Are there any vegetarians here?

[bigpopparob2000]

Vegan here for about 6 years, vegetarian before that. Raised my kids vegetarian too...nothing scrawny about any of them. I ran 5 miles daily up until knee surgery in May, and trained like a maniac on top of that-with no ill effects. I will have to say that not eating meat or eating meat has nothing to do with how "healthy" you are....it's all about proper nutrition period and quality protein is available from non-animal sources, as well as B12. It is interesting to note too that there is also a HIGH incidence of B12 deficiency in meat-eaters, as well as those of certain descent-not just vegetarians/vegans. Everyone has to find their own formula for health and I don't think that anyone has the magic answer...eat to be healthy and to perform your best-and if what you are doing isn't working change it!

Thank you for the commentary. I asked because I heard that Carl Lews, the Olympian, followed a vegan diet and had excellent performance. I was curious, so I cut out meat for a week. My stamina training came much easier. I was just wondering my dietary change may have resulted in my improvement, or if there was some other factor I should consider.

[lordtariel]

Thank you for the commentary. I asked because I heard that Carl Lews, the Olympian, followed a vegan diet and had excellent performance. I was curious, so I cut out meat for a week. My stamina training came much easier. I was just wondering my dietary change may have resulted in my improvement, or if there was some other factor I should consider.

Possibly because you were getting more carbohydrates in place of your normal servings of meat? Hard to say based solely off of a week. Did you have any meat withdrawal symptoms? I know I did when I went mostly vegetarian.

[bushido_man96]

Did you have any meat withdrawal symptoms? I know I did when I went mostly vegetarian.

What kind of symptoms??

[lordtariel]

Grouchiness, irritability, odd dreams about grilled steaks, ect...

[bushido_man96]

Grouchiness, irritability, odd dreams about grilled steaks, ect...

Nice! I think I would get grouchy, too.

[bigpopparob2000]

Possibly because you were getting more carbohydrates in place of your normal servings of meat? Hard to say based solely off of a week. Did you have any meat withdrawal symptoms? I know I did when I went mostly vegetarian.

No, I haven't really had any sypmtoms. The closest thing to a symptom would be missing the taste (tofu just isn't as good).

[UKBudo]

I became a vegetarian in 2003 and went back to eating meat last summer. I stuck with that for about 8 months, then went vegetarian again because I felt sluggish. I enjoy it and think that, if done properly, it can be a very healthy diet. Like someone has already said, you just can't eat pasta, cheese and bread all the time.

[A. Orstrom]

I remember reading that one of the most decisive factors for getting to the step on the evolutionary ladder we are on, was that we began to eat meat. Until then our energy intake wasn't sufficient to uphold a brain of this size.

I love vegetables, but I would really miss meat if I went vegetarian.

That being said, I have seen healthy vegetarians that seemed like they were in great shape.

[sandinista]

vegetarian here. Haven't touched any meat (including fish) for a decade or so. Me and my girlfriend are the only non meat eaters in our club. There are a few people who eat no red meat. I have never had any problems due to not eating meat. Someone said tofu isn't "as good" as meat, I would have to disagree, you just have to know how to cook it properly. My brother is a yoga instructor and has been vegetarian for about as long as me, he is raising his kids vegetarian and there have been no negetive side effects. Humans do not need meat for anything, IMO it's as bad for the body as smoking especially if your eating factory farmed meat.