My friends are trying to get me to stop being vegetarian?

Question

Two of my best friends are meat-eaters and I am vegetarian. Lets call them Friend 1 and Friend 2. Friend 1 and I are constantly arguing about what farms do to animals and how vegetarians don't get enough protien. (Which they do) They try to get me to stop all the time! I don't want to lose my best friends, I just want them to accept it. Friend 1 told me to what to do and to stop believing in what I stand for. She CANNOT tell me what to believe and do. Please help me about what I should do or say to them!!

Answer 1

Make this an obsolete topic in your future conversations. Sit them down and tell them that you refuse to talk about your eating habits with them anymore for fear that your friendship might just have to end. They need to respect your beliefs, and you will need to respect theirs. Make sure you let them know that if they continue to harrass you about this, you will walk away from them completely.

It is true that there is still cruelty going on in the farms and it is true that vegetarians *do* get enough protein, but since we were little, we have been fed a bunch of lies about our health. Most people get TOO much protein because of certain food industries' hype. Still, most companies will put a happy cow or happy looking chicken on their boxes to further disillusion consumers into thinking they are getting happy products from happy animals.

Let your friends live how they want to live. To each his own. I know you mean well and are only trying to bring awareness, but some just refuse to listen. Stand strong in your beliefs, and do not let anyone bring you down, no matter how discouraging it may seem at times.

Answer 2

You need to let them know that you aren't going to change and they should worry about it. It doesn't effect them so they shouldn't think it's such a big deal. Next time they start argueing just tell them you are tired of them nagging you and you will no longer have that conversation. I have been a vegetarian for five years and I've never felt better. My doctor has said I am his easiest patient because he doesn't have to lecture me on eating red meat, high fat food, high cholesterol foods, ect. As for the protien issue, your body naturally produces enough protien for your body just as it produces enough amino acids. As a vegetarian you get your protien from fruits, nuts, grains, and mainly soy and tofu. Meat-eaters primarily base their protien source from meats. Animal protien is the least healthy protien you can consume. You should never base the source for protien off one type. It should always be a combonation of different protiens to help your metabolism.

Answer 3

First of all of you are a little right. There are some health benefits that red meat can bring to a diet other than protein. There are also some health risks. There are dairy's that do treat their cows and other animals poorly. But the great majority of meat that is consumed by humans need to go through testing at least weekly to insure quality. USDA standards are high! Cows are expensive! There is a lot of information out there saying that eating meat is bad, anything in excess is going to be bad for you. If your friend think that vegetarians don't get enough protein. He/She is obviously not informed enough on nutrition. And besides as long as you don't make a fuss over what they are eating, they should leave you alone.

Answer 4

first of all, i am very glad you are not letting your friends change your beliefs. i have had problems in the past with my friends making fun of me (threatening as a joke to put meat in my food) and it made me really angry. my vegetarian friend's dad actually tried to force her to eat a hamburger and threatened things like not to let her see her boyfriend again if she didn't eat it. she still refused to eat it. my point is, i know exactly what you're going through and i think you should try to find some sort of environment where at least one or two other people around you are veggies. on the computer would be ok, but if you can find real people to talk to it would be better. don't completely abandon your old friends, just say to them that you are not going to change your mind and you would really appreciate it if they stopped bringing it up. say that you want to be their friend and everyone just has to accept that you don't see eye to eye on everything. if they are good friends, they will be ok with that. good luck!

Answer 5

You need to stop arguing & rationally explain your *feelings* to them - not your views. For example, "when you challenge my vegetarian lifestyle, I feel like you don't respect me because it's my individual decision, and as my friend you should support that."

I have a similar issue with my friends. My bf is a vegetarian (for 20 years), and our friends regularly ask me if he would ever eat meat again. I don't know why his lifestyle is so important them. Maybe you should ask your friends that question: "why are my eating habits so important to you?" In the case of my friends, I think that they think he's missing out on a lot of great food. Also, dinner parties would be easier if he ate meat since we wouldn't have to have a special entree just for him.

Hope this helps.

Answer 6

You could tell her that by not eating meat she isn't getting all the proteins she needs in order to be healthy, and maybe later in her life she will have health risks because she is a vegetarian. But that's just something I would say : )

Answer 7

Agree to disagree, and to not discuss it anymore. Tell Friend 1 you do not want to lose her as a friend, but the constant harping on you about meat is getting old. Your friend may just be joking around and not realize how much it's upsetting you.

That also means you quit trying to get yoru friend to STOP eating meat b/c of how farms treat animals, or whatever yoru reason is. Respect each other and each other's decisions to eat whatever you want.

Answer 8

Interesting that your choices frighten them so much?!!
I would give them 1 more chance, stating that they need to respect your choices. If they luv you they will, if not then you need to find people who do & will.
Here are 2 fine articles by Dr. John McDougall on being a Vegetarains. Both help will with your speak about being a vegetarian with solid facts not the myths your friends are spouting. Sign up for his newsletter it's free & full on good information.

http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2007nl/apr/dairy.htm
http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2007nl/may/meat.htm

Answer 9

If they can't accept you for who you are then I'm sorry but they're really not friends of yours and you should move on and find people who do accept your beliefs, or at least won't try to change who you are. You can try to talk to them and just say that it hurts your feelings that they constantly keep trying to change you and if they were your real Friends they would accept everything about you, but more than likely they're not going to change. But of course, good luck!!

Answer 10

You should do what I do with all my religious friends (I myself am Atheist).


Agree to disagree. Discuss the fact that you both have different views and beliefs, and although both are valid in their own right, there's no way you're going to waver each other's feelings.


So just agree not to speak on it anymore, and if it comes up, politely dismiss it, or say something like, "I understand and acknowledge your beliefs, I appreciate your input, but I'd prefer not to talk about this currently."


Good luck. Friendships shouldn't be broken over somebody's eating habits. I have many friends who're die-hard vegans and we get along just fine.