Posts: 9,931
5/16/13 9:36 A

Hello, I have not been active on this team and thought I would start. I like the "flex" concept. I live with a meat and potatoes guy, but he is agreeable to an occasional no meat, no dairy meal each week.
I have health issues and should not eat a lot of protein. I am married to a great guy and have two kitties, in Texas. On the exercise, I go great for a while, have a health set back, don't exercise for a week or two and then it is like starting all over again.
Last night I had a chickpeas concoction with cauliflower, Swiss chard, couscous, onion, vegetable broth and a small amount of orange juice, Chickpea Hotpot. I must say, it was good! I posted my veggie tacos on another thread.

Edited by: BOHEMIANCAT at: 5/16/2013 (09:39)

Pounds lost: 14.5

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59.5

SparkPoints: (5,236)
Fitness Minutes: (6,578)
Posts: 321
5/10/13 11:00 A

Hi Sheri. We also eat a lot of our veggies raw, my kids prefer them that way. Even ones that aren't usually crudite, like green beans, asparagus, cabbage. So we do lots of chopped salads, "slaws" and wraps. If I do cook them, we do lots of stir fry's, but I usually end up leaving a handful of veggies aside for my kids to eat raw in case they don't want to eat them they way I've prepared them. It works for us. I get most of my recipes these days from Pinterest, and it's nice to have them organized all in one place and searchable.

SparkPoints: (21,658)
Fitness Minutes: (19,313)
Posts: 1,324
5/9/13 8:16 A

Welcome to the team Sheri,

You an me both, I am always looking for some new veggie meal to try. I find most of mine by surfing the web until something catches my eye. Of course you can never go wrong with raw. I am a big fan of chapped veggie sandwiches.

SparkPoints: (1,097)
Fitness Minutes: (420)
Posts: 57
5/9/13 6:58 A

Good morning! My name is Sheri and I am new to this team. Looking for new ideas on cooking veggies.

Pounds lost: 0.0

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SparkPoints: (21,658)
Fitness Minutes: (19,313)
Posts: 1,324
5/1/13 1:11 P

Welcome to the team Arian!

Posts: 2,098
5/1/13 11:36 A

Hello, my name is Arian and I am new to this group. I have been slowly easing meat out of my life over the past several months. I gave up beef 6 months ago and have only eaten pork a handful of time since then. Chicken is the next to go, but at this time I do still eat seafood. As I read and research more and more, I can see very clearly that there are not any nutrients that I cannot get from a vegetarian diet. I am excited to start embracing this lifestyle, because I know I can be much healthier.
Hope to get to know you all better!!

Pounds lost: 35.0

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SparkPoints: (5,236)
Fitness Minutes: (6,578)
Posts: 321
4/23/13 4:43 P

Hey Cresida. I guess I'm lucky in that my husband will eat just about anything, but he's very resistant to the *idea* of me leaning toward becoming a vegetarian. I think a big part of it is that he doesn't think it's healthy/balanced enough for our kids, which is ridiculous. I was typically cooking meatless three or four nights a week and personally eating smaller portions of the meat dishes when I did cook them. He recently deployed, so I have been cooking meatless closer to five or six nights a week and only cooking chicken or fish on rare occasions. I personally don't eat red meat. I'm kind of hoping to find a few killer vegetarian recipes that he will enjoy so much that he won't miss the meat.

Edited by: KENDILYNN at: 4/23/2013 (16:45)

SparkPoints: (33,217)
Fitness Minutes: (8,103)
Posts: 606
4/22/13 10:11 A

Thanks, Rob! That is super helpful! And beans are so cheap, there's no reason not to keep them on hand.

SparkPoints: (21,658)
Fitness Minutes: (19,313)
Posts: 1,324
4/22/13 9:23 A

Welcome back CRESIDA,

My wife and daughter are very picky eaters and shy away from most vegetables. My son will eat anything. We try to make one meal and we all eat what we like. If the family has steak or pork chops with baked potato and salad. I will eat the salad and pour spicy beans over the baked potato, I cook beans in the crock pot and always have some in the refrigerator. We make one big pot of spaghetti and two sauces, one with meat and one vegetarian. The funny thing is my kids like my vegetarian sauce better than my wives meat sauce. For taco night we will make rice and beans for everyone then they will have hamburger or shredded chicken and I will make my taco with avocado, sautéed onions, diced tomatoes, and greens. You get the idea.

SparkPoints: (33,217)
Fitness Minutes: (8,103)
Posts: 606
4/21/13 2:22 P

I'm not new to the team or to SparkPeople, but I'm coming back after a two year hiatus.

I'm trying to get back to the primarily plant based diet I was eating before life went to hell two years ago! I'm looking forward to talking with every about how they cook at home.

I'm particularly interested to hear from those who have partners that aren't big on eating vegetarian style meals!

Posts: 52
4/18/13 9:38 A

I'll try to keep that in mind.

SparkPoints: (21,658)
Fitness Minutes: (19,313)
Posts: 1,324
4/18/13 8:32 A

Welcome to the team LBS2LOSE2013,

A friend of mine gave me this tip when I first started. " Real life is going to happen, don't let it get you down when things don't go your way. " You are going to have weeks when the scale doesn't move or goes in the wrong direction, you are going to have times when you make poor choices. Set a realistic goal, work towards it and don't let the little stuff get you down, because real life, she is going to happen : )

Posts: 52
4/17/13 4:56 P

I just joined sparkpeople because a friend told me about it. I have a lot of weight to lose and have been trying to figure out the best plan for me to be on. I'm more into veggies and fruits, and don't like to eat a lot of meat so this team sounded like a good one for me to join.
Thanks for having me.
Connie

SparkPoints: (21,658)
Fitness Minutes: (19,313)
Posts: 1,324
4/15/13 8:10 A

Welcome to the team NATHELESS!

Posts: 5,416
4/13/13 9:04 A

Hi all!

Flexitarian seems to describe the way my body wants to eat. I've also called myself a quasi-vegetarian but I think Flexitarian is a much better term.

I love vegetables in all their colorful glory!

May Minutes: 365

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SparkPoints: (21,658)
Fitness Minutes: (19,313)
Posts: 1,324
4/8/13 8:42 A

Welcome to the team everyone!

Wow you take a few days off and the people come piling in : )

Posts: 522
4/7/13 10:46 P

Hi everyone, well I am really new to all of this. I'm a mega carnivore trying to become flexitarian. I love veggies and sometimes will opt for the vegetarian meal over the regular meat meal, not for some ethicacy about animals but rather more for taste and my mood.
I recently heard about flexitarianism and thought it might be for me because I have been looking for a way to get more veggies into my diet, particularly for a way to lose weight and hey I do love veggies.
I also am trying to eat more natural. No preservatives, no artificial ingredients, and no GMO's. The meat that I do eat I want to try to get it either organic or as natural as possible.
I think this new way of eating/life is going to be challenging for me because I normally eat meat every day, that and getting enough protein into my diet since I just don't like beans and lentils. I have tried them again and again keeping an open mind but nope they still taste nasty to me.

current weight: 307.3

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SparkPoints: (49,690)
Fitness Minutes: (27,472)
Posts: 1,145
4/1/13 12:44 P

hey all, i was on this team before, but now i am back. i'm Jessica, married with 2 furkids. i started the flexitarian last month by eating as little beef as possible. i did have it a few times, but i didn't really enjoy it like i usually do. so, this month i will continue with the beef, and if possible add in poultry and pork. not quit willing to give up the fish and seafood yet.

May SparkPoints: 1,033

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SparkPoints: (12,877)
Fitness Minutes: (3,790)
Posts: 1,147
4/1/13 8:34 A

hello, all !
I am Kat, 54 years old, cancer survivor and newly-fledged vegetarian, or, should I say, Flexitarian! I have cut out most meat on medical advice, and am attempting not to re-introduce it back again to the same degree. I already feel better for it, and have started to lose weight as well.
Looking forward to meeting you all!
Hugs,
'Kat

current weight: 193.0

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Posts: 370
3/28/13 8:00 P

As a Seventh Day Adventist I have followed a semi vegetarian lifestyle for most of my adult life. A couple of years ago I suffered an episode of toxic shock syndrome which relulted in chronic kidney disease so at the moment I am eating meat once of twice a week as no one can tell me how to do a "kedney " diet without eating meat - there are just too many things you can't eat. However, I would like to recommend the cookbooks published by Seventh Day Adv as a great source for good everyday vegetarian cooking. They are good satisfying food without having to eat strange things most of us aren't used to. One of my favorites is "cooking by the Book" by Marcella Lynch. There are many more but I don't know if I am supposed to mention them on here.

current weight: 155.8

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Posts: 1,674
3/27/13 8:35 A

Welcome Cathy. I love crock pot recipes, too. It's so easy. Especially for picky eaters who may not eat one or more of the parts. When it's all mixed together, they just put it in their mouth and chew!


See you around,

rumbamel

SparkPoints: (21,658)
Fitness Minutes: (19,313)
Posts: 1,324
3/27/13 8:26 A

Welcome to the team Cathy,

Always nice to have another flexitarian aboard. I might have to hunt down that slow cooker cookbook, I love my crock pots and am always looking for something else to cook in one.

Posts: 985
3/26/13 6:09 P

Hi, I'm Cathy. I've been on Spark for years. Without knowing there was a label for it, I've been "flexitarian" since I first started cooking for myself after college, nearly 20 years ago, for health and economic reasons. Dried beans and rice are dirt cheap!

For about six weeks now I've been vegetarian with very limited dairy/eggs at home, though I eat meat occasionally when I go out. Health is still a big motivator, but ethical reasons are actually my primary concern now. I'm single so I have no family to keep happy lol! I expect my diet will continue to include some dairy, eggs, and very limited meat.

Some of my favorite veggie-friendly cookbooks are: Moosewood Cooks at Hone, Moosewood Low-Fat Cookbook, The Moosewood Cookbook, and "Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker." A SparkFriend also introduced me to the website triumphwellness.com which has some fantastic and very easy/quick recipes!

Edited by: MIRRORBALLMOON at: 3/26/2013 (22:18)

current weight: 165.0

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Posts: 1,674
3/21/13 1:56 P

Life itself is a constant struggle. When we through the challenges of food and exercise in there, it makes it even more difficult. We all understand.

Glad to have more flexitarians around. Welcome!

rumbamel

SparkPoints: (5,714)
Fitness Minutes: (2,667)
Posts: 573
3/21/13 9:43 A

I promise to stick around this time. I'm making some big changes over the next 3 months in how and what I eat and this team will help a lot to help keep me on track.

SparkPoints: (21,658)
Fitness Minutes: (19,313)
Posts: 1,324
3/21/13 8:49 A

Welcome to the team once again Vicki! Always a pleasure to welcome you back : )

I am a big believer in eating less processed more whole natural foods.

SparkPoints: (5,714)
Fitness Minutes: (2,667)
Posts: 573
3/20/13 5:28 P

Hi. I'm Vicki and I've been a member of sparkpeople off and on for about 5 years. I'll leave for awhile then rejoin. Hopefully this time I'm here to stay. This is about my 5th time here on this team.
On March 13th, I gave away my scale and will never, ever have another one. I "watched" myself thru the scale gain 115 lbs over the last 7 years. The more I watched the scale, the bigger I got.
So this time around, I'm working to eat healthier; less processed foods, and more veggies and fruits. I'm not a real lover of meats although I do eat them. But I'm working to cut back on them more and more, and over time become a full vegetarian.
I'm trying to learn to listen to my body more and eat only the best things I can so I can be the healthiest I can be.
Look forward to getting to know you.

SparkPoints: (8,359)
Fitness Minutes: (11,342)
Posts: 141
3/2/13 3:17 A

YES! Asian restauraunts in general are good for not meat eaters. My husband and I LOVE Indian restuaraunts too! We found a fantastic Indian restauraunt that has a huge selection of vegetarian options. It is so wonderful actually having options when you go out!

current weight: 290.7

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Posts: 1,674
2/26/13 6:35 P

Welcome everyone! It's so great to see the variety of healthy eaters here. I was just telling my 9 yr old daughter about how some people have difficulties actually eating vegetarian diets even if they wanted to. How ironic that I now see this post. :)

I agree about Applebee's and I love Chipotle!!! Don't go to Hardees/Carl's Jr. either. Fries, side salad, yogurt etc. get tiresome after a while. I guess that is why my friend the vegan goes to Asian restaurants so often, you actually can get an entree instead of sides. I love Thai places....mmmmmm.

Anyway, welcome.

rumbamel

Posts: 1,206
2/26/13 12:29 P

HI everyone I used to be vegetarian and was also vegan for a while too. But I found out that I was allergic to dairy and to almost all grains except rice and quinoa and some of the old world grains that most have never heard off. So I started to eat meat again to get more proteins and didn't want to rely on protein shakes every day. But I still eat a lot of vegetarian meals and some vegan ones too. But I am in the process of cutting out dairy ( except eggs ) cause I am allergic to the caisin protein in it.

current weight: 142.0

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102

SparkPoints: (5,531)
Fitness Minutes: (119)
Posts: 77
2/26/13 11:38 A

People don't really give me a hard time about not eating meat, I'm kind of self-conscious about it, always worrying that at someone's home they will try too hard to fix something special, which really isn't necessary. As for restaurants, don't get me started! I can get fish, usually, but otherwise, choices tend to be macaroni (high calorie, salt, fat) , pastas (ditto) or baked potato and salad bar.(usually where I wind up). Worst restaurant ever for vegetarian friendly: Applebee's! One of the best, however, is Chipotle.

Pounds lost: 2.0

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48

SparkPoints: (5,055)
Fitness Minutes: (934)
Posts: 80
2/26/13 8:31 A

Hi Kathi! My SIL is vegetarian and doesn't let anything stop her with going out. She will research online to see what meals are likely available for her at a restaurant, and then will question the staff when she gets there. My best friend's mom is allergic to chicken, so she is the same way. Restaurant staff are becoming quite used to the variety of food allergins and dietary restrictions that their patrons must deal with, so it's no big deal to them to answer questions. As for going to a friend's house, if they are your friend, why would they give you a hard time about not eating meat? :-)

SparkPoints: (8,359)
Fitness Minutes: (11,342)
Posts: 141
2/25/13 8:45 P

Hey all!
I was so excited to find this team! It's exactly what I need! I actually am not a vegetarian myself but my husband is so I have cut down on meat drastically. I do go veggie a lot but I'm not completely there yet. Looking forward to hearing from everyone!

current weight: 290.7

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150

Posts: 1,674
2/20/13 7:46 P

Hi, Kathi and welcome. I love Orange Leaf's frozen yogurt!!! I could probably go every week! Another favorite is Cherry Bordeaux by Blue Bunny, it is a frozen yogurt also. It has real cherries, not the maraschinos and chunks of dark chocolate. I think I am going to get some more once my daughter's nasty cheap Walmart ice cream is gone. I feel like if you you eat the good stuff and eat it in moderation with all of your healthy thing, you are find. I measure out 1/2 a cup in grams and as long as it fits in my numbers for the day I am good. I don't really measure at Orange Leaf, that would look kind of funny bringing my scale there. :)

rumbamel

SparkPoints: (5,531)
Fitness Minutes: (119)
Posts: 77
2/20/13 11:42 A

Hello--I am Kathi. I am what I believe is called a "pescatarian." (I don't eat any meat or poultry, but I do eat the healthy seafoods like salmon, etc, for health reasons). I was happy to find this group--I hope there will be a lot of support here. I have a lot of weight to lose (between 40 and 50 pounds). I like to eat healthy foods (but unfortunately, have also had the bad habit of eating unhealthy ones--like ice cream--as well). I'm feeling good about moving away from that. However, I would be interested to hear about how you manage things like going out to dinner at a restaurant or someone's house--without being too awkward re not eating meat? Or maybe that has been asked and answered somewhere on here already--and I'll probably find it soon enough :-)

Pounds lost: 2.0

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SparkPoints: (5,055)
Fitness Minutes: (934)
Posts: 80
2/20/13 7:42 A

Thanks everyone!!

SparkPoints: (33,157)
Fitness Minutes: (30,257)
Posts: 4,752
2/19/13 8:07 P

Hi AMYWRIGHT78,

One thing I do is make a big pot of pinto beans, they have lots of protein and you can use them in lots of different way. Just Goggle Pinto Beans!

Hugs,
Charlie

Pounds lost: 21.2

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Posts: 1,674
2/19/13 6:05 P

Hi, Amy! Welcome. That's what's so cool about this site. We are all so flexible. :)

rumbamel

SparkPoints: (5,055)
Fitness Minutes: (934)
Posts: 80
2/19/13 1:10 P

Hello everyone! My name is Amy and I livei n NJ. My husband and I have tried to go meatless during the week and consume animal protein only on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The problem was, we couldn't really figure out what to eat during the week to make sure we consumed enough protein. I bought several cookbooks and once I sat down to fully go through them, the recipes were much more involved that what I (felt like I) had time for. I am looking for simple, tasty, nutritious, easy weeknight meals! :)

SparkPoints: (21,658)
Fitness Minutes: (19,313)
Posts: 1,324
2/19/13 8:53 A

Welcome to the team Charlie!

Posts: 1,674
2/18/13 6:55 P

Welcome, Charlie-B, I hear ya! I love walking. I could walk and walk. I just need to get to it and do it. I tell ya, I ate some chicken wings today (my 9 yr old has been craving them for months) and towards the end of the meal, I felt so awful. I felt nauseous and gassy. I made it about 15 min. and had to go to the bathroom. I only peed (sorry for the TMI everyone). I thought I was going to explode, tops and bottoms, though. I am looking forward to some veggies and fruits for dinner, that is for sure!!!

rumbamel

SparkPoints: (33,157)
Fitness Minutes: (30,257)
Posts: 4,752
2/18/13 6:32 P

Hi y'all, I'm Charlie,

I’m 66 and am a 20 Year stage 4 Breast Cancer SURVIVOR! I do think that positive thinking and my life long (except for about 6 months in 1997 when I did the Atkins plan) natural eating habits is one of the reasons I survived cancer.

I’m a yoyo person. I have been on SP since Jan. 4, 2008 and still haven’t reached my goal weight of 125 lbs yet. I started at 199.6 (or may as well say 200 lbs).

Yearly Weight from
2008 to 2013
Date: 1/14/08 ~ SW: 199.6
Date: 1/03/09 ~ SW: 188.4
Date: 2/14/10 ~ SW: 194.4
Date: 1/11/11 ~ SW: 174.8
Date: 1/07/12 ~ SW: 165.2
Date: 1/29/13 ~ SW: 180.0

I’ll get gun-ho and start Walking and trying to burn calories with Callanetics, Zumba or Core Rhythms, tracking food, exercise, and weight in the SP trackers and posting and researching until I get BURNED OUT.

Last May 2012 I made it down to 160 lbs and had a bad thought! Why bother and who cares any way at my age, so I took a SP break. I started slowly eating what ever I wanted and stopped exercising. By this year (Jan. 2013) I was back up to 180 lbs.

I’m doing the gun-ho again But, with the idea of just walking 30 minutes 3 to 5 days a week as far as that takes me (instead of 2 or 3 miles, 6 days a week) and just doing Callanetics 2 days a week. I have found a new app for my android cell phone called RunKeeper that I use when I walk and I love it. It talks to me every 5 minutes with my pace, time and speed. I still use the SP fitness tracker for any exercises I do and for my food.

I need buddies for support. I don’t care if I’m to old or not. I hate the way I feel and look at this weight of 180 lbs. My goal is to get back into about 5 pairs of size 11 jeans I bought in 1997 after losing 50 lbs on the Atkins plan. I am not on the Atkins plan now. I’m eating a balanced plan now, with my eye more on fruits, veggies and fish or chicken. Lots of WATER!

Hugs,
Charlie

Pounds lost: 21.2

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Posts: 1,674
2/16/13 8:23 A

Welcome and good luck in your endeavors ladies.

rumbamel

SparkPoints: (12,864)
Fitness Minutes: (8,152)
Posts: 115
2/16/13 7:10 A

My name is Kay and I guess I grew up as a flexitarian, even though I didn't know that was a term. I didn't even know how to cook beef until I married a meat and potatos man. That was a divorce and many years ago. My dh is open to meatless meals as he knows they are healthier for him. I have started having an aversion to meats and feel much better when I don't eat them. I remember a lot of meals from the garden as a child and still love a good veg soup.

current weight: 132.5

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125

SparkPoints: (1,358)
Fitness Minutes: (689)
Posts: 24
2/14/13 10:03 A

Hello my name is Chelsea and I am new to the whole no meat thing. I am now a vegetarian that occasionally eats fish so I guess that makes me a pescatarian. I chose to give up meat last week even though I have been thinking about it for a while. The reason last week was the breaking point was that during the past few months meat has been tasting worse and worse to me and literally last week I was eating a piece of chicken and just about got sick because it tasted so much like bird (I know gross, sorry about that) and right then I just said enough and that was the end of that. So now I am starting in on this new phase in my life and I am really excited!! I am looking to become healthier by living this way and won't have to feel bad doing it!! I have noticed just in the few days that I haven't eaten meat that I have way more energy, I feel lighter, I am not depressed, and overall just feel better because I felt sick all of the time when I ate meat! So I am looking for a place where I fit it and where people support my decision and where I can help support theirs as well! I also love to cook so any recipes would be appreciated and I can always share mine as well!! Nice to meet all of you!

Pounds lost: 3.0

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SparkPoints: (21,658)
Fitness Minutes: (19,313)
Posts: 1,324
2/14/13 8:19 A

Welcome to the group DJPARENT14,

That would make you a vegetarian. Vegetarians don't eat meat, eggs, or dairy. Vegans don't eat or use anything with an animal origin; that includes honey, dyes made from insects, and clothing or furniture made from leather or other animal parts.

SparkPoints: (413)
Fitness Minutes: (0)
Posts: 20
2/13/13 7:25 A

Hello all! Just looking for a little acceptance! I actually don't know what to call myself since I don't eat any meat or dairy, yet I do eat honey. I guess psuedo-vegan? Lol, labels aside, just looking to join a team in which I can share some of my culinary secrets with and to help support. Have a great day!

current weight: 139.8

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SparkPoints: (21,658)
Fitness Minutes: (19,313)
Posts: 1,324
2/4/13 8:44 A

Welcome to the team!

Posts: 7,120
2/1/13 8:13 A

Hello my name is Cyndi and for the past month I have been working on giving up meats, dairy, eggs, caffeine, and processed foods. I do not think I can ever consider myself a vegan or vegetarian because I do like the occasional fish and we go to our church dinner on Wednesdays and I eat what they serve.
I started eating a plant based diet and mainly giving up dairy and red meats due to the way they were making me feel. I can honestly say that I have felt so much better and enjoy trying new things.

current weight: 184.0

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Posts: 25
1/31/13 10:10 P

Hi, my name is Josette, and I am excited to find this group on SP. My daughter and I started moving towards vegetarianism this year, after she read did a report on animal abuse. I had already been heading that direction, as I read a lot about health and nutrition, and am very much into natural healing methods. We have meatless days more often than not, but aren't strict about it.

Posts: 1,806
1/31/13 10:34 A

Hi to all..So glad to have found this team. I've been living this lifestyle more and more of recent, and now have quite a few of my fellow Weight Watchers eating healthy, as well. I eat within the parameters of the Blood Type Diet, Type A, and have seen my health improve so much over the past year. I love to watch food documentaries and try new healthy recipes. I've been on Spark for over 3 years and love to blog.

Edited by: PATTYCAKE17 at: 1/31/2013 (18:06)

Pounds lost: 79.4

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Posts: 1,674
1/27/13 1:47 P

Welcome everyone!!

rumbamel

SparkPoints: (27,308)
Fitness Minutes: (40,228)
Posts: 218
1/27/13 9:27 A

Hi everyone, I'm new to the team but not to SP. I have limited amounts of meat in my diet because I know I need some, but honestly I could go for days without it and not miss it. I'm glad to find a group that supports it. :)

Pounds lost: 7.0

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Posts: 2,761
1/22/13 8:58 P

Hi!! Team I very much interested this year to cut down on meat because of my health.

SparkPoints: (3)
Fitness Minutes: (0)
Posts: 1
1/21/13 10:00 P

Hi everyone, It is so nice to finally introduce myself to other Vegetarians. I began this journey after seeing the disturbing treatment of Animal Farm and, because of my love for animals i decided to become a vegetarian, I then started researching into this style of eating and saw how healthy it was i don't miss meat at all. However, i find it a struggle to get enough protein into my diet. I believe because of a low protein - less than 46 gms. i find i get the cravings, low energy and my hair seems to be falling out more than before. This started after about six months into my new eating habits, other then that I feel great everything else is in check. I am a sixty year old women and would like to loose 10 - 12 lbs more, i've lost 25lbs since becoming a vegetarian April 2012. If anyone would have any suggestions, would love to hear from you. . Diane

SparkPoints: (9,229)
Fitness Minutes: (5,180)
Posts: 1,343
1/18/13 11:50 A

Back for round 5 or 6...

Hi, I'm Vicki. I'm 56 years old and I have 65 lbs to reach a weight where I can get off of blood pressure pills, and hopefully have more energy.
I've joined a gym with my hubby and hopefully this will be our year to get healthier.

SparkPoints: (21,658)
Fitness Minutes: (19,313)
Posts: 1,324
1/17/13 8:19 A

Hi Barb,

Welcome to the team!

SparkPoints: (22,171)
Fitness Minutes: (14,523)
Posts: 1,988
1/16/13 11:15 A

Hi. My name is Barb. I've been a member of SP for 2 years now. I've played around with it for most of that time, but last year did much better and lost some weight.

I have been interested in flexitarians for some time. So I thought I would visit this team and see how it works for me.

I'm divorced. Work FT in HR. I have 2 grown children and 3 grandchildren (20 yrs, 15 yrs and 6 yrs). So I'm 'no spring chicken' either.

Barb

SparkPoints: (21,658)
Fitness Minutes: (19,313)
Posts: 1,324
1/14/13 9:13 A

Welcome to the team Ruthie and Carol,

It is great to have you both aboard.

SparkPoints: (18,033)
Fitness Minutes: (7,230)
Posts: 1,080
1/13/13 8:34 P

Hi my name is Carol and I am trying to re-start.

current weight: 174.2

174.2 165.65 157.1 148.55

140

SparkPoints: (143,861)
Fitness Minutes: (184,451)
Posts: 20,398
1/11/13 8:30 A

Hi! I am Ruthie. I have been on SP since August, 2008. I stopped eating meat/poultry in the fall of 2007. I do eat seafood and dairy so am not a true vegetarian.
I lost over 100 pounds but in the last two years have had to deal with a very upsetting and stressful family situation. I went into depression and have gained a bit back. I am trying hard to get losing again and to eventaully reach my goal.
I live in NJ, have been married 39 years , have three children, 1 grandson and 1 grand dog.

SparkPoints: (21,658)
Fitness Minutes: (19,313)
Posts: 1,324
1/7/13 8:48 A

welcome to the team SHIRLANGEL,

I have never heard of the Engine 2 diet, let us know how it goes.

Posts: 800
1/7/13 7:30 A

Hi All,

I would like to get back to a plant based diet for better health. I plan to start the Engine 2 - 28 day program in February and am getting started switching to a plant based diet now. They are having a Engine 2 group meet at my local Whole Foods during Feb. Hubby plans to go with me but is undecided if he'll start as a cadet or the full program. After that at some point, I would like to move on to Dr. Fuhrman's Eat to Live with less processed and starchy foods in my diet. That may be quite some time down the road though - years.

I have gone back and forth between low carb and plant based. My tummy likes plant based better. This year I would like to stick to plant based for the entire year and see how I'm doing this time next year. While I'd like to go plant based 100% of the time immediately, I think it's more realistic for me to flex for a while so I won't feel guilty and give up if don't stick to it perfectly. The most important thing is that I improve my health. I hope by checking in often, I will stay on course and not switch again this year.

Edited by: SHIRLANGEL at: 1/7/2013 (08:32)

SparkPoints: (21,658)
Fitness Minutes: (19,313)
Posts: 1,324
1/4/13 9:16 A

Welcome to the team NEWLEAF2013,

I have become a strict vegetarian but my family still eats meat, so sometimes we have a vegetarian meal they all like and sometimes we cook two meals and the kids get to choose which one they want to eat, and sometimes we have a meat and my food is the side dish.

SparkPoints: (4,612)
Fitness Minutes: (2,137)
Posts: 71
1/4/13 8:30 A

I seem to be in the right place! :) My story is similar to many on here already. Came from a meat & potatoes family, then my step father introduced us to more veggies/grains, less meat. I remember losing 25 pounds when I moved back in with them to finish my last 2 years of college! Then, I married a meat & potatoes & processed foods guy. We've ridden the diet change waves several times in our marriage, he being more successful at losing weight than me. But, with us both in our 40's now & several people around us being affected by their poor health choices, we have been reading & learning more about the vegetable/grain/fruit-less/no meat lifestyles. We've had success with natural remedies for minor illnesses- my husband, who had chronic sinus infections & was on 3 successive rounds of antibiotics in June, began drinking apple cider vinegar in his water in the morning. Not only did it cure his current sinus infection, but he hasn't had one since July. We've become frequent shoppers at the local co-op in their supplement sections and want cross over into the grocery aisles! ;)

My biggest concerns is what some of the animal products and processed products are doing to the kids, not just ours but kids in general. Like others on here, I've watched "Forks Over Knives" but I already made the disease-food connections...it just make sense, no? We used to save the McDonald's & fast food chains as "special treats", like vacations or rewards, but it just never felt rewarding. We avoided drive thrus on our last road trip & saved the mealtime for a nice outside restaurant in the historial district. Even the kids said it was "way better than McDonald's." Baby steps....

As a family, we're not as crippled by processed foods as most, but we can improve. That's my goal. I don't want to go all gestapo on the diets, but I want everyone in the house to be more knowledgable and truly find foods they like that are healthy. We started a recycled bottle herb garden and this weekend we are supposed to build our raised beds for some veggies/fruit. We grew some mango trees straight from the seeds this summer, so we have 2 in the yard now...only 5 years for fruit! LOL! We also just planted an avocado pit so hopefully in a week or so we'll see a seedling. (We live in Florida...we might as well take advantage of the beautiful year round sunshine!) Hopefully, involving the kids will build their interest & excitement...or it could backfire and they'll be closet junk food addicts! Yikes! All in moderation I guess....that's what I like about the "Flexitarian" concept.

Looking forward to being in this group!

current weight: 202.7

209 196.5 184 171.5

159

SparkPoints: (21,658)
Fitness Minutes: (19,313)
Posts: 1,324
12/18/12 8:30 A

Welcome to the team WHICHHATTODAY,
Welcome back Vicki and MrsJocco,

Posts: 1,674
12/16/12 12:58 P

WhichHatToday--I have a lot of issues with protein also. I usually fill it with skim milk at the end of the day if I can keep my carbs in check. However since eating more vegetarian, that has been harder. Veggies are high carb, low protein. I do eat egg, yogurt, cheese and soy products. I love most of the Morning Star products. Nuts are good, but I have to watch the calories and fat. It's such a hugs balancing act.

I went to dinner with a friend I was volunteering with and she commented that she didn't thing she had ever seen me eat fat before. I was having fajita nachos minus meat add refried beans...it was so good and rich. She has this illusion that I am some skinny minny that never eats fat and always eats healthy. It's so hard all the time. People don't realize that.

Good luck, I am new to this one, too. Welcome!

rumbamel

SparkPoints: (15,603)
Fitness Minutes: (2,671)
Posts: 24
12/16/12 11:56 A

Hello, WhichHatToday here, (as in which hat(s)/role(s) am I wearing today), aka Stephanie.
Started my Spark journey in October with a goal of obliterating approximately 75 pounds by the end of 2013. I am currently within just three pounds of my mini-goal of reaching 200 by the end of 2012 (23 pounds less than beginning weight of 223).

My plan: eat healthier, increase activity and exercise (I am an accountant and very sedentary in my job on top of a 3-hour daily, round-trip commute).

Mini-goals and goal: 200 by 12/31/2012, 175 by 6/30/2013 and goal weight of 145-150 by 12/31/2013. I have found the 140-150 weight is where I have been the majority of my life and where I feel most comfortable - I really don't care that the doctor's charts say I should be in the 120's or 130's because I have been there and that is too thin for me.

I have found that during the week I tend to eat more-or-less vegetarian but on weekends when my meat-and-taters, truck-driving man is home I do eat some meat.

I am excited to find this team because I have discovered in my food tracking that I am consistently low on protein even on weekends when I prepare meat, which concerns me a bit. What I hope to gain from this team is the ability to create more balance on my veggie days and up my protein intake overall on all days.

Pounds lost: 28.6

0 18.25 36.5 54.75

73

SparkPoints: (4,240)
Fitness Minutes: (905)
Posts: 377
12/13/12 12:35 P

I'm baaaaaacccccccccckkkkkkkkk!!
My name is Vicki. I'm 56 and I have 80 lbs to lose total to reach my first major goal. Once I get there I'll decide if I want to go lower or not. I'm tall ( 5'9" ) so I can weigh a little more than someone shorter could. Right now I think if I can reach 180 and stay at that weight I'll be doing good. I want to be at a weight where I don't have the constant struggle to keep it there. And at that weight I'll be able to get back off the blood pressure pills and hopefully have a lot more energy.

SparkPoints: (22,814)
Fitness Minutes: (10,878)
Posts: 1,545
12/13/12 10:59 A

Hi, ya'll!

I'm baaa-aack and eager to catch up with the team.

May Minutes: 20

0 250 500 750

1000

Posts: 1,674
12/10/12 9:58 A

Welcome,

When I joined SP, I knew this had to be a lifestyle change and not a 'diet'. If I didn't change forever, it wouldn't work. Slip ups will happen, but the minds train of thought has to change.

Good luck, you can do it.

rumbamel

SparkPoints: (21,658)
Fitness Minutes: (19,313)
Posts: 1,324
12/10/12 8:10 A

Hi SIZE140,

Welcome to the team!