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Going Vegetarian

Lifestyle

by  |  on April 1st, 2010  |  21 comments

bmwkvegetarian

by Tara Pringle Jefferson

In my quest to eat healthier, finally lose these last 10 pounds of baby weight, and gain more energy, I’ve switched my family to a vegetarian diet this week.

You should have heard my husband. By the way he was carrying on, you would have thought I said I was making us live without water. “What? You must be crazy,” he told me when I showed him the meal plan for the week: black bean burgers and sweet potato fries, baked cauliflower, white bean soup with kale among others. “Where’s the meat? What am I supposed to eat?”

Well, then.

This probably won’t be a long-term switch, since my husband is already breaking out in hives and shaking in the corner and as I write this, we’re on day two. I don’t think he’s going to last.

But in keeping with my quest to make my family healthier, along with Michelle Obama and her Let’s Move campaign (www.letsmove.gov), I need to do something to shake things up, get us thinking about food in a different way. With vegetarian meals, I really had to stretch myself. What do you cook when you can’t reach for the tried and true chicken or beef?

I want my kids to be conscious of what they eat and cutting out meat is a great starting point. In the absence of chicken or turkey on their plate I’m introducing them to different types of food: ugli fruit, kiwis, acorn squash, quinoa, etc. They’re learning AND getting healthier food. What’s not to love?

According to my husband, a vegetarian lifestyle just ain’t right. But he’ll live. I’m hoping to stick with it long enough for those benefits I keep hearing about (clearer skin, less bloat, more energy, etc) to kick in. Here’s hoping we make it that far…

Any BMWK readers vegetarian? Got any tips to make this week go smoother for my husband? LOL

Tara Pringle Jefferson is a freelance writer living in Ohio with her husband and two children. Visit her blog, www.theyoungmommylife.com, to read more of her observations about life, motherhood and love.


About the author

Lamar and Ronnie Tyler are the creators of the award-winning blog BlackandMarriedWithKids.com . They also are behind the Amazon.com bestselling DVDs Happily Ever After: A Positive Image of Black Marriage, You Saved Me and Men Ain’t Boys that explores manhood in the African American community. The Tylers are also the proud parents of four children.



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Comments (21)

  1. Lamar Thursday - 01 / 04 / 2010 Reply
    In respect for the Vegans that read the blog I won't leave my real comment but tell your husband to stay strong. LOL
  2. Mocha Dad Thursday - 01 / 04 / 2010 Reply
    I did the Daniel Fast for three weeks. I could only eat fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Water was the only beverage I could drink. It was hard at first, but it got easier as the time progressed. The fast made me really think about the food I was eating. .-= Mocha Dad´s last blog ..Mocha Dad and Moms: Make Your Kids a Priority =-.
  3. Lauren P. Thursday - 01 / 04 / 2010 Reply
    I have started just eating vegetarian for lunch, and I can say that all of the benefits are true. I feel so much better. I have more energy, I am less bloated, and honestly I just feel better. That may be something to consider instead of going cold turkey for a whole week or two, just have a vegetarian meal for one meal out of the day. Another option might be to schedule a vegetarian dinner one night a week (Vegetable Wednesdays). As a toxicologist/pharmacologist I can tell you that the antioxidants in veggies are incredible for helping you fight off diseases, and calorie restriction is still one of the best ways to prolong life. Good luck and I look forward to hearing how you feel at the end of it.
  4. Sun Diva Thursday - 01 / 04 / 2010 Reply
    Veganism is just one type of vegetarian. A vegan diet excludes all animal products, including dairy products, eggs and honey. I've been a vegetarian for almost eight years, but took it in stages. I first gave up all meat except poultry and fish, and continued to eat honey, dairy, and eggs. Then, about 3 years ago, I gave up poultry, but continue to this day to eat dairy, honey, eggs and seafood (which makes me a pesco-vegetarian). There are a lot of great vegetarian recipes out there, as well as inexpensive cookbooks that I've found at Borders. One of the most important things to do once you've given up meat, is to replace your loss of protein with foods high in protein such as legumes, nuts/seeds, beans and grain. (I have a great recipe for a lentil loaf whose flavor closely resembles meatloaf.) I also eat a lot of wild caught boneless/skinless salmon steaks, which I've found can be cooked well-done on a George Foreman grill to resemble the texture of chicken. I also grill it on the outdoor grill with some bbq sauce. I enjoy making quick and easy personal pizzas, made on pita bread and topped with lots of sauteed onions, red/yellow/green peppers, olives, etc. I've basically taken meat recipes and changed them up with salmon steaks, canned pink salmon (like Starkist) or vegetables. All in all, if you and your family decide to commit to vegetarianism, there are options. You're body will definitely thank you for it! :-)
  5. Sun Diva Thursday - 01 / 04 / 2010 Reply
    *wishes she could edit her post for typos* *lol*
  6. Candi Thursday - 01 / 04 / 2010 Reply
    Lauren I love your idea of trying it in one meal or having a vegetarian day. I recently found out I'm expecting and am nervous about the weight gain. This seems like a great idea, except I'll probably switch it off to every other day. Meat..no meat...meat...no meat etc. Luckily I have a small local Natural Health Grocery right around the corner. @ Tara, one healthy alternative I use for keeping hydrated is coconut water. I loved it as a kid and it's healthier than Gatorade and Pedialyte. Yet also replaces lost electrolytes and has more potassium than in two bananas. But I by the Vita Coco or O.N.E. brands that come in the cartons. Not the sugar filled Goya cans that you typically find in the super market. The calorie content in Goya's is 120 with 22g of sugar as opposed to 60 calories and 11g of sugar. Whole Foods also carries them. Also, Vita has other flavors they can add to the coconut water like passion fruit or pineapple. .-= Candi´s last blog ..Who Doesn’t Love a COACH Sale? =-.
  7. Avery Thursday - 01 / 04 / 2010 Reply
    In defense of the husband, maybe a slow switch would be in order. Maybe the first week you get rid of red meat. The next week, starches are reduced. Continue this until you are enjoying a near vegan diet. This may sit better with your husband. For me, if my wife introduced this plan to me, I would play along, while at the same time sneak a burger here and there, which in the long run would make my diet worse. For me, it would be a form of rebellion against the system, the vegan system! In summary, a slow introduction of a new diet would be more effective and reduce the likelyhood of a coup.
  8. Tara @ The Young Mommy Life Thursday - 01 / 04 / 2010 Reply
    Let me clarify: I am not switching us to a vegetarian diet forever. Just this one week. Yes, I could have eliminated things gradually, but we were almost out of meat, save for a package of ground turkey and a pork roast in the freezer. Rather than rush out and buy meat, I figured I'd take advantage of our almost meat-free fridge and try a little experiment. @Avery - Thanks for your advice - The coup has already started....lol. You should've seen his face when I made black bean burgers yesterday. I have to admit - I didn't like them. It was missing something. *cough* FAT *cough* But he did try them and he managed to get one down. From here on out, it will probably be two or three vegetarian meals a week... .-= Tara @ The Young Mommy Life´s last blog ..Rich young moms - Do they need love too? =-.
  9. Nikki Thursday - 01 / 04 / 2010 Reply
    It's possible to have two different types of diets and make it work. I have been vegetarian/vegan (I go back and forth) for 10 years now, and my husband is occasionally vegetarian, but mostly not. Since I do most of the cooking, it requires a little coordination; my main entrees are the family's side dishes. I try to include healthy vegetable dishes in our meals and add as many vegetables as I can to any dish, which allows me to share some of the healthful aspects of my vegetarianism.
  10. Smiley Face Thursday - 01 / 04 / 2010 Reply
    You don't really have to think that far out of the box. Everything that you made before you can make again. They have really really good meat substitutes out there. I started out slow but made the decision early on that I would only exclude red meat, pork and chicken. I love fish and seafood. I included vegetables in everything, every pot of rice I made I would cut up bell peppers and onions to add to it. Whereas before I would steam broccoli, now I steam broccoli, carrots, tomato, and peppers together. When I bake fish I slice up tomato and onion and it turns into a stew to go over rice. My fav is spaghetti (look into spaghetti squash) with italian "sausage" (I use the tofurkey brand with sun dried tomato and basil). I put it in my food processor to grind it. He could tell something was different but couldn't put his finger on it. Again I loaded itup with veggies. Instead of having regular lettuce (including romaine, it gets boring) with salad, try fresh spinach, radicchio, frise, arugula, bell peppers (I'm BIG on peppers, red, orange, yellow), english cucumbers and any raw veggies (skip the corn though.) You can even make tuna salad (sans mayo) with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and any herbs and spices and have that be your dressing. Oh and try rice or almond milk to replace regular milk; I use rice milk and add vanilla (they sell vanilla rice milk but since I use it for other things I just buy regular.) Try your hand at homemade fruit juices or shakes using coconut water. There are sooooo many choices out there, just start small; compromise and use ground turkey to make burgers for starters. It's really trial and error, you'll find out what works for you and your family and you'll notice a difference in the way you feel.
  11. Chinye Thursday - 01 / 04 / 2010 Reply
    Let me preface by saying that I only cook for me (I'm in my last year of undergrad, I am not married nor do I have any children). Earlier this year I did a Daniel fast for the month of January and also am still doing a modified version of the Daniel fast for Lent (no meat, no sweets, and my only beverage of choice is water). I will say since I've been fasting and not eating meat for almost the first 3 months of the year I do really feel better. I do have more energy and I'm not as tired. It's easier for me to go to sleep and stay asleep throughout the night whereas before, I would wake up a few times. I didn't know what difference it made until I ate meat/dairy again in between the two fasting periods. Man, my stomach to AWHILE to digest a meal when I had chicken. Yeah, I learned I don't really like that feeling lol. Now I find was very easy for me to not eat meat because I look at meat as an option, never basing my meal around having meat. Some things I love to eat that are vegetarian are Burritos (I fill mine with rice, black beans, and salsa, corn, etc.), ravioli, hummus, salads (love them), and greens. Also, I believe its all about what you season with and how you season to get yourself used to not having the flavor of meat. Before I began to fast I would assume that vegetarian and vegan meals were mostly bland and lacked flavor (some that I tried did just taste bad lol), but once I dedicated myself to the fast, I started to actually prepare my meals and used seasonings like cumin, turmeric, oregano, thyme, rosemary- all things that pack flavor and make food taste good. One tip to make things more smoother for your husband is to try cooking things that are high in protein. My bf loves him a steak, but when we go out to eat he challenges himself to not eat meat because I'm not and has surprisingly done well with beans and such. For ideas of vegetarian meals to cook check out http://naturibeauty.com/blog/mar-naturi-kitchen-yummm. That is Sheri's curry hummus recipe which is AMAZING. I make it at least once a week, no lie and can eat it all in one setting if I allow myself to. It's just that good (and the boo loves it too lol).
  12. busybodyk Thursday - 01 / 04 / 2010 Reply
    Kudos to you! I've been wanting to switch to just one day a week without meat and my husband reacted as yours did. I would like to do it for health AND financial reasons. Buying less meat is a little cheaper. Can you share your menu with us?
  13. Aja Thursday - 01 / 04 / 2010 Reply
    I was about to ask you if this was actually an April Fool's joke. I think that is what my husband would say if I made that suggestion in my house!
  14. Erika Thursday - 01 / 04 / 2010 Reply
    While my husband and I have been vegertarians for the past 10 years who are on again/off again vegans we are not attached to any label, we even eat fish on occassion. We have raised our son now age 5 vegetarian since birth. I'll skip the food sugesstions since your readers have already provided some great ones. I would suggest though before going cold turkey (excuse the pun) that you gradually make the transition perhaps serving organic/free range chicken or wild fish once or twice a week. This would help get you bodies adjusted to the shift as well as curb cravings that can undermine your efforts. I recently attending a fasting/cleansing workshop where it was discussed that making the change too quickly to vegan/vegetarian and especially raw food can have damaging effects since the body is now exposed to "awaking" foods that trigger the body to release the toxins that were once stored away. So to avoid being graphic the most important thing is for your family transition is to make sure that regular bowel elimination is occuring. If not instead of the benefits you seek (clearer skin, less bloat, more energy) you may experience the opposite skin eruptions - due to the toxins finding an alternate route out of the body, more bloat - due to gas and waste buildup and less energy - due to your body trying to deal with all the changes. My final note is if you don't have one already invest in a good juicer (or find a reasonably priced juice bar closeby) and incorporate fresh vegatable juice in your daily diet.
  15. Happy Nappy Bride Thursday - 01 / 04 / 2010 Reply
    Like Mocha Dad, I've done the Daniel Fast and I think it's great! For the last six or seven years, I've done it for Lent...so forty days of veggies, fruits, nuts, beans. No dairy, meat, sugar or sugar subs, caffeine, white flour/rice. It's tough but it's benefits are wonderful. I have lots more fiber in my diet which makes my morning constitutional a daily even...which it wasn't before. Woo hoo! Plus I've learned how to make some slammin' vegan meals. I just made a tamale pie last night that was to die for! That being said...I'm happy that Easter is this weekend and I can eat meat again! .-= Happy Nappy Bride´s last blog ..sixpence? =-.
  16. T Thursday - 01 / 04 / 2010 Reply
    I am a strict vegetarian, which means I basically eat a vegan diet except if I wanted, I could enjoy honey. I do not prepare meat in my home, however my family is free to eat non-vegetarian meals when we visit family and sometimes my husband will bring home a rotisserie chicken. I always allow my children to skip the meat, but they are required to eat all their vegetables. I feed them nutrient dense, delicious meals and since meat is not something we need to survive and thrive, I don't feel any guilt for not serving it. I applaud your efforts to decrease the amount of meat you eat. It is better for your body, your wallet and your planet.
  17. Ronnie Friday - 02 / 04 / 2010 Reply
    I like Avery's suggestion....slow start. We had a fruit and vegetables fast with our church...I did not know what I was doing...Lamar was hungry....the kids were hungry...the fast did not last. So this is definitely something I would need to do research on before starting. There are many good cook books and recipes out there.
  18. Bryan Friday - 02 / 04 / 2010 Reply
    I'm of two minds about this. First and foremost, if you are the one who does all the cooking at every dinner, then your husband needs to just be quiet, say thank you, and eat what you have taken the time to fix for your family. But, and this is a mild objection, if you and your husband share the cooking responsibilities then he should have been consulted before this meal schedule was put in to place. My wife and I have a rule: You don't give orders to the chef. So on the three nights I cook, it is whatever I want and on the three nights she cooks it is whatever she wants. If this was a permanent lifestyle change you all would have to have a major discussion about it. I applaud your efforts in changing your lifestyle. Now that our daughter is born, my wife and I are on the road to losing the baby weight we picked up.
  19. {JeLisa} @ Blogging Ever After Friday - 02 / 04 / 2010 Reply
    Lol. My husband might last a day or so, but a full week? I think he'd fake a faint and claim it was from a lack of protein. ;) But I see where you're coming from, and I'm inspired! .-= {JeLisa} @ Blogging Ever After´s last blog ..Marriagosophies – from the pages of Redbook and the mind of me. :) =-.
  20. WriteBlack Monday - 05 / 04 / 2010 Reply
    We eat a mostly vegetarian diet in our household, although I do buy fish or chicken or beef once or twice a month. My husband used to grumble about it, but he's learned to eat and like (and in some cases, love) meatless meals. If you're looking for meal ideas, I highly recommend Bryant Terry's cookbook "Vegan Soul Kitchen." Everything I've made from it has been absolutely delicious.
  21. Juice for fasting Tuesday - 01 / 02 / 2011 Reply
    I have just recently found your blog and absolutely love the posts. Thank you, thank you. I am still .NET programming but can't wait to try these things in Ruby and it is a great help to see such clear examples.

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