Need ideas from non-meat & dairy eaters....
Hi all! It's been a while since I've posted on here. I had my RNY on 4/13/09. I have not been feeling well because I'm practically living on carbs. I'm too far out from surgery for a protein shake to fill me. I will not touch meat, pork, or poultry, and the only type of seafood I like are scallops. I've become REVOLTED by eggs, milk, and yogurt. Due to being an animal activist, I see a lot, and have a VERY hard time bringing myself to eat these things. I hate beans, and there are only 1 or 2 faux meats that I like, but I obviously cannot live on 2-3 things forever. I'm having a HUGE mental battle with myself. I am not gaining weight from the carbs, but they make me shaky a lot. I am curious as to what others would do. What's more important, saying " screw it" and eat the meat? Or, do I stick to my morals and continue to put the animals 1st. This has been the hardest thing ever. I stopped eating all of these things in March of 2011. I forced myself to eat some greek yogurt and some cheese the other day, and then I wanted to die from the guilt. I really need advice. I'm only 10 pounds away from my 1st goal, and it's the hardest 10 pounds ever!
I'll tell you what I do. I quit eating meat more than 25 years ago, but was eating eggs and dairy products. Then I learned about how dairy cows and laying hens are typically treated, and I have a big problem with that too. I considered becoming a vegan, and I still think about it, but I think I would have a hard time getting enough protein. Plus I just really like dairy products.
I found a local farm where I can buy free range eggs and raw milk. Both are organic. I visit the farm every time I pick up milk or eggs, I can see the animals, where they live, etc. The cows spend most of the day out in the pasture and are mostly grass fed (they get small amounts of organic, non-GMO grain in winter when there is too much snow for them to get to the grass). The chickens have access to the outdoors all day, too. They get no antibiotics or growth hormones. They look healthy and happy. It's a compromise, I know, but it's one I can live with.
I make protein shakes from the raw milk, and also make my own Greek yogurt from it. I've made cream cheese, too. I haven't made cottage cheese, yet, but I plan to some time. I do not feel up to making cheese, but the farmer knows someone that makes cheese from raw milk from his cows and I plan to buy some of that next time it is available.
I think you have to decide what you can live with. Can you get milk or eggs from sources you feel OK about? And if not, which is the lesser of two evils to you - eating protein that you don't really like such as beans or fake meats, or eating animal products? Because I don't think just not getting protein is an option, really.
what about tofu? Soy milk? Nuts? Do you eat those for protein? Do you like any beans at all? There are so many different ways to prepare them.
I found a local farm where I can buy free range eggs and raw milk. Both are organic. I visit the farm every time I pick up milk or eggs, I can see the animals, where they live, etc. The cows spend most of the day out in the pasture and are mostly grass fed (they get small amounts of organic, non-GMO grain in winter when there is too much snow for them to get to the grass). The chickens have access to the outdoors all day, too. They get no antibiotics or growth hormones. They look healthy and happy. It's a compromise, I know, but it's one I can live with.
I make protein shakes from the raw milk, and also make my own Greek yogurt from it. I've made cream cheese, too. I haven't made cottage cheese, yet, but I plan to some time. I do not feel up to making cheese, but the farmer knows someone that makes cheese from raw milk from his cows and I plan to buy some of that next time it is available.
I think you have to decide what you can live with. Can you get milk or eggs from sources you feel OK about? And if not, which is the lesser of two evils to you - eating protein that you don't really like such as beans or fake meats, or eating animal products? Because I don't think just not getting protein is an option, really.
what about tofu? Soy milk? Nuts? Do you eat those for protein? Do you like any beans at all? There are so many different ways to prepare them.
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
If you are concerned about animal treatment, then it might be a good idea to look into local sourcing for things like milk and yogurt.
I am a vegetarian, working on being vegan, and I eat a lot of beans, tofu, tempeh, etc. I do have a protein shake every morning for breakfast, with added spinach and sometimes some fruit. I am early out but even preop it kept me full for hours.
I also have a raw vegan protein powder that i use or things like baking, or add into oatmeal, etc, just to up the content. it's sun warrior natural.
I am a vegetarian, working on being vegan, and I eat a lot of beans, tofu, tempeh, etc. I do have a protein shake every morning for breakfast, with added spinach and sometimes some fruit. I am early out but even preop it kept me full for hours.
I also have a raw vegan protein powder that i use or things like baking, or add into oatmeal, etc, just to up the content. it's sun warrior natural.
Follow my vegan transition at www.bariatricvegan.com
HW:288 CW:146.4 GW: 140 RNY: 12/22/11
If you feel that you can't eat meat due to ethical reasons, then you probably shouldn't. Besides our physical well being, we need to attend to our mental and ethical well being.
You might not feel full from the protein shakes, but they could, between your meals, help you get the protein that your body needs while you eat other things that are lower in protein.
Beans, nuts, seeds, and some vegies like peas (green and blackeyes) are good sources of protein.
You might not feel full from the protein shakes, but they could, between your meals, help you get the protein that your body needs while you eat other things that are lower in protein.
Beans, nuts, seeds, and some vegies like peas (green and blackeyes) are good sources of protein.
I was going to say the same thing as Wendy. There are resposible ways to eat meat even. My farmers market has local meat sellers who invite you to come to their farms and see how their animals are treated. We have a local creamery that does the same. It may run you a teeny bit more but what you get back in peace of mind is immeasurable.
If you still don't want to eat meat or do milk or yogurt, I'd say you may need to come to peace with a few of the things you don't like. I eat vegetarian all the time and when I do I combine veggies with quinoa. I sometimes do tofu although I'm not altogether crazy about it. I have done tempeh. Soy crumbles, etc.
Veggies have protein but not as much and I don't think they have all the amino acids in them. You may need to combine them with other things to get a complete protein but it is more than possible!
If you still don't want to eat meat or do milk or yogurt, I'd say you may need to come to peace with a few of the things you don't like. I eat vegetarian all the time and when I do I combine veggies with quinoa. I sometimes do tofu although I'm not altogether crazy about it. I have done tempeh. Soy crumbles, etc.
Veggies have protein but not as much and I don't think they have all the amino acids in them. You may need to combine them with other things to get a complete protein but it is more than possible!
It's kind of debatable as to whether or not there are really responsible or humane ways to eat animal products. Some ways are more humane than others, and I currently eat eggs and dairy, in the most humane way I can figure out at this time. But there are still ethical issues involved.
For instance, the eggs I buy come from chickens that are treated very well. However, where do those hens come from? There is no way currently to create hens that only give birth to female chickens, so what happens to the males? In many cases, they are simply killed because there is no use for them, or else they are sold for meat. And they are typically not treated very well.
And what about dairy cows? Where do they come from? Like with chickens, there is no way to make cows only give birth to female calves. So the males are raised for meat, often in very inhumane conditions. So drinking milk or eating eggs still contributes in some way to an industry that treats animals very poorly, even if the actual cow my milk comes from was treated nicely.
For instance, the eggs I buy come from chickens that are treated very well. However, where do those hens come from? There is no way currently to create hens that only give birth to female chickens, so what happens to the males? In many cases, they are simply killed because there is no use for them, or else they are sold for meat. And they are typically not treated very well.
And what about dairy cows? Where do they come from? Like with chickens, there is no way to make cows only give birth to female calves. So the males are raised for meat, often in very inhumane conditions. So drinking milk or eating eggs still contributes in some way to an industry that treats animals very poorly, even if the actual cow my milk comes from was treated nicely.
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
True. I guess it depends on your beliefs/feelings about the subject.
For me the whole purpose of animals like cows and chickens is to be food for me to eat. (No disrespect intended but that is honestly how I look at it). So it doesn't bug me so much that male cows are raised for slaughter because, in my world, that's what you do.
I got the impression from the OP that she's seen some outright animal cruelty. There are farms that do not participate in that kind of treatment, if that's the case. But you are right. My beliefs aside the very practice of mass food production is sort of a violation to humane treatment principles.
For me the whole purpose of animals like cows and chickens is to be food for me to eat. (No disrespect intended but that is honestly how I look at it). So it doesn't bug me so much that male cows are raised for slaughter because, in my world, that's what you do.
I got the impression from the OP that she's seen some outright animal cruelty. There are farms that do not participate in that kind of treatment, if that's the case. But you are right. My beliefs aside the very practice of mass food production is sort of a violation to humane treatment principles.
RNY Gastric Bypass 1-8-08 350/327/200 (HW/SW/CW). I spend most of my time playing with my food over at Bariatric Foodie - check me out!
It doesn't bother me that some people look at it differently than I do.
I think it is very much an individual thing as far as what seems ethical and what doesn't. Like I said, I do buy eggs and milk from animals that I know are treated well, and that makes me feel better. I don't think it's ideal, but it's good enough for me. But I know people that feel differently.
I think it is very much an individual thing as far as what seems ethical and what doesn't. Like I said, I do buy eggs and milk from animals that I know are treated well, and that makes me feel better. I don't think it's ideal, but it's good enough for me. But I know people that feel differently.
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
You know it wasn't until I started this job that I started to even think about stuff like that. Our organization heavily promotes Fair Trade and we work with farmers in developing countries. Now I do pay attention to where my food was produced and I care about whether the farmer or producer was paid a fair amount and if they are living in poverty.
I feel very grateful to have been exposed to this place and work because I didn't realize our consumer decisions make such a difference. Commercialism can blanket things and make the relationship between food producers and consumers very obscure.
I feel very grateful to have been exposed to this place and work because I didn't realize our consumer decisions make such a difference. Commercialism can blanket things and make the relationship between food producers and consumers very obscure.
RNY Gastric Bypass 1-8-08 350/327/200 (HW/SW/CW). I spend most of my time playing with my food over at Bariatric Foodie - check me out!
Oh, I agree with you. And businesses work very hard so that we don't think about where our food and other goods we buy come from. They want us to think meat comes from the grocery store, neatly packaged. Not that it comes from animals, that live and die in all sorts of conditions, cared for by people that may or may not be getting paid a living wage. They don't want us to think about why we can buy clothes so cheap at big box stores- they are being made by people earning less than minimum wage, sometimes by children, often in unsafe working conditions.
I read this book once, and now I can't remember the name of it, but the author basically said if you showed her your checkbook, she could tell you what you valued in life. When we spend money on a gallon of milk, we aren't just getting milk to drink. We are paying for a plastic container, which we may or may not recycle, and if we don't recycle it, we are buying trash for a landfill. We are paying a farmer to care for a cow and milk the cow. We might be buying growth hormones and/or antibiotics that may be harmful to us. Milk is not just milk, depending on where we buy it.
When I started thinking about that, it made me not mind paying a little extra for things like local milk and eggs. I don't want to spend money to allow someone to keep a bunch of chickens in tiny crowded cages where they are mistreated. I'd rather spend money to allow someone to raise happy little chickens scratching around in the dirt.
And the choices we make about where to spend our money absolutely make a difference. We vote with our checkbook. If people refuse to buy products made with child labor, companies will stop using child labor. If people refuse to buy milk with growth hormones in it, farmers will stop giving their cows hormones.
I read this book once, and now I can't remember the name of it, but the author basically said if you showed her your checkbook, she could tell you what you valued in life. When we spend money on a gallon of milk, we aren't just getting milk to drink. We are paying for a plastic container, which we may or may not recycle, and if we don't recycle it, we are buying trash for a landfill. We are paying a farmer to care for a cow and milk the cow. We might be buying growth hormones and/or antibiotics that may be harmful to us. Milk is not just milk, depending on where we buy it.
When I started thinking about that, it made me not mind paying a little extra for things like local milk and eggs. I don't want to spend money to allow someone to keep a bunch of chickens in tiny crowded cages where they are mistreated. I'd rather spend money to allow someone to raise happy little chickens scratching around in the dirt.
And the choices we make about where to spend our money absolutely make a difference. We vote with our checkbook. If people refuse to buy products made with child labor, companies will stop using child labor. If people refuse to buy milk with growth hormones in it, farmers will stop giving their cows hormones.
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
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