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[Anita_C]

Hello! I’m new and am wanting 2018 to be my healthiest year. I have been trying my best to eat healthy but my family disapproves iof my diet. I am a pescatarian that is lactose intolerant, and it’s really hard to eat things as a family. My parents want me to eat meat and since I don’t have many options I don’t have access to healthy foods to replace the meat I’m not eating. Is it bad to want to remove meat from my diet? I eat a lot of food so I’m not starving myself but I keep wondering is it worth the struggle for my family? Every time I eat somewhere it’s a struggle and I feel rude when going over to other people’s homes and not being able to eat the food they made.

[Zest]

HI Anita_C ,

Welcome to the Healthy Eating forum - I hope you'll enjoy participating here. Have a look around our various Topics - there are recipes and meal ideas.

NHS Choices also has some helpful information - and I notice you're hoping to be meat-free, so I'll give you a link to the Vegetarian and Vegan pages, incase you're interested in reading more. Will pop back with the link. Here it is:

nhs.uk/livewell/vegetarianh...

I know you said you are a Pescatarian currently.

Wishing you a great week ahead.

Zest

[Anita_C in reply to Zest]

Thank you so much! I will definitely look into it thank you!

[benwl]

Hi there and welcome!

It's definitely not bad to remove meat from your diet, meat is not as healthy as many people think it is, but meat eating is so common in western society that people assume it must be healthy because everyone does it - and there's also a lot of pro meat propaganda put out by the meat industry.

I've been vegetarian most of my adult life and more recently vegan, and I'm lucky that my friends and family have been very supportive.

Only you can decide whether your wish to avoid meat is enough to override your families wishes. From their perspective if they have eaten meat all their lives it could come as a shock to have someone refusing. Perhaps you just need to explain your reasons and they'd be more accepting (and offer to help cook some meat free options)

Personally Ive found people most accepting if I don't try and convert them to being meat free, so I present it as "this is my choice, but I totally respect yours" rather than getting into a confrontation.

Best of luck and feel free ask any further questions

[Hidden]

Hi Anita_C,

I think that you have to have the courage of your convictions and eat what you want as its your body, otherwise you will feel unhappy and possibly resentful. Standing up for yourself is empowering so remember that.

As for lactose intolerant this is a need and not a choice so you have a reason to make your excuses politely.

And good luck,

jerry 😊

[WWENDIE]

My daughter recently became a Vegan which is no dairy or Meat nothing that derives from animals at all including make up etc! She follows vegan sites on Facebook who are very supportive. When she eats with us as she doesnt live at home we do what we are cooking as normal and add some quorn. My gravy is actually vegan friendly which is Bisto. I have also baked her a vegan cake for when she calls which we all love. maybe try something on your family that they dont realise is your food and see what they say.

Hope this is of some help

all the best x

[BadHare]

Hi Anita,

As a vegetarian, I understand your dilemma, & it's difficult to get your family to understand your choices if they're only used to one way of eating.

A lot of people think they're missing out on something, which is sad. If you cook nice things for yourself, you may entice your family to eat healthier foods, & they might come round to your way of thinking. I've had people who grumble at the thought of being subjected to a meat free meal ask for seconds & thirds when they've had to admit the food tastes nice.

I love Yottam Ottolenghi & Nigel Slater's recipes as they treat vegetables with respect, & have lots of interesting main course ideas. There are lots of websites with free recipe ideas. Some of my favourites are 101cookbooks & FoodMonster. There's lots of nutrition advice on both the Vegetarian & Vegan Societies websites, so you can make sure your nutrients are well balanced.

Mel

[SRMGrandma]

Hi Anita! I think you are making a great choice! My EP sent me to a class to learn plant based eating as it is proven to reverse heart disease, and many other health issues. It's been 3 years for me, and while having a diet with little to no meat and dairy did not take away my AFib completely (my ablation did that) it has made my heart healthier, which is a great thing to keep AFib away now. Calm your family, remind them that all plants have protein and go about doing all that you can to be healthy!