I relate very much to the author's viewpoint. At this point I have a very small serving of any meat once or twice a week. I love vegetables, and have loved them since childhood -- and have tried eating vegetarian a good bit over the years. The only problem is working with other family diet needs and not feeling as inspired or time-capable of making the vegetarian dishes I would like to for myself. Part of the reason I am pro-vegetarian is, also, as a Christian -- a sense of consciousness about the many people throughout the world who are hungry or starving and do not have meat or even the basics for a meal. ( I would recommend two good reads (although somewhat dated) - "Diet for a Small Planet" and "More With Less" -- both are cookbooks that also have a lot of philosophy re these issues -- that both affected a lot of my thinking. ) - 1/20/2011   10:17:08 PM

Inspired by my roommate in college, I tried veganism. I just couldn't do it. I had two cookbooks with recipes for one or two servings, and even if it made two servings, I ended up eat all of it because I was so unsatisfied all the time. i tried a diet that focused on grains, fruits, and one teeny, tiny serving of meat a day, and I went nuts. I just needed the protein.

I have been able to do the flexitarian thing, though. There are days when eating nothing but salads and fruits feel really good, but I just can't make a regular habit of it, nor do I have any desire to.

In defense of meat-eaters, my roommate went vegan to protest cruelty to animals. Then she did what none of us expected and put her money where her mouth is -- she works on an organic farm. Now, she eats modest amounts of meat because it really is the best source of protein, and because she knows exactly how the animals were raised and treated. It's the whole respect for life thing. - 1/5/2011   8:30:05 PM

There are days that I prefer to not eat meat and just have vegetables or something else. Also, my husband likes to eat meat, so most meals do have meat with it; but I am having him eat healthier versions! - 12/26/2010   11:40:34 PM

I am an ex-vegetarian in my twenties and before having a child, to a live alone, flexatarian because it is healthier and I do like to eat meat sometimes! I don't do it for the Stop-the-world-cruelty to animals, cause I know that my not eating meat isn't making any dent whatsoever for that cause....BUT being healthier and spreading that knowledge around WILL someday make a dent in the cruelty to animals front! The more people become smarter about saturated fats and cholesterol, the better our whole world will become and the animals we consume out of glutton and selfishness, will balance out. Just like the way the Indians did it! Only out of NEED...NOT GREED!!! Our society is so self-absorbed on all levels that I am guilty of allot of it too,just to co-exsist. Not making excuses, just stating a fact that it is easier when dining at friends homes and being around the people I love who do not yet get the health factor nor care. Food and feeling nourished is so primal and it gets allot of MEN up in arms to go meatless for ANY reason! Sometimes it is the ONLY thing on my son's plate and he was raised by me, a most times meatless meal maker!! And he now hunts!!! I can't win!!! I do like venison when someone offers it to me, but you won't catch me asking anyone to go get me one to put in the freezer!!! It is healthy fat-wise, just like all grass-fed, organic, meats are and that is the only reason I accept it from those who hunt around here, and there are many who do! It is a fine balance to feed ourselves properly and honestly. I could definately LIVE without animal meats, but the world isn't made up that way and I cannot change it. Would I have Thanksgiving dinner without a turkey, I have in the past for vegetarian reasons, but it is the tradition that the indians and the whitemen decided to kill that turkey in celebration and a token of friendship to bring the two together at one table! And that is the reason for family dinner and for gathering around the table. But our culture has taken it way too far and it shouldn't be at all meals, not even once a wk, maybe once a month or even less!!! Once a season!! - 10/3/2010   12:26:47 PM

Yes I am trying to incorporate more raw foods into my diet, so being a part time vegetarian would work well for me! I think I will start right away and see how it goes :o) - 9/30/2010   6:15:57 PM

I consider myself to be a "flexitarian" I too cook meat more for my family than for myself. I have started fixing meatless meals for my husband and so far he has enjoyed some of the changes. I am always on the lookout for some good, simple meat free meals to try. - 9/30/2010   9:36:36 AM

It just seems weird to me that this is something out of the ordinary. I dont even think of the food I make without meat as being vegetarian. I think of it as some of my favorite meals. I dont have to "try" to not eat meat once, twice, thrice, whatever, a week, it just happens naturally. I grew up what way. I feed my family that way now. I guess I have been a part time vegetarian before I even knew what it was. - 9/16/2010   5:35:00 PM

I figure we are up to at least 30-40% vegetarian meals now without my husband noticing. Learning to do more with beans and fish is helping out a lot with this. This has been easy and comfortable. We could maybe go a bit higher but I don't think we'll ever be complete vegetarians. Also important is the fact that it is possible to very much reduce the amount of meat you eat at one meal without anyone realy noticing if you are trying to put on over on the family. Just put all of the meat on top of what you are serving. - 9/8/2010   5:34:46 AM

I do try to incorporate more meatless meals into my program.
Thanks for the article. - 9/7/2010   9:26:59 PM

In Europe, many people only eat meat maybe once a week, and then only a small portion. Vegetables, fruits, grains and beans are the mainstays of their diets. - 9/6/2010   5:30:46 PM

I loved this blog.
My sister has been a vegetarian for about 8 years now and she's lost a lot of weight and always says she feels great. She became one because of how animals are treated and what they're fed.
A few weeks ago we watched a video in biology about how meat is made- it made me not want to eat meat anymore.
Then a few nights ago I watched a video about how animals are treated. It was horrible.
I since then I have thought about becoming a vegetarian, but I don't think that's possible because the rest of my family and friends love meat. I've decided to only eat meat when it's served and I can't make something else for myself (that will probably be a few times a week), and when I can control my meals not to add meat. I feel very good about my decision. - 9/6/2010   1:01:33 AM

Very interested in being flexitarian and am moving toward that goal. I've never been a big meat eater, but getting enough protein via veggies and non-meat sources is a challenge! - 9/4/2010   1:58:03 PM

I love my vegetables and sometimes go days without meat. I actually forget to eat meat, but do have it for DH frequently. - 9/3/2010   10:38:10 PM

After learning of my high tryglyceride and cholestral levels, I have definately made the shift towards more plant based foods for almost every meal. I have lost some weight and will have my levels tested next week , I feel hopefull going part time vegitarian has helped. - 9/2/2010   3:59:59 PM

Thanks to ATEAMCOWGIRLS and KBUCKMASH. - 9/2/2010   3:13:02 PM

I absolutely love the comments by ATEAMCOWGIRLS and KBUCKMASH. I learned in my Chemistry class in college that there is a certain protein that humans NEED that can only be provided by meat. This protein is not found in vegetables at all.
- 9/2/2010   10:54:18 AM

When I was in college, I was a vegetarian and ate a lot of ice cream and bagels. My husband, who was a vegetarian for years, jokingly calls ice cream "the other food group" for vegetarians. Today we eat local and organic and because we have chosen to eat a lot more veggies, meat tends to be much less important. But I am severely anemic and absolutely crave beef at times. - 9/2/2010   9:34:51 AM

I recently decided to turn vegetarian for awhile and try it out mostly for the health of it. I was worried that I was going to feel weak all the time without the protien because I have a tendency to anemia and B12 deficiency. But I have not had that problem so far, I only started in July sometime. I feel fine but I don't feel better because I have been falling into the trap of eating too many simple carbs like bread, pierogis, pizza and white pasta instead of whole grain rice and other whole grains. And I don't know if I will stay vegetarian for life. I may go back to eating meat sometimes but only fish and chicken and only if it is organic because there are just so many unhealthy additives added to most commercial meats and the grass-fed tastes totally different to me. I am going to wait until my next check-up and blood work-up to see if it affects my cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar positively. I haven't missed it so far even though my husband still eats meat and I have to cook it for him. It smells good when it's cooking but I still haven't been tempted to eat it. I'll probably have some turkey on Thanksgiving, though. But in the meantime, it will be easier for me to see I'm getting my protien quota now that I will be tracking my nutrition on Spark People. - 9/1/2010   6:24:30 PM

I don't think I could ever become a vegetarian. For me, meat is a very efficient way to get enough protein. And it's a very usable source of iron.

I eat a lot of vegetables too. I eat more vegetables (and more variety of veg) than the average vegetarian. Being veggie doesn't mean people eat more vegetables than meat eaters, they tend to just eat more pasta and grains - things I don't eat.

I usually eat at least 5 portions of veg a day, plus 2-3 portions of fruit. I just eat them alongside some fish or meat.

2/3 - 9/1/2010   11:58:13 AM

I don't think I'll ever be a strict vegitarian, but I am going that route for the month of September. I think this will be a great challenge in adding more fruits and veggies to my diet. Plus, I do get bored easily, so this month, I will try as many different vegitarian recipes as I can. The ultimate goal is that when I add meat back into my diet, it will be only 2-3 times per week instead of 2-3 times per day. By then I'll have a wealth of new ways to eat my 5-a-day. - 9/1/2010   11:23:21 AM

My husband and I try to eat vegetarian meals most of the time at home. If I see a great deal on fish, we might have that, or if he's going to give blood, we'll eat a lot of meat for a week or two before and after -- that kind of thing. But since most of our home-cooked dinners are vegetarian and since we use the leftovers for our lunches, most of our meals are vegetarian. However, if we go to someone's home or we're eating out, we allow ourselves to eat anything we want.

This has worked pretty well for us. I definitely think of us as omnivores, not vegetarians, however. - 8/31/2010   7:55:39 PM

I get around the meat-eating family by making a meat dish separately. For example, I recently made a big pot of ratatouille, and baked some chicken breasts for everyone else. That way they can have both and I can just have a double helping of the veggies. I am also slowly weaning them off meat for dinner every night (shhh, don't tell!!) Fortunately my husband likes lentils. - 8/31/2010   7:34:39 PM

I am in the opposite situation: I married a man who eats only the occasional piece of fish, but otherwise vegetarian. It's been harder to maintain my carnivorous previous life. Eating higher on the food chain (larger animals like pigs and cows) is far more intensive in terms of space needed, chemical use, waste products, and water consumption, and I'm not interested in supporting that any more than a few times a year, from a known, local, ethical rancher. With 7 billion of us, the planet's getting far too small to warrant that kind of eating...regardless of what "Beef Magazine" has to say about it ;-)

I also feel far better, have lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure, fewer illnesses, and lower grocery bills since switching. I don't particularly care what anyone else does - but it works great for me. - 8/31/2010   3:43:57 PM

I've been moving this direction for some time, and for me, its a great balance. Extremes of "allowed" and "not allowed" food don't work for me. I have been embracing less meat, more fruits, veggies, whole grains, beans, etc and it feels right. I am with those of you who have family members who eat meat. I only cook one meal and I'll eat the meat/chicken with them, and try to eat less or no meat the rest of the day and on "Meatless Mondays" which I embraced about a month ago. - 8/31/2010   1:26:24 PM

I'm going to have my steak and eat it too. With a nice, large salad. - 8/31/2010   11:53:52 AM

All of these different variations of 'vegetarianism' are just silly. Eat according to your taste and morals, as healthy as you want/can/have to. Don't look down on people because they're not 'vegan', 'vegetarian', 'flexitarian' or whatever.

That aside, look at your teeth. There's a reason they're shaped like that: humans are omnivores. - 8/31/2010   11:00:22 AM

Five months ago I chose to become a full time vegetarian as my 16yr old son had requested that we try it for some time. As I am learning how to balance dietary needs, I find that I feel so much better than I did in the past. My sleep is more restful, energy higher, and my endurance has greatly improved. I have 2 daughters away at college and 1 of the 2 has also decided she enjoys this lifestyle. I find that I do not miss animal byproducts at all and enjoy the wonderful bounty of vegetables, beans, etc.., that I am now focusing on. My 16yr old has decided to make this a lifetime committment and his friends applaud his decision. Always remember that this is a decision that we make for ourselves and to feel better about our health. If others don't like our choice, they don't have to...it's not their life! - 8/31/2010   10:44:18 AM

Reading this article has definately made me think about it, I do not eat much meat during the week to begin with, without even thinking about it , but I like this concept. It so simple and like others have said, less expensive then the alternative. Tonight I am going to consciously make a vegetarian meal, and now i'm super pumped to go home and cook! - 8/31/2010   9:32:22 AM

I've eaten in this way for years, long before it was trendy, because it was so much less expensive, less wasteful, and felt good. Legumes, grains, and such go along with 'veggies' so well and provide good, inexpensive protein. Nice when something I've long believed in becomes fashionable! but I try to avoid labels. - 8/30/2010   8:36:15 PM

I read Skinny Bitch and could not put another piece of flesh in my mouth. Unfortunately, I am not a full fledged vegetarian as I sometimes eat fish. Not often, but i do. There are so many labels for vegetarians and it seems mine is pesco ovo according to my vegan friend. I am not much on labels but do not want to offend a true vegetarian as I make the transition from fish to no fish- which I am working on and it is easy as I do not like fish, but seafood is another story. It is a great change that I made in my life and I feel so much healthier, not so bogged down inside and even lost weight, yay! If you try it I suggest the book "Being Vegetarian for Dummies". It was a great help. - 8/30/2010   6:53:48 PM

I can relate to the author in that I don't eat meat much myself but my husband loves it. In fact, before we were married, I had never cooked "fresh" (i.e. not from a can or in a frozen meal) meat. And, while there's a "meatless Mondays" movement, there have been other traditions as well. Almost everybody knows that Catholics aren't supposed to eat meat on Fridays during Lent. But it used to be that they were never supposed to eat meat at all on Fridays (and then not at all during Lent.) I've found myself intentionally avoiding meat on Fridays for religious reasons, but also for the health, economic and environmental reasons as well. And, when we do eat meat, I try (although it doesn't always happen) to buy the grass fed, pastured meat from my local farmer's market--not so good on the pocketbook, but better for health and the environment. (And, the cost often evens out in the long run with the meatless days.) - 8/30/2010   5:31:12 PM

well, i can't call myself a vegetarian, but maybe it's more accurate to call myself an accidental flexitarian. i had no idea that this word even existed. my family used to live in japan, and we came to the conclusion that americans, in general, eat too much meat. when i make something with meat (rarely), such as a casserole or bolognese sauce, i just use half the meat called for, because i'm not a big fan of red meat. i do like chicken and fish, but i don't want it every day. and certainly not more than 3 or 4 ounces at a time. i love beans, and occasionally eggs and cheese and tofu. and whole grains, and veggies. i guess i am describing the mediterranean diet! oooh, red wine... - 8/30/2010   4:35:33 PM

I've become a part-time vegetarian by medical necessity. Hard to manage cholesterol levels cause me to avoid red meat altogether and just eat poultry occasionally. I find that beans, in the form of hummus or vegetarian chili have become my preferred protein. - 8/30/2010   4:22:25 PM

I run into the same problem as many of the previous commenters and Jen. I live with a meat eating, meat loving man, who won't eat a lot of things. We usually are able to do at least 2 meatless meals a week.

I have actually taken to eating vegetarian for every meal except for the few dinners we have containing meat. I am not a big fan of meat, I very rarely crave it, but I find that I crave broccoli or grilled asparagus. - 8/30/2010   3:31:31 PM

I am actually going to be eating less meat and more vegis since in the last 12years I have had my dad, an aunt, a sister, my mom, a brother, and an uncle all pass away from cancer. I have done a little bit of researching and read that a diet with lots of vegi's lowers your risk for cancer. I have 5 kids, so any lowering of cancer is the better..lol. Just looking for lots of vegi recipes now. - 8/30/2010   2:56:40 PM

I guess we are part-time vegetarians. For the most part during the week we eat vegetarian and if we go out to eat then we may have some sort of meat or fish. - 8/30/2010   2:08:39 PM

I have tried in the past being a part-time vegetarian. Part-time for me is a lot different then others I include fish and shell fish .So perhaps it should not be called vegetarian at all based on most definitions. I would go a couple of months on and off of my vegetarian only diet. I feel that it gives my body a rest from trying to digest meats, which I don't care for a lot anyway. When I do vegetarian diet only, I really feel better and lose weight more easily. BEING FRANK- SIDE NOTE People, we are all different in the way that our bodies function. We have different DNA's , metabolism etc. FIND A HEALTHY WAY TO EAT FOR A LIFETIME AND STICK TO IT. KNOW WHAT YOU CAN AND CANNOT DO TO YOUR BODY. YOU ONLY GET ONE. "ALL THINGS ARE LAWFUL BUT ALL THINGS ARE NOT EXPEDIENT" - 8/30/2010   1:55:36 PM

ATEAMCOWGIRLS is so on target. I have no objections to people making choices in how they eat but when there is incorrect information being given to influence people to eat one way or the other then it is time to set the record straight. “So what’s the reason for encouraging this style of eating? The effect on the environment is reason number one. "According to the United Nations, the livestock industry produces 18% of the world’s greenhouse gases." Therefore, consuming less meat could mean a positive effect on global warming.” The United Nations report has repeatedly been proven wrong but is still being use.

You may find the first link of ATEAMCOWGIRLS’ not wanting to work, please try: http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/em
issions/downloads10/US-GHG-Inventor
y-2010_Chapter6-Agriculture.pdf

US Greenhouse Gas Emissions Allocated to Economic Sectors in 2008:
Electric Power Industry . . 34.6% Commercial . . . . 5.9%
Transportation . . . . . . . . 27.1% Residential . . . . 5.2%
Industry . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19.3% US Territories . . .0.7%
Agriculture . . . . . . . . . . . 7.2%
http://epa.gov/climatechge/emission
s/downloads10/US-GHG-Inventory-2010
_Chapter2-Trends.pdf

Despite oft-repeated claims by sources ranging from the United Nations (UN) to music star Paul McCartney, it’s simply not true that consuming less meat and dairy products will help stop climate change, says a University of California (UC) authority on farming and greenhouse gases (GHGs). Mar 29, 2010. http://beefmagazine.com/beefstocker
trends/0330-modern-agriculture-solu
tion/index.html

Take particular note of pages 12 & 13 at http://airquality.ucdavis.edu/pages
/events/2009/greenacres/DairyMitloe
hner.pdf The pages show countries with less agriculture then the US but with much more greenhouse gas emissions. A chart showing agricultural CO2 emissions per capital is at http://localfoods.wordpress.com/200
8/06/25/greenhouse-gas-emissions-fr
om-agriculture /. Please note there are some countries where the per capital emission is higher than the countries emission.

http://extension.missouri.edu/publi
cations/DisplayPub.aspx?P=G310#Agri
cultural explains how emissions from livestock can be high but countered by proper use of the land. A portion of GHG emissions can be offset when carbon in the atmosphere is taken up and stored, or sequestered, by plants. While most of this sequestration occurs in trees and forests, there is considerable interest in sequestration opportunities in crop and rangeland management. By using the sequestration of his land farmers can counter the effects his livestock may have.

Additional resources include:
* http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/wy
cd/downloads/IA-till.pdf
* http://www.extension.iastate.edu/ag
dm/articles/others/TakApr08.html
* http://www.climateandfarming.org/pd
fs/FactSheets/IV.1GHGs.pdf

Like ATEAMCOWGIRLS I come from a family that did raise cattle and my husband’s family has raised cattle even longer. Our family believes in not abusing the cattle and using good conservation practices. We do not send any animal to market that we would not be willing to eat ourselves. - 8/30/2010   1:53:07 PM

I've been a 'flexitarian' for a while; my family enjoys meatless meals a couple of days a week. We started more as a way to cut back on our grocery bills (the price of meat is sometimes just plain crazy!) but now I've started adding more fresh vegetables for the health/nutrition benefits. - 8/30/2010   1:46:48 PM

I had never thought about it as being "part time", but there are days that I just don't eat meat or don't want it. - 8/30/2010   12:02:13 PM

I kind of have to agree. "Indulge" in meat is not the right word. We're evolved as omnivores. We want meat because they have complete proteins. To be able to be vegetarian is truly a luxury, because you really need the resources in order to make sure you're getting all the right proteins.
I understand there is a whole political movement for some vegetarians, and being an environmental scientist I understand the dangers of eating meat, but I also understand that human beings behave certain ways for a reason, and you can't expect them to quit meat and never want to eat it again. - 8/30/2010   11:55:58 AM

Yup, labels don't make the person......as obviously indicated by someone like JULIEK2010 implying, LESS THAN "secretly" that I'm hypocritcal for being flexitarian.... I don't plan to eat meat or not eat meat. It's whatever comes up. I guess the bottom line is what's good for the individual. Too bad people get hung up on labels and are less than willing to look at a whole person for who they are. Attitudes like that are the main reason I refuse to become a "true" vegetarian. - 8/30/2010   11:49:37 AM

I actually find that I'll go a whole week before I even realize that I didn't eat any meet. My breakfasts and lunches rarely contain meet. And then when it comes time for dinner- beans or pasta dishes are much easier to prepare. When I started tracking my nutrition again, I realized that I was low on protein some days. Now I'm sure that when I don't eat meat, I get my protein from other sources. - 8/30/2010   11:44:15 AM

I love being a true vegetarian. It's great for my health and the environment/animals. The production of meat and meat products is a very inefficient use of global resources.
I guess I appreciate anyone who makes a concious effort to eat less meat. That's better than nothing. Though I secretly think "flexitarians" are kind of hypocritical to recognize the benefits yet still indulge in meat sometimes. - 8/30/2010   10:10:06 AM

I actually decided a couple of weeks ago to become a flexatarian since I was kinda doing it with the less meat, just not as much with the more vegetables. I am learning though. Plus, I like all of benefits of eating primarily vegetables. I never pursued becoming a full-time vegetarian, nor desire to be. I am currently staying away from eating a lot of beef and I rarely eat pork. I still eat and like seafood and poultry. I can't say I ever craved meat (other than shrimp since it's my favorite food), but I am sure I would miss it as I have done a vegan type of fast before and miss it a little. I agree that being a vegetarian in a meat eating world is tough. My boyfriend recently became a vegetarian again to aid in losing weight. After a while, he has had to sometimes switch to be a flexatarian because there can be little to no options for him to eat at functions, which usually cater to meat-eaters. (Yeah, I know that vegetarians are defined as vegetable only eaters. I'm suprised that some people don't know that there are other terms for people who eats a bunch of vegetables alongside certain meats.) It is a discipline to maintain a vegetarian lifestyle especially with my boyfriend being in the military, which does not always accomodate vegetarians. (Salad bars on post do count, but there is a lot more that vegetarians can and want to eat). So, yeah, technically my boyfriend could be called a flexitarian, but he does his best to maintain a vegetarian lifestyle. Saying that, I respect the hard core vegetarians and their technically in defining their eating habits, but at the end people are people and some may not have all the vegetarians do. - 8/30/2010   9:25:59 AM

I like my vegetables but then I also like my meat. Give me both. Some days I only need to eat vegetables though so I'm content with that. - 8/30/2010   9:10:24 AM

Wow, I'm amazed at how seriously people take these labels -- vegetarian, flexitarian...
My DH and I had been gradually reducing red meat to help manage his cholesterol (he can't take statins, so diet and exercise made more sense).Then we got totally turned off chicken and turkey when we saw a show depicting the disgusting way our agricultural system manages poultry farms. Now we eat just fish and veggies and a few eggs and milk products (though not many).
Does that make us part-time vegetarians? Pescatarians? Wannabe vegans?
We don't care what the label is. We just know we feel healthier now. And it is comforting to know that we're not supporting an industry that systematically tortures animals and pollutes the environment. My DH has seriously reduced his insulin intake and his blood lipid counts are way down. Oh, and we've lost 50 pounds between the two of us.
One more interesting byproduct of our changed eating habits: we actually spend a lot less on food these days leaving room in our budget to buy the new clothes our trimmed waistlines require.
What a total victory for the good guys. - 8/30/2010   7:55:00 AM

I honestly just don't LIKE meat that much. On occasion, I'll feel like I want it, but most generally, I just don't want it. I eat meat maybe 1-2 times every 1-3 weeks. - 8/30/2010   7:38:54 AM

My family and I would do meat free days during the week. I started out totally avoiding red meat, then after a while just stopped all meats and the difference we feel in our bodies is very noticeable. However my family and I are pescetarians....we eat seafood but no animal meats and it is a wonderful option for us. - 8/30/2010   7:37:17 AM

My husband and I are vegan - he, for around 8 years, myself for around 3 1/2. There is a lot of misinformation in this post and the responses, but I was there too. The two biggest misunderstandings are that it's difficult to be a vegetarian or vegan, and that one must have meat to have protein.

It's true that we both love to cook! We eat fantastically well, a full and healthy - but above all, tasty - menu of foods from around the globe. Neither of us feel limited. It's true that it becomes difficult to eat at restaurants, but in fact as we ALL learn to make better food choices, dining out becomes more of a challenge simply because you have to pay attention to what's in your food. We have learned to cook the foods we love and enjoy them at home, and cooking wonderful, healthy, whole foods has become a hobby we share. The journey to this state has been completely enjoyable and rewarding!

About the protein: a vegan or vegetarian diet, properly balanced, is complete, period. Mike and I do take vitamin b12, and I take a calcium supplement. Otherwise, I'd challenge ANYONE to look at our nutrition and tell us we're not doing extremely well in this area. Our weight loss process has more to do with portion control and balance - we already were eating extremely healthily. We buy VERY few processed foods, for one thing.

Lastly - I was apprehensive too about making the switch. But as I've done so, over time I have discovered how very easy it is to convert recipes from omni to vegan, and by doing so, making them low fat, low sodium - and high taste.

Carol - 8/30/2010   6:59:06 AM