Friday, September 27, 2013

Your Turn

Have you ever been a vegetarian and then stopped? What made you change your mind?


70 comments:

  1. Well there ya go Enty. Much better. No, never been one. I love my meat too much.

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  2. Can vegetarians eat peanut butter? Creamy and crunchy?

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    1. OMG I was vegan until I shoved some creamy in my mouth!

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    1. I'm a runner & every race I wonder what it's like to run with man-parts. But, I'm really glad they don't do it naked.

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  4. I am 90% vegetarian. I don't like beans, soy fake meat or dairy, so I can't get enough protein.I eat fish and chicken weekly and steak a few times a year.

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    1. I eat the same way! I am growing to like black beans but the others still get to me. I try to replace meat with potatoes whenever I can, especially if I'm making spicy food. I've always loved salads and fruit but I just can't give up chicken or bacon even though I only eat them maybe twice a week.

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    2. Anonymous11:21 AM

      Ha ha @ 90% vegetarian! It's called a healthy diet!

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  5. To my eternal shame The Goopster made me a vegetarian. I read some interview where ahe was talking about chickens getting cancerous lumps from sitting in their own urine and faeces all day.

    Stuck with it for a couple of years, stopped when I changed jobs and had trouble finding suitable food quickly during lunchtime.

    Started again 5 years ago and can't imagine going back. She has her faults but I'm very glad she put me off eating meat.

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  6. Was a vegetarian for 18 months but a trip to France and my love sausages made me come back to meat. I will never go back.

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    1. Anonymous12:13 PM

      @ Dee : there's no meat in sausages. Just anuses and offal!

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  7. I did a while ago but I was so hungry all the time I got turned off by the huge amounts of mango and quinoa and tofu and olives I had to eat to stave off hunger. All those carbs made me hungry non stop.

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  8. I've been an on and off Vegan for years. I don't really like the taste of meat and I can't eat dairy.

    I do LOVE eggs, but if I go off of the vegan diet, I source all my animal products from free-range animals.

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  9. I was veggie until I became pregnant now I eat meat once a week max. Zero processed food and I juice too (not the steroid kind) I don't like to eat animals, but I do feel better for it in small amounts.

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  10. Don't like meat but sure likes the bone;)

    Sorry I couldn't resist.

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    1. I love that Commenter. Haven't heard that in years.

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  11. I feel so bad about what the animals go through to become food for us that I stopped eating land animals about 10 years ago. I couldn't give up seafood though because I love it and sushi is my LIFE! I rationalize the seafood eating by telling myself that they aren't as 'feeling' as the land animals and don't go through the same pain their land brethren do. Plus, it's hard to be full veg and go out to dinner. I live in San Francisco which makes it easy but when I go to Ohio it's ridiculously hard to find something to eat, even as a seafood eater. It's all meat! meat! meat!!

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    1. Sugar I feel ya. I adore sushi too and as a fellow bay area resident the seafood here is pretty amazing. Hard to say no. Still startling to be concerned about the sustainability of fish these days.

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    2. I live around a lot of Asian and Hispanic people and when I ask for "no meat" they look at me like what's the point of eating. Society in general always gives vegetarians shit.

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  12. Vegetarian and never looked back. I am just sorry I did not do it before I did.

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  13. Fuck, no.

    That said, I don't need to eat meat or fish every day. I go meatless not even realizing it a couple of times a week. But, food restrictions are so not my style.

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  14. I was born and raised vegetarian, but eat meat now. I have had gone for long periods of time with strict vegetarianism, but always end up falling off the wagon. Damn you, chicken---I love you so and you get me every time.

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  15. yep. 10 years no meat. ex bf made me try a bite of a mcdonalds cheeseburger - that ended that.

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  16. I was for 3 YRS (I did it to lose weight and lost 20 pounds) but then I missed meat and went back to eating it.

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  17. Yes, I've been a vegetarian, and I plan to go back to it. I stopped because I just gave in to a burger craving one day. But I had lots of energy and felt great while vegetarian.

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  18. I've been an ethical vegetarian since 1988. Won't ever go back.

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  19. Most days I am vegerarian. If animals weren't meant to be eaten they wouldn't taste so good! Mmmmmmm - salmon!!!!!

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  20. Anonymous10:59 AM

    Was vegetarian (not the fake Vegos who don't consider chicken and fish as meat WTF). If it has a face or mother : don't eat it! I started in high school. Then went vegan for 2 years. Recently started eating dairy and eggs cos we're going to start a family soon.
    The only meat that passes my lips is my hubby's tube steak. Don't miss eating animal flesh. And we only buy ethical free range meat, eggs and dairy for my husband.

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  21. If you don't eat meat, a wolf will. A tiger will. A hawk will. Are they terrible beings for eating other animals even though it's like, I don't know.... COMPLETELY NATURAL? I get that meat grosses people out sometimes- I can't even bring myself to touch raw meat- but I find it interesting when people act as if being a vegetarian is the way humans are supposed to be. I mean, you don't have incisors to eat fuckin lettuce, they are there to rip shreds of meat. Would you rather a chicken be killed by in a machine or have its throat ripped out by a damn wolf?

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    1. Anonymous12:12 PM

      @Kels: how the fuck did the wolves get into the feed lots? Seen fast food nation? Food inc? Have you seen chicken farms? Unless its free range, no risk of wolves devouring them
      I have no issue with eating meat as long as they're humanely reared and slaughtered. I'm married to a carnivore, but an ETHICAL one.

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  22. No but my brother and niece are and they both have the worst eating habits I've ever seen. My niece can exist on french fries...

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  23. I was vegetarian for about two years. Why did it end? One word: BACON! I love meat, though I eat more fish than anything else (most caught by myself)...and elk courtesy of my hunter bff.

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  24. I was vegetarian for 9 years, from age 18-27. I went back to it for a year from 28-29. It is all a matter of preference for me, and trying to be healthier. But I was so broke that I had to just make it work with any free food I could get at work, and there were hardly ever options for my veg diet (shift meals were always leftovers that our guests didn't eat.) And now... I'm considering going back to it, but not all-in.

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  25. Most chicks I know who were vegan/vegetarian were attempting to mask eating disorders. Most dudes I know who went vegan/vegetarian were banging chicks trying to mask eating disorders.

    I do know a tree hugger couple who were vegan for years, due to health reasons. They died in a car accident at a ripe old age. When they got into heaven, St. Peter brought them to a dinner buffet. Prime rib, fried chicken, pork chops, rack of lamb, there was every meaty delicacy you could imagine. St. Peter said to them, "You had a long trip up here, so eat. You lived a good life so you will be here for all eternity and this is our dinner every night. You don't have to worry about cholesterol or trans fats or any of that up here." The old tree hugger guy turned and punched his wife right in the mouth. "What was that for?", she yelled at him. He replied, "If you didn't make me eat all that vegan shit, I coulda been here 10 years ago."

    Please tip the waitstaff, they have addictions to support.

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    1. I have a friend who masks her eating disorder with the whole vegetarian thing.... Reminds me of Goop. It's really quite sad when u can tell someone is just obsessed with food and weight.

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    2. Anonymous12:16 PM

      Great joke but BIG generalisation. I've worked in a clinical setting with ED patients. Many don't eat, or binge and purge. People choose vegetarianism/veganism due to personal taste, ethical and religious reasons too.

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    3. Anonymous12:19 PM

      Most ED patients actually preferred diets such as Atkins, Dukan and the ABC diet. I know many vego chubbers who subsist on carbs. Fatty Vegos. Skinny carnivores with ED's.

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  26. Former vegan here who would love to be one again for ethical reasons, but my body cannot tolerate many veggie-type foods (soy, wheat, beans in excess, etc.). I recently switched from my paleo diet -- I just got sick of so much meat/animal products -- and tried to be vegan again for two weeks. Flare-ups of my autoimmune condition made me eat some tuna salad yesterday. I think I'm going to give pescetarian a go...it's the best compromise for my ideals and my health.

    (FWIW, it's never been bacon or steak to bring me back, anyway...it's always been my love of seafood.)

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  27. I've been a veggie for about 22 years. Have tried to be vegan, but keep going back to putting milk in my coffee, so I get milk from a local farm with free-range cows.

    I would never go back to eating meat. The smell grosses me out now, but it was tough for the first few years.

    @ other Unknown. If you eat meat, please do not call yourself a 90% vegetarian. You're not vegetarian at all. You're just someone who doesn't eat a lot of meat. That is very different from a vegetarian.

    For protein, there are lots of ways to get it that doesn't involve beans, dairy, and soy products. Ever tried Quinoa (grain)? There are lots of vegetarian and vegan protein powder 'shakes' out there. One scoop blended with a banana and a bit of water, and you have a tasty smoothy and you get a lot of protein.

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  28. @VIP: Love that Heather Graham gif.

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  29. I tried really hard to be vegetarian, but I'm prone to severe anemia and just wasn't absorbing the pills. (Incidentally, the Dalai Lama wrote the he went back tomeat for the same reason in his book 'Ethics for the New Millennium.' It's a great response to the militant vegans I know, specifically the ones who tell me I didn't try hard enough to resolve my anemia. They aren't gonna fault him, so why me?)

    Anyway, most days are meatless, but I avoid soy and make sure I get ethically sourced meat as much as possible. (It isn't always possible when traveling, for example, unfortunately.)

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  30. I've been a vegitarian for the last 14 years did try to go vegan but I love cheese.

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  31. bacon and steak. I can go a week or so then my body craves red meat.

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  32. I would only be a vegetarian if I wanted to fart more and louder than I currently do.
    Besides, I feel sad for all those plants and trees which cannot defend themselves, contrary to the animals with fangs, beaks, horns or even legs to run.

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  33. Vegetarian for 6-7 months...BACON brought me back! It truly is the gate way food!!!

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  34. Anonymous12:21 PM

    Oh and we do KILLER farts. I get to Dutch oven my hubby in bed, or cupcake and crop dust due to all the legumes. It's rad!

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  35. I was vegan for a year. Critical B12 deficiency and having to eat constantly SUCKED ASS. Also, bacon.

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  36. Anonymous12:42 PM

    My husband has a special r'ship with bacon. He doesn't whack off using a rasher, but he loves the shit. But we make a decision to pay a bit more for free range ethical piggy

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  37. I was a pescatarian for 25 yrs and in the past year I have seriously fallen off the wagon. I started with KFC. Yeah, I had a thigh, originalrecipethankyouverymuch! The I was doing nibbles off the mans steak. Then I just said fuck it and bought my own to grill.

    I have been very (ok somewhat) good since then. I have yet to be able to give up fish though. I did make the most delcious bean burger for lunch. And I mean it was like manna from heaven to me. Still will not eat bacon. No pork for me. Ugh!

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  38. @Sherry, I have a similar story.12 years vegetarian, move to Germany, got a whiff of McDonald's and in some sort of dream state scarfed down a Big Mac. I mean all that time and I pick McDonald's. I didn't even tell my husband what I'd done for days, it felt weirdly criminal.

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    1. Mama Abroad : Yes! I know what you mean about the shame! The Opster definitely gave(gives) me grief when I've broken my pescatarian diet.

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  39. I've been a veggie properly for seven years, never really ate meat or fish much as I just don't like it.

    Also bowel issues - I'll try meat about once every 1-2 years as part of a doctor suggested diet and it's not worth the crap, pun fully intended.

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  40. Yes. I was a vegetarian for most of my life, from childhood into my late 30s. A lot of things changed my mind, but largely it was because some health issues arose, causing my doc to recommend I really cut back on soy. I added seafood back into my diet, then poultry. It was a little weird at first, but I'm mentally adjusted now. And healthy.

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  41. Vegetarian for 9 years here. I ate seafood for a bit when I was visiting people on a trip and the region was remote and there were no ther sources of good protein like legumes etc. If you travel, I think you have to tweak a little or go hungry. I would not eat seafood though that I understood to be unethically sourced.

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  42. I think people who "go off the wagon" are probably not supplementing their diet enough. I mean, folks who eat meat do the same thing. I find I eat more iron and minerals now that I am vegetarian and educated about what the nutritional needs are.

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  43. Yes, I was vegetarian for 12 years including a few years as a vegan. One day I was suddenly overcome with the urge to eat chicken so I did and have eaten meat since. Still don't like meat with bones it it though.

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  44. Maple turkey sausage links and when I was pregnant with my last kid, I couldn't stop eating carne asada.

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  45. I became a vegetarian after reading "The Jungle" by Upton Sinclair. Ate eggs and dairy. Met BF/present hubby, got sick of eating eggplant parm whenever we went out to dinner (20 years ago, there wasn't a variety of veggie dishes in restaurants like there are now). I could easily do without meat, but hubby and son like it. Diet primarily consists of 95% organic, with humanely raised meat (local, by 4H kids for a farm where I get my CSA stuff) and fish. Processed stuff is da debbil!

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  46. You realize The Jungle was published in 1906?

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  47. Yes, for 3 years when driving to Sacramento from southern California and seeing all of the cow farms. What changed me. An In & Out burger...seriously.

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  48. Vegetarian for 15 years. Went back to meat after adrenal fatigue - was basically told I would not get better without it. Ethical fears? Yes. I buy farm friendly. I suppose to make me feel better about it. I try to be smart about portions and respect that pretty much, other life forces keep us alive.

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  49. I was for nearly a decade, but pregnancy cravings for bacon and steaks quickly ended that. Now it's mostly lean protein, but I try to make 5 days a week vegetarian for the sake of our arteries. Kids don't mind, hubby loves it.

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  50. Nah, where I come from, they put meat in the veggies. Bless the south. Bacon in my black eye peas.

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  51. I struggle with it. I know we are designed to eat meat (hello canines) but yeah our food production is what's scary. Omnivores Dilemma is a great book that will make you never want meat ever again. And yeah I'm an animal lover so when I see the animals we eat it sort of makes me sad. I blame disney for making them talk and pulling on my heart strings

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