Any vegetarians or vegans here?

[happycat]

We are all animal lovers here, so I doubt I'm the only vegetarian!
I haven't eaten meat for a few months now, and I hope to be a (flexible) vegan one day! Maybe I could own some chickens, haha

I figure, if I love my pets like family, then why would a cow or chicken or pig be any different?
Especially when the meat we eat is most often from terrible places called factory farms, where animals are treated horribly. :0

So not only does it help animals, but I feel so much healthier! Win/win!
So any other vegetarians on the forum?

 

[Scott]

I'm a work in progress...... the only flesh I willingly eat is fish. Haven't consumed meat from animals with wings or hooves in many years. A caveat is many commercially prepared foods I eat have animal by-products in the form of dairy and/or eggs. A serious obstacle towards more purity is that work takes me from home for 3 to 4 day stretches and my mobility is limited to employer-provided locales. A plus is we can now order crew-meals that are vegetarian/hindu/moslem on some flights.

Post-retirement I will have far better control over nutrition and will reduce and possibly eliminate fish consumption. Not sure I can make the leap to veganism.

 

[Kiwibird]

I don't bring it up too much on here since it's a rather 'sensitive' and 'controversial' subject, but I've been a vegetarian for almost 16 years, and went totally vegan (and have been transitioning to raw vegan) last summer. I was 10 when I made the first connection between animals and meat, and have refused to eat meat since. I am adamantly against speciesism (i.e. you wouldn't eat a dog, but you would a cow or wouldn't eat your parrot, but would a chicken. I don't feel any animal is 'above' another). I remain 'neutral' on many things, but exploitation of animals is one subject I feel very strongly about. I received very bad information as a new vegetarian regarding the 'need' for eggs/dairy in the diet, which is why it took me so long to go vegan. I went veg before we had the internet or a computer in my house, so the resources I had when I started were limited. My parents were not (and still aren't) supportive, so I was never allowed to get involved in any activist groups where I would have learned more and by the time I was an adult, I had been a veg for so long I never thought to get involved or do more research because I was so comfortable with my diet. I do think after all these years my family realizes it is not a "phase" anymore and something I fully intend to continue the rest of my life. I feel guilty and ashamed I never looked into veganism and how to eat a healthy vegan diet before last year, as I always felt guilt over my continued consumption of animal products (despite being primarily sourced from small scale/local farms) I am on a much better path now, and am enjoying learning about and eating a raw vegan diet. Giving up cooked food is difficult, but the health benefits thus far are amazing! I do have to remind myself though that there is no way raw veganism would have been compatible with my everyday routines before this past year, so no matter how much I could have 'known' I still would have had to be a veg or regular vegan.

I commend you for your choice, and just be sure to research research research! Don't feel pressured to go vegan before you're sure you have the knowledge and ability to eat a healthy diet either. There is definitely a potential to wreck your health and ultimately need to go back to meat and animal products if you do vegetarian or vegan diets the wrong way. Keep in mind that just because a food is cruelty free does not necessarily mean it's healthy. Theres a lot of vegan junk food out there. It is not a race or competition. You make a much bigger impact as a lifelong ovo-lacto vegetarian than a 6 total month vegan who starts feeling crappy and goes back to meat! And never forget it's your body and your choice what you put in it. More than likely, you will meet resistance from family or friends (or totally rude strangers), so don't cave to that pressure to go back to meat if you feel strongly against eating it. More veg/vegans go back because of societal pressures than anything else. If you ever have any questions, feel free to PM me too. Best of luck with your journey to a more ethical and cruelty free lifestyle.

 

[sonja]

18 year vegetarian here. I'd love to be vegan but I hate to cook and I'm not very good at it so my forays into a sustainable vegan diet have been failures.
My mom was skeptical when I started that I wouldn't keep it up, but she accepted years ago that this is the way I'm going to be.
I am a vegetarian because, like others have said, I can't see loving a dog and eating a cow. We would all love cows, too, if we got to know them.

 

[Tempest]

Vegetarian here, for many a year.

 

[thekarens]

I'm a work in progress...... the only flesh I willingly eat is fish. Haven't consumed meat from animals with wings or hooves in many years. A caveat is many commercially prepared foods I eat have animal by-products in the form of dairy and/or eggs. A serious obstacle towards more purity is that work takes me from home for 3 to 4 day stretches and my mobility is limited to employer-provided locales. A plus is we can now order crew-meals that are vegetarian/hindu/moslem on some flights.

Post-retirement I will have far better control over nutrition and will reduce and possibly eliminate fish consumption. Not sure I can make the leap to veganism.

I think they call that pescetarian if I remember correctly. My son is a vegetarian, but he had a girlfriend that ate fish due to some health condition she had.

 

[labell]

I am a pescetarian (fish only) I get some grief from some strict vegetarians and vegans but I do what is best for me. I only eat fish once every week or two and don't make any excuses to anyone over it.

When I was much younger the first time I went vegetarian I didn't know enough and actually did not do it right and caused myself some problems so I went back to eating fish and chicken (no red meat for many, many yrs and then gave up the chicken as well and have just kept to fish since then.


I actually eat mostly raw now but because of the extreme cold of New England winters I find I do eat more cooked things like soup, eggs, fish and quinoa through the winter months.


The most amazing thing I ever did health/food wise was to under go a 21 day water fast when I was in my mid 30's I had done shorter fast for years and really knew what I was doing. I do not recommend long fasts to anyone who isn't familiar with them. There is a healthy way to do it, what you eat for weeks before the fast and even more important how you break the fast is critical. The first 5 days are the worst with detox and hunger symptoms but by day 10 and after I could grocery shop and cook for my husband with no desire to eat. I needed less sleep, my mind was clearer, it was a spiritual amazing journey for me and some thing I was so proud of myself to accomplish. I don't know that I would do another long one though I must admit the 40 day has always seemed to be a challenge I wanted to achieve but I would need to do a lot of preparation. Mostly now I do single day or 3 day water fasts, which still has major benefits.


I also once took a vow of silence for a whole week...that was harder than no food for 21 days I can tell you that!

 

[RavensGryf]

I also once took a vow of silence for a whole week...that was harder than no food for 21 days I can tell you that!

LOL, That I would fail miserably... I talk to myself (think out loud) A LOT!!

Laura, I commend you on knowing how to do your fasts properly. Once hubby tried it (albeit the wrong way). The funniest thing about it was when he was salivating upon seeing Slim Jims at a store :26: ... Lol, you know you're hungry when....

Happycat, best of luck to you!

 

[Psittaciformes]

I too am a vegetarian
Went from eating eating all kinds of meat, to pescetarian, to vegetarian.
Been considering going back to eating fish but scared of food poisoning ... Anyone know the chances of that happening with fish?

Edit; The thought of eating animals is kinda gross though ... Not that I judge others, just for myself. So I don't think I will be eating any fish

 

[labell]

I too am a vegetarian
Went from eating eating all kinds of meat, to pescetarian, to vegetarian.
Been considering going back to eating fish but scared of food poisoning ... Anyone know the chances of that happening with fish?

Edit; The thought of eating animals is kinda gross though ... Not that I judge others, just for myself. So I don't think I will be eating any fish

Very slim chances of food poisoning with fish. You need to make sure it is cooked but food poisoning is much more common with the other types of meat.

I don't eat shellfish because I don't like it. I typically eat flounder, tilapia, trout, hake or haddock all very mild fish. I do have a weakness for swordfish but only eat it a few times a year because of the possible mercury in it.

I have never and will never eat fish raw, can't even stomach the idea.

I know my husband will never eat the way I do and I respect that. I have gotten him over the years to lessen his meat consumption by more than half of what it was when I first met him so that is really big and has improved his overall health. I don't preach to anyone about how they should live, eat or die. I am only responsible for myself, ever.

 

[Flboy]

I was meat and dairy free for 3 years. Used to have year round hey fever, and this diet controlled it. Also did many 7 day fasts. None of this was for the 'save the animals' thing.
I am in the court that believes all living (plant,animal,microbe) feel on some level. When I eat, I am taking in the energy of what had to die for me. And I respect it for it's sacrifice!
I now eat a fully rounded diet, except for very little dairy.

 

[Psittaciformes]

Very slim chances of food poisoning with fish. You need to make sure it is cooked but food poisoning is much more common with the other types of meat.

I don't eat shellfish because I don't like it. I typically eat flounder, tilapia, trout, hake or haddock all very mild fish. I do have a weakness for swordfish but only eat it a few times a year because of the possible mercury in it.

I have never and will never eat fish raw, can't even stomach the idea.

I know my husband will never eat the way I do and I respect that. I have gotten him over the years to lessen his meat consumption by more than half of what it was when I first met him so that is really big and has improved his overall health. I don't preach to anyone about how they should live, eat or die. I am only responsible for myself, ever.

I used to mainly eat salmon, catfish and alaska pollock. There's no way I'd eat fish raw either, all slimy and and tough, ugh.. No thanks.

I always overcooked my fish (or any kind of meat for that matter).

Great job making him eat less meat!

 

[Kiwibird]

I too am a vegetarian
Went from eating eating all kinds of meat, to pescetarian, to vegetarian.
Been considering going back to eating fish but scared of food poisoning ... Anyone know the chances of that happening with fish?

Edit; The thought of eating animals is kinda gross though ... Not that I judge others, just for myself. So I don't think I will be eating any fish

With the amount of pollution, not to mention ***ishima is still leaking radiation and the invention of GMO salmons (with the very likely escape of a few that could spawn with wild population), I wouldn't eat any sea-dwelling fish (or any other creature for that matter) for any amount of money right now. Are there any local lakes that aren't used for dumping waste or full of frankenfish you could go fishing at and catch your own? That, IMO, would probably be the safest kind of fish to eat (prepared correctly of course). Even my dad who is a hard-core meat eater won't eat anything out of the ocean anymore, just freshwater fish he caught himself from select lakes.

Edit: Is this for real--->***ishima Well, since this is such a sensitive word worthy of starring out, my intention was to bring up that great big broken nuclear plant over in Japan that is STILL leaking radiation into the Pacific ocean, poisoning anything living in it. Out of curiosity, will the hyper-sensitive filter also star out "deepwater horizon" ?

 

[labell]

I too am a vegetarian
Went from eating eating all kinds of meat, to pescetarian, to vegetarian.
Been considering going back to eating fish but scared of food poisoning ... Anyone know the chances of that happening with fish?

Edit; The thought of eating animals is kinda gross though ... Not that I judge others, just for myself. So I don't think I will be eating any fish

With the amount of pollution, not to mention ***ishima is still leaking radiation and the invention of GMO salmons (with the very likely escape of a few that could spawn with wild population), I wouldn't eat any sea-dwelling fish (or any other creature for that matter) for any amount of money right now. Are there any local lakes that aren't used for dumping waste or full of frankenfish you could go fishing at and catch your own? That, IMO, would probably be the safest kind of fish to eat (prepared correctly of course). Even my dad who is a hard-core meat eater won't eat anything out of the ocean anymore, just freshwater fish he caught himself from select lakes.

Edit: Is this for real--->***ishima Well, since this is such a sensitive word worthy of starring out, my intention was to bring up that great big broken nuclear plant over in Japan that is STILL leaking radiation into the Pacific ocean, poisoning anything living in it. Out of curiosity, will the hyper-sensitive filter also star out "deepwater horizon" ?

The Japan incident does have me very concerned and has caused me to eat less fish. You are the first person besides me that I have seen that realizes this is still leaking!
Our government/media doesn't want us to focus on this at all, ironic since they usually are all about "fear and consumption" when it lines the fat cat pockets!

 

[Psittaciformes]

I too am a vegetarian
Went from eating eating all kinds of meat, to pescetarian, to vegetarian.
Been considering going back to eating fish but scared of food poisoning ... Anyone know the chances of that happening with fish?

Edit; The thought of eating animals is kinda gross though ... Not that I judge others, just for myself. So I don't think I will be eating any fish

With the amount of pollution, not to mention ***ishima is still leaking radiation and the invention of GMO salmons (with the very likely escape of a few that could spawn with wild population), I wouldn't eat any sea-dwelling fish (or any other creature for that matter) for any amount of money right now. Are there any local lakes that aren't used for dumping waste or full of frankenfish you could go fishing at and catch your own? That, IMO, would probably be the safest kind of fish to eat (prepared correctly of course). Even my dad who is a hard-core meat eater won't eat anything out of the ocean anymore, just freshwater fish he caught himself from select lakes.

Edit: Is this for real--->***ishima Well, since this is such a sensitive word worthy of starring out, my intention was to bring up that great big broken nuclear plant over in Japan that is STILL leaking radiation into the Pacific ocean, poisoning anything living in it. Out of curiosity, will the hyper-sensitive filter also star out "deepwater horizon" ?

Maybe I should stick to being a vegetarian then
No idea about lakes around here, I'm sure here are plenty though, I'd just have to ask around.

 

[Mekaisto]

I consider myself a vegetarian, but I do eat game meat like deer, rabbit or kangaroo - anything not farmed.
My biggest problem isn't with eating or killing animals, it's the environmental effect of meat consumption.

 

[Birdsfourever]

Haha I have been a vegaterian for about a year. Became when I was 13. The last peice of meat I ate was a burger and I started bawling because I felt bad for the cow. I love all animals but manly parrots and cockatoos now.

 

[Flboy]

With the amount of pollution, not to mention ***ishima is still leaking radiation and the invention of GMO salmons

Edit: Is this for real--->***ishima Well, since this is such a sensitive word worthy of starring out, my intention was to bring up that great big broken nuclear plant over in Japan that is STILL leaking radiation into the Pacific ocean, poisoning anything living in it. Out of curiosity, will the hyper-sensitive filter also star out "deepwater horizon" ?

Leaking? Pouring! Just do a few searches on what is now happening along our west coast. Also, most folks think GMO is only very innocent combining of the best to improve a species. Splicing corn with spider? Yes, makes it resistant to insects! Unfortunately, GMO products are much more of a problem in the plant world.