Former vegetarians? Did you feel better after eating meat?

[Anonymous]

No I didn't feel better after I started eating meat.

It's only easier for me to eat out now than it was before. If there are lots of options I will still gravitate towards the vegetarian options, I don't crave meat nor love the taste.

I actually a lot feel better without it, but I travel so much that its made my life simpler to be an omnivore. At home, I only cook vegetarian food.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - thanks everyone for the input! I should say that I'm well-read on the topic and have seen all the documentaries on the subject. I personally feel strongly against how we treat the animals we raise for food, and if I did return to meat, it would not be to any old meat, but definitely humanely raised meat (though I still have a personal issue with killing animals for food, and that's what I'm struggling with in returning even if they are humanely raised). I recognize that others may feel differently and hopefully we won't get into that on this thread

I should add that I had my iron (and other levels) checked as part of a physical and an appointment with my doctor on exactly this topic, and all my levels turned out normal (iron and Vitamin D on the low side of normal, but normal). I do eat eggs and dairy, and feel like I get lots of protein.

Obviously it could be something else going on, but with the recurrent meat dreams (which are kind of hilarious actually), I'm just wondering if my body is trying to tell me something.

Would love to hear from more former vegetarians about the transition, or current vegetarians who didn't feel well and solved it with other non-meat diet changes.

I was a vegetarian for twelve years. For me, it was the gross factor of factory farms, added antibiotics, and hormones. However, I ate chicken once overseas and I felt like I'd had an energy shot. Our bodies metabolize animal protein and iron differently than we process vegetable and legume protein and iron. For some people, the vegetables, beans, and dairy are sufficient. For me, it wasn't. So I researched the kinds of chicken I would eat and discovered the chicken at Whole Foods, Bell and Evans, and Empire. I now eat a small amount of chicken - like a few ounces or the size of an egg - once a week or so. I much prefer a vegetarian diet, but my body needs animal protein. Your body, or the bodies of many PPs, may be different. In my opinion, it's ok to try a bit and see how it works for you. If it doesn't work, or if you're uncomfortable, you can always resume your vegetarian diet.

I think this is the key. Bodies are different, and you should listen to your body. I'm a vegetarian because that's what my body prefers, not because I care about killing animals. Whenever I eat meat, I feel sick. My DH is vegetarian, but I always encourage him to eat meat because he always looks fatigued, etc., and I bet he would do better if he just ate some meat. Do what is best for your body.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've been a vegetarian for about ten years, mostly for ethical reasons. I've lately begun having dreams about meat and for years I've felt tired and weak and my hair and nails are awful. I attributed it to having young kids and working full-time, but now that the kids are 8 and 10, that's no longer an excuse that makes sense. I'm seriously considering reintroducing meat and seeing how I feel. I have had my iron levels checked and they are low, but not anemic low.

Has anyone gone back to meat? How did you feel? How did you reintroduce it? How did you deal with the guilt and/or change in identity?

Wow. This sounds exactly like me, except that I have 9-year-old twins

I was a vegetarian for 10 years and then I started having dreams about eating meat. I often felt that feeling tired and wiped out all the time might have to do with my diet, which was always very healthy. So, I just went and bought a very good quality steak, cooked it perfectly and enjoyed every bit of it.
I've been feeling better ever since. I have my energy back and surprisingly I feel less guilty about my food choices.
Like another poster noted, it's also easier if you're someone who travels a lot, and obviously eating out is easier because you have more choices.

About the guilt/ change in identity, I think a lot of my friends and family were thrown off at first, and my sister -a militant vegan- was very disapproving. But that kind of only made me feel more confident that I made the right choice for my well-being.

[Anonymous]

I felt better; felt terrible because as I later found out I had issues with FODMAPS so I shouldn't eat beans or tofu, and dairy.

Start with some fish, maybe?

I have found that ground beef is easier to digest than regular beef.

[Anonymous]

My DH was a STRICT vegan. He also was very diligent about eating well. Never did he do those "fake" meats and did not fill his belly with empty carbs.

However, he would be viscious pneumonia each year. The doctor had been telling him for years that he needed to eat meat because his immune system was blown. Finally after he has hospitalized and almost died, he caved and ate meat. It has been 5 years and he has not been sick since. He is not a big meat eater, but does eat 3 servings of meat each week and eats lots of eggs and dairy now. He looks like a whole new person. He has color in his face and he does not look so worn down.

Maybe it is just his body, but he was NOT built to be a vegan. It was horrible for him.

[Anonymous]

Was a vegetarian for 12 years, vegan for two, and I now eat meat and fish (we prioritize sustainably/humanely raised meat, although I acknowledge that there is not humane slaughter). I feel much, much better eating meat than I did as a vegetarian. Weight and blood sugar are more stable, skin is less reactive, have more energy.

[Anonymous]

I was a vegetarian for a few years and then added fish to my diet. I have been eating like that (vegetarian + fish) for several years now.

Health-wise I didn't notice much difference. I do notice that it is easier for me to avoid overdoing the carbs when fish is an option for my main courses, which has resulted in some weight loss (I was eating a lot of pasta and burritos). I can also avoid processed meat substitutes more easily, which I think is healthier. Mostly it made eating out and cooking for others way easier. I still cook mostly vegetarian at home, and I don't notice a big difference in the weeks when I eat fish a couple of times vs not at all.

I try to buy sustainable wild-caught fish only, which lets me avoid the factory farming guilt and some (not all) of the sustainability guilt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DH was a STRICT vegan. He also was very diligent about eating well. Never did he do those "fake" meats and did not fill his belly with empty carbs.

However, he would be viscious pneumonia each year. The doctor had been telling him for years that he needed to eat meat because his immune system was blown. Finally after he has hospitalized and almost died, he caved and ate meat. It has been 5 years and he has not been sick since. He is not a big meat eater, but does eat 3 servings of meat each week and eats lots of eggs and dairy now. He looks like a whole new person. He has color in his face and he does not look so worn down.

Maybe it is just his body, but he was NOT built to be a vegan. It was horrible for him.

My dh was also sick a ton the several years he was vegetarian.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Poultry is tasty and heathy.

no, it I not.

[Anonymous]

No. Perhaps you aren't eating a health vegetarian diet, but yhen again most meat eaters aren't eating a healthy diet either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No I didn't feel better after I started eating meat.

It's only easier for me to eat out now than it was before. If there are lots of options I will still gravitate towards the vegetarian options, I don't crave meat nor love the taste.

I actually a lot feel better without it, but I travel so much that its made my life simpler to be an omnivore. At home, I only cook vegetarian food.

+1

[Anonymous]

I was a vegiterian for 18 years. Looking back I'm sure I wasn't eating right and probably drinking/partying too hard for some of that time too. I now eat meat probably 5 times a week and feel great. I'm never sick even with little kids where as before I would get strep throat at least once a year sometimes three times a year. I can also say my hair nails and skin look so much better than my sister who is still a veggie. She just looks kind of grey beyond blah with no glow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Poultry is tasty and heathy.

no, it I not.

Source?

[Anonymous]

I was vegetate for 12 years and woke up on day with the most intense craving for a McDonald's cheeseburger. I ate it and continued to eat meat again since then.