Have you ever considered going vegetarian?... If so, how hard is it?

OK, like most people I've grown eating chicken, steak, and all the most commonly known meat products, and I still continue to do so.

After visiting websites like this one:
http://www.meat.org/

...and witnessing the horrifying ways how animals are constantly mistreated and abused in the meat industry, it truly makes me feel like I should go vegetarian, although I have to admit that it's hard to break a habit that I've had for my entire life.

So for all of you guys who have considered going vegetarian, tell us about your expierences, and even for those who were raised vegetarians, please feel free to share your points of view.

I'm a vegetarian myself and I can't say it is that hard (even though I was a big fan of meat, I just loved it). There is lots of delicious 'vega'food, like vega burgers etc. Sometimes I do feel like eating chickenwings or something...but I can resist it :) It would be a great thing if you'd become a vegetarian, not only for the animals, but also for your health. It's much healthier than eating meat.

[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]MR wrote: [/QUOTENAME]It would be a great thing if you'd become a vegetarian, not only for the animals, but also for your health. It's much healthier than eating meat. [/QUOTE]

- Is this actually true?

I don't know how to explain what I'm going to say, but I see it like this....

I hate it when I see those pictures on websites of animals being killed. Yet I still eat meat, its tasty and chicken is good for you. Red meat a little less good for you.

I've been brought up where everyone around me eats meat. I'm not aware of anyone in my family that are vegetarians. But myself, I don't know how I could quit and be a vegetarian.

[QUOTE][QUOTENAME].DeaconJohn. wrote: [/QUOTENAME][QUOTE][QUOTENAME]MR wrote: [/QUOTENAME]It would be a great thing if you'd become a vegetarian, not only for the animals, but also for your health. It's much healthier than eating meat. [/QUOTE]

- Is this actually true?[/QUOTE]

Vegetarians are at lower risk from heart diseases, cancer, for example. They have lower cholesterol levels in their blood etc. Eating a lot of meat isn't good for you (I'm not saying eating meat once in a while is bad, I don't know about that but it still is healthier not to eat meat, at least when you get all the nutrients you need)..there's a lot of cholesterol in it etc. you will get fat faster.

http://goveg.com/healthConcerns.asp

If you consider still eating meat, then eat organic meat. Those animals had at least somewhat better lives than the ones from factory farms.

I could actually be considered a vegetarian just by the fact that I NEVER eat meat and don't even think about it. Hell, I don't even drink milk. xD For me it's nothing to do with vegetarianism, I don't believe, it's just that I've got a terrible diet.

Mmmmmm....oooo...finally interesting topic. Last year I haven't eat any of meat for 40 days and it was not hard at all. Yes It's true that people who are vegetarians are living healthier life but I'm not that kind of person, I'm not into 'healthy life'. That means I wouldn't drink at weekends, be smoking every day and stuff..I'm just doing things that I like.

But lets go back to the topic. I was actually thinking becoming vegetarian but only reason would be love to animals. Like Jessie I was also brought up where everyone around me are eating meat, but that doesn't mean nothing to me. I don't know I guess I will need to think twice about that whole vegetarian thing, to see is that really something that I want.

How about the pain that these poor plants feel when they are cut down in the prime of life? Does anyone ever give a moment's thought to that? The suffering? How do we know that these plants aren't scared shitless?

Anyway, I could never do it, I'm not a veggie person, veggies taste like poo.

That, and I really don't see the point of processing so called veggies into hamburger shapes, with hamburger flavor...

If you're gonna go to all that trouble, just go ahead and have a damn real one.

My father was a wholesale butcher so we grew up on meat. Now, the only 'meat' I eat is fish. My vegetarian dishes aren't elaborate but then, I'm of Italian descent, so I've been trained in the art of pasta. :-)

Several ethnic cookbooks offer vegetarian recipes and, honestly, when it's done right, you wouldn't feel like you're missing anything. I cook a lot of Chinese and Indian as well as Italian, and we never feel cheated.

If you're interested, there's an organization dedicated to rescuing downed farm animals. I have a standing monthly donation to them and receive their newsletters. They offer vegan cookbooks (which are much more strict than vegetarian) and proceeds go to supporting the animals they rescue.

http://www.farmsanctuary.org/

since vegans don't eat meat, how do they get proteins without the use of vitamin supplements? we all know that meat's the greatest source for protein.

just curious. :)

[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]<font color="green"><b> chickenlicious! wrote: [/QUOTENAME]since vegans don't eat meat, how do they get proteins without the use of vitamin supplements? we all know that meat's the greatest source for protein.

just curious. :)[/QUOTE]

Well, there's a big difference between a vegan and a vegetarian.

Vegetarians won't eat animal meat, but vegans take it a little bit to the extreme by not consuming any products that come from animals including dairy, eggs, and even honey.

I've often considered going vegetarian, in fact it was only the other day I stopped eating my dinner because I realised it was part of a dead sheep, but I suppose when it comes down to it, I really do like meat. I have about 4 or 5 members of my family who are vegetarian, two of which eat fish, so if I ever did decide to go vegetarian, I would definitely stay eating fish. Yes, I'm sure they have feelings too, but it's the way animals are farmed which bothers me.

In my house we have organic free range meat, egg, and milk, so at least that way we know that no battery farming was been involved, and when I'm out I mostly to stick to vegetarian stuff, or fish.

But yes, perhaps when I move out next year, I mighty try going vegetarian. It seems fairer really.

Oh yeah, and foie gras should be banned. The very idea of disgusts me.

okay lemme rephrase that.

where do vegetarians get their source of protein, when meat is the greatest source of it?

[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]<font color="green"><b> chickenlicious! wrote: [/QUOTENAME]since vegans don't eat meat, how do they get proteins without the use of vitamin supplements? we all know that meat's the greatest source for protein.

just curious. :)[/QUOTE]
There's a lot of protein in eggs, beans, pulses and nuts. Also in TVP and Quorn and whatnot.