Restart time or not?

Question

I have been vegetarian for a while now. I have decided to stay away from most cheese because I do not want to ingest pepsin or rennet. My friend and her boyrfriend were going to the Olive Garden and I told them to bring me back some salad. I totally forgot that they usually put cheese on the salad as well.
When they brought me the salad, I thought about the cheese and decided to "eat" it later, and put it into the friedge.
My friend was confused because she thought I would have already started eating it. I felt like I had to eat it because she had bought it for me with her own money and I would make her feel bad if I didn't eat it. So I did, and then felt like throwing up afterwards because I felt like I had just ate animal. Does this mean that i have to start time over? I don't think I should, but opinions?

Answer 1

no, it doesnt mean you have to start over. Many cheeses are made with vegetarian rennet now. Cabot has a whole line of cheeses made from veggie rennet. What you eat is a matter of personal choice, and one slip up doesnt take away from all of your efforts. That would be like saying a Christian is no longer a Christian if they commit a sin. Besides, why keep time anyway? Dont try to live up to someone elses standards-just be yourself

Answer 2

While I completely empathize with your predicament, I think you can let this one situation slide. So you ate some cheese in an unusual situation. I'm sure if you were traveling and you weren't able to eat vegan foods for weeks, you might be willing to consume something with marginal amounts of flesh products. I wouldn't sweat it, just don't let it become a slippery slope. You know they say Olive Garden salads are gateway foods. LOL ;)

Answer 3

No need to "restart", just continue on your path and in your beliefs. I have had many many people try to trick me into eating meat and meat products, a few have succeeded, but that didnt stop me from continuing to be a vegetarian. I have been one for over 20 years and I have never regretted it or given up.

Answer 4

No, you don't reset your clock, you've still been vegetarian "for awhile now." We've all made mistakes, you learn to make less of them as you gain experience.

Their salad dressing has eggs and cheese in it as well, so you may want to avoid that too when you order from them. (It doesn't have anchovies, I had them mixed up with a letter I received from a different company.)

Answer 5

Being veg*n is a state of mind, not an activity someone DOES, but rather someone IS.
You are veg*n. You gave yourself a test to see for yourself whether you are veg*n or not, and your saying you became sick after eating the cheese is your grade, to tell yourself how you did on the test. I think the result is clear, and QED.
Good work, and congratulations. Keep it up.

Answer 6

no need to restart time. most vegetarians eat dairy so you should not feel guilty. so you had a set back just continue. if you dont eat any animal products or anything that might contain them then u are a vegan (no dairy, no egg, no fish.)

Answer 7

Hmm- interesting. Im not vegiterian but in my opinion, I think what you did is right. because when you take people befor yourself thats good- you didnt want to hurt here :] just next time- remember to ask for no cheese XD

Answer 8

You shouldn't start anything over (though I have to admit, I'm not even really sure what you mean by "starting time over.") It was a tricky situation and you tried to accomodate everything. Don't feel bad...just stick to your beliefs and perservere.

Answer 9

Sounds like your making yourself sick, it's food it won't kill you and it will pass, in a couple of days you'll be as good as new.