Where People & Piggies Thrive

Newbie or Guinea Guru? Popcorn in!

Register for free to enjoy the full benefits.
Find out more about the NEW, drastically improved site and forum!

Register

Veg*n I want to become a vegetarian?

bubbytooo

Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Apr 15, 2014
Posts
14
Joined
Apr 15, 2014
Messages
14
So ever since I was little I've always been an animal lover unlike my Father and Grandmother. I was raised to absolutely love meat and I can't deny it tastes good. (Sorry if that last part was offensive just my taste.) But I find it very saddening that I'm killing animals. Like, I can literally cry when just reading about mistreated animals. So I've wanted to start becoming vegetarian. No meat. No fur / skins. Stuff where you have to kill the animal to get something. So I just need tips on telling my family, staying away from the meat in my house, and anything else that would be helpful.
 

Flowering

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Aug 2, 2014
Posts
129
Joined
Aug 2, 2014
Messages
129
I would say take it slowly. Slowly cut out meat. So in a week try to have two meat free days. Give up all pork foods and gradually increase your veggy lifestyle. Slow and steady.
 

pigger123

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Nov 26, 2013
Posts
2,178
Joined
Nov 26, 2013
Messages
2,178
I just recently decided to go vegan. My first real full vegan day was just last Saturday, but I had been working towards it for awhile before that. First I stopped eating meat, than I started eating less dairy and eggs, and then my parents figured it out so I decided to start the real thing.

For me, the hardest part so far was telling my parents. I was really nervous about it, even though I knew they wouldn't really have a problem with it. I started mentioning veganism (I talked about how my guinea pigs were vegan, and look how happy they are!) and dropping hints about it, and they eventually caught on and my mom asked whether I was trying to be vegetarian. She was pretty skeptical, but she accepted it when she realized I had done research and knew how to get all the nutrients I needed.

Definitely do research first! Your family is bound to ask some questions, like "Where will you get your protein?" and "What about calcium?" and all that. If you're prepared with intelligent answers to these questions, they will be much more likely to accept it without worrying about you.

It can be really hard to look at meat, and smell it cooking, and know you won't be eating it. I totally know the feeling, I really love eating meat and dairy, but you just have to remember the reasons why you made the decision in the first place. Instead of thinking of that yummy steak, think of that poor cow.

Sorry this response is way too long! I hope I helped at least a little bit. Good luck becoming vegetarian, and congratulations on making that choice!
 

solus

Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Aug 2, 2014
Posts
7
Joined
Aug 2, 2014
Messages
7
I do believe that eating meat is part of our nature. However, I admit that cruelty towards animals in the name of more profit is rampant in the food industry and to go vegetarian is probably the best way to protest the evil treatment of animals. That's why I could not respect your decision more.
What I suggest is you read and learn extensively about the nutritional value of various food items to make sure you can fill whatever nutritional gap you can get from leaving out meat. It is mostly about protein. There are different ways to go vegetarian. If you plan on eating fish, you should have no problems with nutrition and fish is much better than meat in all aspects. It you will quit all types of meat, you can rely on dairy and milk.
There are other nutrients found in red meat that are important for your body. Some I can name here, are Vitamin B, iron and zinc. While red meat is a great source of these nutrients, it is perfectly possible to get them without it. Just read a little of the endless online resources to find what you need to eat to replace meat. Good luck!
 

pigger123

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Nov 26, 2013
Posts
2,178
Joined
Nov 26, 2013
Messages
2,178
Protein is really a non-issue even for vegans who eat no meat, dairy, or eggs, as long as you eat a balanced diet with a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes like beans and lentils, nuts and seeds. Same with calcium, zinc, and iron. The only nutrient that you really need to be concerned about is vitamin B12. This is found naturally in soil, which is where animals get it from, and then people can get it from the animals by eating meat. If you eat unwashed raw vegetables with some dirt, you would probably get your B12. However, people don't typically do that, so taking a B12 supplement is recommended. Other than that, just eat a healthy balanced diet and you'll be good.
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.

Similar threads

Top