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Dazed & Confused...thinking about going back to a Vegetarian :(!
Started
by newveg30
on March 5, 2010
First let me start of by saying that I miss chatting with my kindlifers :) Every since the website was upgraded, I've been having a problem viewing the site. It doesn't display correctly and as soon as I get on the website all of these pop up windows come up. Not sure what the problem is.
Anyway, I decided to try being a vegan and only lasted a month. In the beginning I was really excited than I found myself missing some of the foods that I use to eat...dairy, eggs, and seafood in particularly. When I did eat vegan food I never felt satisfied. The food taste just ok to me. I think one of the problems is the fact that I'm a very picky eater. I do not like onions and peppers, which seems to be standard in a lot of vegan dishes. I also found myself turned off from seitan, tofu, and any other processed vegan foods.
Even Daiya cheese started to taste and smell funny to me.
For my birthday I decided to celebrate the whole week. I went crazy eating eggs, dairy, and seafood. I even started eating sugary foods which has resulting in daily headaches. Now, that my birthday is over, I'm debating on rather or not I want to go back to being a vegan. I feel so limited when it comes to my food choices. I don't want to have to cook everyday. I work full time as well as go to school and would rather not spend every evening cooking. Outside of not feeling satisfied after eating, I did feel better overall when I was a vegan. Now, I'm dealing with stomach aches and headaches on a daily basis.
i think the key when going vegan, at least at first, is to make sure that you are treating yourself really well...like really well... think lots of oil, lots of sweet treats. my first two weeks I had cupcakes and cookies and banana bread around at all times and without that i wouldn't have lasted. I have really learned how to fill up on grains and use spices and herbs to make beans/tofu super tasty. i also went nuts and bought a ton of cookbooks and if i ever get tired of being vegan, i read alicia's book or flip open a cookbook and it's just so inspiring, plus my lordy i do just feel better. i started drinking diet soda again last week like it was my job and what do you know i got sick!?
and if you are tired of cooking, stock up on amy's no cheese pizza, soooooo good. the onions taste like heaven, they are so sweet you would never even know they were onions! also, find a trusted indian/thai/chinese restaurants to have on speed dial. or do what i do and make tooooons of food at the beginning of the week and eat leftovers for lunch!
good luck, i understand feeling in a rut and no one ever wants to feel unsatisfied, but try and stick with it because i truly believe that this is the best thing in the world for our bodies, i am just astounded at how amazing i look and feel. just message if you ever have a moment of weakness! ;)
I think one thing that people get "nervous" about is that they tend to think they have to cook elaborate meals incorporating lots of veggies and think that's all they can eat. If you go superhero, that's one thing and a different story.
Treat yourself and eat "normal" foods so that you feel "normal." Make yourself a peanut butter and agave nectar sandwich and have a big glass of vanilla soy milk. Have a bagel with faux cream cheese and jam. Eat a veggie burger and some homemade fries. Yes, make sure you get your veggies in, but don't feel pressured to make a "square" meal for all three daily meals.
I'm sorry you are struggling and I know it makes it tougher if you are a picky eater. In time though, I really feel that your taste buds do change. Keep coming back for support!
Just remember one thing. If you eat something that isn't vegan just because you feel like it ... you haven't broken any laws. The vegan police aren't going to show up at your door and drag you away in handcuffs. The whole point of this diet is to make us feel BETTER, not boxed in and uncomfortable. Sometimes you just need to treat yourself and splurge no matter what kind of diet you normally eat. It's perfectly understandable and to be expected, so don't judge yourself. Because I promise we're not judging you.
As for the cooking thing ... check out the convenience meals like Amy's that was suggested by Lauren. Soooo tasty. Or maybe just take a few hours on Sunday and make yourself a big, hearty pot of soup or some other meal that you can eat on all week. Freeze part of it if you have to so it doesn't go to waste. But by cooking 1 or 2 days a week you really can feed yourself the whole week. It doesn't have to be an every day thing.
And don't forget that if variety is the problem invest in some cookbooks. Sometimes the problem isn't that you don't like vegan food, sometimes the problem is your imagination just runs out of ideas. You can't eat the exact same meal every day forever without getting sick of it, no matter what it is.
Just hang in there! And don't forget we're here.
I have been able to, with minimal effort find things that satisfy every craving I have had. Don't look at a craving as a failure, but as a fun adventure. I have tried so many delicious treats just because I wanted to make sure my life would still be delicious. I made a pizza yesterday with follow your heart cheese and field roast grain sausage and it resolved my last craving, mozzarella on pizza, I want to keep trying teese and daiya, but i am very optimistic now. Scrambled tofu is way better then scrambled eggs! coconut milk ice cream is the best ice cream ever, and alicia's ceasar dressing is insane. the important thing is also to stay involved and remember the reasons you decided to go vegetarian and vegan. I have some vivid images that won't go away no matter how much I want something with eggs. The first thing to go for health should be dairy. then read up on the cruelty and environmental issues that are involved in egg farms and industrial fishing.
Mad love for April and her kickass post of encouragement! xo
newveg30, what browser are you using? I can walk you through improving your browsing experience on this site.
Thank you.
Thanks everyone for the words of encouragement! I feel alot better.
Jason, I'm using Safari, I have a Mac. Any assistance you can provide me will be greatly appreciated.
wow- i was feeling pretty content but all of these posts inspired me even more!!
April- your post was so great and so helpful. ive been a vegetarian for almost two months now, and though i haven't slipped and had meat i always feel like the world would come crashing down if i did. all that pressure!!! i was just talking to my husband about going out to lunch tomorrow and how i was afraid i would be tempted to steal one of his clam strips if we went to a certain place and he just shrugged and said "well I'M not gonna tell anybody." lol. its true- the vegetarian police will not show up. i have no intention of slipping up, but i think its important to remember that we are all human, and we are all trying to change years long habits. and when i look back on the past couple months and think of all the animals i HAVEN'T eaten- it makes me feel so good!!
) . Eating fish is not part of a vegetarian diet. I think that is such a common misconception. I was a vegetarian for 7 years before going vegan and I've been asked but don't I eat fish numerous times. Heck, even as a vegan I'm getting the fish thing. 
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