Welcome Veggie Vapers!

[shivadance]

I can't believe it, we are officially a forum! I wasn't sure we would get the five memeber needed but I'm glad you all joined.

Please feel free to start new threads about any veg topics from recipies to new veg products to animal rights. And of course, vaping.

Look forward to discussing veg topics with you all as I vape away!

 

[Scarlette]

Congrats on getting the subforum! I'm glad we veggies are represented on here.

 

[shivadance]

Congrats on getting the subforum! I'm glad we veggies are represented on here.

Me too, Scarlette! btw, love your avatar, it's very cute!

 

[ladybug]

I love veggies! I think it helps with weight control! My daughter is a weight lifter who says I will not gain muscle unless I take in a lot of protein. I tell her,she is 17,that each to their own. She does have huge muscle's,and protien drinks are great,but you can only do so much,I must be getting old...LOL...I work out and am sore for a week! But anyway,love the veg section!

 

[Lissa G.]

A vaping Veg forum, I love it.

I have been a vegetarian my whole life, I sadly don't do much lifting any more, Getting old and lazy, but I never had any problems building mass when I needed to. Lucky for us there are many sources of protein.
(Ps: the boys at work are always telling me I cant be on the Zombie Squad because I wont eat brains, I am so printing out that cartoon and taking it to work tomorrow! Thanks)

 

[wallawally]

Ps: the boys at work are always telling me I cant be on the Zombie Squad because I wont eat brains, I am so printing out that cartoon and taking it to work tomorrow! Thanks

haha i love it!

 

[shivadance]

Hi ladybug, lissa and walla! Glad you all joined. ECF has my focus the last several months since I quit smoking, it's nice to be on this journey with some fellow veggie folks as well!

 

[mischiefgrrl]

Yay! I'm so excited to see this forum!

I guess this is the year for changes for me. Went veggie last May and quit smoking. It surprises me just how easy both choices were!

 

[shivadance]

Yay! I'm so excited to see this forum!

I guess this is the year for changes for me. Went veggie last May and quit smoking. It surprises me just how easy both choices were!

That's great! Glad they both were easy for you. It's amazing how easy some changes can be when you're ready for them to happen. I know when I didn't want to quit smoking there was nothing that could make me. But I made my mind up that I was going to quit a couple weeks before discovering vaping and, voila, happened like magic.

Congrats on your changes and welcome, fellow veggie!

 

[kristin]

I was ovo-lacto/seafood for over 10 years - not an easy feat when working in restaurants! LOL! Got really creative when cooking mostly vegetarian for a husband and two boys who ate meat! I learned to make a lot of comfort foods "vegetarian-style."

Now I do eat free-range poultry, but no cows, pigs, deer, buffalo, etc. I still eat a lot of my old veggie dishes & try to stick to organics/free-range. It's funny how many people still consider you a vegetarian if you don't eat beef or pork, lol!

Good to see this group here!

 

[shivadance]

Hey kristin, glad you mosey'd over from the Women's Room to say hi! Welcome!

My brother eats meat and hates a lot of veggies, so it's hard for us to agree on recipies to try. I can sympathize with you on that one!

I try to buy the organic stuff when I can find and afford it. It's nice to see more and more around compared to 5 or 10 years ago, ain't it? Our Whole Foods is located in our 'regency' part of the city so you know it's cool to buy organic. I figured they put the store there because the regency folks are the ones who can most afford the prices!

Most times someone finds out I'm a vegetarian they ask if I eat chicken or fish. So yeah, it's funny that vegetarian automatically means no pork or beef but anything else is still up for grabs. Guess there's so many different categories we should just be "Healthy Eaters." Or in my case "Usually Healthy but Likes the Junk Food Too" eater.

 

[kristin]

Man, I was SO unhealthy as a vegetarian - I supplimented the lack of knowing what to make and protien/fat with lots of fried food, cheese and other dairy! LOL I actually started losing weight when I went back to eating free range chicken!

Every thanksgiving I made my vegetarian stuffing and it was eaten up faster than the "real" stuff next to it on the table! I got really good at converting classic recipes - but I used a lot of meat substitutes like Morningstar Farms. I know a lot of health food eaters don't like the wheat gluten or the sodium in those. My kids still like their "Chik Patties." I'd bake them and make corn, mashed potatoes and homemade "chicken" gravy using G Washington Golden seasoning packets. I definitely was never vegan - I hate tofu! LOL! Other soy food is good, though!

 

[gatsby]

It actually used to bother me when people would be shocked to see me chain smoke since I was a bike riding vegetarian. I got tired of explaining that there are other reasons to ride a bike and avoid meat than a desire to live for ever. Of course now with no tobacco for 6 months I guess I am just a health nut. Its so hard to find a new vice though at my age.

Has anyone noticed that the transition from smoking to vaping is similar to going from meat to soy? I was enjoying some Camel liquid after eating a couple of Facon Lettuce and Tomato sandwiches (its starting to be prime tomato season in my back yard) and I couldn't help thinking that the first time I ate Facon it tasted good but I didn't think it tasted like bacon. Now it is bacon to me. I know its not the same but I don't remember why. Its the same thing with the tobacco liquids for me now. I like them. I know they aren't the same, but I can't for the life of me remember why a Camel cigarette tasted good.

 

[mischiefgrrl]

I know people who say "I'm a vegetarian - but I eat poultry!" I guess to some if it's not a warm blooded mammal - it's not meat in their eyes. I'm just glad when I hear people trying to take control of their diet and health one way or another.

Technically I'm a "pescetarian" as I do eat sushi once in a great while.

I've known some unhealthy vegetarians too. There was a 21 year old girl I worked with who never had anything healthy to eat at work. We'd see her mood swings and all give her something to eat just to make her bearable to work with. She wasn't a very well informed vegetarian and didn't believe me when I told her where gelatin comes from.

I make sure we have a very well rounded diet with plenty of protein. Always fresh veggies and fruits. Lots of legumes and whole grains. My daughter and I eat very little soy and rarely have tofu. Soy makes my thyroid swell from ear to ear... not pretty. When we do it's a small bit in miso soup or sauteed in curry over brown rice. For the most part I use homemade seitan, portabello mushrooms or a spongy vegetable to substitute for meat in recipes.

Anyway, just like with smoking - when I gave up meat I thought there would be times where I'd be tempted into it and there wasn't. Just switched and never looked back

 

[kristin]

I read a survey once where a LOT of people considerd themselves vegetarian because they only ate beef or pork "occasionally" lol! I was like waaa????

I know I'm not vegetarian, but it's so relative to some people. To some, you're not vegetarian unless you're vegan. To others, ovo/lacto is ok, etc. I've never been a "real" vegetarian, because I still ate seafood. But any non-vegetarian I met still considered me a vegetarian, because I didn't eat beef, pork or poultry (or as I put it, cow, pig or birds.)

Gelatin - ick! People don't get my problem with it, either. And you really have to watch it these days - they use it as a thickener in a lot of low-fat items and you wouldn't expect it!

The thing I hated was how defensive people got when they find out you don't eat meat - like you are judging THEM because they do. They would make you defend why & then argue with it. To me, it was a 100% PERSONAL decision and I don't care what other people can stomach!

 

[Mazin]

I had a friend who was vegetarian and I used to joke with her all the time saying: Not even chicken?!!! But the knowledge was an eye opener, I started to learn more and in one day I saw on TV that in part of Mexico people eat barbequed rats, my cat, at the time, was setting and looking at me, and we were looking at each other in the eyes for three or four long seconds, I thought then if I throw my cat in the oven, it should be fine somewhere, and that didn't go well in my head.
The fact that every culture forbid or allow certain animals, this should make everyone stop and think about it, plus how these animals raised and the industry behind it, which is anther huge issue.
In 28th of March 2003, I stopped eating any meat, I still eat eggs, and milk products but try to be sure it is coming from trusted farms, the main idea is as long as I can survive without eating living creatures then this will be my choice. The DNA's tree convinced me we are all related after all, but as Kristin said: "To me, it was a 100% PERSONAL decision and I don't care what other people can stomach!"
Just some thoughts about being vegetarian and I am too glad to see this forum.

 

[mischiefgrrl]

I agree that it is a personal decision. It's amazing how judgmental people can be on dietary choices too! That goes for both sides as well. I've had co-workers all poke fun at me for eating "rabbit food" and then other vegetarian/vegans snipe at me for still eating dairy or the occasional sushi. Seems like there's no way to be right with your diet because there is always someone who's going to very passionately tell you that you're wrong. I make what I feel are the best choices for myself and my daughter. I buy organic as much as possible, avoid processed foods and search for free-range eggs for those times when I buy them. I also cook my dog's food because I just don't trust processed dog food. He gets free-range chicken (yes, I research the farms on the labels) with brown rice and vegetables. I've had meat eaters tell me I'm a hypocrite for feeding meat to my dog and not to myself (LOL) and veggies tell me I should give the dog a vegetarian diet. Again, can't go right as far as other people are concerned but I feel good with my choices.

 

[HighHeeledGoddess]

I know people who say "I'm a vegetarian - but I eat poultry!" I guess to some if it's not a warm blooded mammal - it's not meat in their eyes.

I hate those people! It is those idiots that get vegetarians like myself food poisoned because then other people cannot understand chicken broth, etc is still meat too! 8-o

 

[HighHeeledGoddess]

I agree that it is a personal decision. It's amazing how judgmental people can be on dietary choices too!

I agree; its as if they think you are going to force them to live the way you live. People get very emotional about food in this country, it is sad. I think the real reason so many people are judgmental is because they are insecure about their own dietary choices, so rather than make the life changes they need to make, they find it easier to get snotty with people who are making decisions about their eating habits.

 

[chuckzvap]

That is affirmitive! i had some aquaintances say to me that they feel guilty eating meat around me, so i guess their is sometimes the guilt factor.