I have a bad vegetarian diet, need advice?

I became a vegetarian about 5 yrs ago when I was 13. I admit that the time i've been a vegetarian, I probably haven't eaten a very healthy diet. My whole family is meat buyers and unhealthy ones at that. They basically only stock the fridge with meat, carbs, and frozen junk. Rarely do we have real vegetables, besides frozen microwaved ones (which i doubt have any nutrition at all). The only fruits we have are bananas and grapes which i try to eat every day. Other than that, the only non frozen veggies is iceberg lettuce salad in a bag. Sometimes spinach which I try to eat a lot of when it's there. It's difficult for me to get to the store to buy my own food so I usually just eat whatevers available.





Anyway, this diet has taken a toll on me. I am weak, skinny and lacking in muscles. I could go on about the health problems I have. Any advice? What foods should I start eating? what is the most nutritious? thanksI have a bad vegetarian diet, need advice?
Good news is now that you're an adult you can shop for your own food and get yourself lots of nutritious choices! You need to take some responsibility for your diet to make sure you are getting the nutrients you need. If you can get to the store yourself, go along when your parents go and get your own foods.





Frozen veggies are actually very healthy -- sometimes moreso than fresh -- providing they don't have any sauces or anything on them. That's because they're picked at the peak of their ripeness and flash frozen to retain all the nutrients. I personally don't think they taste as good, however.





I think since you haven't had a lot of exposure to different fruits and veggies, try stuff out and see what you like. Buy a different kind of fruit or veggie every week to start building your repertoire! Going to the library and checking out a few veggie cookbooks would give you some ideas for meals. Websites like vegweb.com are also good for recipes.





The most inexpensive veggie food is probably rice and beans. Dry beans are extremely cheap, though I use canned myself because they're more convenient (they're still really cheap!). Choose brown rice over white rice and you've got a complete meal right there. Cooking it in some veggie broth will give it more flavor.





Some good foods to have around include dark leafy greens, whole grains, beans, assorted fruits, hummus, orange veggies (like carrots and sweet potatoes), nuts and dried fruit, and cereals (like oats for oatmeal).I have a bad vegetarian diet, need advice?
Wow, sorry your family isn't more supportive of your lifestyle. I would recomend more whole grains and beans in your diet for proteins and vitamins. Bulgar wheat, quinoa, and oats are great grains and any type of bean is excellent. Also, do a little research online and find recipes for making vegi burgers and falafel, they are really good and ur family would probably like them too, maybe ask your mom if you can add the ingred's to the shopping list. Frozen vegis are nutritious and even better than the canned ones so don't feel too bad about that. Try to get a bigger variety of fruits too. If you are driving now then you need to go to the store and do some shopping for yourself if your family isn't willing to help. Good luck!
Read, read and read some more! Do all the research you can, check books out of the library and join veggie groups online. The best way is to do the veggie thing is to do it right, and fully armed with a boatload of knowledge. I was 14 years old and totally depended on food that my parents bought when I decided to give up meat so I know exactly what you're going through. If you're serious about being vegetarian in a healthful way, you'll have to take more responsibility for yourself and your diet, especially with nonsupporting family.





Chances are, if you're still eating eggs and dairy, you don't have any trouble getting enough protein. But do make sure you're getting it from other sources too, like beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, etc. Luckily, these foods are often inexpensive so it shouldn't be too hard for you to stock your own pantry with them. Veggie burgers (and other meat substitues or soy products like tofu) make a nice, quick alternative too, though they can definitely get pricey. Just don't rely on them too much!





Calcium can be another concern for vegetarians but again, if you're eating dairy, you'll probably meet your daily need with no problem. Dark green veggies, like kale or broccoli, are some other great sources!





Vitamin B-12 is a concern for vegans but you didn't mention omitting dairy from your diet so I'll assume you don't need to worry about that.





One mineral you really need to make sure you get enough of is iron. Like vitamin B-12, iron is a crucial component of red blood cells. Dried beans and peas, lentils, enriched cereals, whole-grain products, dark leafy green vegetables, and dried fruit are good sources of iron. To help your body absorb nonanimal sources of iron, eat foods rich in vitamin C - such as strawberries, citrus fruits, tomatoes, cabbage and broccoli - at the same time you consume iron-containing foods.





For more health information, I highly recommend making a trip over to http://www.veganhealth.org/. The information there covers all the nutritional needs of all sorts of vegetarians, not just vegans. Just click on their ';Table of Contents'; link and run down the page to learn about everything you need to know to be a healthy vegetarian!





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On to the fun part of being vegetarian - food! I suspect that you'll find, as I did, a whole new world of food and flavors opens up to you when you start to do some research! Don't be afraid to experiment and try things you've never heard of before. Make it fun! You probably don't do much of your own grocery shopping yet, but I love to pick up one thing each time I go that I've never heard of before or that seems foreign and exotic. (I thoroughly scan the ingredient list first, of course!) Then I'll look it up when I get home and try to find a recipe that uses it. It might be a fun way for you and your guardian(s) to be active together in your diet!





You also might want to offer to cook a meal for your family once a week, if they'll buy the groceries for it. That way, you can introduce your family to some healthier alternatives as well as ensure you'll get at least one awesome meal a week! If you get excited about your diet and have fun with it, chances are that it will rub off on them, at least a little bit!





Luckily, in addition to tons of cookbooks, there are a plethora of vegetarian recipe sites out there so you shouldn't have any trouble at all finding some recipes that are healthy and yummy! I'll include one or two of my favorites at the end of my answer. Give them a go - they're pretty easy and scrumptious!





And if you're ever looking for some obscure veggie food that you can't find in your local grocery or health food store, hop on over to Food Fight! at http://store.foodfightgrocery.com/index.鈥?/a> They'll send that vegan haggis you were craving right to your door!





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There are a couple of great magazines you might want to subscribe to also. (They make great presents - just drop the hint to your loved ones around your birthday or holidays!) I know it helps me feel connected to the veggie community - I'm the only vegan I know in my ';real'; life!


Vegetarian Times - http://www.vegetariantimes.com/


Veg News - http://www.vegnews.com/


Herbivore - http://www.herbivoreclothing.com/magazin鈥?/a>





Teen-Specific Veggie Sites


http://www.vegetarianteen.com/


http://www.peta2.com/


http://members.tripod.com/~vegout/





Veggie Recipe Sites


http://www.vegweb.com/ (The best!)


http://www.vegcooking.com/ (The site maintained by PETA.)


http://www.theppk.com/recipes/ (Couple of the coolest veggie girls ever!)


http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/Everyday-C鈥?/a>


http://veganlunchbox.blogspot.com/ (Great ideas for packing lunches for school or work.)


http://veganyumyum.com/ (Beautiful pictures that will make your mouth water.)





Veggie Online Communities


http://www.veggieboards.com/boards/ (They have a great board for new veggies. Introduce yourself and welcome!)


http://www.postpunkkitchen.com/forum/ind鈥?/a>





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Black Bean Burgers with Guacamole





Perfect with a side of spicy fries!





1 can black beans (15 oz or so - doesn't have to be precise)


1/4 cup diced yellow onion


1/2 cup diced red bell pepper


1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper


1 egg substitute *


1 cup seasoned bread crumbs


2 Tbsp fresh chopped cilantro (2 tsp if using dried)


2 Tbsp olive oil


Top with guacamole (or salsa or sprouts or all of it!)





Rinse black beans. In a large bowl, mash black beans then add onion, bell pepper, cayenne pepper, egg substitute, vegan bread crumbs and cilantro. Blend until all ingredients are mixed well. Form bean mixture into patties and place on a baking pan or cookie sheet (spray pan with non-stick spray). Bake at 350 for 10 mins. Or you can fry them in olive oil. (If you have the time, it's great to bake them first and them throw them in the frying pan with a touch of oil. That way, they cook thoroughly from the oven and get nice and crispy on the outside from the pan!)





Guacamole





3 avocados, peeled, pitted and mashed


1 lime, juiced


1 tsp salt


1/2 cup diced onion


3 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (3 tsp if using dried)


2 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced


1 tsp minced garlic


1 pinch ground cayenne pepper (optional)





In a medium bowl, mash together the avocados, lime juice, and salt. Mix in onion, cilantro, tomatoes, and garlic. Stir in cayenne pepper. Refrigerate 1 hour for best flavor, or serve immediately.





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General Tao's Tofu





Awesome served over rice with steamed broccoli! This recipe is actually the most popular on www.vegweb.com and with good reason. It's delicious! I even got my tofu-phobic dad to try it and he was hooked! There is actually a video on the website that walks you through making it, step by step. Follow this link to check it out: http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=8769.0鈥?/a>





1 box firm tofu


1 egg substitue *


3/4 cup cornstarch


vegetable oil for frying


3 chopped green onions (scallions)


1 Tbsp minced ginger


1 Tbsp minced garlic


2/3 cup vegetable stock


2 Tbsp soy sauce or tamari


4 Tbsp sugar


red pepper to taste


1 Tbsp white vinegar





Drain, dry and cut tofu into 1 inch chunks. You can freeze tofu the night before to get a more chicken-like consistency, but it isn't necessary. Mix the egg replacer as specified on the box and add an additional 3 tablespoons water. Dip tofu in egg replacer/water mixture and coat completely. Sprinkle 3/4 cup cornstarch over tofu and coat completely. Watch out that the cornstarch doesn't clump up at the bottom of the bowl.





Heat oil in pan and fry tofu pieces until golden. Drain oil.





Heat 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil in pan on medium heat. Add green onions, ginger and garlic, cook for about 2 minutes. Be careful not to burn garlic. Add vegetable stock, soy sauce, sugar, red pepper and vinegar. Mix 2 Tablespoons water with 1 Tablespoon cornstarch and pour into mixture stirring well. Add fried tofu and coat evenly. Serve immediately with broccoli and rice.





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* I use Ener-G egg replacer, which you can now find in most well-stocked supermarkets and definitely in health food stores. You can also get it at Food Fight, of course! (http://store.foodfightgrocery.com/eneggr鈥?/a> I'm sure just using the egg would work too, if you're not vegan. ;-)





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Good luck! If you have any other questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to get in touch with me. I'm more than happy to spread the veggie love! And just remember, above all else, stay healthy and informed!
Well firstly if your a vegan that eats dairy that will be your saving grace eat lots of it if you do; butter, chesse and lots of milk to keep your bones strong it will also have the fats you'll miss from meat so its v good for you. If how ever you dont try soya milk it takes some getting used to but try sweetened its got the calcium you will need.


As you say your weak get some multi vitamins to help your body along if your malnourished you'll start getting infections and getting sick easily (if you dont already) plus fish is great omega 3 is good for you. oily fish has been known to help the skin and nails.


If your a vegan that doesn't eat fish then dont forget your carbs tho you cant live on these alone it is possible to have a balanced diet and be a vegan rice, pasta, potatoes an cos cos will all provide your energy. Theres also lentil's and various beans.


May be you could start by getting a vegan cook book to star with these will give you ideas on what to by.


You obviously need fruit and veg but you need a mixture as different one give different vitamins fruit juices will help.


Try to encourage your family to joint in a bit.
Avocados are a vegetarian's best friend. Eat them on bread, or mash them and make guacamole out of them.


Eat nuts...


Lentils are important - but yucky if eaten plain. Look up a recipe for lentil loaf.


Sprouts. Eat Tempe sandwiches.


Olives.


Lots of romaine and red leaf lettuce.


Make sure you make whole grain rice.


Experiment with the whole gamut of beans.


Buy ';hummus.'; Try ';falafel.'; These can be bought in a regular grocery store.


Vegetarian chili - even if you don't want to cook it from scratch, Hormel maks vegetarian chili in a can that you can put on a baked potato.


Try TVP - textured vegetable protein.


Go to Whole Foods and buy something called ';Field Roast'; - it's a lunchmeat with no meat, made without soy.


Lots of things go good with sauerkraut, which is very good for you.


Try other vegetables like spaghetti squash, butternut squash, collard greens, swiss chard, for variety. (They go good together, too.) Make with your whole grain rice...yummy.


If you can eat fish, salmon is your best bet - 50% less heart disease for people who eat a pound of salmon a week.


Eggs are really good for you too.


When you go to the store, buy tons of frozen stuff so you don't have to keep going very often (since you don't get there often.) When you cook things, cook way too much and put in plastic containers in the freezer, that way you don't get stuck eating the junk that your family has around when you don't feel like cooking.


Buy organic wholegrain breads.


Most important thing is to buy a big thing of olive oil and use it on toast instead of butter. Good oils are very important for your body - avoid oils like butter, canned oil sprays.





I like to cook zucchini and yellow squash, all chopped up, in a jar of chopped tomatoes with olive oil (and onions) added. Add a can of Garbanzo beans and serve over rice. Very cheap and yummy - and you can freeze several containers of it for later.
You need to find a protein source you do like. Peanut butter, soy products, vegetables if they did exist in you house. These things will give you energy. If you are carb loading which is what sounds like what you are doing you are eating and get a burst of energy and drop like a rock. That is what carbs do they have no lasting power. I eat a breakfast cookie - bizzylizzybakery.com an online bakery sends them to my home and I eat one or two a day when I am rushed or two lazy to cook. They have 4 grams of carbs ( the good ones) and 7 grams of protein. You need to get some vegetables an fruit. The sad part about bad eating habits is that they are not always visual but if you are having outward signs you are probably messing things up inside too. EAT Better and do it now. Also check out the sources I gave you they both are loaded with information that will help you make good choices.
i'm a vegetarian too and what i like to eat is spinach lasagna, grilled cheese, pasta's with maranara sauce, veggie pizzas, and i luv subway because they have a veggie delight sandwich. Just make sure u get plenty of iron and omega 2 and 3's.