Anyway..everyone knows being a veg makes you  and brings the  way more.


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## Sang-Drax (May 18, 2010)

As a side note, for the past two fridays I've had lunch at a veg restaurant with my co-workers. I was pleasantly surprised! The food was actually delicious... I didn't miss meat at all! Soy definitely rocks.

It's worth of notice that it's far from being a fancy place, btw.


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## InigoMontoya (May 19, 2010)

Both my parents are vegetarian, and I have been vegetarian at different stages.
The basic fact is that we are evolved to eat meat, at least in moderation, and that if you choose to not eat it, you have to find other sources for things such as iron, protein and vitamin B12 etc. 
I would recommend doing your research and maybe even seeing a naturopath or something.

You'll need to take a B12 supplement if you go vegan, because there's almost no way to get it from non-animal products.
Prune juice and leafy vegetable (ie spinach and kale) are really high in iron, and if you eat these with other food sources that contain vitamin C it will boost your intake of the iron.
Protein can be gotten from nuts, and by combining different seeds and legumes and pulses you can make dishes that your body can synthesise complete proteins from.
There's also this grain called Quinoa (Keen-WAH) which is a complete protein by itself, and that you can use like rice.
I would steer away from tofu and soy milk, as studies have shown that they can inhibit nutrient intake, but fermented soy products like tempeh are high in protein and don't have this problem.

Ultimately it's about doing the research and finding stuff that works for you, and there's no reason why you can't just do it over night.

Good luck!


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## alex103188 (May 20, 2010)

It's living food for the living body versus dead cooked nutrition-less things. Hell, if I could find a legit freshwater source of sushi I'd probably eat raw fish from time to time.

::: THE CHINA STUDY ::: Is a good read and amidst all the ridiculous scientific crap there are some really amazing studies that demonstrate the long term benefits of said healthier diet options versus meat consumption.

Refute as you will, possibly enraged meat eating people reading this post..


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## thraxil (May 20, 2010)

I'm sorry, but the whole "mucoid plaque" thing has been utterly rejected by the medical community. It is the epitome of modern pseudo-scientific quackery. The term was invented by a guy (Richard Anderson, a "naturopath", not a doctor or scientist) who, conveniently, sells a line of products that will eliminate it. Mucus is an important part of your GI tract and does not form "plaque" of any kind. At least, no doctors who have done intestinal biopsies have ever seen any. 

Eat whatever you want but don't buy into the quack alternative medicine bullshit.


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## Marv Attaxx (May 20, 2010)

I've been a vegetarian (ovo-lacto) for about 19 years. Yeah, I'm 21 
I had a bad case of atopic dermatitis and no meds were helping. So my mother started cutting the meat from my diet (she's a nutritionist so she knew how to raise a little child withour meat) and it improved my health dramatically. While growing up I was never forbidden to eat meat, I just choose to remain vegetarian.
Never changed that, never will change that.
Never had any sort of deficiency syndrome. I never got sick since then (beside some fever in two winters), I'm normally built and in comparison to my friends quite big (started working out st 10, did martial arts all my life and got seriously into bodybuilding about 2 years ago, never had any problems with bulking up) and was the strongest and fastet guy at school. And I just feel great 
Can't eat meat anymore because honestly for me there's no difference if there's a steak or an overrun cat on my table, I think it's equally disgusting 
Eat versatile: fruits, vegetables, soy and beans a great sources for protein, your normal cooked food (instead of a salami-pizza stick to a margherita, instead of spaghetti bologense you eat spaghetti napoletana for example. quite easy ). Add some eggs, drink enough and I don't think you'll face any problems 

And once and for all: vegetarians don't eat fish 
Never!
The western definition of a "normal" vegeratian is a guy who doesn't eat animals but consumes milk and eggs (ovo-lacto-vegetarian)


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## JordanLee (May 23, 2010)

I've been vegan since I was 14 (I'm 20 now), and it's been a wonderful journey. I became vegan for ethical reasons (read Peter Singer's Practical Ethics), and later found out about and enjoyed the health benefits. As many are saying, it's not nearly as hard as you think, especially when you start considering all that it takes to get the animal products to your dinner plate (environmental destruction, animals being treated as property and not as sentient creatures, etc.).
In terms of really committing yourself to veganism/vegetarianism and getting an idea of what it's all about, I suggest you watch a documentary called Earthlings... it'll really make you think. 
In terms of nutrition, it's hard to separate all of the myths that are bought an paid for by the meat and dairy industry from the truth. But, as many are saying, there are a FEW things that did evolve the procure from meat, and they must be replaced by reliable sources (b12 being the most important). I suggest you check out vegweb.com for awesome vegan recipes, Brenda Davis R.D. - Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist, Author, Speaker, Consultant for ACCURATE and THOROUGHLY RESEARCHED vegan health information (she's been a vegan for 30+ years), and also Animal Rights: The Abolitionist Approach for awesome info from Professor Gary Francione on veganism and animal rights. 

Good luck man! Becoming vegan was easily the best choice I've made in my life... it makes life more enjoyable (cooking becomes a real art when you're vegan and live in a meat-and-oil-loving city like Edmonton) and at the end of the day, you know that you're actively and consciously practicing nonviolence consistently. 

- Jordan


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## dantel666 (May 23, 2010)

im on my way to becoming a vegetarian.

My whole family tells me I shouldnt, but i want to because i know it will benefit me and i actually care about animals.

its been really hard for me to get to where i am since pretty much every night my family has some sort of meat for dinner and if i dont eat that i pretty much dont have dinner.

ive made it so at least one meal a day is meat free which is helping alot and sometimes my family enjoys salad for dinner which is a plus.

I say just slowly cut meat out of your diet, i started first with fish(never really liked it anyways) then i cut chicken out, but the hard one is red meat since it used to be one of my favorite things to eat.

best of luck to you and you vegetarian goals


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