May I ask why you want to convert him so much? Is it just to make things easier for you? The fact is, you can't (and shouldn't) make people change to suit you. If you want to go veggie, great for you. If your husband doesn't, that's fine too. It will take time for you to get things sorted as far as cooking meals goes, but just be patient. If you think you can't help but eat meat if you prepare it, then maybe you should teach him how to make the meals you don't think you'd be able to resist. Just like anything, it's hard to change habits cold turkey (no pun intended), and you may make mistakes along them way. A lot of people that I have known to go veggie, have done so progressively. Some even still eat meat on occasion, but most of them are going veggie for health reasons, and not spiritual ones. Those that I know that did it cold, didn't really eat meat to begin with.
Being vegetarian is good. Converting from a non vegetarian diet to a completely vegetarian one is an excruciatingly difficult task especially when you have been very fond of the former. Still, if you explore all the options that a vegetarian diet can offer, you will be amazed and motivated. Also, the non vegetarian deit is a good source of proteins so try taking a lot of proteins to cover up.Trying using a lot of nutrela too.Originally Posted by chaya
The only reason I would have in converting him would be to make is easier for me. So I am not trying to convert him, it just made good conversation to talk about it.
I am a Buddhist and he is a Christian. I can eat meat on the technicality that if the animal was not killed specifically for me it is ok to eat it. I no longer believe in this technicality and it was causing me much guilt and confusion.
My conversion is not without it's problems, I am experiencing a lot of digestive distress including gas. This was ok until I started going back to school Monday. I won't go into detail but at class breaks I am off to the ladies room or outside whichever is closer, for a much need venting. I'm told this will improve in time once my system becomes adjusted to my new diet.
Zen is more of an attitude than a belief.
Actually I think that eating meat was better for me health-wise. I am a type 1 diabetic and must limit my carbohydrates in order to maintain better control. Eating meat not only supplied my protein but it also slows and stabilizes the digestion of carbohydrates thus maintaining a better glucose control with smaller post meal spikes.
I'm not too fond of nutrella but I love tofu. Since converting, I eat tofu at least twice a day. My next experiment will be making Pork Tofu stew, leaving out the pork and cooking some separately for my hubby's portion. It won't be too good without real Hawaiian watercress but I'll try the small watercress from the local markets.
Zen is more of an attitude than a belief.
It seems there are different types of Vegetarians, or phases of being , becoming one.
Introduction to Vegetarian Diet
A vegetarian is a person who avoid meat and/or animal products. Vegetarian diet includes only foods from plants: like fruits, vegetables, plenty of leafy greens, whole grain products, nuts, seeds, and legumes (dried beans and peas). There are several categories of vegetarians:
Part-Vegetarian or Semi-Vegetarian
Semi-vegetarians do not eat red or white meat (beef, pork, venison, etc) but include chicken and fish with plant foods, dairy products, and eggs. The only animals that semi-vegetarians eat are fowl and fish, although they usually eat by-products of red meat, like fats, oils, gelatin etc. and wear clothes from animals.
Ovo-Lacto Vegetarians
Do not eat meat or flesh of any kind, but do eat eggs and dairy products. Sometimes ovo-lacto vegetarians eat meat by-products (e.g. fats, bonemeal, gelatin) and use animal-derived products (leather etc.).
- The Ovo vegetarians eat eggs but not dairy products.
- The lacto vegetarian diet includes plant foods plus cheese and other dairy products but not eggs.
Vegans
Vegan or total vegetarian are strictly vegetarians. They eat only plant foods: includes fruits, vegetables, plenty of leafy greens, whole grain products, nuts, seeds, and legumes (dried beans and peas). Vegans, in addition to being vegetarian, do not use other animal products and by-products such as eggs, dairy products, honey, leather, fur, silk, wool, cosmetics, and soaps derived from animal products.
Despite such dietary restrictions, a balanced vegan diet is perfectly healthy, although too inconvenient for many vegetarians.
Macrobiotic Vegetarians
A macrobiotic vegetarian diet excludes all meat, poultry, dairy produce and eggs, but at initial levels may include fish. A macrobiotic vegetarian aims to maintain a balance between foods seen as ying (positive) or yang (negative). The macrobiotic diet progresses through ten levels, and becomes more and more restrictive. Not all levels are vegetarian, though each level gradually eliminates animal products. The highest levels eliminate fruit and vegetables, eventually reaching the level of a brown rice diet.
A macrobiotic vegetarian diet is not recommended from a nutritional viewpoint.
***Note : A vegetarian diet can be unhealthy if it contains too many calories and not enough important nutrients. Ensuring adequate amounts of essential nutrients in vegetarian diet is vital in the case of diabetes. ***
Being as you are a Diabetic, I would talk with my Dr. or Dietitian before going Gun Ho on becoming a Vegetarian, that omits all Animal parts or by products. Your Physical Health is just as Important as your Spiritual Health.
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