Vegetarianism/Veganism

Catalina:

I've been trying to eat less animal product - for reasons of my own - and have been finding it rather difficult. Meat and dairy are everywhere, and I don't just mean in my house, but in restaurants too. You can't find many vegan meals on a menu that isn't a salad.

You do if you learn to order things with no meat or cheese. It's easy to ask them to modify it.

If you're eating nothing but fast food, maybe you're right, but you shouldn't be doing that anyhow.

I've been strictly vegan since sometime in February 2008. I'm surprised that I can't remember exactly when my paradigm shifted, but it really did, and I can't imagine using animal products ever again.

I am a very proud vegetarian of my entire life span. I know that doesn't mean much, seeing it's only been 14 years, but I am extremely vegetarian.

I've considered it, but I wouldn't be able to do it. Any tips on how someone who usually eats a lot of meat can easily convert over to being vegetarian?

Doitsu:

I've been vegetarian for almost 4 years. I found out that my cholesterol level is 172 mg, and the healthy limit for my age is 169 mg. I take fish oil pills daily, but would eating fish be better for lowering cholesterol?

Chances are that you are consuming a lot of dairy (cheese, cream, butter etc) and that can raise your cholesterol level a lot. Try and eat more fruit and veg and less processed foods, and maybe try switching to brown rice, brown pasta and brown bread and you will probably find that you don't need to eat fish to lower your cholesterol.

I've been a proud vegetarian for 3 years its been difficult , you have to be commited .

Kirino:

I've considered it, but I wouldn't be able to do it. Any tips on how someone who usually eats a lot of meat can easily convert over to being vegetarian?

"Easy" probably isn't an option in most situations, especially for someone who eats a lot of meat now, like you. Tips to make things easier, though, might be a different story.

Before you start anything, you should educate yourself. Researching all of the negatives of consuming meats and the meat industry itself (health, ethical reasons, how it affects the environment, ect.) can help your decision tenfold. There's a good chance at least one of those will help to push you towards becoming vegetarian. If you want to do it for ethical reasons, looking on PETA is, of course, an obvious thing to do... the videos especially. It might change your view of meat from a tasty food to a living thing (or even a rise in cholesterol or more harm to the earth).

You'd probably find it easier to gradually eat less and less meat... maybe first red meats, then, poultry, then fish. It doesn't matter how long it takes, really. I'd think it would be harder for you to go cold turkey, considering you eat a lot of meat now.

Don't be so doubtful about it, though. I once thought I could never be vegetarian, but now I've been vegan for a year and vegetarian for about 3 months before that, and I'm still proud of that decision.

Doitsu:

I've been vegetarian for almost 4 years. I found out that my cholesterol level is 172 mg, and the healthy limit for my age is 169 mg. I take fish oil pills daily, but would eating fish be better for lowering cholesterol?

Eggs contain a lot of cholesterol too, if you eat them often.

Yes, fish would help lower cholesterol, but I'm betting not as well as daily consumption of the pills. Unless you eat the fish every day, I'd guess that it wouldn't meet up to the amount of omega-3s in a daily dose of fish oil (which is what lowers the cholesterol.)

But nuts, whole oats, avocados and olive oil also reduce cholesterol levels as well.

Kirino:

I've considered it, but I wouldn't be able to do it. Any tips on how someone who usually eats a lot of meat can easily convert over to being vegetarian?

I agree, there's no easy way to do it but there are things you can do to make it easier. I would suggest, before giving up meat, try lots of vegetarian foods, Experiment, cook, read blogs, go to veggie/vegan cafes. That way, you'll find lots of foods you enjoy and giving up meat will be easier because you'll have all these other new favourite foods! Other than that, you know yourself best. Some people find it easier to give up meat gradually, others prefer to make one clean decision. You should do whatever works for you.