OT: Talk to Me About Becoming a Vegetarian.

[Onno]

[-How to Cook Everything Vegetarian - Mark Bittman / Kind of like a Joy of Cooking for vegetarianism. Good all-arounder.
-Veganomicon - Isa Chandra Moskowitz / Bit more adventurous, most every recipe is a hit depending on tastes
-Plenty - Yotam Ottolenghi / Ingredients are more rare, generally more steps, but everything is crazy good.
-Street Vegan - Adam Sobel / Recipes can be complicated, but very good and satisfies any "diner-food" cravings.

[/QUOTE]

Isa Chandra Moskowitz is the best! I highly recommend Isa Does It--best Vegan cookbook ever, in my estimation. Lots of great and very easy recipes.

[Charles M]

My daughter started it. I just started doing it so we both ate the same things...

Not much else to it than that.

[twolve]

I'd recommend what most others are saying, learning a few new recipes and staples, then phase out as much as possible.

My mom was mostly vegetarian growing up and cooked most of our meals, so it was fortunately very easy for to became a vegetarian 8 years ago. I don't miss meat at all.

Also as others have said, vegetarian does not mean healthy. Find out where your food is coming from.

My recent kick has been an omega juicer I got. I've been making green juices with veggies from out garden, nut butters, and snacks. I just made cashew, date, chocolate chip balls that are delicious. Banana ice 'cream' is also very good and has mostly replaces ice cream for me.

[Fixed]

Been on a plant based diet since I was 18
65 at 5”11 and 145 lbs My favorite part of riding ., climbing since moving to San Francisco And recovery from injury enough to start riding again I have fallen love with the hills of Marin .
My resting heart rate is in the upper 30”s
I may not be able control many things or need to but I can control what is going in my mouth
Once you find animal products disgusting it is easy to be a vegetarian
Imho
Cheers

[jemdet]

Beans are your friend. So too are the foods that can be the centerpiece of a meatless dish - sweet potatoes, eggplants, mushrooms. Tofus and seitans are great too.

Stir-fries are my weekday night go-to. I keep a jar of honey / soy sauce / chili paste / rice wine vinegar in the fridge for a quick high-heat cookdown after the saute.

[Louis]

I've been a vegetarian for the last 25 years or so. I actually decided to do it while on a bike ride – I was riding by some cows, and as usual I said “Hello, Mooo-Cows” as I rode by. It then occurred to me that it just wasn’t right to say hello to them one day, and be willing to eat them the next.

As I was growing up my father had a chicken farm, so I’ve seen lots of killing over the years, chickens and other animals too. I finally decided that I wanted as little of that done for me as possible, so ever since no meat, and no fish. I also do my best to avoid other animal products like milk and eggs (the killing is only the part of the horror show - industrial farming tends to be pretty bad even while they’re alive).

I think it’s actually easier to be a vegetarian than a meat-eater. You tend to eat healthier things, and don’t have to mess around with cooking the meat. And finally, it’s really easy to get enough protein in your diet, even if you’re exercising a lot.

Good Luck

[redir]

I've thought about getting back into this as well as full on vegetarian. For a few years I only ate meat or fish that I hunted myself and that was not a lot so it was mostly vegetarian. I could never stop eating dairy though and fish would be a real tough one too.

[XXtwindad]

Originally Posted by zennmotion

I've called myself a vegetarian for a couple of decades for reasons that include both health and ethics (planet and animal rights). But I'm not super strict, so I guess by some definitions I'm not a vegetarian, but the moderate attitude works for me. I travel (or used to pre-Covid) internationally a lot, to countries and under circumstances that would be difficult if I were absolute- I would need to carry my own food for weeks long trips. When I was younger I had work experiences on farms that included commercial poultry barns (the worst, OMG) and I've helped slaughter pigs, and I also grew up with hunting, and helped dress and butcher deer. As a result, I can't disconnect the source (and the pain and death) from the plate most of the time so I don't eat meat when there's alternatives which, in this country, is most of the time. When traveling, e.g., in places like rural Africa I eat what's put in front of me, sometimes with difficulty, but without ethical concerns- different rules apply there in many circumstances IMO. As far as health and fitness, there is no shortage of solid peer-reviewed research regarding the many benefits of plant-based diets. Nor is there any shortage of examples of successful high level vegetarian and vegan athletes. I was never an elite level cyclist (pack fodder cat 3 on the road and back of the pack cat 2 in CX) but I raced just fine on a veggie diet. Unfortunately there is also no shortage of crackpot youtube influencers and the like, espousing crazy bu11**** like living entirely on fruit (or chicken breasts for that matter). The diet and food industries have done a great job of controlling the conversation, everyone's an expert. For me, the decision to avoid meat nearly all the time, while allowing myself to indulge where necessary makes it pretty easy. I still love the smell of backyard BBQ and I do "cheat" there a couple of times a year when invited to the neighbors (a brisket guru lives a couple of doors away). So I don't feel like I'm somehow missing out as a result. I have also become a damn good vegetarian cook, and have no problem satisfying (most) carnivore guests with a plant-based tasty meal, though I occasionally make a second meat-version of the same dish just in case, which goes home with them as leftovers. I should say that in my experience, plant based diet and weight loss is not automatic, but certainly easier to do (for me) than it would be otherwise- I have to watch the nuts/nut butter, sugar (chocolate) and honey and cheese that I tend to overindulge. Take the cheese out and ride consistently and I can lose weight without much difficulty (a modest pound a week is quite do-able and sustainable without other diet changes)

Really good responses so far. Lots of insight. Much appreciated. I should mention that my motivations are purely external as above, as opposed to internally driven, i.e. health concerns. I am not sure where the science comes down on a consciously integrated diet with meat.

[Kirk007]

We cut out red meat almost entirely around the beginning of the year, primarily due to environmental concerns. Three months later the blood work at my annual physical showed I was anemic. Put red meat back in the diet and blood work 6 weeks later showed normal iron levels, hematocrit etc while tests by gastroenterolgist showed everything normal. Her conclusion: your body likes meat.

Oysters, mussels and clams are alternatives but you need to eat a lot of them, and even more so with beans, spinach etc. I also have a genetic anomaly in he size and numerosity of my red blood cells which may make me more susceptible to anemia. So, less red meat than in the past , more beans etc., but red meat will stay as a component, predominately locally sourced.

[XXtwindad]

Originally Posted by bicycletricycle

I have been a vegetarian for about 20 years. tofu, beans, nuts for protein, I have no idea if I am doing enough to stave off bone density problems, etc.

I mostly did it because I think factory farming is really brutal and I just don't want to be a part of that. I do eat cheese though, I like to imagine the dairy farms are much nicer but I am really just selfish on this one.

Being a vegetarian is not necessarily more ethical than being an omnivore. When I started out that is what I thought but I am not so sure these days. Just depends on where your food comes from and how the people and animals and land involved are treated. As far as environmental concerns go, I used to think it was clear cut but I am also less sure now. Animals do take a lot of resources to raise but they do in turn provide a lot of nourishment. The case gets really blurry when you start thinking about the intense supply chain for processed foods, many of which are popular as meat replacements.

What I am trying to say is, if you just go to the market and buy what looks good it probably doesn't matter which diet you have (from an ethical/impact standpoint). On the other hand, if you learn more about the places your food is coming from and how it is made and make intelligent choices then you can make a big difference, meat or no meat.

Also, watch out for Vegan propaganda. Veganism has some very "enthusiastic" converts and they advocate very "strongly" for their side. Just try to check the facts first. I was Vegan for about 5 years so I am a little bit of an insider on this

I thought the scientific evidence on that was pretty compelling. What makes you feel otherwise?

[mtechnica]

I would consider myself an aspiring vegan - that will sometimes eat fish. Fish is mostly just good for you and it tastes good. It’s less gross than factory farming and unlike mammals I don’t think the fish suffer. That said from a health perspective a plant based whole food diet is obviously ideal. Protein is a non issue, they’re called beans, they’re cheap and full of protein and if you’re vegetarian or vegan you’d better get used to eating them. There’s also vegan junk food and things like fake meat which are still a lot better for your health and the environment if you are craving something dank. I would also say if you’re in a situation where someone gives you food for free and you think those wings are lookin good, just eat them. But don’t go out and spend money by choice on meat. Some people have the willpower to go fully vegan but I think it’s OK to cheat every now and then if it keeps you sane. It’s not really an all or nothing thing. Lastly just go vegan instead of vegetarian. Cheese is pretty much the worst thing you can eat health wise and milk never did anyone any favors either so just don’t. If anything you would be better off eating 1lb of chicken than 1lb of cheese.

[rlanger]

I've been vegan for 8 years and now at 53, I'm fitter, leaner and healthier than I was when I was in my 20s. And while I became vegan for health reasons, I remain vegan for ethical reasons.

If you are truly interested in the ethical side of plant-based eating, I urge you to look into the disaster that is the dairy industry. There is more animal suffering in a glass of milk than a steak, and I would sooner eat meat again than consume dairy.

Having said that, I also gained far more health benefits from giving up dairy than meat. My weight dropped, my skin cleared up, my GI issues stopped. It was a complete game changer for me.

If you want to learn more about the ethical aspects, I would suggest listening to The Joyful Vegan Podcast (you can go back many years as the subjects she covers are just as relevant today as they were when I started listening 8 years ago). I haven't personally listened to it in a few years, but Colleen Patrick-Goudreau is an incredible advocate, super smart, articulate and a joy to listen to.

[rnhood]

My doc says eat more red meat since I'm borderline anemic. That's exactly what I do. In fact I had a 1/2 lb sirloin burger today for lunch. I"m not cut out to be a vegetarian.

[HenryA]

A long time ago I was vegetarian (for several years). And doing lots of hard training and racing during that time. I felt I hit a wall in getting faster and added in red meat 2 - 3 times a week and almost immediately got faster. So I eat meat, but I can also enjoy vegetarian only meals for days, or a week -no problem.

Probably the worst thing about being strictly vegetarian is being a pain in the ass to the people in your life who don't have the same desires. Being the special one who can only eat vegetarian meals brings some conflict with it. That is probably less so today as more restaurants serve more vegetarian food.

[GonaSovereign]

I’ve been veg for 25 years. The reason was pretty simple: I like animals and dislike cognitive dissonance.

The cookbooks recommended above are great, and nailing a half-dozen of your favourite recipes will make you a star in your household.

Protein is a non-issue: there are tons of high protein sources available.

Being veg does force you to think more about your food, and that is a huge upside. Thinking ensures I put less crap in my body. I eat very little processed food, and have no interest in things like desert. Real food tastes so much better and I feel better, too.

Ultimately, diet plays a big role in health and fitness. I stand on the occasional podium, so know veg doesn’t slow me down. My GP confirms I’m doing everything right health wise.

It’s a good decision for many people. It’s a welcome decision for animals and the environment, too.