Vegetarianism. A little help...

[Quistnix]

I used to be a real carnivore, until about five and a half years ago when I switched to veggie. I still drink milk and eat yogurt and eggs, but only from free-roaming animals. The switch was instantaneous, and without any problems or my body craving anything.

It didn't really make me lose weight (I'm still quite bulky) but that wasn't the reason I went veggie. Yes, I'm one of those "meat is murder" freaks, but I'm not preachy. If I have barbarian friends for dinner I will make them steak or chicken or whatever carcass they prefer.

There's a lot of good substitutes around here, but most of them are made here in the Netherlands. Vivera, Valess and Quorn are some of my personal favorites, but I really can't stand the taste of Tofu. My meat-eating father actually prefers the taste of Vivera hamburgers over real ones.

All in all I've had no problems with the switch. Some nuts along with the substitutes complement a diet of mainly greens and fruit very well, and I feel a lot healthier and more energetic now then I did back then.

And I'm pretty sure there's a cow somewhere that's very grateful too.

 

[EnzoHonda]

I switched to vegetarianism for compassionate reasons about 4 years ago. I didn't lose a pound. I still ate whatever I wanted and as much as I wanted. That was the problem so in December I decided I didn't like being over-weight (I'm 6'5" and was 255 lbs) So I did a few very important things.

One: I now drink a lot of calorie-free things. I always have a Diet Coke, or a tea or coffee sweetend with Splenda. I used to sit at my computer drinking Coke and Gatoraid all day. I realized that I was taking in about 1000 calories a day in sugary drinks.

Two: There are some foods I have all the time, and I cut the amound in half. I used to have two veggie burgers, now I have one. I used to have three eggs and three pieces of toast, now I have a couple eggs and one piece of toast.

Three: I don't go for seconds. I take a moderate amount of food and that's it.

Four: This ties in with the drink lots of liquid. I listen to my stomach, not my mouth. If I'm not hungry, but I want something, I drink something.

These are some of the things I've done. I'm now down to 215 lbs. 40lbs in about three months. I'm very happy (although I need new clothes), and I'm surpirsed that I didn't have to starve myself at all. You just have to get through the first week where your body gets used to living off fewer calories.

Being a vegetarian is one of the greatest things in the world, but it won't help you lose weight if you keep bad eating habits.

Now as for vegetarian cuisine:

Tofu should be taken seriously. Cut it into thin slices, gently press it between paper towels to removes some of the water. This turns it into a sponge so it will soak up any sauces or marinades you decide to use. You can also pan-fry it in a flour or shake'n'bake type coating. Another great use for tofu is to crumble it up, fry it in olive oil, and add it to Classico or another type of jarred spagetti sauce. Tofu tastes great and it's cheap as hell, so if you screw up, you can just throw it away. (You will save a lot of money as a vegetarian, I certainly have.) One important note: tofu needs to be fresh.

Sauces are your friend. This comes from my experiences with tofu. A pan-fried garden burger is very boring when prepared without sauces. However, coat it in barbeque-sauce and put a touch of light mayo mixed with curry and it's freaking delicious. With carnivorous cuisine the flavour comes from the meat. With vegetarian cuisine the flavour comes from sauces and coatings.

Some fake meat products are excellent, some are dreadful. In Canada we have a brand called Au Naturel. It's awesome. Another good brand that Costco has is "Garden Goodness" it uses Gardien (a vegtable protein meat substitute) to make fake chicken. They are excellent. However, unlike tofu, these products are not always cheap. They are often similarly priced to their real meat counterparts, however they have less fat, no cholesterol, and tons of protein.

Wow, this is a long, rambling post. Just a few more points to make. If you still eat eggs and dairy, you won't feel different. It's generally only vegans who don't eat properly that end up feeling weird. They cut out dairy and eggs, but don't take vitamin B and end up feeling like shit after a few months. So if you eat eggs and dairy, you'll feel fine.

I just realized that I could talk about vegetarian stuff all day, so I'll shut up now.

 

[monodiabloloco]

I want to thank everyone for the posts! Keep them coming in! I am learning a ton that I needed to know.
So far it seems:
I need to keep an eye on the iron-filled stuff to ensure I get enough.
Protein will be needed and hard to come by unless I dig 'shrooms and nuts. (I do)
That actually just gave me a really wierd idea for a noodle based meal.
Vegetarianism=cooking. I am going to have to stop being lazy and actually cook.

Now, to clarify a little, I *do* want to lose weight but I am REALLY hoping that this change will help with my internal health. I have some digestion issues, my hypoglycemia, and some other problems that I am hoping will be addressed with this choice. I am not planning on cutting out eggs or dairy. I know some will consider eggs to be meat, and I guess they sort of are, but I don't consider anything to be meat unless it was moving on it's own before it made it to my plate.
Also, I actually did cut out the sodas..well, the non diet sodas... and I think that it helped a great deal. I WAS up to 310, then cut out the sugary stuff in my life (Dr.s Orders) and I am now down to 285. I still drink the diet stuff, but nothing that has sugar in it. The weaning off of flavored drinks into water and pure juices began today. *sigh, mope*
I am now on day two and haven't died.
Keep the support and info coming in! I am totally clueless here and def need the help!
BTW.. starting to teach my fiance some basic techniques as a part of the exercise.. she can F-ING kick! I knew she was strong but DAY-UM! My thigh is still sore...need to get more pads...

 

[roo18]

I've been a vegetarian for about three or four years now, although I eat fish, which probably makes me a Pescatarian, or something with 'arian' on the end. Its really not that hard anymore, I just eat things like pasta, eggs, cheese, salad, potatoes, and then Linda McCartney ready meals, which are surprisingly really nice, and whatever is really around.

If I want a Sunday lunch, then I have the normal with vegetable gravy with a Quorn garlic and herb fillet which tastes just like chicken to me.

Basically, the only thing that was hard to get over was bacon, because you can not get the same taste from anything else unless you cover it in salt and grease.

 

[cleverlymadeup]

ok deciding to go veggie cause you want to lose weight won't help, sorry i know more than my fair share of veggies that are obese. it's not a solution, you being an ex-fighter will know a bit about nutrition or hopefully you should.

being a veggie doesn't mean you will drop weight, most veggies starve their body because they don't eat properly. my mom has been a veggie for almost 30 years now, she can't eat dairy or meat, she's allergic to it. she still cooks meat tho cause it's unfair to push that choice on other ppl, she also makes the best chocolate chip cookies ever and has never been able to eat them cause of the allergy.

she's one of the few veggies i know that is thin (5'8 and under 130lbs) and has stayed so. i'll use some of the stuff her diet consists of to show you how to eat properly as a veggie.

1 no deep fried food - this goes for anyone really
2 TONS of pasta/potatoes/rice - these are your carbs and you NEED them, my mom has a large bowl of pasta every night
3 nuts/peanut buttter - this is your protein, if you or the better half are allergic to nuts DON'T go veggie, my mom has at least 2 of them a day and she has the healthy pricey peanut butter too
4 get at least 20 mins of exercise a day, even walking will do it, focus on cardio if you want to have a good heart
5 tons of fruit
6 REAL fruit juice - check the label, most juices have 5% juice if that

see the main thing with most veggies is they don't eat properly and starve themselves, so their bodies in retaliation start to horde protein and fat, so they become fat. also they think that since they don't eat meat they can easily eat more crap, which is wrong.

yes veggies have less calories than meat so you have to eat more to get the same in take. so yeah you'll eat a giant bowl of salad but it will have less calories than a 16 oz steak.

really you can still eat meat and dairy and such, just watch what you eat, reduce carbs and get more exercise. really if you want to severely alter your diet, talk to a nutrionalist they will give you the best advice possible about this and the pros and cons of each

 

[monodiabloloco]

Heh... You have all given me much to think on. Based on what I have been reading here and online:
I have decided to keep fish in my diet as I don't want to lose any muscle mass and need a decently healthy source of protein and the correct acids. I don't like fish much except tuna and salmon for some reason, but I do not plan to get any fried fish. Baked or raw (mmm... sushi!)
The weight loss aspect of this choice seems to be batted back n forth across the net. Some swear it'll help to burn off the pounds (or grams, depending on where you are from) like acid on a baby. (hehe.. I love that expression!) While some insist it won't help that at all. I guess it really depends on *what* you eat just like any other diet. I will continue as I have decided (day three now..) and see what happens with the weight. I am going to check weekly and see where I'm at then post here if any are curious.
I might even take pics to post up with an official blog of the 'quest' to lose my gut.

Side note of the day: Apparently no matter how many years you take abuse in a ring/cage/parking lot/soccer field/living room/etc.. there is a point after you stop that you become a complete and total pain-wussy.
After 12 years of soccer, 9 years of Thai boxing, and 8 years of MMA; I had forgotten what it was like to feel pain in my shins. A dark room, a quest for a bottle of water, lack of contacts/glasses/sleep, 5 years of a sedentary lifestyle, and the super heavy steel PC tower I had left in the middle of the living room can give you a very sudden reminder of how painful shin injuries can really be.

 

[cleverlymadeup]

After 12 years of soccer, 9 years of Thai boxing, and 8 years of MMA; I had forgotten what it was like to feel pain in my shins. A dark room, a quest for a bottle of water, lack of contacts/glasses/sleep, 5 years of a sedentary lifestyle, and the super heavy steel PC tower I had left in the middle of the living room can give you a very sudden reminder of how painful shin injuries can really be.

yeah you kinda forget how much you use a muscle or something if you stop using it, for what ever reason you gave those sports up, don't forget you have to work to doing what you could before.

i've been taking a break from my bjj for a year, just to let everything heal, pulled a few muscles and kept doing it over and over.

as for the weight loss, yes it depends on what you eat. just make sure you have the proper intake of stuff, if not your body will go into storage mode and store all the fat and stuff it thinks it needs.

yeah post some pics or a blog, put in what you're eating too just so ppl know WHAT to eat. i know Adam Singer from the hardcore gym did that, his brother is Rory Singer of the Ulitmate Fighter fame and also trainer and friend of Forrest Griffin. Adam was a powerlifter and such and then got kinda lazy with everything and decided to drop weight, probly cause Rory did at the same time and the whole brotherly rivalry thing

 

[Singing Gremlin]

Heh, letting us keep track of your quest for health seems a pretty good idea to me. I'll be here with encouragement as useful as any encouragement from a complete stranger over the internet can be!

 

[werepossum]

I would steer away from those pills that prevent your body from digesting fat. Because even though they block the fat from being digested the fat is still in your system and there is only one place for it to go, OUT YOUR REAR END! If you read carefully the side effects of those pills it includes an uncontrollable oily discharge. Just horrible.

That's what makes those pills so great! Cheat on your diet? Not after you've crapped your pants in public!

Seriously, be very careful with herbal teas. I think green tea itself is fine, but some of those herbal green teas (especially those touted for weight loss) can seriously drop your mineral levels, mostly potasium and magnesium, and can cause a stroke or even death in large doses. Also, be careful when buying meat substitutes, as some of those are extremely high in fat. I remember back when Ethiopia was in a severe drought and famine, Paul and Linda McCartney donated a million veggie burgers to the UN, and they had to be recalled because the high fat content was literally killing people. While high fat content veggie burgers don't pose a risk to the non-starving, they won't help you lose weight.

 

[werepossum]

And I'm pretty sure there's a cow somewhere that's very grateful too.

I was raised on a cattle farm. Trust me, it's not.

And remember, if meat is murder then eggs and milk are rape.

 

[sockhead]

hmm if you want to loose weight i suggest you don't follow the drunken menu diet. ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Se_BKM18cnI incase you dont know)

 

[PurpleRain]

Nah, I enjoy eating animals way too much. Dead pig, chicken, cow, roo, you name it. It makes my tummy rumble.

 

[mshcherbatskaya]

A note about Tofu:

Tofu is very spongy, and it comes packed in water. In Japan, it's just an accepted part of tofu prep that you squeeze the water out of it by putting it in a collander or strainer of some sort with a weight, such as a bowl of water, on top and letting it sit for about 30 minutes.

I thought, "Ah, pain in the ass," and never did it. And I always thought tofu was bland and nasty, no matter how much I marinaded it.

Well, duh, how is it going to soak up the marinade if it's already full of water? So if you try tofu, press it first. Then it sponges up all the flavors it is cooked with, whether it's a stir-fry, a soup, or a marinade.

Regarding weight loss, one other thing to look at: A lot of people who are fat are retaining a lot of water do to salt intake. A lot of fattening foods also have a lot of sodium in them. So watch your salt intake and there is a good chance you will see better results.

 

[monodiabloloco]

I want to open up todays post with a giant thank you for everyone who posted to give me tips and advice! You guys rock!

I have been on a meat free diet so far since the day I posted. The first couple of days sucked to be honest. My stomach was NOT happy with me. That result was expected so no big deal.
With your help from the posts, I was a bit more aware of what I would need to eat in order to keep a good balance of nutrients. So, I altered my idea to keep non fried fish and eggs. Since I don't really like fish much, I have been using eggs and 'shrooms for my 'meat'. Mushroom, green pepper, and cheese omelettes are good! I have also discovered boca burgers to be OK. They taste like non greasy B grade burgers. Heh.. my fiance thought they smelled great when cooking but wouldn't take a bite at all. Also, they cook really well in the George Foreman grill..thingy..(Don't mock me! It's perfect for lazy people, and it was free!) so long as you use cooking spray 1st.
Now, less than a week but several days in, I feel pretty good! Some of my internal issues seem to have cleared up and my hypoglycemia didn't bother me all weekend despite long periods without food (6 to 8 hours sometimes). For the first time in a long time, I have actually felt hungry. I know that sounds weird, but when you are used to getting shaky and weak as a sign that you need to eat before you have a chance to feel that belly grumbling hunger, it's a welcome change!
So far as weight, I dunno. I don't plan to even check until it's been a couple weeks. We bought a new exercise tool last night also DDR for the 360! Now I can stress the foundations of my home while making an ass out of my self for my finace, daughter, and brothers. Hopefully, the side effects will include 'having fun' and 'looking better'.

Help question for today:
So, how do you old 'pros' find rice dishes to be? I found a lot of Uncle Ben's meals that are perfect for me to eat in my way-too-short half hour of lunch at work.

 

[monodiabloloco]

And I'm pretty sure there's a cow somewhere that's very grateful too.

I was raised on a cattle farm. Trust me, it's not.

And remember, if meat is murder then eggs and milk are rape.

sorry 'bout the double post..
That is some funny stuff... MURDERING RAPIST!!
lol. J/K! That really was funny. I snorted out loud when on a phone meeting at work today.
I don't feel that way about killing animals for food. I've been on and helped to run the daily tasks for a farm more than a few times. I've even raced cows before. Well, we sat on them as kids and pretended to race them but they don't really go far or fast. The animals that are slaughtered for food are *raised* for food. Cute though a cow may be, I have no qualms with it ending on a plate and using it to keep my feet covered and dry. Hunting though.. I am not really a big fan of hunting animals in the wild for sport. I do have relatives that hunt for food as they live in the middle of nowhere and it's easier to go shoot a deer or snare a bunny than it is to trek into town. But sport hunting I can't get behind. I personally feel that hunting for sport should be limited to knives. Spears if it's Lions or Rhinos or something like that. If you can bring down a 12 point buck with a bowie knife.. you EARNED that one... If you can bring down a Rhino with a spear.. well, you is a bad mutha.

 

[Singing Gremlin]

Personally, I prefer pasta or noodles to rice. Stir fries are good, not sure how healthy they are, but they're easy (stick noodles and assorted vegetables in a wok, with some oil, heat) and you can cob in a few prawns for a small seafood fix. But that's mainly on taste, so I'd get someone who knows what they're talking about to confirm/deny its health rating first.

But rice has the advantage of Uncle Ben's being ultra quick and microwavable; unless you're gonna buy pre-packaged Italian or Chinese food you're not gonna be able to zap up pasta or noodles.

 

[mshcherbatskaya]

This goes for switching from prepared food to home-cooked food in general, vegetarian or not:

The freezer is your friend, not just for freezing actual cooked food, but also freezing components.

Chopping onions is a pain, so when you need to chop an onion for a recipe, chop two and stick what you don't use in a baggie in the freezer. Same with vegetables, chop more than you need and freeze the rest. You can even do that with with rice - it actually freezes really well in a ziplock bag so that it doesn't dry out.

Then, one day when you come home and you don't have any decent leftovers and you don't have time to do the full song and dance, you just reach into the fridge, pull out some onion, some mushrooms, some regular old bagged frozen vegetables, throw them into a pan with whatever you please and cook them up in a stir-fry. Throw in the frozen rice at the end and cook until the rice is hot, and there you go! Dinner in less time than it would take to make a box of mac'n'cheeze.

 

[hughball]

on the weight loss front more important than anything is regular exercise and thats not necessarily going to the gym just walking/jogging everyday will not only improve the quality of life but it will also give you energy. On the protein front a lot of vegetarians i know get their protein from nuts.

 

[monodiabloloco]

Hey, an update to this post! Well, no one is following it, but I am bored and have a min or 10.
It's been almost two weeks. I feel a whole lot better! I'm not saying it's a life change all should approach, but this seems to have fixed a whole lot of my internal issues. I don't feel sick after I eat anymore as I often did and my digestion seems to be way better off.
My hypoglycemia seems to have nearly gone away entirely too! w00t! For the first time in memory, I get hungry without feeling all shaky and weak. I actually went a couple of days to see how long I could go without eating to see if I would get shaky like I used to. One day, I went 12 hours without eating and was fine! Well, I was hungry as hell, but I didn't get all shaky and pass-out-y. Sweet....
For exercise, I have started playing DDR (insert earthquake jokes here) and even doing some stuff at work. My fiance and I are going to buy bikes to ride around the 'hood too. I have no idea if I have lost weight yet. I wanted to give it 30 days before I checked officially. I don't feel as heavy though. I seem to move a little closer to how I used to. Less ungainly...
My only issue thus far is the pain in the ass that it is for someone who doesn't like to cook.