Venting: negative reactions to becoming veg.
so about a month ago, before i committed to being vegetarian (i'm brand new :)), I was staying at a friend's family beach house. Her parents were cooking us dinner, and started asking everyone if they eat meat. I told them I was thinking about becoming vegetarian. They asked why - I said based on the factory farming issues in this country, that animals are being inhumanly raised and killed. (I didn't want to get into detail)
and they came down on me saying if you eat organic and know what you are eating that there is no reason to not eat meat (unless is for health reasons only.)
I knew my friend's mother's arguments were based on assumptions and basically, wrong. I did not continue the conversation- it was not appropriate. :-X
What upset me is that, I was not being judgmental of them, I feel the choice to become veg is a personal choice - It's not my business what other people put in their mouths - I focus on what I do.
but they felt the need to give argument to my reasons to become veg. It felt very judgemental - It upset me very much. :(
More recently, a work friend suggested i try a Argentinian steak house - after discussing visiting the country. I said I was not eating meat anymore. Her response was an unpleasant look on her face - followed by "well what are you going to eat when you to go to Argentina?" ???
the bottom line to these two stories is that, I have made a choice that I feel really good about, that is based on my values, is healthy...etc. Yet many people seem to look down on being vegetarian or vegan. Of those I talked to about it, I have yet to hear a "good for you".
I hope that with time that people's perceptions will grow to see that being vegetarian or vegan is a way of life to respect and maybe even look up to.
venting done.
Oh i forgot to add that another friend that was present in story number 1 - when i said i was thinking about being vegetarian - said "Lauren !!???" :o and looked at me like i had eight heads. Thanks Danielle, thank you for being such a sweat friend - you made me feel great. ;)
I used to have dreams that I accidentally ate meat or cheese and woke up in a panic!
Am I the only one? Has everyone else quit cold turkey and then fell off the wagon or quit gradually? I'm trying not to beat myself up over it, and learn from this and move on, but i guess it would be easier if i know im not the only one that it happened to...???
it is very, very, very hard for you to change something you've been doing your whole life just "cold turkey". i went vegan cold turkey, but i was already vegetarian... so essentially i just stopped putting cheese on things and i added a few more ingredients to the list of things to look out for.
but for my friends who have eaten meat their whole lives, i generally encourage that they ease into it gradually and maybe make it a point to eat less meat (at first) but without actually intentionally taking it out all together. i find that for most people (that i know) this is an easier transition and they usually stick to it longer. so... like what my wife did was that she ate less meat in general... and then she started cutting out beef & pork... she didn't eat fish so that was nothing... and then chicken. for some reason, that was really hard for her to cut out. but she started eating it less often. she went from eating it a few times a day to every other day and then maybe once or twice a week and then a few times a month... at that point, it is usually much much MUCH easier to cut out that "one or two times a month" rather than something you normally do/have every single day. she started experimenting with the veggie meats and found a chicken substitute (boca chikn patties & nuggets) that she just loved. she started eating that instead of chicken anytime she wanted chicken or had a meal she usually ate with chicken. now she couldn't imagine eating meat again. but, because she did it gradually, she practically became vegetarian without even thinking about it because the meat became less appealing and she was pleased with the substitutions.
one day she said, "i don't think i've had chicken in three weeks or so... i think i'm just going to officially be a vegetarian now". we marked the date on the calendar and she has done it (since that date) for over two months now. she hasn't had red meat since... january or so?
if you are having a lot of trouble, maybe you could try that method rather than "cold turkey"?
plus, any dramatic change in your diet will cause some weird changes in your body! it happened to me when i went from being vegetarian to vegan, it happened to all of my friends that either went from meat to vegetarian or vegan or from vegetarian to vegan, and it happened to my wife when she first started her transition. a lot of the changes that we noticed were digestion related... like your poo might change in colour, smell, texture, frequency, etc. (tmi, maybe?) oh, and we got gas at first... we still have it usually, but in the beginning it was absolutely insane! it was like we could fill up hot air balloons and take a ride insane!
i hope that doesn't deter you at all, but if you notice any of those changes just know you aren't alone and it is pretty normal!
i hope my advice helps?
I used to have dreams that I accidentally ate meat or cheese and woke up in a panic!
hahaha, i've had dreams sorta similar to that!
:-D
I used to have dreams that I accidentally ate meat or cheese and woke up in a panic!
I've had dreams wherein I was about to eat or was starting to eat non-vegan food (cheese, I remember once) and then spat it out because 'it isn't right!' :)>>> 8-) I love how my subconscious is so educated.
estefania_belle, I agree with rainbowdust919, gradual is the way to go. What I did was go veg for breakfast & lunch, then one day a week at dinner time, try a new recipe from this site or a vegitarian cookbook or do easy substitutions. Once I found a couple recipes my husband & I both liked, I would make one of the known liked recipes & one new one a week until we found a few more. Plus I also a few days a week would make a typical meal for him & cook mine right next to it, but sub tofu or tempeh in the recipe. Now we are at a point where I eat 100% vegan & he is mostly vegan at home.
This was easy on both of us as well as our relationship. After I read the China Study I talked to him about it and said I want to try eating less meat. He agreed that would be healthier, but during the transtion we realized he didn't adapt to the change very well for various reasons, so outside the house he eats still meat. but he is also very respectful of me and if he cooks dinner he makes sure to cook vegan for me.
estefania_belle, I agree with rainbowdust919, gradual is the way to go. What I did was go veg for breakfast & lunch, then one day a week at dinner time, try a new recipe from this site or a vegitarian cookbook or do easy substitutions. Once I found a couple recipes my husband & I both liked, I would make one of the known liked recipes & one new one a week until we found a few more. Plus I also a few days a week would make a typical meal for him & cook mine right next to it, but sub tofu or tempeh in the recipe. Now we are at a point where I eat 100% vegan & he is mostly vegan at home.
This works for us too. I started cooking things I liked, and he became a bit more open. He's still not enamored of veg but is more adventurous than he was. When I finally see the nutrionist and sort out "the soy question" and some other issues...DH suggested we might have to cook separate meals, meat and whatever for him, and veggie whatever for me. I didn't dare say, well that's basically what we've been doing. :) I just hope the DR. can identify what is keeping me from losing and feeling better, and give me some advice and guidelines rather than a strict "cup of this, 2 ounces of that" sort of meal-by-meal diet.
Thanks everyone for the good advice. ;)b rainbowdust919, i think i'm having an issue with chicken too for some reason, probably because it's the meat i ate the most often...almost everyday. I'm totaly ok with no beef or pork, as i only had it every week or 2. So I just decided that I'm going to try cutting out chicken gradually while trying to find substitute for my chicken recipes. I actually bought tofu today to try tomorow. I'm making "Thai tofu curry instead of chicken... we'll see. I've only had desert tofu or soft tofu in smoothies. It will be my initiation to tofu in a meal.
Actually i have noticied some changes since trying to go veg. But the changes are in my 15 month old. I still let her eat meat, but we have way more beans, fruits and veg now. She used to be constipated and would not go for days... now she goes every single day. It's the first time since she's been 9 months, so that's definately a positive change!
Has any of you "fell off the wagon" after going veg? I've only been vegetarian for about 3 weeks now and fell off the wagon about 2-3 times. Honestly, the first time i gave in was because the pressure my boyfriend put me under when we got to a famous fast food place... deep fried chicken nuggets...i had cramps for 2 days. Never again. And then I gave in again, because i prepared a different meal for my kids who still eat meat and ended up joining them. I morally felt disgusting, and even phisically too. But i'm determined not to give up. It's not a daily struggle NOT to eat meat, but sometimes old habbits die hard, or I gave in to pressure.
Am I the only one? Has everyone else quit cold turkey and then fell off the wagon or quit gradually? I'm trying not to beat myself up over it, and learn from this and move on, but i guess it would be easier if i know im not the only one that it happened to...???
Yeah, I basically just stopped. I didn't have anyone supporting me, but I didn't have anyone tempting me senselessly. I did eat a couple slices of bacon a few (8maybe?) months ago... it smelled so good but then I ate it and it tasted like crap. The taste for meat just disappeared for me after a while. I usually think about the animals dying and how it's awful. I usually have 0 willpower when it comes to food too but everyone is different.
I used to have dreams that I accidentally ate meat or cheese and woke up in a panic!
been there. done that. last week.
it really freaked me out. I basically had an anxiety attack about eating meat... which I didn't even eat!
Actually i have noticied some changes since trying to go veg. But the changes are in my 15 month old. I still let her eat meat, but we have way more beans, fruits and veg now. She used to be constipated and would not go for days... now she goes every single day. It's the first time since she's been 9 months, so that's definately a positive change!
that's exactly what happened to my wife! when i met her, she was going down the same path as the rest of her (unhealthy, non veggie eating) family. she was at risk of colon cancer (which has taken the lives of several people in her family) because she was so constipated that even laxatives wouldn't work. she literally spent her entire life only going about once or twice a month and often had to have doctor intervention to go. when she met me and started eating veggies she had a total turn around. at first she had this fear of fiber because she said it always made her feel bloated (the soluble fiber, mostly) but that was because her body was soooo not used to it. she had to add grains gradually. but now she eats just like anyone else and she goes every day, often multiple times... and is no longer at risk for colon cancer!
it's just so... almost funny... for us to think about the fact that she went through ALL OF THAT as she was growing up and when she first met me she was pretty positive that she was going to die by the time she was forty of colon cancer... ALL because she needed to eat veggies!
now if only she could relay that message to the rest of her family...
people fear what they don't understand :o
Yes, one of my students asked me to explain the term "herd instinct" when applied to humans and I said, "If it's different--kill it." She thought for a moment, rolled her eyes and said, "Oh, yeah--like highschool."
Uh-huh. Exactly.
I think it should be changed to people hate what they don't understand. Most reactions I get are those of contempt, not fear.
Rainbowdust919 Wow, that is amazing. I truly beleive that food can have a huge impact on health and your wife is a great example! Have you ever seen crazy sexy cancer? The girl is diagnosed with the highest level of cancer, she's beyond terminal basically. So she started to take care of herself. A big part of that was spiritual, but a huge part had to do with her eating. She eats so healthy, she even grows her own grass or whatever it was to have a "green smoothie" every morning. Well, the moral is that she stunted the growth of her tumors and it's been 3 years now! How amazing!
But i seem to be having less problem cutting meat out of my diet, than i am able to cut sweets out. Completely addicted!!! But it seems that going veg just makes it easier to eat healthier meals. (not talking about snacks) I used to focus my meal around my meat, and the reast was just something to go with it. Now veggies are center stage, and fresh fruits are desert.
I accomplished something huge today. My kids (3 years and 15 months) usually come beg me for food as soon as I start trying to make a meal... well, i put a plate of sliced cuke with a special spice on top, at the table, and by the time dinner was ready, they had ate almost all the veggies!!! I dont think my daughter, the younger one, ate anything but a carrot and a few peas in the las few months. Now that showed me i'm definately on the right path for me, and ultimately, for them too.
people fear what they don't understand :o
Yes, one of my students asked me to explain the term "herd instinct" when applied to humans and I said, "If it's different--kill it." She thought for a moment, rolled her eyes and said, "Oh, yeah--like highschool."
Uh-huh. Exactly.
I think it should be changed to people hate what they don't understand. Most reactions I get are those of contempt, not fear.
True. That's the reaction: kill it, it has no right to live. Or more mildly, "Go away, you have no right to be here." Or at least "Change--you have no right to be different. Be like me."
Rainbowdust919 Wow, that is amazing. I truly beleive that food can have a huge impact on health and your wife is a great example! Have you ever seen crazy sexy cancer? The girl is diagnosed with the highest level of cancer, she's beyond terminal basically. So she started to take care of herself. A big part of that was spiritual, but a huge part had to do with her eating. She eats so healthy, she even grows her own grass or whatever it was to have a "green smoothie" every morning. Well, the moral is that she stunted the growth of her tumors and it's been 3 years now! How amazing!
But i seem to be having less problem cutting meat out of my diet, than i am able to cut sweets out. Completely addicted!!! But it seems that going veg just makes it easier to eat healthier meals. (not talking about snacks) I used to focus my meal around my meat, and the reast was just something to go with it. Now veggies are center stage, and fresh fruits are desert.
I accomplished something huge today. My kids (3 years and 15 months) usually come beg me for food as soon as I start trying to make a meal... well, i put a plate of sliced cuke with a special spice on top, at the table, and by the time dinner was ready, they had ate almost all the veggies!!! I dont think my daughter, the younger one, ate anything but a carrot and a few peas in the las few months. Now that showed me i'm definately on the right path for me, and ultimately, for them too.
thanks, i believe it too. i'm always telling people that.
think about it logically: how do you expect to be healthy if you only fill yourself up with crap?
people fear what they don't understand :o
Yes, one of my students asked me to explain the term "herd instinct" when applied to humans and I said, "If it's different--kill it." She thought for a moment, rolled her eyes and said, "Oh, yeah--like highschool."
Uh-huh. Exactly.
I think it should be changed to people hate what they don't understand. Most reactions I get are those of contempt, not fear.
True. That's the reaction: kill it, it has no right to live. Or more mildly, "Go away, you have no right to be here." Or at least "Change--you have no right to be different. Be like me."
VERY true. i don't really get it a whole lot for being veg, but for other things (like the lesbian thing)... and i would say for major differences, in general... very true.
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