Vegetarianism

RDH...

Fair play for not finding it difficult.
I imagine your age helped.
I'm not sure I like the idea of raising children to follow my own choices.
Indoctrination, anybody?
That's another topic, I guess.

I found it difficult.
I was around 20 when I started.
So we have been 'at it' (as it were ) for about the same amount of time.
I don't find it difficult now.
It is second nature.

I'd find it easier, as has been said: CHOICE
Especially while eating out, and shopping (so at all times, basically ).
I imagine you go to some market, buy fresh produce and cook your own food from scratch, right?
I can't really be arsed to do any of that
There is far more to choose down my local supermarket for meat eaters than vegetarians - that is for sure.
So for me it would be easier.
Perhaps not generally speaking for a vast swathe of Veggies.
I do ok, though or i'd be eating meat, I guess (I didn't stop because of the cruelty I perceived was going on - it's a long and extremely boring story).

 

Everyone has to "indoctrinate" their own children, to an extent. Don't you think? You wouldn't raise your kids in a way that you thought was harmful or immoral. Every choice you make is based on a belief you hold, from what you eat to what you say to other people, etc.

Also, why are you veg, odon? Just out of curiosity. I love to hear the reasoning of others.

 

I say try it! But don't be silly and think you can take the meat off your plate and maintain your health (which is what I did for the first year or so and my iron kind of plummeted).

I've been veg since 17, so for 5 years now. Most problems that I have witnessed which stem from a vegetarian diet are when people seek a full tummy with foods such as bread, pasta, potatoes - which are great to fill you up but don't have the same nutrients as meat. My own body thrives off of simple foods (I discovered after a visit to Thailand) - brown rice, lots of veg, leafy greens, mushrooms, beans, fruit and nuts - all in their simplest form. It might seem boring but when I eat as such I do feel great. During school semesters I do take an iron supplement. Not sure if stress depletes iron or if I get lazy or what but I recognise low iron symptoms now and take action (low iron is a slippery slope for me).

People who are most likely to criticise my diet are the people who stop off at McDonalds after work and drink 1lt of coke a day. Meat eating doesn't equal health.

I still live at home (don't judge me) and I have always been the only vegetarian amongst every day meat eaters. It probably makes meals slightly harder, but no way is it impossible.

I started on a 30 day veg challenge and went from there. I'd probably recommend substituting meat for veg alternative a few times a week and see how you go

Good luck! Like others have said, there is so much info out there nowadays.

 

Desire to eat dead bodies? Um, no thanks..

 

I do agree with this. It frightens me slightly when people raise kids vegan though

Would also live to hear reasons, odon. Though I have probably heard story before! I have a bad memory ( which is in no way associated with my vegetarianism )

 

How is it any different than a meat eater raising their kids to be meat eaters? I wish my parents raised me vegetarian at a younger age, but I decided to go vegetarian all on my own. I'm going to make my kids aware of the factory farm industry and how harmful it is to animals and the environment and I have hope they'll stick with a vegetarian diet on their own when they're older and make their own choices because they'll know how cruel a meat eating diet is.

Yep. Exactly.

 

I disagree.. when you go vegetarian or vegan then you look up recipes and get to explore more food options. You get to see there's more out there than steak and hamburgers. I think meat eaters limit themselves in what they eat. They stick to meat products and don't even notice the plethora of fruits, veggies, legumes, etc..

 

OK, to be fair, It's the reason you tell them they are not eating meat.
What is the reason you are going to tell them they are not eating meat?
If it is because of factory farming and the environment etc.
To me that is indoctrination.

 

I realise 'indoctrination' is a rather heavy word to use.
What else can I call it?

 

Umm, doing what I think is best for my children and trying not to pollute their bodies with hormones and un-necessary death.

 

One of the big gripes I have with *some* vegetarians is the amount of utter shit they eat, then they claim eating meat is "unhealthy." For instance, I have seen so-called vegetarians in these forums who drink soda, eat chips (which probably contain some animal product), high-sugar foods (candy, pastries, etc.), processed soy products, and nasty, lab-made frankenfood like Quorn. To me, this type of diet, other than lacking in meat, is no different than the Standard American Diet, and these so-called "vegetarians" are just as unhealthy as people who gobble down McDonalds and KFC on a regular basis.

I at least respect the vegetarians who are true to their diet and eat ONLY whole, unprocessed foods. These types of vegetarians are following a diet that is healthier than the Standard American Diet, I would say, but I still have many reservations when it comes to vegetarianism, because my personal belief is that humans were not intended to eat an all-plant diet. I know there are many super healthy vegetarians out there, including bodybuilders, but the bulk of vegetarians I have seen appear to be pale and emaciated looking, which is not at all a healthy look and makes me think their bodies are not made for this type of eating, or they are doing something wrong by not addressing many of the deficiencies (B12, iron, etc.) that often go along with vegetarian diets.

 

Heavy!

Why don't you buy them organic beef / chicken etc from a local farm?

Take them to a farm that cares for their animals a little more than the big boys.

It's not an unnatural act for one animal to eat another.

We might have to agree to disagree on this one.

 

I think many vegetarians aren't in it for the health benefits but rather for animal welfare. I prefer and try to eat as healthy as I can, and opt for organic options but I do also eat processed foods. I went vegetarian because I love animals. The health benefits of vegetarianism are a bonus. Chips don't have animal products, are you talking animal fat and oil here? Some have dairy but they're made with vegetable oil. And seriously, where do people that claim there's sickly vegetarians see them??? I have never seen a sickly looking vegetarian. That's just false propaganda people like to throw around to discourage others from going vegetarian.

 

Rainy,

Not to come off as a dick, but don't you eat candy, drink soda, and consume all other kinds of processed junk food?

Talk about "polluting" your body.

EDIT:

Nevermind you just answered that question.

 

Because I really don't really buy into the organic meat bullshit. Why is it really any of your business how I choose to raise my kids.. I'm not going to spend my money on meat.

 

Oh don't worry about, you always come off as a dick. I just posted that I didn't become vegetarian for health benefits and also said I do eat processed foods.

 

It's not my business. I was just saying what I think. I wasn't expecting you to suddenly start feeding them meat. I have said my piece, you yours. Truce?

 

Yeah, but you made it a point to say that eating meat is "unhealthy" and "pollutes the body." Meanwhile, it's becoming more widely known that sugar is one of the most "toxic" things a person can eat.

 

Because it is un-healthy and is cause for diseases and there are added hormones to meat.

Why do I always end up in the vegetarian debate threads. They're exhausting.
-___-

 

don't do it. you can never trust a vegetarian