Hello all,
Quick version:
Please provide tips on what I can do to get enough nutrition from a vegetarian diet. What's a convenient way to incorporate calorie counting in a busy life situation? What kind of foods should I buy at the grocery store? How can I enjoy delicious healthy foods being a vegetarian? What are my options when I am traveling?
For reference: I tried a 30-day trial, but only lasted 7 days because I went on a trip to Louisiana and they don't take kindly to herbivores there. Well, in reality there was just such a small amount of food available I didn't take the initiative to provide myself nourishment.
[Long Version]
I am in the midst of a busy time in life. Having recently discovered conscious presence with the help of Eckhart Toll's books (as well as you loving people here on this forum) my life has done a tremendous 360. It's humbling to know that by disidentifying from the mind and bringing "presence" into what we do transforms .. every form .. who knows. Just three months ago I was extremely depressed with no social life, but now relationships thrive, social situations thrive, but most importantly .. consciousness, peace and joy have found space within me.
So why try vegetarian?
Well, as I became more conscious of the deep connection between everything I have a deep sense of compassion, as well as sort of a chunry feeling that I am eating my own kind when I look at meat - kind of like a cannibal. Now, there's nothing wrong with this cannibalism. Gibran Prophet expresses this very beautifully:
Quote:
Would that you could live on the fragerance of the earth, and like an air plant be sustained by the light.
But since you must kill to eat, and rob the young of its mother's milk to quench your thirst, let it then be an act of worship,
And let your board stand an altar on which the pure and the innocent of forest and plain are sacrificed for that which is purer and still more innocent in many.
When you kill a beast say to him in your heart,
"By the same power that slays you, I to am slain; and I too shall be consumed. For the law that delivered you into my hand shall deliver me into a mightier hand. |
Now, the whole "ER" thing we could do without, so perhaps one of you could help me with my 30-day trial so I don't end up dying from the lack of nutrition I currently most likely have. Thing is, it's 11:30PM at night and I am in a college dorm - what the hell can I eat?
Should I eat right now before bed? I have a veggie sub from yesterday in the fridge. Can I eat that? NOURISHMENT, without unnecessary poison - this is what I want. I know processed foods are unhealthy, how about veggie quesidilla's at the dining hall - are they unhealthy? [update: ate half the veggie sub!]
Here is what I had to eat today:
Morning 8:30AM -
Omlette with tomatoes, spinach, and mushrooms, along with a bowl of grapes, watermelon and strawberries
Around 1PM - A salad with raspberry vinaigrette dressing with tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, chickpeas, bean sprouts
4PM - Veggie Quasidlla, Yogurt and Banana
10PM - 1 Banana, 1 Orange
11:47PM: Ate half the veggie sub.
I am hungry. It's 11:33PM now.
What should I buy at the grocery store and what are some simple recipes for an amateur cook? I like tasty food and not at all picky? What should I buy for amino acids and other nutrients? I have braces so chewing nuts is extremely difficult, especially since I recently got them adjusted.
Hm, according to this interesting article:
Protein in the Vegan Diet -- The Vegetarian Resource Group - Soy helps a lot. This kid I was talking to today
told me soy may cause problems with the thing men have trouble with down there..hmm i think it's called - no not rectum..um well you know what I mean? It's not penis either, hmm..damn it's not coming to me..(in psychology that is called tip-of the tongue phenomenon) . OH YES PROSTATE DOES IT CAUSE PROSTATE PROBLEMS?.