An Animal rights person that feels bad.
 

I was was wondering if there were any other animal rights activists out there that feel like crap being on this diet? I know I do, but the results have lured me in. I feelt guilt every time I eat but its not stopping me. I plan on going vegetarian when I finish and pay my dues to the animal kingdom through a crap load of volunteering. I know I am a hypocrite but hey, everyone is at some point. There has to be other people out there like me. Otherwise I feel even worse :)

Well I dont plan on just going right off the diet and stuffing myself with carbs. I just plan on leading a vegetarian diet, regardless of if it follows atkins plan or not. I will hit that road block when I get to it though.

I agree with freckles. Why pick a diet that is going to cause you this much worries.

I feel the same way about how animals are treated when they are being produced for food. I feel really bad for them, but i look at it this way.. what good is me not eating meat going to do? Absolutely nothing.. if me stopping eating meat would actually make a difference, and stop some of the cruelty the poor animals have to go through, then i would do it in a heartbeat. But it doesnt..

You don't have to eat meat on atkins. You can of course, that's up to you. I have though been following atkins for almost 1 year and not eaten any meat, not even gelatin products or anything like that (I do eat dairy and eggs though)

there is a vegetarian forum on this site you could visit if you want to include more meat free meals in your rotation.

I agree and I dont try and talk others out of their eating of meat. I am eating alot of meat lately and feel like a bad person but I keep doing it for results. I am getting through it with that attitude that even if I eat meat for a while it wont change anything. But down deep I believe I am innocent of the death that is inflicted on an animal if I dont eat their meat. And guilty by association if I do. I am not trying to rationalize this to anyone because everyone feels the way they feel but animals are equals in my eyes. A lot of people disagree and thats fine, but to me, if I quit eating meat it probably wouldent change anything but I wouldent be guilty of it either. I wont be a mouth that needs meat that leads to even more slaughter. But right now I am. I struggle with the issue but I guess I am going the selfish path(again this is all in my opinion, not anyone elses) by doing something I find wrong just because I like the side effects of it. But Like I said, I will try and atone for what I see as wrongs done by me when I am done, and then like freckles said, maybe try atkins version of vegetarianism.

Thanks etoiles! I didnt realize that. I am going to have to stop by that section.

Justjen72

Because it works. I cant fight the fact that the diet works, and works well. If I had a heart problem I would take medication for my heart even if I didnt want to. But I have a weight problem and maybe I dont like the means but it does get you to the end. Low-Fat diets do nothign to help with me. They work but extremely slowly and are far to restrictive to be practical.

I agree. And you getting sick from an insulin disorder isn't going to do them any good either.

I know how you feel though. I eat this way because I must, but I hate the cruelty associated with much of the meat and egg and dairy industries and hate contributing to that. But remember the grain and vegetable industries can be just as destructive to habitat and wildlife through use of pesticides, herbicides, and poor farming practices.

So when I can I buy organic or from local farmers, I make a point of trying vegetarian recipes for variety, I participate in some local volunteer efforts, and I try to be a savvy consumer and boycott products where I feel there is a lot of cruelty. Organic and cruelty-free tends to cost more though.

I dont abide cruelty to animals, don't think many folk do, however that does not always translate into not eating any meat for most folk. I do not believe in unnecessary cruelty to animals (caged hens etc), so as much as possible I buy free range and organic meat and eggs etc...sometimes from a farm if possible.

I feel for you DEM, and think it is sad that you have so much angst about doing this, but there other alternatives such as trying the vegetarian forum to see how many people manage successfully. Good luck with it all.

I don't think she was trying to sway anyone or make it seem bad to eat meat or be on this diet. I think she was simply wondering if anyone else shared in her feelings she has been having.

It really isn't difficult to follow this diet and incorporate your animal beliefs, other then induction and early OWL. If you actually follow OWL quickly, or take an Atkins for life approach and start at 60g or so, you can easily be on plan. Eat Tofu, Tempeh (I love tempeh), lots of eggs (learn different ways to cook them), and loads of vegies.

A standard vegetarian very low-carb (early OWL) Atkins diet would be:

Breakfast: Large omlette filled with mushrooms (good for vege), spinach (iron - no red meat), and other choices.

Lunch: Salad made with lettuce, cucumber, vegies, etc with some pre-seasoned cold tempeh thrown in; or a marinated and stir-fried tofu for lower carbs.

Snacks: vegies etc, or try lower-carb whole milk yogurts later own; to keep fat content up try nuts, especially higher fat ones like macadamias; also to keep fat content up try roasting vegies that absorb a ton of oil like eggplant, or eat green beans or broccolli or cauliflower loaded with butter.

Dinner: Endless possibilities - I am actually not vegetarian but I eat vegetarian at least 3 nights a week.
Last night I got some squewers, (spelling!!), chucked on some cherry tomatoes, button mushrooms, green pepper slices, and tofu that I had soaked in soy sauce and garlic and chilli for a few hours, cooked in A LOT of olive oil. Chucked em on a fry pan, turned, dinner was ready in 10 minutes from start to finish.
Heaps of quiches, frittatas, etc in standard vegetarian cookbooks; some aren't that 'eggy' tasting if well seasoned
Try a big vegie roast (zuccini, eggplant, peppers) with a soy protein shake on the side.

Alternatively, if you want to stick to a lower-rung OWL band, which would require eating meat, have a long think about what your actual objections to eating meat are. Write down what your problems are, and think if there are animal products you could still eat for a while without feeling bad. I am thinking.
* Fish that is sustainably caught from the wild - not in overcrowded farms and not atlantic salmon (notorious!!) -- can I object to that? The fish live full lives, in the wild, not in there own filth etc. I mean, sure they die, but do I feel as bad about that as eating a cage chicken? It is easy to get such fish, ask your fishmonger. They may not know for sure if you live inland, but some web research can help you know what types of fish are in sustainable industries
* Game meats. I know many vegetarians that for health reasons reintroduced kangaroo (I am in Australia!) into there diet for health reasons. Find out how heavily regulated hunting is for certain animals avaliable is. Game meats that are hunted by businesses to be sold commercially tend to be very heavily regulated industries due to the risk of the disease etc. It also means the deer or whatever has lived in the wild, running up hills or whatever, rather then farmed.
* What about animals without nervous systems? Like clams and stuff? My old housemate was vege with this exception but I can't think what other things there are..
* What about, and maybe we are pushing it here, free range adult slaughtered chickens? Very easily avaliable.

I am a he but thats neither here nor there :D. Lovable is right. I am not trying to change anyones opinion. Just wondering if I was alone in the way I feel. Its not so bad that it will force me off the diet, just a feeling of guilt now and then.

I always joke around about changing PETA to People for the Eating of Tasty Animals. I do respect them for being vocal about their beliefs though. In my opinion, they get a little too radical (they recommend sending your dog's feces to the president of IAMs to let them know that you think that their practices stink - clever and catchy, just way too extreme for me!!!). I do believe that they can do a lot of good for the environmental conditions for animals that are being raised for food. All in all, I feel that maybe the extremism is a good way to make somebody budge a little.

(DEM...this comment does not apply to you) However, I fully do not agree with damaging other people's property (i.e. throwing paint on furs) or trying to make somebody feel guilty for making a life choice to eat meat or wear leather, fur, or whatever else they want to do.

I agree extremisim tends not to help. I think though that it comes about due to the fact that they are almost powerless to stop what they see as wrong. I live and let live but I have to say I have come very close to throwing paint on fur, I havent done it but I have thought about it. The terrible things done to those animals used to make fur coats is something out of a blood and guts horror movie. They live in cages that are either to small for them to lay or turn around in or just big enough to walk in a circle and most go insane within a few months and just yelp and try and move any which way. Atleast the anal or genital electrocution, not matter how vile, gives them some kind of peace.