I'm going to go crazy.

[Escapist]

I decided about two weeks ago to become a vegetarian. In fact, tomorrow will make two meatless weeks. And since the Wednesday before last, I've been dreaming about eating meat just about every other night. This is driving me nuts! I've spoken to a vegetarian about this, and she said that she had the same thing happen to her for the first couple of months after she stopped eating meat. Does anyone have any ideas for distracting myself so that I won't have these dreams so often? I'm never lucid when these dreams occur, making it so much more annoying!

[intent]

you're body must be craving meat i can't really offer any advise though, cause I've been a vegetarian my whole life and never have had meat before... you might want to start moderately and slowly go off of meat? i dunno, doing it cold turkey seems to have harsh effects on you... *lol* i said turkey

[Umbrasquall]

Turkey is dry... Hmm I won't try this myself but I'd suggest some synthetic meat. They make great burgers out of plants that taste almost exactly like the real thing.

[ffx-dreamz]

Giving up meat is like giving up girls!How the @$%* do you do that?I love meat, especially steak.

[Berserk Exodus]

Hey, we're a part of nature too! If a lion has the right to dislocate my femur, then tear it completely off the hip, then I have the right to kill/eat anything that moves.

[Umbrasquall]

Yea but a lion can't live off of vegetables.

[Alaurast78]

Originally posted by Squall Turkey is dry... Hmm I won't try this myself but I'd suggest some synthetic meat. They make great burgers out of plants that taste almost exactly like the real thing. I like this idea... find substitutes for the stuff you like. I found a great meatless corn-dog and chicken nuggets. Also make sure you are getting all the vitamins that you are not getting from animal product. I am sure if I quit eating chocolate I would have dreams about it. Doesn't it suck that you want the one thing you are trying not to eat!!! I know how it feels! Hang in there... you may have to just suffer through a few great steak dinners in your dreams!!!! Oh yeah... try using your dreams of beef as a dream sign... next time it happens try to turn it into a big salad or tofu. Since you are not eating meat in the waking world it would be a good thing to use as a dream sign!

[Escapist]

Long story short, I’ve always been a big animal lover, but I’ve been looking after a variety of animals in latter years and have come to a point where I would just really don’t want to eat them anymore. I always preferred a tomato over a steak, as far back as I can remember, but my family ate meat every day with nearly every meal. Meat was just like bread in my mind for the longest time… I knew what it was, but didn’t really. I started weaning myself off of meat about three years ago when I started preparing it myself. For the first time I was seeing it in its raw state, all bloody and pink and dead, and began to lose my desire to eat it. For the past few years I’ve only eaten a piece of meat with about two meals a week, and I’d almost stopped eating beef completely, so I didn’t think it would be a big deal. Then, thanks to my dreams, I realized that it’s the little meat components in a larger dish that torment me: pepperoni, ground beef in Hamburger Helper, chunks of chicken in salads, sausage in jambalaya, meatballs in spaghetti, and the occasional cheap beef jerky. And yes, the meat substitutes… I have the entire Boca line in my freezer and have been casually nibbling on their products for about a year now, and have grown quite fond of their spicy chicken patties. I have also tried a couple of other brands. “Today’s smart choice for protein without all the fat and cholesterol of real meat” is quite decent, actually, especially when you cook it well. So it actually has been a fairly gradual transition. I think part of what causes me to dream about it is the daily struggle to whip up something meatless in a household that still eats quite a bit of meat. (I still live with my parents.) I never dreamt about meat when I was casually avoiding it and eating it occasionally when it looked appetizing. Taking it on as a principle seems to be stressing me out subconsciously…

[Seeker]

Originally posted by Escapist Long story short, I’ve always been a big animal lover, but I’ve been looking after a variety of animals in latter years and have come to a point where I would just really don’t want to eat them anymore. Wow, my wife is the same way. I think she would go to prison supporting animal rights. She says she could live without meat, but a well cooked steak still gets to her. Me, I love animals almost as much as she, but I don't think I could ever be a vegan. Good luck in you struggle, sorry I don't have any helpful suggestions =(

[ashliebelle]

When I was on a low-carb diet, almost all of my dreams were about eating bread and sugar. It was pretty nuts because it was EVERY SINGLE NIGHT. I'd wake up feeling scared that I was going to gain a bunch of weight, but everything was fine, and i was actually happy that I got to eat so much "bad" stuff, even if it was just in a dream.

[YULAW]

Wow I commend you for giving up meat. You're a lot better than I. I Love me so much that if I couldn't have it then I would probably Just jump off of the Empire State Building or something... Haha! Good luck. And try not to focuse on the distractions that you see in everyday life. When you see meat on Tv Turn the channel if you see someone eating it around you, look away. What you want to do is limit the amount of Full Memorization of any type of meat contents lingering around your everyday life. The less interaction with meat you have in your waking world everyday the better chances your thought process will not recollect these images and play them out in your dreams. Good Luck you'll be fine!

[Escapist]

Wow! You guys have all been really encouraging... even you, ffx-dreamz, in your own way. Thanks, everyone, for your advice. I'm going to hang in there... maybe hang lots of pictures of brownies everywhere so I'll dream of that instead. Seriously, though, this really might just be one of those things. I think I'll work on becoming lucid during these and trade the Meat Lover's pizza for a double cheese and mushroom. Mmmm... I really appreciate it, everyone.

[Aphius]

I've read the posts you've made but I've never welcomed you Escapist! Welcome to the forum Escapist! You seem like an interesting person. With the whole meat thing, thats pretty good to give up meat. I might try it one day... but I do like the occasional sausage in a roll... mmm... sausage roll...