Intro - Good tips to help new vegetarians - long but worth the read

January 22, 2007

Hi Susan and other new vegetarians,

Here are some good tips that will help you in your new vegetarian lifestlye.

Clean our your cupboards of all the junk foods, buy good meat-free wholesome

foods Become a label reader. Go thru the files and print off recipes each

week that you want to make for that week . Make a shopping list. Then just

stick with the menu you have chosen for that week. It will be a fun adventure.

Your taste buds will change to enjoy these very good recipes. Give foods that

you don't find that enjoyable at first, a few chances, because they say it takes

trying some foods up to 10 times, before we learn to like some things that are

very different than what we have eaten before. Many of the recipes will appeal

to you right off the bat. Give foods that you have not made before, say like

maybe eggplant, or garbanzo beans, or brussel sprouts a chance to grow on you by

trying them in many different recipes. It makes a huge difference in learning

to like things that are new to you. Before you be know what happened, you'll be

shocked by how great the variety of foods you are eating will be and all the

vitamins, anti-oxidants and anti-cancer fighting properties you'll be adding

into your daily diet.

Drink 6-8 glasses of water every day and more if you are doing a lot of

perspiring and exercise. Your body is about 80 % water and every function in

the body the body depends on it. If you're like most people, you're not

drinking enough water. If you wait until you feel thirsty, your body is already

suffering from the effects of mild dehydration. You continually lose water

during the day through sweat, , urine and breathing. The amount varies due to

physical activity level, caffeine intake, climatic conditions, illness,

medications, hormone changes and poor nutrition. Because 2.5 liters of water is

lost each day through normal bodily functions, this must be replaced. Adequate

water also serves the function of flushing out toxins, virus and bacteria. It

keeps the skin clearer, softer and gives it a more healthy glow. It helps to

wash out the inside of the body and has zero calories. I drink mostly water

during the day and I save my calories for good healthy veggies, fruits,dairy,

eggs, nuts and grains. You'll get all you need from those, if you get a good

variety. Take a multi-vitamin and B-Complex if you can't eat well on a day or

you are feeling run down. Not enough water, will give you headaches and get

your electrolytes(sodium, potassium, CO2 and Chloride) all out of whack and that

will make you feel very bad.

Fruit smoothies are a great way to start your day. We buy frozen fruit at Sam's

Club and add a little soy milk and ice and blend away. I use a Vita-mix, but

you can use a blender if you want. Throw in some spinach or cabbage with your

fruit smoothy and you'll never know, because it add little flavor, but makes it

very healthy. Look for good granola's like the Bare Naked brand or Kashi

cereals. Make some bran or banana muffins for breakfast. Makes some gravy and

serve over wheat biscuits. I have a homemade " Chicken " Seasoning recipe in the

files that uses easy to find things. It is great to season your gravy with.

Eat some fresh fruit. Buy only 100% whole grain breads. Just saying wheat,

without saying 100% on the products, is missing a lot of the good stuff that

wheat has. Enriched wheat means that they took all of the good stuff away and

then added back in less than 10 of the over 20 good things that 100% whole wheat

had to begin with. Oatmeal, cream of wheat, 7 grain cooked cereal with dried

fruit and toasted nuts sprinkled on top, or sliced fresh fruits, hemp seeds,

ground flax seeds will really fill you up and keep you from getting hungry again

very quickly.

Don't listen to that non-sense about eating all meat. A high protein diet isn't

good for you at all and will leach calcium out of your bones, making them

brittle. It is also high in fat that will damage your heart.

Despite what some websites will spout off that soy is bad for you, don't

believe it. Most are supported by the meat industries or others that have

something to gain by saying it is bad. There is a lot of erronous info on the

internet. Now some folks are truely allergic to it, just like it could be

with anything. Be prepared for more gas, as you eat more beans(soy included)

and things in the cabbage and broccoli families. Those foods are very good

for you and that is not an adverse reaction to avoid. Just take some beano or

gas-x if it become bothersome. It is a harmless side effect, though your

partner might not think so. LOL

Now go look through the 100's of Tried and True recipes in the files. Adjust

the spice to your liking. You could cook different meals for years, I bet just

on the recipes that are filed in different catagories here. The members here

are very generous about sharing their yummy recipes.

What a fun adventure. Get outside and get some sunlight, especially in the

mornings so your body will release more melatonin, open your windows on days

when the temps permit and air it out, exercise, get plenty of rest, life a life

full of gratitude and appreciation for everything in your life, If you have a

faith delve into that and find the peace it offers. You're stepping over into a

very fun wonderful way of life.

There are two wonderful resources that I'd like to mention to you. One is the

book Proof Positive by Dr. Neil Nedley http://www.nedleypublishing.com/ . It

is just such an incredible riches of health info and it really grabs your

attention. It is a book you'll refer to over and over again. We read it as a

family. You can find it on amazon or on his website.

Another is any of the books by Dr. John McDougal, also available on Amazon. He

has a newletter on his website that is sent out monthly with loads of great info

and recipes. His website also has tons of great articles to listen and read.

Search out this website with a wealth of info. http://www.drmcdougall.com/

These two resources will change your life, along with these other new lifestyle

changes.

Oh one more great one is The Guilt-free Gourmet cookbook and nutrion book. It

is great.

http://tinyurl.com/2c3rem

Welcome to the group,

Judy

, " Susan Martin "

<oldeworld wrote:

>

> My name is Susan, I am 45 and live in Virginia with my husband and 2

dachshunds. I just joined the group today because I truly want to

change my lifestyle and just don't know how to go about it.

>

> I have been a meat eater my whole life. At a point in my life I

preferred fish to red meat. Whenever I would smell a hamburger

cooking, I literally thought it smelled like burning flesh and it

turned my stomach. Then I went on the Curves diet and lost 20 lbs. by

eating low-carb, high protein, but have since gained it all back and

more. My husband thinks I should just eat meat and nothing else, there

is even a website that promotes this, but how healthy is that?

>

> I really think vegetarian eating is the way to go, but I don't know

how to start. I need to lose about 65 pounds so how do I start eating

healthy so that I lose weight? I really think I could go meatless cold

turkey (no pun intended) but I need to know what I should eat and how

much of it. I understand meatless includes no fish, poultry, or meat

of any kind.

>

> I would appreciate some pointers.

>

> Thank you

> Susan

.

January 23, 2007

I have to say that I have tried so many new foods that I didn't think I would

like before, but find myself enjoying now, I never used to eat onions or peppers

of any kind, I still don't like them in abundance, but I find myself enjoying

peppers now, still not too fond of onions, but I'm still giving them a try

I'm trying to find recipes of things I never ate before, and I have yet to find

something I don't like!

Jen

wwjd <jtwigg wrote:

Hi Susan and other new vegetarians,

Here are some good tips that will help you in your new vegetarian lifestlye.

Clean our your cupboards of all the junk foods, buy good meat-free wholesome

foods Become a label reader. Go thru the files and print off recipes each week

that you want to make for that week . Make a shopping list. Then just stick with

the menu you have chosen for that week. It will be a fun adventure. Your taste

buds will change to enjoy these very good recipes. Give foods that you don't

find that enjoyable at first, a few chances, because they say it takes trying

some foods up to 10 times, before we learn to like some things that are very

different than what we have eaten before. Many of the recipes will appeal to you

right off the bat. Give foods that you have not made before, say like maybe

eggplant, or garbanzo beans, or brussel sprouts a chance to grow on you by

trying them in many different recipes. It makes a huge difference in learning to

like things that are new to you. Before you be know what happened, you'll be

shocked by how great the variety of foods you are

eating will be and all the vitamins, anti-oxidants and anti-cancer fighting

properties you'll be adding into your daily diet.

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January 23, 2007

Hi Judy,

Thanks for all the great tips. I have been drinking water for years. I keep one

of the large plastic insulated cups with me at all times. I fill it with ice

cubes and then fill with filtered water. I drink probably 7 of these a day and

it holds 6 cups of water. I keep it by my bed at night and when I get up to go

to the bathroom (I only have to get up once a night with all that water

consumption, but I do go throughout the day) I will take a drink then. I prefer

water to any drink. I used to just drink water, 100% juice, decaffinated tea,

and skim milk. That was it, nothing else. Now occasionally if I have to take an

allergy med I will have a small amount of 100% juice. But I am trying to shy

away from it as there are so many calories in it. I know fresh fruit is better.

I also put a bit of milk on my cereal. I find though if I drink a glass of milk

I sometimes will get sick. It is like I can drink one glass, but not two, or I

can drink a half of glass but not a whole one.

I also walk every morning for about 30 minutes. I always do this outside, but

only if it is not rainy or snowy. No matter how cold it is, I can usually handle

the weather, but when there is precipitation, I find it too slippery.

I have decided to count calories and also eat healthy. I am reading up on

everything I can find. At this stage I can do away with meat, but I find I would

like to continue with milk, eggs, cheese, and yogurt. Maybe later on when the

time is right for me I can do away with those products as well, but at this time

I wish to wean myself slowly. Is the difference between vegan and vegetarian

whether someone eats dairy products?

For breakfast this morning I had a slice of Pepperidge Farm Whole Grain Toast

with 1 T PB. We have a Pepperidge Farm outlet just down the block and all their

bread is $1.25 a package. I was amazed to find such a place in the rural area we

live. It is actually a flower shop and has shelves of this bread as a sideline.

And I had a 1/4 cup 100% juice to take my calcium and allergy pills. Hopefully

when I start feeling healthier I won't have to take pills of any kind.

For snacks between breakfast and lunch I had a fruit and nut granola bar and a

piece of string cheese. For lunch I had a tortilla smeared with 1/2 cup refried

beans and 1 T sour cream, and 1/3 cup black cherry yogurt. For dinner (evening

meal) I plan on having rice, green beans and maybe some tuna.

What is the difference in refried and vegetarian beans? Old El Paso has both and

I just figured they were the same thing.

Thanks so much for the suggested readings. I will see if my library has them. If

not, will try to purchase online.

Susan

-

wwjd

Monday, January 22, 2007 11:52 PM

Re: Re: Intro - Good tips to help new vegetarians

- long but worth the read

Hi Susan and other new vegetarians,

Here are some good tips that will help you in your new vegetarian lifestlye.

Recent Activity

a.. 41New Members

b.. 1New Photos

c.. 102New Files

Visit Your Group

January 23, 2007

Susan,

You mentioned that your goal is to loose 65 additional pounds and in another

email you described what you are eating (juice, fruit and granola bar,

refried beans and sour cream.). These foods are high in sugar and/or fat and

will sabotage your efforts if eaten in excess. A good website to check your

nutrient balance is www.fitday.com <http://www.fitday.com/> . It is free to

join and you can log in what you eat for a pie chart of Carbohydrates, Fats,

Proteins, Fiber, and Calories.

Check the label on those beans. The refried beans may contain an animal fat.

The vegetarian beans probably contain no added fat.

Good Luck,

Pat

_____

On Behalf Of Susan Martin

Tuesday, January 23, 2007 12:59 PM

Re: Re: Intro - Good tips to help new

vegetarians - long but worth the read

Hi Judy,

Thanks for all the great tips. I have been drinking water for years. I keep

one of the large plastic insulated cups with me at all times. I fill it with

ice cubes and then fill with filtered water. I drink probably 7 of these a

day and it holds 6 cups of water. I keep it by my bed at night and when I

get up to go to the bathroom (I only have to get up once a night with all

that water consumption, but I do go throughout the day) I will take a drink

then. I prefer water to any drink. I used to just drink water, 100% juice,

decaffinated tea, and skim milk. That was it, nothing else. Now occasionally

if I have to take an allergy med I will have a small amount of 100% juice.

But I am trying to shy away from it as there are so many calories in it. I

know fresh fruit is better. I also put a bit of milk on my cereal. I find

though if I drink a glass of milk I sometimes will get sick. It is like I

can drink one glass, but not two, or I can drink a half of glass but not a

whole one.

I also walk every morning for about 30 minutes. I always do this outside,

but only if it is not rainy or snowy. No matter how cold it is, I can

usually handle the weather, but when there is precipitation, I find it too

slippery.

I have decided to count calories and also eat healthy. I am reading up on

everything I can find. At this stage I can do away with meat, but I find I

would like to continue with milk, eggs, cheese, and yogurt. Maybe later on

when the time is right for me I can do away with those products as well, but

at this time I wish to wean myself slowly. Is the difference between vegan

and vegetarian whether someone eats dairy products?

For breakfast this morning I had a slice of Pepperidge Farm Whole Grain

Toast with 1 T PB. We have a Pepperidge Farm outlet just down the block and

all their bread is $1.25 a package. I was amazed to find such a place in the

rural area we live. It is actually a flower shop and has shelves of this

bread as a sideline. And I had a 1/4 cup 100% juice to take my calcium and

allergy pills. Hopefully when I start feeling healthier I won't have to take

pills of any kind.

For snacks between breakfast and lunch I had a fruit and nut granola bar and

a piece of string cheese. For lunch I had a tortilla smeared with 1/2 cup

refried beans and 1 T sour cream, and 1/3 cup black cherry yogurt. For

dinner (evening meal) I plan on having rice, green beans and maybe some

tuna.

January 23, 2007

I was trying to be no meat and less than 1200 calories a day. What would be a

good site to check for sample weight loss vegetarian meals?

Thanks

Susan

-

Pat Carson

Tuesday, January 23, 2007 2:50 PM

RE: Re: Intro - Good tips to help new vegetarians