Ironic Beer Bellies = Male Hipster Fad '09

seeing as you're in japan why don't you take up a martial art? it's fun, good for you and you probably have access to much higher levels of teaching. you're in the homeland of ninjas, it would be crazy not to learn something.

There's nothing wrong with being vegan, you just can't be lazy with food. A vegetarian diet might be a good way to start, if you are unsure? If you are already vegetarian the switch isnt that hard at all. The only problem is when you are out and need to eat.. lots of pre prepared food will have at least some dairy or eggs.

two great books;

http://www.amazon.com/Vegan-Meals-On...6942611&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Essential-Vege...6942710&sr=1-1


these are good items for the pantry

noegg if you bake


agar if you want to make jelly

I could never, ever live without cheese.

I applaud you.

you can get absolutely every single necessary vitamin and nutrient from vegetable/plant sources with the exception of vitamin B12, which is currently added to many vegan products having been synthesized from bacterial sources.

I personally feel much healthier and alive when living ital, though from time to time i inevitably break the cycle and consume animal products. but whenever I am not eating them, I feel most alive.

Is being a vegetarian/vegan healthier for you? If so, Which one is better for you?

it depeds. if you do it right, and replace the things you get from meat (or milk and eggs) well, it's very healthy. vegetarians have less weight problems or problems with their cholesterol. but if you don't do it right, it gets really unhealthy.

as for the topic of this thread:

eat a lot of soup before dinner, it makes you feel fuller so you wont eat as much.

walk everywhere, go by bike for longer distances. you don't have to go training, but move! just find a way to integrate it into your everyday life.

that's one of the harder things to giveup if you've always had it. There is vegan cheese, which is fine on pizza.. but not so good for sandwiches.. and yeh.. no real vegan novelty cheeses.

Unless you're eating an excess of dairy and eggs, and have high cholesterol, I wouldnt think veganism provides that much more benefit than a well balanced vegetarian diet. I've heard a lot about eating large amounts of dairy being cancer causing but then so does everything so it's not really a valid argument..

mmm, cheese. the one thing i wouldn't be able to give up either. i live between two cheese-countries.

It's interesting how your body adjusts. On rare occasions I will eat chicken or pork or fish... and I actually feel fairly ill afterward. More so the longer it has been since I've eaten it. The fish not as badly, but definately with chicken or pork.

I hadn't drunk milk in very long time because it smells like cow. Musty and a real meaty smell. Though recently have had skim/no fat milk sometimes instead of soy, which hasnt been too bad.. I prefer the soy though honestly, by far. On rare occasions I will drink bonsoy but it is only a treat as its far too rich for every day drinking and far to expensive to buy all the time.

Ever since I was really young, meat really hasn't done it for me. It looked gross, and I felt bad. I was forced to eat it as a child and when everyone around you eats it and *you* are made to feel like the weird one for not eating it, you just go with that. I think for a lot of people who are vegetarian it is just an inescapable state of mind that you would prefer to only eat veg/fruit.

i hate the smell of milk, used to react allergic on it so i was raised on soy milk... never learnt to drink it i guess.

meat has always been pretty gross to me, and i had to eat it, always a small piece 'to try'. when i was ten, my mother informed herself and finally allowed me to stop eating it. and indeed, they see me as the weird one in the family: belgians are known for enjoying good food, and lots of it, and you could call my family typically belgian. they love big quantities of heavy foods and meat, while i don't eat much and don't like strong flavors.

I can assure you that my beer belly is 100% sincere.

Thanks for the tips everyone. I think I'll start with the knife and go from there.

"..Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God..So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves. But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin." Romans 14

I live strictly vegan for most of the year, but break this cycle and eat regular animal products like meat, dairy and eggs (well not eggs, things with eggs in them like donuts and baked goods) in moderate amounts with absolutely no ill effects, aside from gaining the weight back that I lose from fasting during Ital livity.

My body can take much abuse, I lived off of cheeseburgers, psychedelic mushrooms, cigarettes and gummy bears for many years..