Is it hard to go from being a meat eater to a vegetarian?

Question

I can't imagine my life without stuff like cheese or eggs.... I think if I ever became a vegetarian, I would be lacto-ovo and cheat sometimes with seafood...(I already don't eat much red meat)

Being vegan is out of the question, cause I can't live without chocolate, nor do i want to...

What about you? If you weren't raised vegetarian, was it hard to transition? And did you do it for health or humanitarian reasons? I don't really have an objection to eating animals, but i know it's possible to live without. I've been thinking about transitioning for a while but I don't think I will ever actually do it, because I just don't see myself limiting my food choices, or having to tell someone "I can't eat that, I'm a vegetarian".

What about you?

Vegan chocolate? *shudders* no offense, but some things just ought not be messed with....

I do like Morningstar Farms stuff though... I just can't do everything like that.

Vegan chocolate? *shudders* no offense, but some things just ought not be messed with....

I do like Morningstar Farms stuff though... I just can't do everything like that.

Answer 1

Your first paragraph describes me to a tee. I've been a vegetarian for 4+ years and never looked back. My sister was the one who actually introduced me to it by letting me read Fast Food Nation. To make a long story short, I learned about the horrific abuses animals go through in order to make it to our plates. Not just being killed for food. Awful living conditions, etc. I felt sorry for them, but at first I was like, how can * I * make a difference by myself? There's nothing I can do to stop this!

My sister said, By turning your back, you're saying YES. I support this.

I couldn't live with that. So I stopped eating meat altogether. I realized that in order to still be able to eat out and not be totally different, I couldn't give up cheese. Plus, I just plain old love it. But I made a commitment that day to never eat meat again (except for fish and then only occasionally), and I've never looked back.

Feel free to message me if I can be of any further help on this.

Answer 2

I was a vegetarian for 20 years and when I travelled it was so hard so I started eating fish and chicken when fresh and well cooked was available also Sometimes I was concerned I wasn't getting the correct nutrition. I could never be a vegan nor could I eat something that has been killed for my eating. It is easy to be a vegetarian when you are with others that are the same but very hard when your with meat eaters. But I find many meat eaters aren't getting a good diet they go big on the meat and small on veg and fruit. But even today with all the pesticides used on fresh produce you don't know what's good or bad. the best way is to grow your own but thats not always possible either .

Answer 3

I did it literally overnight. I just came home one day and told my mom I stopped eating meat. I think the transition was harder for her than it was for me. Like you, I never was much of a red meat eater, so that made the transition somewhat easier. I still eat eggs and dairy products though... I never really thought of becoming a vegetarian as "limiting" my food choices. Rather, I thought , and still think, of it as a way to try new things and be creative with my cooking. As for telling people I don't eat meat, I usually let them know ahead of time if it is a nice event or I just deal. I've gone to barbecues and just had the rolls and vegetarian beans. I'm in college now and the vegetarian lifestyle I have chose is harder than ever with the limited food choices offered on campus, but I stick to the cooked veggies and pastas as I am not much of a salad eater.

As for my reasons, I'm not even quite sure myself. I guess it would have to be for humanitarian reasons. I am an animal lover and I just can't stand the thought of what happens to innocent lives in slaughterhouses. In fact, I am more passionate about animal rights than I was before I became a vegetarian.

Some good links to vegetarian recipes and intro to vegetarian/veganism are:
http://www.goveg.com/
http://www.vegcooking.com/

Good luck!

Answer 4

I became vegetarian 14 years ago, and for me it has been very easy, not one minute have I ever missed eating meat or fish. I really can't understand people that are veggies for years, then go back to eating meat, it is something that never even crosses my mind

Answer 5

It's not hard. Well, it is kind of. It's like getting into an exercise routine. Quite simple, but not always easy. You have to make an effort until you get used to it.

You can get vegan chocolate!

I did it for health and ethical reasons. Initially, it was after the parasite unit in biology.

Answer 6

it is kinda hard to transition because you'll be surprised the little things that you'll miss. like i don't like a lot of meat so i became vegetarian for awhile and i missed hot dogs and chicken nuggets.... small things that i liked, i missed.

i just did it because i don't like lots of meat. its not really all that hard though if you stick to it or if you don't like meat. but lots of people ask questions when you say "i can't im a vegetarian".

Answer 7

I went from a hard core meat eater to a flexetarian vegan. It was very easy for me. I think you should check out a flexetarian diet before committing to anything.

Answer 8

read a book called skinny b*tch im telling ya it wont be hard at all after reading the first 3 chapters, in fact you'll probably throw yourself into being a veggie or vegan like i did

Answer 9

i tried it once i lasted 2 weeks

Answer 10

what's this "vegetarian" you speak of?