Questions for Vegetarians [Archive]

BlueSky

14-01-2011, 03:47 PM

Hello, I'm considering a change in diet. I have a couple questions for seasoned Vegetarians:

Do you eat fish, why or why not?
Is a vegetarian diet good for althletes or highly physically active people? Can one retain and/or improve muscle mass and strength on such a diet? Thanks in advance!
Cal

Hi Cal,
Food is energy IMO and there is plenty of protein sources outside of meat for you to take in.
I have stopped eating meat for about 8 years now and I had pretty good inherited muscle tone most of my life. Now I am older and fatter but my diet did not seem to affect muscle tone. Lack of exercise has though...lol
There are great Whey and Soy protein powders out there and egg whites are another good source that many non-meat eaters have no issue with because they are not fertilized. There is no life in eggs until a male comes around.You may know that but I thought I would mention it.
In the stores.Quorn and Amy's makes some great dishes and ingredients for dishes.
As far as fish go..............IMO they don't jump in the boat when hooked..they try to get away so I figure they want to live to.
I know a few non-meat eaters who do eat fish and I say just go with what feels Ok to you. There are no rules...........
Good Luck.....James

mava

14-01-2011, 03:51 PM

Hi there,
I suppose the correct term for me would be Pescaterian because I do occasionally eat fish and some other seafood. When I talk to people, I do still use the term vegetarian, or I say "I don't eat meat."

One day, I do hope to give up fish and try living a raw food lifestyle. I don't really know why I still eat seafood. I think it's because my main goal is to be a healthy person and fish is very good for you. Sometimes when I don't feel satisfied with everything else I'm eating and if I feel like I need some protein, I will eat fish. I think it's important to listen to your body's needs.

I think you definitely can be an athlete while being vegetarian. It's all about carbs, healthy fats/oils, and protein, and you can find this in vegetarian food.

BlueSky

14-01-2011, 03:55 PM

Did a quick search on famous veg athletes.........interesting!
Mike Tyson?

There are countless vegetarian and vegan athletes. Some of the most famous and successful ones are:
Carl Lewis
Bill Walton
Scott Jurek
Mac Danzig
Prince Fielder
Billie Jean King
Martina Navratilova
Mike Tyson
Dave Scott
Brendan Brazier
Source(s):

http://hubpages.com/hub/Vegetarian-Athletes

Chrysaetos

14-01-2011, 04:07 PM

Hi there,
I suppose the correct term for me would be Pescaterian because I do occasionally eat fish and some other seafood. When I talk to people, I do still use the term vegetarian, or I say "I don't eat meat."
I think it's because my main goal is to be a healthy person and fish is very good for you. Sometimes when I don't feel satisfied with everything else I'm eating and if I feel like I need some protein, I will eat fish. I think it's important to listen to your body's needs.
I'm in the same boat (lol!) as you.

Cal, you should just try it out for a while, and see if the diet can sustain your physical activity.

Cal

14-01-2011, 08:25 PM

I've always been blessed with decent health and have always been lean so I never really learned about or paid much attention to nutritional information before, so I obviously need to learn the basics to start with.

I have used Whey protein as a wieght training suppliment but I wasn't sure if it was made from animals so that could be a good suppliment to a vegetarian diet when in weight training.

I don't fish or hunt. I didn't like to directly harm them and see them suffer. I even have trouble even watching national geographic shows when animals are hunting each other - somehow I managed to look the otherway on that issue when at the shpping center, same with chicken and meat.

My motivation now is to stop supporting killing of animals and I think I have to consider fish animals at this point. I was wondering what others thought, since some vegetarians seem to count meat as mamals only. I love birds too. In fact, I have a few parrots that I love very very much, so in light of my new view and motivation I would have to stop eating chicken too. I think I'm ok with eggs and milk though, at this point at least.

WhiteShaman, that is a pretty nice list of famous athletes. I was pretty sure Mike Tyson eats babies though, since he ate a human's ear on national TV.... lol....seriously though, very impressive list and very encouraging -thanks!

Thanks to all that were willing to offer support and advise. I really appreciate it!

Honestly I'm quite scared about going through with this. Perhaps fear of failure and fear of the unknown. I'm actually feeling very depressed at the moment....

Thanks everyone,
Cal

BlueSky

14-01-2011, 08:30 PM

Do you have a family Cal? Family was my biggest fear.......how we would all live together eating different foods and it turned out to be my biggest blessing as my wife (after rejecting the whole idea at first) now makes 2 meals, one for me and one for the rest of the family. On holidays relatives make special dishes just for me.......
If you are worried about health...........do some homework and you will see that it is a non-issue.
Blessings.James

de.spin

14-01-2011, 11:27 PM

Cal I appreciate so much that you want to stop hurting ALL animals. It touches my heart and I thank you for that.

I know many people who call themselves vegetarians but eat fish. There is absolutely no judgment in me for anybody. Only I want to say that technically they are not vegetarian.

Fishes are so extraordinarily beautiful! They suffer a terrible agony, and they cannot scream. They are the animals who are more tortured when caught. And many people don't consider them even animals!

I would like to assure you, Cal, that since I became true vegetarian and then vegan, around 8 years ago, I haven't had the slightest health problem.
And I offer to you my total support in any kind of information you need: how to live very good and very easily without eating (and wearing) animals.

:smile:

mahakali

15-01-2011, 12:34 AM

maybe you should start slow cal, even if you cut it in half you are still doing so much for our sweet animal friends. only consuming half makes a big difference, think about it, if everyone only ate half that would be like 50 percent of the world being vegetarian. but eventually i think you should go 100 percent and you will not be unhealthy. I quit cold turkey, and it was such a good feeling to lift that guilt off of me. eating eggs is fine, there are cage free hen eggs that come from happy chickens and milk from happy cows. good luck and bless you cal!

Cal

15-01-2011, 03:20 AM

Thank you Mahakali. Bless you! Actually I started cutting meat out a couple days ago. I have been trying to eat only vegetarian food for at least one meal per day. I probably need to stay on path with that and cut all meat out eventually while I learn about general nutrition and how to balance different important nutrients so I end up depleted of something. I tried vegetarian in the past for simple health reasons (not that I was sick but cancer and heart disease runs in my family) and failed. The information about specific foods you supplied in the other thread are very helpful. Thank you

De.spin, thanks for your support. I am honored that you are willing to help me. Bless you! I had fish for pets when I was a young boy. I was heart broken whenever one died. I never liked to eat fish as a child and I never even liked to fish, not even catch and release. It seemed cruel and often painful to do that just for the fun of it. I remember my grandfather beating catfish over the head with a hammer to kill them and I thought I heard them screaming. Maybe I imagined hearing it but I recall being horrified.

WhiteShaman, I live alone with my wife and 13 pets (dogs, cats and birds - all the cats and dogs where rescued from kill shelters and were feral, abused or abandoned, and all live inside our house and are treated like our children) . However, our grown daughter's boyfriend has 4 kids and they come over a lot on the weekends for dinner. My wife doesn't not seem to share my interest in becoming a vegetarian. This is one of my big fears - how that will all work out and whether I will be a burden. I'm delighted to learn that the situation worked out great for you. Thanks so much for sharing! Bless you!

Chrysaetos, thank you for letting me know I'm not alone. Bless you!

After doing some internet research and hearing from all of you I am becoming less worried of it not being healthy for physically active people. I'm still worried about the family thing and having the time and patience to find things easy to cook that satisfies my craving. I love to eat, including many things that aren't healthy like fast foods. I also worry because neither my wife or I are real good cooks to begin with and have fallen in a rut of eating the same things that we know how to cook that are quick and easy - all main courses containing meat.....not much experience on experimenting with new things.

Thank you all so much!
Cal

Chrysaetos

15-01-2011, 10:22 AM

Today I might be a pescetarian and then I'm a lacto-ovo veg for some days again.. they're just labels.

If we eat a salad, a sandwich, or some fruit, do we say to ourselves ''This was nice vegetarian food'' hmm, do we? :tongue:
So nothing to worry about I think.:smile:

mahakali

16-01-2011, 02:47 AM

please don't eats lobsters though, those poor guys suffer the most!

innerlight

16-01-2011, 03:04 AM

Cal

16-01-2011, 05:51 PM

Hi Innerlight, thanks so much for your feedback. Yes, I am starting to see that there are many athletes that are vegetarians. I love broccoli and nuts. I went to a Whole Food store yesterday and found a large selection of vegetarian foods. I bought several frozen vegetarian meals to try and see what I like, including a couple Thai and Indian dishes. I forgot to look for a protein shake suppliment. I'll get that next time.

The biggest problem now seems to be strong resistance from my wife, who does not to become a vegetarian and wants to continue eating the same as usual, which is ok with me. She is a kind and loving person (and loves animals too) so I will hope for more and more acceptance over time, that she supports me even if she never becomes a vegetarian or never occasionally eats a vegetarian plate with me. Tonight I will BBQ some chicken for her and a veggie burger for me. I have no idea how a veggie burger tastes though ***hoping for the best***.

I don't yet understand what raw food means, incomparison to whole foods but I would assume that means uncooked. I saw a raw food section at Whole Foods and at a glance it looked uncooked. Another thing I need to learn about.

In loving gratitude and appreciation,

Thanks!
Cal

innerlight

16-01-2011, 06:02 PM

Hi Cal,

Yes, Raw food is food that is not cooked. Mainly consisting of fruits, veggies, and nuts. I think the full description is foods not cooked past a certain temperature. Allowing steamed to be ok.

The theory is that cooking the foods decreases their nutritional value.

I know what you mean about having supporters with the lifestyle change. I hear it all the time when I talk about what I eat. People tell me that I need to "life" alittle, or that you only live once. So eat whatever you want. My aunt had that problem with wanting to change to a raw diet that she didn't have support from her partner that in the end she ended up quitting and I think her opinon of it is skewed because of her partner.

I don't really mind if others in my life do, or don't follow the same eating habits as long as they support me in what I do. The hard part can be trying to sit at the same table while they are eating your old favorites and you are not... but in time you will be able to tune that out as well.

Cal

16-01-2011, 06:25 PM

I don't really mind if others in my life do, or don't follow the same eating habits as long as they support me in what I do. The hard part can be trying to sit at the same table while they are eating your old favorites and you are not... but in time you will be able to tune that out as well.

This is likely to be a very difficult thing for sure. I'll try and remember that when it starts happening, that eventually I may be able to turn it out .

I ate 100% vegetarian all day yesterday, moslty raw food in small increments throughout the day - no formal meal. I woke up kind of hungry today and craving a McDonalds breakfast value meal.....or a burger...or a pepperoni pizza...However, my goal is 100% vegetarian all day today as well.

Cal

Kaere

16-01-2011, 06:34 PM

I ate 100% vegetarian all day yesterday, moslty raw food in small increments throughout the day - no formal meal. I woke up kind of hungry today and craving a McDonalds breakfast value meal.....or a burger...or a pepperoni pizza...However, my goal is 100% vegetarian all day today as well.

Cal

That could be salt and/or sugar withdrawal too - not just the meat factor. I spent some time cleaning up my eating and that's what I found the hardest - the sugar and salt.

Cal

16-01-2011, 06:49 PM

That could be salt and/or sugar withdrawal too - not just the meat factor. I spent some time cleaning up my eating and that's what I found the hardest - the sugar and salt.

Hi Kaere, that may be it. I went to bed full last night so I wasn't craving hunger belly wise. I have a bunch of vegetarian food since I just went shopping yesterday so I'll should be fine again today experimenting with some new things.

Oh, doesn't fruit have a lot of sugar? I ate a lot of different fruits throughout the day yeasterday. I love all fruits but not so much love for a lot of dark greens, maybe because I haven't aquired a taste or lack good recipes.

Thanks for the feedback. Have a great day!

Cal

Kaere

16-01-2011, 06:58 PM

Yeah, fruit has sugar in it - but I think the fact that it's not refined sugar makes a difference. I don't know for sure though - diabetics have to be careful of eating fruit so ??? I figure if you can pick it off a tree or vine and eat it, how bad can it be for you?

But jeepers the amount of salt and sugar in processed foods is just insane. Especially fat-free stuff - take out the fat and load it up with salt and sugar to make it palatable. Blech.

mahakali

16-01-2011, 10:43 PM

Cal

17-01-2011, 02:49 PM

today in my juicer i put broccoli carrots apples and cucumber. mmmmmm it was so good i drank it in about 10 minutes. if you put an apple or carrots in with some leafy greens it tastes very good too. a good way to get a large dose of raw veggies and fix your sweet tooth at the same time, not to mention how good it is for your digestive system to have juiced veggies.

I've been thinking about a juicer these last couple of days but was wondering how leafy greens would actually taste juiced, and whether a juicer would be worth the investment (some are very expensive). Your description of greens and fruit to sweeten it up sounds interesting. Thanks!

I had a veggie burger first the first time last night, grilled it while I grilled my wife's chicken. Other than being a bit bland it was actually ok and filling, especially with all the regular condiments I usually have on a burger like tomato, onion and lettuce.

Kaere, I agree. It seems like something picked off a tree could only be good for you. I recently had bloodwork done (annual company health fair) and all was good including blood sugar count so I wont worry too much about eating too much fruit for now.

Cal

BlueSky

17-01-2011, 03:17 PM

If you get some time find a recipe for Homemade hummus veggies burgers. They are the bomb!

innerlight

18-01-2011, 10:11 PM

I've been thinking about a juicer these last couple of days but was wondering how leafy greens would actually taste juiced, and whether a juicer would be worth the investment (some are very expensive). Your description of greens and fruit to sweeten it up sounds interesting. Thanks!

I had a veggie burger first the first time last night, grilled it while I grilled my wife's chicken. Other than being a bit bland it was actually ok and filling, especially with all the regular condiments I usually have on a burger like tomato, onion and lettuce.

Kaere, I agree. It seems like something picked off a tree could only be good for you. I recently had bloodwork done (annual company health fair) and all was good including blood sugar count so I wont worry too much about eating too much fruit for now.

Cal

Juicing is fantastic, and I highly recommend it. It is a great way to get your servings of juice and veggies. Would veggies taste good juiced? It's a matter of how you feel about the whole veggie before you juice it that will help with that answer. I also think many will tell you to add in an apple. Carrots can be strong alone.

The only downside to juicing is that it can be expensive as you can go through a lot of fruit making one glass.

TheDivine

18-01-2011, 10:28 PM

Cal, I can only speak for myself. I used to be a pure vegetarian for eight years, but I gradually introduced fish and it improved my quality of life greatly. On the other hand, I did not know then what I know now about nutrition, so maybe being a vegetarian again would be more plausible. The thing about fish is that it contains a lot of good fats. You can find those fats in alternatives, like hemp seeds for example, but most of the alternatives are more pricey or they offer amounts so negligible that you would have to consume greater quantities of the food item in order to get the proper daily dosage.

In my case, the blood-type diet fits my constitution perfectly. I am a protein-oriented person and I must integrate at least some animal protein or I will begin to suffer health problems. For some people though, the blood-type diet does not accurately reflect their needs.

I tend to have a little bit of fish every day or every second day now, and once or twice a week I will also consume some cooked, organic chicken. I do not need animal protein every day or in large quantities, but I do need it. The need becomes even greater in the winter.

I'm someone who is open to trying different dietary plans. Recently I tried going raw vegan for a couple of weeks. It definitely cleaned out my system, but I lost weight and my body's metabolism switched to a lower equilibrium, which is not something I enjoy over the long-term.

My advice for you would be to experiment. You can read a tonne of books and get opinions from others but ultimately you must listen to what your body is telling you, and be open to experimenting with different approaches to meet those needs. For example, I definitely have a high protein requirement, but that does not mean 100% of my protein comes from meat. Most of it comes from whole grains, nuts/seeds, and vegetables.

No matter what you end up doing, the key to overall success will be to know and understand individual food items... like the vegetables, fruits, etc., and what they can do for your body. Then you can consume them, and see for yourself if the theory applies to you or not. Over time, you build up a repertoire of knowledge of each individual food and how it works for you, and you can start to plan meals based on that.

mahakali

19-01-2011, 04:14 AM

If you get some time find a recipe for Homemade hummus veggies burgers. They are the bomb!i actually wanted to mention veg burgers and there are hundreds of recipes for them, if you Google it it will tell you witch ones can be grilled as some tend to dry out. and as for the juicer, i like drinking strait carrot juice and they are really cheep, a big bag is like $2.50 and it will make several glasses and turns out less than buying tropicana juice. apples are about $3. a bag and some veggies make less juice than others which can get expensive, but i look for whats on sale and sweeten it with an apple. i read to change it up as its not good to drink the same juice every day. if you want to start with a less expensive juicer to see if you like it then maybe you can try a hamilton beach one that is not so bad but i lucked out and found one used at a thrift store.

Cal

19-01-2011, 10:02 PM

I have never tried hummus before but I did search the internet for veggie burger recipes and found quite a few interesting ones. I was thinking I needed a vegetarian cookbook but there's a lot on the internet.

Juicer sounds interesting and so does the apple idea to sweeten it up. I never was big on greens but I'm going to have to experiment a little. I had a mediterranean pizza last night that was really good with just cheese, spinach and olives.

I've only had meat once so far in the past 5 days. I had a few pieces of chicken with some pasta on Monday night. I actually felt really good the day after I had a little chicken and it's been the only day in the past 5 days I was 'normal' Things have been a bit loose, not sure if my body needs to take time to adjust or what. So far I haven't noticed any strength or wieght loss. I don't want to lose wieght.

Divine, you bring up some interesting points. I didn't think about blood types. I think I'm O positive. I noticed that doesn't show up on my results, just blood sugar, colosteral, prostate, and few other things. Very good advice about listening to our bodies. I also know I need to learn some nutrition 101.

Thanks to all for your suggestions and support. I really appreciate it.

Cal

mahakali

20-01-2011, 01:25 AM

your welcome cal, i wanted to add that you can make carrot cake out of the pulp left over from juicing, just another idea.

Cal

21-01-2011, 01:57 PM

Yummy, I like carrot cake. Thanks again Mahakali:hug2:

I was wondering lately what would happen if a majority of humans decided to become vegetarians. Would there be enough fruits and veggies in the world to cover that much need?

Cal

26-01-2011, 08:52 PM

It been about 1.5 weeks since I've eaten any meat. I believe Lacto Ovo is the correct term. No loss of weight or strength so far but I have had some unusual mood swings and depression. No way to know if it's directly related to the diet though.

Does anybody recall any adjustment periods of any sort and how long they lasted?

The biggest adjustment I'm working through seems to be more mental, on adjusting to the lifestyle and dealing with periodic judgments, comments and questions. I'd rather not even talk about it to some people, like how I tend to avoid face to face discussions on politics and religion.

It's nice to be able to visit this section of forum for support.

Thanks for being there friends:hug2:

Sungirl

26-01-2011, 10:06 PM

After doing some internet research and hearing from all of you I am becoming less worried of it not being healthy for physically active people. I'm still worried about the family thing and having the time and patience to find things easy to cook that satisfies my craving. I love to eat, including many things that aren't healthy like fast foods. I also worry because neither my wife or I are real good cooks to begin with and have fallen in a rut of eating the same things that we know how to cook that are quick and easy - all main courses containing meat.....not much experience on experimenting with new things.

Thank you all so much!
Cal
Sorry I haven't read the whole thread but I wanted to comment on this.

I am pescatarian (although I too tell people I am either veggie or "don't eat meat" to save confusion).

I am also a far from inspired cook that lives with a carnivore.

I buy organic meat where I can and barn reared chicken (just can't afford free range) for my husband to alleviate as much guilt as I can and I buy free range eggs.

When I'm cooking dinners like curry or chilli I have 2 pans. Most of the ingredients are the same but in his I put meat and in mine I put quorn, chick peas, kidney beans or meat free mince. It's really quite easy. I tend to put more veg in mine.

If he's having something like a pie out the freezer I just put a quorn fillet in the oven for me and serve everything else the same. I even make toad in the hole (sausages in yorkshire pudding) for both of us, just in 2 dishes. Meat sausages for him, veggie ones for me.

I always ensure that at least 2 meals a day have some form of meat free protien in them; cheese, eggs, pulses, quorn/meat replacement. Eat plenty of veg and I find getting carbs no problem at all. Beyond that I take a multivit with cod-liver oil (as I say I'm pescatarian).

Have to confess I detest tofu and refuse to eat it.. that is NOT food!!!

So it's not necessarily a case of cooking 2 different dinners, just adapting the way you cook the normal ones so that you get veggie and your partner gets meat.

As for eating out.. every restaurant in the UK has some form of veggie option and coz I'm not really a picky eater (so long as there's no meat) then I'm happy.

Veggie is very common over here in the UK but I know other countries like the US and Oz it is less common. Keep going and get used to being "the only veggie in the village"... UK joke, sorry.

Cal

27-01-2011, 02:08 PM

Hello Tilia, thanks so much for sharing your experience. I usually 'cook' 50% or more of the time for my wife and I. Although most of my cooking was outside on the grill. So far in the past week or so I've cooked my wife meat on the grill a few times while I had no meat in a similar fashion like veggie burgers and veggie hot dogs. Oh, I bought some plain tofu to try and didn't know how to cook it. I was going to chop it up and still fry with some veggies. It was slimmy of odd looking and turned me off a bit so I never did anything with it...lol

I'm planning on doing exactly what you mentioned soon with Italian style pasta. I'll make one sauce pan with meat and one without and try Italian-style veggie sausage with mine. So what you say makes perfect sense about not necessarily a case of cooking 2 different dinners, just adapting the way you cook the normal ones so that you get veggie and your partner gets meat. Thansk for emphasizing that.

We also recently ordered pizza half with and half without meat, so not really a separate meal there either. We went to burger king for lunch the other day and I had a veggie burger and fries and she had her usual. I didn't even know BK had a veggie burger until I did some internet research. I'm surprised to find that there are actually many non-meat meals to choose from but I can see for a vegan diet the choices where I live would be more limited. I may eventually become vegan but for now I feel good with the lacto ovo diet.

I still worry about dinner invitations with friends and extended family though, and business meals.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experience. I really appreciate it!

Cal

Sungirl

28-01-2011, 04:06 PM

Hi Cal

It's funny how countries differ in reality. Being veggie over here is quite normal. There are only 20 people in my workplace and 2 of us are veggie. Whenever it's someone's birthday and they buy cakes and sausage rolls it is always normal to buy cheese and onion rolls too.

Do you have things like Quorn over your way? They do an amazing range of stuff, chicken style pieces, mince, burgers, sausages, fillets, kievs. They are all YUMMY... they are even starting to do things like sausage rolls and savoury eggs (traditionally a sausage meat ball with egg in the middle and rolled in bread crumbs).. there is so much to choose from.

You can also get soya protiene. You have to soak it before you cook it but I know people that eat that.

Of course you always have the beans option, kidney beans, chick peas all have protien in them so make a great meat substitute. For instance.. if you're making chilli, leave the meat out of yours and just put more kidney beans in. Indian curry, leave out the chicken and put chick peas in instead.

Simples :o)

Cal

31-01-2011, 03:17 PM

Hello Tilia,

It does seem like there are some differences here compared to the UK, Veggies probably being one of them. Also seems to be differences in spiritual availability or choices. Doesn't seem to be a much diversity of spiritual organizations outside of the major 3 monotheistic ones over here either, at least in the area I live.

I've never heard of Quorn before but that may not be indicative of it not being around out here. I've only been a vegetarian for about 2 weeks or so, therefore was not looking for such options. I just look up Quorn today. Sounds very interesting so I will look for it at my local health food store. I just started shopping there recently. Thanks for the tip!

I'm not sure if I've tried soya proteine yet. I've bought several vegetarian products that look like hot dogs, sausages and burger patties. I thought they were mostly soy based. I actually think that I'm getting enough protein in my diet, besides the protein things mentioned I eat one protien bar daily and have been taking Whey Protein on days I lift weights.

Thanks for the tip on chili as well. I was actually looking for a quick solution of canned vegetarian chili at my local grocery store while shopping yesterday and was disappointed not to find any without meat. Maybe I could just make my own like suggested.

I really appreciated the tips!

Thanks again and have a wonderful day,
Cal

Lovely

31-01-2011, 04:12 PM

Vegetarians don't eat meat- not even fish or chicken. The
reason I don't is fish have a nervous system like ours meaning
they feel pain like us and must suffocate for us. If you want to stop
eating every meat except for fish or poultry your a pescetarian.

Athlete to win Ironman Triathlon more than twice: Dave Scott (6 time winner)
Food choice of Dave Scott: Vegetarian

Cal

01-02-2011, 02:32 PM

Hi Lovely,

It was interesting to hear different vegetarians views about fish. Thanks so much for sharing your idea on it. Some very interesting things were brought up in this topic and other places I've been searching on the internet. I learned that some people have become vegetarians or vegans for moral or ethical reasons, while others for health reasons. I understand and respect both perspectives.

I'm not sure how I will end up. So far I've been holding a strict lacto ovo vegetarian diet for a little over 2 weeks, so no fish.

Someone earlier in this topic, I think it was WhiteShaman, produced a very impressive list of vegetarian athletes. I don't remember if Davis Scott was on it but if not that is a very impressive addition to that list.

Thanks for taking the time to share.

Cal

Maya7

02-02-2011, 12:00 AM

Hi Cal

Awesome questions and way to go for your choices and decisions!!!!

I transitioned slowly to vegetarian and then to a vegan diet... it has been over 3 years and I feel amazing. Normally people feel withdrawals or detox depending on how toxic their diet was before cleaning out their system with natural, whole plant food.

I wanted to share something big with you that no one else seemed to have brought up yet about the fish.

Today, even if I wasn't a vegan, and even if I didn't care about the welfare of fish or the welfare of the environment in that we are draining the oceans dry due to the massive, unprecedented fishing we are doing, I still wouldn't eat fish.

The reason? The toxic chemicals in them. Almost every fish today is heavily polluted with many toxic chemicals, anything from PCB's and mercury. Some are better than others, but I read and learned SOOOOOOO much about every fish and no thank you! I don't want any of these chemicals accumulating in my fat tissues and then causing all sorts of problems.

If someone really, really wants fish, yes, there are some that are less polluted than others, but still. I found this resource for you that you may enjoy reading about fish and their toxicity to make a better decision at least which fish you may want to consider if you are still interested in eating fish:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2001/04/25/mercury-fish-part-one.aspx
and
http://www.foodconsumer.org/newsite/mobile/Environment/warning_new_evidence_shows_mercury_present_in_near ly_all_fish_29.html

Oh yes, and you may also enjoy this about transitioning to a veg lifestyle:
http://evolvingwellness.com/posts/1797/how-to-transition-to-a-vegetarian-or-vegan-diet/

All the best Cal :)
And I will add one more BIG thing, the success of your diet depends a lot on your thoughts and beliefs. If you let your body think it "needs" some animal protein at any time, your body will find a way to make you think it does with some deficiency or disease. If on the other hand you do your homework and realize that a veg diet can be complete, whole and perfectly balanced to not just support health, but optimal health, even when being an athlete, than that is what you will get :)

P.S. If you want to look into successful vegan athletes check out Brandon Brazier.

Cal

02-02-2011, 01:25 PM

Hi Maya7,

You bring up some very interesting points about fish that I haven't really thought about. Although I have worried about the quality of our fish, and wild life in general, since the massive oil spill in the gulf of Mexico. It's very sad how modern civilization is destroying the earth and it's various species. It seems like it's more about corporate profits than anything else. Very sad indeed.

Thanks for the links to the articles. I especially liked the last one. It made me realize I was going about it all wrong with may too much processed vegetarian stuff like frozen veggie burgers, veggie dogs, frozen pizza's etc. in substitution of meat. While I always was eating a lot of processed foods I was also eating fresh meat (mostly grilled) and fruits and veggies regularly and rarely ever got sick. I've been eating a strict lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet for a little over 2 weeks and I've been sick for the last week with a bad cold that seems to be getting worse.....I've been really tempted to have a bowl of chicken noodle soup for the last couple of days but have held out. The bad cold could just be a coincidence though, no way to know for sure. I haven't worked out for almost a week which is also alarming.

I thought that frozen food by Amy's, Morning Star and Kashi would be healthy alternatives from reading the product descriptions; saying things like organic, whole grains, no preservatives, etc. Maybe I made a big mistake by changing my diet over a weekend instead of cutting mat out slowly over several weeks or longer??? The problem is I've tried that before and failed and fell back into my normal eating routine.

Your last point is very valid as well. I often forget that the LOA works whether I am conscious about it or not.

Thanks so much for sharing some valuable insights. I greatly approciate it.

Cal

Chrysaetos

02-02-2011, 05:47 PM

And I will add one more BIG thing, the success of your diet depends a lot on your thoughts and beliefs. If you let your body think it "needs" some animal protein at any time, your body will find a way to make you think it does with some deficiency or disease. If on the other hand you do your homework and realize that a veg diet can be complete, whole and perfectly balanced to not just support health, but optimal health, even when being an athlete, than that is what you will get :)It isn't just all in the mind, the body has it needs. =)
Fish pollution varies with the species.Maybe I made a big mistake by changing my diet over a weekend instead of cutting mat out slowly over several weeks or longer??? The problem is I've tried that before and failed and fell back into my normal eating routine.When I went vegetarian I never got through that so called phase of illness.. I adapted quite well. Maybe you were just going to get sick anyway, hard to tell.

Maya7

03-02-2011, 03:04 PM

I thought that frozen food by Amy's, Morning Star and Kashi would be healthy alternatives from reading the product descriptions; saying things like organic, whole grains, no preservatives, etc. Maybe I made a big mistake by changing my diet over a weekend instead of cutting mat out slowly over several weeks or longer??? The problem is I've tried that before and failed and fell back into my normal eating routine.

Cal

You are most welcome Cal.
I am not personally familiar with Amy's or Morning Star. I do know Kashi makes cereals and cereal bars, which are better than almost any other boxed cereal, but still they use way too many sugars.

I don't think you made a mistake by changing over a weekend for your health, but if it is causing you stress then maybe going a little easier on yourself is needed :) The easiest thing I found for me, is the more real we keep any diet, the better the results. Rely as much as possible on whole fruits, veggies, grains, beans, etc.
I wish you all the best :)

Edited by SF Staff

Venus

22-02-2011, 01:44 AM

Hi I have been a vegan 3 years and vegeterian one.I am also a professional fitness/bikini model for such publications as musclemag and as long as you get your protein from beans and things like soy I have seen no difference.I chose to be vegan because I was dealing with negative energy then I realized if I truly loved animals I would no longer eat them and that includes fish.

Cal

22-02-2011, 01:59 PM

Hi Venus. Thanks for stopping by and sharing. As a professional fitness/bikini model you must be in excellent physical condition. Do you take any nutritional supplements like vitamins, creatine or protein powder/shakes or bars to maintain tone and strength?

I was reading an article about a professional fighter recently who is a vegetarian and he or his wife made no mention of any supplements, only that he had to eat more often and get an estimated 90 grams of protein a day. He mentioned high carbs too but didn't give a target quantity. I do not train near as hard as professional fighter but I do train/exercise pretty hard and regularly.

Oh, one last question - Sounds as if you are a vegan now but where you still feeling negative energy as a vegetarian or only when you were an omnivore?

Thanks again for your willingness to share!

Cal

Sungirl

23-02-2011, 02:15 PM

Cal.. I see you note that you are still eating a lot of processed stuff... the great thing about turning veggie is it gives you the opportunity to really explore a different diet. Rather than trying to stay on the same diet but veggie look at ways of eating more unprocessed food.

I know things like Quorn are processed but if you add them to things with fresh veg and the like then you will be eating more healthily generally.

As for the negative energy in a veggie diet...

Eggs, chickens are often kept in battery farms to produce the amount we eat. Over here in the UK free range or barn eggs (which aren't great but better) are easy to get, not sure about the US

Milk (leading to cheese, yoghurt, etc) cows have to be kept pregnant so that they produce milk. This leads to an over stock of bullocks which have to be disposed of (the female calfs are kept for more milk stock)

There is also an increasing push for "battery dairies"... like battery hens the cows are kept in crates, permanently hooked up to milking machines and never see grass. We don't have them over here yet thank god!!

Honey... I don't know how they make the amount of honey we consume but I am sure it's not great!!

Leather and wool are a bi-product of the meat industry so fund it even if meat isn't eaten. Vegans also steer clear of these and anything else that involves animals such as non-cruelty free cosmetics.

Does that cover everything?

Venus

23-02-2011, 03:01 PM

Hey Cal.I used to use supplements.My favorite was green energy it contains everything.Loved nitro tech protein powder in the past but that was when I ate meat.Now, I just eat healthy and try to eat something with protein each meal. This is an awesome site I discovered that is free that you can track your progress and gives you information on your vitamin and calorie intake. http://www.fitday.com/ I've used it since 2000.Also the negative energy did change but it increased because I believed it was connected to me not being a vegan.So it gave my super natural experience more power to intensify.Perhaps it was a detox phase and worked over time as I no longer deal with negativity but it took many many years to control.I have become stronger from it and even though it made me miserable in the past it was a life experience.

Cal

25-02-2011, 02:05 PM

Hi Tilia. I think you covered a lot and I really appreciate it! I do understand that I am still eating way too much processed foods. I'm still struggling to find things I can cook from scratch that are good and quick, and that my wife will eat too. She's still upset about my change, even though I still grill meat for her once or twice a week. I regularly work long hours and don't have a lot of time to prepare meals in the evening. I made the switch over to veggie without thinking it all the way through so I'm having an adjustment period of sorts and learning what and how to cook it. I don't think I could handle becoming vegan right now. I need to find a good/healthy vegetarian balance for a while. I haven't really been dealing with any negativity since the first few weeks of switching over during a weekend. I think most of the negativity I was experiencing was a combo of detox and fear of the unknown and resentment from my wife - and that I was sick with a nasty virus at the time.

Hi Venus. Thanks so much for the link to that site. It sounds like a really good way to track and monitor my progress. Until I am eating more healthy and see how my progress is tracking I will take protein and vitamin suppliments. I lost a couple pounds already which is a little distrurbing because I was already very lean, meaning I've lost some muscle mass. Not so worried about my appearance at 49 and 25 years of marriage but I need to maintain strength for my night job and training program or it could start taking a toll on my back.

Many thanks and blessings!
Cal

Sungirl

25-02-2011, 03:19 PM

Hi Cal

I hope you find a balance with your wife's diet. I still cook my husband meat every night. Just do it as I said before. Last night he had steak and kidney pie, mash and beans. I make the mash by microwaving potatos and then skinning them before i mash them.... so I made myself a baked potato with beans and cheese.

Another night he'll have chilli made with beef and I'll put meat replacement stuff in mine.

It's difficult with not knowing what is available over there. Is it worth hunting down a forum for veggies in the US? You might be able to find out what's available.

I tend to think the more time I spend over the food I cook the better it is for me. Doesn't mean I spend hours over it, I know a lot of what I eat is bad for me, but I do think it is important to spend time making the fuel you put in your body.

Nalini

26-02-2011, 04:54 PM

Hi Cal, there's nothing I can say that's already been said by the people here, so I just wanted to send you--as well as everyone who has posted since I learned more about it as well!--my blessings for making the decision to switch over to vegetarianism! Much love and light to you :hug2: And I think it's great that in spite of your wife's reaction to it, you have remained rooted in your decision and still respect her and grill her up some meat when you can.

I am vegetarian, no eggs or milk but sometimes I ate fish on days I feel a little more tired. But yes, the Law of Attraction DOES play a huge part in it! How do we forget such a thing? haha. I remember reading a site that said "an ideal vegetarian diet consists of 20% fish" and I also remember feeling terrible reading it because I felt something inside me click that would hinder being full vegetarian in the future.. and it has! How dreadful those days of "maybe I should have just a little bit today.. But fish are friends, not food! Argh, but I think I need it!" But no longer! :D

Thank you to all who have posted here. :hug:

Cal

27-02-2011, 09:12 PM

primrose

12-06-2011, 08:10 AM

Cal, I have been a vegetarian for almost 20 years. I do occasionally eat fish, so I guess I'm not a true vegetarian, I am very healthy, I can only speak for myself, but I highly recommend it.

Cal

12-06-2011, 05:48 PM

Hi Primrose. Thanks for sharing here about your long term health as a vegetarian. I really appreciate it.

I have not eaten any meat of any kind for almost 5 months now. I do eat products with egg and dairy still though. I have had a slight craving for seafood here and there.

I've even learned more about nutrition and learned how to cook some great vegetarian plates over the past few months and I really like some of them a lot, so I'm relying less and less on processed and frozen vegetarian dinners. I feel pretty healthy, maybe I would venture to say I even feel as if I'm 10 years or so younger. :smile:

Thanks,
Cal

Smileyface

24-06-2011, 03:08 AM

DebbyM

24-06-2011, 08:18 PM

1. Fish, no. They're still animals and I wouldn't want to do that to them. Also I never was a fan of fish.

2. I know cyclist recommend a vegetarian lifestyle. Typically if you're going for a cardio type of athleticism like cycling or soccer than it's good. But typically muscle sports or people who like massive muscle don't per say go with it.

This is a link to a page that introduces you to a number of vegan athletes. Of particular interest (considering that last item you said Smiley) is the photo of Robert Cheeke. Obviously his muscles have no problem with a vegan diet. Then there is Robert Hazeley (body builder of note) and check out Pat Reeves. Look at the weights that woman is lifting! Vegan diets are not a hindrance to athletes of any sort.

http://www.bestveganguide.com/vegan-athletes.html

amys

08-09-2011, 11:39 PM

1 no because i dont like them
2 yes you can bulk up on other carbs like rice

Ilush

25-12-2014, 10:52 PM

Eating fish = not good, bad karma + every animal product has: bad cholesterol, hormones, animal protein (which is acidic), the information of death.

There are many vegetarians pro athletes. My personal experience: this summer I run a semi marathon and I am thinking for a full marathon for 2015.

Google Michael Arnestein, ultra marathon runner, hes eating only fruits. he also runned Badwater, the hardest ultra marathon on the planet (hmmm except the South Pole one)

Everly

26-12-2014, 02:14 AM

Tobi

26-12-2014, 02:53 AM

Hi Nalini, thanks for the kind words and for sharing your about situation.

I haven't been able to give up milk and eggs. I'm still struggling with what and how to cook food without flesh and blood being the main course, as it had been daily for the past 49 years. For now at least I can still have many of the things I've always enjoyed (minus flesh where applicable) even though they may not be the healthiest, like pizza, lasagna, ice cream, cheese, cereal, waffles and pancakes, cake, etc.

Eventually I may for give up the lacto ovo part for ethical reasons but for now I'm content with no longer eating anybody's flesh and blood. I just can't continue conditionally loving my animals or certain species while eating others. I had to make a stand on a commitment to unconditional love for all animals in that respect. Whether or not that makes me more spiritually connected or anything else like that is not the point. It's just what I felt I needed to do at this point in my life. I am ok that my wife or any other people eat flesh. It's just something I needed to do, as long as I can remain healthy.

I am grateful for all the loving people that have come to this thread to show there support and offer advice.

Thanks again for your support and have a wonderful day!

Cal

All my best wishes to you Cal. It's really great you have decided to go with your innermost feelings!
Eating nut roasts and bean/nut burgers, Falafel mixes, lentil roasts etc is good protein. And these are easily found even in many supermarkets. Dried beans, peas and pulses, (and for quick cooking -even the canned variety) -again easy to find in any supermarket and easy to cook. Throw in a few caramelised onions herbs black pepper and garlic....wow!
Tofu is good, but a bit bland on its own. Smoked Tofu is tastier. It's good if you can get one with calcium.
Protein isn't too much of a challenge.

But four things can be low in a vegan diet:
Calcium in enough amounts
Omega 3
Vitamin D
and B12.
So you need to find out what the requirements are for you and your age & activity levels etc, then do a little maths to find out what supplements you will need to take regularly. It just means a little bit of figuring out at first, then when you get used to it you won't have to do much thinking about it any more.

By the way there is a good vegan Omega 3 supplement. It is called Opti-3