[MikeM]

everyone should just eat whever the hell they want and leave other people alone.

if i decide to spend a weekend consuming nothing but twinkies and jim beam- i expect people to leave me alone and in return i won't go around preaching my new "diet system".

seriously though, i'm a vegetarian- mostly because i just really don't like eating meat. but i don't tell other people what to do. also- i'm quite far from weak and unhealthy. the reason people think that about vegetarians is because the weak/sick ones are the easiest to spot.

and trying debate what is the "natural" way to eat is ridiculous. the "best" way is different for everybody and the "healthiest" isn't necessarily the way anyone WANTS to eat. i'm guessing the nutritionally healthiest meal in existence is some big bowl of slop that tastes like mulch. who wants to eat that?

so, to anyone who preaches a diet, stop. discussion is fine but talking without listening isn't going to convince the other person of anything.

and the PETA: People Eating Tasty Animals slogan is damn funny!

 

[grinch]

the best thing to do for your friend would be to kill him. and eat him.

just kidding. vegetarians are fairly interesting. one of my better friends hasn't eaten meat since she was six. i enjoy hitting up kim's place on avenue b, or the zen palate with her at any given time for lunch or dinner. i really do enjoy vegetarian foods at times. i'm a big fan of rice and beans, and i find the tofu things they come up with to be amusing at least. i liken the veggie version of food to be like a bad version of the real dish. for example: a pseudo-turkey sandwich (flavored tofu) tastes like a real turkey sandwich that you'd buy at a really bad deli. it doesn't pop with flavor, but it tastes decent enough to fill you.

things that bother me about the term "vegetarian": people think that if they don't eat red meat, they are one. screw you moron. vegetarian means no meat of any animal, damnit. then real vegetarian means no dairy products. one friend of mine won't eat anything with gelatin in it, because it comes from cow hooves. do you realize how many products use gelatin as an ingredient?

zeplin: i really wouldn't worry about this. obviously, you're not going to change your lifestyle just because a friend did, but at the same time you shouldn't nag him to go to the steakhouse with you once a week. i'd also try and stay open to trying any places with vegetarian menus. some of the food is quite good if you just keep an open mind about it.. or maybe i'm just spoiled because i live near nyc, which has an oustanding selection. either way, good luck.

personally, i could become a vegetarian if i wanted to. but i don't. simple as that. this is probably because i have eaten at peter luger's steakhouse in brooklyn. i imagine none of the vegetarian world has been, otherwise there would be quite a few less vegetarians around.

 

[grinch]

Quote:

Originally posted by strohmie It isn't bad to be a vegetarian. It isn't bad to be a vegan. And it isn't bad to eat meat either. One just needs to have a damned brain about it.

sorry about the second post, but i think that the above quote is a really good statement. i fully agree.

 

[fiddler]

Vegetarian food doesn't have to be "fake meat"... A lot of cultures have been doing the vegetarian thing for centuries, so it's a good bet they're better at it than typical North Americans. Mmm.. Falafel comes to mind.

 

[brent_mr2]

Quote:

Originally posted by strohmie You seem to forget - the true reason everyone in the world is fat is because of McDonalds. That's why they're being sued. As for vegetarianism and vegetarians themselves...back in the day I worked in a health food store. My mother is a vegan, which means that she neither eats meat nor meat products (milk, cheese, eggs...).

Yea, vegans are the extremists. You can't even have Altoids mints because they have gelatin in them which is derived from animal bones.

But being vegetarian isn't completely "safe" either if you're not eating orgasmic produce.

I'm not vegetarian, but I try to eat natural meats whenever possible. It takes a conventional (mass produced) cow to reach maturity in 9 months, whereas a naturally raised cow takes 5-6 years. When you f with mother nature, there ARE consequences.

Natural ground beef really isn't that much more expensive. It sells here (80% lean) for $2.49/lb.

 

[crazychile]

I have done soooo much research on this subject (and related) over the past decade, that I could probably write a book. There is a lot of misinformation out there, and a lot of conflicting opinions from "experts". Here are a few facts that I have derived from research and my own experiences:

1. There are a lot of fat, unhealthy vegetarians.

2. The perfect protein is almost impossible to find in a totally vegetarian/vegan diet. (Beans and rice come close, but are still lacking essential amino acids).

3. Americans consume way to much meat, protein, and fat.

4. Excess calories make you fat. It doesn't matter if they come from protein, carbs, or whatever. If you consume more calories than you burn, you will gain weight. 3500 excess calories = 1lb of fat. Conversely, if you want to lose 1 lb of fat, you need to burn off 3500 more calories than you have consumed. It really is THAT SIMPLE.

5. The key to good health and longevity is to eat a calorie-restricted diet that is very dense with nutrients and is low fat. Every calorie must have something to offer. If people would follow this plan, (and not smoke) heart disease, and most forms of cancer would be virtually eliminated.

6. Meat is very inefficient to produce. (requires lots of plant, water and other resources to produce) Most meat is fed or injected with all kinds of nasty hormones and bad stuff for you...but it doesn't really matter if you are eating small portions, and you don't base your whole diet on it. The key is moderation.

I could keep going, but I'll spare you...............

 

[spaceman]

Quote:

Originally posted by brent_mr2 But being vegetarian isn't completely "safe" either if you're not eating orgasmic produce.

I'd like to try some of that orgasmic produce.

 

[MagusG]

Quote:

Originally posted by spaceman I'd like to try some of that orgasmic produce.

Yeah, where might one aquire said orgasmic produce?
-Mag

 

[MikeM]

orgasmic produce could turn the entire world population into vegetarians!

 

[FalconP]

Quote:

Originally posted by MikeM the "best" way is different for everybody and the "healthiest" isn't necessarily the way anyone WANTS to eat. i'm guessing the nutritionally healthiest meal in existence is some big bowl of slop that tastes like mulch. who wants to eat that?

Reminds me of this fabulous song by the Scottish singer Adam McNaughtan -- should've come with a Surgeon General's warning

CHOLESTEROL

I've been taking advice on the right things to eat
Since shortly before I was born
From the National dried milk and the cod liver oil
To powdered rhinoceros horn
In these days they tell us to lay off the starches
The sugar, potatoes and bread
Now they've done a U-turn, tell us bread and potatoes
Will give us the fibre we need

So I've made up my mind that the menu's designed
By the experts just only for me
No trained dietitian or general practitioner
Dictates what I'll have for my tea
Brown bread with the low fat please thinly spread on
May be healthier than a meat pie
But who wants to grow old eating St. Ivel Gold
I'd would rather taste butter and die

Cholesterol, Cholesterol
My chance of surviving are small
But I'll not get a dose of Anorexia Nervosa
Cause I love my cholesterol

Now the thing that has brought this affair to a head
Is a good hearted Hatfield campaign
I just said 'What's that?'and the doc had his needle
Sucking blood out of my handiest vein
Two weeks later they measured my height and my weight
And took my blood pressure and all
The computer said 'Mate, to survive at your weight
You would need to be seven feet tall'
But I'm not going to take the suggestions they're make
About changing the food that I eat
Cutting out cheese and no chips if you please
No chocolate, no ice cream, no meat
Oh they tell you to give up these goodies below
And they promise you pie in the sky
Well semi - skimmed milk might diminish my bulk
But I'll take double cream till I die

Cholesterol, Cholesterol
My chance of surviving is small
The cream I consume that could lead to my doom
But I love my cholesterol

Now it's all right for you that smoke 40 a day
Or spend every night in a bar
You can tell the health visitor you'll cut it down
She'll say 'What a fine fellow you are'
But when I tell her I'd never smoked in my life
And I was teetotal to boot
She said 'Go away there is nothing to do
You've no vices that you can cut 'oot
Now I don't mind them probing in my haemoglobin
If it's just for a case history
But it puts the health visitor into a tizzy
It's her duty to try and save me
She says 'Fresh fruit and yoghourt's a lovely dessert
Why don't you give it a try
But I don't give a hoot for a yoghourt and fruit
I'll have Black Forest gateaux and die

Cholesterol, Cholesterol
My chance of surviving is small
The way that I dine 'em is cause for angina
But I love my cholesterol

 

[MERTON]

vegitarians are morons.. why would we have omnivorous teeth if we were meant to eat only veggies? fish!!! you must have fish!! and sausages!!!

 

[mclaren20]

Quote:

Originally posted by MERTON vegitarians are morons.. why would we have omnivorous teeth if we were meant to eat only veggies? fish!!! you must have fish!! and sausages!!!

wow, just wow

 

[MERTON]

what?

 

[MikeM]

Quote:

Originally posted by mclaren20 wow, just wow

i have to second those wows.

wow.

wow!

 

[MERTON]

what's so wow.. why do you keep saying wow?