To NEED to eat a nice juicy steak but to feel sick at the thought?

[WannaEatAJuicySteak]

Been a vegetarian for over 30 years and suffered what I know now are lots of issues due to it - low iron, hypothyroidism possibly due to years of low iron, lack of protein, obesity due to lack of protein and filling up on carby crap, extreme tiredness, dry skin and hair, crap nails, low immune function, stomach issues. The list could go on.

Latest is very low carnitine levels and you get carnitine from meat. I also do a lot of exercise so that explains why I’m not building muscle mass and my weight loss is so slow. GP doesn’t seem bothered but it was flagged up in a blood test for investigation into fatigue.

So enough is enough. I really NEED to start eating meat and I can envision eating a nice juicy steak in a peppercorn sauce in theory but I just find doing it in practise absolutely puke inducing! I’ve tried before with mince and chicken and I can’t get over the ‘stink of animal’ taste.

I cook meat daily for my DH and DC and they adore it. How such rabid carnivores came out of me I don’t know but I just can’t force myself to eat it.

I have a good vege diet now, lots of pulses, dairy products and veg, take supplements but it’s just not enough.

Please give me some tips on how to overcome this disgust. It is purely psychological.

Did look into bone broth a while back but couldn’t find any bones. No butchers around here.

You could buy chopped lamb (with bones) sear it in the pot, add salt and then cook (add a half cup of water). Very simple and tasty,

Or slow cook lamb shoulder in the oven and use the leftover bone for broth.

Sounds like you're getting plenty of protein to me.

What about a protein shake? Or meal replacement shake? But as a snack and not a meal? Surely a multivitamin with extra iron will be enough? And more green veg?

I was almost 19 stone two years ago and it’s taken me that long to lose 5 stone. It’s been so slow even with lots of exercise, cutting carbs (which I find impossible due to hunger pangs) and calorie counting. Ive only lost a stone in the last 6 months which is why I’ve started 16:8 and still only lost 3lb in the last month.

I know I’m missing something and it must be meat.

Thanks for the ideas about the bone broth. Hopefully that’ll be easier to stomach at first!

Carnitine is not an essential amino acid; you make it from others.

If you record everything you eat on Cronometer for a while (weighed and measured, not guessing), you will find out which micronutrients you are lacking, and get a better idea of how to increase those without eating meat. You may want to adjust some of the RDIs, as they are US based, not the UK recommendations.

Also, it's not uncommon for people to react to dairy (we aren't calves, after all) and as a result, not absorb nutrients well, as it damages their gut. So I'd suspect presence of that animal product over lack of others.

Leafy greens are supposed to be a really significant part of our diets, and they contain all sorts of nutrients, including both iron and vitamin C (which is necessary to absorb iron). I've never met anyone who eats a biologically optimum amount of these, even people who are aware of the need for it.

Leafy greens are supposed to be a really significant part of our diets, and they contain all sorts of nutrients, including both iron and vitamin C (which is necessary to absorb iron).

Yes. Dark greens. Not iceberg lettuce. Dark ones lile spinach, rocket, cress etc are much better.

Yes I did go through a period of juicing spinach and oranges. I better dust off the juicer as well!

Just wanted to say being a vegetarian is highly unlikely to cause a protein deficiency. See this: medium.com/tenderlymag/busting-the-myth-of-incomplete-plant-based-proteins-960428e7e91e

I am a vegetarian and often have wondered about this and spoken to doctors/nutritionists and have been assured that I didn't need to add meat in my diet.

Carnitine is not an essential amino acid; you make it from others.

As I understand it though essential/non-essential amino acids are a bit of a misnomer, because the body isn't actually that good at synthesising some of them - which is clearly the case for the OP.

I buy chicken drumsticks/thighs or whole chicken for the bones to make stock. Most butchers will sell bones for stock too.

Maybe try cooking your lentils in it?

And have you heard of an iron fish? Its a lump of metal (shaped like a fish) that you put in the pot when you're cooking things in water eg boiling potatoes and some iron is supposed to leech into the water and food.

And yes yes to eating green leafys. Luckily it's salad season!

Spinach isn't a good source of iron.

If you want some real information on this read

The Vegetarian Myth by Lierre Keith

Brilliant book. Might help shift your mind about the issue, teach you how eating meat is in our nature and actually good for nature as well (if you eat pasture fed, free roaming animals).

Read the studies and books of Weston A. Price. Very highly recommended. He studied how tribes all over the world eat, and have eaten for eons. Spoiler: most eat/ate meat, very few ovo lacto vegetarian, NONE vegan.
These tribal people were MUCH healthier than us modern people with our shitty low fat, low meat, low animal products, high sugar, highly processed crap diets.

Great book about real, healthy eating:

Nourishing traditions by Sally Fallone

Tesco does a ‘rich chicken’ broth that’s almost like homemade ... no nasty textures, just a savoury taste. They probably do beef as well if those options sound appealing

I haven't eaten meat properly for over 30 years. However, every few months, I CRAVE a steak. Like literally can think about nothing else. If I eat one, I almost feel my colour coming back instantly. My iron levels are always through the floor and I take supplements and try to eat leafy green veg etc but when I feel particularly low, which you only know if you have experienced the low, it is the only thing for me that gives a fast injection of energy. I didn't have one until maybe 2 years ago, having not eaten red meat since I was 8 or 9 - I'm now 46. I dont even know how I knew I needed it, I hated beef as a child and refused to eat it.

I know everyone is suggesting bone broth, but if it’s the ‘stink of animal’ I’m not sure that’s great - basically bone broths are distilled meaty scent. It might not be right for you.

I’d go with small pieces of meat - not much to start with - in dishes you already like. I’ve just eaten tonight a spiced rice dish with LOADS of veg and a bit of diced cooked chicken, but honestly just a bit, you probably wouldn’t notice it in the dish at all. Mix in some chopped soy/Quorn ‘chicken’ as well so you can’t distinguish which is which. Think about anything spiced and sauced where you can have mainly veg and just little bits of meat.

I can't help but think your problem is related to your hypothyroidism. Not being able to absorb crucial nutrients is very common with this, as is difficulty losing weight if your medication isn't working properly. Are you taking thyroxine?

I would say that it's worth getting yourself over to The Health Unlocked thyroid forums and post your problem there. There are some really knowledgeable people on there who might able to help. Sadly I find that thyroid issues are not very well understood or treated by GPs And you really have to do a lot of research yourself.

*If you want some real information on this read

The Vegetarian Myth by Lierre Keith*

Imo this kind of post is not helpful. For every compelling resource saying meat is good you'll find an equally compelling resource to say it isn't. And people generally only choose to highlight the resources that back up the decisions they have made.

@WannaEatAJuicySteak - I was a veggie for almost 15 years and had to start very slowly when re introducing meat - as others have said, start with small amounts of chicken and fish etc in highly flavoured sauces.
Your body has forgotten how to digest it and too much too soon can make you ill.

Chicken, bacon & tuna were the things I ate most to start.
Proper good quality sausages.
Meatier fish like swordfish and tuna to get used to that heavier texture.

Even now, almost 20 years down the line I can only have meat a couple of times a week. I cannot digest game meats at all - it’s like food poisoning when I try.

Greens of all kinds plus a really high dose of a b12 supplement are crucial. As a long time veggie your b12 levels will be low and that contributes to so many issues.

Sprays, patches and sublingual versions are much better than tablets which are badly absorbed.